Cougar High Country Issues

[sourdough]

Bought a new Cougar High Country 319RLS bumper pull. Just took it across country from West Texas to Florida. In the first 42 miles I lost both fenders over the tandem axles. The sliding door for the bathroom busted the plastic slide/guide, came loose, busted out all the nice woodwork enclosing the door and ended up behind the bedroom slide. We did not see it when opening the slide and it busted up the trim facia wood when it was trapped.

We asked for, and we were told, that the High Country was an "upscale" model. The interior and woodwork looked that way when compared to others. Now, I'm thinking maybe that isn't so. Does anyone have any knowledge of 1) Keystone's actual quality levels and 2) where the Cougar High Country fits in?

At the moment I'm about ready to give it back to the dealer when I return and tell him to deal with it. It's just about what we wanted but it sure seems that Keystone is a sleazy player.

[denverpilot]

Both fenders falling off of their own accord in the first 42 miles sounds like they weren't installed properly and probably a warranty item. Breaking stuff moving slides in and out, probably not.

Very little outside of Class A coaches built like houses are "high end" in the RV industry. Look more carefully at most of that "woodwork" and bring a woodworking craftsman/handyman along. They'll enjoy the chuckle as they point out particle board covered with vinyl isn't "woodwork" and they'll probably show you where the most troublesome attachments will be and how to "pre-repair" them so they don't break. Drawer slides with a couple small staples holding them on, etc.

I wouldn't say Keystone is sleazy. They seem from most accounts to be willing to support real warranty issues, and answer their phones, and I've worked with a lot of industries which won't even do that... They do build stuff fairly lightweight and as quick as possible, like almost all of the manufacturers do, and because the market demands it. People want to tow 40' trailers with 1/2 ton trucks. You aren't going to get solid maple wood cabinets with dovetail joints in that market.

If you're looking for what Keystone's opinion is of their quality levels, they show that right on their website. Cougar is in the Select bracket, in the middle below Premium and above Standard.

The reality is, they're all built with virtually the same materials, the trailers themselves. The differences are in quality of things like tables, chairs, thickness of mattress pad, etc... And a few features.

[sourdough]

Thanks denverpilot.

I was probably a little harsh using the term sleazy. I wrote that after working with a dealership here in FL and trying to figure out Keystone's somewhat odd process for warranty work. The fact that I have to move a door twice a day to either sleep or sit in the living room doesn't help my objectivity

The High Country is actually built pretty well. The woodwork is really wood but some of the trim is a pretty thin veneer; maybe luan or something like it. They seem to have missed the mark on some of the smaller design items and most certainly on the side skirt bracing and fenders.

I know very little about quality levels in RVs and opinions are all over the place. We were just very disappointed with the fender problems and were wondering just what we had gotten ourselves into.

[allmi01]

I own the same Cougar High County as you do. Mine is a 2013 model.

I also had the sliding door retainer break after a trip or 2 however, I built a matching wood piece and added felt pads which retains the door nicely without any banging in any position. I used a cherry kitchen cabinet filler piece I purchased at Menards. If my TT was close at hand, I'd send a photo.

As to the poly fender skirts, I had a couple of the shet metal screws that we overtightened from the factory so I put in slighly larger diameter screwss which solved the issue for me. I never lost mine but diid see them being out of place while driving.

If you have the skirts, it doesn't take but a few minutes to put them back with the larger screws.

Mike

[sourdough]

allmi01

Thanks for the info. Have the screws held OK? I assume they have but I ask because I had taken mine in after taking it to our homw 60 miles from the dealer and all but 3 had come out of one fender and they replaced them all. Then on this trip I put blue Loctite on the screws before we left. The screws stayed but they pulled holes out of the fenders. One was gone completely and the other was pulling the skirting back in the wind so had to remove it.

If/when you have a chance I would like to see the glide you fabricated. I will do the same. The plastic piece doesn't look like it is up to the task.

Also, out of curiousity, did your dealer tell you your unit had one or two gray water tanks? We were told one and that the second monitor was just "there". It did in fact have two gray tanks and two valves - which I finally found the second after crawling around under the trailer.

Danny

[allmi01]

Danny,

Yes, my larger screws are holding fine. If the dealer simply repled the old screws with news ones of the same size, they will come out. The blue Loctite is a good idea. that will keep them from coming loose.

On the door slide / retainer. I basically built a samll letter h inverted. Measured up fromteh floor to about 2 inches into the door. Cut that as the back plate. Nxt measured from the wall out to the outside face of the door. the bottom plate will be that demension or slightly smaller. I used that demension so I coudl put felt pads between the new wood on the retainer and the door. The last piece is about 3 inches total and is the front plate.

I used wood glue and 18 gauge finish nail to put it all together. No fancy hoinery (all straight, flat cuts). It is working reat and looks a lot better than the plastic retainer it originally had.

If you plan you cuts, you will have 2 fininshed ends to work with without having to stain the ends.

I used a coule of brass colored utility screws to fasten the new piece to the wall into the bottom stud. I also trimmed the original door molding behind the door off so the new retianer could be mouted at the door frame edge. I also put a screw or 2 into door frame.

I took a couple of hours total.

When I get my TT back fro the shop (I hate to saythis, but maybe mid June) I'll try to remember to shoot a few pics and post them.

Mike