RV quality article of interest

notanlines · 09-13-2021, 07:12 AM

An article from RV Travel that might be of interest. Yes, their articles are usually just fluff crapola, but this one went just little deeper, maybe even hurting a few feelings.
https://www.rvtravel.com/pathetic-qu...oducing-1017b/

**flybouy** · 09-13-2021, 08:07 AM

Echos what we're reading here, many problems with new trailers. Will be interesting to see what happens in the next couple of years when the "Covid generation" of trailers hits the used matket.

Marineman · 10-09-2021, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by notanlines

An article from RV Travel that might be of interest. Yes, their articles are usually just fluff crapola, but this one went just little deeper, maybe even hurting a few feelings.
https://www.rvtravel.com/pathetic-qu...oducing-1017b/

Wow, what an article! And if you really want to read the facts about our current situation with poor quality in the RV industry, go to the comments at the end of the article. Double WOW!!

ASCTLC · 10-09-2021, 01:26 PM

Thankfully we bought a used twice 2020 Cougar with a build date of mid-2019 at the start of 2020. Man are we counting our blessings!!!

falcondan95705 · 11-30-2021, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ASCTLC

Thankfully we bought a used twice 2020 Cougar with a build date of mid-2019 at the start of 2020. Man are we counting our blessings!!!

Our KEYSTONE is a 2015.... nothing but problems..

Rob1955 · 02-07-2022, 05:18 PM

I just bought a Keystone hideout, and am working my way through everything and just looking. These camping trailers are not built "strong" pulling them too fast down a washboard gravel road, is not going to end well.
Ya, they could be built with better wood for sure. what would that add to the price? Who knows.
I'm remembering back to the old wilderness trailer Dad had. Every year we were sealing leak points on the roof.. I think it's going to happen with most of the travel trailers, drive slow, store away your things well. I have a 1 ton with a shell, so most of my gear will be in the rear of the truck, not bouncing around in a cupboard..

falcondan95705 · 02-07-2022, 05:49 PM

We just looked at a 2007 KZ ESCALADE.. BUILT LIKE A TANK. Real wood floors, 1 inch thick doors outside, solid bottom, just a real nice unit..

LnS · 02-07-2022, 06:42 PM

just an observation but with record units manufactured, record sales, low dealer inventory all despite low quality is there a reason for the manufacturing industry to do better?
The market is rewarding the industry as it is.

Rob1955 · 02-08-2022, 06:25 AM

Yes apparently so.. all that may change. I look at how things were done on this 2019, and just have to scratch my head.... why in the world would one install a 1.5" PVC gate valve to dump a fresh water tank? Why not a 1" FIP with a small valve to drain..?? I'm usually not in any hurry.
I could do without a flat panel TV as well. Usually somewhere I don't get TV channels anyway. LOL, I have a 16 ft Sioux tipi I lived in during the summers in Wyo.. I loved it.

**JRTJH** · 02-08-2022, 07:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob1955

... why in the world would one install a 1.5" PVC gate valve to dump a fresh water tank? Why not a 1" FIP with a small valve to drain..?? ...

I'd make a "best guess" on the "why in the world" by just saying, it's much more cost effective to use the same part in multiple locations if possible. That saves money in procurement costs, inventory, repair times and warranty costs.

I'd suspect that Keystone's "mantra" is produce a "feature laden trailer at the cheapest price" I'd also suspect their parts decisions don't include whether the customer's feet get splashed by mud when using the feature...

After all, they build trailers every day with the cheapest electrical outlets, lowest bidder ST tires, frames with a history of cracking at stress points, omission of "wet bolts" in favor of plastic "silencers", and a host of other "shortcuts that look good when on the dealer's lot but not so good 6 months after the warranty expires"....

As an example, when rear bumpers started failing, rather than install a more expensive (and more functional) rear bumper, they "redesigned the trailer rear section to present a less cluttered appearance"... Translated, they just started leaving the bumper off new trailers.....

Rob1955 · 02-08-2022, 08:07 AM

yes assembly line production.. and probably why Air Stream trailers seem to hold their value... I don't care for their looks, but have not heard many complaints about them.. a control drfain with a 1" ball valve mounted right under the tank, would suit me fine... How much water do we leave in the fresh water tank after a bit of dry camping? I'd don't think it's still 1/2 full in most cases.

**flybouy** · 02-08-2022, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob1955

yes assembly line production.. and probably why Air Stream trailers seem to hold their value... I don't care for their looks, but have not heard many complaints about them.. a control drfain with a 1" ball valve mounted right under the tank, would suit me fine... How much water do we leave in the fresh water tank after a bit of dry camping? I'd don't think it's still 1/2 full in most cases.

I wish my FW tank had that gate valve. We don't keep much water in the tank, mainly enough to flush the toilet and wash hands while on the road. Here's the BIUT ... when flushing the tank in the spring time it's a PIA to have that much water running out of a 1/2" drain. If time is of the essence you can run the pump and open up the faucets but then you're just filling up the gray tank.

roadglide · 02-08-2022, 09:41 AM

I recently sold low mileage 2015 Labero made in Canada one post one buyer. All I hear from the buyer was the quality and craftsmanship the Canadians did with leisure lite Labero. I was told the Chevy engine was better then the Mercedes diesel because of parts and more power . It’s compatible with the air stream class B Plus, but airstream is owned by Thor . I looked at the class B+ Airstream at the Tampa RV show for over $200,000 you get a 24 foot torpedo.

jasin1 · 02-08-2022, 09:42 AM

The gate valve also gives you a way of cleaning the tank if any sediment or gunk forms in the tank from stagnant water left in there…a small tiny valve may get clogged….if you pulling out of a boondocking spot you can quickly empty the tank as well …I like having the valve

**JRTJH** · 02-08-2022, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob1955

yes assembly line production.. and probably why Air Stream trailers seem to hold their value... I don't care for their looks, but have not heard many complaints about them.. a control drfain with a 1" ball valve mounted right under the tank, would suit me fine... How much water do we leave in the fresh water tank after a bit of dry camping? I'd don't think it's still 1/2 full in most cases.

Just one "personal experience" with Airstream. In 1968 I bought an Airstream International 26' trailer from Holiday RV Sales which was located directly across the street from the Airstream assembly plant in Cerritos, CA. It was a "BEEEAUTEFULLLLL" trailer, filled with bells and whistles and cost $8600. That's when Fleetwood Prowler 26' trailers were selling for $1800. So, the cost was SIGNIFICANTLY more than anything except Avion, Silver Streak/Stream or Holiday Rambler Imperial trailers. Airstream was in a "class of its own"...

OK, we hitched up, towed onto the highway and about 2 blocks from the dealership, at a stop light, someone stopped next to us yelled and pointed to the trailer. I pulled over, walked to the back of the trailer and the bumper bottom (compartment for the shore power cord and water hose) was missing and the shore power cord was dragging the ground....

Airstream had left the Cleco fasteners in the panel and "forgot" to install the rivets. Factory QA missed it, dealership PDI missed it, I missed it, but fortunately, 2 blocks from the dealer, a stranger "caught it"... Back to the dealership, they called across the street and Airstream sent a crew over to fix it "RAT NOW"....

Moral of this story: Don't believe that just because a trailer is built by "the best" and priced at 5 to 10 times the cost of a Keystone, that it's built any better or that it's better "quality" or "reliability"....

Rob1955 · 02-08-2022, 04:17 PM

I'm retired and the tank usually isn't anywhere near full. Gate valves present problems.. and mine is broken.. it duscks to pull a tank down and freplace it. The tanks are reasonable, the labor is not.

Rob1955 · 02-08-2022, 04:20 PM

True, I recently had a friend pulling his trailer and the netting holding up his insulation came free, went under one tire, and ripped the entire works off.. **** happens. Air Stream trailers mare way over my budget.

Rob1955 · 02-08-2022, 04:23 PM

It's not broken... mine is.... a 1" ball valve would do just fine. If you want to flush the tank hook a hose up to the ball valve and let it rip. Gate valve doesn't give you the oprion. I don't thin clean city water is going to present a problem with the tank getting dirty?

jasin1 · 02-08-2022, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob1955

I'm retired and the tank usually isn't anywhere near full. Gate valves present problems.. and mine is broken.. it duscks to pull a tank down and freplace it. The tanks are reasonable, the labor is not.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob1955

It's not broken... mine is.... a 1" ball valve would do just fine. If you want to flush the tank hook a hose up to the ball valve and let it rip. Gate valve doesn't give you the oprion. I don't thin clean city water is going to present a problem with the tank getting dirty?

Ok well …seems like you have your mind made up that it’s a unforgivable transgression that they installed one..don’t think I could add anything to help….good luck and hope you find some happiness with your trailer

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