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AmericanKulak
2024 Oct 25, 8:09pm
AmericanKulak
2024 Oct 25, 8:09pm
I've come to the belief that if you're paying more than $30k and getting wood frame instead of metal, you've paid to much. WTF the point of using fiberglass/composite pieces interspaced with easily rotted wood in a vehicle that is constantly ungaraged and exposed to the elements?
If they can build a decent compact SUV for $30k including an engine, muffler, transmission, etc. they can certainly build a metal frame for a towed vehicle.
Fuck, if mom and pops can make and sell all metal-and-fiberglass cargo trailers with electric brakes for five figures and make a profit... The extra few thousand is just for wiring and appliances (Battery, Fan, etc.).... WTF is with Forest River? I suspect the $30k+ range is just full of shit, it's gotta be padded with markup for mfg and dealers and sales commish.
If they can build a decent compact SUV for $30k including an engine, muffler, transmission, etc. they can certainly build a metal frame for a towed vehicle.
Fuck, if mom and pops can make and sell all metal-and-fiberglass cargo trailers with electric brakes for five figures and make a profit... The extra few thousand is just for wiring and appliances (Battery, Fan, etc.).... WTF is with Forest River? I suspect the $30k+ range is just full of shit, it's gotta be padded with markup for mfg and dealers and sales commish.
2
WookieMan
2024 Oct 26, 7:19am
WookieMan
2024 Oct 26, 7:19am
AmericanKulak says
I've visited their plants in Indiana in about 2008. Don't touch the stuff. Not much else needs to be said. Met with the CEO and other higher ups. They for sure are cutting costs anywhere they can and don't care about long term quality whatsoever.
It's been that way for decades though, at least with Forest River that I know of. The shell of a camper is the biggie. Airstreams look cool in my opinion but it's rigid and highly unlikely to leak. No wood frame. You're gonna pay 2-3x over the cardboard box campers, but you got something that will last forever, especially in you can garage/store it indoors.
If you go with cheap models of trailers you have to cover them or store them indoors. Or they're toast in 10 years. Especially in rainy and snowy areas.
WTF is with Forest River?
I've visited their plants in Indiana in about 2008. Don't touch the stuff. Not much else needs to be said. Met with the CEO and other higher ups. They for sure are cutting costs anywhere they can and don't care about long term quality whatsoever.
It's been that way for decades though, at least with Forest River that I know of. The shell of a camper is the biggie. Airstreams look cool in my opinion but it's rigid and highly unlikely to leak. No wood frame. You're gonna pay 2-3x over the cardboard box campers, but you got something that will last forever, especially in you can garage/store it indoors.
If you go with cheap models of trailers you have to cover them or store them indoors. Or they're toast in 10 years. Especially in rainy and snowy areas.
Prices got too high. RV Parks/Resorts got too arrogant with overdemand and started swinging the hammer at average customers, pissing them off.
But most of all, the build quality - America's RV HQ is in and around Elkhart, Indiana - went to total shit. Rat nest wiring, bubbling wallpaper, sinks not caulked, paperthin covering over particle board counters, etc. in $60k, $80, $120k new RVs. One provider, Lippencott, provides the vast majority of parts from axles to sinks to door hangers.
This was verified by State investigators: RV recalls went up 300% from Indiana Manufacturers between 2020-2022.
Another interesting factor: Substance abuse on the job. Apparently all that cheap Haitian/Fakefugee labor likes to get high on the job. THAT's one thing Management has admitted. Probably got sick of paying $18/hr so they used $12/hr highly taxpayer subsidized EconomicMigrant WageBusters fresh out of Colombian and Venezuelan jails for theft and burglary, and shock of shocks, they're all with substance abuse problems when they can actually understand what they're being taught
Tiffin - which makes near million dollar motorcoaches - owners report problem after problem driving off the lot. It just got brought by THOR, which brought a shitload of other companies one after the other including Airstream and JayCo. And new owners - often repeat loyal repeat customers - of those are reporting endless problems
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TO3Uu-KcQLA