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Old 07-01-2017, 10:32 PM   #21
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Miramar 37.1
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Hi all, I'm new to the Thor Forum and I've been reading all your posts. My wife & I own a 2013 Thor Daybreak and we have always considered it a starter coach. We like some of you have experienced a few minor and major issues. That being said, we are now looking into the Miramar 37.1 since it will accommodate the grandchildren and their parents (when we allow them). My question is..can someone out there tell me if it's true that the Miramar like the Challenger a better quality coach?

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Old 07-01-2017, 11:13 PM   #22
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Originally Posted by enadio4u View Post
Hi all, I'm new to the Thor Forum and I've been reading all your posts. My wife & I own a 2013 Thor Daybreak and we have always considered it a starter coach. We like some of you have experienced a few minor and major issues. That being said, we are now looking into the Miramar 37.1 since it will accommodate the grandchildren and their parents (when we allow them). My question is..can someone out there tell me if it's true that the Miramar like the Challenger a better quality coach?
There our quality issues in every brand and price range it seems... A more expensive coach isn't immune.
That said - you will always read more of the compaints from people with issues than you will ever see comments from those with no issues - just the nature of the internet.

Whatever the coach - a thorough PDI and a good dealer are your best friends.
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Old 07-01-2017, 11:19 PM   #23
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Agree 100%

Thanks GMC
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Old 07-02-2017, 01:50 AM   #24
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We picked up our new '17 Challenger 37LX two weeks ago. Did the acceptance walk through, so there's a punch list. Took it home and went over it for 2 days (it's our first RV, we are still learning everything) then parked it at a storage yard while we went on a week long business trip.

Came home, had already made an appointment to take her back to CW for the corrections. That was Monday. They're backed up, they say, and should get to it this coming Monday. I really hope so. We made reservations at a CG about 100 miles away for the following week, and want to have it as ready as possible.

In our case, we were able to take some time before our first run, mostly because we just don't know what we're doing!
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Old 07-02-2017, 04:21 AM   #25
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There our quality issues in every brand and price range it seems... A more expensive coach isn't immune.
That said - you will always read more of the compaints from people with issues than you will ever see comments from those with no issues - just the nature of the internet.

Whatever the coach - a thorough PDI and a good dealer are your best friends.
Couldn't agree more. My friend bought a new Winnebago first trip out converter caught on fire. Another friend has a Prevost just got through electrical problems now has vacuum problems.
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Old 07-02-2017, 02:53 PM   #26
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Thanks Joe. This is what we and you call FUBAR when all these issues happen on the first trip out of the driveway. They will all get fixed no doubt. Doesn't mean I cant rage in here so I don't kill someone elsewhere! Retired businessman, teacher, army so I'm no snowflake and know how to fix things some people never heard of. Point is we shouldn't have to. America has learned to pay more for less and ignore pride and quality in workmanship. At least in the RV industry. Food for thought.
You are correct Bill, and I mean no disrespect on my original post. The RV dealers are parking new products on their lots which show MSRP of $165,000 after they actually pay the company between $80,000 and $90,000 for them. Then they have a huge "sale" price on them and mark them down to $135,000 and people flock in to buy their brand new $165,000 shiny new RV at a discount. Actually they are buying a product that was produced, including profit, for less than $90,000 so they just paid some RV retailer $45,000 dollars.

Chance is right about the low quality issues and the fact that people just keep buying these RVs. We only made the mistake of purchasing one new RV, from then on we have always looked for 2 or 3 year old units. We have had much better luck, price wise and quality wise, by purchasing good used units.
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Old 07-02-2017, 06:41 PM   #27
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One last "general" thought on this quality debate and them I'm moving on also.



I think it is absolutely correct that people are much more likely to express complaints than satisfaction with products (whether communicating on internet or not), but I see that as a good thing. Almost necessary in my opinion.

If that were not the case, an unacceptable failure or defect rate could be loss in the reporting background noise.

As an example, I installed over a dozen manufacturing lines where defects could be no more than 1 or 2 per 10,000 (can't recall all details). Minimum success rate was therefore like 9,998 out of 10,000.

Imagine that even if failures were reported 10 times more frequently than successes, the reported numbers would still be highly skewed towards good product even when failure rates were unacceptably high. When allowed defects are only 2 out of 10,000, even if unacceptable product was reported 100 times more frequently, it may still not equal praise for good product.



I do agree with those who often mention that people are more likely to bitch and complain about bad experiences than praise good ones, but even so, if defects and failure rates were as low as they should be, we wouldn't be seeing so many of them proportionally.

I'm just saying I'm not as quick to dismiss quality problems as some are just because of reporting bias. I know there is bias, but it doesn't preclude poor quality.
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Old 07-07-2017, 02:57 PM   #28
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Originally Posted by Mike in AZ View Post
We picked up our new '17 Challenger 37LX two weeks ago. Did the acceptance walk through, so there's a punch list. Took it home and went over it for 2 days (it's our first RV, we are still learning everything) then parked it at a storage yard while we went on a week long business trip.

Came home, had already made an appointment to take her back to CW for the corrections. That was Monday. They're backed up, they say, and should get to it this coming Monday. I really hope so. We made reservations at a CG about 100 miles away for the following week, and want to have it as ready as possible.

In our case, we were able to take some time before our first run, mostly because we just don't know what we're doing!
Mike, I hope the CW you are dealing with has a better service department than most. We had the CW in Ft. Myers install a Winegard Direct-TV dish on top of our coach, new washer/dryer, plus a new King Jack for local reception before we left on our current trip. They broke a table in our living room and a full length mirror in our bathroom. In the middle of our 4 month travels this week the King Jack no longer works and the Direct-TV satellite has lost all power. I have already investigated both issues enough to suspect sloppy install for both failures.
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Old 07-07-2017, 03:27 PM   #29
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Mike, I hope the CW you are dealing with has a better service department than most. We had the CW in Ft. Myers install a Winegard Direct-TV dish on top of our coach, new washer/dryer, plus a new King Jack for local reception before we left on our current trip. They broke a table in our living room and a full length mirror in our bathroom. In the middle of our 4 month travels this week the King Jack no longer works and the Direct-TV satellite has lost all power. I have already investigated both issues enough to suspect sloppy install for both failures.
So far, I'm not sure what to think of the local CW service department. They've had my MH for 10 days. They corrected a couple things, said a couple others are working fine (maybe I did not hold the button on the remote long enough to extend the slide??), and are awaiting Thor approval for the rest. One item is, the microwave is mounted poorly. The sounds it makes when we are driving are horrible, like having a dozen crickets on the couch with you. They say they need to remove it, add some foam, then reinstall and tighten the screws. Great. You need mfr authorization for that?

We are now planning an unexpected trip to Ohio soon. I am praying everything is working and we don't have any serious issues on the road. 4,000 miles round trip.
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Old 07-08-2017, 02:30 PM   #30
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So far, I'm not sure what to think of the local CW service department. They've had my MH for 10 days. They corrected a couple things, said a couple others are working fine (maybe I did not hold the button on the remote long enough to extend the slide??), and are awaiting Thor approval for the rest. One item is, the microwave is mounted poorly. The sounds it makes when we are driving are horrible, like having a dozen crickets on the couch with you. They say they need to remove it, add some foam, then reinstall and tighten the screws. Great. You need mfr authorization for that?

We are now planning an unexpected trip to Ohio soon. I am praying everything is working and we don't have any serious issues on the road. 4,000 miles round trip.
Mike, the only advise I can give you is stay on top of them and check their work if you can. Today I am going to have to remove my dryer, which is stacked on top of the washer. To remove it I have to take off both pantry doors plus go outside and remove the dryer vent. Once I lift the 67 pound dryer out I have to re-secure both plug-ins for the Direct-TV dish that CW decided to plug into the outlets hidden behind the washer/dryer. Very stupid unprofessional sloppy workmanship that I didn't catch. I will be taking photos before I correct it but I'm not sure what good that will do me.
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Old 07-08-2017, 02:47 PM   #31
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Mike, the only advise I can give you is stay on top of them and check their work if you can. Today I am going to have to remove my dryer, which is stacked on top of the washer. To remove it I have to take off both pantry doors plus go outside and remove the dryer vent. Once I lift the 67 pound dryer out I have to re-secure both plug-ins for the Direct-TV dish that CW decided to plug into the outlets hidden behind the washer/dryer. Very stupid unprofessional sloppy workmanship that I didn't catch. I will be taking photos before I correct it but I'm not sure what good that will do me.
Good luck, Joe, I hope the job goes smoothly and you don't strain your back!
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Old 07-08-2017, 10:30 PM   #32
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It was a 2 hour job but we are back up with Direct-TV and will be watching the Cubs game this evening!

I documented what I found (several photos) once I removed pantry door, bathroom doors, and the actual dryer and outside vent. The Direct-TV controller box was just hanging upside down and plugged into an appliance extension cord, which of course after bouncing down the road for over 3,000 miles finally came unplugged, now there is a shocker! Fine professional workmanship at $125.00 per hour! All that is changed now with box secured to the wall, wires secured and ran correctly, and dryer re-installed.

Don't know if it will do me any good or not, but when we return in August I will be paying a visit to the Ft. Myers CW. I'll have to check my paperwork, but if I recall correctly I was charged at least 3 hours labor for installing the washer/dryer and vent. Since I had to re-install the dryer and vent correctly then I am going to insist on half that labor back. If that store manager refuses then there has to be some type of regional or corporate boss that can be spoken with. If that doesn't work then it will be time to tell the story to one of the RV magazines that print such stories. I guess what upsets me more than anything is that all that electrical wiring mess into an extension cord certainly could have shorted out or caused additional hazards behind a washer and dryer with no way of getting back there. Ft. Myers CW is a joke!

Like I said before Mike, keep an eye on them if you can. Your local CW store may be ran better but I doubt it.
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Old 07-08-2017, 10:52 PM   #33
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Well done, Joe. I don't have the expertise to do half of what you described. I guess I'll find out soon enough about the workmanship at my local CW. I really hope it's not like yours!
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