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And that is, what it is! The RV industry has about the same quality level the US auto industry had in the 60s/70s and early 80s. But that knowledge can be gained through doing ones homework. And part of the complains up above are not a problem of the coach maker, but of the chassis that the coaches are build on, again, proper homework will indicate this, too.
And If you have diesel's that were designed from the beginning for passenger vehicles (Passat and Sprinter - which started out as an engine for the E Class of Mercedes), you have a different noise level than with diesel engines that were designed to operate in construction equipment like they are used in motorhomes. My dad used to have a Mercedes 220 diesel in the early 60's, and one hardly could hear it inside the vehicle. But even with your F350 it is different, because the engine is pretty far in front of you, and separated from you by a well insulated bulk head, while you sit in the F53 right next to it, separated from it by a fiberglass dog house. I would not want to have the International Navistar diesel of my F350 working next to me!
There is a reason that Ford does not put diesel engines in the F53 chassis (one can get them with the F550 chassis), because, besides of the extra cost, the noise level would be almost unbearable.
Diesel puller motorhomes were produced for a relatively short time, and hey diapered from the market again.
And you are correct, part of the problem are the dealers/dealer salespersons, who seem not to care about the satisfaction of the customers but rather about a quick sale. this can be because most sales persons will not see the buyer again for another sales, and they can care less if the buyer is happy or not, they do not need to build up customer loyalty!
And again, that is the reason why a customer has to do his or her homework, because that is the only way to get a somewhat OK product that costs a lot of money.
When I bought my motorhome, I was shopping around, reading , etc. for almost two years. and I had already RV experience with travel trailers for almost 15 years prior to this.
I was lucky and have a pretty good Thor product (but still with all the shortcomings of the F53 chassis), and I am modifying it and working on it until it is the way I like it. I have no intention to trade it in for a newer one, because the chassis has not changed and I can remodel the interior in any way I like! I have a good product now and it would be silly to give it up (I have now 68,000 miles on the clock, and my son sees commercial trucks with the same engine/transmission coming into their shop that have well over 350,000 miles on). I'd rather invest my money into improving what I have.
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