Ace Owners - Would you do it again? - Page 2

Red364 · 08-08-2016, 04:40 AM

We have a 2015 Ace 27.1, this summer and last, the shop has had it longer than we have. Its all warranty work and Thor is usually the hold up. If they were minor, it would be ok.
I would not buy a Thor again!

Leo · 08-09-2016, 01:52 AM

We have a 2013 ACE29.2, and use it for our winter home south.
We consider it a perfect size for 2, and it performs well under way,easy to park in malls etc.
So yes we would by again.

Bob Montgomery · 08-09-2016, 02:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Red364

We have a 2015 Ace 27.1, this summer and last, the shop has had it longer than we have. Its all warranty work and Thor is usually the hold up. If they were minor, it would be ok.
I would not buy a Thor again!

Sounds like your dealer is doing you wrong. All our problems were handled by Thor in a timely manner. All parts were shipped to my dealer and when they came in we made an appointment and got it fixed in one day.

Who is your dealer?

Hittntherooad · 08-09-2016, 05:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jedsmom

We have a 30.1 and just got done with a 3,000 mile trip to Washington. Everything worked flawlessly, and we were very comfortable in it, even with our beagle having to be kenneled 24/7 while recuperating from disc surgery. We really put it through its paces, and were pleased with its performance all the way around. And nothing fell apart!

We learned the limits of our generator, however (in a bay located right behind the driver's seat). It doesn't like really hot weather. Once we hit 100* coming through Shasta, it cut out. Fortunately we didn't have much farther to go, and the dash AC kept us and the dogs cool enough until we could hook up to shore power and run the house AC.

I'm tempted to see if we could swap out the bay door for one that allowed greater airflow. I think it would help.

Doing some searching I found one method was installing the vent in the door but it also needs the piece around the vent inside to isolate the air coming from outside otherwise the air is just sucked back in from under the coach. There were pictures posted somewhere. I ran a semi rigid duct from the front grill area to the intake area of the generator. Ran it about 40 miles in 96 degree weather and it never missed a beat.

Jedsmom · 08-09-2016, 05:43 AM

Thanks for the information. I'll have to see if I can find the post.

Bob Montgomery · 08-09-2016, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Red364

We have a 2015 Ace 27.1, this summer and last, the shop has had it longer than we have. Its all warranty work and Thor is usually the hold up. If they were minor, it would be ok.
I would not buy a Thor again!

Sounds like the problem is your dealer, not Thor. IMHO never leave your rig for warranty work as they will always blame Thor for lack of parts when the truth is they will work on it when they have extra time, which they never have. Warranty work does not pay as much as a customer paying for repairs. A lot less. So you have Thor ship the parts to your dealer, after they arrive you make an appointment for the repair and stay at the dealership the entire day if necessary and get it done. Who is your dealer anyway?

Scott · 08-10-2016, 12:37 AM

Would we buy again? That's a good question. We spent a couple years looking for a unit that had a floor plan that could be easily modified for the installation of a wheelchair lift. We finally found the Thor ACE 30.2 Bunkhouse. We had the couch removed and a wheelchair lift installed in its' place. That modification went well and it was done by Gresham's Driving Aids in Wixom, MI.

Another area that we looked at for modifying was the bathroom area and bedroom. On this particular unit the original bathroom was not ideal for modifications, but it was probably one of the best. Our mistake was in letting General RV do the modification. The toilet was moved no more than 4 feet towards the outside passenger wall. The shower area had a different floor pan put in. One that would allow a handicapped shower chair to fit in. The sink and overhead cabinet were removed.

This modification works, barely. There is definitely room for improvement, especially with the shower area. I'm not sure why, but General RV decided to install a separate tank with a drain line for the shower instead of letting it drain into the black tank like it was originally designed to do. The toilet is the bigger issue and I think it would still be an issue even if the toilet hadn't relocated. There have been a number of 30.2 owners complaining about their toilets and their ineffectiveness in flushing. After looking at schematics provided by Thor the issue, in my opinion, is caused by the extremely poor slope of the tank in that part of the unit. The tank has a 3 inch drop over the distance of 6 feet. Not much of a slope.

The bathroom was modified for two reasons, one so I could take a shower and the other was so that I could be placed in bed rather easily. In order to get me into bed we bought and installed a portable lift system. By portable I mean it is not attached to any part of the unit. In any event it is a challenge to get me into bed. An overhead lift attached to the ceiling would work better, but we will need to contact Thor to see if such a unit can be installed without reinforcing the ceiling. It's a challenge to this lift system in position so I can easily use it. Lastly, the bed is so high that I cannot be raised high enough for butt to completely clear the bed.

In the 2 years we have our unit we've put just about 18,000 miles on which includes a maiden trip to Alaska and back. There are a number of quality issues. Quite a few small things that seem to show someone didn't take pride in their work or were rushed. The unit meets half of our requirements and we're getting by for now. If we were to look for a unit that had everything we might still be looking. I would just like to take it to the next level and have a toilet that works, a shower that is a touch bigger and looks more esthetically pleasing, and an overhead lift system that isn't so hard for my wife to use to get me in bed. I know that may be too much to ask for, but maybe next time have someone who specializes in that type of modifications do it instead of General RV. Finally, I would look to purchase the unit some other place.

Phew...that's enough.

Classictint · 08-22-2016, 05:22 AM

I love everything about my 29M except the frameless Windows which let no air in which is almost a deal breaker

Bob Montgomery · 08-22-2016, 04:42 PM

[QUOTE=Classictint;43771]I love everything about my 29M except the frameless Windows which let no air in which is almost a deal breaker[/QUOTE

This shows how Thor struggles to try to please everyone but cannot...you have the frameless windows. My wife and I love them. When cranked open and we use our fans, they pull in a lot of air in our 29.3 and it can be raining and no rain comes in. Also ours seem to seal better than the sliders in our old (2015) Forest River Class C.

Other than that, what did you find that was different in your coach than the Ace? Have a great day.

tenbear · 08-25-2016, 12:42 AM

I have a 2005 Thor Four Winds 28A MH and it has performed very well over the years. There were a few issues when it was new but the dealer, Albany RV, now RV1, took care of them in a timely fashion.

A salesman that I became friendly with told me that the Four Winds Quality went in cycles and I had bought mine near the "good" part of the cycle. From what I read in this forum, it seems we are in the low part of the cycle.

With all I have read in this forum, I would be very careful to choose the right dealer if I was to buy one now.

Classictint · 08-25-2016, 01:16 AM

[QUOTE=Bob Montgomery;43811]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Classictint

I love everything about my 29M except the frameless Windows which let no air in which is almost a deal breaker[/QUOTE

This shows how Thor struggles to try to please everyone but cannot...you have the frameless windows. My wife and I love them. When cranked open and we use our fans, they pull in a lot of air in our 29.3 and it can be raining and no rain comes in. Also ours seem to seal better than the sliders in our old (2015) Forest River Class C.

Other than that, what did you find that was different in your coach than the Ace? Have a great day.

I love everything about it except the Windows

I don't remember why we chose theHurricane over the Ace? It has everything we were looking for though pretty much
Lance

axis earl · 08-25-2016, 01:26 AM

Here is what I am thinking after purchasing our first RV, a '16 Axis.... not perfect, but, we didn't pay top, top, dollar for it when comparing to other RV's that cost much, much, more. I still see those buyers of the high enders having their share of problems.... Our problems have been negligible (knock on wood...) so far. So far, we are not sorry about our pick. I look at people that buy a very high end house. Unless you are an expert... build it yourself.... there always seems to be something that could be done better. Driving through the neighborhood, I see a brand new high end house (mine is not....) and there is a plumber in their driveway with all of the furnishings pulled out, indicating a major plumbing problem. Nothing is going to be perfect with either a stick built residence or a RV. Just do your best to get it fixed and try to enjoy your life while you can.

PCharles4811 · 11-20-2016, 12:24 AM

My complaints with my ACE are the lack of quality control, the undersized fuse they had on the macerator pump. There was a loose vent pipe on the galley sink that let some not so pleasant fumes into the cabin and I completely rebuilt the entry steps because they were sloppy. There was a inch and a half of stair tread overhanging each step and raw wood was visible on both sides of the stairs. The crown molding over the slide was twisted to the point I took it off and started over. That being said. We love the coach. I would do it again but would need the finishing issues corrected before taking possession.

Bob Montgomery · 11-20-2016, 12:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PCharles4811

My complaints with my ACE are the lack of quality control, the undersized fuse they had on the macerator pump. There was a loose vent pipe on the galley sink that let some not so pleasant fumes into the cabin and I completely rebuilt the entry steps because they were sloppy. There was a inch and a half of stair tread overhanging each step and raw wood was visible on both sides of the stairs. The crown molding over the slide was twisted to the point I took it off and started over. That being said. We love the coach. I would do it again but would need the finishing issues corrected before taking possession.

What year and model is your Ace? Did you buy it new or used? Most of the things you listed should have been taken care of under warranty.

Bob Montgomery · 11-20-2016, 12:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by djnash

I don't have am ace but i WOULD NOT BUY A THOR PRODUCT AGAIN. As soon as i can unload this watermelon (to big to be called a lemon) i will. Pushing 3 months for warranty repairs and i still don't have the unit back. I am done with it. These were not manor issues ut according to campingworld the mept receiving the wrong parts. YA i believe that. Now they had to take it to ford for the dash air which is one of the original complaints. On the bright side it will be a new coach by the time i ever get it back. Just got the unit in april.

Sorry about your problems, but the question was for Ace owners.

be happy · 11-20-2016, 12:07 PM

I have the 2017 29.3 also. I went into it knowing that its not the top of the line. Having moved to Class a from 5th wheel was a change. Anyway as of now I would do it again. I find the ACE to be no better or worse than any others on the market.

I have had trouble with the two piece sliding bedroom door. The trailing pannel does not stay attached to the leading door. I have just had it replace and the new door did the same thing. By not staying attached it become free sliding and hits the wall on the other side causing damage to the door. Bob have you had this problem? My other concern is the placement of the King Jack ant. mine is right next to the A/C unit on the passangers side. Its not tall enough to point over the A/C unit.

With these issues I am still happy with my ACE

Bob Montgomery · 11-21-2016, 09:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by be happy

I have the 2017 29.3 also. I went into it knowing that its not the top of the line. Having moved to Class a from 5th wheel was a change. Anyway as of now I would do it again. I find the ACE to be no better or worse than any others on the market.

I have had trouble with the two piece sliding bedroom door. The trailing pannel does not stay attached to the leading door. I have just had it replace and the new door did the same thing. By not staying attached it become free sliding and hits the wall on the other side causing damage to the door. Bob have you had this problem? My other concern is the placement of the King Jack ant. mine is right next to the A/C unit on the passangers side. Its not tall enough to point over the A/C unit.

With these issues I am still happy with my ACE

We have a 2016 Ace 29.3 and have never had a problem with the sliding door in the bedroom. It should be a warranty problem. I would call Thor first to see if they have a simple fix and if not make my dealer fix it.

PCharles4811 · 11-21-2016, 10:34 PM

Bob, I bough my ACE 29.2 new in 2014. Having them repair the flaws would mean they would have the Coach for three weeks before they got "approval" to do them. I did them over a weekend and was able to use the new Coach. I have learned a few things. I won't drive another Coach off the lot until they are addressed and I will NEVER buy another extended warranty for Good Sam. CW has had the Coach now for 7 weeks because the radio died. I just found out today they " got approval" to replace it. $3500.00 later I could have replaced the radio three times and not gone through this.

Bob Montgomery · 11-22-2016, 02:24 PM

Your problem is CW. I have taken our Ace to the dealer. He or she takes pictures etc. of the problem. I go home. When the parts are shipped etc. by Thor my dealer calls me and sets up an appointment. I take it to the dealer and get it fixed the same day. I have never left our Ace to be fixed when they get around to it. You have a bad dealer.

Daveht · 11-22-2016, 08:43 PM

Didn't like our ACE 30.1 made to much noise from the engine. Had it 3 months and traded it in for a Palazzo 36.1. Best thing we did!

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