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Old 11-03-2018, 09:10 PM   #21
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: windsport 36R
State: Pennsylvania
Posts: 28
THOR #11273
Of all the forums that I've been reading it seems like every RV MFG has issues with there rigs. From high end to lower end. They all have problems. So does Thor have more, maybe, maybe not. I haven't been keeping score. I'm retired from a heavy equipment manufacturer and we had a great quality control department and we still had issues both at the factory and on customers job sites or dealer's. So I know what to look for during a vehicle construction. I took the plant tour at the Thor factory and was not overly impressed with there quality inspections. I think this show's up in their end product. But that said I'm betting a lot if not most of these RV MFG operate the same. I think you get good RVs and bad RVs and the price doesn't reflect on which is which. We love our Thor MH it works for us. Sure we've had problems but they were fixed either by me or a dealer. Just think of the thousands of parts going into these MH something is bound to happen sooner or later. Heck try driving your home down the road at 65 MPH and tell me things wouldn't break. Maybe that's over reaching but you know what I mean. The only thing that really helps is some knowledge of these different operating systems then you can fix them yourself. It seems that the constant complaining comes from people that don't understand how this MH works. And that's okay, I get it not everyone is and engineer. I would guess if there were more people with basic knowledge of there MH you might not know if anything was going wrong in this industry. And those with multiple problems I get it also it is frustrating to keep fixing things. But hay it's yours to fix that should give you some pride in your Workman ship and a good pat on the back. Hang in there there's brighter days ahead.

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Old 11-03-2018, 09:39 PM   #22
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Thor Compass 23TR
State: New York
Posts: 9
THOR #12187
Comments from New 2018 Thor Compass 23TR Owner

I felt like I may have been making a mistake when I bought my Compass 23TR Diesel this last July after reading all the negative Thor opinions on the web, but it truly is a perfect fit for my wife and I, and the price was right.

We're very happy with out Thor. It's been terrific fun, it rides beautifully, it's good on fuel, we receive compliments on it everywhere we go and we have many fine adventures ahead together in it because it has good bones and many miles and many years left to go. And that's why we bought it.

I've previously owned and customized a StarCraft, restored 4 sailboats from their keels up, and I've designed and built 3 highly specialized trailers which have all been front cover subjects of trade magazines. So I have some experience with mobile systems and knew pretty well what to expect regarding this industry's construction standards, especially at the affordable price point that's right for the average guy like me.

Understanding what you can realistically expect here helps you greatly if it also means you can do some mitigation before the mayo hits the fan - long before you hit the road. I encourage you to consider that truth when buying any RV or boat. These things are generally not purchased as investments and longevity is not their hallmark. QC is an afterthought. Treat them well, they'll work well. But the Devil's in the details so pay attention to those.

From day 1, there are things you will need to inspect and fix, circuits to trace faults along, stuff to re-glue and screws to tighten. There will always be systems for you to improve on and maintain, and you'll think of neat ways to enhance your rig's performance, technology and pleasure.

There's much to read about and plenty to learn about, and stuff to gripe about and to research online about, and buy, and to ask good people about. Thor has been very helpful the few times I've needed them. But, like many others, I also have a low opinion of certain dealer tactics and I'm puzzled why there isn't a powerful owners association in this country to rectify some of these wrongs.

But there are also great RV repair clubs, courses and forums to join to help expand your knowledge base. Obviously, you've found this one and lots of good advice has been written already.

But there's not enough emphasis on this aspect of RV ownership: Learning and Doing are key attributes of RV Ownership, and Knowing is a Requirement accompanying the Responsibility for driving so many tons down a highway. These attributes can combine to become an endless source of pleasure, relaxation and personal pride for you. Embrace them, or they will most certainly bite you when and where you least want it.

I encourage you to consider that many negative product reviews on the web come from good folks who honestly don't know the difference between a door knob and a jet ski. Sort those out and read between the lines. Realize that some people are better served saving their cash and taking a cruise instead of buying a boat with tires.

But in the meantime, best wishes, have fun and we're HEADNOUT.
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Old 11-03-2018, 10:36 PM   #23
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Aria 3901
State: Arizona
Posts: 66
THOR #11568
I have an ‘18 Aria 3901 and have had pretty good luck. A few issues, but most required going through and tightening screws and bolts. Overall, tech support has been able to help. Neighbor bout an 8 yr old Tropical w/ low miles and little use and told me hat was the way to go. Did a lot of upgrades and still having problems. I I’ll stay with mine as it has a great floor p,an and features. Hope this helps.
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Old 11-03-2018, 10:50 PM   #24
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Venetian M37
State: Texas
Posts: 63
THOR #10920
I have a Venetian, M37. There are many things I like and some I don’t. Several things to look out for. Older models have rubber roof, not good. Believe this is changed on newer models. Full slideout.... make certain it is correctly aligned and square otherwise a problem on gaskets and floor movement which tears cabinets from walls. Slideout hydraulic lines leaked. Had to replace all my lines. Shower drain is not vented. When you have dump valve closed water backs up in shower tub. Bay door seals not sealing.... turn bay lights on and crawl underneath. You can see light thru seals. When it rains you bays leak. Theatre lounge chair springs are not strong enough to hold lounge in full recline position. Thor replaced, but still a problem. Roof ladder strength is a joke. I weight less than 200#. Crushed it when climbing up. Door stop doesn’t stop door. It took out the mirror, really expensive. Microwave circuit had a cracked screw connector in junction box caused wiring to overheat and melt insulation. I solved the problems out of pocket. Thor and CW were only paid lip service to the slide out problem. Had it in Dealer twice and no results. You will have on the road problems. Thor tech support has been responsive at helping resolve.
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Old 11-03-2018, 11:22 PM   #25
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Freedom Elite 24HE
State: Pennsylvania
Posts: 6
THOR #10329
Quote:
Originally Posted by tonost View Post
Hello I found this group after reading about other owners horror stories about owning various RVs and in particular Thor. I currently own a 2005 jayco seneca which I bought used and I'm no stranger to things breaking and I also accept that thing are going to break over time but what worries me is that thor isn't at the top of the list for quality. I'm pretty stuck on buying a thor Venetian s40, it has the perfect floorplan for me and I wanted the bigger engine which it has. I guess what I'm asking is if there are a lot of people on here who regret buying a thor? Thanks for any input.
We bought a 2018 Thor Elite 24HE a year ago. Some minor issues with the interior molding, shower door bracket, and failure of the awning to close completely after rain, but completely satisfied with the unit otherwise. Not too satisfied with difficulty getting service appointment from CW, but found local dealers and shops to address any future issues. Love the floor plan, too. Given my experience, I can't agree with all the negative stuff I've read in the Forum. Perhaps I got the only good one they ever made.
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Old 11-04-2018, 05:25 AM   #26
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Chateau
State: Idaho
Posts: 83
THOR #7541
We bought a new Thor Chateau 29G because we trust the brand, and even though there were a couple of frustrating issues after the purchase, warranty was honored and we do not regret anything.
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Old 11-04-2018, 08:16 AM   #27
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Brand: Still Looking
State: New York
Posts: 2
THOR #13623
I haven’t been too happy with my Thor elite .my chassis battery had to be replaced after 1200 miles,my radio and backup camera are not working.LD lights on my awning not working.All these thinks weny after 20 months,so I’m out of luck with the warranty
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Old 11-04-2018, 01:05 PM   #28
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
State: Florida
Posts: 4
THOR #13069
Thor Compass owner...No regrets!
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Old 11-04-2018, 01:21 PM   #29
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: ACE 30.4
State: Michigan
Posts: 95
THOR #13168
Be sure you buy from a good dealer. Check on what people are saying about their service department. Unfortunately you probably will have some issues and your gonna want a dealer with a great service department. I think most people’s frustration with any RV is a service manager that has know clue how to handle the warranty process and service technicians that aren’t trained properly on the inner working of the RV.
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Old 11-04-2018, 01:37 PM   #30
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: 34F
State: Oklahoma
Posts: 628
THOR #8432
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Originally Posted by Bucket List Inn View Post
Be sure you buy from a good dealer. Check on what people are saying about their service department. Unfortunately you probably will have some issues and your gonna want a dealer with a great service department. I think most people’s frustration with any RV is a service manager that has know clue how to handle the warranty process and service technicians that aren’t trained properly on the inner working of the RV.
Short warranty times though. Had a friend talking about the warranty times on cars. Some are 3 years, some are 4 and some are longer. Didn't have the heart to tell him about Thor's warranty times. Oh, for the days when everyone had the same warranty miles and times.
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Old 11-04-2018, 02:15 PM   #31
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
State: Georgia
Posts: 2,585
THOR #4735
1 year is the typical/norm, and always has been, for the RV industry. While there are a few exceptions, Entegra(a Thor co), and Winnebago, both with 2 yrs, most 'warranty' issues should be ironed out if you use the coach and travel enough during the first year.
Unlike cars, who may have longer warranties, at least on 'some' of their systems, RVs aren't built in automated factories and are used in different ways than normal vehicles.
You may also find that the assumption that 'everything' ends at 1 year is also not necessarily true, even with RVs. Many components may be much longer. My Cummins engine's emission's components are 5 years. The Magnum inverter is 3 years, etc. Generally your fridge, tvs, microwave, and other electronics and appliances also have their own warranty periods. Thor, and most any other manufacturer, only warranties IT'S manufacturing, which is the 'house' part of the RV, for one year.
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Old 11-04-2018, 02:28 PM   #32
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
State: Illinois
Posts: 2
THOR #12391
When you're using the water pump, it's pretty noisy and right under the bed....so if any of us get up to use water, it startles us and wakes us up....we have 2018 Windsport 35m and are new to Thor ownership. Anyone else notice this? Why would they out it under a bed? Our local RV Cummins guy got it a little quieter, saying it wasn't properly installed, but, still why under the bed?
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Old 11-04-2018, 02:33 PM   #33
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: 34F
State: Oklahoma
Posts: 628
THOR #8432
Quote:
Originally Posted by TurnerFam View Post
1 year is the typical/norm, and always has been, for the RV industry. While there are a few exceptions, Entegra(a Thor co), and Winnebago, both with 2 yrs, most 'warranty' issues should be ironed out if you use the coach and travel enough during the first year.
Unlike cars, who may have longer warranties, at least on 'some' of their systems, RVs aren't built in automated factories and are used in different ways than normal vehicles.
You may also find that the assumption that 'everything' ends at 1 year is also not necessarily true, even with RVs. Many components may be much longer. My Cummins engine's emission's components are 5 years. The Magnum inverter is 3 years, etc. Generally your fridge, tvs, microwave, and other electronics and appliances also have their own warranty periods. Thor, and most any other manufacturer, only warranties IT'S manufacturing, which is the 'house' part of the RV, for one year.
Yeah, it's necessary to stand back and write down what's covered and what's not and when, who takes care of what and of course, how long it sits in the shop being repaired when you want to use it. Different line of thinking than just owning a Car or Truck.
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Old 11-04-2018, 04:33 PM   #34
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Compass 23TB
State: Indiana
Posts: 9
THOR #10682
2018 Thor Compass TB owner. We love the design of our coach and the Ford Transit diesel chassis, we get compliments and questions about it everywhere we go. We have had our share of minor problems, which are to be expected, but I'm a do it yourself kind of guy don't mind doing quick repairs.

Currently we have a major problem and I am awaiting a decision from Thor Motor Coach on whether or not they will repair it under warranty. The plywood subfloor has begun to buckle from water intrusion, a problem we did not catch until about two months ago because it started under the sofa and was out of sight until then. I went back to the dealer I purchased the MH from and a technician was able to track the leak down to an improperly installed window. Water was coming in the top exterior of the window frame and running out the bottom interior then down the wall behind the sofa. Behind the sofa we found soaking wet rotting plywood and black mold. I now have duct tape on top of my window frame which has stopped the water intrusion but the area being damaged by water is still growing. I'm about an hour from the factory service center and repair of my floor, but I must wait for a decision from Thor.

So I guess I'll withhold a decision on how happy I am with my Thor Motor Coach until I see whether they will step up and repair a factory defect and how long it takes to do so.
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Old 11-04-2018, 09:02 PM   #35
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Thor Tuscany 36 MQ
State: Indiana
Posts: 936
THOR #6280
Welcome aboard.

Honestly my first year with this new Thor coach I was so mad I could scream. Fix, fix, fix seems like the quality build issues drove me nuts. But I have to say I decided not to burn it and weathered the first 5,000 mile junk that breaks and stops working, comes loose, fizzles out, was installed backwards-upside down or not at all. Now that all these issues are behind me I love my Thor.

Don't be this guy!
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Traveling with Shih Tzu's Baily, Bella and Maltese Buster. Towing, Golf Cart, Harley or Polaris RZR. 3 of our darling Shih Tzu's passed away recently and I just can't take them off of here. RIP Baxter, Baili & sweet sweet Bella. Buster is our little rock.
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Old 11-04-2018, 09:34 PM   #36
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Citation SS24
State: Florida
Posts: 7
THOR #12606
I had the same question back in July. We were looking to purchase a citation made by Thor the SS 24 the Mercedes chassis, the Mercedes chassis basically what I was wanting but was afraid when I read some of the reviews that I read. I join this form and found out there were a lot of people that were very satisfied with the purchase over Thor product so I decided to go ahead and we purchased it I can say there were issues in the beginning and the dealer was very good it taken care of Them, and Thor is been good at getting the things that they need to fix them. I’ve basically set down and went through every little thing I could on the short little weekend trip and try my best to find things that needed to be addressed and found that most of my problems I could do myself. If you run to the dealer every time you find staples sticking out or a screw loose or stripped out of a hole you’re not gonna have very much fun using your motorhome couple things I didn’t like was that they use 2 inch staples on some of the trimwork and it stuck through the other side which I’ve prick my finger a few times I found out on the vinyl trim around the window trimming that they used one inch Staples which almost sticks for the vinyl so I took a paint stick very carefully when around pinch the vinyl so I wouldn’t punch through it and then bent all the staples over these are things that quality control should’ve caught. Thank no one stuck one in their head lol. I understand that in order to keep the cost down do you have to cut somewhere and I understand that the workforce out there is not one it was 40 years ago but these little things if you let them know I’m sure they will try to fix it the trim issues here would’ve been a simple fix by just using smaller Staples. It only takes a minute to change out the Staples to the different size. For the life of me I don’t know why they use such big staples but little bit a time and go through it and I’ll have it pretty much perfect. I love the gas mileage I love the way it handles I love the Way it pulls my jeep. I have to tell myself it’s not A Lexus and the chassis is a Mercedes but Mercedes didn’t build the box so with that I say go for the floorplan is worth ours was and I’m looking forward to lotta fun and time with the grandkids good luck hope this helped. People on this forum are very good at helping you and each other and I also say I’m happy I did that as well good camping.
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Old 11-04-2018, 10:51 PM   #37
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Miramar 37.1
State: California
Posts: 2,460
THOR #12698
My first coach was a Winnebago ERA Class B 2016 which I had many issues with it from day one. I thought that buying a Winnebago was the way to go since they have been in business for 70 plus years. NOT SO. Their customer service was poor. The dealership where I bought it was just as bad (Mike Thompson RV). Once they had my money, they could care less. It was in the shop more than on the road the first 8 months. Poor quality control on the part of Winnebago from the factory. Once the factory warranty ended I still had issues with it for the next 6 months. I traded it in after fixing everything on my own in March 2018 for my THOR Siesta 24SS. What a difference THOR has been. No quality control issues. No problems that the new dealer didn't address immediately. All were very minor. THOR customer service has been great when I called them. They sent out replacement parts that I requested with no questions asked (minor issues). One phone call and they arrived with 3 days.I would recommend THOR to anyone including the dealership that I currently use (Giant RV) in California.
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Old 11-05-2018, 04:13 AM   #38
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Miramar 34.2
State: Georgia
Posts: 16
THOR #13014
Quote:
Originally Posted by tonost View Post
Hello I found this group after reading about other owners horror stories about owning various RVs and in particular Thor. I currently own a 2005 jayco seneca which I bought used and I'm no stranger to things breaking and I also accept that thing are going to break over time but what worries me is that thor isn't at the top of the list for quality. I'm pretty stuck on buying a thor Venetian s40, it has the perfect floorplan for me and I wanted the bigger engine which it has. I guess what I'm asking is if there are a lot of people on here who regret buying a thor? Thanks for any input.
Thor and Forrest River (even worse than Thor) own most of the RV market. Since you can't avoid quality issues, buy a coach that is a year old, then the 8mths of driving back and forth to the dealer and not having the coach available for trips falls on someone else. I lived at the dealership (15 minutes away) with my 2018 Vegas and my 2016 (new to me coach) has yet to go in for anything. Very happy to actually have my coach at home. For the number of units that Thor sells, the number of complaints are not much different that any other manufacturer.
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Old 11-05-2018, 05:53 PM   #39
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Aria 3901
State: Tennessee
Posts: 6
THOR #11611
Love Ours

We've had our Aria 3901 for 6 months and 6k miles and love it. Primarily minor shake down issues. Only significant issues were
1. AC units turned out to be air flow limited making it hard to get below 80 with 95 outside. Turned out loft bed option covered up one intake and 2 outlets. When more installed in living area, problem resolved.
2. Floors came from dealer with mortar spots on surface. Thor is going to redo, but waiting for winter down time to do it. Dealer error.
We have overcome the dealer delays by using a factory trained private service center which Thor treats as a dealer. Same day service.
I have family and friends with Tiffins and Newmars with far more issues than ours.
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2018 Aria 3901
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Old 11-05-2018, 11:28 PM   #40
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
State: Ohio
Posts: 13
THOR #12388
Thor Problems

I bought at 2016 Palazzo. It must have been built on Friday the 13th. I have never taken a trip where something has not broken. Thor Tech support has promised the world but does not deliver.



My batteries were wired backwards from the factory and even Thor Factory Service didn't fix it when I went there for charging problems (among other things).



Now every time I go down the road I blow the #11 fuse...so when I stop heat/ac and slides do not work until I crawl under the bed and replace the fuse.


I'm on pins and needles every time I take a trip, just waiting for the other shoe to drop. What's not going to work when I pull into the campground?



Bill
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