Getting Cold Feet!

[ScottACE]

Our family is about to take the plunge!

We have a deal worked out for a 2017 ACE 29.3 and we are supposed to pick it up Friday. After reading much about this forum I am beginning to get cold feet! This is our first motorhome/RV purchase.
My worries after reading the forum:
- Buying from Camping World that is 2 Hours away. Local dealer did not have what I was looking for and was not very attentive to my questions.
- This model has the full wall slide (3 Trax system)
- Seems like Thor has major warranty issues.

Can anyone make me feel any better?

Help?!

[JamieGeek]

Well the 3 Traxx system does work better than the old one with only two tracks.

Thor does have its issues, but not really any more or less than any other manufacturer.

Make sure the dealer walks you through the operation of everything before signing anything. If you see something that looks really wrong you can still walk at that point.

Since you are in Indiana you might be better off buying from the dealer next to the plant (very good reputation there). Sure it may be farther away from you but its next to the plant.

[Marine By Choice]

Totally agree with JamieGeek!

Buying from a company with poor reviews (Camping World) seems to be, in my humble opinion, an unwise decision. Buying from a recommended, and reputable, dealer, while being further away, can make the real difference of loving or hating your decision.

Take 2-3 HOURS to do the Pre Delivery Inspection (PDI). I took over 4 hours. Was the dealer thrilled? Nope. But it was MY money I was spending, and I wanted everything in good working order BEFORE signing.

Have the dealer SHOW YOU how to operate EVERYTHING! Every light switch, every control for slide(s) [and operate the slide in & out at least 3 times], make sure generator starts & stops from ALL the control panels (dash, on generator, etc). Everything should work correctly, to YOUR satisfaction.

I suggest printing off a PDI list from this forum, taking it with you and checking off EVERY item TO YOUR SATISFACTION (not the salesman's or the service tech's). And make sure your wife/significant other is happier than you. Trust me on that one!!! Do not let the dealer rush you!

Good luck! You, hopefully, will get a rig with zero problems, as I was fortunate to get.

Be safe,
Keith

[West]

Originally Posted by Marine By Choice

Totally agree with JamieGeek!

Buying from a company with poor reviews (Camping World) seems to be, in my humble opinion, an unwise decision. Buying from a recommended, and reputable, dealer, while being further away, can make the real difference of loving or hating your decision.

Take 2-3 HOURS to do the Pre Delivery Inspection (PDI). I took over 4 hours. Was the dealer thrilled? Nope. But it was MY money I was spending, and I wanted everything in good working order BEFORE signing.

Have the dealer SHOW YOU how to operate EVERYTHING! Every light switch, every control for slide(s) [and operate the slide in & out at least 3 times], make sure generator starts & stops from ALL the control panels (dash, on generator, etc). Everything should work correctly, to YOUR satisfaction.

I suggest printing off a PDI list from this forum, taking it with you and checking off EVERY item TO YOUR SATISFACTION (not the salesman's or the service tech's). And make sure your wife/significant other is happier than you. Trust me on that one!!! Do not let the dealer rush you!

Good luck! You, hopefully, will get a rig with zero problems, as I was fortunate to get.

Be safe,
Keith

X2 "Do not let the dealer rush you!" That's the best advice right there! Check everything.

[ScottACE]

Thoughts on Extended Warranty?
How long of a term? I checked some rates. Looks like $1000 or so a year. Recommend financing into the deal? My biggest concern is the short warranty. Any experience with Good Sam or other agencies?

[JamieGeek]

Originally Posted by ScottACE

Thoughts on Extended Warranty?
How long of a term? I checked some rates. Looks like $1000 or so a year. Recommend financing into the deal? My biggest concern is the short warranty. Any experience with Good Sam or other agencies?

How handy are you? In many cases it is far easier to save the $$ and fix stuff yourself.

In addition, any warranty you get read what is covered: It is possible the major stuff you'd buy the warranty for may not be covered.

[bevedfelker]

Read somewhere having an RV is like being a Boy Scout -- if you aren't working on your plumbing merit badge, you're working on your electrical merit badge, or hardware merit badge, etc. I've done so much maintenance on mine I'll soon be an Eagle Scout.

[Marine By Choice]

The smart money managers do not recommend extended warranties.

But it is your money to spend as you wish!

[Bob Montgomery]

Most of our problems were on the minor side...but like a prior poster said, verify everything from one end to the other. Be sure to run plenty of water and check for leaks under the sinks, near the water pump etc. Check every light switch, open and close the awning, check the awning lights while out. If possible spray water on the windshield and check for leaks. Run the antenna up, and make sure it actually rotates properly. Run it back down, make sure you properly align it first. Open every drawer, if you have a flash light look behind the bottom drawers in the bedroom and check for loose screws and debris (I didn't have much of a problem here.) I found one loose screw in mine. Turn on the TVs when you have the antenna up and make sure all three actually work. Look under the bed, there is a panel you can raise and see if there is anything under it. Carefully check all cushions for defects. Pull every shade down and raise it back up. If you have a voltage checker and the generator is running, check every outlet. Note there is a usb charging station in the bedroom. Do not mistake it for an electrical outlet. It is for charging phones etc. Have them explain how the radio in the bedroom works. It plays inside or outside depending.... and how to set favorite stations quickly. The instructions that come with it are a little better then none. When they explain how to operate the automatic jacks, have them show you how to manually use them. I have found manually using them is really better. Much better in some cases. It isn't that hard if you know how. When you open the slide (this is VERY important) you must not stop until they are fully extended or retracted. Now I know it can happen. There is a procedure to reset and resync them. Ask how to do it. If you stop before completey extended or retracted it can throw them out of sync. Make sure there is nothing blocking them. Take the time to walk from front to back everytime to make sure nothing is in the way. I know from experience how important this is.

Outside, when you look into one of the compartments most likely you will find a nice gas bbq in a box. Make sure the gas hose is with it. Mine was missing but I didn't find out until I was ready to use it. Also, they failed to put it together...make them do it. It might be nice to figure out how to light it before you take delivery. The stand will likely not be stored outside in the compartment with the bbq. Once the box is discarded, the stand will fit. The key is to put the stand in first hold it up and put the bb1 under it. It took me a while to figure out how to do it but it does work.

The drivers seat does not move up or down. Make sure you feet reach the pedals. You may have trouble rotating the drivers seat when you get somewhere to watch tv etc. You must lean the back all the way forward before rotating. It will rotate and once turned around look under it to make sure it is pulled toward the living area so you can lean back a little and enjoy the seat. We added a foot stool to prop our feet up. It faces the tv and is comfortable to me.

The sink in the outdoor kitchen has a pump to empty it. The switch is under the cabinet. So far, this feature is worthless to me. The outdoor refer only works if you have shore power or the generator is working. It will run off the batteries for a while IF the inverter is on. Make sure they show you how this works. As far as I can tell, only this refer and the three tvs work off the inverter.

If possible, make sure the electric and the gas water heater is working. Ours is only working on gas, they are supposed to fix the electric part.

If you have any questions you can pm me after you have used yours for a little while (like one camping trip works.)

Good luck to you.

Bob

[Ag&Au]

On of the most regretful RV related things we have done occurred in 2009 when we bought an extended warranty with our new Airstream travel trailer.. It cost over 10,000 dollars. Every problem we experienced, and there were several, occurred before the regular warranty periods expired. We never collected a penny from the extended warranty. Your experience may vary, however I will never do that again.

Ken

[Brakeman48]

After our experience with Campers World I would advise you.

Run very fast away from CW.

Research dealers even if it is a few hours away. There is plenty of help on this forum if you have a question on a dealers reputation.

As far as extended warranty I initially got trapped into a CW warranty, very slick salesman. Way over priced!!! I did take out an extended warranty with better coverage and more reasonably priced. 7 year/70000 miles. I will have to look for the name of the company for you.

We bought out 2016 Thor Hurricane last Fall. First MH. Thor quality has been good as far as I can see. There customer service has been outstanding handling a few minor issues. Independent dealer in MD gladly handled the two warranty issues with no problem.

Best of luck with whatever you buy. We love ours and the people we have met camping have been great.

[Bob Montgomery]

Originally Posted by Ag&Au

On of the most regretful RV related things we have done occurred in 2009 when we bought an extended warranty with our new Airstream travel trailer.. It cost over 10,000 dollars. Every problem we experienced, and there were several, occurred before the regular warranty periods expired. We never collected a penny from the extended warranty. Your experience may vary, however I will never do that again.

Ken

Usually they are a waste of money. I did take out one at a small cost on our 2016 Ace... all it covers are major things like slides, refers, levelers etc. but this time the dealer didn't charge much. Maybe $2,400 for an additional three years.

On our prior coach, we paid $4,500 for a contract and after a month or two I cancelled it and got a refund.

[The Guidrys]

Totally agree.

PDI don't sign any papers until every switch, system is tested multiple times. Plan on spending 3-4 hours checking and rechecking all the systems especially the vital systems (slides, A/C, leveling system, Generator) have them fix ALL issues before you take delivery. Do not sign the dotted line untill all items are fixed and tested multiple times again to your satisfaction. If they give you any resistance, walk away from the dealership.

3 Trax slide system: been working great for a year and a half and over 10k miles. My RV service advisor said ALWAYS level coach before operating slideout and to keep the button pressed fully until the slide is completely out/in to keep the motors in sync. Only issue: outside seal was getting caught in the motor gear mechanism. Fixed under warranty.

This is my third coach in 15 years. My second THOR product. They all have QC issues, however when you find a reputable dealership and service department, it makes a world of difference in customer satisfaction.

Best advise I have ever gotten...USE your coach heavily for the first year during the warranty period to work the 'bugs' out. My family loves our coach because of the quality time spent in it on road trips. To me, its priceless...


Good Luck with your future purchase.

[Bob Montgomery]

Originally Posted by The Guidrys

Totally agree.

PDI don't sign any papers until every switch, system is tested multiple times. Plan on spending 3-4 hours checking and rechecking all the systems especially the vital systems (slides, A/C, leveling system, Generator) have them fix ALL issues before you take delivery. Do not sign the dotted line untill all items are fixed and tested multiple times again to your satisfaction. If they give you any resistance, walk away from the dealership.

3 Trax slide system: been working great for a year and a half and over 10k miles. My RV service advisor said ALWAYS level coach before operating slideout and to keep the button pressed fully until the slide is completely out/in to keep the motors in sync. Only issue: outside seal was getting caught in the motor gear mechanism. Fixed under warranty.

This is my third coach in 15 years. My second THOR product. They all have QC issues, however when you find a reputable dealership and service department, it makes a world of difference in customer satisfaction.

Best advise I have ever gotten...USE your coach heavily for the first year during the warranty period to work the 'bugs' out. My family loves our coach because of the quality time spent in it on road trips. To me, its priceless...


Good Luck with your future purchase.

Good advice. I have noted with our Ace 29.3 that after I level it, then extend the slide, that I really have to adjust the level again. For us, it seems the slide side makes it slightly out of level after we extend it. Using the manual setting it has been a very simple adjustment to get it level again. What has your experience been? (I almost never use the auto level feature.)

Bob

[ScottACE]

Thank you to EVERYONE that has given me such great advice and insight. We have a 9:15am delivery time - so we have all day! I will be picky and thorough. I printed a detailed PDI checklist that I will be going through. I will probably not get the extended warranty at dealership. I will take the first year to shop around. Everyone here is so kind to share their experiences. Thank you!

[Mousemate]

Biggest think is level the couch before you put out the slide!!
The two times I didn't the track got scored....
Make sure you have the 15000 btu unit.
The big unit keep up but just comfortable.
Will be adding a second so I am nice and cold.

Make sure you walk the coach as others have stated.
Assume all day for pickup.
We spent 2hours walking it and didn't even touch on half the stuff and had a page list of repairs and two pages before year warranty was up.

Also read the multiple blogs about the 29.3 on this forums and others.
My family loves it....
Happy camping.

[Bob Montgomery]

Originally Posted by Mousemate

Biggest think is level the couch before you put out the slide!!
The two times I didn't the track got scored....
Make sure you have the 15000 btu unit.
The big unit keep up but just comfortable.
Will be adding a second so I am nice and cold.

Make sure you walk the coach as others have stated.
Assume all day for pickup.
We spent 2hours walking it and didn't even touch on half the stuff and had a page list of repairs and two pages before year warranty was up.

Also read the multiple blogs about the 29.3 on this forums and others.
My family loves it....
Happy camping.

It got up to around 90 degrees out at the campground yesterday, and I ran the generator most of the day with the air conditioner on high. It got up to 82 degrees inside so I had to start the engine and run the Ford air conditioner to get it down to 77 or so. I will have the dealer check, but I suspect the one air conditioner put on by Thor doesn't cut it when it really gets hot.

[brianh442]

For what it's worth, I took my video camera along on my first PDI, walk thru. I asked the tech if I could video tape it since I was new, at the time to RV'ing. This allowed me to video how everything worked, not to mention documenting what was wrong. Since he explained during the PDI how to winterize, I was able to do it myself. I watched the video the following spring, it helped a lot.

[ScottACE]

Brakeman48 - So what is it about CW that made your experience so horrible? Mind sharing?

[EA37TS]

As others have said

Don't accept delivery until; you are satisfied a good PDI is complete and all items have been worked off to your satisfaction.

Thor warranty support for me has been excellent. They do have their front line of defense that is instructed to say minimize claims and cost but all large manufacturers have the same. I encountered this twice with Thor. The first time was when my slide motor cable came unplugged during the shakedown cruise. After talking to the individual suffering from the ID 10 T error, I hung up and called back that time talking to someone with a brain. The second time was my last warranty visit after returning from a trip when my Axxerra radio was loosing power on the way home. The coach was outside the warranty but the radio had already been replaced under warranty. After reminding this individual that the repair had not been successful during the first replacement they transferred me to their supervisor who authorized the repair outside warranty and shipped the radio to the dealer that day.

I will not darken the doorway of a Camping World with my presence for any reason. In Nashville, TN the Camping World salesman tried selling us an Outlaw that was in for service. My first experience with camping world was when we were looking at the Miramar I had 3 specific questions I asked CW in Roanoke, VA, one concerning the full wall slide, and although they called numerous times to tell me about all of the Miramar 34.2 models available for transfer they never answered any of my questions. The only reason I keep my Good Sam membership is the 5 cent discount on gas at Pilot/Flying J.

Extended warranties are a matter of preference. I get them. On my previous Class C I used mine twice for repair and then when I traded the unit in I received a refund for the entire cost minus the costs of repairs made. My current one covers everything except wear and tear items and also has a cancellation provision of full cost minus repairs.

One thing I learned in my years of Rv'ing is the sales department is an extremely short term relationship while the service department is long term. The Sales Manager at my Lincoln dealer likes to point out that his sales staff sells the first car while the service department sells the rest. I recommend looking at rvservicereviews.com to research any prospective dealers service department.

That's my 2 bits.