Newby with lots to learn

[Mark from Las Vegas]

Originally Posted by Beau388

Here in Texas I never leave a slide or awning out if rain is expected unless I am around to monitor.. If the wind is expected to be below 20 knots with no rain, the slides stay out when we are gone from the coach. We are prone to gusty conditions in TX most of the year. If we are in the coach with slides out and there is little wind we leave the slides out in the rain. I have never has ponding on the toppers even in the Florida downpours.


My 18ft patio awning is the problem, even though the coach is parked on a grade (front-up) water wicks about 8 ft into the rear of the awning. Putting the awning out for about 20 minutes in the sun will completely dry the awning. The slide's toppers do not seem to wick moisture like the patio awning.

Hi:

Thank you for that detailed reply. This helps a great deal.

Take care,

[Mark from Las Vegas]

Originally Posted by EA37TS

First, does the slide have a topper?

The slide should have a wipe seal which should keep rain water from entering the coach. If the wipe seal is allowing water to get inside replace the seal.

If the slide has a topper you should not have any issues retracting in the rain.

HI:

The slide does have a topper.

This is good news.

Thank you,

[Mark from Las Vegas]

Originally Posted by Ottosails

Welcome to the forum Mark from Las Vegas! Congrats on the new coach, when will you be getting it home?

Hi:

We have a long wait, maybe up to 7 months.

Time will go by slow.

[Mark from Las Vegas]

Originally Posted by Beau388

Your topper awning will protect you from most rains. It does tend to pond in heavy rains on full wall slides. The slide tension can be adjusted, somewhat to eliminate ponding on 14 foot or shorter toppers. Rolling up an patio awning or slide topper when wet, can lead to mildew if left wet for a couple days in a warm climate. It the slide's top wiper seals work as intended, there will be no water inside

Hi Beau388:

Thank you.

That is good to know.

[Jimbo56]

I have the toppers and slide seals/wipes. We still occasionally have a puddle inside if we have to retract the slide in a hard rain. Just wipe it up with a towel. It’s vinyl flooring. Doesn’t hurt a thing.

[Mark from Las Vegas]

Hi:

I have been reading as much as I can find on the internet about RVing and thor industries while I wat for my Chateau 25M to be built.

Thor seems to garner 3.5 to 3.8 in various ratings. Some of this I am sure is skewed by the fact that more unhappy people post than those that are satisfied.

But on recurring them is that their Thor RV is constantly in the shop and that Thor makes it difficult to complete warranty work.

What has been the experience with all of you on this forum. did I make a bad decision deciding to purchase a new Thor RV or will I be happy I made this decision?

[Mark from Las Vegas]

Originally Posted by 16ACE27

Here's a hint for packing up after a rain with a passenger slide that tends to have the topper/awning pond - close the door before retracting the slide. Voice of experience talking.

Thank you for that advise. What does closing the door do? Does it equalize the pressure so the water is not cucked into the RV?

[Beau388]

Originally Posted by Mark from Las Vegas

Hi:

I have been reading as much as I can find on the internet about RVing and thor industries while I wat for my Chateau 25M to be built.

Thor seems to garner 3.5 to 3.8 in various ratings. Some of this I am sure is skewed by the fact that more unhappy people post than those that are satisfied.

But on recurring them is that their Thor RV is constantly in the shop and that Thor makes it difficult to complete warranty work.

What has been the experience with all of you on this forum. did I make a bad decision deciding to purchase a new Thor RV or will I be happy I made this decision?

During the warranty period, Thor MC will accept most warranty claims within 24 hours. If the claim is reasonable and the form filled out properly; the parts, if needed, will be shipped immediately, if in stock.
Now if the claim is not properly documented or Thor MC thinks it is excessive, it will be denied. You can always call Thor MC and ask it they have received a claim and the parts shipped.
The main problem is simple. Dealer's that sell the coach have little intensive to repair it. Thor MC labor rate is 50 to 20% less the the cash customers rate and 20 to 40% less than insurance max labor rates. During the summer when most repairs are made, some dealers will tell you come back in November.

Remember, Thor MC will authorize any repair place to repair a coach under warrant, if you submit an estimate for repairs on the firm's stationary and they consider the repair reasonable. It is helpful to also submit pictures if the damage is viable. By the same token, they will authorize a repair by a mobile tech if you are on a trip. For me, they even authorized a mobile tech at home since I lived 120 miles from the closest dealer and 640 miles.from the selling dealer. and the coach was not drivable.

e

[Mark from Las Vegas]

Originally Posted by Beau388

During the warranty period, Thor MC will accept most warranty claims within 24 hours. If the claim is reasonable and the form filled out properly; the parts, if needed, will be shipped immediately, if in stock.
Now if the claim is not properly documented or Thor MC thinks it is excessive, it will be denied. You can always call Thor MC and ask it they have received a claim and the parts shipped.
The main problem is simple. Dealer's that sell the coach have little intensive to repair it. Thor MC labor rate is 50 to 20% less the the cash customers rate and 20 to 40% less than insurance max labor rates. During the summer when most repairs are made, some dealers will tell you come back in November.

Remember, Thor MC will authorize any repair place to repair a coach under warrant, if you submit an estimate for repairs on the firm's stationary and they consider the repair reasonable. It is helpful to also submit pictures if the damage is viable. By the same token, they will authorize a repair by a mobile tech if you are on a trip. For me, they even authorized a mobile tech at home since I lived 120 miles from the closest dealer and 640 miles.from the selling dealer. and the coach was not drivable.

e

Thank you for the insight.

On the 2nd part of my question, can I expect to have constant repair issues as some calim on the internet or are they exaggerating the issues?

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by Mark from Las Vegas

Thank you for that advise. What does closing the door do? Does it equalize the pressure so the water is not cucked into the RV?

Closing the door prevents the deluge of water off the slide topper splashing into the camper.

[Beau388]

Originally Posted by Mark from Las Vegas

Thank you for the insight.

On the 2nd part of my question, can I expect to have constant repair issues as some calim on the internet or are they exaggerating the issues?

There are really coaches that should not be sold, as they come out of the factory with major defects. Yes the factory should have not sold to the dealer. Yes, the dealer should have not sold it to the individual. Yes, the individual should not bought the coach. There is enough blame to go around.

These cases are rare and usually require the owner returning the coach to the Manufacture's repair facility or the manufacture replacing the coach. These are rare cases. The latest figures I have state than Thor MC averages less the $500 per coach in warranty repairs. They spent $188 on repairs to my coach for the two defects and $75 on a mobile tech.

Buying a coach is just liking buying a sticks and bricks home in the country.with no building codes. You pay spend $2,000 for a whole home inspection and $3,000 for title insurance on a $300,000 home or take your chances. There is a list of 23 devices installed in my coach purchased from vendors. The devices are covered by individual warranties, so there is no need to involve Thor MC unless unless you are not able to replace them yourself or with the dealers help.
I bough my coach from MHSRV which was 640 miles away from home, because they allowed us to spend at least one night in the coach in their delivery barn after the PDI. The next morning the salesman (Mitch) and the delivery tech (Mike) knock on the door at 9:30am and ask if we had any problems. We had a lot of question but no repairs were need. I ask the tech is he would go to the dump station and check me out on dumpling and tank flushing. So, the 4 of use went to the dump station with the cold January wind blowing about 20 knots. All went well. I asked if we could spend another night in the barn as there was bad weather predicted in AR on the way home. Mitch readily agreed. Again at 8:30am, after the second night at the barn, Mitch dropped to wish a good trip and said to call after the trip and tell him how the trip went.

My advice has always been, you should choose your dealer very carefully and know that they will support you through your ownership. My closest dealer was in Nashville, TN and was unable to let us live in the coach prior to leaving the lot and fix anything we found wrong before we left.

[Mark from Las Vegas]

Originally Posted by Beau388

There are really coaches that should not be sold, as they come out of the factory with major defects. Yes the factory should have not sold to the dealer. Yes, the dealer should have not sold it to the individual. Yes, the individual should not bought the coach. There is enough blame to go around.

These cases are rare and usually require the owner returning the coach to the Manufacture's repair facility or the manufacture replacing the coach. These are rare cases. The latest figures I have state than Thor MC averages less the $500 per coach in warranty repairs. They spent $188 on repairs to my coach for the two defects and $75 on a mobile tech.

Buying a coach is just liking buying a sticks and bricks home in the country.with no building codes. You pay spend $2,000 for a whole home inspection and $3,000 for title insurance on a $300,000 home or take your chances. There is a list of 23 devices installed in my coach purchased from vendors. The devices are covered by individual warranties, so there is no need to involve Thor MC unless unless you are not able to replace them yourself or with the dealers help.
I bough my coach from MHSRV which was 640 miles away from home, because they allowed us to spend at least one night in the coach in their delivery barn after the PDI. The next morning the salesman (Mitch) and the delivery tech (Mike) knock on the door at 9:30am and ask if we had any problems. We had a lot of question but no repairs were need. I ask the tech is he would go to the dump station and check me out on dumpling and tank flushing. So, the 4 of use went to the dump station with the cold January wind blowing about 20 knots. All went well. I asked if we could spend another night in the barn as there was bad weather predicted in AR on the way home. Mitch readily agreed. Again at 8:30am, after the second night at the barn, Mitch dropped to wish a good trip and said to call after the trip and tell him how the trip went.

My advice has always been, you should choose your dealer very carefully and know that they will support you through your ownership. My closest dealer was in Nashville, TN and was unable to let us live in the coach prior to leaving the lot and fix anything we found wrong before we left.

Very much appreciate putting this all in perspective.

In Las Vegas we have a dealer that has a sterling reputation and does encourage you to spend one or two nights on their lot to do just as you said.

I feel much better with my purchase decision.

Thank you for the peace of mind.

[ducksface]

Remember who posts here.

I tried to order taillamp screws through THOR.

I am a 25 year IT professional and have an appointment two months out to have an end put on a coax cable.

A post in its totality 'what hammer do you guys use?'

I haven't driven my rv in six months because of a loose screw in the windshield blind.

The wash stuff we used was defective and damaged the coach. The company paid for a fix and it was beautiful. We sold the rv out of frustration before we ever even took it out of our driveway.

All true, we've all read them.

Do not let our drive-by posters deter you.

Some people arent happy unless they arent happy...and the rv is their brand-new target.

Download
Rvchecklist App
Use it prior to delivery
Stay a night or two in it before signing.
Insist on a couple of 'instant no wait' service certificates.

Walk away at their slightest hesitation.

Beau, dkoldman, scuba, ducksface, all tell a story of good service, fine treatment, no problems. THOR warranted my used coach as new and overnighted parts. Someone else here who wasn't the nicest of people to deal with per their posts and yet thor warranted their 4 yesr old vehicle.
(Develop a reporte, not an attitude.)

[paulwadley]

One major part is knowing your dealership and building a good relationship with them. I have bought two brand new Thor coaches from the same dealership(2018 Siesta and 2022 Miramar). They have been very good at making sure everything is in working order. I did find two items that were not working correctly and after eliminating some possible causes found that the issues were above my skill level. I made an appointment that was 2 months away knowing I might find other issues before that appointment time. We still took the coach out on 2 three day local trips to try everything out. I also had the dealership order up a Safe T Plus steering stabilizer and will pay them to install it while it is in their hands for the warranty items. They will be getting some of my business in cash while doing the Thor warranty items so they are happy. From searching for our current coach, negotiating the sale to warranty work, I am very happy with Thor and my dealership. Being a repeat customer saved me some money during the final sale agreement with the finance manager.

Paul

[Jimbo56]

Originally Posted by Mark from Las Vegas

Hi:

I have been reading as much as I can find on the internet about RVing and thor industries while I wat for my Chateau 25M to be built.

Thor seems to garner 3.5 to 3.8 in various ratings. Some of this I am sure is skewed by the fact that more unhappy people post than those that are satisfied.

But on recurring them is that their Thor RV is constantly in the shop and that Thor makes it difficult to complete warranty work.

What has been the experience with all of you on this forum. did I make a bad decision deciding to purchase a new Thor RV or will I be happy I made this decision?

Mark, We bought ours new in June 2019. Noticed water intrusion by Labor Day. Dealer was busy. Thor authorized my independent RV guy to try to track it down and fix it. Tried and sealed several times. Thor reimbursed me full amount both times (this at onset of Covid). Sent an email to Marcus ( CEO camping world) on a Saturday morning. Got a phone call from another dealer (Gander) on Monday. Pressure test in 3 days. Thor sent a factory field service tech to my home 4 times over the next 6 months to t remove and replace window. Dry it out. Reinstall. Re paper the wall. Came back 2 months later to make sure all was well. IMHO Thor bent over backwards to satisfy me.

Look, I have fixed and modified a bunch of stuff myself. Change my own oil, etc. If you aren’t somewhat handy with a wrench, if you have to take it back to a dealer to have a screw replaced, don’t buy an RV.

Trip to Georgia in April, the fridge quit. Required me to install a new control board. Not a Thor problem. Am in SC today. Steps quit. I know I’ve got to replace a worm gear. I’ll do it when we get home.

Even if it’s something that should be fixed under warranty, don’t just leave it on a dealers lot. Thor will send you the parts ( with appropriate documentation) for you to install.

I’m perfectly happy with my Thor experience. In fact it’s better than my experience with Ford on my 2020 F150 with cam phaser recall.

[HMCSW]

Originally Posted by Mark from Las Vegas

Hi:

I am new to this forum and have recently ordered a Chateau 25M.

I am reading everything I can find on motorcoaches.

One interesting topic that I found was about retracting slides in the rain.

Do you have to wait until it stops raining to retract a slide or is there a
technique to do so while it is still raining?

We live in the Pacific NorthWET.. we never do anything different regarding the slides when raining. Which is almost half of the times we camp. Just push the buttons and go.

[MJC62]

If minor repairs and the associated inconveniences cause you heartache and pain an RV isn't for you. As the Duck said some folks will take a coach back to a dealer for loose screws. If you are that type don't get an RV.

If on the other hand you enjoy seeing the country through the windshield of your own rolling home and you can handle a screwdriver, a pair of channel locks, a socket set, and a multimeter than you are definitely RV material.

Remember 90% of the people posting on these forums are here asking questions because something broke. Usually by the time they resort to a forum they are frustrated because they can't figure it out or the dealer won't be able to get to it for six weeks, hence the (insert brand) is a POS.

The other issue with RV ownership is they require continual maintenance. If you don't keep up with roof inspections, battery water levels, step and slide lube, tire pressures etc.etc. things will fail and usually at an inopportune time.

All that said your new Thor may need some tweaks and adjustments over the first year but don't let that scare you it's all a part of making the rig your own.
Welcome to the wonderful world of RVng enjoy the journey!

[Mark from Las Vegas]

Thank you all fir your responses and advise.

I am not a motor head by any means, but I do several normal repairs around the house.

You have made me much more confident as I anxiously await the eventual delivery of me Chateau 25M.

It is great to have this forum.

You have all been g)so helpful.

RV people are the best!!!