2016 ACE 30.2 owners

[Dan9841]

Hello everyone,

I am in the market for a new RV and I would like to hear from owners of a 2016 Thor ACE 30.2 about their satisfaction and issues with this unit. I have been reading a lot about this make/model and as you can imagine there are many horror stories out there. Any insight to this unit is greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Dan

[West]

I own a 2016 30.2. I have a number problems but love the layout and will enjoy it more if the dealer can ever fix it right. I have fixed most of the items myself due to the dealers poor workmanship.

Make sure you tell them to include an alignment in the deal.
I don't know how tall you are but I'm 5'11 and it's a stretch to reach the gas pedal. Not to noticeable at first but makes my knee sore after a few hour drive if I don't use cruise control. The toilet is very high also. The earlier years of the 30.2 the toilet sat lower but the drain would frequently back up.

1. The rear fiberglass cap isn't attached well at the top and has left a hole between the cap and roof membrane. Waiting for dealer to fix.
2. Ladder screws broken and stripped out. Waiting for dealer to fix
3. Table when made into a bed broke in less than 5 min with only a small kid on it. The side ledgers only had 5 staples holding them on and only penetrated 1/4". Fixed myself
4.ceiling pieces over the fron bunk bed fell off. Fixed myself
5. Slide tracks stripped out within a few months after purchasing. Dealer fixed
6. The dog house was cut 1" to high on the drivers side and only had carpet blocking engine heat and noise. It was burning my foot on hot days until I fixed this my self.
7. The worst problem of all. The door would frequently get stuck and we would be locked out or depending on where we were. The opening was to tight. If we raised the jacks we could tweet the chassis enough to free the door. The dealer tried multiple times to fix it until I gave up and fixed it my self. My plan now is to make an emergency entrance hatch under the master bed into the storage compartment bellow incase I'm ever locked out again.
8. Wall paper coming off. Waiting on dealer to fix.
9. Compartment doors binding. Dealer replaced two doors. Still waiting for new stickers.
10. Driver and passenger window sills are over 1" short. They are extremely noisy. Specially at speeds over 65. Waiting on the dealer to fix.
11. Remote for the dash TV is missing. Dealer denies that there should be one but the owners manual says there should be. Dealer refuses to replace it. The factory radio doesn't work well with iPods at all so I will be switching to a Pioneer anyway.

There's more but this is all I can think of right now. My advice is go threw it extremely thoroughly and don't finish signing until it's all fixed. My dealers promises went right out the door. They kept reassuring me to just take it home and make my list and that was normal. My dealers repairs have been so bad that they have made many of the problems worse. I will never take delivery again until everything I can find is addressed. Thor does a horrible job at quality control but luckely so far all my problems are fixable. Thank god Ford built the chassis not Thor.

[Dan9841]

Thanks West for your post. May I ask you how much you paid for it? I received an offer for $79500 from a dealer. I have been researching and calling dealers all over the country and that's the best price I could get. Does that sound like a decent price?

Thx
Dan

[West]

I think I paid about $76000 if I remember right. They say they gave me a great deal because the one I ordered was wrecked on delivery so I took one they had on there lot instead. I could only find one other at the time that was in Texas. It was about the same price but had s couple more options. Not enough to be worth the drive there though.

Sorry for all of the typing errors. I'm trying to type on my phone. Hopefully it's all legible enough.

[Dan9841]

I guess you go "lucky" by them having that small but costly hiccup. I have been looking around some more and I am noticing small changes in options that come with this unit. Maybe I need to pay a bit more attention to some of the specs. (3 vs 5 TV's, outside kitchen, sound system,.....). But right now I am still at $79500 for the unit where did you purchase your unit?

[West]

General RV in Utah. I don't have the master bedroom TV or outside TV and I have the 13.5 AC. I didn't know there was an option for an outside kitchen though I wouldn't have chosen that option anyway. The only option I do wish I had was the bigger AC. I had that on the one I ordered. I'm going to add a second AC in place of the master bedroom vent and down the road maybe sell my generator and get a bigger one to power both AC's when dry camping.

[Dan9841]

Now it makes sense. I have been finding units similar in price range with your options. The one I am looking at has a upgrade to 15BTU and 5 TV's. I think I am going to pull the trigger and purchase the unit. I will make sure to report on this forum Hopefully I can get a few more people to post here.

[West]

Please do. I would like to know how yours is in quality and if you come up with any good upgrade ideas.

[Dan9841]

roger will do thanks for the chat

[Lkin]

I have a 2016 30.2 as well. I completely agree with West. Love the layout, but quality control is a bit lacking. I also have a rear cap gap, tight entry door, a loose compartment door, driver and passenger windowas that dont latch. The erear edge of the over cab bunk uses magnets to hold up the bunk. The magnets on mine are misaligned so they rattle on bumpy roads. I cant figure out how to adjust them.
The handling is so so. I added a safety plus stabilizer, and it helped a lot. Im going to put in a roadmaster anti sway bar in the rear as well.
One major problem (West take note). The door stop on my bathroom door was put in the wrong spot, and the door was allowed to swing open all the way into the bunk beds. I wasnt paying attention when I piulled in the slide, and it wedged the door and broke the doorframe. I was able to fix it temporarily until it goes to the dealer.
The dealer (Camping World in NH) is getting it in december and hopefully all will get fixed. That said, I really do like the ACE, enjoy the layout. I consider it a big stepmup from my class C. While there are a lot of small problems, they are liveable until the dealer gets to (hopefully) fix them.

One more thing about the radio. No speakers were put in the dash. It is hard to hear up front when driving unless the house speakers are really loud. I would see if the dealer can add them. I know there were some threads on this on the IRV2 forum.

Larry

[West]

Originally Posted by Lkin

I have a 2016 30.2 as well. I completely agree with West. Love the layout, but quality control is a bit lacking. I also have a rear cap gap, tight entry door, a loose compartment door, driver and passenger windowas that dont latch. The erear edge of the over cab bunk uses magnets to hold up the bunk. The magnets on mine are misaligned so they rattle on bumpy roads. I cant figure out how to adjust them.
The handling is so so. I added a safety plus stabilizer, and it helped a lot. Im going to put in a roadmaster anti sway bar in the rear as well.
One major problem (West take note). The door stop on my bathroom door was put in the wrong spot, and the door was allowed to swing open all the way into the bunk beds. I wasnt paying attention when I piulled in the slide, and it wedged the door and broke the doorframe. I was able to fix it temporarily until it goes to the dealer.
The dealer (Camping World in NH) is getting it in december and hopefully all will get fixed. That said, I really do like the ACE, enjoy the layout. I consider it a big stepmup from my class C. While there are a lot of small problems, they are liveable until the dealer gets to (hopefully) fix them.

One more thing about the radio. No speakers were put in the dash. It is hard to hear up front when driving unless the house speakers are really loud. I would see if the dealer can add them. I know there were some threads on this on the IRV2 forum.

Larry

It's funny you mentioned the bathroom door. My wife left the door open when sliding out the slide and the door knob hooked the wall and pulled the skin loose on it. Luckily she stopped quick. I was quite mad but held it in then what do you know next trip out I did the same thing. I put a small plastic shim on the wall so it can't hook onto it again. I've considered spring hinges just to add some extra security. My door stop does keep it from being crushed like you had happen.

On the radio I went to a local upholstery shop and he got me some material that matches the interior perfectly and some foam. I made a speaker box that sits under the driver and passenger sides that sit on the floor right to the walls and covered them with the material. Just cover the box with the foam then stretch and staple the material over it. Just staple in the back and under the speaker flange. They look factory when done. In your instruction manual there's two little metal tabs. You slide those in on the sides of the stereo then pull. It slides right out. There was extra speaker outputs on the back of it I was able to use.

[Dan9841]

Great posts guys keep them coming. You guys are helping me out a lot with your posts.

[Dan9841]

What do you thing about this Larry and West? These are the options. 2016 30.2 is 31' long, has a huge full wall slide with bunk beds, and has all the nice options!! It's on a Ford chassis with the Triton V10 engine. It has the hide-a-way overhead drop down bunk bed, again, the full wall slide on the off door side that has a booth dinette (which also converts into a bed for extra sleeping room), the galley (kitchen) with a (3) burner stove top, a microwave oven, plenty of counter top space and across from that is the double door refer. Still in the slide behind the galley is the double bunk beds which both beds have their own TV's, and at the end of the slide is a full dresser and a large closet for hanging clothes. Across from the bunk beds is a large side aisle bathroom with a NEO angled shower, a porcelain foot flush toilet and a sink with underneath storage. This coach has a 32" LCD TV that's mounted above the booth dinette and directly across form the jack knife sleeper sofa. In the rear it has a walk around queen bed slide and in front of that, the large closet and dresser plus a 24" LCD TV for the master bedroom. The A.C.E. motor home is a very high quality product with one of the best manufacturer warranties around! Here's a list of the options that were ordered on this 2016 30.2. The interior color is the new Silver Lining with the Sydney maple cabinets. It has the "Harmony" HD Max exterior, stainless steel wheel simulators, the (4) point hydraulic leveling system, the exterior entertainment system with a 32" LCD TV, a 24" LCD TV with built in DVD player in the master bedroom, (2) 13" LCD TV's for the bunk beds, a 12V fantastic fan in the bedroom and one in the living area. We also upgraded the A/C from a 13.5 BTU to the 15K BTU and it has the optional second auxiliary battery.

Thanks
Dan

[Dan9841]

I believe these are all the options available for this unit. Please correct me if I am wrong ��

[West]

That's sounds like the same setup as mine other than you got the bigger AC and a couple extra TV's.

[Dan9841]

Ok thank you west. We are purchasing this unit in the next few days I'm so excited!

[Dan9841]

What do you guys use for towing your car? Travel dolly? If so is there anything I should watch out for?

[Dan9841]

Just reserved the unit. Is this feeling of joy normal when buying the first RV? Haha

[petef]

After 1 1/2 of buying my first new RV from Thor... you better be able to fix stuff, and understand the lack of quality control. Number 1, as the first post, get an alignment as part of the delivery deal. DO not wavier on this! Most of the stuff you will fix or Mod yourself, the bones are not bad but the skin is not good....

[Lkin]

Sounds like mine, DAn. Good luck and congratulations!