Furniture disintegrating

[Brooks]

We just bought a used 2015 THOR ACE 29.3 a few weeks ago. The driver and passenger seats were in bad shape but the jackknife sofa appeared good and the dinette had a few tears/scrapes on it. Now in just a few weeks, the sofa has many places where the fabric is shedding...basically it is disintegrating by the day. Is this a common problem with this model. We got one estimate to recover both driver and passenger chairs, the sofa and the dinette...$3,000 $3,500. Ouch...can anyone give us some advice or feedback on this issue?

[Bob Denman]

There was a a period of time when the entire furniture industry got a horrible batch of vinyl covering from a now defunct company...
Sorry to say this; but you're not alone...

[Brooks]

Has Thor been willing to do anything about this? Is there any ongoing discussion or litigation about this matter?

[Bob Denman]

Unless you have an extended warranty: Thor would have no legal obligation in this matter.
And the crap company that made the junk is out of business...
Who would you sue?

For what it's worth: I'm sorry that you were left standing, when the music stopped...

[Bob Denman]

I'm afraid that I missed your introductory post...
Welcome to our campfire!

[Brooks]

Thanks, Bob!

[Bob Denman]

A lot of folks in your situation have had good luck with seat covers, and re-upholstery shops...

[Brooks]

Thanks again..We are getting two more estimates.

[abjbrtd]

It's called "Pleather" here's a forum search.
https://www.thorforums.com/forums/se...archid=3540688

We replaced the dinette with recliners and are using a seat cover for the couch, I'm totally surprised at how it looks AND stays in place
Luv it for $35. Looking forward to summer to see how it does with grandkids
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

There are several options for our class C driver, passenger seats, should be some for your A.

[lwmcguire]

Originally Posted by Brooks

Has Thor been willing to do anything about this? Is there any ongoing discussion or litigation about this matter?

This was industry wide, you find issues in Tiffin and all other brands using the same Leatherette artificial leather in the same era

A few were lucky and got some help but none that were years out

[Brooks]

Thanks for your information and insight.

[rudyhehn]

There are other threads on this topic. This was in industry wide issue with RV furniture made 2013-2016. The furniture company is now bankrupt and Thor and other RV makers take no responsibility. The "fabric" is latex sprayed on a cloth backing and does not last. We considered ripping the furniture all out and starting with new furniture. Our concern was getting a good fit. Instead we hired a guy who does classic car and boat interior restorations. He had only done a few RVs before but did a fine job for us. We did both captain chairs, the recliner, couch and dinette. We chose two cloth fabrics with excellent color match to the walls and floor. Cost about $3500 total, not cheap but good result. You may want to consider replacing with new furniture if you are confident about the fit.

[Brooks]

Thank you for your input. We also thought about replacing the furniture, but with grandchildren traveling with us, it seems too risky. We are getting estimates, but with a pandemic, that has been hard. We have seat covers for the captains chairs, but they won't last the way we need them to. Our main issue is the constant shedding and that makes the RV seem messy.

[Pete'sMH]

Originally Posted by rudyhehn

There are other threads on this topic. This was in industry wide issue with RV furniture made 2013-2016. The furniture company is now bankrupt and Thor and other RV makers take no responsibility. The "fabric" is latex sprayed on a cloth backing and does not last. We considered ripping the furniture all out and starting with new furniture. Our concern was getting a good fit. Instead we hired a guy who does classic car and boat interior restorations. He had only done a few RVs before but did a fine job for us. We did both captain chairs, the recliner, couch and dinette. We chose two cloth fabrics with excellent color match to the walls and floor. Cost about $3500 total, not cheap but good result. You may want to consider replacing with new furniture if you are confident about the fit.

It wasn’t just 2013-2016. It continued with some flexsteel seats right up until they pulled out of the RV market in 2020. Not all though. My 2016 Fleetwood never had a problem but my 2019 Newmar was peeling in fewer than 6000 miles. It’s a problem that should never have occurred.

[Laco]

I understand the legalities, though IMO the right thing for Thor and other manufactures to do, would be to step up and help owners recover from their poor choice of fabric. Not necessarily pay for all, but a reasonable pro-rated amount. I know that won't happen, but again IMO it should.

[ducksface]

Originally Posted by Laco

I understand the legalities, though IMO the right thing for Thor and other manufactures to do, would be to step up and help owners recover from their poor choice of fabric. Not necessarily pay for all, but a reasonable pro-rated amount. I know that won't happen, but again IMO it should.

Where should it end past the date you agreed to upon purchase?
Extended warranty was extended to you.

We've had a bit of furniture replaced under an extended warranty.
It was pretty easy.

This is an excellent time to, instead of being frownful because of a GLOBAL problem of bad batching, decide if leather is for you, switch seating entirely, go for the power foot rest and dual recliner option and make the vehicle suit you.

If my seats go bad, I'll be so happy to have the shopping fun of either going full leather/full custom or to catalog shop, rv trip to the showroom, butt-sit, find something for ME instead of what some silly rv builder put in my rv.

Anyone who has owned a house, and paid any attention will know what
Builder quality
means.
And you swap out that builder quality faucet....

[Laco]

Originally Posted by ducksface

Where should it end past the date you agreed to upon purchase?
Extended warranty was extended to you.

We've had a bit of furniture replaced under the extended warranty.
It was pretty easy.

Was the furniture you had replaced under extended warrantee, due to mechanical problems, IE: breakage, or because the fabric failed? Extended warrantee will typically exclude fabric covering furniture, though I'm sure there are probably exceptions.

[ducksface]

Fabric fail
One white leather couch lost its coating on the leather.
They were a matched pair.
They replaced with a matched pair
AND
Let us keep the bad one and it's good mate.
They had no use for the used couches after their verifications.
For a while we had four 9foot white leather couches.

Available on amazon is a fabric warranty on any furniture you buy.
Take a look.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Furniture...ref=nb_sb_noss

Let us know what your research of the companies offering extended furniture warranty says about fabric and rv.
I'm not in the market so I don't need to look, but I'll remember your blurb if you write one for us.

The amazon was just an example of what you said being not quite right about fabric damages and furniture. A bit of internet search will tell you if anything is available.

And I would be heartily surprised, even a bit ashamed of their profession, if the finance guy didn't offer you all the
Mop and glow package
On your new purchased rv.
Maybe they even making you all sign a waiver saying you didn't want it.

[Bob Denman]

Four nine-foot white leather couches?
You must have had one heckuva large living room!

[ducksface]

https://shop4seats.com/rv-furniture/...t-package.html
$2,500 erases hate and discontent.
Easy.
Less than 2% of initial purchase price of the rv.
Cheap. Happy. Huge upgrade. Color choices. Console. Wine holder.