Just a heads up on 2020 RVs

[Bob Denman]

Originally Posted by EA37TS

Be careful. Allison 2500 trans with very little towing capacity. Same limitations as a Pallazzo

Thanks for that info... Or trailer and Toad weigh right at 3,000 pounds.

[CaptnJohn]

Experienced labor??? Walk in the door from juvie detention and automatically become a master plumber until a wire guy is needed then the guy is a master electrician. No background check, no drug test, only a mirror under the nose to see if the body is breathing.

[JoeDS]

Ill throw this out for Thought.


in 2021 thor has announced a new warranty. 1-6-12.

1 year 15,000 miles "bumper-to-bumper"
6 year lamination
12 year Structural


“We have spent the last 18 months improving the culture throughout our great organization. The institution of better communication, visual management, and operational accountability have helped us transform the business,” commented Jeff Kime, Thor Motor Coach President. He continued to say, “The new warranty coverage is part of our commitment to build the most innovate, dependable, and longest-lasting motorhomes in the industry”.


https://www.thormotorcoach.com/blog/...ding-warranty/


So far no one else has one better overall. Time will tell.

[Bob Denman]

Blindcoyote,
Please... No politics...

[knucklehead]

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

Perhaps I'll wait to move up in the 2022 model year.

I'll keep my 2018 Windsport 29m. It does just fine!!!

[RACarvalho]

I have a 2021 MH of the "entry level" kind and I have not found anything too much different (so far) in terms of quality control than my previous rigs which where "highly appointed(expensive)" Rockwoods... Maybe Rockwood have a little more care with sealants ... but thats it....


I have 23 years of automotive supply chain experience and I used to manage a supplier in Elkhart (not RV related) and visit the city with a certain frequency.
The labor dynamics there is this:
When RV industry is booming, most people that can (hard manual work) want to work on RVs since it pays more but when RV industry is down, there is no second thought from RV manufacturers on reducing the work force (lay-offs).
This dynamic affected my supplier for if your need to hire coincide with RV booming phase, you will have problems finding labor.
That dynamic also creates less fidelity of the workforce to the RV company... and it does impact quality for ever changing labor does create opportunities for quality problems.


Not justifying quality problems but your RV dealer is a huge part on the level of problems you will find...
The dealer that I use is very good on finding and solving problems and I may say that, besides my RVs have had more (small) issues than my truck, I'm way more happy with my RVs than with the company that built my (special ordered) truck which 10 speed transmission have no clue what a smooth shifting is and according to that company that is "normal"....

[Bob Denman]

Congratulations on your new rig, and thanks for the background information.

[Judge]

The PDI is not the be-all-end-all when it comes to determining how well the coach was built and the underlying quality.

There are so many different people building these rigs at different times in the process that a rig can look great cosmetically but there could structural issues not easily visible to the naked eye that a PDI would not necessarily catch. Like the marathon runner who looks physically fit to you and me but drops dead of a heart attack from a blocked artery.

Conversely there could be several cosmetic issues visible that could be easily fixed but structurally the coach could be well designed be built solid.

The PDI is going to catch the obvious things and maybe some subtle things that an experienced owner (or dealer) would catch from passed experience.

The challenge is you will never really know how "good" a coach is until it has several thousand miles on it and several trips. It often takes some use for defects and issues to be flushed out and ultimately the quality of the design, the build and the components used.

[witzee]

i'm sorry, but i think the transport driver should be responsible for at least reporting to the dealer a gross mis-alignment in the unit. i had to pay $300 for my alignment when i got the unit home (1000+ miles) because it was so poorly aligned from the factory. if the transport driver can't even mention an obvious DRIVING issue with the delivered coach, they might as well save some money and just put a trained monkey behind the wheel for factory-to-dealer transportation.

[Bob Denman]

Welcome to the forum.
Transport drivers are paid to do just that: drive.
While it would be nice if they reported what they saw and felt: including it in their job description would just discourage folks from delivering the RVs.

[ducksface]

Repairs are taken against the gross profit.
If a dealer has to fix something like an alignment, of course it's their money spent.
If you didn't notice on a test drive, really, how bad was it really?

And
I think any new car could use an alignment 1,000 loaded miles down the road.
Tires decrowned, bushings settling in, damper reset lugs torqued suspension finding home.

[EA37TS]

Originally Posted by witzee

i'm sorry, but i think the transport driver should be responsible for at least reporting to the dealer a gross mis-alignment in the unit. i had to pay $300 for my alignment when i got the unit home (1000+ miles) because it was so poorly aligned from the factory. if the transport driver can't even mention an obvious DRIVING issue with the delivered coach, they might as well save some money and just put a trained monkey behind the wheel for factory-to-dealer transportation.

Sorry but you signed a document stating you had the opportunity to take the vehicle for a test drive. If it was out of alignment when you accepted it then it is your fault. Don’t blame someone else for your lack of due diligence in performing an adequate test drive.

Read the documents you signed, especially the warranty registration.

[LizB]

Originally Posted by Judge

That’s not an accurate statement. My 2020 Magnitude was made in April 2019. It was not manufactured in 2020.

The RV industry model year is one year ahead of the calendar year for the most part.

The 2021’s are coming off the line in 2020 so that statement would apply to the 2021 model year units..... not units labeled as 2020 models.

I’m not surprised. The only people less educated about the industry than an RV Sales Rep is the first time RV buyer.

Original poster explicitly said "...made in 2020..."

[Judge]

Originally Posted by LizB

Original poster explicitly said "...made in 2020..."

OP also stated....

"I just wanted people who maybe thinking of buying 2020 new now to maybe think about it."

This could easily be construed as purchasing a new 2020 MY coach.

[Judge]

Originally Posted by witzee

i'm sorry, but i think the transport driver should be responsible for at least reporting to the dealer a gross mis-alignment in the unit. i had to pay $300 for my alignment when i got the unit home (1000+ miles) because it was so poorly aligned from the factory. if the transport driver can't even mention an obvious DRIVING issue with the delivered coach, they might as well save some money and just put a trained monkey behind the wheel for factory-to-dealer transportation.

The Ford Warranty on my F-550 Chassis states the following:

"Wheel alignment and wheel balance are limited to 12 months / 12,000 mile coverage."

My alignment seemed to be good during the test drive and after ~6000 miles of driving it. Tire wear also seems to be normal. If I did feel there was an alignment issue, I would take it to Ford before October versus paying for it.


I do recall somewhere in the documentation from my last coach that Thor recommends the owner to have the coach aligned. Something to the effect that the chassis is aligned by the manufacturer but after adding length and weight to the chassis, it is recommended that the coach be aligned again after the owner has it loaded down with items typically carried during travel (propane, water, etc.).

[ducksface]

Originally Posted by LizB

Original poster explicitly said "...made in 2020..."

Actually, op themself said nothing other than to repeat rumor from a random person in a very transient and (very likely) temporary field of employment.
No one ever said: 'when I grow up I want to sell rv's.'
It's a stop along a wayward path. It's not a destination.

The op warning is equivelant of:
'while sweeping floors as a temp employee at a meat market I heard a guy I never met in a context I don't know about and that position being possibly or not related to the store in some vague way, say
beef wasn't always from cows.'

Back in another life the op's repeated words might be EXACTLY what I'd say to move a potential buyer toward the older inventory with the pay bonus attached to it.
No salesman wants you to order a vehicle if he can sell one already on the lot.

Putting weight on the salesperson statement would have you buying an older stock unit you'll lose a years of book value before you leave the lot.
w
If you shopped at all it could likely be found as a used low miler with a big discount, potentially no sales tax and already sorted out by the short term owner.

Salesman/slammer spiel. Solidly bought and paid for.

[witzee]

Originally Posted by EA37TS

Sorry but you signed a document stating you had the opportunity to take the vehicle for a test drive. If it was out of alignment when you accepted it then it is your fault. Don’t blame someone else for your lack of due diligence in performing an adequate test drive.

Read the documents you signed, especially the warranty registration.

i'm sorry, but taking a new RV for a test ride on a highway long enough to determine if the alignment is out and not a sloped road, wind push, etc., etc. is expecting a little much for a due diligence inspection.

[ducksface]

Originally Posted by witzee

i'm sorry, but taking a new RV for a test ride on a highway long enough to determine if the alignment is out and not a sloped road, wind push, etc., etc. is expecting a little much for a due diligence inspection.

100+ mile drive here.
Up one of the worst slopes on i40 floored to make sure it'd not be some mobile chicane and embarrass me as a driver, 80mph on straights, a curve or two a bit too fast, through town stoplights, u turn, off ramps, dirt road, navigated a parking lot and went up the craziest road to parking lot rise I could find to see if that goofy under door droop would drag. Spousal unit(we're French) drove while I shook down the water system and drawers and rattles, then I drove and unit shook it down. Rode in front seats, the awful couch, the beds, the toilet, ran the generator and faucets. Just a regular rv trip.

I spiffed the salesman $100 for his time.
It all took less than two hours to shake that rv like it'd often be shaken.
And then we bought a slightly (they hadn't made the third payment yet) used one and didn't have to pay sales tax...and did the shakedown again(we bought lunch this time. Shorter drive. We knew what wouldn't drag and about hiway speeds and such.)

I had a spare hour+ to INVEST.
I suggest everyone find an hour. (and download a pdi checklist like Rvchecklist)

[Bob Denman]

I don't mean to "pile on" here...
But you probably should have been able to feel that "something"... was amiss.
It's easy to get overwhelmed in those situations. When I took mine out for a spin with the salesman: I doubt I would have noticed if the roof was on fire!
This is where a second set of eyeballs can come in handy.

[DWM]

We have had numerous issues with our new Chateau 24BL but General RV has fixed everyone of them and even added an option (no charge) that we felt was supposed to be on our RV when we purchased it - at no cost - [Thor sent materials to do it.] (Child safety net in front of cubby sleep).
Thor and General RV have been terrific. Again several issues (and we have one more that cropped up on our trip) ALL REPAIRED without question.
We even get a call from General after repairs to make sure they are OK and received a call from Thor asking if everything was OK with our new RV.
Great service from Thor (Ill.) and General RV (Birch Run, MI). [Have never paid anything for service 2 months after purchase...]