Possible window leaking on 2016 VEGAS

[DogLovers]

When the warranty expires and you have a real case simply file it in your local small claims court. In most states if not all (Indiana for sure) you don't need a lawyer you can file yourself and the local court clerk will even give you the proper forms, tell you what to do and collect your nominal filing fee. On the other hand by law the big company (in this case Thor) is legally required by the court to be represented by an attorney. So the instant you file you got into their pocket already. Small claims is considered a consumer friendly place and a case like yours ( manufacturer failed to install common sense material to prevent rain damage) will be an easy win for you and a loss for them. Not only will they end up paying for all your expenses to repair the damage and make it right, they also get to pay their lawyer for showing up to answer your charges. Keep receipts for the repair, get it repaired at the most expensive quality driven place you can find, and enjoy your check later because you will get it. Most states/county courts have limits on small claims dollar limits, Indiana's ceiling is $3,000. That ought to fix any window issue easily.

Don't get mad get even. Make them pay!

[Djfred]

Originally Posted by penguin

I'm not a lawyer but I would guess they have an army of them. I hope you get the resolve your looking for but your probably better off, as one poster suggested, flooding the internet with your situation. The best way to hurt a company is to hit them in their pocket book. My guess is they will hold this up in court until you either run out of money ( lawyers and court fees) or you just chalk it up to a bad experience. We have all been in these situations, not to say its right, but just kiss your wife and kids and thank the good lord for what you have. Then go out and buy another RV and enjoy.

Hello Penguin, A class action suit would not cost me a penny,but would take a considerable amount of my time which I would be reimbursed for out of the suit proceeds.The Attorneys would take their fees out of the class settlement.I kiss my Wife everyday and thank the Good Lord for what I have everyday also,but as of yet He hasnt sent me a check to buy another motorhome!!!I do plan on posting on as many sites as I possibly can about Thor. It is unfortunate because I actually like my Axis,but feel that they should take care of a defect that is their fault.Going through this forum,and many others, there are literally hundreds of folks who have spent their hard earned retirement money thinking they were going to enjoy their golden years,only to be screwed by Thor.I am not a nut job and have posted nothing but good things about Thor and their customer service in all of my previous posts,but now I feel that they have really dropped the ball.Once your warranty is done they could care less about you,and this is a problem they knew about. I guess if they were to fix mine,they would have hundreds of others in line with the same problem to fix,so I will do what I have to ,to make it as difficult for them as I have to.I have 3 friends who also own Thor products and none of them have a single good thing to say about Thor!!!!!!!Anyway ,thank you for your post!!!,I have to go and kiss my Wife before I get MADDER!!!!!!!!

[tnedator]

Originally Posted by Djfred

Hello Penguin, A class action suit would not cost me a penny,but would take a considerable amount of my time which I would be reimbursed for out of the suit proceeds.The Attorneys would take their fees out of the class settlement.I kiss my Wife everyday and thank the Good Lord for what I have everyday also,but as of yet He hasnt sent me a check to buy another motorhome!!!I do plan on posting on as many sites as I possibly can about Thor. It is unfortunate because I actually like my Axis,but feel that they should take care of a defect that is their fault.Going through this forum,and many others, there are literally hundreds of folks who have spent their hard earned retirement money thinking they were going to enjoy their golden years,only to be screwed by Thor.I am not a nut job and have posted nothing but good things about Thor and their customer service in all of my previous posts,but now I feel that they have really dropped the ball.Once your warranty is done they could care less about you,and this is a problem they knew about. I guess if they were to fix mine,they would have hundreds of others in line with the same problem to fix,so I will do what I have to ,to make it as difficult for them as I have to.I have 3 friends who also own Thor products and none of them have a single good thing to say about Thor!!!!!!!Anyway ,thank you for your post!!!,I have to go and kiss my Wife before I get MADDER!!!!!!!!

Don't take this the wrong way, but while it might make you feel better to trash them on every internet site, you are going to make no impact on their bottom line (they are selling them faster then they are churning them out -- which is too fast for quality, just like EVERY other coach manufacturer).

So, you can take the advice offered by another poster, and at most make yourself feel good by trashing them, or you can stay calm and try and work your way up the corporate chain and might get some resolution. You could try the small claims court, but depending on your states law and the written warranty, you may have zero recourse for a manufacturing defect you discovered after the warranty expired (trying to remember if you started this leak journey before or after the warranty expired).

So, again, if you actually want Thor to take action, don't act like an internet troll (even if you have good cause for doing so), because it won't hurt their bottom line and it won't help yours.

At most, do something like post on their Facebook page/twitter feed something like, "Can I please have the contact information for the consumer advocacy group at Thor. In battling a leak for some time, my dealer finally discovered that the factory never installed a critical seal around the window,but unfortunately, after my warranty expired. Even though this was clearly a big mistake during the manufacture of my coach, Thor customer service has said they will not work on it. I have no doubt that the person I spoke to must not understand my issue. Therefore, could you please direct me to the consumer advocacy department...." or something like that.

You've now posted something negative, but respectful, in a very public place, and are seen as someone they want to help. In addition, my advice for sending a respectful account of things to the CEO/COO or similar high level official (or multiple) at Thor, printed out, signed and delivered by Fedex, courier, etc.

Taking steps like that might get your issue resolved and possibly provide you a future high level contact at Thor.

Trashing them all over the internet.... Well, I guess to quote one of my favorite scenes from Red Dawn: Airforce Pilot, "all that hates gonna burn you up" and the kid replies, "it keeps me warm."

If your only intention is to let the anger keep you warm, trash them. If you want a resolution, put together a plan and work your way up the chain of command (or jump to the top) and do it in a respectful, matter of fact way.

As always, we all have opinions like we all have noses, take it or leave it.

[Djfred]

Originally Posted by tnedator

Don't take this the wrong way, but while it might make you feel better to trash them on every internet site, you are going to make no impact on their bottom line (they are selling them faster then they are churning them out -- which is too fast for quality, just like EVERY other coach manufacturer).



So, you can take the advice offered by another poster, and at most make yourself feel good by trashing them, or you can stay calm and try and work your way up the corporate chain and might get some resolution. You could try the small claims court, but depending on your states law and the written warranty, you may have zero recourse for a manufacturing defect you discovered after the warranty expired (trying to remember if you started this leak journey before or after the warranty expired).



So, again, if you actually want Thor to take action, don't act like an internet troll (even if you have good cause for doing so), because it won't hurt their bottom line and it won't help yours.



At most, do something like post on their Facebook page/twitter feed something like, "Can I please have the contact information for the consumer advocacy group at Thor. In battling a leak for some time, my dealer finally discovered that the factory never installed a critical seal around the window,but unfortunately, after my warranty expired. Even though this was clearly a big mistake during the manufacture of my coach, Thor customer service has said they will not work on it. I have no doubt that the person I spoke to must not understand my issue. Therefore, could you please direct me to the consumer advocacy department...." or something like that.



You've now posted something negative, but respectful, in a very public place, and are seen as someone they want to help. In addition, my advice for sending a respectful account of things to the CEO/COO or similar high level official (or multiple) at Thor, printed out, signed and delivered by Fedex, courier, etc.



Taking steps like that might get your issue resolved and possibly provide you a future high level contact at Thor.



Trashing them all over the internet.... Well, I guess to quote one of my favorite scenes from Red Dawn: Airforce Pilot, "all that hates gonna burn you up" and the kid replies, "it keeps me warm."



If your only intention is to let the anger keep you warm, trash them. If you want a resolution, put together a plan and work your way up the chain of command (or jump to the top) and do it in a respectful, matter of fact way.



As always, we all have opinions like we all have noses, take it or leave it.

thank you for your advice!I will certainly heed it and try to get a resolution in a nice way.Im sure you can understand that I am extremely frustrated and disappointed today.My Axis is now worth nothing with the water damage due to their negligence!Time to go kiss my Wife again!

[tnedator]

Originally Posted by Djfred

thank you for your advice!I will certainly heed it and try to get a resolution in a nice way.Im sure you can understand that I am extremely frustrated and disappointed today.My Axis is now worth nothing with the water damage due to their negligence!Time to go kiss my Wife again!

I can understand and I've been there (but on smaller ticket items like DirecTV) and figure there's a decent chance I'll be just as frustrated with my soon to be new Thor RV, because it's the state of the RV industry. Not just Thor. It's the case with the bit three for sure, and a lot of the so called, premium smaller outfits.

Companies like Tiffen have done a better job of fixing out of warranty issues that were clearly manufacturing defects, but big companies aren't going to do that routinely, so you are going to have to work, and work civilly, to have a chance at resolution.

By the way, the words we use have very different effect on how people react to them. For instance, if you say to most customer service personal, "I'm considering getting a lawyer," many, if not most, are trained to do nothing else to help you and at most refer you to the legal department.

Using a word like negligence vs. "mistake during manufacturing" can have a big difference, because a word like negligence has a more legal feel to it, such as negligent homicide or that their careless action is creating great harm. Words like mistake or other non hot buttons can convey similar meanings without triggering the same negative or defensive reactions.

Personally, I tend to go that whole fly/honey/vinegar route, but I lace my honey with very matter of fact statements"...we both know what's happened to me isn't right, even if I didn't discovered it until x days after the manufacturing mistake was made. My wife and I have spent a significant amount of our retirement nest egg on this _____ and we have gotten so much enjoyment from it and love our _____. However, because it took some time for the damage from the seal that wasn't installed during manufacturing to become evident, I've found myself in a very tough position and I keep being told various forms of 'too bad, you should have made a claim, sooner.' I'm not asking for my warranty to be extended across the board, only for a little help and support dealing with what seems to be a very big mistake during the manufacture of my RV...."

It's also important to remember that the first multiple levels of CSA's and supervisors may have little or no power do make exceptions, and that one option is to very politely say, "I understand what you are saying and understand there is nothing that you can do. That said, I would like to speak to the departmental manager, can you please give me his or her contact information."

Anyway, might not get you any further along than you've gotten to date, but it seems like it's worth a shot. I tend to try and make it my mission for the people I'm talking with to try and get them to WANT to help me, even if they are restricted by corporate policy, rather than have them feel like I'm taking my frustration out on them -- even if I have every right to be frustrated. That said, that approach doesn't always work, in my personal experience.

[tnedator]

Anyway, I'll get off my soap box before someone gives me a, you know nothing, John Snow, errr Tnedator... response.

[Djfred]

Originally Posted by DogLovers

When the warranty expires and you have a real case simply file it in your local small claims court. In most states if not all (Indiana for sure) you don't need a lawyer you can file yourself and the local court clerk will even give you the proper forms, tell you what to do and collect your nominal filing fee. On the other hand by law the big company (in this case Thor) is legally required by the court to be represented by an attorney. So the instant you file you got into their pocket already. Small claims is considered a consumer friendly place and a case like yours ( manufacturer failed to install common sense material to prevent rain damage) will be an easy win for you and a loss for them. Not only will they end up paying for all your expenses to repair the damage and make it right, they also get to pay their lawyer for showing up to answer your charges. Keep receipts for the repair, get it repaired at the most expensive quality driven place you can find, and enjoy your check later because you will get it. Most states/county courts have limits on small claims dollar limits, Indiana's ceiling is $3,000. That ought to fix any window issue easily.

Don't get mad get even. Make them pay!

New Jersey also has a 3000 dollar limit.I am researching this option also.Seems as if it is the easiest way to go.I have tried dealing fairly with them and treated them with respect,to no avail which is why I am at this point.Thank you for your info and I will keep all posted as to my decision and resolution.