Quality control

[Parne]

I just spent $5000. for a 3 time fix of the large slide on my 2014 Palazzo. Thor is aware of the problems with the big slide, and the total solution was a replacement of the full mechanisms of the slide.

Just waiting for the next problem.

[puppygeo]

Originally Posted by robertirvine1

What the hell. Yes I can fix it all it's the fact that short staples short screws short linoleum no vent no stove igniter wallpaper rolling off. Sure I can fix it all but for 100 thousand dollars and only 4000 miles but why should I. Quality control should have let this unit leave the factory. Being involved in product quality and line production I would have let this unit tarnish the name of Thor. So yes it all will be fixed by me . But I said I will not recommend thor to anyone or its dealers. And I hope Thor sees these threads maybe someone is over covid enough to call me.

Welcome to new RV ownership. I, like many many others had a lot of issues (count 'em 30+) with our new motorhome. I was disgusted at the lack of pride in their manufacturing. However, you should have a 1 year warranty on your coach. I put together a huge list of issues and called Thor to file a claim. They were VERY responsive. I was assigned a single rep and we worked with a local RV repair shop (NOT the dealer) who had a good relationship with Thor. Got 90% of the items resolved and then before the year was up submitted another claim with even more issues. Yes, it was a bit of work on my end to get everything resolved, but it's all about following up and keeping the ball rolling - i.e. squeaky wheel.

[petef]

The first year mine was in the shop more then on the road, most shops kept it 2 or 3 months..one I complained about vibration and handling, all they did was test drive it after it sat for 2 months and tell me nothing wrong, then I took it to an alignment shop and they fixed the 1/4 in toe out problem, then I took it to a tire dealer and had 3 out of round tires replaced and the rest balanced. So many more things I have fixed or replaced because of poor quality workmanship or parts..

Originally Posted by robertirvine1

I've tried to call thor but because of covid no one ever calls you back. And the dealer Mike Thompson rv is basically useless and the coach sits there for 30 days. We've made 13 small outings since last march and every trip I'm fixing something. From drawer latches short staples in the wood work from no vent to the outside for the convection oven. For something my wife to live in I beginning to think not. We thor because we had 2 previous trailers and they were excellent but too small. Were older now and hooking and unhooking is getting a little much. But I'll keep fixing but at this point I wouldn't recommend thor to anyone and their dealers.

[cgeace29.3]

Welcome to Thor world as you are finding out Thor uses very low grade materials and components in their motor homes.
You really have to have a lot of patience, a good ability to diagnose problems and a hell of a good handyman.
You name it I have had issues with in the 1 year I have owned a 2016 with 7,200 miles.
Maybe that’s why they traded it in??
The tv’s won’t work at campgrounds with digital cable systems - replace them.
The plumbing fittings will leak in the worst possible locations - Cary lots of spares.
The water heater will quit- Cary the electrical modules for replacement.
The finish will oxidize - learn how to take care of fiberglass panels.
You get the picture.
They should be telling folks interested in m h about all the repairs and maintenance required, they are not like a good quality car or truck.
More like the Yugo of motorized vehicles.

[Galobo]

Originally Posted by robertirvine1

What the hell. Yes I can fix it all it's the fact that short staples short screws short linoleum no vent no stove igniter wallpaper rolling off. Sure I can fix it all but for 100 thousand dollars and only 4000 miles but why should I. Quality control should have let this unit leave the factory. Being involved in product quality and line production I would have let this unit tarnish the name of Thor. So yes it all will be fixed by me . But I said I will not recommend thor to anyone or its dealers. And I hope Thor sees these threads maybe someone is over covid enough to call me.

Partner I’m with you this bull crap about you should have found it, that’s the way they all are, Amish craftsmanship is ridiculous. We pay hundred thousand plus for something you should expect and receive a quality product.
I guess I have been lucky with the five RV s we have owned only the Jayco product was inferior. Hope you get everything fixed because RVing is truly fun.

[Pete'sMH]

Just because something is expensive doesn’t mean it’s high quality. You can but a bicycle at Walmart for $200 or you can buy one for $3,000. If you choose the former you should not expect it to perform like the latter. More to the point, if you buy a whole house for the price of a nice pickup truck you have to know that there are lots of compromises somewhere along the way. I’m not discounting your experience but stying unhappy is not a healthy thing. I also have noticed that most folks get the bugs out after a year or so and then enjoy many years of good experience.

[DW821]

Originally Posted by robertirvine1

Yes there an inspection. And yes notes were taken does Bill's written and the thing that were deficient at that time taken care of. T
Yes research done on the various brands and Thor had the least complaints. The rub is that with only 4000 miles the issues I have NOW should have surfaced with much more use on the coach. So you trolls dont try get me any more upset with this thing . I'll say thanks for your input . Gave a great day.

Don’t let them get to you. Same thing happened to me when we bought our new $200k Thor that we did an extremely thorough PDI on and after the first 70 mile trip, started falling apart. I made a frustrated post while sitting in freezing Wyoming with no heat alnd no generator. Lots of snarky responses basically telling me it was my fault for not doing a PDI (we did), and not knowing how to fix stuff myself. As it turns out, neither of those problems could have been fixed outside of the shop. We have had similar problems with Thor and the dealer. Ours had 800 miles when we bought it and under 900 when problems started. I agree that you should expect a new coach to be in good working order and not falling apart. I disagree with the arrogant types on here that tell you that you should take it to the factory in Indiana for service. If you bought a new Mercedes that needed service would you take it to Germany? Total BS.
What I am learning is to try to stay calm and know that it will get fixed. I’ve been able to build a relationship with the service dept at the dealership and they have worked harder to get my coach in and out as quickly as they can. Sometimes the hold up is that they can’t get parts. I know this doesn’t help get your coach fixed, but just know that you aren’t alone in your frustrations and some of us really do get it.

[Bob Denman]

My 2018 Outlaw had two pages of annoying issue... but only one fatal flaw: a slide harness with a staple through it.
Our 2019 Tiffin only had two things pop up during the PDI, and they were addressed at that time
After two seasons of use: we had a ceiling vent fan strip it's lifting mechanism, and screw strip out on the freezer door, and a couple more pieces of trim fall off. All were easily fixed...
But we're talking about a $60,000 difference in their prices.

[EA37TS]

What level of quality; acceptable, appropriate, or aspirational. Thor’s quality is acceptable based on the number of units sold.

Once again, unlike the auto industry there is no published quality standards for RVs. Until there is you and I are stuck with the quality we accept.

Until it is published, standards of quality are nothing more than personal opinions and don’t confuse quality with workmanship because they are not the same.

[Beau388]

There are many RV manufactures out there. Thor Industries is just one, but it happens to be the largest. There plants produce some of the finest (Entegra Coach, Airstream) and most expensive as well as several less expensive lines with less quality. I personalty believe for the price you can not find a better built coach than Thor Motor Coach Plant 750 delivers. As far as for quality control, Plant 750 has two QC inspections housed is a special booth where the spend about 20 minutes checking off items listed on their inspection list. If a coach is returned to a dealer during the warranty period and if the defect is in a vendors supplied item the item is returned to the vendor for full credit. If it is a manufacturing problem, the records are searched and if the defect can be traced to an individual worker the that worker is fined. All Thor Plant 750 coaches are shipped with a dealer arrival checklist that must be returned to Thor Plant 750 within 10 working days of arrival at the dealer's. If in fact the dealers do use the checklist to report problems with the coach, the plant will authorize the repair or even pay for return of the coach to Thor's repair facility in Wakarusa.
Even Plant 750 produces coaches of different quality. Freedom Traveler and ACE station time is significantly less than Windsport and Hurricane. Thor Plant 750 switched to batch production in 2018 where only one type of coach and one model is produced during one day. That is why the production rate varies fro 8 to 14 coaches per day and if a coach is special ordered it may be as much as three months before your coach is produced.

[ducksface]

If You didn't find this forum, or 100 similar ones PRIOR to your rv purchase, what should we think of your abilities to protect yourself and be actually involved in such a major purchase? A purchase where time and time again the only defense made for wanting things to be perfect, instead of the way 1,000,000,000 posts tell you of their construction...is the price?

We paid all the same+-.
And
While the $100,000 is mentioned ad nausem, had you completed the slightest research you'd know the $100,000 is a comparative yaris price, not a mercedes or even Malibu price. This has nothing to do with how precious the monetary amount is to you. It has to do with price and scale and the cost of the quality you didn't pay for.

Three steps inside, a flick of my finger to hear what life experience told me was the 'thwock' sound of cardboard, a glance at the matress to determine, based on life experience, where this whole vehicle sat on the quality scale. We can teach you that.

This is what some of us mean when we blame your lack if pdi. If you can't tell low-line construction and material from high-line...if you can't glance at that flooring and recognize it as barely servicable, if you cant see the counter is a cardboard shell, if you didn't question what in the hell brand that tv is, you deserve your displeasure in quality.

I took 1,000 glances, made 1,000 determinations. Then I took a REAL look at it all.
Some of you bought sight unseen. Like, standing right there in the rv kitchen, unseeing, unknowing, unresponsive .

Do not try to bash those of us who took on and continue to take on the personal responsibility required for the purchase and the personal responsibility to continue learning and improving ourselves and our new rv project.

IF you have any ability at all you'll have the ability to know this isn't aimed at someone with a problem with their slide or an engine that blew up, any broken thing during warranty.
It's aimed at those who didn't bother to do the research to know what they bought on a scale of 1 to 10, then come here with their point of weakness raised as a guide-on to muster others of such ilke.


Some people aren't happy unless they aren't happy.
You shine when you're that way.


How 'bout;
You get a good attitude, take responsibility for your purchase, and let us help you with our ingenuity, resourcefullness and consideration until you learn some of your own?

It's done. You own it, there's only one forked path to resolve your shallow unthought-through purchase. Sell it, or let us help you resolve what you did to yourself.
There's nothing else. Get Rid of it, or get happy with it.
Fork in the road. Your decision, we didn't start you on this journey, but you sure could have asked in advance where that path went.

Some of us find Some of you
Exasperating.
Yet,
We're here everyday for no reason other than to help.
You really dont think beau and myself and the 8+ others here who do this are here for ourselves do you?

Please discover dkoldmans history. He couldn't find his black tank valve with both hands when he first came here. He now offers good advice, finds work-around, and contributes without complaint.
Use him as a guide to your development here on this site.

[Siouxfog]

Originally Posted by robertirvine1

Very disappointed in the quality of our coach. Every trip there something falling off the coach. This trip the sliding bath room door track fell out of the ceiling. The last trip drawer under bunk front came off. The wall paper in the corners all over the coach is rolling off. For the money we spent this is really bad. Any time we take it in for some kind of service its there a month. For a Quantum 31f this hgt as been a very bad choice. So I'm asking were is the quality control. I can send pics if needed. Now to pick up the bath door.

We have a 2019 thor A30 and have the same issues and the service department claims warranty doesn't cover anything its not due to anything I did wrong they say but its not covered so not only doe you loose RV for 30 plus days it cost 500 to 1k every service for coach and they are unable to service the Ford power train I have to find someplace and all 3 Ford dealers in Lafayette, La won't take Rvs heater went out not covered they say its a electrical issue $300.00 if heater broke its covered but don't cover bad electrical from thor that on us Gander Rv replaced the camperworld i bought new at and not happy with either of them or sams warranty bumper to bumper platinum me and my wife are in our 50s and enjoy off road riding,motorcycle rallies,and taking 10 grandchildren out for a adventure hopefully once everything breaks once we can enjoy a trip without something breaking

[EA37TS]

Originally Posted by Siouxfog

We have a 2019 thor A30 and have the same issues and the service department claims warranty doesn't cover anything its not due to anything I did wrong they say but its not covered so not only doe you loose RV for 30 plus days it cost 500 to 1k every service for coach and they are unable to service the Ford power train I have to find someplace and all 3 Ford dealers in Lafayette, La won't take Rvs heater went out not covered they say its a electrical issue $300.00 if heater broke its covered but don't cover bad electrical from thor that on us Gander Rv replaced the camperworld i bought new at and not happy with either of them or sams warranty bumper to bumper platinum me and my wife are in our 50s and enjoy off road riding,motorcycle rallies,and taking 10 grandchildren out for a adventure hopefully once everything breaks once we can enjoy a trip without something breaking

Have you talked to Thor or just the dealer?

[Beau388]

Originally Posted by Siouxfog

We have a 2019 thor A30 and have the same issues and the service department claims warranty doesn't cover anything its not due to anything I did wrong they say but its not covered so not only doe you loose RV for 30 plus days it cost 500 to 1k every service for coach and they are unable to service the Ford power train I have to find someplace and all 3 Ford dealers in Lafayette, La won't take Rvs heater went out not covered they say its a electrical issue $300.00 if heater broke its covered but don't cover bad electrical from thor that on us Gander Rv replaced the camperworld i bought new at and not happy with either of them or sams warranty bumper to bumper platinum me and my wife are in our 50s and enjoy off road riding,motorcycle rallies,and taking 10 grandchildren out for a adventure hopefully once everything breaks once we can enjoy a trip without something breaking

The typical Ford dealer services what they sell: cars, SUV, and class 1, 2 and 3 trucks. Their service bays, lifts and entry doors are not configured for Ford class 4, 5, or 6 trucks, nor does their liability insurance cover those classes of trucks. The back pages of you Ford operators manual list a number to call for the nearest service center that will service a class 5 or 6 truck F-53 chassis. The one here is 34 miles away but the are 4 other Ford car and truck dealers closer that will not service class 6 trucks (18,000 to 27,500 lbs). A big independent RV repair center usually has contacts for Ford Cat, Cummins, and Detroit diesel engine repair and is certified for minor engine component replacement.
You do not have to use a Thor dealer to have warranty items repaired. You just need Thor MC to PRE-APPROVE the warranty work. This is from the Iron Horse RV web site.

Due to the economy and uncertainty of vendors and suppliers in our industry, all warranties are to be paid in full by the customer at time of installation. The customer will need to file the warranty for reimbursement. Iron Horse RV will be glad to assist you with authorizations, returning parts and submitting supporting documents as needed.
Regarding Monaco warranties: Our service department will send in the invoice for Monaco to authorize. We will obtain and you an authorization number. Due to Texas state law, the customer is responsible to pay Iron Horse RV for Monaco warranty work, and Monaco will reimburse the customer.
Regarding extended warranties: Our service department will file claims under your extended warranty. Please make sure we have a copy of your extended warranty at the time of write up. All warranty companies only pay for a specific labor time and main part failure. The customer is responsible to pay for remaining labor time, freight, diagnoses and any other parts involved with the repair.
We understand your concern for the cost of repairs. We have set a $250 limit per line item repair. If a repair, including labor and parts, is over $250, we will call you for authorization.
If your vehicle is not picked up within 5 days of the first phone call or email giving notice of completion of repairs, a fee of $25 per day, beginning the sixth day, will be added to your total invoice.

Thor MC customer service usually is most accommodating to your needs, but they are not responsible for your mistakes in choosing a dealer or repair facility.

[Connieb]

I too know how you feel. It is every brand not just thor. Unfortunately there is nothing to do except fix the stuff. On the bright side, after a couple of years, you should have most everything fixed or replaced so you can enjoy it. Unfortunately there is no lemon law for RVs in the state of Florida, and the attorney said about all we could get is a new coach. As we didn't want to start over we kept what we had. I think the manufacturer knows this too, or they don't care. Good luck in your journey. Find a good repair place that you like and stick with them.

[TomFlynn]

Originally Posted by robertirvine1

Very disappointed in the quality of our coach. Every trip there something falling off the coach. This trip the sliding bath room door track fell out of the ceiling. The last trip drawer under bunk front came off. The wall paper in the corners all over the coach is rolling off. For the money we spent this is really bad. Any time we take it in for some kind of service its there a month. For a Quantum 31f this hgt as been a very bad choice. So I'm asking were is the quality control. I can send pics if needed. Now to pick up the bath door.

I feel your pain. 2017 Axis24.1 The best part of my RV is made by Ford. Crooked driver seat, leak in outside TV door and TV ruined, heating duct not connected, Double screen filters on a water hose instead of one and hanging out over threads, leaky lenses on tail lights, worthless motorcoach booklet, and dumbest way to replace chassis battery. RV OUTLET of Myrtle Beach great at playing dumb in my view. First n last Thor for me

[DubeGrpArchitek]

I purchased my 2019 Thor Windsport 34J new and was also extremely frustrated with build quality and poor warranty work at selling dealership which was located in another state. However, I kept communication open with Thor, got them to allow warranty work to be done through a local RV repair facility, and have been very satisfied. In fact, two issues popped up after 1 year warranty ended and Thor didn't hesitate to cover the repairs. I have completely changed my opinion and am now negotiating to upgrade to a new 2021 Aria 3901 diesel pusher. I love Tiffin but they do cost more and as others have mentioned, even they can have problems. As far as PDI, what a joke even though I had printed out check lists from online research, etc. You just have to use the coach hard to the first year and hopefully fix all the bugs under warranty.

[cavie]

Too bad folks don't find these kinds of forums BEFORE they buy an RV. They would know that there is NO quality Control in the RV industry. They are willing to part with over $100,000.00 without blinking an eye. Spend that kind of $$$ with no research???? AMAZING!! But I guess if they did the research there would be no RV industry. I'll just stick to my preloved used units.

[EA37TS]

Originally Posted by cavie

Too bad folks don't find these kinds of forums BEFORE they buy an RV. They would know that there is NO quality Control in the RV industry. They are willing to part with over $100,000.00 without blinking an eye. Spend that kind of $$$ with no research???? AMAZING!! But I guess if they did the research there would be no RV industry. I'll just stick to my preloved used units.

The info is there for anyone that does the research. Back in the 2013 timeframe when we were looking at Class A floorpans we really liked the Hurricane and Miramar floorpan with the outdoor kitchens. Taking some time I did some research and found the issue with the full wall slides. The issue was very well documented and Thor had not yet added the 3 TRAX system. We decided to go with a Challenger 37ND with 3 slides and with one minor exception never had any issues.

The info is there and all it takes is a little research however, the "kid in the candy store" concept wins more times than not.

To this day, I still would not purchase a Thor with a full wall slide manufactured by Swinteck. I would, however, consider other Thor units except any "Freedom" branded unit. Freedom units require a purchase from Camping World and IMHO they are worse that any manufacturer.

[Bob Denman]

Agreed...