I’m beginning to regret buying a Thor product

[Bob Denman]

Thank you: I'm here all week...
Tip your waiter, and try the veal...

[naturescott49]

My wife and I bought a brand new Thor ACE 29.3 on October 29, 2016 after pulling a 30-foot fifth wheel for a decade. We've now had it 17 months. We are *very* happy with our choice. It's been used a lot since we bought it with a trip from Georgia to California and back and lots of trips to Florida. We only use it in the winter for 5 months as we live in Alaska for 7 months. It sits well-winterized and covered for the long, hot Georgia summer. This winter we spent 60 nights in it and last winter almost the same.

I'm amazed that more things haven't gone wrong with the coach! Like others have said, they are complicated. Our houses have things go wrong all the time and they don't move! Most of the things that had to be fixed can be chalked up to poor workmanship and lack of quality control:

* one lug nut was missing from the right front wheel! How does that escape notice??
* neither the 110v nor propane worked on the water heater because the spade connectors never got hooked up on the master control panel!!
* the awning light didn't work because the cord got cut due to misalignment of the brace. Thor didn't like replacing that, but they did!
* no water to the outside kitchen sink. I fixed that in 5 minutes when, with a little sleuthing, found the plastic strainer was put in backwards from the factory that made the faucet.
* the macerater pump quite working because the wiring connection loosened (very easy fix on my part).
* the outside Suckie TV quit working almost immediately, and I only had it on a couple times just to check it out. We've never really had a need for it and I don't want another Suckie. Next winter I'm buying a 40 inch *real* TV for the living room and put that Suckie outside. Not worth messing with warranty since 40-inch *real* TV's are so cheap.
* access to the lower two water heater bypass valves is nearly impossible to reach. I took out the luan backer, cut a door in it to get to the valves. But I don't use them as I blow all the water out of my system each time I winterize (or for real, summerize, the coach). I don't want *any* moisture in it for the long, hot Georgia summers.

Get used to taking care of things yourself and ask the question is the hassle with fixing easy things easier, cheaper and faster if you do it or if an RV repair shop does it.

I got CW's extended warranty and so far haven't had to use it. I won't be taking it back to CW even though they "forgive" the $100 deductible. I've got a great RV place nearby that I'll happily pay the deductible to if I need to.

I consider these things pretty minor, but the first time it went back to CW they had it for 4.5 weeks and did nothing!! I think they offer appointments as window dressing only. I find their service OK, they are just too, too, too busy for the volume of work they have. My Atlanta dealer only has 3 work bays and they sell more than 1,000 units a year. It is impossible to handle the service work for that volume with only 3 work bays.

Find an RV service place/person you trust. I've found a direct call to Thor gets me the information I need to decided how to proceed (heater bypass).

Yup, it's a lot of money and I did expect better workmanship. I'm working on things as they pop up, like replacing all the metal screws with stainless steel. I took out all the drawers and reinforced the bottoms to they can actually hold stuff!! I am impressed with the drawer slides, they all work flawlessly.

Finally, we continually look at RV's and went to 3 shows this winter. We have not found any unit for any manufacturer that suits our needs better than the Thor ACE 29.3, at any cost, including the Newmar New Aire at 3x the cost.

[Bob Denman]

Glad to hear that you're really enjoying the choice that you made!

[LockChuck92]

I appreciate all the encouragement, I really do. I’m not new to RVing; I practically grew up in one. I understand as well as anyone that motor homes and rv’s are “like a house in a constant earthquake”. I get it, please don’t lecture me on this. But I’m on vacation and have spent most of my day with a mobile RV technician on-site. He says he’s been doing this for 13 years and he’s never seen the breaks that I’m having, and certainly not in a unit that is on ITS THIRD TRIP EVER. Turns out the generator has to be COMPLETELY REBUILT because of an internal failure. Im talking it has to be removed completely from the camper, dismantled, and internally overhauled with new electrical components. The cab air conditioner still isn’t working; either a faulty water valve or the control board itself is fried. He’s coming back tomorrow after studying a schematic from the manufacturer (who we had to be on the phone with for over an hour). And finally, the wall board was cut too damned long for the wall height. The installers and quality control people at the factory HAD to have seen this when they installed it, but obviously they didn’t care. Because it’s too long, there’s constant outward pressure on the staples, and they will pull out again. Just have a little bit of pride in the product you are building. It’s not that hard.

I’m gonna try to enjoy what’s left of my vacation now.

[Bob Denman]

Take a D E E P breath...
Things WILL get better.
The best of luck to you during this time: please let us know how the repairs progress.

[jpmihalk]

Definitely enjoy that vacation! Please don't feel as if you are being lectured to, I think we are all trying to empathize with you and offer some encouragement.

[BradnKaren]

Originally Posted by LockChuck92

Turns out the generator has to be COMPLETELY REBUILT because of an internal failure. Im talking it has to be removed completely from the camper, dismantled, and internally overhauled with new electrical components.

Just my opinion, but I don't think I'd be willing to accept a "rebuilt" generator that is that new and still under warranty. It should be covered by Onan's warranty. I'd ask for a full replacement. I understand you're on vacation and maybe you need it sooner rather than later, so maybe a new generator is out of the question. I don't know. Just a thought.

I know you're frustrated and I would be also. We spent several weekends last summer with food in coolers because our fridge was broken. It happened not once, but twice. I was extremely frustrated that I had to keep food in a cooler when we had just spent 6 figures on our RV! It was a faulty Whirlpool product, not Thor's fault. It helps to keep in mind who to hold responsible for each problem. That generator could have been installed in any number of other manufacturers RV.

Look Forward With Hope, Not Backward With Regret.

[j37genie]

I hope you will post the fix action for your cab AC. Ours also blows hot air. It hasn't been a serious issue as we run the house AC with generator when we are on the road, but I'd still like to resolve the issue. We also had a generator issue, that was finally resolved with a new carb.

[m1noel]

I too, feel for you with all the problems you are having. The generator in our last coach, not a Thor, blew itself up on our first trip. Seven days through California without it. It was rebuilt at the local Cummins dealer and then ran 15 years flawlessly. I don't think it happens often, but it does happen. We are going through some new coach pains, also, but I really think when we get the bugs worked out we will really enjoy the coach for years to come.

[bigben]

No lecture here - just empathy. Never good to struggle with manufactured issues. I'd stay on the phone with Warranty CSRs to get the issues resolved. I had an issue with our Onan, Cummins is terrific. I took ours to the Cummins service center - FIXED and covered by warranty.

Just advise based on experience.

[bharrisv65]

I get all the responses about these things being driven, shaken, stirred, and I also get that they flex, bend, vibrate, etc. but that's not my gripes. My main irritation is all the things which haven't been secured properly to hold up to all the above mentioned. I'm also irritated about the design of things which no one with even an iota of common sense would do or allow. I'll bring only one of MANY points to light. Both my kitchen and bath sinks are in slide outs. On both, the flex hose going to the drains have come loose, flooding both floors. The drain in the kitchen coming up through the floor from the black tank was angled such that the slide rubbed against it constantly. It was so close you could not tighten the drain clamp around it to secure the hose. Their solution? Just leave it for someone else to fix which I did, and permanently I might add. My MH had 1800 miles on it so it was barely used yet BOTH sinks leaked the first time I used it after having run the slides out.

Someone else made a comment about "you get what you pay for" and I tend to agree, that is true in some situations and I wouldn't expect a Taj Mahal for $30,000. But in my case, I paid north of $140,000 for my MH...and I'd say I deserve more than a half-a&% thrown together home on wheels with more issues than National Geographic....holy crap where's the Tylenol?? LOL

I really don't mind so much working on things, especially upgrading it or customizing things to my liking, it's the having to fix the crap they blew off that galls me. And I don't complain about Thor if it's a product they put in, my complaints are in the assembly....or lack of.....

[Bama57]

Originally Posted by bharrisv65

I get all the responses about these things being driven, shaken, stirred, and I also get that they flex, bend, vibrate, etc. but that's not my gripes. My main irritation is all the things which haven't been secured properly to hold up to all the above mentioned. I'm also irritated about the design of things which no one with even an iota of common sense would do or allow. I'll bring only one of MANY points to light. Both my kitchen and bath sinks are in slide outs. On both, the flex hose going to the drains have come loose, flooding both floors. The drain in the kitchen coming up through the floor from the black tank was angled such that the slide rubbed against it constantly. It was so close you could not tighten the drain clamp around it to secure the hose. Their solution? Just leave it for someone else to fix which I did, and permanently I might add. My MH had 1800 miles on it so it was barely used yet BOTH sinks leaked the first time I used it after having run the slides out.

Someone else made a comment about "you get what you pay for" and I tend to agree, that is true in some situations and I wouldn't expect a Taj Mahal for $30,000. But in my case, I paid north of $140,000 for my MH...and I'd say I deserve more than a half-a&% thrown together home on wheels with more issues than National Geographic....holy crap where's the Tylenol?? LOL

I really don't mind so much working on things, especially upgrading it or customizing things to my liking, it's the having to fix the crap they blew off that galls me. And I don't complain about Thor if it's a product they put in, my complaints are in the assembly....or lack of.....

In response to your problems...I totally agree with your stance on the quality issues... there's no amount of bouncing, slamming, virbriation or whatever that justifies the damn quality issues of these vehicles...just in my case alone, there's no amount of bouncing, rambling, tossing or turning that accounts for the fact that my stove sits up an inch higher on one end that the other because no one at Thor knows how to read a tape measure.. or read a torpedo level...the vent cap for the stove on the outside is 1/2 a bubble off..so is one of the anchor leg for the awning...on a 4k mile trip to Vegas last week, a few nights @ WalMarts to find the water pump not working...know where my water pump is located on a 29h outlaw...under the frickin coach heater... meaning you have to cut the wiring from the heater, undo the LP connection, remove heater to find out that the strainer is clogged with plastic pieces...so, unless I relocate the pump, a procedure that will be required to access the strainer each and every time.. that's not a banging, joisting, rattilin problem..it goes on...and no.. it's not a "you get what you pay for" problem either.. my .02$ worth..

[LockChuck92]

Originally Posted by j37genie

I hope you will post the fix action for your cab AC. Ours also blows hot air. It hasn't been a serious issue as we run the house AC with generator when we are on the road, but I'd still like to resolve the issue. We also had a generator issue, that was finally resolved with a new carb.

j37genie, just wanted to let you know that we found out the problem with our dash ac. The dash controller unit (with the knobs to select fan speed, temp, and which vents) is fried. Thor is sending a new one. It’s a PITA to test and remove from the dash, but if you need me to, I can give you some instructions.

Taking the motor home next week to the nearest Onan distributior (1 1/2 hours away) for generator work. Taking the motor home next week also (another 1 1/2 hours away, in the opposite direction) to have the windshield fixed, as it makes a god-awful whining sound over 60mph. Thor is sending me a new grill, as mine whistles loudly in the rain over 50mph. Try listening to that for over six hours. The wallboard in the bathroom will have to be reinstalled; Thor is sending a new piece and I’m on a waiting list to have it installed by a repair shop.

Other than that, everything is peachy!

[captmetal]

the phone book is full of people who fix things for your house, car, phone and computer, computers always need fixing loo at the number repair shops for phones. the big problem is your dream bubble has burst, put on your big boy pants and grab some tools, cause something is always gonna need fixing, get over it

[Bob Denman]

LC92,
Glad to hear that some progress is being made...

I'm still waiting on mine...

[odell2115]

Originally Posted by LockChuck92

Taking the motor home next week to the nearest Onan distributior (1 1/2 hours away) for generator work. Taking the motor home next week also (another 1 1/2 hours away, in the opposite direction) to have the windshield fixed, as it makes a god-awful whining sound over 60mph. Thor is sending me a new grill, as mine whistles loudly in the rain over 50mph. Try listening to that for over six hours. The wallboard in the bathroom will have to be reinstalled; Thor is sending a new piece and I’m on a waiting list to have it installed by a repair shop.

Other than that, everything is peachy!

My 2017 34F Windsport also has an incredible whistle above 50 mph. The dealer decided to glob silicone at the front of the driver's window to fix it with no impact. What part of your grill is causing your whistle? How did you isolate it to the grill? I cannot figure out where this sound is coming from but it's piercing, especially between 50 and 60. It changes with wind changes, and I was leaning towards a windshield leak.

The rubber trim around my windshield is also holding water. When it rains I can lift the lower corner and nearly a quart of water will run out.

[dcbenny]

Originally Posted by captmetal

the phone book is full of people who fix things for your house, car, phone and computer, computers always need fixing loo at the number repair shops for phones. the big problem is your dream bubble has burst, put on your big boy pants and grab some tools, cause something is always gonna need fixing, get over it

[dcbenny]

Originally Posted by odell2115

My 2017 34F Windsport also has an incredible whistle above 50 mph. The dealer decided to glob silicone at the front of the driver's window to fix it with no impact. What part of your grill is causing your whistle? How did you isolate it to the grill? I cannot figure out where this sound is coming from but it's piercing, especially between 50 and 60. It changes with wind changes, and I was leaning towards a windshield leak.

The rubber trim around my windshield is also holding water. When it rains I can lift the lower corner and nearly a quart of water will run out.

there has been an issue documented and a grill replacement go to Jerry's Hurricane Mods thread its rather long but they talk about it there also

[LockChuck92]

Originally Posted by captmetal

the phone book is full of people who fix things for your house, car, phone and computer, computers always need fixing loo at the number repair shops for phones. the big problem is your dream bubble has burst, put on your big boy pants and grab some tools, cause something is always gonna need fixing, get over it

Wow. Another “big” man hiding behind a computer screen (that can’t spell). Thanks capmetal, I never would have thought of that on my own. Maybe I’ll call you.

[LockChuck92]

Originally Posted by dcbenny

there has been an issue documented and a grill replacement go to Jerry's Hurricane Mods thread its rather long but they talk about it there also

dcbenny, I think I saw that thread...the guy ordered an aftermarket grill and it fixed the problem. I’m gonna try Thor’s warranty fix before dropping the dough on an aftermarket one. I’ll keep you guys posted if you’re having the same issue.