Thor Garbage

[Alan]

To anyone considering buying a Thor,
Please reconsider your choice! We bought a new Thor Chateau 31L in 2015. It's the worst decision we've ever made! It has 7500 miles on it and has only made 2 trips to Florida and back, so that's all the miles. That and 4 trips to the factory for repairs! So far we've replaced the Microwave, both attic fans, 2 TVs, DVD, mud flaps, hydraulic hose, converter, lights, power cord! The awning has MILDEWED and was installed crooked causing it to not roll up all the way, and has ripped along the edge. If it's slightly windy it won't roll up on it's own! They said they replaced the motor! NOT! We bought the extended warranty, and now the floor is rotted, because of a short seal! Of course it's not covered! The fiberglass front cap has stress cracks on both sides, not covered! We paid $2100.00 for the exterior protectant and the fiberglass is faded already, and they said they will pay up to $800.00 to have someone buff it off and replace it, but we can't find anyone within a 2 hour drive to do it! No one wants to mess with it! Screws are falling out all over the Motorhome,and mouldings are falling off!

[Bob Denman]

Wow!
All of this; and it's only your second oost in here...

Good luck with getting it sorted out.

[javelin]

It is unfortunate that RV manufacturers don’t take steps to complete quality control measures during all stages of coach construction, especially when you know many of the workers are probably poorly paid and likely poorly trained as well. What could roll off the assembly line would be a product that should easily make it through the minimal 1 year warranty period without issues. Maybe the industry retains the Dealer Network with promises of lots of warranty and after sales support profit not to mention the sales incentives themselves. Only a one year warranty should be a major clue to “probable” quality.
What surprised me most with my first purchase was the wait times just to get any service work done and the fact that so many coaches have serious problems off the line. It really hurts an industry selling “travel adventure and freedom” when, in many cases, it turns out to be more stress and even higher expenses for some.
The other thing that surprised me is how different the owner experience typically is between the auto and RV industry. I suspect we are all spoiled by the auto industry (although some would argue not) with multi year warranties; detailed/specific owners manuals and usually same day repairs when we need them (with advanced appointment).....plus, in many cases, you can get through the longer warranty period with mostly nothing needing repair.
So I think the biggest thing is folks that are not “handy” with tools, electrical, mechanical or automotive systems at all, are the ones most potentially being blind sided going from Auto to RV ownership experience. You quickly learn that knowing how to do your own repairs (when possible) and getting advise from a forum of helpful people traveling in the same direction, can go a long way to helping everyone cope with the RV industry “freedom” unspoken surprises. I have been very lucky with my old ACE......can’t complain about too much from its Sept 2012 purchase to date......but like death and taxes it is just a matter of time. So until things change, we all must continue to learn and help each other as we go down that RV road together.

[Long & Winding road]

Sorry to hear about your problems. Sounds like you have more than your fair share of them but unfortunally most of us are here because we need some sort of help with our RV .....and its an on going problem.

I was was not able to tackle the repairs myself I would have hung it up a long time ago.

But for the most part (keep your fingers crossed) once you get these bugs worked out (and continue to check/repair little things along the way) you should find less wrong with your RV and the good times will start rolling.

Let us know if we can help you with anything.... thats one of the main reasons this forum exsists.

[Bob Denman]

There are always alternatives...

https://www.widepathcamper.eu/bicycle-camper

[Long & Winding road]

You can always count on Bob to add some humor when your at you lowest.

That Bike camper is brilliant!

I can see me going down the interstate now with one.

[Bob Denman]

I can see me watching you!

[Alan]

Thanks everyone for your support! I am a qualified home builder, with 45 years experience in carpentry, plumbing, electrical, and some automotive repair experience! So, over the last two days I've repaired the floor myself! It's all fixed and put back together! You can't even tell! I guess the point is: I shouldn't have to do that! We paid $4000 extra to avoid having to spend 2 days in 90 degree heat, making those repairs! I thought I was retired! Luckily, I have all the tools to do it, but again, I shouldn't have to! I'm going to tackle the awning repair tomorrow! Anyone ever use gorilla tape to repair your awning? It's torn along the edge of the coach, so I'm going to run along the entire edge like a protective layer. I don't know how long it will last but $15 is better than $280.

[Bob Denman]

While I'm sorry that you've got to put in the time and effort: at least you have the skills necessary to fix just about anything in your rig!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxAKFlpdcfc

[mountainsam]

Bob, I think that bike camper has got to be made just for california and one more fuel tax increase.

[Bob Denman]

It's also made for folks who like to pedal: not me!

[pstandiford]

Originally Posted by Alan

Thanks everyone for your support! I am a qualified home builder, with 45 years experience in carpentry, plumbing, electrical, and some automotive repair experience! So, over the last two days I've repaired the floor myself! It's all fixed and put back together! You can't even tell! I guess the point is: I shouldn't have to do that! We paid $4000 extra to avoid having to spend 2 days in 90 degree heat, making those repairs! I thought I was retired! Luckily, I have all the tools to do it, but again, I shouldn't have to! I'm going to tackle the awning repair tomorrow! Anyone ever use gorilla tape to repair your awning? It's torn along the edge of the coach, so I'm going to run along the entire edge like a protective layer. I don't know how long it will last but $15 is better than $280.

We had a couple of small slots in the awning of our previous MH. We put clear Gorilla tape on the bottom and also on the top. It stayed on for two years. It was still on when we traded it in.

[fhenn]

I have repaired awning tears using enterbond tape lasted until I traded it in 7 years was still good

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by Alan

To anyone considering buying a Thor,
Please reconsider your choice! So far we've replaced the Microwave, both attic fans, 2 TVs, DVD, mud flaps, hydraulic hose, converter, lights, power cord! The awning has MILDEWED and was installed crooked causing it to not roll up all the way, and has ripped along the edge. If it's slightly windy it won't roll up on it's own! They said they replaced the motor! NOT! We bought the extended warranty, and now the floor is rotted, because of a short seal! Of course it's not covered! The fiberglass front cap has stress cracks on both sides, not covered! We paid $2100.00 for the exterior protectant and the fiberglass is faded already, and they said they will pay up to $800.00 to have someone buff it off and replace it, but we can't find anyone within a 2 hour drive to do it! No one wants to mess with it! Screws are falling out all over the Motorhome,and mouldings are falling off!

I am considering but short of saying I don't want an RV anymore, I am not sure of any realistic better options?

i.e Do you blame Thor for issues you cited with Microwave, both attic fans, 2 TVs, DVD, mud flaps, hydraulic hose, converter, lights, power cord? They are normal items we buy and non have more 1 year warranty. You may have got 4 years.

You say "The awning has MILDEWED and was installed crooked causing it to not roll up all the way" How did you buy knowing it was crooked or did it go crooked later? Is mildew from unit being rolled up wet, or are you saying when it rains water get inside?

The floor is rotted, because of a short seal concerns me as well as stress cracks. Is it entire floor or what area? I assume no stress cracks when you bought so what do you think caused the stress?

[The Gritz Carlton]

Alan...living in Indiana, you have one of the best options in this country. Take it back to Wakarusa Factory Service Center...it's an excellent "one-stop-fix-all" for every issue you have. They will set an appointment, assign a dedicated technician to your coach, have all the parts and pieces ready when you get there...but most of all...the repairs will be done right the first time. It's an amazing facility with an outstanding reputation. While you've had it 4+ years, their labor rate is only $100 per hour and they don't burn up the hours trying to find stuff...they built it and know exactly how it's suppose to work.

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by Alan

It has 7500 miles on it and has only made 2 trips to Florida and back, so that's all the miles. That and 4 trips to the factory for repairs!

Originally Posted by The Gritz Carlton

Alan...living in Indiana, you have one of the best options in this country. Take it back to Wakarusa Factory Service Center...it's an excellent "one-stop-fix-all" for every issue you have. They will set an appointment, assign a dedicated technician to your coach, have all the parts and pieces ready when you get there...but most of all...the repairs will be done right the first time. It's an amazing facility with an outstanding reputation. While you've had it 4+ years, their labor rate is only $100 per hour and they don't burn up the hours trying to find stuff...they built it and know exactly how it's suppose to work.

[Elite Washington]

That sucks for all the problems that you are having, as someone that had more then their fare share to start I will see that the biggest issues are having someone competent to fix them. One thing I will say is if it’s a part that came from another supplier there isn’t anything Thor can do about that.

[ducksface]

Why are you keeping the MotorHome?
Thousands(or so) of models to choose from, an expensive lesson learned... Why keep it?
The longer you keep it, the less it will be worth, the more it will torment.
Loathing and loss... Magnified by time.

[Long & Winding road]

Well I can still see someone wanting to keep a problem RV.... They have hopes it will get better (and I think it will for him/her ..... but Im an optimictic ).

Plus the way I see the whole "RV" thing is that some folk dream of owning an RV for years its its something that they just "HAVE TO TRY". So if you tryed it and it DIDNT WORK OUT then fine.... sell it and move on... but at least you "tried it" and hopefully enjoyed it some with someone you love.

Now you wont look back at you life thinking "I sure wish I would have married that person".... "I sure wish we purchased that RV when we were younger and more able"..... "I sure wish I didnt eat that 4 mo old casserole from the back of the frig".

I say hang in there, get the RV fixed up, try it for 6 more months then decide to keep it?.... How about it? One more time for the team?

[Alan]

We are talking about keeping the RV, for a couple more years, since we feel that we've lost a lot of money on it already! But, we still have almost 2 years of warranty left to give to a buyer. Torn!