What to do now?

richbam · 01-13-2021, 01:17 AM

OK I am going to keep this short and not so sweet, but need some advice. We bought a brand new Four Winds 31W in 2017 from Lazy Days. Just a year after the warranty expired we noticed we had a problem with a water leak coming in from the slide. I checked out the seals and couldn't find any problem, but just to be sure I had a couple of local mobile service people come in and double check for me. They couldn't find any major problem either but nevertheless put sealant around any possible ingress points. Then after leaving the coach in our storage compound for about 6 months due to COVID we found the floor to be in a total mess with water damage and smelling badly of mold (the slide was in all this time). So then we decided to take it back to the dealer to get their opinion. They told me they had to take out the slide, after which I got an estimate for $7000 to replace the slide floor because it had rotted. Now they tell me that the sub-floor of the coach itself needs work and it is going to cost me a whole lot more! So what do I do now? I'm already obligated to pay them for the replacement of the slide floor, but I can't afford to spend any more money after that. Should I just trade it in as is and cut my losses or what? One thing is for sure - I will never buy a piece of C**p from Thor anymore. This was supposed to be our retirement present to one another - now it has turned into a nightmare.

Edensob · 01-13-2021, 01:22 AM

Have you checked with your insurance carrier yet to see if they will cover any of the loss, or render assistance on your behalf?

ducksface · 01-13-2021, 01:29 AM

First,
Stop the thor bashing if you want even a modicum of help. You'd likely have had the same issue on any vehicle due to your authorized repair failing.
Second,
Taking it to a dealer goes against EVERYTHING recommended on this site, practically for the last forever.
That floor is 10 hours of handyman time for a reasonably talented handyman. It could very well be less and only a square foot or so needs replaced.

Six months without excercising the generator?

How are you obligated to the dealer?

**16ACE27** · 01-13-2021, 01:32 AM

So you didn't notice any problems on your monthly trips to the RV to exercise the generator?

Bob Denman · 01-13-2021, 01:32 AM

I'd bite the bullet, and trade it in...
Good luck! 👍

dkoldman · 01-13-2021, 01:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by richbam

OK I am going to keep this short and not so sweet, but need some advice. We bought a brand new Four Winds 31W in 2017 from Lazy Days. Just a year after the warranty expired we noticed we had a problem with a water leak coming in from the slide. I checked out the seals and couldn't find any problem, but just to be sure I had a couple of local mobile service people come in and double check for me. They couldn't find any major problem either but nevertheless put sealant around any possible ingress points. Then after leaving the coach in our storage compound for about 6 months due to COVID we found the floor to be in a total mess with water damage and smelling badly of mold (the slide was in all this time). So then we decided to take it back to the dealer to get their opinion. They told me they had to take out the slide, after which I got an estimate for $7000 to replace the slide floor because it had rotted. Now they tell me that the sub-floor of the coach itself needs work and it is going to cost me a whole lot more! So what do I do now? I'm already obligated to pay them for the replacement of the slide floor, but I can't afford to spend any more money after that. Should I just trade it in as is and cut my losses or what? One thing is for sure - I will never buy a piece of C**p from Thor anymore. This was supposed to be our retirement present to one another - now it has turned into a nightmare.

I would say continue to stay calm. You do offer up a valid option for yourself, because to another your coach has a lot of value.

I would at least call Thor and tell them the story. They may offer a better suggestion, may know someone at the dealership etc to help you out.

I would also contact my insurance company since mold is involved. Worth a shot anyway.

Did Dealer say what caused the leak? I have seen leaks come through the vent.

I would not pay $7k to fix slide floor knowing sub floor is bad? Get pictures, lots of them.

Not sure what a lot more is to get it all fixed? $10k, $14k, $20k more?

dkoldman · 01-13-2021, 01:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

I'd bite the bullet, and trade it in...
Good luck! ��

If I go this route, I might pay just to get the slide back in for as cheapest they would allow and then take the coach to some other place to trade in or sell.

Bob Denman · 01-13-2021, 01:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dkoldman

If I go this rout, I might pay just to get the slide back in for as cheapest they would allow and then take the coach to some other place to trade in or sell.

I'd say that "great minds think alike"; but I'd never insult you like that... 🙃

Elite Washington · 01-13-2021, 02:06 AM

Like what was already said check with your insurance and if it was in your property maybe even check with homeowners. You never know you might get lucky. That is a lot of money to get fixed but also good luck trading it in. I imagine a dealer would give you the lowest value because they don’t know the amount of work needed to repair. If you try and sell it on as private party I would be careful about that as well. Selling something that has mold to someone knowingly and then they get sick unless you can absolutely prove they knew about it could cause some issues.

Lt Keefer · 01-13-2021, 02:35 AM

Have the dealer finish the slide repair and then sell it as is. Ignore the homers and purchase your next rig from a reputable manufacturer.

Judge · 01-13-2021, 02:49 PM

Thor and 90% of the other manufcaturers all have quality issues and we (the consumer) let them off too easy at times. When you spend a fair amount of money on something you have an expectation that it should work properly and last more than a couple years with major failures. It is ok to be mad even if others say its not when there are issues.

But it is also our responsility to regularly inspect our coaches, stay on top of issues, and work with the manufacturer and dealer / repair shopts until things are fixed properly and to our satisfaction.

Now with that being said lets get down to business......

I'm not sure why you are obligated to pay to have the dealer fix the slide. Have they already removed it and begun repairs?

If you can only pay the dealer for whatever time they have invested I would consider doing that and not let them repair it.

Next, I would write a very nice e-mail to Thor and explain what has happened. They may provide assistance..... and they may not. Be that as it may... I would ask to get an appointment with the Thor Factory Service Center in Wakarusa, IN.

They will do out-of-warranty work and their labor rates are less than a dealer. More important is they only work on Thor products and know the weaknesses, failure points and how to fix issues properly that are chronic in nature. They have more experience working on Thor products than any dealer, mobile tech or generic repair shop. They also have direct access to all the parts they need and the ability to fabricate parts as needed.

I know it is a drive from Floriday but I have used them twice and I will go back to them for any major repair that I can't handle myself. The technicians there are very knowledgeable andunderstanding. Their primary goal is to make the customer happy and satisfied with their Thor product.

If you don't want to travel to Indiana, then I would contact a third party repair and rennovation service closer to home before I would let most dealers do the work. Again, these are guys who work on RV's all day long and they fix or restore RV's for a living. Dealers have guys rotate through their service departments because of high turnove rates and their techs aren't going to have the exprerience to do the work propery. Not to mention they can never be an expert on one brand when they work on numerous brands typically and don't see enough of one brand to know it inside and out....... in my opinion.

**16ACE27** · 01-13-2021, 02:58 PM

I agree with Judge 100%. Bail on the dealer repair, get Thor to repair it and enjoy what you know you have instead of gambling on another unknown.

Thirty.Deuce · 01-13-2021, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by richbam

One thing is for sure - I will never buy a piece of C**p from Thor anymore. This was supposed to be our retirement present to one another - now it has turned into a nightmare.

You sir can bash Thor all you want, and should. For the cost, you should expect a quality product that was properly engineered, assembled, & built to withstand its intended environment. You should not expect to have this sort of damage just after a year of ownership.

With that, my recommendation would be as others have mentioned ... contact your insurance agent. Otherwise, if you have "heart" in this particular unit, look outside of the dealer network for repairs - in my locale, there isn't such ... but maybe in yours there are other options.

ducksface · 01-13-2021, 05:12 PM

Sealant crack on the
A/C
Roof to wall seam
Running light
Fridge vent
Antenna entrance.
Slide not fully retracted
Fifteen or so possibilities.

The op hasn't performed the maintenance requirements on a parked vehicle.

Until we know, we dont know.
Op can post the info received from the dealer and we can maybe help.

I'll wait for blame placement until we know the cause.
I'm just kinda that way.
I don't support Thor. I dismiss those who blame without fact.
I dismiss these blameful type of folks about how the affects of gamma rays on Man In The Moon marigolds is the the cause of their kid being in jail. I also dismiss hollering THOR!!! at the drop of a hat.

I deal in reason and proof and cures. In that order.
But
If a wild swing makes you feel better, take that swing.

Otherwise the op can post a couple of pics of damage and inspect the roof.

The slide being the cause is pure conjecture and not a thing else.
Make it analyzable information and not just a wild ranting guess and I'll bet we all cure that leak.

Bob Denman · 01-13-2021, 06:24 PM

https://www.thorforums.com/forums/at...1&d=1610562250

Travelin' Texans · 01-13-2021, 07:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lt Keefer

Have the dealer finish the slide repair and then sell it as is. Ignore the homers and purchase your next rig from a reputable manufacturer.

Name a "reputable manufacturer"???
Then check out any of their forums, fairly certain you'll read the the exact complaints.
Doesn't make much difference as to make model brand or price, a rv is a rv!

Judge · 01-13-2021, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ducksface

The op hasn't performed the maintenance requirements on a parked vehicle.

And you know this how? The OP didn't say he didn't perform required maintenance. Maybe he did..... maybe he didn't. You certainly didn't ask him if he did so we would all be making an assumption.... right or wrong.

And he parked it for 6 months, not 6 years. And in case you missed the headlines, a little thing called COVID has thrown a few peoples lives in turmoil the past 10 months or so.

Just saying.... before you start wailing stones at the glass houses.

When the OP first spotted trouble he had a couple different people look at it who could not find anything obvious. They sealed everything up they could according to his post. He just didn't leave it be and hope the leak stopped.

I think it is reasonable for someone to put down $50K - $100K on an RV and expect that it won't leak so much it destroys most of the floor in under 2 years. Owners also should not need to have x-ray vision to own one in order to identify where potential problems lurk so they can find the problems before they appear.

And even if you are dillgent with your PDI, how many dealers go over the routine maintenance in complete detail? If it is that critical Thor and every other manufacturer should have a detailed checklist with all of the inspection and maintenance required to keep the warranty valid and the owner and dealer should have to sign it to very EVERYTHING was covered in proper detail and they are both in an agreement. I've never seen one of those documents in the piles of paperwork I have signed over the years.

The reality is..... we all know RV's are very far from perfect and they have the worse quality control for any vehicle on the road today. We also know that most dealers want you out the door as fast as possible and they are not going to educate buyers in the way they should.

But guess what... most of us only learned this from owning them and sites like this one. You can spend the same amount on a boat or a car and not have to be the Great Carnac.

If it weren't for sites like this one, many RV owners would not have a way to learn the things they need to know since most dealers clearly fall down in that respect.

dkoldman · 01-14-2021, 03:27 AM

All some interesting perspectives. Let me try to view it another way taking the OP Coach & a RV out of the equation.

A person buys a $400k vacation house. Has it for a full year plus and has no issues. after the warranty expired, he / she noticed a problem with a water leak coming in from chimney. They checked out the seals and couldn't find any problem, but to be sure they had two local roof service people come in and double check. They couldn't find any major problem either, but put sealant around any possible points.

Point A: Given it was a known leak, and NOT found by two roofers; what does it say about the roofers? If it were my vacation house and they could not find the leak; I go back to the homebuilder.

Point B: Knowing root cause was never found, seems like every time it rained in the area of my vacation home; I go back to see if it is leaking around chimney or not; just to see if sealant had any effect or not.

Point C: Given for personal reasons you were unable to get back out to the vacation home for 6 months, why not have one of the 2 roofing companies go out & follow-up on their repairs?

As a result of sequence of events you would later learn that the wood from the roof, 2nd floor, and 1st floor of vacation home is wet rotted and with mold.

So now we call in an authorize agent of homebuilder to get their opinion. They say they have to take out the chimney, with an estimate for $17,000. You agree to pay, but then they realize that support beams are also wet rotted and needs work and it is going to cost a whole lot more!

So what do we do now?

A) Bash the Homebuilder who at this point has no earthly clue as to what is going on?
B) Question or doubt the Authorized Dealer because the damage is more than what was expected?
C) Sell the Vacation home, because of large negative repair investment?

What about holding some accountability? Problem was properly identified by owner. Leak was not detected, nor fixed by two repair entities. If your homeowners coverage did provide coverage for this repair you would have to be careful in telling them the whole story, because Insurance company may say the owner did not take proper preventative action with a known leak. If insurance did payout, I am 100% certain they would find ZERO liability with homebuilder.

So if it were me, I would conclude, the Homebuilder may be my friend. They may best be able to fix the issue with your vacation home today. I would never call or use the two repair entities again; as if they have their fair share of negligence (incompetence). Point could be made that if Homebuilder had had a chance to rectify the problem, and could NOT find anything; and this happened, some liability could persist. But I doubt the Homebuilder would have just put sealant down when they didn't know where the leak was to fix.

Edensob · 01-15-2021, 04:31 AM

Given all the comments and suggestions and the OP has not responded further, one can only hope he has been given some satisfaction or has decided to seek legal recourse and chose that route to resolve the issues.

Sweetbriar · 01-15-2021, 11:47 AM

Keep in mind with a water leak the problem can be anywhere along the roof line. What seems like a slide seal leak could be an cap to roof seal failure that you can't see unless you're on your hands and knees. Unfortunately for the OP both mobile techs did know that there are alternatives to just adding addition sealant in the area that the leak might be and hoping the problem is now corrected. A bit like throwing darts blindfolded and the cost of missing the dart board can be painful.

Next time find a service center that has a Sealtech leak tester. I have seven near by including a mobile tester that will do a test for about $150 last time I checked a few years ago. Haven't had a need as yet but something I keep at the ready if the day ever comes.

https://rvleaks.com/
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=sealtech

The unfortunate part of this thread is the OP could have bought a Sealtech blower for 1/2 the cost of the repairs.

For anyone who stores their coach off site you need to check on it at least every month. Between leaks, thieves, urban outdoor people, animals and the dozen other potential problems that left unchecked will quickly destroy any rig be it a pop up or a 45' custom conversion.

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