Thor Forums

[FW28z]

Well not quite around the corner for us that live in the northern latitudes, but the RV show season is underway, and that means Spring is only a couple months away. And it is good for the soul to step in dozens of RVs in the dead of winter.

I always like to go to RV shows as the new RVs I see today might be the used RV I buy in a couple of years. And I also like to see what new trends are occurring as well as new campgrounds and accessories.

But you also had to pass through the gauntlet of hawkers selling everything from Ginsu Knives to Bamboo Pillows; ad nauseam. I at least got satisfaction in telling the Bamboo Pillow hawkers that I saw dozens of people selling them last year at Shipshewana (a large mid-west flea market that is actually very close to the RV manufacturers in Elkhart) for 1/3rd the price.

The one thing I came away with - and I am not sure it is a trend or simply I have become more aware of it - is that the RV industry's quality is horrible. Of course, we've all read the horror stories on this forum that some have experienced, but I don't think it is much better for many of the other manufacturers.

Sure, there are a couple of bright spots out there, but I think that is more exception than the norm.

For example, the lousy tail-lights that I found leaking in my coach - and it is a bad design by the tail light manufacturer in my view - I found on several brands of motorhomes. I almost guarantee that every one of those coaches will at some point have leaking tail lights.

But the worst example of poor quality I saw was by a manufacturer of "throwback" trailers - replicating some of the more popular designs of the '50s.

I saw the seam of the roof-to-sidewall transition of one trailer, and it looked like someone had simply hammered over the roof panel along the seam. I suppose it guarantees a leak-proof seam, but it was terrible looking.

The "funny" thing was the trailer was all decked out with baby moon hubcaps and fat whitewall tires, as well as a soda-fountain looking interior - with black and white tile and red and white upholstery.

Perhaps they they did that to draw your attention from the poor roof seams... but I would have preferred a job done right to the roof in the first place than cover up bling.

Another almost-as-terrible trailer had a residential window-mount air conditioner simply sticking out the side of the thing. It works I guess, but it was by far the ugliest thing I saw at the show.

Manufacturers also seem to have a Lemming mentality, something I first noticed after years of going to boat shows. Seems one manufacturer comes up with an idea, and all the rest of them do the same thing. Cheap stereo speakers on the outside curb sidewalls, as well as outside kitchens and TVs seemed to be the norm, as well as LED strips along the awnings.

One new trend I noticed though is swing away bumper-mounted grills seem to becoming more popular, which I at least thought was a useful thing.

I guess that I have become more cynical since owning a RV, and kind of figured out what to look for in areas of poor design and poor manufacturing.

About the only thing I saw that was attractive was the pricing of some RVs, and I suppose that is a major reason for the poor quality. All in all, they are just glorified tents, I suppose.