Highly recommend the buying guides. I just purchased a great used coach as a result and i couldn’t be happier with it. Dealer tried telling me I could not have it inspected. 😂 I showed up with the inspector and said he was my cousin and we were going to look it over together. Bam, inspection done.
That's awesome Kimberly. Way to go for sticking to your guns and getting a great RV as a reward. I hope you have lots of fun adventures in your new-to-you RV!
1) Oh My!!! Yes the video was very helpful. Seeing this is why some people say that all RV’s are junk. 2) These were terribly built at the factory. 3) The factory obviously didn’t do a pre-ship inspection. 4) The dealer obviously didn’t do a PDI on arrival for sales. 5) If the dealer didn’t bother to inspect prior to bringing to the show, after seeing this, how is one to think about the quality of dealer to work with? 6) How recent are your guidebooks? When were they last updated? 7) Great video.
1. Some people say that but it's not true. As I said in the video most of those photos came from just a few brands. 2. Factories that produce that kind of work are just concerned with high production numbers. 3. Agreed. At least not much of one. 4. Agreed on this too. 5. Good point. 6. I usually update them once a year as the new models start rolling out. 7. Thanks. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Have safe and happy travels!
After seeing this video and hearing your narrative, I still believe the RV industry is in a world of hurt based on their lack of quality, sales and manufacturing integrity and pricing. This is amplified by the fact that you and every other person in the know, highly recommend an inspection prior to purchase. This means you cannot trust the (new) brands/models until an independent 3rd party points out the items that need correction - risk mitigation. I understand stick n brick home requires an inspection as well, but generally speaking, we are talking about higher purchase price and a house is an investment (not a wasting asset). Anyway, great video as usual and appreciate your work.
I agree that the industry needs to up their game in every aspect and category. But things aren't as dire as some of the online spreaders and fomenters of negativity and drama would have us believe. So if you stick with the better RV brands and make good use of certified RV inspectors, you will most likely have a pleasant buying buying experience. Thanks for the positive feedback too. Safe and happy travels to you!
Very surprising that RV dealers would have such egregious quality issues on display.....doesn't say much for them. Schwintek slide outs are widely misused on full wall slides containing heavy items throughout the RV industry. They are destined to fail even if rollers are used. Many have had to replace them with alternative mechanism at significant expense.
So true Robert. The Scwintek mechanism itself is not designed to hold or support significant weight. And as I said in the video, it works just fine for smaller slides like ones often found in the bedroom. But using it on a super wall slide is just asking for major problems to develop that will often be expensive to repair. There is a reason why I don't recommend some RV brands, and this video helps explain at least some of those reasons. Safe and happy travels to you!
While I’m incredibly grateful for the info to watch out for. I think it does a disservice not to call out the brand and models. It’s just telling the truth and with no consequence (tarnished reputation) there will be reason to improve. It just seems it’ll always be left to the consumer to do their due diligence when these manufacturers should be doing basic QA/QC. Because I know the onus is on the consumer I am educating myself as much as possible so I don’t get a lemon.
I'm sorry that you feel that I'm doing a "disservice" to the RVing community by not disparaging brands that I don't recommend. If that's the case, you're probably not going to like the content I put out because I choose to educate without negativity and drama, unlike many UA-cam RV influencers these days. This video is designed to help the average RV buyer spot problems that most people would never see. And my guidebooks only list the brands that I recommend as above average, not list those who some feel should be avoided. I personally feel that is the best way to change things in the RV industry, by educating the buying public on what kind of quality they should expect and encourage them to buy the brands that are putting out better products. I choose not to "tarnish reputations' instead.
So, Dwayne, you are saying that these very RV's were brought to an RV show, which to me seems like a place RVs would be brought to brag about how good they are?
I know ... you would think that the dealers represented at the show would have made sure that they were in the best condition possible too. But the entire RV industry needs to up its game. And until they do, RV buyers would do well to learn how to spot poor build quality and refuse to buy it. Safe and happy travels to you!
I'm scared of any RV Manufacturer that uses Swintec slide mechanism on large slides. I know Thor uses Swintec on the Palazzo and Aria Full Wall Slides. They claim it's fine because they use rollers underneath to hold up the weight. But that's Thor who are not noted for any kind of build quality. I can only imagine what's going to happen to Tiffins high build quality now that they are owned by Thor. I would recommend that everyone buying a New or Used RV pay to have that RV inspected by a NRVIA Certified Inspector. They know what To look for. It will pay for itself.
Hi Joe. Yes, as I said in the video, the Schwintek slide system is actually a very good one if it's used the way it was intended, on smaller bedroom type slides. But to save money over using a more robust electric or hydraulic system, some brands have installed it on super slides instead. It's a repair just waiting to happen at that point. And it tells you something about the kind of poor build quality that manufacturer is allowing.
Well-We have had a lot of problems with our 2023 Dutch Star ⭐️-This is our second motorhome and first Newmar -As a result, we won’t be buying anymore RV’s -Due to the quality and the tiresome so called “break in period” We will just keep the wheels rolling in this one -we enjoy the lifestyle but not the constant battles of the motorhome falling apart 🤷♀️⭐️
I'm very sorry to hear about the problems you have experienced with your Dutch Star. I hope you get them all resolved soon. But it helps make the point that none of the RV manufacturers are totally free from defects, not even Newmar. And that's why I always recommend getting new RVs inspected before buying it to get as many issues resolved before the buyer takes ownership of it.
As someone has done a few hundred of Kitchen remodels, I have not physically whet to see an RV yet. Just doing research. I keep gravitating towards Alliance Delta 321 BH. Do you have any opinions on that brand and model, Thank you Norm
Hi Norm. Alliance is definitely on my recommended list of RV brands. But even so, make sure that you involve a certified RV inspector to verify that it is in tip-top working condition before buying it. Safe and happy travels to you!
Azdel can be helpful for delamination. But what many people don't realize is that many RVs that have Azdel in the walls don't have it in the floors or ceiling area leaving those areas still vulnerable to water intrusion. And honestly, if an RV owner stays up with joint and seam management on the outside to prevent leaks, it doesn't matter what materials are used in the wall construction. Lots of older RVs from many years ago that were built with stick and tin processes are still fine because their owners cared for them properly.
I am planning to buy a Jayco Percept . Should I buy the 2018-2019 with old v10 engine or 2020-2022 with new v8 Godzilla ? I do like Godzilla engine but I heard that during pandemic the built quality was crappy ….
That's actually a good question Cristian. The new V-8 engine is better on fuel economy and it produces less noise in the cockpit because it's not as high-revving as the V-10. And so far, it seems to be pretty reliable from most reports coming in from the RVing community. As far as Covid-built RVs are concerned, there is some reason to be concerned due to the unprecedented workforce and parts supply issues that all RV manufacturers faced during the pandemic years of 2020-2022. I wouldn't go so far as to say that all RVs built during that period should be avoided altogether as some claim. But I do feel that if you consider buying an RV from that time period, be extra sure that you carefully inspect it thoroughly before making the actual purchase. And that certainly means hiring a certified RV inspector to give you a complete report on that RV and getting all the issues fixed before taking ownership of it if at all possible. I hope that helps.
Hi Kevin. I don't disparage any RV brand on my channel and recommend that they should be avoided. Instead I prefer to list the brands that are usually a cut above their competition as the best place to start when looking for an RV in that category. I have produced several guidebooks for buying RVs that list all of the brands I recommend and you can look them over here if you feel it will be helpful for your search - payhip.com/RVInspectionAndCare . But in general, the brands you mentioned in your comment usually wind up on my recommended list.
I’m curious if you have ever had the opportunity to ask a manufacturer rep on why they believe this is the product they are shipping. It’s frightening how little they seem to care.
As I said in the video, there are some brands in the industry that are simply focused on high production at all costs and that shows in the products they put out. But don't get on the negativity train that is popular online these days and assume that all RV manufacturers are the same way. There are still some that are building a good product for the money and for the way the RV was designed to be used. If you use the information I showed you in this video you will learn which brands are good to consider and which you should avoid pretty easily.
I have often thought that if the Japanese started making RVs for the American market, the American RV manufacturers would be gone within a year. Look what happened to the auto industry.
Maybe so. The RV industry is still growing up though. It's not mature by any stretch of the imagination since it's only gotten into the mainstream consciousness within the last decade or so. So lets hope that as it matures it will resolve some of these quality issues.
I can understand your request. But my channel is not like many others on UA-cam in the RV category. I feel that there is way too much negativity and drama being spread around by some online influencers for mostly selfish reasons. And their followers love to blacklist certain brands because of reasons that may have a kernel of truth to them, but are greatly exaggerated. So I have resolved not to personally focus on negative reviews on my channel. In fact, all of my guidebooks that I mentioned in the video only list the brands that I recommend for consideration, not the ones I feel should be avoided. So if you see a brand missing from my list in a certain RV category, you know that there is a reason for that without my having to publicly disparage that brand. I realize that this approach is not the popular one these days and actually causes me to lose subscribers and listeners in some cases. But I am OK with that in order to keep the integrity of the channel intact. And if you follow the advice that I provide in this video about how to spot build quality problems, you will learn what brands should be avoided pretty quickly on your own. Safe and happy travels to you!
Are you eating better with the avocados over the muffins? Lol. We will NEVER buy a show coach because even if it was perfect when it got there the people just destroy them.
Oh yeah! We've made some diet changes and the health benefits are already starting to show. That's a pretty eagle eye observation. And I agree about show RVs. They often do get banged up pretty good. Safe and happy travels to you!
Highly recommend the buying guides. I just purchased a great used coach as a result and i couldn’t be happier with it. Dealer tried telling me I could not have it inspected. 😂 I showed up with the inspector and said he was my cousin and we were going to look it over together. Bam, inspection done.
That's awesome Kimberly. Way to go for sticking to your guns and getting a great RV as a reward. I hope you have lots of fun adventures in your new-to-you RV!
1) Oh My!!! Yes the video was very helpful. Seeing this is why some people say that all RV’s are junk.
2) These were terribly built at the factory.
3) The factory obviously didn’t do a pre-ship inspection.
4) The dealer obviously didn’t do a PDI on arrival for sales.
5) If the dealer didn’t bother to inspect prior to bringing to the show, after seeing this, how is one to think about the quality of dealer to work with?
6) How recent are your guidebooks? When were they last updated?
7) Great video.
1. Some people say that but it's not true. As I said in the video most of those photos came from just a few brands. 2. Factories that produce that kind of work are just concerned with high production numbers. 3. Agreed. At least not much of one. 4. Agreed on this too. 5. Good point. 6. I usually update them once a year as the new models start rolling out. 7. Thanks. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Have safe and happy travels!
After seeing this video and hearing your narrative, I still believe the RV industry is in a world of hurt based on their lack of quality, sales and manufacturing integrity and pricing. This is amplified by the fact that you and every other person in the know, highly recommend an inspection prior to purchase. This means you cannot trust the (new) brands/models until an independent 3rd party points out the items that need correction - risk mitigation. I understand stick n brick home requires an inspection as well, but generally speaking, we are talking about higher purchase price and a house is an investment (not a wasting asset). Anyway, great video as usual and appreciate your work.
I agree that the industry needs to up their game in every aspect and category. But things aren't as dire as some of the online spreaders and fomenters of negativity and drama would have us believe. So if you stick with the better RV brands and make good use of certified RV inspectors, you will most likely have a pleasant buying buying experience. Thanks for the positive feedback too. Safe and happy travels to you!
@@RVInspectionAndCare "One Bad Apple>>>>>>>>>?
@@cajunjamis9001 LOL
Very informative video, thank you!
Glad it was helpful Mike. Thanks for watching and leaving a nice comment!
Great video. Right On Point!
Glad you enjoyed it! Safe and happy travels to you!
Very surprising that RV dealers would have such egregious quality issues on display.....doesn't say much for them. Schwintek slide outs are widely misused on full wall slides containing heavy items throughout the RV industry. They are destined to fail even if rollers are used. Many have had to replace them with alternative mechanism at significant expense.
So true Robert. The Scwintek mechanism itself is not designed to hold or support significant weight. And as I said in the video, it works just fine for smaller slides like ones often found in the bedroom. But using it on a super wall slide is just asking for major problems to develop that will often be expensive to repair. There is a reason why I don't recommend some RV brands, and this video helps explain at least some of those reasons. Safe and happy travels to you!
Thank you
You're welcome Gregory. Thanks for watching!
While I’m incredibly grateful for the info to watch out for. I think it does a disservice not to call out the brand and models. It’s just telling the truth and with no consequence (tarnished reputation) there will be reason to improve. It just seems it’ll always be left to the consumer to do their due diligence when these manufacturers should be doing basic QA/QC. Because I know the onus is on the consumer I am educating myself as much as possible so I don’t get a lemon.
I'm sorry that you feel that I'm doing a "disservice" to the RVing community by not disparaging brands that I don't recommend. If that's the case, you're probably not going to like the content I put out because I choose to educate without negativity and drama, unlike many UA-cam RV influencers these days. This video is designed to help the average RV buyer spot problems that most people would never see. And my guidebooks only list the brands that I recommend as above average, not list those who some feel should be avoided. I personally feel that is the best way to change things in the RV industry, by educating the buying public on what kind of quality they should expect and encourage them to buy the brands that are putting out better products. I choose not to "tarnish reputations' instead.
So, Dwayne, you are saying that these very RV's were brought to an RV show, which to me seems like a place RVs would be brought to brag about how good they are?
I know ... you would think that the dealers represented at the show would have made sure that they were in the best condition possible too. But the entire RV industry needs to up its game. And until they do, RV buyers would do well to learn how to spot poor build quality and refuse to buy it. Safe and happy travels to you!
I'm scared of any RV Manufacturer that uses Swintec slide mechanism on large slides. I know Thor uses Swintec on the Palazzo and Aria Full Wall Slides. They claim it's fine because they use rollers underneath to hold up the weight. But that's Thor who are not noted for any kind of build quality. I can only imagine what's going to happen to Tiffins high build quality now that they are owned by Thor.
I would recommend that everyone buying a New or Used RV pay to have that RV inspected by a NRVIA Certified Inspector. They know what To look for. It will pay for itself.
Hi Joe. Yes, as I said in the video, the Schwintek slide system is actually a very good one if it's used the way it was intended, on smaller bedroom type slides. But to save money over using a more robust electric or hydraulic system, some brands have installed it on super slides instead. It's a repair just waiting to happen at that point. And it tells you something about the kind of poor build quality that manufacturer is allowing.
Well-We have had a lot of problems with our 2023 Dutch Star ⭐️-This is our second motorhome and first Newmar -As a result, we won’t be buying anymore RV’s -Due to the quality and the tiresome so called “break in period” We will just keep the wheels rolling in this one -we enjoy the lifestyle but not the constant battles of the motorhome falling apart 🤷♀️⭐️
I'm very sorry to hear about the problems you have experienced with your Dutch Star. I hope you get them all resolved soon. But it helps make the point that none of the RV manufacturers are totally free from defects, not even Newmar. And that's why I always recommend getting new RVs inspected before buying it to get as many issues resolved before the buyer takes ownership of it.
Love your viy
Thanks for the positive feedback Diane. Have safe and happy RV travels!
As someone has done a few hundred of Kitchen remodels, I have not physically whet to see an RV yet. Just doing research. I keep gravitating towards Alliance Delta 321 BH. Do you have any opinions on that brand and model, Thank you Norm
Hi Norm. Alliance is definitely on my recommended list of RV brands. But even so, make sure that you involve a certified RV inspector to verify that it is in tip-top working condition before buying it. Safe and happy travels to you!
I wish more companies use azdel exterior walls.
Azdel can be helpful for delamination. But what many people don't realize is that many RVs that have Azdel in the walls don't have it in the floors or ceiling area leaving those areas still vulnerable to water intrusion. And honestly, if an RV owner stays up with joint and seam management on the outside to prevent leaks, it doesn't matter what materials are used in the wall construction. Lots of older RVs from many years ago that were built with stick and tin processes are still fine because their owners cared for them properly.
I am planning to buy a Jayco Percept .
Should I buy the 2018-2019 with old v10 engine or 2020-2022 with new v8 Godzilla ? I do like Godzilla engine but I heard that during pandemic the built quality was crappy ….
That's actually a good question Cristian. The new V-8 engine is better on fuel economy and it produces less noise in the cockpit because it's not as high-revving as the V-10. And so far, it seems to be pretty reliable from most reports coming in from the RVing community. As far as Covid-built RVs are concerned, there is some reason to be concerned due to the unprecedented workforce and parts supply issues that all RV manufacturers faced during the pandemic years of 2020-2022. I wouldn't go so far as to say that all RVs built during that period should be avoided altogether as some claim. But I do feel that if you consider buying an RV from that time period, be extra sure that you carefully inspect it thoroughly before making the actual purchase. And that certainly means hiring a certified RV inspector to give you a complete report on that RV and getting all the issues fixed before taking ownership of it if at all possible. I hope that helps.
My question is which brands should I avoid? Been looking at Fleetwood, Winnebago and Entegra
Hi Kevin. I don't disparage any RV brand on my channel and recommend that they should be avoided. Instead I prefer to list the brands that are usually a cut above their competition as the best place to start when looking for an RV in that category. I have produced several guidebooks for buying RVs that list all of the brands I recommend and you can look them over here if you feel it will be helpful for your search - payhip.com/RVInspectionAndCare . But in general, the brands you mentioned in your comment usually wind up on my recommended list.
I’m curious if you have ever had the opportunity to ask a manufacturer rep on why they believe this is the product they are shipping. It’s frightening how little they seem to care.
As I said in the video, there are some brands in the industry that are simply focused on high production at all costs and that shows in the products they put out. But don't get on the negativity train that is popular online these days and assume that all RV manufacturers are the same way. There are still some that are building a good product for the money and for the way the RV was designed to be used. If you use the information I showed you in this video you will learn which brands are good to consider and which you should avoid pretty easily.
Were you trained at the NRVTA in Athens, TX?
Yes, I was. Thanks for watching!
I have often thought that if the Japanese started making RVs for the American market, the American RV manufacturers would be gone within a year. Look what happened to the auto industry.
Maybe so. The RV industry is still growing up though. It's not mature by any stretch of the imagination since it's only gotten into the mainstream consciousness within the last decade or so. So lets hope that as it matures it will resolve some of these quality issues.
We need to know the Manf and Models.
I can understand your request. But my channel is not like many others on UA-cam in the RV category. I feel that there is way too much negativity and drama being spread around by some online influencers for mostly selfish reasons. And their followers love to blacklist certain brands because of reasons that may have a kernel of truth to them, but are greatly exaggerated. So I have resolved not to personally focus on negative reviews on my channel. In fact, all of my guidebooks that I mentioned in the video only list the brands that I recommend for consideration, not the ones I feel should be avoided. So if you see a brand missing from my list in a certain RV category, you know that there is a reason for that without my having to publicly disparage that brand. I realize that this approach is not the popular one these days and actually causes me to lose subscribers and listeners in some cases. But I am OK with that in order to keep the integrity of the channel intact. And if you follow the advice that I provide in this video about how to spot build quality problems, you will learn what brands should be avoided pretty quickly on your own. Safe and happy travels to you!
Did you see any Tiffin Allegro Buses? Thoughts?
Yes I did. Tiffin is still on my recommended list but there were more issues found than in the Newmars.
Looks like an Amish employees worked on these RV’S! Piece work.
The Amish RV workers that I know are very skilled craftsmen and do fabulous work.
Are you eating better with the avocados over the muffins? Lol. We will NEVER buy a show coach because even if it was perfect when it got there the people just destroy them.
Oh yeah! We've made some diet changes and the health benefits are already starting to show. That's a pretty eagle eye observation. And I agree about show RVs. They often do get banged up pretty good. Safe and happy travels to you!
Wow! Terrible! It is really sad to be honest
Well, armed with this information it's a real protection by helping you know which RV brands and models you need to avoid. Thanks for watching!