Wow. We are looking at purchasing the 2025 Dynamax Isata 5 with the extreme package and the explorer package. I was all ready to buy until I watched this video. For $300,000 I would expect a much better fit and finish and design. The wind is now out of my sales and I am rethinking this whole purchase.
I wouldn't let my videos discourage you. Just do a thorough check and maybe get an RV inspector. I do agree the price is much higher than what you get in return. It has potential if they focus more on fit and finish, slideouts and electrical and plumbing.
I have the same model and year as you. So good to find your detailed videos and i appreciate your clear communication. My experience is generally similar. The Ram chassis is rock solid. The overall coach design/architecture is excellent but the execution is disappointing. I am, in effect, the last person on the assembly line. That said, she's withstood hundreds of miles of gravel road all the way to the arctic circle and lots of cozy, cold weather ski trips so has delivered on why we bought the rig. This is our 6th RV, fit and finish is middle of the pack for that small data sample. Thanks again for your excellent work.
I have a 28SS and agree with a lot. One of the things I truly believe is no two are the same in regard to fit and finish. Mine is a 2022 and Don't have any of the interior fit and finish issues you have, no gaps. Anything made during the height of COVID when demand was so high from all manufactures is suspect since they were trying to do more with less. It is not yacht quality, but above everything else we saw in super C. 1/2" outdoor carpeted ply in the bays should be done day 1 to keep the sagging. Part of the reason we choose the 28SS is the actual capacity, small slide that is not required, and better design of use of space. The batteries, for example are under the stairs and about 30 minute job to insulate. The rear pass-through is nice for bikes or Kayak and not fear theft as much. The reason the batteries are in the back in the 30FW is weight distribution. I am sure they would have loved to throw them next to the Inverter, but had to distribute the weight as evenly as possible from the factory. I also agree that with the current pricing for new and used, they can represent a really good value with a glut of units and fewer qualified buyers and people taking a 1/3 to 1/2 loss on cars and RV's as new models come down. Problem is we don't have great stand-alone companies like Tiffin anymore in which they have to compete and large corporate attitudes, especially after the sale.
I liked the smaller size of the 28ss better, but we needed at least seating for 6 for dining and like the bigger living area of the 30FW. I agree fit and finish is all over the place, but someone at the factory is signing off on the final, and maybe they need to stamp their name on the QC and it can be backtracked to them. As for the battery location, can't say I agree. 4 relion lithiums are 104 pounds total. If that is making or breaking weight distribution, a better engineering solution is required. They could have moved the inverter and 2 charge controllers to the back by the batteries. The wiring gauge used for those long runs cause pretty big voltage drop from all the testing I've done with a multi meter. Another reason why my solar performs so poorly besides bad panel installation. Maybe Dynmax needs someone from outside the box to do a big look over their final product.
You have to remember the design is the same regardless of whether lithium, or lead acidl. Agree, the lithium are at the very least half the weight, but there is no major design difference between an Explorer and a 2WD 30. So, they had built the chasis up the same and the wiring harnesses the same.
@@tdoster1 I get it, but Lithium has been standard since 22 (no AGM option even if it is a non Xplorer). Not sure on 21. The non Xplorer gets 2 lithiums instead of 4. 2025 still has the same engineering, so if no one says anything, why would they change it? And if the AGM weight was an issue, they still should have just located the inverter and the charge controllers to the rear next to the batteries. Having a 30 ft run of low voltage wires for an inverter and charge controllers is poor engineering and more costly. I can't see any electrical engineer thinking that is a good idea. Only my 2 cents.
I have a 2021 Dynamax Isata 30FW with full wall slide for 4 years and three years with an Isata 3 full wall before and never had a slide issue over 50k miles and hundreds of nights. Almost always an issue with low voltage. I have actually had zero issues with anything and never been back to a dealer for service over 7 years of Dynamax ownership. Just found your channel today and lots of good information.
The slide out is specifically a Dynamax issue. Not sure on your 2021, but Dynamax uses a manual controller. Any signs of low voltage, and the manual controller locks out and requires a reset and limits redone (this is specifically in the Lippert Slimrack install manual). Everyone else uses an automatic controller that doesn't trigger a lockout of the controller regardless of voltage. The issue on my year I5 is that the Lithium BIM connects the chassis battery to the house battery but cycles on and off as normal operation. So if you catch it while it's off, this can happen regardless of your engine running. I also have factory Lithium batteries, so low voltage should not be an issue but the poor wiring causes voltage fluctuations throughout the electrical bay. All Dynamax has to do is install an automatic controller with a single momentary switch for the slide outs and all their problems go away. Your 7 years of RV ownership with zero issues must be a record. Sounds like you have lucked out.
Maybe because I have always had AGM batteries I dodged a bullet. When Dynamax came out with the dual slides, I did take my RV to the factory and has the high torque motors installed with the single IN/OUT control. I had never had an issue, but knew they didn’t change to two slides for no reason. I also always run the RAM when moving the slides and the twin alternators providing a boost to voltage. I had never heard of the Lithium BIM switching on/off, good to know. I try to help those with Lithium and Firefly, but I have one of the last produced that has AGM / Precision Plex controls.
@@joelclark1555 Based on my opinion and observation, I think the problem varies with some owners because the controller location placement changed even in the same floor plan. Also the excess wiring harness from the controller can be excessive if it was all left behind, or cut and neatly tidied. Again, this only happens if you use a "manual" controller. Low voltage causes a hard fault which requires you remove the switch, and reprogram your limit stops. The "automatic" controller does not trigger a hard fault. In theory, with my lithium batteries and always being cautious of my battery condition, I should never have low voltage. I believe the low voltage fault trigger was 10.5 volt. The long wiring and distance from power source must have drastic voltage drop. Just all my opinion only based on running a multi meter through out my electrical bay and reading installation instructions from Lippert.
@@rvlifediy incorrect. The manual controller is supposed to give you more control over the slide pressure/closing. We also thought maybe going to the auto would take away the stop setting loss, but it does not. It also sets the stops, just not manually. So when you lose the stops, you just reset them differently (by shorting 3 wires at he controller). This stop settings is an LCI thing, not a Dynamax thing.
@@DynamaxRVs Not sure i can agree with the whole control aspect being a feature you even need. If things are aligned from the get go, it's really irrelevant. The motors torque out anyways if you keep the button in, and the only people having to continually make the adjustments are the end user who have to constantly go through the reset procedure when these quit. Not sure how your folks are testing it. The auto controller gets a soft error during low voltage which does not trigger a complete resetting of the stops and will continue to function. The manual controller gets a hard error, which completely inactivates the slide out and requires complete reset of the limit stops. These are all my opinions based on my testing of the current system, and reading the literature of the auto controller, and have the slim rack auto controller for 3 years previous. I actually never ran the engine on my Winnebago (i disabled the feature as one of my modifications to make the slides work without the engine running). Just my 2 cents.
I’ve got a 28ss, and my assessment is similar to yours, without so much fit and finish issues (but some different ones). The solar panel issue is very familiar to me, and I attribute a large part of the problem to the way the rooftop arrays are wired. My coach has two 190w panels on the driver side and three 190w panels on the passenger side. There are two air conditioners (nice!) in the middle, along with a satellite antenna dome and a shorter cellular/ WiFi dome. The problem is that on my coach the two front panels are wired to one of the MPPT controllers, and the middle panel and the two rear panels are wired to the other MPPT controller. What this means is that both arrays will virtually always be partially shaded by the air conditioners, and even a small amount of partial shading cuts energy production substantially. Fortunately I think there’s a relatively easy fix. It’s to rewire the arrays so that two panels on one side form an array, and the three panels on the other side form the other array. That way only one array will be partially shaded at a time, and the other array can then be at full exposure. I also use two 100w ground panels, and they often produce more energy than the two 190w roof panels and well over half what the three 190w panels produce. I’m really surprised that Dynamax either didn’t understand this or didn’t care. Either way, boneheaded…
That is the exact problem I have with my solar, and mine is wired exactly the same as yours. They can be moved around more to avoid the shading as well. I will end up removing the factory panels completely and shifting them to avoid the shade. Because most of the work is labor, I will end up using better quality panels. Not fond of the go power panel output compared to a glass panel. Dynamax could easily make improvements and eliminate these issues.
Having the same unit you all talk about,I have to admit that either we don’t know enough or just plain lucky! since we do not share the amount of expectations on this otherwise nice units, for us it has been a wonderful experience to own this 30FWX and yes, we did I have a slide out problem, but it was due I like to believe on low voltage, little things here and there , but it was all expected, a trip to Indiana was always a good experience with the Dynamax team, are this units perfect in every detail? Maybe the earthroamer is at that level! Good travels to you all!
Thank you. If we didn't have kids the 28ss would have been likely our plan. Wanted more space in the living area for dining 6 so the 30FW was the choice.
Could the inverter and charge controllers be moved the the back as well? Would make much more sense for them to be closer to the batteries, and more weight would be shifted to the rear.
@@davidc.9933 And the resulting added resistance of the long run copper that the cables themselves use up precious battery capacity. Voltage drops over distance which means current rises, making wasteful heat that won't be used by the owner of the RV.
Lithium batteries are not as heavy as lead acid/AGMs! Those 4 batteries have a combined weight of about 120 pounds! On a 5500, that's peanuts! That's just bad design!
Thanks for the honest review. It's a shame that Warren Buffet became involved in the RV industry and did not recognize he had a great opportunity to force Thor Industries into more quality and customer satisfaction when his Berkshire Hathaway investment group bought a Thor direct competitor, Forest River. Instead, Buffet seems to have joined forces with Thor to completely sour American leisure enthusiasts from the RV buying and ownership experience by manufacturing low quality poorly constructed products that fit in the same category as Chinese made products. I don't think it's a coincidence that Thor is owned by a couple greedy billionaire investors and Dynamax is owned by a greedy investment group whose motivation to enter the leisure industry was strictly to take advantage of nice down to Earth Americans who want to enjoy their time away from the stresses of society.
Yes, when major corporations take over, they must meet those production numbers, and show growth year over year. Hard to do, and keep quality in check in an industry that has been known for lesser quality over the years. Seems all the big manufacturers are in denial on the poor quality products they've been pushing out. But the word on poor quality is spreading fast amongst consumers.
Yeah the lack of quality is disappointing. You may want to reach out to Dynamax regional sales rep (info on their website) and voice your concerns. I know they are pretty reactive to customer concerns.
Thanks so much for your detailed review. It really helps me a lot! Oh man! Now I am having a hard time as what to get next. My original plan was to get a 2024 or 2025 Dynamax Europa 31ss, replacing my current 24f class C. Oh well, I guess I will just wait a bit longer before I make my upgrade.
I would voice your concern with a Dynamax regional rep directly. I believe they have their contact information on their website. Hopefully they acknowledge they have quality control issues and have been correcting. The Dynamax has good bones but need to up their quality. You can do a quick inspection on units to see if they made improvements.
Dynamax stopped installing the Truma switch due to quality issues in the switch. It is not a brushless switch, so you could turn the dial, but it would not actually turn on. Personally speaking, nothing is worse than turning it on, getting undressed, and firing up the shower only to have cold water. The solution was to get dressed, unplug the switch and rely on the outside. Dynamax started installing them again when they said the switch was more reliable.
I've had the same Truma and switch since 2019 with no issues. Major issue would be someone accidentally putting it in clean mode which causes problems until the cycle is done. But if an owner can't figure that out, they have no business with the firefly system with all the resets and loose wire faults needed. Only my 2 cents.
Yeah that's a double edge sword. 2 slides means 2 control that double the anxiety. I've have random issues with both. But that one large one in yours would be another problem in itself. Have you considered the Vroom slide replacement?
Was look at the vroom system but I hear dynamax does the high torque motors now was going to look into that pricewise vroom system on the form it’s about $7500 to upgrade
@jasoncruz3506 that's a hefty price tag. Had no idea it was that much. I thought it was around 4k. The slim rack is not designed for that much weight and regardless of motors, the entire weight is depending on those little pins at the end of the track. I'm surprised the pins don't sheer off.
Yes I looked at the system that it comes with, and is definitely poorly designed especially when you have one big slide that weighs that much the vroom system is definitely designed much better I have to give them a call to get a price actually speak to somebody the price I got of 7500 was on the Facebook form
What stain sealer did you put on door mine is still good but wanna nip it in the butt before it happens it’s a common problem and rerouting the heat in the bathroom is a great idea
I used this kit. You need to apply it several times after it dries. I used it on the entire length of the door so the stain color was consistent. amzn.to/48xxLzi
It’s obvious that the bulk of the money was spent by n marketing the Dynomax and chasy. Then cheaped out on the materials and finishes which tbh…… is why I’ve changed my mind on purchasing one!!
No cabinets over the dinette so that a residential fridge can fit through the window. Without that you have to pull the slide out to replace the fridge.
I've measured everything, and it seems the refrigerator can go out the door if the fridge doors were removed. I've seen a couple of Isata owners do this method.
I was going to look at Dynamax, I really like their older coaches, Pre-Forest River. I thought they were better than the other manufacturers, but watching your video I see that they are not, it's all the same junky quality with the rest of them. Very disappointed. I'm keeping my Northern Lite truck camper, it is well built. (just small) I'm not giving my money to any RV manufacturer who is willing to build and sell products with issues like these. Thank you Sir for the videos. I don't have the desire anymore to buy something like this and spend countless hours fixing their wilful mistakes.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on your Dynamax! Over the years, I’ve been comparing this (your rig) with Renegade’s Vera Cruz, and every time I see/read reviews like yours, I know it will be the Renegade when I’m ready to take the plunge. Just curious, did you look at the Renegade Veracruz before you bought your Isata5? Thanks again.
Yes I did check the Renegade Veracruz. The floorplan did not fit us at all. It was exact same as our Winnebago View 24D floorplan which we wanted more space. It didn't seem any bigger inside, either though overall it was larger RV. I did not like the schwintek slides out and almost a guarantee fail. Dynamax is not much better on the slide, but theirs is the controller issue and not the mechanism. Also did not like the cab to house pass-through on the Ford. If the veracruz has more floorplans and get rid of the schwintek slideout I would look at them again.
@@rvlifediy I’m still watching your video and I’m sorry, but I’m really feeling sorry for you, dealing with all those findings already, on a brand new Dynamax rv! I hope Dynamax sees this video. Good luck man!
The MSRP prices were much less during 2021 but not sure how much discounts they had back then. Did 2021 have the firefly system or the older proplex system? I don't think build quality got better since covid though.
I picked my up out the door 221,000 with six year warranty with 2,215 mile on it just not the Explorer package other than that exact same set up as you I add 4 BB batteries to it
Overall the View had less issues, but some of them were much more difficult to fix. I'd say a wash, and that both manufacturers need improvement before taking our money lol.
That probably why want to change my mattress to something a little firmer feel like I’m sinking into it when I wake up in the morning or halfway through tonight😂
Wow, it's abundantly obvious there is little to no attention to detail or quality control! Imagine, the new 2025 with the Extreme Package has an MSRP of $369,000👌 Sad issues with water/dirt/dust intrusion for the price! There is no way those batteries should be exposed to the elements! Until seeing your review, I had been giving serious thought to buying the new 2025 with the Extreme Package, not anymore! The factory solar is a joke. They should install sold panels! The adhesives are cheap for a reason! Have you made contact with Dynamax or sent this video! I'd be curious as to their response! I just watched the new 2025 release on your model. None of what you pointed out has been addressed! Thank you!✌️
I do my own warranty work now so I don't contact them. I had a couple of bad warranty experiences, and never again. I don't think they realize how bad their storage compartments are, so they don't fix it. When I was shopping, I had a salesperson tell me that Dynamax storage compartments are junk, but at that time they didn't explain why. I took it as because it was a plastic compartment, which I didn't have issues with a plastic compartment. I later found out that they don't seal them, and the type of plastic they use, the compartments sag horribly with minimal weight. I really don't think they even know they have that problem. The back of the compartments (that are not full passthrough are not sealed at all. You can see daylight through them. They use a split pool noodle aka pipe foam to try to seal it. I've watched some recent videos and see some of the same problems that my RV has. Their quality control person should be fired. As for your interest in the Dynamax, if I was you, I would call the regional manager at Dynamax directly and speak to him of your concern. I'm sure they will deflect, but at least they will hear the voice of a potential customer first. Maybe they will check into it.
@@rvlifediy Thank you for taking the time to answer! I have to say, you're a better man than I! When I buy anything, all I want is what I paid for, nothing more, nothing less! I'm a very polite and respectful man until I run into an issue with warranty work and rude service personnel So, at the expense of spending nearly $300,000 on an RV and ending up in jail😅 I'm going to pass, thank you again! Safe travels always, God bless you and yours!👌
I understand why you bought this unit 4by4 larger space,.side opening bay doors etc. That kitchen though....useless range no counter space for food prep....deal breakers for me. I still digging my 2023 24D.
Yes that counter or lack of will be deal breaker for many people. We definitely miss the counter space on the 24D but don't miss the murphy bed. We cook a lot so I need to get motivated and mod the counter and stove one day.
@@jlovel124 I guess I should have stated that I don't miss the murphy bed floorplan. I like having the designated bed area which is no fault of the 24D floorplan. That is a personal preference only and not a floorplan flaw. The one item I didn't do a video on, is that murphy bed likes to bounce when opening and retracting. That is due to loose belts. Both belts need to be tightened up which is difficult to do. If you let it bounce, eventually the belts will break.
It amazes me the major manufacturer would use some cheap materials and some bad engineering knowing that they have a problem, not recall the vehicle or the RV and repair it. It’s not a consumer repair that is a manufacturing defect. The RV industry needs to uphold standards. people pay a lot of money for RVs and we do not get quality.
Dynamax should hire you as a design consultant,,,but I would imagine Forest River would not be happy with building a quality RV vs a Cheap RV. It’s shame how bad the RV industry has gotten.
I think many simple no cost items can be incorporated so their bottom line can remain the same. Seems they just need some consultants outside the industry with buiding experience to provide some input.
Thank you for this very informative yet dispassionate ⁹review of the Isata. I have always considered this model for my next purchase as it is built on the Ram chassis and mdiesel engine. From a strict appearance point of view, I thought this Super C was cool looking and eye-catching. The outside paintwork makes it very attractive. You can imagine my disappointment while watching your vlog. I understand manufacturers have difficulty finding good employees these days. The nature of our present administration discourages education which can be applied to the real world. College liberal arts education has become virtually worthless. So, I sympathize with all manufacturers which build things. I hate to think that this lack of attention to detail is attributable to a poorly educated workforce. Most, if not all, of the problem areas you point out could have been discovered by competent PDI. However, these areas must also be re-engineered. I was gobsmacked by the sloppy, slapdash assembly. Also, the cheap, chintzy materials was shocking. This top-of-the-line Isata is very expensive. Its MSRP is over $200K if I recollect correctly. Your thorough examination was extremely educational and useful. I do not envy your prospects for selling this rig. While your personal improvements and remediations will not save you from depreciation, perhaps they will defray some of the loss. I would never trade your model to a dealer and let it benefit from your investment. A private sale will allow you to take credit for your improvements and maximize resale. Thanks again for an excellent review.
I really appreciated your discovery.i was sorry that after six months, you brought a job.typical craftsmanship in our country today.ifeel for you and your family.i hope they compensate you for all the bullshit you have to deal with.peace@@rvlifediy
rv's are a rolling earthquake. everyone knows this, including all posters here. You will have all the problems in the video, in all RV's unless you buy them and keep them parked. I don't know why the host is so surprised with all the faults. That's the status quo with all rolling homes.
A rolling earthquake is nothing new. Just like a boat and car. Some are just built better than others. Rolling earthquake is a term every rv salesperson and manufacturer uses. Poorly installing something has nothing to do with a rolling earthquake.
Well, I thing I have concluded reading the comments, watching your videos, is that you do seem to have an answer for everything, you research your stuff and I know you like your Dynamax, better than many others out there, if not which one is it?
@@felixarriechejr9344I'm not sure what you are asking. I'm not in love with Dynamax or have buyers remorse. To me, it's just an RV and I don't keep them that long. Yes every RV will have issues which is fine. What I'm not fine with is if the installation was done incorrectly which caused the failure. I'm just sharing "MY' experience so take it for what it's worth. If no one shares the issues, how will they ever correct the issues. All the previous Dynamax owners with the slim rack slide outs must not have complained loud enough on how terrible the system is. I bought a $200,000+ RV and love showing people how nice it is. The slide out quits, how embarrassing. Dynamax fix was watch a video to reset it each time it happens. How about we just fix the problem instead? Yes I run the engine, and it still does it whenever it wants to. A different controller and switch would fix the issue instead of watching a video. There are many examples of other issues that I have shared which is more related to installation issues rather than '"because it's a rolling earthquake". My 2 cents.
Don’t get me wrong I do share your dissatisfaction about such an impressive looking RV! Yes totally agree with your in depth observations, I do appreciate the fact that you appear to be very knowledgeable about the RV construction in general, thanks for that, but I have had a much more pleasant experience with our unit, I do understand I did not buy an earthroamer ,but yes for the money we spend it is required to a buyer not to have so many issues as you seem to have had, I understand it not an investment so we will never get our money back, but hopefully we can enjoy sufficiently that at the end of the journey we are good with the experience. Thank you for all of your posting positive and negative!
My bubble is burst- thank you for your honest review.
Don't want to discourage you. Dynamax does need better quality control and hopefully they focus on that.
Wow. We are looking at purchasing the 2025 Dynamax Isata 5 with the extreme package and the explorer package. I was all ready to buy until I watched this video. For $300,000 I would expect a much better fit and finish and design. The wind is now out of my sales and I am rethinking this whole purchase.
I wouldn't let my videos discourage you. Just do a thorough check and maybe get an RV inspector. I do agree the price is much higher than what you get in return. It has potential if they focus more on fit and finish, slideouts and electrical and plumbing.
I have the same model and year as you. So good to find your detailed videos and i appreciate your clear communication. My experience is generally similar. The Ram chassis is rock solid. The overall coach design/architecture is excellent but the execution is disappointing. I am, in effect, the last person on the assembly line. That said, she's withstood hundreds of miles of gravel road all the way to the arctic circle and lots of cozy, cold weather ski trips so has delivered on why we bought the rig. This is our 6th RV, fit and finish is middle of the pack for that small data sample. Thanks again for your excellent work.
Thanks for watching and nice to see input from another I5 experienced owner.
I have a 28SS and agree with a lot. One of the things I truly believe is no two are the same in regard to fit and finish. Mine is a 2022 and Don't have any of the interior fit and finish issues you have, no gaps. Anything made during the height of COVID when demand was so high from all manufactures is suspect since they were trying to do more with less. It is not yacht quality, but above everything else we saw in super C. 1/2" outdoor carpeted ply in the bays should be done day 1 to keep the sagging. Part of the reason we choose the 28SS is the actual capacity, small slide that is not required, and better design of use of space. The batteries, for example are under the stairs and about 30 minute job to insulate. The rear pass-through is nice for bikes or Kayak and not fear theft as much. The reason the batteries are in the back in the 30FW is weight distribution. I am sure they would have loved to throw them next to the Inverter, but had to distribute the weight as evenly as possible from the factory. I also agree that with the current pricing for new and used, they can represent a really good value with a glut of units and fewer qualified buyers and people taking a 1/3 to 1/2 loss on cars and RV's as new models come down. Problem is we don't have great stand-alone companies like Tiffin anymore in which they have to compete and large corporate attitudes, especially after the sale.
I liked the smaller size of the 28ss better, but we needed at least seating for 6 for dining and like the bigger living area of the 30FW. I agree fit and finish is all over the place, but someone at the factory is signing off on the final, and maybe they need to stamp their name on the QC and it can be backtracked to them. As for the battery location, can't say I agree. 4 relion lithiums are 104 pounds total. If that is making or breaking weight distribution, a better engineering solution is required. They could have moved the inverter and 2 charge controllers to the back by the batteries. The wiring gauge used for those long runs cause pretty big voltage drop from all the testing I've done with a multi meter. Another reason why my solar performs so poorly besides bad panel installation. Maybe Dynmax needs someone from outside the box to do a big look over their final product.
You have to remember the design is the same regardless of whether lithium, or lead acidl. Agree, the lithium are at the very least half the weight, but there is no major design difference between an Explorer and a 2WD 30. So, they had built the chasis up the same and the wiring harnesses the same.
@@tdoster1 I get it, but Lithium has been standard since 22 (no AGM option even if it is a non Xplorer). Not sure on 21. The non Xplorer gets 2 lithiums instead of 4. 2025 still has the same engineering, so if no one says anything, why would they change it? And if the AGM weight was an issue, they still should have just located the inverter and the charge controllers to the rear next to the batteries. Having a 30 ft run of low voltage wires for an inverter and charge controllers is poor engineering and more costly. I can't see any electrical engineer thinking that is a good idea. Only my 2 cents.
I have a 2021 Dynamax Isata 30FW with full wall slide for 4 years and three years with an Isata 3 full wall before and never had a slide issue over 50k miles and hundreds of nights. Almost always an issue with low voltage.
I have actually had zero issues with anything and never been back to a dealer for service over 7 years of Dynamax ownership.
Just found your channel today and lots of good information.
The slide out is specifically a Dynamax issue. Not sure on your 2021, but Dynamax uses a manual controller. Any signs of low voltage, and the manual controller locks out and requires a reset and limits redone (this is specifically in the Lippert Slimrack install manual). Everyone else uses an automatic controller that doesn't trigger a lockout of the controller regardless of voltage. The issue on my year I5 is that the Lithium BIM connects the chassis battery to the house battery but cycles on and off as normal operation. So if you catch it while it's off, this can happen regardless of your engine running. I also have factory Lithium batteries, so low voltage should not be an issue but the poor wiring causes voltage fluctuations throughout the electrical bay. All Dynamax has to do is install an automatic controller with a single momentary switch for the slide outs and all their problems go away.
Your 7 years of RV ownership with zero issues must be a record. Sounds like you have lucked out.
Maybe because I have always had AGM batteries I dodged a bullet. When Dynamax came out with the dual slides, I did take my RV to the factory and has the high torque motors installed with the single IN/OUT control. I had never had an issue, but knew they didn’t change to two slides for no reason.
I also always run the RAM when moving the slides and the twin alternators providing a boost to voltage.
I had never heard of the Lithium BIM switching on/off, good to know. I try to help those with Lithium and Firefly, but I have one of the last produced that has AGM / Precision Plex controls.
@@joelclark1555 Based on my opinion and observation, I think the problem varies with some owners because the controller location placement changed even in the same floor plan. Also the excess wiring harness from the controller can be excessive if it was all left behind, or cut and neatly tidied. Again, this only happens if you use a "manual" controller. Low voltage causes a hard fault which requires you remove the switch, and reprogram your limit stops. The "automatic" controller does not trigger a hard fault. In theory, with my lithium batteries and always being cautious of my battery condition, I should never have low voltage. I believe the low voltage fault trigger was 10.5 volt. The long wiring and distance from power source must have drastic voltage drop. Just all my opinion only based on running a multi meter through out my electrical bay and reading installation instructions from Lippert.
@@rvlifediy incorrect. The manual controller is supposed to give you more control over the slide pressure/closing. We also thought maybe going to the auto would take away the stop setting loss, but it does not. It also sets the stops, just not manually. So when you lose the stops, you just reset them differently (by shorting 3 wires at he controller). This stop settings is an LCI thing, not a Dynamax thing.
@@DynamaxRVs Not sure i can agree with the whole control aspect being a feature you even need. If things are aligned from the get go, it's really irrelevant. The motors torque out anyways if you keep the button in, and the only people having to continually make the adjustments are the end user who have to constantly go through the reset procedure when these quit. Not sure how your folks are testing it. The auto controller gets a soft error during low voltage which does not trigger a complete resetting of the stops and will continue to function. The manual controller gets a hard error, which completely inactivates the slide out and requires complete reset of the limit stops. These are all my opinions based on my testing of the current system, and reading the literature of the auto controller, and have the slim rack auto controller for 3 years previous. I actually never ran the engine on my Winnebago (i disabled the feature as one of my modifications to make the slides work without the engine running). Just my 2 cents.
Way too many problems for the price. This is supposed to be a premium brand? Thanks for taking the time to share your opinions and repairs so far.
Agree. It looks like they were rushing production in my opinion.
Dynamax needs to hire you to do quality control on their builds.
That sounds good to me lol.
I’ve got a 28ss, and my assessment is similar to yours, without so much fit and finish issues (but some different ones). The solar panel issue is very familiar to me, and I attribute a large part of the problem to the way the rooftop arrays are wired. My coach has two 190w panels on the driver side and three 190w panels on the passenger side. There are two air conditioners (nice!) in the middle, along with a satellite antenna dome and a shorter cellular/ WiFi dome. The problem is that on my coach the two front panels are wired to one of the MPPT controllers, and the middle panel and the two rear panels are wired to the other MPPT controller. What this means is that both arrays will virtually always be partially shaded by the air conditioners, and even a small amount of partial shading cuts energy production substantially. Fortunately I think there’s a relatively easy fix. It’s to rewire the arrays so that two panels on one side form an array, and the three panels on the other side form the other array. That way only one array will be partially shaded at a time, and the other array can then be at full exposure. I also use two 100w ground panels, and they often produce more energy than the two 190w roof panels and well over half what the three 190w panels produce. I’m really surprised that Dynamax either didn’t understand this or didn’t care. Either way, boneheaded…
That is the exact problem I have with my solar, and mine is wired exactly the same as yours. They can be moved around more to avoid the shading as well. I will end up removing the factory panels completely and shifting them to avoid the shade. Because most of the work is labor, I will end up using better quality panels. Not fond of the go power panel output compared to a glass panel. Dynamax could easily make improvements and eliminate these issues.
Dyna Max needs you on their payroll !
Thanks Rick. I like that idea.
Thank you so much! 💯 anxiety every trip.
Slide outs - terrible
The shower is still cold
Inverter issues
Leveling system
Walls
Wallpaper
Shower walls
I finally have mine all dailed in. Do you have the I5?
@@rvlifediy I do. Your videos are a life changer for us! I wanted to return it, until I watched your experience!
Having the same unit you all talk about,I have to admit that either we don’t know enough or just plain lucky! since we do not share the amount of expectations on this otherwise nice units, for us it has been a wonderful experience to own this 30FWX and yes, we did I have a slide out problem, but it was due I like to believe on low voltage, little things here and there , but it was all expected, a trip to Indiana was always a good experience with the Dynamax team, are this units perfect in every detail? Maybe the earthroamer is at that level! Good travels to you all!
Great video, thank you very much. Looking at the 28SS.
Thank you. If we didn't have kids the 28ss would have been likely our plan. Wanted more space in the living area for dining 6 so the 30FW was the choice.
You just changed my whole outlook on Rv life
I get it.
The batteries are in the back for weight distribution. The front axle on the Ram 5500 is only 7250, so the batteries had to move behind the axle.
Could the inverter and charge controllers be moved the the back as well? Would make much more sense for them to be closer to the batteries, and more weight would be shifted to the rear.
@@rvlifediy in theory, yes., but it was less complex to just move the batteries, and as long as the cables are heavy enough, no ill effect.
@@Buckeyes69 except weight of cables for a run that long...
@@davidc.9933 And the resulting added resistance of the long run copper that the cables themselves use up precious battery capacity. Voltage drops over distance which means current rises, making wasteful heat that won't be used by the owner of the RV.
Lithium batteries are not as heavy as lead acid/AGMs! Those 4 batteries have a combined weight of about 120 pounds! On a 5500, that's peanuts! That's just bad design!
Super good detail in a review! You shouldn't have to do so much rework.
Thank you and agree.
Thanks for the honest review. It's a shame that Warren Buffet became involved in the RV industry and did not recognize he had a great opportunity to force Thor Industries into more quality and customer satisfaction when his Berkshire Hathaway investment group bought a Thor direct competitor, Forest River.
Instead, Buffet seems to have joined forces with Thor to completely sour American leisure enthusiasts from the RV buying and ownership experience by manufacturing low quality poorly constructed products that fit in the same category as Chinese made products.
I don't think it's a coincidence that Thor is owned by a couple greedy billionaire investors and Dynamax is owned by a greedy investment group whose motivation to enter the leisure industry was strictly to take advantage of nice down to Earth Americans who want to enjoy their time away from the stresses of society.
Yes, when major corporations take over, they must meet those production numbers, and show growth year over year. Hard to do, and keep quality in check in an industry that has been known for lesser quality over the years. Seems all the big manufacturers are in denial on the poor quality products they've been pushing out. But the word on poor quality is spreading fast amongst consumers.
Thank you so much for the review. I was considering this model but no more. These rigs are not cheap and the lack of quality control is lousy.
Yeah the lack of quality is disappointing. You may want to reach out to Dynamax regional sales rep (info on their website) and voice your concerns. I know they are pretty reactive to customer concerns.
Great review, Mahalo for sharing.
Thank you
Thanks so much for your detailed review. It really helps me a lot! Oh man! Now I am having a hard time as what to get next. My original plan was to get a 2024 or 2025 Dynamax Europa 31ss, replacing my current 24f class C. Oh well, I guess I will just wait a bit longer before I make my upgrade.
I would voice your concern with a Dynamax regional rep directly. I believe they have their contact information on their website. Hopefully they acknowledge they have quality control issues and have been correcting. The Dynamax has good bones but need to up their quality. You can do a quick inspection on units to see if they made improvements.
Such a great video!!! Very valuable info! What were they rushing for? Quality is everything!!!
Yeah exactly. They should focus on quality instead of rushing them out the door.
Very good Job thx a lot and regards from Germany !
Thank you
Dynamax stopped installing the Truma switch due to quality issues in the switch. It is not a brushless switch, so you could turn the dial, but it would not actually turn on. Personally speaking, nothing is worse than turning it on, getting undressed, and firing up the shower only to have cold water. The solution was to get dressed, unplug the switch and rely on the outside. Dynamax started installing them again when they said the switch was more reliable.
I've had the same Truma and switch since 2019 with no issues. Major issue would be someone accidentally putting it in clean mode which causes problems until the cycle is done. But if an owner can't figure that out, they have no business with the firefly system with all the resets and loose wire faults needed. Only my 2 cents.
Great video... they need to hire you to help them improve all these mistakes.
Sounds good to me lol
I appreciate the detailed review! I can't seem to find the weight limit for the cabover bed anywhere. Do you know what that is?
It's only 300 pounds. Not sure why it's so low. Looks to be built the same as other bunks wire 700+ pound capacity.
Sliding anxiety, definitely have to agree with that one and I have one big slide at least you have the two slides separate
Yeah that's a double edge sword. 2 slides means 2 control that double the anxiety. I've have random issues with both. But that one large one in yours would be another problem in itself. Have you considered the Vroom slide replacement?
Was look at the vroom system but I hear dynamax does the high torque motors now was going to look into that pricewise vroom system on the form it’s about $7500 to upgrade
Have you considered the vroom system.
@jasoncruz3506 that's a hefty price tag. Had no idea it was that much. I thought it was around 4k. The slim rack is not designed for that much weight and regardless of motors, the entire weight is depending on those little pins at the end of the track. I'm surprised the pins don't sheer off.
Yes I looked at the system that it comes with, and is definitely poorly designed especially when you have one big slide that weighs that much the vroom system is definitely designed much better I have to give them a call to get a price actually speak to somebody the price I got of 7500 was on the Facebook form
What stain sealer did you put on door mine is still good but wanna nip it in the butt before it happens it’s a common problem and rerouting the heat in the bathroom is a great idea
I used this kit. You need to apply it several times after it dries. I used it on the entire length of the door so the stain color was consistent. amzn.to/48xxLzi
It’s obvious that the bulk of the money was spent by n marketing the Dynomax and chasy. Then cheaped out on the materials and finishes which tbh…… is why I’ve changed my mind on purchasing one!!
Yes some areas are less quality for sure and needs improvement.
No cabinets over the dinette so that a residential fridge can fit through the window. Without that you have to pull the slide out to replace the fridge.
I've measured everything, and it seems the refrigerator can go out the door if the fridge doors were removed. I've seen a couple of Isata owners do this method.
@@rvlifediy It may be possible on todays model, but the Fridgidaire we used would not fit. We have looked at widening the door.
I was going to look at Dynamax, I really like their older coaches, Pre-Forest River. I thought they were better than the other manufacturers, but watching your video I see that they are not, it's all the same junky quality with the rest of them. Very disappointed. I'm keeping my Northern Lite truck camper, it is well built. (just small) I'm not giving my money to any RV manufacturer who is willing to build and sell products with issues like these. Thank you Sir for the videos. I don't have the desire anymore to buy something like this and spend countless hours fixing their wilful mistakes.
Agreed. I think Dynamax needs to get back to its routes, and separate itself from Forest River more.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on your Dynamax! Over the years, I’ve been comparing this (your rig) with Renegade’s Vera Cruz, and every time I see/read reviews like yours, I know it will be the Renegade when I’m ready to take the plunge. Just curious, did you look at the Renegade Veracruz before you bought your Isata5? Thanks again.
Yes I did check the Renegade Veracruz. The floorplan did not fit us at all. It was exact same as our Winnebago View 24D floorplan which we wanted more space. It didn't seem any bigger inside, either though overall it was larger RV. I did not like the schwintek slides out and almost a guarantee fail. Dynamax is not much better on the slide, but theirs is the controller issue and not the mechanism. Also did not like the cab to house pass-through on the Ford. If the veracruz has more floorplans and get rid of the schwintek slideout I would look at them again.
@@rvlifediy I’m still watching your video and I’m sorry, but I’m really feeling sorry for you, dealing with all those findings already, on a brand new Dynamax rv! I hope Dynamax sees this video. Good luck man!
@laramie_1944 hope they take it as constructive criticism as the fixes and improvement can easily be implemented.
Very informative, thanks
Glad it helped.
I have I5 2021 love mine but of course control is a issue but seem to be with all especially if it was a Covid built rv
The MSRP prices were much less during 2021 but not sure how much discounts they had back then. Did 2021 have the firefly system or the older proplex system? I don't think build quality got better since covid though.
I have the firefly system
I picked my up out the door 221,000 with six year warranty with 2,215 mile on it just not the Explorer package other than that exact same set up as you I add 4 BB batteries to it
wow. The View seems pretty good in comparison.
Overall the View had less issues, but some of them were much more difficult to fix. I'd say a wash, and that both manufacturers need improvement before taking our money lol.
Did you replace your mattress looks different than mine folds just like yours but material looks different
It's the factory mattress and should be the same as yours. I have the bedddies bedding on it which may make it look different?
That probably why want to change my mattress to something a little firmer feel like I’m sinking into it when I wake up in the morning or halfway through tonight😂
@@jasoncruz3506 we have the same problem with the sinking. Hurts the back and firmer is a good idea.
The crazy part is everyone on the fb form love the mattress, except for a handful of people😂
@jasoncruz3506 I don't do Facebook or any forums so I'm sure I'm missing out on some things.
Wow, it's abundantly obvious there is little to no attention to detail or quality control! Imagine, the new 2025 with the Extreme Package has an MSRP of $369,000👌
Sad issues with water/dirt/dust intrusion for the price! There is no way those batteries should be exposed to the elements! Until seeing your review, I had been giving serious thought to buying the new 2025 with the Extreme Package, not anymore!
The factory solar is a joke. They should install sold panels! The adhesives are cheap for a reason!
Have you made contact with Dynamax or sent this video! I'd be curious as to their response! I just watched the new 2025 release on your model. None of what you pointed out has been addressed!
Thank you!✌️
I do my own warranty work now so I don't contact them. I had a couple of bad warranty experiences, and never again. I don't think they realize how bad their storage compartments are, so they don't fix it. When I was shopping, I had a salesperson tell me that Dynamax storage compartments are junk, but at that time they didn't explain why. I took it as because it was a plastic compartment, which I didn't have issues with a plastic compartment. I later found out that they don't seal them, and the type of plastic they use, the compartments sag horribly with minimal weight. I really don't think they even know they have that problem. The back of the compartments (that are not full passthrough are not sealed at all. You can see daylight through them. They use a split pool noodle aka pipe foam to try to seal it. I've watched some recent videos and see some of the same problems that my RV has. Their quality control person should be fired. As for your interest in the Dynamax, if I was you, I would call the regional manager at Dynamax directly and speak to him of your concern. I'm sure they will deflect, but at least they will hear the voice of a potential customer first. Maybe they will check into it.
@@rvlifediy
Thank you for taking the time to answer! I have to say, you're a better man than I! When I buy anything, all I want is what I paid for, nothing more, nothing less! I'm a very polite and respectful man until I run into an issue with warranty work and rude service personnel So, at the expense of spending nearly $300,000 on an RV and ending up in jail😅 I'm going to pass, thank you again! Safe travels always, God bless you and yours!👌
Complete honest review sounds like quality control is very poor, dynamax do better!!!!
Thank you and yes I agree. Quality control needs to be better.
I understand why you bought this unit 4by4 larger space,.side opening bay doors etc. That kitchen though....useless range no counter space for food prep....deal breakers for me. I still digging my 2023 24D.
Yes that counter or lack of will be deal breaker for many people. We definitely miss the counter space on the 24D but don't miss the murphy bed. We cook a lot so I need to get motivated and mod the counter and stove one day.
Why dont you like the Murphy bed?@@rvlifediy
@@jlovel124 I guess I should have stated that I don't miss the murphy bed floorplan. I like having the designated bed area which is no fault of the 24D floorplan. That is a personal preference only and not a floorplan flaw. The one item I didn't do a video on, is that murphy bed likes to bounce when opening and retracting. That is due to loose belts. Both belts need to be tightened up which is difficult to do. If you let it bounce, eventually the belts will break.
It amazes me the major manufacturer would use some cheap materials and some bad engineering knowing that they have a problem, not recall the vehicle or the RV and repair it. It’s not a consumer repair that is a manufacturing defect. The RV industry needs to uphold standards. people pay a lot of money for RVs and we do not get quality.
Totally agree.
Sad! I was a big fan of the Extreme, but now I'm out. Thank you.
Understand. You may want to voice your concerns with their management. They seem to listen but not sure how well they can implement.
Dynamax should hire you as a design consultant,,,but I would imagine Forest River would not be happy with building a quality RV vs a Cheap RV. It’s shame how bad the RV industry has gotten.
I think many simple no cost items can be incorporated so their bottom line can remain the same. Seems they just need some consultants outside the industry with buiding experience to provide some input.
Thank you for this very informative yet dispassionate ⁹review of the Isata. I have always considered this model for my next purchase as it is built on the Ram chassis and mdiesel engine. From a strict appearance point of view, I thought this Super C was cool looking and eye-catching. The outside paintwork makes it very attractive. You can imagine my disappointment while watching your vlog. I understand manufacturers have difficulty finding good employees these days. The nature of our present administration discourages education which can be applied to the real world. College liberal arts education has become virtually worthless. So, I sympathize with all manufacturers which build things. I hate to think that this lack of attention to detail is attributable to a poorly educated workforce. Most, if not all, of the problem areas you point out could have been discovered by competent PDI. However, these areas must also be re-engineered. I was gobsmacked by the sloppy, slapdash assembly. Also, the cheap, chintzy materials was shocking. This top-of-the-line Isata is very expensive. Its MSRP is over $200K if I recollect correctly. Your thorough examination was extremely educational and useful. I do not envy your prospects for selling this rig. While your personal improvements and remediations will not save you from depreciation, perhaps they will defray some of the loss. I would never trade your model to a dealer and let it benefit from your investment. A private sale will allow you to take credit for your improvements and maximize resale. Thanks again for an excellent review.
Thank you. Yes they have some improvements to make. Especially at their price point.
Wow. Seems like a lot of issues, poor construction, and poorly thought out choices for Dynamax. I hope they see your video.
Yes they have some room for improvement. Most wouldn't cost anymore. Seems they need to focus on quality control.
low quality parts for a nice super C
They could use improvement in that area.
never after that.
Can't blame ya.
I really appreciated your discovery.i was sorry that after six months, you brought a job.typical craftsmanship in our country today.ifeel for you and your family.i hope they compensate you for all the bullshit you have to deal with.peace@@rvlifediy
@@malloy1955 No worries. RV industry needs a major overhaul on quality.
Definitely some good Amish craftsmanship on display there. 🤦🏻♂️
I don't think they want to claim this one lol.
Winnebago is more Better quality
Can't argue with that lol. However, they both need major improvement.
Wow they want hundreds of thousands for this. Buyers Beware
Yes the RV pricing is too much for what you get.
rv's are a rolling earthquake. everyone knows this, including all posters here. You will have all the problems in the video, in all RV's unless you buy them and keep them parked. I don't know why the host is so surprised with all the faults. That's the status quo with all rolling homes.
A rolling earthquake is nothing new. Just like a boat and car. Some are just built better than others. Rolling earthquake is a term every rv salesperson and manufacturer uses. Poorly installing something has nothing to do with a rolling earthquake.
Well, I thing I have concluded reading the comments, watching your videos, is that you do seem to have an answer for everything, you research your stuff and I know you like your Dynamax, better than many others out there, if not which one is it?
@@felixarriechejr9344I'm not sure what you are asking. I'm not in love with Dynamax or have buyers remorse. To me, it's just an RV and I don't keep them that long. Yes every RV will have issues which is fine. What I'm not fine with is if the installation was done incorrectly which caused the failure. I'm just sharing "MY' experience so take it for what it's worth. If no one shares the issues, how will they ever correct the issues. All the previous Dynamax owners with the slim rack slide outs must not have complained loud enough on how terrible the system is. I bought a $200,000+ RV and love showing people how nice it is. The slide out quits, how embarrassing. Dynamax fix was watch a video to reset it each time it happens. How about we just fix the problem instead? Yes I run the engine, and it still does it whenever it wants to. A different controller and switch would fix the issue instead of watching a video. There are many examples of other issues that I have shared which is more related to installation issues rather than '"because it's a rolling earthquake". My 2 cents.
Don’t get me wrong I do share your dissatisfaction about such an impressive looking RV! Yes totally agree with your in depth observations, I do appreciate the fact that you appear to be very knowledgeable about the RV construction in general, thanks for that, but I have had a much more pleasant experience with our unit, I do understand I did not buy an earthroamer ,but yes for the money we spend it is required to a buyer not to have so many issues as you seem to have had, I understand it not an investment so we will never get our money back, but hopefully we can enjoy sufficiently that at the end of the journey we are good with the experience. Thank you for all of your posting positive and negative!
@felixarriechejr9344 👍
I think some of the folks that design these rigs have never actually camped or tried them. Good review
Probably true for most of them.