With all the problems - why do you buy an RV?

[MontanaRick]

Just to add to what others have said pretty clearly . . . yes, issues (for some small, for others large) are very possible to come up. Reading this forum, those who remain very negative tend to be those who have dealerships that are unresponsive or otherwise inept. I would strongly suggest asking around, because I think going to a good dealership can be very important to your overall satisfaction.

I had a handful of fairly minor items after we got our latest trailer last year. Our dealership, Big Sky RV in Bozeman, MT, took care of all of them quickly and well. We haven't had any major issues yet, so I can't share how they are in that case.

Of course, if you buy used, caveat emptor.

[kerner]

We just bought a 2013 Fiver in April. I put a few patches in the roof, $25 in parts/cleaner. The electric water heater element went out, $8 element, $7 tool, both in stock at lowes. It's a bouncing rolling house on wheels, shi#s gonna break, most of the time, it's something I can fix myself without too much hassle. Swapped out the plastic faucet in the outdoor kitchen for a "chrome" one to jazz it up, $25. It's expected. The look on my kids faces when we are leaving to go camping, priceless........... Memories.

[Crabman]

More testimony can be found in our "Initial quality poll" and "Quality after two years poll". The votes show most owners are satisfied.

[mikensue]

started with a 1968 Starcraft star master 8 popup, now have 2019 321 RSTS. Owned almost everything in between. Going on 35 years of this camping. Very few issues over the years if you keep up on maintenance. Follow a camper going down the road, it's a wonder they hold together like they do. Get what makes you happy and go have fun and discover a whole new world!!

[Yotahilux]

We ate on or forth TT. This first 3 were used. My good friend owns a RV dealership. He taught me so much about repairs. I have yet to have to rely on a dealer to fix my issues. There are some that I talk talk to the dealer about (like my recent mishap with my awning that is my fault) but in the end, I will address most issues myself because I enjoy fixing things.

How great is it to travel and boot have to worry about hotels and the potential issues that come with hotel stays (I typically spend 150 plus nights in as hotel for work a year).

[pawags45]

I had a 2004 Wildwood TT with one slide and kept it 14yrs. Never had any problems at all with it. Traded it in on a 2019 Jayco Pinnicle 36SSWS and would not call the few things that happened a problem. (Landing gear was not properly zero'd to level. Easy fix after calling LCI for directions) Bed Room door was stuck open because of factory forgot to take a block of wood out. (Fixed by dealer) My big problem with that is they keep it for a long time before work is done. But I am happy with my purchase.

[bankr63]

Originally Posted by b1ghwx

Never before have I owned any [House]. We want to buy our first - possibly a new [House]

I have read so much - so many problems across the board.. everything is junk etc. We like what we can see when we have looked at [many homes] but from reading all the negative I can only assume it will 'fall apart' [after moving in]!

So my question is, why have many of you bought multiple [Houses] over the years - given all the frustration and 'nightmare'?

I'm handy - I don't mind maintenance and fully expect it but with all the negatives posted I am feeling so disappointed and reluctant to pull the trigger.

What are your thoughts? Are the complaints overblown? Is there NOBODY that is happy with their [House]

See, if you just replace RV with house/home the argument is the same. It is just a house on wheels. There is a lot less that seem to need fixing on my RV than the constant repairs I have to make to my home. And my RV gets a lot more abuse traveling down the highway every weekend.

[MNWild]

We are on our 2nd Jayco first one being a 2011 which we brought new a couple of issues but taken care of by dealer. Now we brought our 2nd one a 2018 dealer is fixing the problems as they arise but so far 34 problems and only two were minor.
The 2011 was pre Thor and the 2018 Thor owns so the problem is not Jayco it's Thor.

[curver900]

Originally Posted by b1ghwx

Never before have I owned any RV. We want to buy our first - possibly a new 336FBOK

I have read so much - so many problems across the board.. everything is junk etc. We like what we can see when we have looked at Jayco but from reading all the negative I can only assume it will 'fall apart' towing it home!

So my question is, why have many of you bought multiple products over the years - given all the frustration and 'nightmare'?

I'm handy - I don't mind maintenance and fully expect it but with all the negatives posted I am feeling so disappointed and reluctant to pull the trigger.

What are your thoughts? Are the complaints overblown? Is there NOBODY that is happy with their Fifth Wheel?

I think we are all just stupid.. like boating and anything that is "fun" it requires work and money and all that ... so part of the enjoyment is when all things go well...

[Jopopsy]

I've had 2 large trips during 2 separate summers get cancelled b/c of issues w/ our various RVs over the years.

I do often kick around the idea of getting out entirely or downsizing to something much simpler. You lose a lot of features, but what's left is less prone to breaking. Which to me means it lends itself to being more reliable and functional when you need it.

Owning a RV is all about the compromise. Whatever you gain, you give up something elsewhere. Be it complexity, weight, money, reliability, etc. Some of the more basic trailers may not be the most 'comfortable', but they may in fact be the most satisfying to some.

[harryjr]

After almost every trip there are a few problems in the RV that I need to address.

But, if I had stayed home for the same time period there would be a few problems with the house that I'd need to address. And I haven't bounced the house down the road @ 65mph for 3000 miles.

[Flyrotor]

My current trailer I bought new, 6 years later only a small handfull of things that needed repair, as to date, only 4 that I would call significant.

Manufacturer default or poor engineering
1. The linoleum is poor quality, but the screws backed out and began sticking through, so I recently placed loctite on the screws, and replaced the flooring

Wear and tear
2. The skylight is cracking and leaking, this is due to deterioration of the plastic itself, due to time and exposure to sunlight, I will repair this myself, currently the cracks are sealed using dicor.

3. Tire blew out, (tires exceeded outdate, pushed my luck) tore out the fender well, I replaced this for under $50 for parts/shipping, about 3 hours of time.

Personal Neglect
4. I overfilled the black tank using the turbowash, ruptured the tank, not a manufacturer default, I paid (elective) to have an RV dealer replace the black tank. I did not want to deal with that mess.

Everything else that I have had to fix has been very minor, enough that most things didn't even cost any money, just a little time.

Very pleased overall with my trailer.

[hoppers4]

It sounds like you're fairly handy and that's a huge bonus for RV (or boat) owners. There's a lot to go wrong and if you are willing to fix it yourself and not run to the dealer for every little thing, you'll be much happier with your toy. I've had many issues (some show stoppers) come up over the years but I've fixed most of them myself. I'm a very satisfied camper due in part to my ability and willingness to fix stuff.

[ecksdude]

In my experience, most of the problems are minor (assuming you maintain the trailer properly).


It is a bit of work, and if you don't like fixing things, or you don't have money to pay someone else to fix them, it's possible the RV life is not for you.


It is quite expensive to keep up, especially if you're paying for storage, etc. while not using it. But I still love it.

[TxLoser]

I tell people I have an RV and they ask why? Expensive, can’t use it all the time, something else to maintain, horrible from a financial standpoint, etc. It’s a close second to the reaction I’d get when I told people I was into motorcycles. I approach it knowing stuff will go wrong. In fact, I just bought a new one. I’ve gone over everything pretty thoroughly I believe, but we’re taking it out for a one night shakedown next week anyway. I’m mentally prepared for things to not work, to fix what I can there, and even pull the plug on our overnight if it’s something major. I’ve already got a plan to have it back at the dealer soon.

Most stuff that went wrong on my previous RV was user error or something I could take care of with the tools I carry.

I fly a private jet for a living. Put lots of hours on it, and rarely make it more than a few days without something(usually minor) needing to be repaired. For 27mil you’d expect a perfect interior. Nope. Tables that don’t work after a while. Pocket door messed up, AV equipment, outlets, bad finish on wood. Sound familiar? 20K or 20mil.... same stuff.

[KillerIsMe]

Hell, I'm not handy at all () but I can fix the small stuff just fine. Anything bigger than me crops up I'll call the dealer. As others have said the dealer is the key component in your RV. If you have a good one he'll treat you like the King of Spain but if you have a bad one you may be SOL. Personally our two Jaycos have been great - little things here and there that even I can fix.

We use ours as a hotel on wheels; we have our own kitchen, sleep in our own beds, use our own bathroom, etc. We take our dog, we cook, we sit outside - it's almost like being at home.

Tom

[namusmc65]

Originally Posted by KillerIsMe

Hell, I'm not handy at all () but I can fix the small stuff just fine. Anything bigger than me crops up I'll call the dealer. As others have said the dealer is the key component in your RV. If you have a good one he'll treat you like the King of Spain but if you have a bad one you may be SOL. Personally our two Jaycos have been great - little things here and there that even I can fix.

We use ours as a hotel on wheels; we have our own kitchen, sleep in our own beds, use our own bathroom, etc. We take our dog, we cook, we sit outside - it's almost like being at home.

Tom

I am just like Tom here. Old enough now to only be able to handle the small stuff. Anything big I go to the dealer and that is the key. Find your self a reliable dealer. I take mine rig in for service every year as I bought an extended warranty. I have had a few issues and they have all been addressed. I let the dealer service the rig so there is no issue if a warranty item pops up. Our rig is 5 years old now so warranty running out but it is in tip top shape and we use it every month. If you are a handy person, you will figure everything out and have fun! Welcome from South Georgia.

[Camper_bob]

I didn't read all the responses, but of the ones I did read, I will agree on several counts:

1) Go into it expecting to get your hands dirty, have the right tools, and the willingness to learn.
2) Do as much research up front as you can.
3) Generally the idiom is true: "how do you know a salesman is lying? His lips are moving." Just expect it and do your own research using multiple unrelated sources.
4) A positive attitude can make all the difference in the world. If that doesn't work, use your Visa card.
5) Expect to make improvements and customizations. These things are designed and built as cheaply as possible and to appeal to as many people as possible. Get ready to make it your own. And make it BETTER than it was when you bought it.

Number 5 has been by far the biggest sticking point between DW and I in our RV journey. She believes that the manufacturer would not release an RV (or anything for that matter) if it was not configured optimally, with the best parts, and with the best engineering. I have to tell her nearly on a daily basis that they don't give two $H!ts about that, and they are only out to make the largest profit margin possible while limiting their liability as much as possible.

Our current argument is over front-end suspension enhancements to our MH. She doesn't understand how me installing/upgrading aftermarket parts can make it better (or safer) than it was from factory. Even though it's clearly stated in the owners manual that the rig will need a front end alignment, she asks why we need to do it. In her eyes, as it rolls off the factory floor it's "good enough".

Me: "I want to install a bigger sway bar on the front end of the MH to limit body roll"
DW: "If a bigger sway bar worked better, why wouldn't they install it from the factory"
Me: "because it costs money to do that, and factory is out for biggest profit margin, even if it's at the expense of driver comfort or efficiency"
DW: Rolls eyes...

I'll never settle for "good enough" until I've exhausted ALL reasonable options.

Why do we keep doing it? Bottom line is that it's worth it. The memories we're creating are absolutely priceless.

Is it a good "value" monetarily? Probably not. I could probably spend fewer dollars traveling a different way. Maybe.

Is an RV an investment? Absolutely not. It's a liability if anything. Again looking at it from a financial standpoint only, it's not monetarily logical. It's a toy for most people. But the non-monetary benefits can be priceless.

Seeing the excitement in my son's eyes, hearing him talk to his friends and family about some trip we took, seeing his unabashed excitement about an upcoming journey, watching him grow up with experiences many of his friends will never have, learning and seeing things they'll never learn about or see, I could go on and on.

THAT'S why I don't mind laying on my back on the hot concrete for hours on end working on my rig. Because when I look at my son and think about all those things, all that melts away, and you could wring my wallet dry for that opportunity.

[Tunce the traveler]

Camper bob, just a few things I need to mention here:

#5 sounds like my thinking
#6 if it’s good enough it “not”
#7 sounds like i marred your wife’s sister

Tunce

[travelingjw]

My daughter works for one of the larger world companies and her focus is social media. It is a well known fact that most people who post on forums do so to complain, so yes, I think the complaints are overblown.
I also think many RV owners are unrealistic. They expect something that is designed to be as light as possible to survive drives and 60 - 70 miles an hour, potholes etc. not to have issues. In addition, any RV has multiple "accessories" from different manufactures. So if a stove breaks, they blame it on the RV company.
Finally, if you own a home, you have to maintain and repair it, whether it is traveling down the road or on a permanent foundation.