My wife and I got back to Minnesota on  Wednesday. I backed into my son in law's driveway to do some work to the trailer before going to the campground for the summer. I was talking to my SIL and turned around. I looked at the trailer and almost crapped my pants! The roof was lifted and torn due to it sliding out from under the front cap (I had a repair done for the same problem done in February in Texas under warranty. The trailer is now at a dealer and with the roof like it is and the spongy floor needing replaced they want to send it back to the factory........... BTW, this trailer is just under a year old so it is under warranty. This picture is at the dealership.

Edited May 26, 20186 yr by MnTom

To me, it looks like the rubber roof was never glued down like its suppose to. Looks like it grew a blister of air and the wind beat the rubber till it tore. This is because the rubber wasn't glued down to the roof.

That's what the dealer is thinking since there was no marks or damage of any kind to anything near the roof. The guy who repaired it in Texas said that there was no glue under the front and claimed "You will NEVER have trouble with it again"! Yeah, right...... At least there was and is a record of the first repair that Forest River authorized. When I went up on the roof there was glue where I stepped. I didn't do a close inspection of the area though. I am pushing for the dealer to help push FR to just replace the trailer since the roof alone is a $5000 repair. With transportation to Indiana and back with who knows how much to pull the body up and install a new floor it may be less expensive to replace rather than repair.

Holy jump up and sit down!!  What a mess.

15 minutes ago, MnTom said:

I am pushing for the dealer to help push FR to just replace the trailer

I'd be looking for a replacement.  Take the body off, replace the floor and reinstall body.  Heck no, you will never be comfortable about the quality of that trailer again.  Tell them to get you a new trailer and back charge that clown in Texas for the fine "you will never have trouble with it again" repair.  If they do go for a new trailer then push a little more and get a full warranty period for it.

Believe it or not, the guy in Texas actually worked for Forest River! He worked for six months in Indiana and six months in Texas! He took two months to get to the repair. There was a strip of aluminum that he said he was waiting on. I see no strip of aluminum like he removed in his repair. Glad there is a warranty. Last I saw my trailer it was sitting outside without any covering over the front. I may need to take a ride and see if it is still outside. I told them I was concerned about water damage since it rained (hard, flash flood warnings in the area next morning) and wife and I were mopping up water at 3:30AM that was running down the walls.

I thank you for sharing your experience. I heard the newer RVs are worse on workmanship/ quality. Wafer board is so rot prone and won't hold adhesives well.

 

At another place I work we are framing up a tiny house. I'm in charge of the project and now can't blame folks for wanting to build their own rv since I see that may be the direction things go.

 

I would have to take a different position on this and think about getting my money back and build my own camp trailer, Or find a real good older one.

 

Once when younger I was crawling under some older used RVs and found one with standing seam metal clad on the bottom. It was terrific.

Edited May 26, 20186 yr by JAG1

Every scrap of paper you get from them and hopefully detailed, I   would save in a separate file .  

 

Positive side... you're at family house and not middle of nowhere living out of motel.  (Time to clean out fridg/freezer and remove all valuables).

 

Hopefully FR will treat you right. 

 

Notice on warrantys there is no timeframe when they have to perform, only when their warranty Protection ends.

Be nice if they did replace with new unit.  But they would have to get rid of it as used (Not good for them and they already sold it once) but l would sure try.

 

For what's it's worth... My rv guy bids roofs at 110 a running foot and 100 for every cut out no matter how big or small.   That is for thinnest roofing material.  And encourages material couple mil's thicker for better protection from tree branches and shoes.  

 

If you have 50 amp elec and thought about adding another a/c now might be a good time.

 

Keep us posted.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yeah, this happened in the 'best possible place'. We are staying at our daughter's house, but want my trailer back! We got the trailer unloaded yesterday. I really didn't think it was packed that full.......

It is a 50A unit and my wife wants to put in another AC. That can be done at any time since it is pre-wired for one in the bedroom. We just haven't spent the money for one yet. When we were looking for trailers a year ago my wife said "NO" (very emphatically I might add) to a used trailer. I found a couple that were in good shape with what we wanted. I expect FR will transport it back and repair this one, but I wish for a replacement.............

True can add second a/c at any time...

Was thinking... if done at later date and then you get leak sometime later.  FR then says not our bust, somebody other than us on roof installing second a/c and  that is what created leak.  Thinking cya on your part.

Edited May 26, 20186 yr by 015point9

I can see your point, but at this time I am going to hold off on the second A/C. I need to try to save what little I have in the bank!! This is all in the beginning stages so I am hoping to get this done quickly, but in reality this isn't going to be a "priority item" for them. I really don't want it to stretch out for months..........

Yes... hopefully they will get you fixxed in timely manner.

I would entertain the option of getting the repair cost added to my pocket and put that toward an aluminum sheet roof.

 

May not be realistic idea though

10 hours ago, JAG1 said:

I would entertain the option of getting the repair cost added to my pocket and put that toward an aluminum sheet roof.

 

May not be realistic idea though

I don't quite understand how you would get the manufacturer to pay me the cost of repair if it is under warranty.

Looks like I need to take a ride this morning. Last I saw my trailer it was sitting outside with no repairs done and there is a rather large batch of rain a few hours west of it right now.

That's what I mean with lack of caring for your trailer like that, why would you want those people to repair it? I would ask for what it cost them to do the work to be put in your pocket and put that toward a sheet aluminum roof. I would do it myself because I also have experienced the lack of real service and frustration it causes.

 

Years ago I told them I did not want their crummy work and will warranty it myself. My attorney went to bat for me and got an amount returned to me to take care of the issues I was having. It was a fair amount to cover my labor and expenses.

 

Try to get pictures of it uncovered in the rain and some after it is soaked. That would be perfect for negotiating for a new RV, but I wouldn't get one that has that shop do the work. 

 

The RV industry is so far down there.... you have to watch out for yourself.

 

 

Edited May 27, 20186 yr by JAG1

I went and looked for my trailer this morning. It was sitting inside the shop so they are handling the issue as well as I can expect. I don't know what is going to be done since Forest River has not told us yet. Hopefully they will make a decision on Tuesday. Also, the dealer "recommended" it go back for repairs, so we shall see.

So in other words dealer doesn t want to mess with it... probably FR won't  pay him enough and can't blame him.  Imo probably by thurs or Fri before Corp and dealer get plan worked out.  Friends of ours had some warranty work done on their new lance camper.  Work was done at a dealer many miles from the dealer they bought it at.  That dealer finally told by corp to do required warranty work.  Sat for 3 weeks before work started.  

Keep us posted.  

Edited May 28, 20186 yr by 015point9

The main reason the dealer doesn't want to mess with it is because of the flooring problem. The only proper repair for it is to replace the entire floor and they don't have the expertise to tackle a job like that. They can replace the roof there, but if it needs to go back for the floor the factory personnel may as well fix everything.

I am not expecting to hear something tomorrow, but it would be nice....... Then I don't know how many months it will take them.

I think the idea of replacement is coming... (Crossing my fingers for you!)

5 hours ago, MnTom said:

The main reason the dealer doesn't want to mess with it is because of the flooring problem. The only proper repair for it is to replace the entire floor and they don't have the expertise to tackle a job like that. They can replace the roof there, but if it needs to go back for the floor the factory personnel may as well fix everything.

I am not expecting to hear something tomorrow, but it would be nice....... Then I don't know how many months it will take them.

 

I've heard some states have a "lemon law" that extends to all vehicles (RV's  included) over a certain amount and to orginal purchaser for a certain amount of time.  Not sure how to find out but maybe worth checking out if they start messing around.  If you financed it is there any "travel interption" insurance built in?  

I was rear ended at a light...reading insurance policy about rentals found out we also have travel interption insurance but with a ton of exceptions an d fine print.  

Well, since this is only the second time for the roof issue I doubt that any lemon law would be of assistance, but I can certainly check on it. I looked at my policy, but didn't see anything that would help in this situation. Might call my agent tomorrow just because.

Wife says we have travel interption thing on some credit cards also.  But I have never looked into them.  All new to me.  

 

I do now what a hassle being broke down somewhere.  My fass pump fell apart after 11 years in Yuma of all places.  Could find good mechanic and when I thought I could do something after finding this site. Then the RV park wouldn't let me drop tank or work while on their property.  Long story short after bad mechanic job and towing bill because of bad work...got about $3000 total worth of hosing and still had to repair again when we got home in Seattle because sump leaked.

 

Your with family  and repair bill should be covered I would think. So At least that's good news I would think.