New Minnie Drop: Questions and Issues with Bowed Doors

[kippie07]

I have recently purchased a 2018 Winnie Drop WD170S. My question is for anyone who understands better than I about how dealers and warranty service operates.

After the sales contract was signed but prior to delivery, I noticed that both of the exterior, front cargo doors were not latched flush with the trailer walls. The center latches on the doors were fastened and locked, but the doors had bowed so that the corners were sticking out and not compressing against the rubber door seals properly. Other 2018 Drops have different double latch cargo doors which secure the corners well and also prevent the bowing of the door caused by having just one center latch. The dealer stated that Winnebago changed the style of the latch mid-year from the better (imo) double latch to the newer style single center latch on the cargo doors. (This statement didn’t sound right to me as I figured it was more likely that Winnebago determined mid-year that the single center latch was causing issues with the doors bowing out on the corners and for that reason they changed the latch design mid-year.)

Looking back, I should not have accepted delivery of the tt until the issue was resolved properly. Now the dealer is saying that they “might” be able to screw some metal to to the bottom of the doors to remove some of the bow from the door panels, which seems to be a temporary patch job rather than a repair. I expected the RV dealership to be similar to an auto dealer who typically makes the warranty repair necessary and is reimbursed by the manufacturer. Could someone please shed some light on why the RV dealer is reluctant to make appropriate warranty repairs, in this case for example, order new doors to replace the defective doors?

[larrys]

I have the same single latch doors on my 2018. I noticed the 2019 of the same model has the double latch.
Mine were also bowed out at the corners but I just carefully put a reverse bow in both doors so they they close tight on the corners. They bend very easily so I am very careful with them.
The lip around the opening is also very fragile so be careful putting things in and out that you don’t bend that edge.

[Greg Morrow]

We just bought a Drop1780. About half of the Drops at the dealer had the doors you are talking about. They told us they would order replacement doors before we took delivery, then install them when they came in. Every trailer at this dealer with that single latch system had bowed or broken doors. They said they already had replaced some, so I don't think it would be warranty problem.

[Casademike]

I had bowed doors in my 1710. My dealer replaced them under warranty. However, one of the replacement doors was sticking on the frame (one would think they’d actually check the door before installing the door but nope). So now I’m going back in to have the door replaced again under warranty.

I called Winnebago about the lack of quality and inconvenience of replacing the doors twice. They had the audacity to tell me the doors are not a part they manufacture so they’re not responsible for it other than doing the warranty. I was furious they had this attitude. But I’ll give them credit. The dealer is replacing the doors for a second time under warranty. No charge to me.

[kippie07]

Did the replacement door also have the single center latch? If it’s the same center latch system, I would expect that the new doors would also develop the same bow at the corners and the warranty may be expired at that time.

[Casademike]

They were the exact same. The only difference I noted is that the older bowed doors had a seam in the middle of the frame surrounding the door (on the latch side edge). It was separated due to bowing. The new doors did not have any such seam. So I’m hooping that they might be slightly stronger. Just a guess though.