Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 10-23-2012, 10:38 AM   #21
Winnebago Owner
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 141
Doesn't it all boil down to management and the bottom line? John K. Hansen the owner and founder would walk up to a Winnie owner and ask what you thought of his product and get someone to fix it if it wasn't right. The present captains don't walk their ship, they are in their offices counting beans and the product suffers.

If you estimate that 3/4 of an inch works why would you use an whole inch even if it is breaking.

How many owners have had problems with their steps because the mounts are under built?

Don
Grimesy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-23-2012, 10:47 AM   #22
Winnebago Camper
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 12
As someone suggested, other brands have their fair share of reoccurring problems, As an owner of a 2005 Allegro Bus that we bought new and sold last Jan, I can attest that Tiffin has had it's fair share of issues during the past 5-7 (and older) years. I really think the entire rv industry has a lack of quality control/quality assurance systems and I have 25 years as a Quality Control manager in the aerospace community as a background in making this observation! Their lack of quality attention reminds me of the US automotive industry prior to the Japanese cars arriving in the US. I know, I know--the first Japanese cars were junk, however, they LEARNED from some of the best quality minds in the US and implemented the quality systems that became the models for the ones our folks in Detroit use today!
RSchleder is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-23-2012, 10:55 AM   #23
Winnebago Owner
 
Lindsay Richards's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Tavares, FL
Posts: 82
The whole industry has gone through a huge contraction and surviving companies have had to really emphasis the bottom line. Winny has also downsized their product line and started putting a real emphasis on fuel economy. When we toured the plant since the recession they were making just smaller RV's that day. We also tour the Newmar plant and they indicated they has dropped from from about 100 per week to 20 per week. Lots of RV dealers have gone under too. This looking toward the bottom line has affected most business right down to the Mom and Pops.
Lindsay Richards is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-23-2012, 01:49 PM   #24
Winnebago Camper
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 47
I would like to ask those who make excuses for companies like Winnebago: If Winnebago made airplanes, would you fly in one? In my mind there is NO excuse for constantly making a poor product. If you have a problem, fix it. Don't keep putting it out there for your customers to deal with. I explained in a previous post why I bought this last Winnebago and I can most certainly assure BFlinn that I will never buy another one and I will make that recommendation to anyone who asks.
TerryJ is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-23-2012, 03:17 PM   #25
Winnie-Wise
 
BFlinn181's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Cincinnati
Posts: 486
No, I'd not fly in a Winnebago plane. When I was in college I spent a few summers and breaks working for a catering company in Elkhart, IN. I visited hundreds of suppliers and manufacturers of RVs and mobil homes. Since I was charged with developing new routes, I called on hundreds more additional companies in the Elkhart, Goshen, Nappanee areas. I saw workers changing companies like I change socks. They had no loyalty to the company or product, and the company had no loyalty in return. At the time Elkhart had more millionaires per thousand population in the nation, almost all from the RV industry. Anybody with the money to buy parts and a garage was building and selling RVs. Sadly things haven't changed much in all these years. Many units seem thrown together, putting the needed features where ever they'll fit, little thought to servicing later. Suspect or No quality control, little motivation to encourage attention to detail or taking responsibility for the product going out the door. If a company truly tried to design and build the best RV possible, it would take a long time for the reputation to develop to support the increased cost, so it hasn't happened yet, to my knowledge. I'd never buy new, doesn't seem to be an upside. You take the bite of the enormous depreciation off the lot and still have all the headaches of fighting for repairs and correction of things that should have been caught at the factory or the dealership.

I also have noted the recurring complaints about Winnebago and their rusting windshield frames, the fiberglassed brackets coming loose, and more. I've read of other manufacturers putting out units needing additional cross bracing having to be installed to give structural integrity, RV's built to almost weight capacity before people, water, and groceries have been added, and other issues. Why these companies keep building with the same issues is a puzzle to me, except I guess they haven't suffered enough punishment in the pocketbook to clean up their act.
I knew of many of these issues before buying my RV, researched as much as possible, took a big breath and purchased one. Luckily it was 'free money' left by my departed sister. When that money is gone, I'll probably get out of the RV lifestyle since I find it as expensive as boating, my other great interest since I was a kid.
__________________

Bob & Donna
'98 Gulf Stream Sun Voyager DP being pushed by a '00 Beetle TDI
BFlinn181 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-23-2012, 04:18 PM   #26
Winnebago Camper
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 47
BFlinn, I have to admit that I couldn't have summed it up any better than you did in your last post. If there is anyone in upper management at Winnebago and the other companys with a lick of common sense they would follow these forums religiously. Just imagine what they might learn from all of their customers!!
TerryJ is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-24-2012, 04:46 AM   #27
Winnebago Camper
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Fort walton Beach Fl
Posts: 37
Bflinn, put your post on the Tiffin network, and the kool aid drinkers will go crazy. Talk about issues, Tiffin has them big time, and they are serious. They have over 150 units at the repair facility with long waits for service now. I only had 97 issues on a new 11 Phaeton in 11 !/2 months. They make a very nice unit with lots of problems.
__________________
Larry
2016 Entegra Cornerstone
Lault is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-24-2012, 05:04 AM   #28
Winnebago Owner
 
bluepill's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Pensacola, FL
Posts: 139
Interesting story on quality control & failure prediction:

Why Things Fail: From Tires to Helicopter Blades, Everything Breaks Eventually | Wired Design | Wired.com
__________________
2008 Itasca Meridian 37H & 2015 Flagstaff T12RBST
2011 & 2012 Len & Pat's "One lap of America"
27K miles & 41 states in 13 months - Woo Woo
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]Yellowstone Lake 6-1-2012
bluepill is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-24-2012, 06:05 AM   #29
Winnebago Owner
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: chokoloskee, fl 34138
Posts: 126
interesting bluepill but not relative to the rv industery. they just flat don't give a damn as long as they keep selling
__________________
2016 Dynamax DX3
USCG Ret BMCM
ron55 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-24-2012, 06:16 AM   #30
Winnebago Camper
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 15
Quote:
Originally Posted by TerryJ
This is an offshoot of the "bracket falling off" thread that I started in April. I did not expect the many responses to that thread so I started to to look through this forum a little closer. It seems to me that there are quite a few problems on here that have been common for quite a few years back and it seems that there have been no effective fixes from the manufacturer. It also seems to me that we need to speak as one to the company and maybe they'll do something instead of ignore us. What say you all? I am not a crusader, but in numbers there is strength. The 2011 Vista 35F I have is my 4th Winnebago and my 6th motorhome and it is also the worst. It is high time to be heard.
Terry, I acquired a 2012 Itasca Ellipse in May of this year. This is my third DP AND ALTHOUGH WE LOVE THE FLOOR-PLAN and many, many features on the coach, this one has been BY FAR the most problematic. Interesting show coming up on CNBC this Friday which involves a tour of the WINNEBAGO Mfg. plant in Forrest City, Iowa. Our coach has had to spend way, way to much time in the various repair shops it is ridiculous.

Winnebago needs better quality control over the products it lets go out of the mfg plant and WINNEBAGO could learn a thing or two about CUSTOMER SERVICE from BobTiffin of Tiffin Industries. I really like a lot about our Ellipse but I REGRET NOT BUYING TIFFIN AGAIN!

I bought the coach from La Mesa RV IN Mesa, Az and they have been good at trying to address the multitude of problems but it has been a pain in rear end dealing with all of the things that should have been caught during the mfg process.

WINNEBAGO'S QUALITY CONTROL TO ME IS EXCEPTIONALLY POOR IN MY EXPERIENCE.

I plan on writing Winnebago about the long list of BS I have had to put up with on the Winnebago product.

Funny we want American jobs to stay in this country.....my take is we need to take a little more pride in what we still produce!
I don't see that happening at Winnebago. A typical publicly traded company I guess. American made used to mean something special but not any more!
Largeandy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-24-2012, 06:29 AM   #31
Winnebago Camper
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 15
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lault
Bflinn, put your post on the Tiffin network, and the kool aid drinkers will go crazy. Talk about issues, Tiffin has them big time, and they are serious. They have over 150 units at the repair facility with long waits for service now. I only had 97 issues on a new 11 Phaeton in 11 !/2 months. They make a very nice unit with lots of problems.
I agree that Tiffin has its problems too, I also owned a Phaeton but the biggest difference in Tiffin and Winnebago is that Tiffin will take your calls, they will call you back and they TRULLY seek solutions to the problems. Anytime I call Winnebago al I do is get put on hold. TIFFIN service is Far, FAR SUPERIOR in my personal experience I owning both brands!
Largeandy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-25-2012, 10:28 AM   #32
Winnebago Camper
 
Gary - K7GLD's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 43
WELL, I gotta tell ya, all these later model RV horror stories give ME a warm and fuzzy feeling for the OLDER '88 Winnie Super Chief WE have sitting out in our driveway!

While it IS nearly 25 years old, we paid so little for it, and the build quality and overall quality of decor and furnishings from that era is clearly evident (some here MIGHT call it "old fashioned, but that's a personal judgement!) - and EVERYTHING is fully functional and works as it should and was advertised.

We paid little enough for it when purchased, and normal wear-and-tear items like tires and batteries have been minimal enough that the extended periods it spends simply parked, cause us no regrets or related concerns as to somehow "needing" to regularly use it as to somehow justify the purchase expense, payments, and all the related motivations for buying it in the first place - $10,000 for original price and ALL the upgrades and replacements over the several years we have owned it, is FAR easier to swallow, than the $100,000 or so a newer one could have easily cost us!

Added to that, is the fact that if we choose to sell it, we could probably recover all but about $2500 of the accumulated costs of owning it - compared to probably $50,000 for a later model of the same general class RV - but then, we're poor folks, so are forced by income level to make do with less expensive and less maintenance expensive stuff for our chosen mode of RVing and entertainment...

NOW, if it was onle a little better than 8.5 MPG for fuel, we could REALLY crow a bit...

Different strokes for different folks - and fortunately for us, the "Joneses'" next door are as poor as we are - so are pretty easy to keep up with...
__________________
John Day....|'88 Winnebago Super Chief 27ft. Class A
Eastern .....|'88 KIT model 240 24 ft. 5er
Oregon ......|'02 Dodge/Cummins 2500 Quad Cab
Gary - K7GLD is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-25-2012, 02:32 PM   #33
Rkh
Registered User
 
Rkh's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 67
Our Betty is over 14 years old and running strong...I'm sure I just jinxed myself for saying so. Unsettling to hear of all the repeat issues of the newer ones...Means I gotta keep Betty on her regularly scheduled meds!
Rkh is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-25-2012, 03:01 PM   #34
Winnie-Wise
 
rream's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 346
Some posters on here must live on a different planet than I do.

1. Winnebago customer relations in Forest City answered first time on the 5-6 times I have called them in the last 3 years.
2. My new motor home has no major issues - that is after 7500 miles and 11 months in which i camped in it 144 nights.

Why would I keep buying Winnebago if there were the alleged problems that some posters allege.
__________________
2012 Winnebago Journey 36M Cummins 360
2014 Jeep Cherokee Limited, Air Force One
277 Campgrounds, 1350 nights camping since 2009 and 61 K Winnebago miles
rream is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-25-2012, 03:12 PM   #35
Site Team
 
macnut's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: CA
Posts: 1,517
Quote:
Originally Posted by rream
Some posters on here must live on a different planet than I do.

1. Winnebago customer relations in Forest City answered first time on the 5-6 times I have called them in the last 3 years.
2. My new motor home has no major issues - that is after 7500 miles and 11 months in which i camped in it 144 nights.

Why would I keep buying Winnebago if there were the alleged problems that some posters allege.
rream, me must live on the same planet, as this has also been my experience, and have been impressed with Winnebago quality and customer service.
Al
__________________
2023 Newmar Bay Star 3014, towing 2014 Honda CRV
2017 Winnebago Adventurer 35P
2013 Itasca Sunstar 26HE
macnut is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-25-2012, 04:21 PM   #36
Winnebago Owner
 
navychaps's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Bartlett, TN
Posts: 54
__________________
2003 Winne Adventurer, Ford F53 V-10. Toad:1992 S-10, Road Master Falcon 2 Tow bar, Blue Ox Patriot brake system and Protect-a-Tow. Right is right even if no one is doing it; Wrong is wrong even if everyone is doing it--St Augustine of Hippo. Navy AD.
navychaps is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-25-2012, 06:06 PM   #37
Winnebago Master
 
RickO's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Litchfield Park, Arizona
Posts: 656
Quote:
Originally Posted by rream View Post
Some posters on here must live on a different planet than I do.

1. Winnebago customer relations in Forest City answered first time on the 5-6 times I have called them in the last 3 years.
2. My new motor home has no major issues - that is after 7500 miles and 11 months in which i camped in it 144 nights.

Why would I keep buying Winnebago if there were the alleged problems that some posters allege.
I too am a happy Winnie owner but I don't think anyone is making this stuff up. There are just too many posts here about similar experiences year after year for there not to be something to it.

IMHO, there's also little doubt that RV manufacturers today utilize the end users of their products as their final quality control station. But I believe it's industry wide and that Winnie is probably no worse than most.

Rick
__________________
Rick, Nancy, Peanut & Lola our Westie Dogs & Bailey the Sheltie.

2007 Itasca Ellipse 40FD
RickO is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-25-2012, 06:31 PM   #38
Winnebago Camper
 
Colorado Kay's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Colorado USA
Posts: 14
I bought my from a private owner, I cannot say it's a manufacturing problem for the list of little issues we found on our first trip. I believe it is more likely to be a previous owner not worrying much about the small stuff. That said, if I were buying a brand new one, I would be doing a bit more serious looking and reviewing ALL manufactures before I dropped a few hundred thousand bucks down.

The other thing I'd like to mention is the fact when a person is angry and upset and they make a phone call during those moments, the person on the other end of the phone can not only hear it in your voice, but often see you through the tone of your voice. I think it was my great grandma who first told me that "being nice will permit me to catch more barn yard kitties than being mean and screaming for their attention" point being: when calling in for help, be nice... and smile you are likely to get more good and caring services.

My next RV will be one that will have some sort of issue because it's impossible to build any thing without having at least one flaw... it's why they have lists called "PUNCH LISTS".

Just my two cents folks....
__________________
The Schnauzer and his Chauffeur's
Colorado Kay is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-25-2012, 06:43 PM   #39
Winnebago Owner
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 131
Our first two Winnebago's were great units, very few problems but they were bought used.. The third unit we bought new, 46 items to be fixed or adjusted before it even left the dealers lot. These were mostly small problems. After using it for a few weeks we had 2 windows fog up, still in warranty Winne had no replacement window of the correct size. Winne answer to the problem was shim them up and use extra caulk to make them look like the fit ok. TV quit working under warranty, Winne no longer had the same TV or a replacement in the correct size. Oh I got blamed for it not working Winne saying I must have driven on some very rough roads. It never did get replaced under warranty. The famous bay door rust it had under warranty. Winne said I had driven in salt condition and would not repaint. RV had never see salt with me driving. Weeks later at the dealer for repairs Winne made the decision to repaint. Needless to say I would never buy another new Winne or will I suggest anyone else buy one. There may not be another brand out there that’s any better, but if I buy new again it’s worth a shot at another brand.
zippo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-28-2012, 11:05 AM   #40
Winnie-Wise
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 343
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jon Mopar View Post
p.s: is this seriously over drawer slides?? if that's the only problem, it's a pretty minor one...
Guess again:

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f101/pict...op-139918.html

This problem is over a 11-year model-run... -RT
RTegarini is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
winnebago


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
How Long on the Lot is too Long? traveler of california Winnebago General Discussions 13 07-23-2014 08:06 AM
How long is too long for a gasser? RayAndLin Electrical | Charging, Solar and Electronics 46 05-08-2014 09:30 PM
Long time dilemma Dish vs Direct TheToads Electrical | Charging, Solar and Electronics 20 01-03-2014 07:55 AM
How long is too long Higgins Winnebago General Discussions 39 08-17-2008 07:44 PM

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Winnebago Industries or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 08:49 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.