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High prices and mediocre products, no thanks

There are many reasons in my opinion. #1: Overpriced low quality offerings with terrible construction soundness. I have a top brand 2024 unit and my slide is being rebuilt as I write this. #2: Overpriced and congested parks. Almost impossible to schedule highly desirable locations. At this point I personally just focus on easy to schedule KOA parks and expect a mediocre experience overall. RV'ing just isn't what it was. In terms of the market: I also think Airstream, while being amazing units are open to being undercut by someone who wants to build something better than all the trash offerings on the low end and the nose bleed pricing of Airstream. Something around 75K competing with a 27ft Flying Cloud @130K for example.

Just got off the phone with Dometic trying to diagnose an issue as the bowl won’t hold water after replacing the seal. They acknowledged a manufacturing issue but won’t do anything about it. The two parts with the issue cannot be replaced and said the entire toilet would need to be replaced, at my expense. Basically, it’s a throw away POS! I’m shocked by their arrogance!

RV industry quality is a nightmare. I saw a late model 5th wheel heading back to town and began wondering how long the owner's things to do list was. No thanks!

Good advice 👍 thank you, Sr.

Another fine presentation John. Many thanks.

We have been saving for six years and planning on retirement to buy a trailer for vacations, not full time life. I have been seeing all the info on socials about poor quality. I have been in and out of dealerships for the past several years and have found that salespeople don't know anything about the products except colors. I have a big trip planned for summer 2025. Maybe we'll rent rather than buy. THANKS FOR YOUR CHANNEL.

Its the trash factor, RV industry is putting out overpriced trash, with no accountability. It's not a perception, Its fact. There are far too many stories of subpar units and these manufacturers not standing by their products, Not to mention, the greed across the board has gotten out of hand and people are getting over it and choosing more wisely how they spend their money and who they are going to spend it with, I would rather pay for quality as long as it's far with a company that will stand behind their unit, and it seems that it is few and far between these days, Manufacturers better start realizing we can live without them, they cannot survive without the consumer.

I think the first step is putting in place the ability for a dealership to reject a unit because it isn't ready for sale. If it is crap out of the door from the factory, the factory need to get it back. That QA stamp has got to have some meaning.

Looks like the RV industry has a choice to make either go out of business or make a better quality RV

I looked at several NEW high end 2024 Class A and Class B units at "the largest RV dealership in the world". The units were in terrible condition. Dirty. Scuffed. Parts broken. Appliances funky. And the price was not that great. Don't see that anyone is hurting bad enough to prep their inventory or price them to sell.

Excellent summary report. Thanks. The high end market is kinda like when we bought our 2004 Airstream 30’ classic. In July 2003, we got 28% off MSRP, even as a customized order. Our Airstream’s quality was terrible then, and Thor did not stand behind the trailer’s warranty. Seems today is the same. We are so glad we got into the molded fiberglass trailer. At 5 years and more than 100,000 miles, our Canadian-made Escape Trailer has had only one warranty issue - a defective Dexter axle.

We are actively planning for full-time RV life. Our current travel trailer at 21' is too small for the long-term. I am frustrated and disillusioned by the poor quality that I am seeing and hearing from the experiences that other rv owners are having. I agree, a salary vs per piece work would improve quality if given the correct corporate culture. That culture only exists in several independent (privately owned) companies. That narrows down my list considerably. We will stick with our current travel trailer for the foreseeable future. Keep up the good work!

What are the top three brands you’d choose for a camper trailer? I have a wife 1 and 2 year old and need something that stays nice and cool in Texas summers. I’ll be subbing and liking because I’m a newb and just now doing research. Thanks in advance for any advice

Great report John !! I knew the newbies/ pandemic buyers would bail out . I see for sale signs in plenty in the storage yards. This economy has huge effects on the high end market! Thanks for the update and views! 😁👍

Thanks John. We are still on the side line. Just no hope in quality overall, terrible thing to say.

Good report. In 3 trips since before Memorial Day weekend, I've seen at least a dozen rv dealers throughout Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania with trailers stacked on their lots. Also passed the drv and cruiser rv manufacturer lot in Indiana, with piles of Unlettered units outside... so even if production numbers seem upward, I highly doubt if barely anything is being sold. This will crash and burn much worse than 2008 because they're making rv's as if everyone in the US should be buying a new one every other year like the auto industry does. My 2007 Arctic Fox Truck Camper is built like a tank and in good shape. Zero Lippert components as well on that year coach as it was built the year before the Happijac acquisition. Hopefully, new buyers get smart and refrain from buying anything newer than 2018... there's a lot of nice used units that pop up on the market.

I'm glad that the boating industry is not been built by rvers. Aren't you. We'd all be sinking

I always love your reports. You help me make sense of all the data out there. Thanks for all you do for your followers.

Great report ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Exactly, higher prices and poor quality! TY😊

I definite agree that quality craftsmanship in the build of all RVs is the very lease makers will have to do if they want my money anytime soon.

We have been holding off buying because we have heard so many horror stories (via social media) of poor quality construction and the impossible wait times for repairs. We have also heard of long wait lists for campgrounds and higher fees.

I just took a 3,200-mile trip and the campgrounds were in terrible shape. The bathrooms were extremely dirty, and the cost of a night stay was crazy. I spent a few nights staying at rest stops. All I can say is the RV world is in big trouble. Thanks, John, for your excellent analysis.

I won't upgrade until quality improves. As of right now I won't buy anything RV. I also convince friends and family don't buy. Industry don't care. Industry don't support their customers. Note. I own a 2022 build date bumper pull RV.

New RV, no way!Buying a new RV offers the advantage of modern features, warranties, and the peace of mind that comes with being the first owner. However, purchasing a used RV is often more economical. Used RVs typically have a lower upfront cost, and they avoid the steep depreciation that occurs in the first few years of ownership. Additionally, many used RVs come with upgrades from previous owners, and any initial manufacturing issues are likely already addressed. Buying used can also provide a clearer picture of the RV's reliability and performance based on existing user reviews and maintenance records. Excellent video, thanks.

I just added a second RV. We bought a left over 2023 B Van for 40% off MRSP. It will compliment our 43 ft Diesel Motorhome

I look forward to your VLOGs. They are always top notch.

Are the Outriggers available elsewhere since Forrestvile doesn't sell them anymore

I am trying to apply this principle of stringing a pleated paper blind to my house bedroom window, which currently is fitted with a cordless stick-on blackout pleated paper blind. I have a collection of tension springs and suitable cord is widely available. I will need to compress my blind fully, then drill a stringing hole through the pleats on each side. The only part of the video that I don't completely understand is the crisscrossing bit. What is the purpose of crisscrossing the strings? I've downloaded the relevant PDF from your website to see if it's any clearer.

John, like your video's! I cannot find these small bins with the yellow lids anywhere. Can you tell me where you purchased? Thank you.

I followed the video. Did the adding bleach step, then went inside and turned on water pump. Buy water is not flowing from Hot water faucet after several minutes having the pump on. I get a faint spitting but no flow. Do you have any suggestions?

First my clogged water pump, then my stinky toilet, now my furnace. You sir, have saved me a ton of frustration and money. Thank you!

Great Job John ! Got up one morning and needed to take the chill out of the air in Our Bullet Crossfire. Worked Fine The Frist day, Next Day Got up and Furace would not stay on and No Clicking and Shut off ! So Thanks for the Video, Assume Sail Switch Because of No Clicking Sound, Just Blowing Cold Air for 15 seconds. Well Done !

Very interesting and informative video! Great job i appreciate the hard work and dedication put into this mini-documentary👌

Thanks, you just help me switch my unit from Celsius to Fahrenheit. Somehow, it must have gotten bumped this morning and switched over to Celsius. After messing around with it, checking my install manual, I could not figure out how to change it back to Fahrenheit. What would we do without RUclips and guys like you making all these helpful videos? 😆

The cellphone tip is good, but radios with a headset is a much better option as you won't always have cell service when you're camping. A lot of the provincial parks we are going to don't have service so we bought radios that have headsets.

Thankyou so much!!

Do they have an atv track?

We had a bike rack on the back of our trailer snap on us years ago - we didn't lose the bikes, but the outermost bike got dragged for a bit before someone flagged us down. The handlebar and pedal were ground down a few few inches and had been throwing sparks.

Hi John, thank you for your videos. We use them all the time. My husband grew up in Holland MI so we are very familiar with this state park. I have a question of another nature. We too have Hood River rpod 2018 -179 like yours. We have a Dometic fridge but cannot anywhere find the model number. The plastic shelf holders on the refrigerator door have broken, and we cannot for the life of us find any replacement shelves. Do you know the model number of that Dometic refrigerator in the 2018 rpod? Perhaps it is just like yours. If we had that we might be able to replace them. Keep the videos coming!

I'd been backing my boat and utility trailer for years with a lot of stretching of my neck. When I bought my first travel trailer my truck driver brother-in-law gave me a tip that absolutely changed my backing trepidation and added precision to my backing of my trailer. I'm sure this is basic to all the truck drivers on here. My brother-in-law told me to simply place my hand at the bottom of the steering wheel and to push the wheel toward the direction I want the back end of the trailer to move. It was brilliant, to me anyway. I can back into any spot or back straight as far as I need. I'm not disparaging this video by any means as the other aspects are important, but I found your description of the reaction of the truck, the front of the trailer and the back of the trailer to steering inputs somewhat confusing. Turning the bottom of the steering wheel in the direction I want the back of the trailer to move is much more intuitive.

Wish I could shop but the quality since 2020 is not worth it.

Do you need to be connected to electric to de winterize

Amazing video! I bought my first RV and it was winterized . This helped alot!

Reviews like this has totally changed the way i view Rpod ... no longer interested in owning one as i don't want to spend as much time fixing it as camping in it.... with all the costs associated with owning it it should have cost several thousand less.

Very happy with my 202

do i need to remove the plastic drain plug on the water heater to drain?

Thank you John! Great tips and I’m confident I can manage a public dump station now. 😎

Nice and complete coverage of the area. Ironically, we are the camp hosts at the beach campground this June. I (Jim) believe I saw you filming part of this video. 😂