Our 21' Escape Trailer purchase issues

[NuthatchBC]

I am soooooooo glad we purchased our 19 back in 2012 when customer service at ETI actually meant something. We were given a very thorough orientation and when we did have issues after purchase, they were dealt with promptly and in a friendly manner. Luckily, we have not had any major issues since the "new business model" has come into effect. I fear that, if we do, we won't get the same level of attention we received previously. It appears to me that ETI has gone the way of most businesses since the take-over. The current ownership must view good customer service as a liability rather than as asset. I don't think Reace or Tammy feel that way but they no longer have control of the company. They're employees, just like everyone else and they are expected to follow the company line. Granted, going the extra mile does/can cost money but it can also generate money in the long run as was the case prior to the take-over. If Customer service isn't a priority, ETI will lose sales and that would be very unfortunate.

Doug

[Gimli]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

So Escape installed a 3rd party 30 amp rv plug that became defective? This is the trailer's manufacturers fault or the manufacturer of the rv plug or the owner's fault? I'm confused, There must be 2 dozen packets that come with your trailer for each 3 rd party item Escape installs in your unit. Who is at fault if one of those items is defective? Was it installed incorrect?

It was NOT installed correctly, according to the supervisor. The wiring was not stripped far enough back to make for a secure connection...hence the arcing. The electrician cited "poor workmanship" and commented that the receptacle kept trying to make a connection, and " finally gave up".
He did feel the receptacle itself was of inferior quality for the load it was carrying, but that may have been just his opinion.
He did not say anything was defective. The critical issue was my trailer wasn't safely wired together at this location, at least according to the electricial supervisor.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by davidmurphy02

If you look through the forum for any brand of trailer you will find people frequently posting about the problems they have had. Many of those problems occur very rarely but when you read through a list of them it can sound daunting. You would be hard pressed to find anyone who's ever bought an RV of any type and didn't have at least a few little glitches that needed correcting, that's just the nature of RV'ing and anyone expecting perfection they will be disappointed.

I think this is the best take away from this whole thread. It's all relative and needs to be kept in perspective. I'm not diminishing the fact that problems owners have are a hassle. I just did some troubleshooting for my neighbor on why the 25' slide on his huge motor home will not retract. He spent the night stuck, was hassled by cops and had to eventually get underneath and bring it in manually with a ratchet. This was a major inconvenience for an aging gentleman. Should he sell it and tell everyone to stop buying Winnebago's? Of course not. We are ordering a $400 control board and he is back in business. Everyone needs to make their own buying decisions but my fear is we are polarizing and generalizing the subject of Escape quality with way too small of a sample size.

[Brian B-P]

I think that a QC "Czar", as described above, is a bad idea. If you assign all responsibility and authority for quality to one person in an entire company, they will not be able to do the job effectively, they will be hated by other staff for trying to do it (just like the typically despised "safety officer"), and when they have a bad day so will your product.

An effective quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) process covers the entire operation from design to delivery, defines standards and procedures for every role, authorizes every person to take action, and holds each person responsible for taking action. Yes, a QA/QC specialist or group should be included as an expert resource, but it is not solely their job to "do QC".

I do not know what ETI's current QA/QC approach is, but I suspect that it probably shifting from Reace-as-Czar to a proper program. In a very small operation the "Czar" approach could have worked, but with the current scale of production, this sort of change would be required for any chance of success.

[marant]

New owner of an old (2010 17B) Escape. At the time of purchase I was aware there was an old frame recall that had not been done. I contacted Escape (Dave) who immediately shipped me the necessary parts, and will pay for them to be welded in place.

This on a 9 year old trailer, to the 3rd or 4th owner. I do not know if the recall was mandated or not, but to me this speaks to good customer service.

They have also been quick and helpful with information helping me to replace the screen door screen and awning. There was no profit potential for ETI, and we do not feel abandoned at all.

This is our second trailer (2004 32' Alfa), and we agree that owning a trailer will often result in items that need to be fixed. Btw, Alfa went bankrupt shortly after our purchase, that really kicks warranty in the head!

[davidmurphy02]

Originally Posted by NuthatchBC

I am soooooooo glad we purchased our 19 back in 2012 when customer service at ETI actually meant something. We were given a very thorough orientation and when we did have issues after purchase, they were dealt with promptly and in a friendly manner. Luckily, we have not had any major issues since the "new business model" has come into effect. I fear that, if we do, we won't get the same level of attention we received previously. It appears to me that ETI has gone the way of most businesses since the take-over. The current ownership must view good customer service as a liability rather than as asset. I don't think Reace or Tammy feel that way but they no longer have control of the company. They're employees, just like everyone else and they are expected to follow the company line. Granted, going the extra mile does/can cost money but it can also generate money in the long run as was the case prior to the take-over. If Customer service isn't a priority, ETI will lose sales and that would be very unfortunate.

Doug

I wouldn't be too quick to assume that customer service has fallen off a cliff from one or two bad experiences. We picked up our 5.0TA in April and, from our first call to ETI last summer through the entire process up to orientation and delivery, every single ETI employee we dealt with was a joy to work with. I felt that we had a good, thorough orientation and they addressed specific questions that I had as well. When we had a couple of minor issues during the first week on our way home to Texas, I emailed ETI's service department and both times got very quick and helpful responses. They shipped one part to me and it was waiting for me when we got home. I had them hold off on the second item until I had a chance to work a bit with it and I was able to resolve it with no part needed, but they were willing and ready to ship me a part and pay for a local service shop to install it if I didn't want to do it myself.

Everyone's experience is different, and certainly ETI's QC and service are not always perfect, but neither are they always terrible. Dave Warren, the parts and service manager, has been there for years and his willingness and ability to go the extra mile to resolve problems have been commented on numerous times. He is still there, and is the one who personally handled both of my issues.

[CADreamin]

Yes, Dave was the one who made sure our window was packed and out the door in record time. He is thoughtful, attentive and amazing.

BTW, a "Czar" with relation to QC doesn't have to be an overlord. Merely someone who advises and coordinates policy in a particular area, namely Quality Control. Having someone who is familiar with all aspects of the trailer build and who could come up with a cohesive plan for how things should be planned out and inspected would be beneficial to both ETI and the customer. I remember when my husband called ETI to get a schematic drawing of the electrical system in our 19' and was told there wasn't one. Now, if they just didn't want to go through the trouble of making copies, that's one thing, but if they really didn't have a schematic and were wiring by the seat of their pants, that's something else altogether.

[Oldtimer]

I fully understand Steve’s frustrations but why does he have to keep on leaving this forum chat. He has had some good input.

[Farther]

When/if I get my Escape 21 I fully expect any issue to be resolved in less time it took to read this thread. Whew!! much better at breaking than fixing although some things I became adept at fixing because I broke them so often. Beware of making permanent decisions based on transitory anecdotal information.

[Fox hunt]

Wow what a discussion. I wasn't going to post but now i feel the need. Not wanting to discount the bad experiences of some of the members- I'm sorry that those happened. I've owned two Escape trailers one i bought used a 17 and in 2017 a new 5.0 . All my experiences with Escape have been positive. They made some up grades on my 17 and did the warranty fixes for free even though it was second hand also i needed a new control board installed in my refrigerator (but being a used trailer -very well care for- but a couple years old and taken on many adventures I was not surprised to do a few small repairs) .
My 5.0 has had only one issue with a window Escape repaired quickly no cost to me. um that's it -oh yea the propane alarm is an irritation (but i think they moved it the next year so new owners have not had the same issue). I have had many frustrations in learning how everything works. Its hard to understand how RVs work if you have no experience. I have been very grateful for all the help from people on this forum. I am very happy i ended up buying an Escape. I did think their customer service was exceptional. I enjoyed the ordering, picking up, even paying for the trailer. My orientation was really fun.... i can see why some keep buying Escape trailers....i guess i am a cheerleader- I am an unapologetic fan of this brand. But i do like hearing the good and the bad in these comments i learn a lot from others and can watch out for potential issues please don't take my positive comments as a lack of concern over your issues and complaints no one is discounting your experience just giving some balance to this.

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by Oldtimer

I fully understand Steve’s frustrations but why does he have to keep on leaving this forum chat. He has had some good input.

He'll be back. Just had to pee.

[CADreamin]

But i do like hearing the good and the bad in these comments i learn a lot from others and can watch out for potential issues

You're so right Fox Hunt!!! It's very reassuring when something happens with your trailer (or tow) and you can get instant confirmation from the forum (or ETI) that it's either a problem or nothing to worry about. I remember towing our first trailer back home and we were heading up towards the Siskiyou pass when our old truck kept making strange noises (we had never towed anything previously). I quickly got on the forum, explained what was happening and immediately had several (or more) responses explaining what we were hearing, that it was normal and not to worry. I can't tell you what a relief that was.

[MyronL]

"...he'll be back... etc."

A-a-a-h-h.

[gwvwadc]

Ok, so I've been reading all the comments on this thread and just have to post my thoughts. I never thought I would see a post on this forum that resulted in so much bashing, complaining, whining, name calling and other rude behavior. Please don't tell me that this forum is going to become another negative "Nelly" site like so many others on the web. We've had a couple of issues with our 2018 Escape 21' (some owner mistakes), but nothing that could not be handled with a phone call to Escape and patience from them. Having owned several different new trailers over the years, I can honestly say that our Escape and customer service has far exceeded anything we've had before. (OK, rant over)

[dfandrews]

Originally Posted by CADreamin

.... I remember when my husband called ETI to get a schematic drawing of the electrical system in our 19' and was told there wasn't one. Now, if they just didn't want to go through the trouble of making copies, that's one thing, but if they really didn't have a schematic and were wiring by the seat of their pants, that's something else altogether.

Here may be the answer to that morsel: One of our build photos illustrates the answer (I also observed this when we got the lunch time tour of the factory in Nov. 2014).

Looking on the white wall in the background, you can see part of one of the wiring schematics: colored felt pen lines, with nails at the bends, for making up the wiring looms for each trailer, with notes indicating differences to accommodate the options. Hard to photocopy!!

P.S.
At least at that time, their methods suited the production level. I had electrical questions, and the ETI lady with us, found the electrician, who, having finished his lunch, came and talked with me and answered my questions. He was very competent. Our trailer was constructed in August/Sept. of 2015, and we are happy w/it; we have had zero issues.

[skiman]

Originally Posted by gwvwadc

Ok, so I've been reading all the comments on this thread and just have to post my thoughts. I never thought I would see a post on this forum that resulted in so much bashing, complaining, whining, name calling and other rude behavior. Please don't tell me that this forum is going to become another negative "Nelly" site like so many others on the web.

Agree 100%. When contemplating posting, I ask, "Will this help or hurt?"

[Greg and Kathy]

After reading and re-reading the original post, maybe e all need to step back and reevaluate things
As far as trailer goes he had the following items,
1 leak in the plumbing, fixed by ETI
2. Fridge and Furnace not working. No propane
3. Fridge blowing fuse. Probably the fan causing it while driving
4. Switch broke

That is not a lot of items. Everyone is making it sound like a lemon but other types of trailer owners would be very happy with a small list like this.

[MikeS]

I'm not an Escape cheerleader and have many things I think they could improve on. I think there have been threads in the past where cheerleaders have sorta shouted down frustrated owners who were viewed as complainers. Personally, I find that honest negative feedback/experiences help the entire community and should help ETI build a better product assuming they are listening but can obviously be taken way too far. I think there are quite a few members on this board that have a personal connection to ETI and/or are exceptionally happy with their trailer so its hard to fault them for coming to the defense of the company or the product the love.

I had concerns about the QC on the Escapes prior to purchase and did quite a bit of shopping around due to this and for various other reasons. In fact at one point I was sure we would be getting an Airstream. So sure I brought the checkbook with us to a dealer in Chicago because I was certain we would be putting a deposit down. What I found is that QC and craftsmanship is sorely lacking in the world of RVs and even on Airstreams more than double the cost of a new 5.0 TA.

To be in the top half of manufacturers in those categories is a low bar, but in my view ETI is certainly in the top half. They are not perfect, and they really can't be expected to be for a manually built product. They could have better QC (who couldn't really) and make improvements in handling customers and their concerns. Again, who couldn't though?

All of that said, we purchased our late 2018 5.0 TA and had it delivered so did not receive an orientation. I have found minor annoyances that could have been done better, and its annoying that the awning windows tend to open if you don't lock them in (not ETI issue) but overall I've had very minor issues with our Escape (knock on wood) and we love our RV and have no regrets. While not perfect, ETI is certainly better than many (majority/most?) in the RV industry.

To the OP: I agree that the battery switch is a cheap POS and ETI should upgrade to a better one. Of course that comes with increased cost or compressed margins so that can be a slippery slope to go down. I don't understand how a leak would not show in a test and it certainly should have been tested. Maybe it came loose on travel. Either way that one would have annoyed me also. Glad it was fixed for you. It sounds like your refridgerator did function initially so it's hard to blame ETI on that as if they tested it the issue may not have shown up during testing. Testing is all they can do as Dometic has to resolve any issues with it. Doesn't really make you feel better and is a bummer on a new trailer.

That said, I think you need to take ownership of your mistakes and oversights. You are spending nearly $50k and thought employees should treat you well based on that but didn't take the time to read the bill of sale you were provided until you were ready to register the trailer? You received a call from ETI sales about a possible issue and forgot to call them back? You were planning on immediately traveling/boondocking and didn't verify you had a plan for propane? I don't think it would be odd for anyone at ETI to assume you had a plan to fill your propane somewhere and not ask.

Being new to RVs can be absolutely overwhelming and I'm really sorry that you had such a rough start, that truly sucks. My advice is to take a deep breath and take any outstanding issues one at a time and work through them. If you are willing there is a good chance you will ultimately be happy with your new trailer. Don't focus on the fact that you shouldn't be dealing with problems. You may have had some of these issues with any brand of RV and its not worth the aggravation to obsess over it.

If the next steps are not obvious, ask the forum for help. Really, I can't stress this enough. There is truly a wealth of knowledge on this forum with many, many owners going way over and above to help others and share their experiences. Unfortunately now I sound like a cheerleader.

Perry & Jim, sorry if my formatting is not acceptable...I don't have much practice writing these long rambling posts and tried to have paragraphs.

[salmo7000]

I'm not weighing in or judging anyone else's posts, I just wanted to share my own experience. We picked up our 19 in September 2018, which I'm assuming was in the middle of negotiations and/or transitioning with the new partner. There were at least 2 other parties picking up their trailers that day, and we were told that was pretty typical with their expanded production. While we were not approached by Reace or any other manager, I felt we were treated very well and given a thorough introduction. My husband and I were both totally new to RV'ing, but everyone who worked with us was very helpful and patient and answered all our questions. I found the orientation to be extremely helpful, and we took copious notes. After we had completed orientation, had our hitch installed, and all paperwork finalized, our trailer was delivered to Sumas. The delivery person watched us as we hitched it to our truck and again was very helpful. Since then, we've had close to 0 problems with it, in nearly a dozen trips, all of which have involved rough, dirt roads and boondocking off the beaten path. We've had 2 minor issues, the screws came out of one of the cabinet doors, which my husband was able to fix in about 10 seconds. Then our water heater didn't want to stay lit this spring for unknown reason, but I kept trying to ignite it, and eventually it stayed lit. When finally lit for an extended period, I heard a lot of crackling and popping and assumed some bugs had made their way into the propane line during winter storage and partially clogged it. It works perfectly now. But if it hadn't resolved, I would have called Escape and/or posted here immediately.

Everything else has been seamless and very easy to learn.

My point is, while I can't speak to post-delivery customer service, our pickup experience was excellent, and the trailer has been near perfect except for the 2 issues I mentioned. We have enjoyed the trailer so much, it has truly become our zen place, and we are the envy of a number of friends who camp with us in their "sticky". I can't say for certain, but it seems our experience is more typical. Hoping everyone who is buying an Escape has things go as smoothly, particularly if you're newbies like us, and that you don't assume the negative experiences others are reporting here are the norm. Let me be clear, I'm not an Escape cheerleader, just a satisfied customer. This is not to take away from anyone who has had trouble. But we have been nothing but impressed and happy with ours, and I felt maybe that was worth sharing. If we ever decide we need a bigger trailer, we will be buying a 5.0 TA.

[cpaharley2008]

Originally Posted by Greg and Kathy

After reading and re-reading the original post, maybe e all need to step back and reevaluate things
As far as trailer goes he had the following items,
1 leak in the plumbing, fixed by ETI
2. Fridge and Furnace not working. No propane
3. Fridge blowing fuse. Probably the fan causing it while driving
4. Switch broke

That is not a lot of items. Everyone is making it sound like a lemon but other types of trailer owners would be very happy with a small list like this.

Great summation....