I am glad I own an Escape. I worked in Elkhart IN.

[UncleTim]

Here is what the dealers are saying about RV quality coming out of Elkhart Indiana.

https://www.rvtravel.com/pathetic-qu...oducing-1017b/

[Centex]

Thanks for posting, an interesting read.

There's some mighty rich irony in the closing paragraph (must read the article first) ...

...“Faced with many of the same kinds of supply chain and labor issues plaguing most industries over the past year, the RV industry has overcome these challenges and produced a record number of RVs month after month,” said Jeff Rutherford, President & CEO of Airxcel and RV Industry Association Chairman.

[Donna D.]

I read an article yesterday "How to Pick The Best RV." THESE are the brands the article said to stay away from:
Thor Hurricane
Gulf Stream
Forest River
Coachmen
Fleetwood
Holiday Rambler
Keystone
Winnebago
Coleman
Jayco
Itasca
Airstream
Champion
Dutchmen
Newmar
Tiffin

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

I read an article yesterday "How to Pick The Best RV." THESE are the brands the article said to stay away from:
Thor Hurricane
Gulf Stream
Forest River
Coachmen
Fleetwood
Holiday Rambler
Keystone
Winnebago
Coleman
Jayco
Itasca
Airstream
Champion
Dutchmen
Newmar
Tiffin

Hi: Donna D... Almost everyone on that list Thor owns!!! They now own Airxcel too!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[WillyB]

Interesting about current products but the travel trailer world has always be a bunch of cheap junk with a few good things in the mix.

Hopefully Escape Trailer doesn't decide to keep pace with their manufacturing counterparts and over produce exceeding their limit of acceptable quality just to pump out more units.

My GCD is Oct 2023. Maybe things will improve a bit by then.

[WillyB]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

I read an article yesterday "How to Pick The Best RV." THESE are the brands the article said to stay away from:
Thor Hurricane
Gulf Stream
Forest River
Coachmen
Fleetwood
Holiday Rambler
Keystone
Winnebago
Coleman
Jayco
Itasca
Airstream
Champion
Dutchmen
Newmar
Tiffin

That's pretty much covers every unit being produced with the exception of Escape, Casita and Oliver.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

I read an article yesterday "How to Pick The Best RV." THESE are the brands the article said to stay away from:
Thor Hurricane
Gulf Stream
Forest River
Coachmen
Fleetwood
Holiday Rambler
Keystone
Winnebago
Coleman
Jayco
Itasca
Airstream
Champion
Dutchmen
Newmar
Tiffin

So... all RVs? The main reason for any other brand to be missing from that list is that there are few enough of them produced that they don't register in someone's "complaint counter".

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by WillyB

That's pretty much covers every unit being produced with the exception of Escape, Casita and Oliver.

... and dozens, perhaps hundreds, of other similarly low-production brands.

[Donna D.]

To be fair, each of those brands had different issues. Keystone was electrical. Watch those failing slide motors. Another was plumbing... filling the underbelly with fresh water was common. At yet another.... leaking roofs!


This was Airstream
Most common issue: Brakes and trailer hitch problems

Airstream is iconic, but even this brand has its share of troubles. While not as common as with many of the other majors, they are worth paying attention to when buying. Improper welding has been known to cause separation of the tow ball and the coupler, and there are recalls around trailer brakes locking up.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

To be fair, each of those brands had different issues. Keystone was electrical...

There are many electrical problems with Escapes discussed in this forum, but Escape doesn't make the list based on them... perhaps because the list is based on counting anecdotes about issues, not any objective assessment of verified problems in proportion to production.

It's good to have a reference of common problem areas by brand. I don't see any value in "don't buy this brand" lists.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by Centex

Thanks for posting, an interesting read.

There's some mighty rich irony in the closing paragraph (must read the article first) ...

...“Faced with many of the same kinds of supply chain and labor issues plaguing most industries over the past year, the RV industry has overcome these challenges and produced a record number of RVs month after month,” said Jeff Rutherford, President & CEO of Airxcel and RV Industry Association Chairman.

Jeff should spend some time investigating complaints and recalling the Suburban SDS2 cooktop. I don’t think anyone who inquired with Airxcel/Suburban even heard back from the company. At least no one posted that they did.

[salmo7000]

I read this article yesterday and had the very same thought! I’m happy I not only have an Escape, but that I got one when I did. And that my beloved “Zen Purple” has been mostly trouble-free so far, after 3 seasons of camping. They say happiness is not getting what you want, it’s wanting what you have… if so I must be a happy camper!

I think most everyone lucky enough to have one feels the same! That was a sobering article, for sure.

[Centex]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

Jeff should spend some time investigating complaints and recalling the Suburban SDS2 cooktop. I don’t think anyone who inquired with Airxcel/Suburban even heard back from the company. At least no one posted that they did.

That a big part of the irony, IMO - clearly Jeff (and apparently both the corporation he leads and the trade association he represents) measures 'success' in production numbers, not any measure of post-production product performance or support.

[Bobbie54]

What irritates me reading this is that they keep selling crap, knowing it will have problems, and only tell the customer about potential problems getting parts or repairs after they have significant problems. Like it is all someone else's problem and not their problem for selling units they know are defective.

Unfortunately, that's also the way Escape deals with problems these days.

[Deva]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

To be fair, each of those brands had different issues. Keystone was electrical. Watch those failing slide motors. Another was plumbing... filling the underbelly with fresh water was common. At yet another.... leaking roofs!


This was Airstream
Most common issue: Brakes and trailer hitch problems

Airstream is iconic, but even this brand has its share of troubles. While not as common as with many of the other majors, they are worth paying attention to when buying. Improper welding has been known to cause separation of the tow ball and the coupler, and there are recalls around trailer brakes locking up.

Wasn’t Airstream bought out by Thor as well?

[Deva]

Originally Posted by Bobbie54

What irritates me reading this is that they keep selling crap, knowing it will have problems, and only tell the customer about potential problems getting parts or repairs after they have significant problems. Like it is all someone else's problem and not their problem for selling units they know are defective.

Unfortunately, that's also the way Escape deals with problems these days.

I totally agree that RV dealers have made a load of money over the past year and a half knowingly selling “crap” products. However, people continue to buy them. Many people do not do any research or very minimal research, so they shoulder some of the responsibility. That being said, nothing will change until people unite and legislation is passed to hold RV manufacturers accountable for slipshod quality.

[Mike G]

The big RV mfrs are producing record numbers of poo piles. Their quality certainly stinks!
And they take pride in their achievement. Go figure...

[GTR guy]

We just retired and looking at Escape trailers so some comments here about the quality even at ETI were troubling. Given that any trailer towed down the road wil have issues, how would you owners compare the quality of Escapes with other trailers?

[cpaharley2008]

Some of us call them "SOB" for some other brand.......

[YakRV]

Originally Posted by GTR guy

We just retired and looking at Escape trailers so some comments here about the quality even at ETI were troubling. Given that any trailer towed down the road wil have issues, how would you owners compare the quality of Escapes with other trailers?

We have yet to step foot in an Escape trailer (although we hope to accept a local Ambassador’s offer to see theirs as soon as our schedule allows). We’ve gravitated to Escape mainly because we want the longevity of molded fiberglass.

We’re hopeful that it’s a quality trailer, of course, but having walked through and been disappointed with the feel of some other brands that are supposed to be the higher end of their class (i.e., Winnebago and Grand Design), we’ve come to the conclusion that RV quality is relative.