Escape After Sales

[brroberts]

I agree ETI electrical work isn’t great, but it’s as good as any in the RV industry in my 57 years of RVing experience. I could have bought any trailer I wanted. There are many reasons I chose an Escape. I suggest you get it fixed and then go look at the construction and systems in other brands. It’s not good industry wide. If one of the best trailers in the industry is a do not buy from you, I’d suggest tents or motels. Escape is far from perfect, but as good as it gets.

[GinoandLinda]

Originally Posted by Buzz505

Well the story continues. We woke this am and cooked breakfast, then no power. Luckily there is a repair man who came over to locate the problem. After an hour of checking wiring etc we found that the exterior main outlet had been wired incorrectly and was disconnected. Luckily the dam trailer did not catch on fire. We rewired the plug, that will require replacement, and restored power. Clearly Escape Trailer performs haphazard work especially electrical. I would call Escape but to leave a message and get no reply, I’ll save my time. IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO BUY, DON’T! Too many cases of poor workmanship.

Buzz, really sorry to hear this. You were gracious to offer your 5.0 for viewing when Linda and I were ready to buy and that visit validated our decision. Hope everything gets taken are and you re-find the joy in your camper.

[Gumpdad714]

Originally Posted by brroberts

I agree ETI electrical work isn’t great, but it’s as good as any in the RV industry in my 57 years of RVing experience. I could have bought any trailer I wanted. There are many reasons I chose an Escape. I suggest you get it fixed and then go look at the construction and systems in other brands. It’s not good industry wide. If one of the best trailers in the industry is a do not buy from you, I’d suggest tents or motels. Escape is far from perfect, but as good as it gets.

Funny, heard that Escape was really the best - unfortunately, this is our 4th camper and it's been the worst we ever owned. Maybe the guys building ours had a bad day, but we've had trouble on this Escape like we never had with the other campers - not even close. I'm really happy for the Escape owners here that have had great experiences, but some of us have not been as fortunate. I'm really glad Buzz wasn't injured, and I certainly do understand his anger and frustration. He's entitled to it.

[Buzz505]

Originally Posted by Gumpdad714

Funny, heard that Escape was really the best - unfortunately, this is our 4th camper and it's been the worst we ever owned. Maybe the guys building ours had a bad day, but we've had trouble on this Escape like we never had with the other campers - not even close. I'm really happy for the Escape owners here that have had great experiences, but some of us have not been as fortunate. I'm really glad Buzz wasn't injured, and I certainly do understand his anger and frustration. He's entitled to it.

Thanks for understanding. I always love how the arm chair campers have so much crap to say, try using your trailer and shut up. I have had 3 other rv’s and they might have been badly built but no problems like we have had with this thing.

[JohnK]

Originally Posted by Iowa Dave

11 years of Escape ownership. Virtually no problems Approaching 100,000 towed miles.

Despite the gray tank leaks, the separated brake wires, the leaky propane cooktop coupled with inattentive after sales support on these issues we are still happy with and love our trailer. But we understand and are sympathetic to those who are frustrated with hard to diagnose and otherwise seemingly unsolvable problems.

What I do not understand is a lack of sympathy among self-proclaimed successful old timers for someone who is having trouble solving problems.

So Dave, you having had the good luck of being a trouble free, in like Flynn, "I'm safely in the boat, pull up the ladder" kind of an Escape owner, do you think you could possibly find it within your human self to scrape up the least bit of sympathy for someone who bought a recent model, perhaps even paying more for it than you did for yours and offer at least a modicum of help if not sympathy?

John

[brroberts]

It’s not that I haven’t had trouble, I’ve just seen how many RV’s of various types are built. I figure it’s an RV. They are all junk and I will have to work on it, but some are definitely less junk than others. If you read my Padawan’s life thread you will see repairs along with mods to get the trailer to meet our needs. I’ve had supposedly well built RV’s and junk. In the long run, the most poorly constructed one cost me the least over its fairly short life. The supposed best built cost me the most; however, it has had a long life.

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by JohnK

What I do not understand is a lack of sympathy among self-proclaimed successful old timers for someone who is having trouble solving problems.

So Dave, you having had the good luck of being a trouble free, in like Flynn, "I'm safely in the boat, pull up the ladder" kind of an Escape owner, do you think you could possibly find it within your human self to scrape up the least bit of sympathy for someone who bought a recent model, perhaps even paying more for it than you did for yours and offer at least a modicum of help if not sympathy?

John

John, I don't agree with you.

First of all, your premise is wrong. Some folks who are fans of Escapes, 2 in particular, have had problems that were way worse than anything that's ever been posted on the forum. They didn't rant and rave and call ETI names, they just dealt with the issue and moved on and both continue to enjoy their trailers as the years go by.

Others, like the ones that had early ETI installed solar panels that flew off, luckily not killing anyone, also dealt with it and moved on, again, without vindictive name calling.

What help is not being offered?

Ron

[Iowa Dave]

Hi John,
After nearly 8,400 posts, and probably a few hundred more private messages since I’ve joined this forum, I have met a lot of good people in person with all sorts of trailers.
Yup,I talk a lot. Mostly anecdotal.

I have loaned equipment to many owners to set their gas pressure, ascertain their tongue weights, torque their lug nuts, assess technical problems with their electrical systems and laid on my back in the dirt to point out possible failure points and the mechanics of weight distribution to less experienced owners. I have provided measurements to help locate valves and supply lines hidden by insulation. I’ve managed free equipment and accessory tarps at about 25 rallies. In addition I’ve participated in rally teaching programs and one on one, given pointers to trailer owners on brakes, tires, improvement modifications, and other maintenance points.

And I am most proud of the fact that there is not an owner on this forum who can carry the fruits and vegetables we have given away that we raised in our garden and orchard. We have hosted owners at our home and helped them with repairs enroute to their destination.. Most unfortunately, I’ve helped the widows of deceased owners and single women with the sale of their trailers so that they would realize a fair price and not get scammed. You probably didn’t know this and may or may not think much of me. To me this matters not. I sleep well each night and ready myself for service to anyone who needs a hand the next day.

Hope your trailer remains roadworthy but if it doesn’t, and I happen along I will not hesitate to stop and offer to give you a hand to take you to town for parts or service. I’ve done this for folks too.

On a personal note my wife Rita and I have helped friends, family,
neighbors and strangers who have been victims of tornados, floods, blizzards and derechos. We are not special. We are Iowans and that’s what we do. Though our years in Scouting reinforced our belief in “doing a good turn daily” as the shepherding of dozens of young men, ten of whom became Eagle Scouts, our genetics guided us on a life of public service, hard work and generosity. For that we thank our parents and families.

Have a good Fall and Winter, As my dad admonished “Keep it between the fences and if you can’t, bring back the horns.”
Iowa Dave

[Gumpdad714]

Originally Posted by Buzz505

Thanks for understanding. I always love how the arm chair campers have so much crap to say, try using your trailer and shut up. I have had 3 other rv’s and they might have been badly built but no problems like we have had with this thing.

I sure do understand, and you're welcome.

[Gumpdad714]

Originally Posted by JohnK

Despite the gray tank leaks, the separated brake wires, the leaky propane cooktop coupled with inattentive after sales support on these issues we are still happy with and love our trailer. But we understand and are sympathetic to those who are frustrated with hard to diagnose and otherwise seemingly unsolvable problems.

What I do not understand is a lack of sympathy among self-proclaimed successful old timers for someone who is having trouble solving problems.

So Dave, you having had the good luck of being a trouble free, in like Flynn, "I'm safely in the boat, pull up the ladder" kind of an Escape owner, do you think you could possibly find it within your human self to scrape up the least bit of sympathy for someone who bought a recent model, perhaps even paying more for it than you did for yours and offer at least a modicum of help if not sympathy?

John

Excellent - thank you.

[Jim Bennett]

I may be one of the two Ron refers to. My only big issue in both my Escapes involved the frame issues of the first 19s. Suffice to say it was very major but I accepted it and moved on to the newer model 5.0TA. I'm happy.

Stuff happens, I feel it is much better to accept it and move one. Too much in life to enjoy to bother worrying about the negative things. I know some folks are worriers, I prefer not to be. I know, I'm weird, I accept that.

[Gumpdad714]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

I may be one of the two Ron refers to. My only big issue in both my Escapes involved the frame issues of the first 19s. Suffice to say it was very major but I accepted it and moved on to the newer model 5.0TA. I'm happy.

Stuff happens, I feel it is much better to accept it and move one. Too much in life to enjoy to bother worrying about the negative things. I know some folks are worriers, I prefer not to be. I know, I'm weird, I accept that.

Hey Jim,

I thought I posted my response to you - I don't see it here, so here's another version. I agree with you - some on these forums are guilty of schadenfreude directed at owners who have had some real issues. I am happy for the people here who haven't had issues, and thoroughly enjoy their campers. Having said that, there are a fair amount of us here who haven't been as fortunate, and certainly it isn't unreasonable to expect some measure of empathy for the difficulties. Buzz had a potentially very dangerous situation with wiring and not only is he entitled vent, he's entitled to his anger and frustration. I sympathize with him completely. As some of you on here know, I myself have been dealing with many, many issues on my 2023 Escape 5.0 trailer. Some posters were helpful, others threw shade. I will say that driving my trailer up and down the East coast with a duct taped kitchen window, storage hatch and battery vent compartment was not a good look for Escape, especially with the Escape tire cover prominently displayed on the back. While Escape was not responsive or helpful to my first requests, my subsequent written complaints got their attention, and they are now working in earnest to address all of the remaining issues, and there were multiple issues. I'll be willing to move on when all of the problems have been addressed and corrected. I spent a lot of money for this trailer, including delivery fees and NY taxes.

[occer]

My suggestion is sent the email so there is a record, then three days later start calling.

I have had what I will can three minor items .
I have sent an email each time, waited 3 to 5 days then make a phone call.
Once had to leave a message, called the next day when they asked to forward me I said I did not want to leave a message I wanted to talk to someone . Yes frustrating but once I talked to someone, it got resolved and to my toward satisfaction.

[Gumpdad714]

Originally Posted by occer

My suggestion is sent the email so there is a record, then three days later start calling.

I have had what I will can three minor items .
I have sent an email each time, waited 3 to 5 days then make a phone call.
Once had to leave a message, called the next day when they asked to forward me I said I did not want to leave a message I wanted to talk to someone . Yes frustrating but once I talked to someone, it got resolved and to my toward satisfaction.

I've talked to everyone, written emails and letters. As I said, my last round of communications caught everyone's attention, and Escape is now working on remedies. Thank you for your suggestions.

[brroberts]

My experience with ETI after sales has been mixed. Sometimes I get answers or help, sometimes not. Sometimes I get wrong answers. Not much different than any other RV industry support.

I think the difference for me is I know there will be problems going in, and I don’t expect industry support. If I get it, great; if not, it’s par for the RV industry.

I bought an Escape from Chiliwack, and live in Kansas. Due to location, I didn’t figure there really was a real warranty. I bought based on what I knew about reputation and my factory visit many years earlier. One of the MAJOR reasons I bought an Escape is the great technical knowledge of the owners on this forum. That really helped me feel confident in purchasing.

So I expect it to break. I expect I’ll be able to fix it some way. I feel that way about RV’s in general. In spite of that, I still own and use them, make great memories, and meet wonderful people.

[DanandDaphne]

We have been using this forum since before we bought our 5.0 in the fall of 2018 and there are so many interesting, friendly and helpful folks on here. If you come here with problems and an open mind you will find that people will bend over backwards to help you get your problems solved.

If however you come here to vent with, oh aint it awful and you are looking to start a pity party you are going to be disappointed.

[iamunique127]

Originally Posted by DanandDaphne

We have been using this forum since before we bought our 5.0 in the fall of 2018 and there are so many interesting, friendly and helpful folks on here. If you come here with problems and an open mind you will find that people will bend over backwards to help you get your problems solved.

If however you come here to vent with, oh aint it awful and you are looking to start a pity party you are going to be disappointed.

Well said.

[Gumpdad714]

Originally Posted by brroberts

My experience with ETI after sales has been mixed. Sometimes I get answers or help, sometimes not. Sometimes I get wrong answers. Not much different than any other RV industry support.

I think the difference for me is I know there will be problems going in, and I don’t expect industry support. If I get it, great; if not, it’s par for the RV industry.

I bought an Escape from Chiliwack, and live in Kansas. Due to location, I didn’t figure there really was a real warranty. I bought based on what I knew about reputation and my factory visit many years earlier. One of the MAJOR reasons I bought an Escape is the great technical knowledge of the owners on this forum. That really helped me feel confident in purchasing.

So I expect it to break. I expect I’ll be able to fix it some way. I feel that way about RV’s in general. In spite of that, I still own and use them, make great memories, and meet wonderful people.

You didn't expect a warranty on a very expensive trailer because it was from Canada? Seriously? Because the company is in Canada? You didn't expect they would have certified RV repair shops throughout the country because it wouldn't be feasible to bring their trailers back to Canada for repairs, even though these trailers are sold throughout the entire U.S.?

There's a lot in your post, so let's take it point by point.

I have owned 3 Starcraft trailers over the course of 25 years. I never had major problems, and the minor issues I did have were addressed by Starcraft under the terms of the warranty I received upon purchase of the trailers. My experience with Starcraft support has been positive and apparently, the opposite of your experiences with the RV industry.

Minor fixes are expected, major ones are not. Not everyone "expects" their very expensive RV's to break in major ways. I sure don't. I make minor repairs as expected, but why would I incur additional repair expenses for a product that is under warranty? Manufacturers warranties are not "suggestions" - they are part of the legally binding sales contract. Why the heck would you buy an expensive trailer if you really believed the manufacturer wouldn't honor a warranty?

We have Lemon Laws here in the U.S., and I wouldn't purchase a major appliance, or a new car etc., without one. I have used those warranties when stuff breaks...all the time. I get that you really, really love Escape trailer and you met some great people camping, but your post is over the top. You going to tell me next, like you told Buzz who was having major issues with his trailer that, "If one of the best trailers in the industry is a do not buy from you, I’d suggest tents or motels." ?

[Gumpdad714]

Originally Posted by DanandDaphne

We have been using this forum since before we bought our 5.0 in the fall of 2018 and there are so many interesting, friendly and helpful folks on here. If you come here with problems and an open mind you will find that people will bend over backwards to help you get your problems solved.

If however you come here to vent with, oh aint it awful and you are looking to start a pity party you are going to be disappointed.

Buzz gave us a head's up about a serious electrical problem, apparently others had as well. I consider that helpful info, and not just a "vent." I'll be checking that issue out on our 5.0 trailer thanks to him.

[Steve Clark]

Originally Posted by DanandDaphne

We have been using this forum since before we bought our 5.0 in the fall of 2018 and there are so many interesting, friendly and helpful folks on here. If you come here with problems and an open mind you will find that people will bend over backwards to help you get your problems solved.

If however you come here to vent with, oh aint it awful and you are looking to start a pity party you are going to be disappointed.

Yes! Very Well Said!