2014 Adventurer 38Q...Wow!

[jerichorick]

Originally Posted by dunkonu23

Rick,

No need to forgive anytihng... in the owners manual it's called a V.

It's all good, sir!

Scott

Thanks, Scott. "A rose by any other name..."

Happy trails,
Rick

[Stan.Birch]

Originally Posted by Doug Sage

I have 7 year old Winnebago/Itasca motorhome. I would buy another in a flash - especially if they still made my floorplan. We have never had any problem with delamination either. That is my opinion.

I have a 15 year old Winnebago motorhome, and would buy another in a flash if they still made my floorplan; but it is rather difficult to find another no-slide rig these days.

Nothwithstanding, before buying another Winnie, I would need credible evidence that Winnebago has solved their delamination problem with new technology such as Azdel sidewalls; but the last time I looked, Winnebago is still using the same ole' luan for sidewalls. We are currently looking for a new rig, and if Winnebago has addressed the the sidewall delamination problem, then there are a couple of Winnies that would occupy the very top of our list.

[jerichorick]

Originally Posted by Stan.Birch

I have a 15 year old Winnebago motorhome, and would buy another in a flash if they still made my floorplan; but it is rather difficult to find another no-slide rig these days.

Nothwithstanding, before buying another Winnie, I would need credible evidence that Winnebago has solved their delamination problem with new technology such as Azdel sidewalls; but the last time I looked, Winnebago is still using the same ole' luan for sidewalls. We are currently looking for a new rig, and if Winnebago has addressed the the sidewall delamination problem, then there are a couple of Winnies that would occupy the very top of our list.

Stan, is this a problem you are having? I had a problem on my '05 Vectra but I thought it was caused by a roof seam leak. The galley wall next to the sink had a outside skin bubble. On this present coach the roof has a bubble and I have read of this from others. I understand your concern. Winne is not the only kid on the block. But, quality control of some sort seems to be a common theme among all of the manufactures.

Have you posted this suggestion to the Winne folks? See what kind of response you get and post it for us.

Happy trails,
Rick

[Yorker]

The floor plan posted at the beginning is not a bath and a half, it is one bath split in two.
That's basically what we had in our 04 Brave. That is a help when DW is showering.

We bought a 10 Suncruiser because we had good luck with the Brave. If we ever buy another we would shop other brands more intensively. Buying would be based on having a dealer close that we trust. Hound them until all issues are fixed before the year is up.

[Stan.Birch]

Originally Posted by jerichorick

Stan, is this a problem you are having? I had a problem on my '05 Vectra but I thought it was caused by a roof seam leak.
Have you posted this suggestion to the Winne folks? See what kind of response you get and post it for us.

Rick, I have major delamination on both sidewalls, starting around windows, lights, and fridge/water heater openings. My experience is not at all unique for Winnebagos in the Toronto area where you can expect dew and condensation to be dripping off of the rig most mornings. I started to experience delamination when the rig was five years old; and it is common to see delamination on most older Winnebagos in our area; something that is somewhat rare for RVers who live out in arid climates like Arizona.

Coachmen, Forest River and a bunch of other manufacturers whose products sufferred from the same problem have eliminated laminated sidewalls containing lauan plywood. If lauan gets wet, it turns into rotting mush inside the sidewalls. Azdel is the new sidewall of choice bcause it contains no lauan or other kind of wood. It is all fiberglass and resin composite. Azdel costs more, but it is worth the extra cost if it makes sidewall imune to delamination.

Winnebago is certainly aware of the propensity of their products to delaminate. I don't know what, if anything Winnebago has done to prevent this from happening on future rigs. We are currently looking for a new rig, but our choice of another Winnebago would depend upon the status of their current sidewalls. From what little I have been able to determine from their website, they still use a thin fiberglass skin, glued to lauan plywood. i.e. "Our Thermo-Panel sidewall and roof design pressure bonds the exterior skin, lauan backing and EPS block foam to the walls"

[fla tom]

I installed a key pad for the keyless entry on our 2013 42 QD . there was no wood just fiberglass and resin bonded to the foam

[Stan.Birch]

Originally Posted by fla tom

I installed a key pad for the keyless entry on our 2013 42 QD . there was no wood just fiberglass and resin bonded to the foam

Tom, that tends to correspond with unsubstaniated "rumours" I've recently heard, i.e. that Winnebago has been using Azdel for the past couple of years. And if so, no big surprise that Winnebago marketing hasn't yet picked up on the Azdel feature, and is still flogging lauan based Thermo-Panel sidewall as some sort of feature, rather than a deficit.

If I find proof that Winnebago is now using Azdel, then I fully expect that our new RV will display the big W!

[jerichorick]

Good morning Stan,

I was raised in northern NH so I know what you are talking about. Please consider taking pictures of your problems and emailing them to Winnebago. Advise them that you are in the market for a new coach and that the are off the list if they can not assure you that something like the new sidewall material is being used.

It is a catch 22 for Winne. If you advertize you have 'improved' your skin material you may be admitting that you were using a defective product and be opening the door for a class action suit. That would destroy Winnebago.

I hope you can find a good rig with the floor plan and features you desire in a quality MH. I was hoping this new to me rig would be my last one but if the side walls delaminate I don't know what i would do. How can you trade? It must be worthless to a dealer.

Rick

[fla tom]

Originally Posted by jerichorick

Good morning Stan,

I was raised in northern NH so I know what you are talking about. Please consider taking pictures of your problems and emailing them to Winnebago. Advise them that you are in the market for a new coach and that the are off the list if they can not assure you that something like the new sidewall material is being used.

It is a catch 22 for Winne. If you advertize you have 'improved' your skin material you may be admitting that you were using a defective product and be opening the door for a class action suit. That would destroy Winnebago.

I hope you can find a good rig with the floor plan and features you desire in a quality MH. I was hoping this new to me rig would be my last one but if the side walls delaminate I don't know what i would do. How can you trade? It must be worthless to a dealer.

Rick

I don't se where it would be a defective product technology changes, look at the rust rate in new cars vs cars from the 70's new technology has greatly reduced rust, does that mean the metal in the 70's was defective?

[Stan.Birch]

Originally Posted by jerichorick

It is a catch 22 for Winne. If you advertize you have 'improved' your skin material you may be admitting that you were using a defective product and be opening the door for a class action suit. That would destroy Winnebago.

Winnebago isn't at all alone in making their sidewalls from a thin film of Filon fiberglass glued to lauan plywood. Just about every RV manufacturer in the industry was doing the same thing, and just about every make of RV displays the same delamination flaw.

Originally Posted by jerichorick

I hope you can find a good rig with the floor plan and features you desire in a quality MH. I was hoping this new to me rig would be my last one but if the side walls delaminate I don't know what i would do. How can you trade? It must be worthless to a dealer.

Indeed, neither dealers nor RVers want to touch anything demonstrating delamination problems, nothwithstanding, dealers really don't want to deal with tradeins, especially old relics. I recently got a quote on a new rig from a dealer, who asked in passing if I had a tradein. When I assured him I didn't have a tradein, he dropped the price by $5000.

It would be fair to say that the single most vulnerable RV component which determines lifespan, is the integrity of the sidewalls. The inside of my rig gets a full annual stream cleaning, not to mention after every trip with the grandkids. So the interior looks almost new, and the chassis has been well cared for including annual tranny fluid changes.

Anyway, one of my kids wants my old rig, encouraging me to hone my: "It's better to give than receive" ethic. He keeps bugging me about who the search of a new rig is going. He is anxious to go RVing with us once when we get our new rig, and he gets the old one; which means that I will still have to carry lots of tools with us when we travel.

[edgray]

Originally Posted by Stan.Birch

It would be fair to say that the single most vulnerable RV component which determines lifespan, is the integrity of the sidewalls. The inside of my rig gets a full annual stream cleaning, not to mention after every trip with the grandkids. So the interior looks almost new, and the chassis has been well cared for including annual tranny fluid changes......

As Paul Harvey used to say, "and now the rest of the story"...... we FINALLY learn the cause of your delamination......too much steam cleaning !

Ed

[poppopc]

I, guess IMO. Is that how long has winnabago been around!
They made it thru the "BUST" and came out the other side better
for it. My gosh I have some delamination @ 67!
see signiture

[poppopc]

Originally Posted by poppopc

I, guess IMO. Is that how long has winnabago been around!
They made it thru the "BUST" and came out the other side better
for it. My gosh I have some delamination @ 67!
see signiture

Oh, I forgot all RV'S have some problems.
The go down the road at 60. +or- MPH. PROBABLY WORSE IF YOU ARE IN
DFW. we have "Cobblestone" ice.
Again IMO!

[Stan.Birch]

Originally Posted by poppopc

I, guess IMO. Is that how long has winnabago been around!
They made it thru the "BUST" and came out the other side better
for it. My gosh I have some delamination @ 67!
see signiture

It has been a rough trip for Winnebago shareholders, with stock dipping from $40 per share in 2005 to a mere $4 per share in 2009! That's really scary when you are old!, and bad news for anyone buying into a dip that never stopped dipping! Nothwithstanding, Winnebago has done well in climbing back out from the abyss, with stock rising back to $31. So . . . it looks as if Winnebago is going to be around for a while. As for their current dividend rate of 0.00%; dividend yield of 0.00; annual dividend rate of 0.00, it's not the kind of investment I would find attractive. Although analysts are evenly split between Hold and Strong Buy, it's not something I intend to invest my retirement savings into.

[jerichorick]

This thread started with "WoW" and has deteriorated to "HOW?".

Do you remember the old days when RV's were covered with aluminum? Hale, stones, hot sun, salt... But some are still with us and on the road. Some of old folk might have a flaky patch of skin or two, true. But our manufacturer built us to fall apart as we age. This might be true to some extent with RV's but what Stan has on his hands is much more than the results general wear and tear over time. It is a results of the type of products used during manufacturing. Are these still in use today? is the question that has been asked, but to the wrong people. This is why I suggested that Stan contact Winne with the question and post to them the evidence of his concern.

Stan, tell your son for $5K he can have your old rig and use that toward the new one. You are no further behind and son has a expert along to fix his problems.

I wait with worm on tongue.

Happy trails,
Rick