Quality Control Reconsidered

cpoo · 12-18-2015, 05:50 PM

I have defended Winnebago in the past to the frustration of some who were having trouble. I have owned a lot of Winnebago motorhomes and have had decent luck with them. I am starting to revise my view. Last year we purchased a Sightseer 35G. It had a series of problems which we dealt with straight from the factory. A slide that squeaked terribly if I didn't lube it monthly, a speaker that had static too the point I pulled the wires after several attempts by dealer to fix it did not work. A radio that had to be replaced. A drain pipe that was too short. A pressure relief valv with post nasal drip and bay doors that all needed adjustment. It was ok but was the worst I had experienced. I traded it this year for a Suncruiser 38Q 2016 that arrived on Nov 4. This coach just reached out and grabbed us and so we traded with what we thought was a good deal. With the November arrival we have not had time for a real shakedown but enough to have it home for five days and operate the systems. We found the satellite did not work. I wanted to add a steering stabilizer and beefed up sway bar, centramatics and we wanted a couple of new outlets so it went back to our dealer camping world to be stored and have repairs on sat and mods completed. We are leaving for winter trip soon so we have been making sure things are completed on time. We have also gone to camping world frequently to put things in the coach. Today we got a call that said the crack in the roof had been authorized for warranty repair. What crack in the roof. First we had heard. I went there and they showed it to me. A serious crack towards the rear. A shop with the ability to use fiberglass will repair and our trip will be moved back a few days. It took Winnebago 6 weeks to authorize. Both Winnebago and camping world are at fault for that time. Why would it have left the factory with a crack? Why was the satellite wired wrong? I love this coach but now a bit nervous about what is next when it really gets a test. Add me to the list of concerned about Quality control.

rream · 12-18-2015, 06:59 PM

I would find out what took 6 weeks - a good dealer would have caught it before you took possession

cpoo · 12-18-2015, 07:23 PM

The dealer did catch it but did not inform me. They sent an e-mail immediately to the regional rep asking for permission to repair under warranty. He did not respond. Three weeks passed and he sent another e-mail and no response. He was in yesterday and the guy asked why he had not responded and he said he thought he had. He then approved and we got the call which of course was news to us we even had the problem. I would not have taken possession until that was fixed had I knew. The crack was a problem that it arrived from the factory with it and then incompetence on all ends. Camping World should have pushed this and the regional rep dropped the ball. The screw up with the wiring on my satellite and a defective LNB on the Winnebago traveler just add to frustration. I had a feeling the dealer was a bit scattered. Nice people and I have worked with them before so I know I have to stay on them to keep them focused but in this case I had no idea about the roof. The 6 weeks was incompetence.

powercat_ras · 12-18-2015, 07:57 PM

I suspect the time was related to Winnebago having trouble accepting the Camping World dealer's story that the roof was already cracked when the coach was delivered to the dealer.

The roof of a Winnebago has no joists running from sidewall to sidewall, it is a sandwich of the top fiberglass panel, thin plywood, styrofoam, inner plywood and the interior treatment. The roof is locked to the sidewalls with a continuous joint that provides the required strength without joists. So I would make sure that Camping World is arranging to have the repair done in the way that is recommended / required by Winnebago to maintain the structural integrity so it will withstand the loads of snow, you walking on the roof, etc.

You might even want to consider to have Winnebago make the repair in Forest City if they have accepted responsibility. It could be that Camping World is actually making and paying for the repair and you are not getting the true story. I hope this is not the case.

cpoo · 12-18-2015, 11:23 PM

Thanks. I saw the paperwork. It is Winnebago paying. It does need to maintain the structural integrity but I guarantee I will not be walking on it. Those days have come and gone.

LeeOts · 12-19-2015, 08:12 AM

After my dealings with CW, I'd consider the possibility that CW caused the problem and were trying to "shuck 'n jive" their way past responsibility. If WGO has agreed to fix it to their specs and on their dime, you may have dodged a bullet. I'd trust WGO sooner than I'd trust CW. So, bottom line, I'd be happy to have bought another WGO product.

cpoo · 12-19-2015, 10:21 AM

Well that makes me feel a bit better. I like many of the people at Camping World and I was happy to get a good deal as this dealer is not far from our home. My previous dealer was 75 miles so I was looking forward to being closer. I also thought that I could ride herd on them easier if I needed work and we did want some mods like new outlets and normal suspension upgrades. The satellite system problem is frustrating but it is getting fixed I hope. Winnegard is now sending a new LNB. No one had heard of centramatics but they found them. The person communicating with Winnebago about the roof crack and the service writer working on our other work have desks that are four feet apart and they did not communicate. The young man handling the roof issue totally dropped the ball by just sending an e-mail with no follow up. He will learn as I am not fun when pissed. Communication seems to be a big problem and I blame the manager for that.

Hikerdogs · 12-19-2015, 11:33 AM

I too would suspect the roof problem originated after the motorhome left the factory. A crack across a one piece roof leads me to believe someone closed an overhead door while the motorhome was either passing through or parked where it shouldn't have been. Sounds more like CYA than poor communications.

Also I can understand not finding the LNB problem until it got to the dealer. We went through the final inspection and shipping department when we ordered our last motorhome. It's a huge garage with absolutely no satellite access. Also given that there is no satellite receiver in the coach when it leaves the factory there way to know whether all the LNB's are working. While they can operate the dish (either automatically manually) there's no way to know whether there is any reception.

The issues with your Sightseer sound like a combination of defective components from vendors, and lack of attention on the assembly line. We've had a couple issues with our 2013 Adventurer, but I'm not willing to throw in the towel. We've had it over 2 years and 23,000 miles yet the factory was still willing to "good will" the repairs needed.

It's disappointing to have problems with a new motorhome, but I'm more than satisfied that everything was taken care of without undo stress and strain.

cpoo · 12-19-2015, 11:55 PM

I have no idea why the crack. Winnebago agreed to pay so I assume it is either a defect or something happened in transit. My communication issue is that no one told me about it for 6 weeks. Spoke to our sales person today and he had never heard of it. It was not mentioned at time of final closing. It appeared there where two people who knew. The person who did the initial inspect and took the pictures and the service writer to whom he gave the information. I understand an LNB problem and the matrix box issue. I don't understand it being wired wrong and even I could see that as the coax went into the wrong outlets on the power inserter and the the inputs into the wrong connections on the wall plate. I am still hoping this is just a little bump in the road because we love the coach. It is gorgeous and will live well. My point is that having had 4 in six years things are getting worse not better. Still there is a huge difference between the Winnebago and other coaches in the same range I think. I hope this is our last coach so I won't be a future commenter. Time to hang on to one for a whole set of tires.