Any experience with Ember trailers?

[calicamper]

Out of curiosity, I searched FB marketplace and Craigslist up here in the PNW, and found 2 Embers listed for sale. One, a 2022 191MDB, was listed at $57K and the listing has been up for 24 weeks. Another 191MDB outside of Vancouver BC posted at $59K in US dollars and has been up for 19 days. I periodically go on both these marketplaces to see what select RV's including AWD Ford Transit conversion vans are being offered up for. Over the past few months, I've seen both trailers and also the conversion vans staying up longer and also with price drops. Definitely been a change in the past 6 months. Interestingly, some of the posting have been up for quite a while without price drops. I've seen this particularly happen with some of the conversion vans. Makes me wonder if these sellers are in over their heads and can't afford to sell for less. Or, they are hoping someone, somewhere will come along and simply pay the inflated prices. A while back, I was considering a van conversion but dropped the idea mainly due to the crazy pricing. I had been in contact with several outfits in various locations. Recently, I've been receiving e-mails from some of these converters trying to move brand new conversions. Lastly, there is a large van conversion outfit near Kansas City that sends out e-mails when they get in pre-owned units. 6 or more months ago, they would only occasionally send out a notice for one of these. Now, every week or two, I'm seeing an e-mail with up to 5 used rigs available. There is definitely a shift occurring in the market place.

The 2023 191mdb I looked at yesterday was $55,000 Dealer tagged in a town where the average 3bd 2ba house is $800,000.

Prime example of just how jacked up and over priced these are. I bet they sell the 2022’s for 36k or less with the wrong glue used on the flooring which turns the flooring black over time?

 

[calicamper]

Ember owners are now seeing bolt heads on the black metal exterior trim shearing off. Some think its over torquing. But they are both rusting and shearing off. Shear strength on the screws is pretty poor to start with.

 

[KrashEd]

Ember owners are now seeing bolt heads on the black metal exterior trim shearing off. Some think its over torquing. But they are both rusting and shearing off. Shear strength on the screws is pretty poor to start with.

They use standard RV industry square drive #10 self tappers to go into the frame and sides. Since they are self drilling, they likely dont use a plilot hole so that stands to reason why they are popping especially in the lower framework. I have a couple to fix on mine.

 

[Buddha.]

I replaced a slide mechanism on one last week. Typical failure prone schwintek that will leave you with a stuck slide.

It was nice to see they use some kind of non wood material on the slide floor though. That area is prone to rotting out.

 

[KrashEd]

I've always had pretty good luck with the schwintek slides mechs on the Winnebagos we've had. But do see a lot of peeps on the Ember Owner Book of Face group with issues. Wondered if it was a sync issue at the factory.

 

[Treefarmer]

All you have to do is tour an Ember to realize how flimsy the construction and fit and finish are. It's made to look good and has some high end components (ie., Truma), but you're going to see quality and failure issues around these trailers for years. Especially if anyone actually tries to take them off road. I originally thought they were so inexpensive that a good strategy would have been to buy one and then replace it with a new one every four to five years, but the hassles wouldn't be worth it.

 

[KrashEd]

All you have to do is tour an Ember to realize how flimsy the construction and fit and finish are. It's made to look good and has some high end components (ie., Truma), but you're going to see quality and failure issues around these trailers for years. Especially if anyone actually tries to take them off road. I originally thought they were so inexpensive that a good strategy would have been to buy one and then replace it with a new one every four to five years, but the hassles wouldn't be worth it.

I own a Rok so we'll see. You're not wrong!

 

[Buddha.]

I've always had pretty good luck with the schwintek slides mechs on the Winnebagos we've had. But do see a lot of peeps on the Ember Owner Book of Face group with issues. Wondered if it was a sync issue at the factory.

They constantly go out of sync. That’s not usually a big problem though, you run the slide in and out a bunch and it should re sync.

The main problems are:
The motors get weak and the the controller shuts it down.
Or
The blocks that ride on the rail break and aren’t aligned anymore, it won’t move, and it strips out the gears.

 

[eatSleepWoof]

Came across an Ember on the local~ish classifieds: https://www.kijiji.ca/v-travel-trailer-camper/abbotsford/2023-ember-rv-overland-191mdb/m4645219

$78k CAD (they have an identical one for $88k, too) with frame welds that look like what eatSleepWoof would produce in his garage after consuming a litre of whiskey and while balancing a cheeseburger under his welding mask:

If this is what they think is acceptable for parts that are right in your face, imagine what you can't see.

Quick everyone, line up with your chequebooks in hand!

 

[Treefarmer1]

As long as you never take them off pavement and only use them a few times a year, they should be fine.