AbleGuy
Officious Intermeddler
This enlightening story sadly reflects and seems to validate what some of you folks have been saying in your comments on Expo the past year or so, about the quality seen in many of the newer manufactured rigs.
www.indystar.com
Here are a few of the observations * shared in this article:
…”The desire to get away from home yet remain isolated introduced a new kind of lifestyle for many people during the pandemic. Recreational vehicles and trailers like Doman's offered a vacation anywhere with all the comforts of home but not the crowds, costs or hassles of commercial travel.
The RV industry — one of the biggest manufacturing sectors in Indiana — was quick to capitalize on this new and unprecedented demand.
Last year, more RVs were built and sold than ever. Profits also soared to record highs.
But on factory floors, already harried workers — some with only limited training — were pressed to build more and faster to meet higher production quotas, several current and former RV employees told IndyStar.
Some belong to families who sold their houses to commit to the RV lifestyle full time. Some are owned by retirees with grand plans for their golden years and money to burn. Others are first-time owners. Their horror stories show up in lawsuits and a jump in recall notices.
The RV industry disputes claims of quality issues.”
…”The quality of RVs has been declining for at least the last 15 years, according to Ron Burdge, an Ohio attorney who has spent decades suing RV manufacturers over defective products.
Consolidations during economic downturns meant less competition and lower quality, Burdge said. Because of financial pressures, companies also had to build more cheaply to keep their profit margins. But, he added, this continued even during good economic years.
"And when they came out of that recession back in '08, quite frankly, my experience has been that they decided that, 'Hey, we can sell these things with less quality and make just as much money. So why should we go back to building better quality?'" he said. "And they just kept doing it. And it's only gotten worse over the years since then."
Recalls became more and more common — in part because parts suppliers are also under pressure to build fast, Burdge said. Defective products that go to multiple manufacturers meant multitudes of recalls.
Recalls jumped even more during the pandemic years.”
…”Among the problems that led to recalls: gas leaks, various electrical issues, increased propane pressure and poorly installed awnings….The pandemic also exposed a longstanding problem on factory floors, an IndyStar investigation found. RV workers don’t need a license or certification to do electrical work and often receive little training to install plumbing or furnaces, several workers said. This has led not only to worker injuries, but also to problems with the products.”
*(the above quoted content is solely that of the original report writer and should not be interpreted in any way as being the opinion of this posting Expo member)
Shoddy work. Unhappy buyers. A near-death experience. When the RV lifestyle goes wrong
'There goes our fifth wheel, toy hauler, everything in it... I think I'm gonna throw up,' said Jenny Doman, whose RV burned a day after she bought it.
www.indystar.com
Here are a few of the observations * shared in this article:
…”The desire to get away from home yet remain isolated introduced a new kind of lifestyle for many people during the pandemic. Recreational vehicles and trailers like Doman's offered a vacation anywhere with all the comforts of home but not the crowds, costs or hassles of commercial travel.
The RV industry — one of the biggest manufacturing sectors in Indiana — was quick to capitalize on this new and unprecedented demand.
Last year, more RVs were built and sold than ever. Profits also soared to record highs.
But on factory floors, already harried workers — some with only limited training — were pressed to build more and faster to meet higher production quotas, several current and former RV employees told IndyStar.
Some belong to families who sold their houses to commit to the RV lifestyle full time. Some are owned by retirees with grand plans for their golden years and money to burn. Others are first-time owners. Their horror stories show up in lawsuits and a jump in recall notices.
The RV industry disputes claims of quality issues.”
…”The quality of RVs has been declining for at least the last 15 years, according to Ron Burdge, an Ohio attorney who has spent decades suing RV manufacturers over defective products.
Consolidations during economic downturns meant less competition and lower quality, Burdge said. Because of financial pressures, companies also had to build more cheaply to keep their profit margins. But, he added, this continued even during good economic years.
"And when they came out of that recession back in '08, quite frankly, my experience has been that they decided that, 'Hey, we can sell these things with less quality and make just as much money. So why should we go back to building better quality?'" he said. "And they just kept doing it. And it's only gotten worse over the years since then."
Recalls became more and more common — in part because parts suppliers are also under pressure to build fast, Burdge said. Defective products that go to multiple manufacturers meant multitudes of recalls.
Recalls jumped even more during the pandemic years.”
…”Among the problems that led to recalls: gas leaks, various electrical issues, increased propane pressure and poorly installed awnings….The pandemic also exposed a longstanding problem on factory floors, an IndyStar investigation found. RV workers don’t need a license or certification to do electrical work and often receive little training to install plumbing or furnaces, several workers said. This has led not only to worker injuries, but also to problems with the products.”
*(the above quoted content is solely that of the original report writer and should not be interpreted in any way as being the opinion of this posting Expo member)
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