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Originally Posted by dlb435  I have just replaced it with a 2008 Safari Sport. I can say that the quality of the floors and laminants are not as good as the 72 stuff. Still, I have tried to buy laminant and the 72 quality materials are just not available anymore. Little things like the bathroom vent fan, over the stove fan and some extra storage has also been eliminated. The body construction is good, but I found that the 72 was just a little better. |
Having just got back from the midwest rally, I found what you say very true. Just in looking at the vintage units (70s and 80s) there are far more rivets on the exterior than on the newer ones. Even the storage doors have 2 to 3x the rivets holding it in than my 2004. I like my 04 very much, but it is somewhat disappointing when you read the same issues over and over again that seem to traverse model year after model year. I also have to say that I remain unimpressed with the quality control at Jackson Center. I was not pleased with it in 2003, 2004 seemed marginally better, yet still, even today, folks are still having the same issues they had back in 2003 and 2004. I fully realize these are moving houses and with that some level of problems will and do come up. It just seems to me though that for th prices paid, that a fair number of the things talked about could be solved by the engineering dept, but to be honest, there are times I also think there is no real engineering dept.
Last week or so, I got a recall notice saying my cast alum LED tail lights did not meet DOT specs and that Airstream had to come up with a solution. That solution was to stick 3M reflective tape (about 2" x 2") just above the bumper, in line with the tail lights for better visibility. I would have thought a redesigned lens would have been a more proper fix, but again, I am no engineer, but I am a customer and I don't want to stick reflective tape all over the back end of my Airstream. I paid $40k for this. I expect a $40k fix, not some cheap tape to cover someone's behind. If I wanted to go the cheap route, I would have bought an SOB and expected to have to do things like stick tape on the back body of my trailer.
I think it just really comes down to $$$. What is the lowest they can spend and the most they can make. That makes sense, but long term, being dollar wise and penny foolish only frustrates customers and creates lost customers.