2006 model year quality.....

[silverback]

Gunny/Don,
Sounds like we will need to bring a ladder to the dealers when we pick ours up. I was planning on 4 hours now I'm going to give it a whole day. Your experience with the counters and cabinets is extremely sad. I'd like to hear more about the tools you're using too.
Thanks,
Ken

[Gunnyusmc]

David at Roger Williams Airstream got the trailer on Friday and I bought it Monday. I was there living in the Safari as they did up grades and serviced the trailer. They have been great, but I am in NC. These issues were not done by the dealer are intransit.
No photo's, I was so mad that I forgot and just fixed it. But I am even mader after talkin g too Airtsream. As I told Bob Wheeler, who treaten too hank up on me, I will take this Trailer too Austin and pick up my Non airstream for the rest of my summer run, then will put it up for sale. $60,000.00 Junk don't belong on my back.

Don

[Silvertwinkie]

Don, I posted my comments on the other thread, but I will say this, it boggles the mind how this Airstream was allowed to leave the production floor in this condition. It's just downright shameful.

I was talking with another forum member on the phone last night and we talked a bit about your situation and we both agreed that the people involved should either be let go or severely reprimanded, not to mention your time, money and effort compensated.

I've had some elevated conversations with Airstream when I had my 2003 and I never had them say they'd hang up on me. Unless you were cursing them out or threatening them, that was extremely unprofessional.

The sickest part is that this coach was built just last month too, after all these QC improvements have been refined, tweaked and implemented. Mistakes happen, Airstream is right, we're all only human, however the number of mistakes seems to me to indicate negligence, incompetence or both on this particular build. After spending $60k, you shouldn't have to deal with these easily avoided issues on an RV just build no more than 30 days ago.

I hope the folks at Airstream see this post and look into what the heck went wrong here and make sure this type of situation isn't duplicated.

[fastrob]

Don,

Your trailer is beautiful. Yes, she has a few hidden warts and problems.
But finding and obtaining a good trailer is very, very difficult.
My trailer has holes in the floors, the a/c does not work often and there are dents everywhere.
Here is to you working out the problems and enjoying the trailer for many happy years.
That does not mean letting Airstream off the hook.
Just because the dog chews up the trash and barfs on the floor I would not get rid of the beast or let him get away with it. Makes the memory sweeter when you get past it.
We are all pulling for you.

R

[flyfisher]

Originally Posted by Gunnyusmc

3. Guard plate between AC and frig vent not screwed down and only 1" of double sided tape holding it on. Fix remove double sided tape and olypic riveted it too trailer with silkaflex.
4. TV antenna stuck too trailer with sealant but no screws. Fix Screwed down with stainless screws and silkaflexed.

First contact with airstream "What do you want us too do about it, after all they are built by humans that make mistakes". Mistakes!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yesterday I got Bob Wheeler and while he apologized, he didn't offer too pay for the fix. Fix was 8 hours, tube of silkaflex and 34 stainless screws, so far.

Don
512-497-5120

Don -

Many issues that we perceive as quality defects, like leaky showers, for example, seem to persist for year after year. And now, there seems to be your issues of having the guard plate and antenna affixed with just 2 sided tape, as 2 more examples.

When you put these things together with Airstream managements' lackadaisical attitude about fixing them, ("What do you want us too do about it, after all they are built by humans that make mistakes".) this leads me to wonder whether these things are intentionally done by the workers involved (they'd have a hard time convincing me that it was just a human error to put the antenna on without screws) or are these things done with management's complete knowledge and concurrence:

"We can build them a lot faster if we only use 2-sided tape, and my year end bonus will be bigger based on our lower manufacturing costs and report higher profits. I'll be long gone from here by the time most customers know the difference."

Also, how did you notice that the antenna wasn't screwed on? (Mine has so much sealant over it that I would never notice unless it came off.)

John

[OpenHigher]

Hi all: Just wanted to chime in here. We took delivery of a 2002 28 Safari SE LS in November. The air conditioner had a leak in the internal drip condensation pan, which was promptly fixed by the dealer. Other than that, all the cabinets and lines are perfect, everything is tight, well built, no leaks from the shower, frig and convection oven well built inside cabinet, laminate is good. The kitchen sink cover is not perfectly aligned in the sink, but can be easily replaced. All in all, just to input the QC for our unit has been excellent. Having said all that and certainly not to lessen the legitimate disappointments of others, I am very very confused how the QC can be so excellent on some rigs, and so miserable on others.

I truly wish all of you with a disappointing purchase the best of results in resolving your issues with Airstream.

Robert and Sherry

[OpenHigher]

GRRRRR...."delivery of a 2006 28 Safari SE LS"

[Mike Lewis]

Originally Posted by OpenHigher

Hi all: Just wanted to chime in here. We took delivery of a 2002 28 Safari SE LS in November. The air conditioner had a leak in the internal drip condensation pan, which was promptly fixed by the dealer. Other than that, all the cabinets and lines are perfect, everything is tight, well built, no leaks from the shower, frig and convection oven well built inside cabinet, laminate is good. The kitchen sink cover is not perfectly aligned in the sink, but can be easily replaced. All in all, just to input the QC for our unit has been excellent. Having said all that and certainly not to lessen the legitimate disappointments of others, I am very very confused how the QC can be so excellent on some rigs, and so miserable on others.

I truly wish all of you with a disappointing purchase the best of results in resolving your issues with Airstream.

Robert and Sherry

I'm puzzled too!!!! We bought a 16'CCD in 2004 and it was terrible !!!!! We since have traded twice,once for a 05 25' Classic and an 06 30' Classic, both of which were near perfect. I know someone here said the Classic may appear better simply because they have more things in them to cover flaws. Having had both I don't agree as some of the most dissapointing things like wall fixtures not straight rivets out of the roof tank monitors that don't work,and things ingeneral not attached or level are things that stand out in plain view. I still have an idea that there is some connection to year, model and size. It just seems reports of QC issues seem more numerous in the smaller CCD's and Safari models. I have suggested Silvertwinkie start another survey that would look at it from that angle.----Pieman

I'm not sure that I understand how the quality of a CCd and a Classic can be so different since they're on the same line with the same people working on them???

[jcanavera]

Originally Posted by Mike Lewis

I know someone here said the Classic may appear better simply because they have more things in them to cover flaws. Having had both I don't agree as some of the most dissapointing things like wall fixtures not straight rivets out of the roof tank monitors that don't work,and things ingeneral not attached or level are things that stand out in plain view.----Pieman

Yep that was my view. I whole heartily agree that some of the issues are well beyond what the Classic interior can cover up. But I still contend that the design and materials can cover up a lot of sin. For example since the Classics are not as numerous on the line, maybe there is a preferred group of folks who work on them because of their higher $$ value. It would be interesting to see if certain crews automatically are assigned to specific model trailers or whether it's truly a sequential process where the crew finished automatically heads for the next one in line.It would be interesting to know the inner workings of the work assignment process. I'm sure everyone on the interior crew works on every trailer but maybe there are exceptions based on what's coming down the line.

Jack

[flyfisher]

Don, your issues with 2-sided tape reminded me of an issue we had.

The large, heavy mirror that sits on the wall overlooking our dinette was originally attached only with 2-sided tape also. I would never have known this if it had not fallen half way off the wall while we were in-transit to the factory for other scheduled repairs this past summer. Fortunately, I was able to take it completely down before it came off entirely, and caused even more damage. The factory service guy told me that after whatever he did to reattach it it wouldn't come off again.

Anyone else with these big mirrors might want to check them.

John

[Mike Lewis]

Quote;; For example since the Classics are not as numerous on the line, maybe there is a preferred group of folks who work on them because of their higher $$ value. It would be interesting to see if certain crews automatically are assigned to specific model trailers or whether it's truly a sequential process where the crew finished automatically heads for the next one in line.

That would be interesting indeed!! I still would like to see them compared percentage wise to see if what appears to so actually is. If so I could only come to the conclusion that Airstreams values quality in terms of $$$$$ :in otherwards the less you pay the less they care about quality!!!! I would hope this isn't true but from my experience as a coustomer that's how it appears.
One thing for sure, as long as they have orders stacked up and everyone on the line is getting payed based on production there is little incentive to do better. ---Pieman

[PunkZTT]

It's a shame because they seem to be exploiting the positive image that Airstreams have had in regards to quality for decades. Unfortunately for them, they can only exploit the name and capitalize on it's heritage for a certain amount of time. Eventually, the consumers will realize that they are not getting what they are paying for and Thor will have desecrated the entire Airstream fleet, rendering their product line useless.

Maybe they figure that the trailer is so unique that it will never succumb to the plague of a "SOB" type label. In that case, I suppose they will continue to pump out sub-par products and continue to raise the pricing on them. I love consumerism.... Anything to make another buck right?

[jcanavera]

Originally Posted by flyfisher

Don, your issues with 2-sided tape reminded me of an issue we had.

The large, heavy mirror that sits on the wall overlooking our dinette was originally attached only with 2-sided tape also. I would never have known this if it had not fallen half way off the wall while we were in-transit to the factory for other scheduled repairs this past summer. Fortunately, I was able to take it completely down before it came off entirely, and caused even more damage. The factory service guy told me that after whatever he did to reattach it it wouldn't come off again.

Anyone else with these big mirrors might want to check them.

John

That double sticky tape on the top bracket of my mirror started letting go last spring while out of town. I picked up some new double sticky at a local hardware and reattached the bracket to the wall. The bottom braclet seems firmly stuck so I didn't mess with it. The problem I see is the bracket is as long as the mirror and slides onto the top of the mirror thus holding the mirror against the wall. The wall it's stuck to is not totally flat which means a flat bracket stuck against a not so flat wall. The double sticky tape doesn't contact the entire surface of the wall, leaving gaps. It all drys out and eventually it lets go.

Jack

[Janets Husband]

We have been contemplating the purchase of a new Airstream, and I have been reading with interest this thread. I agree there are issues with some units and QA should be better. My question is has anyone had Warranty issues that have not been resolved by Airstream?


This is directly off of their web site and it sounds pretty straight forward to me.

"

Airstream offers a 2 year bumper to bumper warranty. We do not offer any other type of warranty on our products.

Note: Most RV dealerships sell after-market "Extended Warranty Contracts" that have a variety of terms, conditions and time periods. These may be a viable option depending on your needs. Just be sure to thoroughly read and understand the contract before purchasing

[Mike Lewis]

Gary -- I don't think there is much of a problem with warranty. The thing is those items most have problem with are not things that developed after the sale but things so obvious that should have never left the factory much less delivered to the customer. In my case I called and expressed my concern about the items on our 04 CCD and was told airstream would be more than happy to take care of any and all things wrong. They seem oblivious to the fact that most owners don't live in Jackson Center Ohio or in most cases close to a dealer, plus when they are making corrections to our units they are at work!!! Most customers have to take time off,$$$$ or vacation time having repairs done not to mention the expence of traveling. My dealer for example is 450 miles away, a 900 mile round trip!!!!. -------Pieman

[flyfisher]

Originally Posted by Janet's Husband

My question is has anyone had Warranty issues that have not been resolved by Airstream?
"

YES!

My wife and I are leaving tomorrow to take our trailer to Jackson Center for warranty repairs. This will be our 5th trip there, entirely at our own expense, during the past 2 years. We're planning to leave our trailer there, because I've been told the repair will take approx. 2 weeks, then we will return (for a 6th trip) to pick it up and bring it home. It's a 1000 mile round trip from our home in PA to the factory.

Oh, I'm sure they will fix our trailer, but NOT as specified by Airstream's warranty policy.

The policy requires only that the trailer be taken to an authorized service center (an Airstream dealer). However, in our case, I've been informed that there are no dealers who are either willing or able to make the repair (replace the vinyl floor in our trailer which was significantly damaged during its manufacture), so if I want it repaired/replaced I've got to bring it back to the factory at my own expense.

What ticks me off even more, is that the dealer we bought our trailer from saw many of the problems before we arrived to buy it, and he never made any attempt to fix them - he didn't even bother to clean the inside of the trailer (part of the normal PDI requirement). Then, we subsequently took our trailer to another dealer for what I believed would be relatively minor warranty repairs, and that dealer so totally screwed things up that when we left the dealership the trailer was much worse than when we arrived.

John

[Gunnyusmc]

Hi Janet And Husband
I wouldn't bank on airstream warrenty!!! I' out $650.00 so far on my LSSE and it ain't right yet.
My older non-airstream will be picked up and this junker droped off before I head for OR. I will cut my summer short and come home too sell this LEMON as soon as I get out of the hosp.

Don

[cowcreek7]

Well… we’re 17 days into our adventure in our 06 28’ CCD. See my previous post for the list of problems right out of the chute. So far, we have two leaks. We're in California now and it has been raining like crazy. One leak is in the upper fixed window over the galley sink, the other is the curbside fixed curved window at the front. Using plastic Dixie cups to catch the drips. Drain in shower leaks. Factory didn’t complete the ring all the way around with putty. Temp fix with clear caulk. Broken bracket on curbside awning. Came that way from factory. The formica on the inside of the bathroom door has delaminated completely. Uneven floor in front of fridge. TV bracket won’t hold TV vertical–no matter how tight the allen screw is tightened. Laminate on dining table is lumpy. The weave on one curtain panel in bedroom goes side-to-side and the other goes up-and-down. Shower head doesn't turn off completely when button is switched. Maybe it's supposed to do that. Can someone tell me? We have 61 more days of adventure left. Will write more later.

Ralph

[Devoman]

Shower head is supposed to do that.It lets you know you left the water on so you dont fill up the grey tank.
It just trickles out when you turn it off.