2008 model year quality....

[Taj MaHaul]

I've asked the dealer to confer with the factory but haven't pushed them for an answer yet.

As to the jack, like most switched electric motors, I am cautious about running a motor beyond its limits

Bill

[rss_ty]

Well, to say that I am less than impressed with the build quality on my Airstream would probably be an understatement. First day of delivery, bottom drawer had completely disintegrated, necessitating rebuild by dealer. As time progressed, trim on sink came loose, which I ironed back on. Baseboard in hand sink area came loose, trim in bath came loose, all of which I beat back into submission. TV cabinet chose to swivel loose and cause trim piece between bed area and TV/frig cabinet to twist out. I fixed by purchasing 1" stair stock and cutting piece to fit in between, screwing tight. Several rivets in that area have popped out, one in doorway, one in bath. Door won't shut without slamming - no way to adjust because screws holding latch won't come loose. However, one was stripped during factory installation. Screen door sags on hinges - not sure how to deal with that as it won't adjust. Water gage in fresh water tank shows empty when full. Floor isn't solid, so sounds off with every step in center of floor. TV is apparently heavier than supporting metal assembly, so now hangs at a sag.

Contrast my year old Toyota Tacoma, a slightly more complex vehicle, with NO faults. This vehicle was made in America, California to be exact, by American workers, yet Airstream can't seem to produce a faultless vehicle. Days of forgiving manufacturers for sloppy work are over as far as I am concerned.

[wheel interested]

Originally Posted by ferry360

As to the jack, like most switched electric motors, I am cautious about running a motor beyond its limits

Bill

Kind of like turning off the vacuum when it has a sock stuck in it?

For myself it was a good tip for me though, because I had not originally known it would not turn itself off when the shaft was already fully retracted. So now I do watch it. Maybe more of a non-mechanical gal thang to be reminded and cautioned thusly.

Congrats on your new Airstream.

I have a matter of several weeks left to my 2 year guarantee on our 2007 and I can tell you I have used every bit of my waranty privileges and often. I don't know if I will ever get around to listing the issues we have had and my many many photos of it, some is just plain ridiculously haphazard. I think Airstream should concentrate on American made quality and not quantity because its reputation and our units are surely suffering the consequences.

[Silvertwinkie]

Originally Posted by wheel interested

I have a matter of several weeks left to my 2 year guarantee on our 2007 and I can tell you I have used every bit of my waranty privileges and often. I don't know if I will ever get around to listing the issues we have had and my many many photos of it, some is just plain ridiculously haphazard. I think Airstream should concentrate on American made quality and not quantity because its reputation and our units are surely suffering the consequences.

Wow Wheel, I had no idea you'd been having issues. Any corrosion? You should post it all to the 2007 QC thread if you haven't already.....

[mffjm8509]

While chasing trout along the Arkansas river a couple weeks ago we pulled into a campground to find that our television had completely torn free from the wall.

Closer inspection revealed that the mounting cabinet used to secure it to the wall above the frige had been incorreclty assembled. It looks like during installation they drilled the access hole for the wiring on the wrong board and instead of replacing it with a new kit, they just reversed the sides; meaning that all predrilled holes used for assmebly were not used. The box was put together with small finishing nails and no where near strong enough to support the weight of the television while traveling.

I redrilled and screwed the box together and added a few screws to ad stability. I also screwed the box to the 1x2 mounts attached to the wall of the trailer.

So far so good.


So far this has been the only SIGNIFIGANT problem we've had with our AS.

[wheel interested]

Originally Posted by Silvertwinkie

Wow Wheel, I had no idea you'd been having issues. Any corrosion? You should post it all to the 2007 QC thread if you haven't already.....

Yeah I know Eric. I have thought of your QC threads often. I am not comfortable with that at this time. I sure wish there was someone that actually cared or redressed grievances, but what satisfaction is there??? I get lip service, at best and at worst...well we just won't go there, ok? I am not blaming the fellows there that work hard to do all they can. Their hands are tied, they are between a rock and a hard place and I am certain they share our frustration and more compoundedly. I blame Thor with its bottom line and passing issues by as a corporate incentive. My perception is, and may admittedly be way off base, but I think Richard Riegel was doing a fine job with Airstream, but perhaps too fine. Once he moved up to Thor, the priorities probably changed to being competive amongst all the other Thor SOB lines and the beginning of the plumet. Then there is a matter of my time, energy, inconvenience and expense and much more damage resulting from the actual servicing. I will be going back within a few weeks time (again.) Just picked it up too. And yes we have corroison!

[Silvertwinkie]

What a shame Carol. I feel for ya. I don't know all your woes, but I too, in two units had my share of work cut out for me. The 04 still isn't totally right, but it's stable, which is a good thing, except for it's corrosion issues.

To be honest, I don't think it was all that good under Mr. Riegel either, but it's odd.....there are stints where there are great trailers coming out of JC, then there are this significant number that defy logic on how they could have made it out the door, taking into account things can happen while in transit that can't be foreseen. I've sent emails, spoken with support, all in all you are pretty much right on, it's all lip service. As you said, it's not the average person at JC that I take issue with, it's the folks in middle and upper mgmt that are squarely to blame for these shortcomings. In some cases, my 2 year old niece could do a better QC job than what is being done.

I think my overall frustration is that this is my second unit. I had expected that these things, for the prices asked and paid would be a bit better built, but in reality, it's hit or miss at best. Me, I've struck out 2x so far. I'm just so disappointed that this will in fact be my last new Airstream. I may buy a pre-owned on later should I ever decide to upgrade in size, but I'll let someone else take the major depreciation hit these take the first 3-4 years. At least then I might not feel so bad, not having spent top dollar and gotten what I have (which is what you, I and others have today), but at a lesser cost.

In the meantime, I care for my Safari as if it were a kid and upgrade and maintain it regularly and will vocally, visually and by any other means let folks know of the issues I've seen and exp first hand (both good and bad). It's important that folks that have these issue post them so that we can all learn from each other and share the info when it's appropriate. I myself would love to hear what the actual issues are with your Classic, even if it is via PM....and BTW, you know we are taking names and VIN numbers for the corrosion issue right?

[osolow]

So what dose the dealership tell you when you go in to have so many problems with the quality of of a brand new Airstream ?
do they have anything to tell you from the factory?
or what the factory has to say about it?

this is for everyone out there to awnser

[Silvertwinkie]

Originally Posted by osolow

So what dose the dealership tell you when you go in to have so many problems with the quality of of a brand new Airstream ?
do they have anything to tell you from the factory?
or what the factory has to say about it?

this is for everyone out there to awnser

I went to JC and they took care of my issues I had at the time. Some came back, and came back in spades, like the corrosion isssue. Later on the factory says it's a maint issue to other folks and has not honored some warranty claims from what I've read on this forum.

The factory? Do you know what they suggested I do about the corrosion? Sand the white lines lightly and put nail polish over it. Yup, that's right, clear nail polish. My reply was, "you do know it's all over the body, tail lights, rims, etc, I'd have these touch up marks all over the RV. No reply. Sent letters and emails to middle to upper mgmt....all no reply. When the two years is up at the strike of midnight, you turn back into a pumpkin.

Dealers? Now there is a crap shoot. Few are really all that good, while there are a handful that are great, but for me, it's the same distance to get to a good service dealer as it is for me to go to the factory. The dealer network too has lots to be desired. Being nice, it's inconsistent at best.

[osolow]

thats to bad to hear i would think if someone droped that kind of money on a new A/S they should damn near want to give you there first born to keep you happy, with the kinda customer loyalty A/S has they should try harder alot harder.

[Silvertwinkie]

Originally Posted by osolow

thats to bad to hear i would think if someone droped that kind of money on a new A/S they should damn near want to give you there first born to keep you happy, with the kinda customer loyalty A/S has they should try harder alot harder.

I agree, because back in 2003, I recall folks from the factory saying that thay would "service the heck out of their customers". At first this was happening, but from what I hear on this forum, that is no longer the case or it is to a point. Can you imagine how you'd feel if you just put down anywhere between $40k and $65k for the average Airstream only to be told that your unit, that is in some cases only 6 months off the assembly, is not covered under warranty for a cosmetic issue that say maybe 1 in 8 new Airstreams are exhibiting? If you actually read the warranty, that is exactly what it says and if you go by what has been said in some of the threads, that is what appears to be the standard company line.

The company will however fix nearly any other issue if you bring it to them or one of the authorized service centers. Things like roof lockers falling off, showers that leak (one of my favorites that have traversed about 5 model years), misc leaks, etc, all are promptly fixed under warranty. Again the main sticking issue being that you have to cover the expense to get to a dealer (if they are any good at repair) or the cost to get it to JC. As I said, my '04 had two pages of items totaling about 19 seperate things, all were addressed. However, once the warranty ended and I asked questions on the corrosion issue (which came back) it's like the silence was deafening. This same thing seems to be happening to folks with the corrosion that are still under warranty because they say it's a maint issue not covered by the warranty.....

[lsinclair]

You nailed it Sivlertwinkie!
The priorities are all wrong today. They're too focused on the bottom line (greed). Where their emphasis needs to be is on quality and customer service.
Their game plan seems to be a numbers game, slowly lower the bar on "quality" and we'll deal with the percent who complain and benefit finanically from those who don't. Now that would be a sad "Mission Statement"!!!

[Sky]

Originally Posted by mffjm8509

While chasing trout along the Arkansas river a couple weeks ago we pulled into a campground to find that our television had completely torn free from the wall.

blah blah blah

I redrilled and screwed the box together and added a few screws to ad stability. I also screwed the box to the 1x2 mounts attached to the wall of the trailer.

So far so good.


So far this has been the only SIGNIFIGANT problem we've had with our AS.

You really should bill JC for your time and materials since your unit it under warranty. That is one of their major "quality" feedbacks. One they understand. Money.

[cars7070]

Got my new Airstream the second week of May,The first time I used it The ac didn't work,got that fixed easy at a fleetwood dealer in knoxville(very easy fix) On to North Carolina for the Allstar race,first thing we noticed was I couldn't get the awning out, the end at the rear of the coach was in a very bad bind,the unit was level Perfect,the floor had a creek in it so bad at the front door that it would wake the dead,and the door would not shut without slaming it from the inside,the last thing is that the vin tag on the left side is made of plastic mine has the word void stamped all over it where it has been removed, the Airstream is now back at the dealer where I bought it and I am happy to say they are working on the problems,They told me as of yesterday everything was fixed except the door and they were working with Airstream to fix that. Now the vin tag airstream says they dont know why that tag could have been voided but assured me that the unit is not a buyback/damaged /returned unit I am not as sure,as all the problems are on the same side.All I know is I paid a lot for this Airstream and a rebuilt repaired or other kind is not acceptable . Please give me your thoughts an if you own a 2008 Airstream check your vin sticker on the driver side to see if it has a void ! Art.....

[Airboss]

I was in some brand new units at a dealership a few weeks back and some of them were no better as far as quality then a SOB that was a fraction of the price...Afew I did like but some were really cheaply built I thought..So I think it goes farther then QC....

[wayner61]

Hi All -

We picked up our new 27FB last Friday. Took it out this weekend for a shake-down trip to ensure that everything was working as expected and to prepare a list for any issues with the overall build so the dealer can take care of them. The unit was manufactured in October of '07 and likely had been on the dealer lot since then.

Issues identified / repaired during the walk-through -

One burned out light bulb in the reading lamp above the dining table.

Issues identified / repaired during our first weekend trip -

1. Missing one of the support arms under the bed. Attachment hardware is there so I think the dealer may have "borrowed" it for a repair on another unit and forgot to replace it. I will have them order me one or "borrow" one from another stock unit.

2. Top hinge on one of the Kitchen sink cabinet doors had one loose screw. Three turns with a screwdriver and it was secure.

3. Missing one of the grommets on the stove top.

4. Found a "blob" of caulking that leaked out from the bottom window frame onto the glass in the kitchen area. Trimmed with a razor blade.

5. One rivet on the ceiling of the bedroom interior skin really looks out of place. It is in one of the pieces coming up from the side that is overlapped by the main ceiling piece where the fan is installed. About a quarter of a rivet head is peeking out under the overlap. My guess is that it should have been installed under the overlap so it isn't visible. It looks like it would be a real bear to repair or re-do, so I think I will live with it. Evidence that humans installed that panel, not a robot.

6. Rumbles and unwanted noise in the stereo system that is well documented in a couple of threads. I will pursue those solutions to that issue.

All other exterior and interior trim, rivets, etc... seem to be fine with the single exception noted above. All other systems seemed to work fine. With the nice TX summer weather, I didn't really test the furnace, but it did come on and blow warm air. No other issues noted. Overall - I am very pleased. With the exception of the stereo noise and the caulking, none of the issues seems to be "factory" related, but who knows? I probably could have caught them during the walk-through, but I was focused more on the "bigger" things. In looking through the thread, it appears I got one built on a "good" week. I will keep digging around and will post anything else that pops up over the next month or so.

Wayne

[Whizzo]

First longer trip exposed a shower leak. It was supposedly fixed at inspection and pick-up time. It's slowly flowing, coming in from under the fiberglass pan, so we're afraid that means it's in the wall. Guess we'll see what the tech finds behind the access panel. This is only the second "real" use, so must have missed it before, probably based on a shorter Navy-styled shower.

Well, didn't expect to escape without a first warranty repair. Otherwise, I reckon we got the JC crew on a good week as well.

[Jaxon]

Originally Posted by wheel interested

I blame Thor with its bottom line and passing issues by as a corporate incentive. My perception is, and may admittedly be way off base, but I think Richard Riegel was doing a fine job with Airstream, but perhaps too fine. Once he moved up to Thor, the priorities probably changed to being competive amongst all the other Thor SOB lines and the beginning of the plumet.

Wonder how the '09 'Stream quality will fare with slower sales throughout the Thor lineup... Corporate will rob Peter to pay Paul and cut corners even more, all the way 'round. That being said, the market is going to be real tough for RV sales / manufacturers, I'm afraid. Fuel prices affect everything from supplying to consuming.

Originally Posted by osolow

thats to bad to hear i would think if someone droped that kind of money on a new A/S they should damn near want to give you there first born to keep you happy, with the kinda customer loyalty A/S has they should try harder alot harder.

Airstream loyalty is of the design, symbolism and camaraderie and not so much of a particular model years "quality" or JC's customer oriented attitude, IMHO. They're unique and satisfy that wanderlust quite nicely.

The forums, like an Airstream central library, is well stocked with "how to's" in fixing the myriad of potential/actual problems from vintage to brand spankin' new. There's a reason we're using the forums and not A/S central... Looking at everyone's enthusiasm and vested interest in their Aluminitus, JC has had an easy ride, a brand loyalty that most manufacturers would kill for.

I agree completely with you, seems that cost of something no longer is an indicator of anything but what the market will bear. Caveat emptor.

[rss_ty]

After my initial disappointment with the quality of the 19' Ocean Breeze trailer I got in March of this year, I have been pleasantly surprised by how well the trailer has performed (or held up) during my journey from Arkansas, to Key West, to Rapid City, and onward through the Western Provinces of Canada, and downward through Idaho and Nevada. I boon docked in a lot of out of the way places using Forest Service roads, local gravel roads, and in some places, basically four wheel drive tracks. I didn't manage to knock any of the stuff off the bottom, a surprise in itself, but the trailer held up without any problems surfacing. In addition, God only knows why, several of the problems just disappeared. I had never been able to get the fresh water gage to show properly, but after the trip, it works fine, if not perfectly. I had a squeek in the flooring which has ameliorated itself. No additional rivets popped, and after a short visit to the dealer in Las Vegas, all are now fixed. I also learned how to use the rivet gun and will take the advice of the dealer to have one on hand! Lots of construction debris from the factory surfaced, but nothing broke or stopped working. Given the rough treatment, I can only say I am beginning to be impressed with the workmanship of the trailer.

[Taj MaHaul]

The last update to all of you on this forum came not long after a quick first return to the dealer (see earlier posts). Before chronicling what we've experienced from our 3,000 trip, I do want to say up front that compared to the previous RV (Gulfstream VCM) our A/S unit has a fraction of the problems that we experienced with the VCM. We now have a return apt set for next week for our '08 27 FB Classic. Here's what we're bringing back to fix.

Second complaint: heat in bathroom is feeble - we're told that vent first goes to keep heat in underbelly tanks but I suspect there is still some obstruction, as what comes out is anemic and does little to raise the temp in the bath.

My bad: first time we left the FB window open for a couple of nights it seemed like there was quite a bit of resistance to closing. Yup - I pushed, it broke big time. Still have yet to determine what caused it.

In general there most of the curved windows are nearly impossible to close if it is a one person operation. Don't know what the dealer will recommend.

Something must be missing between the cable input jack and the TV - can't seem to ever program or get any cable stations when we've been in places with connections. Even tried substituting a different exterior cable wire.

Second complaint: Big awning support arms are very difficult to get snugged up and stowed without getting a ladder and climbing up to put more muscle on the arms to allow the wheeled retainers to fit into their cutouts in the awning arm. The front one fits fine but the rear one is a headache.

Plastic tip on awning tool broke off and will keep doing so unless the tool is modified at the business end to fully stick into the awning pull loops or the retainer wheel at the top.

Second Complaint: FB front window blind appears to be mounted correctly - upper and lower supports parallel to each other and top - but accordion fabric hangs at angle. Don't know why this wasn't fixed first time around.

One of the exterior non watertight fasteners is bent.

Microwave may be dying an early death - it shouldn't take five or six minutes to do an incomplete job on popcorn then shut itself down completely - doesn't appear to be tripping any circuits, tho.

Microwave door sticks in the closed position often.

Second complaint: toilet seat won't stay up and can close rather quickly. To be fair the dealer did attempt to "fix" this the first time by rotating the entire toilet a few degrees. That cut the lid flop down some but we'd better be dead level for it not to guillotine down, however, now your knees are more intimate with the lavy cabinet than is comfortable. I asked them in advance to check with the factory as to how they are solving this. My bet: they won't have an answer the day of our appointment.

Screen door latch losing some of the plastic coating; light rust evident.

As described previously, we experienced a problem one day with intermittent hitch jack failure. That led to research on this forum that revealed the potential for the bottom of the propane tank cover to eventually cut into the wiring assembly coming from the jack and the main umbilical. We did find then that the wiring indeed had begun to show wear. We added a plastic sleeve a month ago but it is clear that that isn't going to be the final solution. As suggested elsewhere, it's going to take cutting a small arc out of the bottom of the propane cover. I'm not sure how the dealer is going to handle this request.

One I'll probably have to take care of myself: From the start I have no idea why A/S installed a 2.3 gpm shower nozzle - it's way too generous of a flow for boondocking. I called Delta and they don't seem to have an answer - no restrictor is available. You can’t just push a button and have the flow stop either – you have to turn it off at the handle. I'll do some research on this forum and see how folks have dealt with it.

One of those "Why'd They Do That?" things... why'd they make the black and gray water tanks equal in size - it takes forever to even get to the halfway mark in the black tank. By then we've already emptied the gray water at least twice.

Ah well. It's been a good trip despite the hiccups and we know that we can easily spend months living in our Ag Sag wagon.

And we've also met some great folks with the same funny looking trailer as we have.

Bill