To Buy or Not to Buy

[RVBSeeker]

Thanks for your input. I'm concerned less with whether I would enjoy the RV experience than I am with the reliability of these RVs. Granted that I'm still working through the issue of propane safety and I appreciate your comments on that subject; If you own or have had experience with either the Roadtrek with Etrek option, the Etrek or the Airstream Interstate, please share with me any reliability issues you've had on major systems. Much appreciated.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by RVBSeeker

If you own or have had experience with <snipped> the Airstream Interstate, please share with me any reliability issues you've had on major systems. Much appreciated.

* Water heater thermostat was defective when the van was purchased, warranty repair by Airstream dealer.
* Starter went out, replaced by MB dealer, after warranty expired. It was parked at home at the time, not on the road. Turns out a rat had gnawed on the wiring harness and shorted it out.
* House batteries drained stony dead, twice. First time my fault before I learned what had to be shut off for storage; second time was dealer's fault when it was in the shop for routine service and I couldn't pick it up right away due to my work schedule. Service techs didn't shut everything off after they were done checking it out— which wouldn't have been a problem if I had been able to pick it up right away instead of waiting almost a week. Still using those same batteries, by the way.
* Generator's voltage regulator fried itself, replaced by Onan dealer under warranty.
No other problems worth mentioning in almost four years of ownership and use. Only minor issues that did not impair safety or functionality and were not critical to have repaired right away. Such as the bathroom vent fan motor completely clogged by a dust storm in New Mexico, replaced over a month later by my Airstream dealer. Which is not a problem worth mentioning even though I did mention it.

My Interstate is a 2012 model, built on a 2011 Sprinter 3500 van. Fewer bells and whistles than newer models— no automatic-retracting awning or power blinds, for instance, neither of which I've had any occasion to wish I had.

[RVBSeeker]

So I gather from your posts, that some malfunctions are to be expected at the starting gate. My Airstream dealer is 2 hours away. If I go forward, it sounds like I'd better be prepared to make multiple trips to the dealer.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by RVBSeeker

So I gather from your posts, that some malfunctions are to be expected at the starting gate. My Airstream dealer is 2 hours away. If I go forward, it sounds like I'd better be prepared to make multiple trips to the dealer.

If everything was perfect straight from the dealer, we wouldn't need warranties. So yes, be prepared to make a trip or two to the dealer. And on your first few outings, make up a punch list of anything and everything that doesn't work right, so you can get it all fixed in one trip. Hopefully that list will be short.

And bear in mind that you may need a trip to a Mercedes Benz Sprinter dealer instead of— or as well as— to the Airstream dealer. Not all MB dealers handle Sprinters, so check around and see which dealers in your area handle Sprinter vans.

[RVBSeeker]

Thanks very much, Protaganist, for your multiple posts. You've been very helpful

[InterBlog]

My two cents - if you DO get a Class B, get a newer one and then re-sell it before it gets too old, thus side-stepping the whole maintenance and repair issue (hopefully).

The thing you have to remember as a self-described non-handy person is that, at least in our area (southeast Texas), only fairly wealthy people can afford RV repair services, which are a consistent $120 per hour for labor. If you are a person of average means and you buy one of these things and are then forced onto the labor treadmill by undiscovered problems, you are finished financially - you'll just have to re-sell your Class B and wash your hands of the whole idea.

My husband and I bought a 2007 Airstream Interstate about 14 months ago. It had only 26,000 miles on it and had been so lightly used that many of the original stickers were still in place, including in the shower which had never been used. We paid a so-called RV inspector to evaluate it prior to purchase, and he found no problems. That inspection proved to be a total waste of money and within the first few weeks, we had to DIY a complete replacement of the gray water system (due to a design flaw, the tank had broken free of all three plumbing lines), repair a line break in the black water system, and also replace the electrical converter and the Lifeline battery that the original converter had ruined. We also have had to DIY a dead refrigerator replacement and do other non-elective jobs that I won't go into here.

We have also discovered several other major problems, some of which I haven't Forum-posted about yet because I first need to research the path forward in order for the stories to make any coherent sense.

Moral of the story is that, in the absence of considerable wealth, only someone with interest and skills in DIY would have been able to financially afford to do what my husband and I have done in the first year of ownership, because we did the labor ourselves (to date). My husband is a mechanical engineer by training and I'm a DIY enthusiast - I like to get away from my computer-based desk job and work with my hands when possible, so I was willing to learn how to fix an RV that proved to have many issues. I'm also physically fit in my 50's, as (among other things) I practice yoga which gives me the strength and flexibility to work both on top of the vehicle and under the chassis. Most owners can't claim that.

I don't know how the Interstate would stack up against other models such as Roadtrek - I don't know if they would be likely to have fewer problems or more problems. This is the only Class B we have owned to date.

[RVBSeeker]

Thanks for sharing your experiences and sharing your insight, Interblog. While it's understandable that an older RV would need repairs, it's unacceptable to me that someone spending $100000+ for a brand new RV should have to deal with malfunctioning systems straight out of the factory. At those prices, I'm not interested in beta testing new technology for an RV manufacturer. Clearly, there are design issues and/or quality control issues that are not being addressed satisfactorily which places compromised RVs in the hands of consumers. I'm prepared to spend $120/hr to fix items that need repair 5 years from now, but I'm not prepared to acquire a brand new RV with unresolved design issues,failed systems, and poor quality control. Let me know what you think.

[n2916s]

Well, you have expressed enough self-doubt that I would strongly advise you to avoid RV ownership. These are hand-built vehicles, nary a robot in sight on the production line. There are few, if any, units that will drive off the lot and have no issues. Nature of the beast.

Personally, if I were to buy a new unit (either Class B or towable), I would pick it up at the dealer and then spend the next week camping and moving within a hundred miles or so. Then drop it back off with my "punch list". Of course, I am retired so have the luxury of time...

Mine is almost 30 years old and meticulously maintained. But, I bounce it down the road about 8000 miles a year, I park it outside in Florida, I live in it half the year so I probably do maintenance, either preventative or restorative, at least twice a month. None of it is rocket science and while occasionally tedious, it is seldom strenuous and sometimes even fun.

Clearly, you are not going to be happy with ownership. $100,000.00 will buy a lot of nights at the Holiday Inn Express and you get free breakfast!

Mike

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by RVBSeeker

At those prices, I'm not interested in beta testing new technology for an RV manufacturer.

There is very little "new" technology that you would be beta-testing, as long as you stay away from the Roadtrek E-Trek.

Quality control is an issue with just about any B-van, which is assembled like a ship in a bottle inside the original van body. There's not a lot of room for people to work inside during assembly, and having to stop work at every step of the process for an inspector to come along and check every little thing would slow production to a fraction of what it is— and coincidentally jack up the price even higher due to the extra man-hours needed to perform that level of inspection.

It's really sounding like you really would be better served to buy a small C-van built on a Sprinter cab chassis. In the case of a C-van, the entire living area is built on an assembly line, then lifted into place on the chassis as a completed unit. Assembly is easier to inspect, and easier to automate. Quality is more consistent, though there is less hand-craftsmanship involved. Plus you'll get more living space for your bucks. For example, the Winnebago View 24M.

[RVBSeeker]

Thanks again for your insight.

[InterBlog]

Originally Posted by RVBSeeker

Thanks for your input. I'm concerned less with whether I would enjoy the RV experience than I am with the reliability of these RVs. Granted that I'm still working through the issue of propane safety and I appreciate your comments on that subject; If you own or have had experience with either the Roadtrek with Etrek option, the Etrek or the Airstream Interstate, please share with me any reliability issues you've had on major systems. Much appreciated.

I certainly have a new-found appreciation for your concern with propane safety. I discovered our tank to be leaking propane a few days ago and I commenced this thread regarding it.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f240...es-143802.html

[Boxster1971]

Originally Posted by RVBSeeker

Thanks for your input..... .....If you own or have had experience with either the Roadtrek with Etrek option, the Etrek or the Airstream Interstate, please share with me any reliability issues you've had on major systems. Much appreciated.

The only problem I had with my Interstate after initial delivery was a loose connection on the Battery Isolator. It caused some weird intermittent electrical problems. I ended up fixing it myself after talking to the electrician at the dealer were I bought it. They are over three hours away.

After a season of use I had to take it back to the dealer for a recall on the propane regulator. Before I had the recall fix I noticed the macerator pump was broken from the mounting on one side. Dealer replaced the macerator pump on warranty when I was in for the recall.

I'm big on DIY maintenance and upgrades. I have made many changes to my Interstate to the point where it is now more a custom unit. I like propane for heat and cooking, especially with the portable gas grill I carry for cooking outside. But I share InterBlog's concerns for the systems as they age. Any RV is more like owning a large power boat. It will require maintenance even if not used.

In my opinion the best quality and most reliable B-van RV is built by Advanced RV (ARV) in Ohio. I was planning to buy one in 2012 but their operation was not yet ready so I bought the Interstate so I could start traveling. I have seen their current operation during their annual open house last spring. ARV stands behind their product and will back fit improvements they make at no cost. Their vans are a more expensive than a Roadtrek E-Trek and Airstream Interstates. Their vans are totally electric with no propane. They have a diesel powered heating system and use the Sprinter engine with extra alternator for battery charging if needed. Large solar and big lithium batteries are in their base design. Only down side is you will have to wait nearly a year to get one built for you if you want one. They do everything custom to their customer's requirements.


- - Mike
2013 Lounge EXT on 2012 Sprinter

[InterBlog]

Originally Posted by RVBSeeker

Thanks for your input. I'm concerned less with whether I would enjoy the RV experience than I am with the reliability of these RVs.
....

Reliability (or the lack thereof) is an acute problem and therefore those squeaky wheel issues tend to get the grease and get widely talked about.

However my best guess at present is that the REAL elephant in the Interstate's room will actually prove to be a chronic problem rather than acute - that being corrosion.

It's not clear how widespread it is at this point, but my suspicions are continuing to grow. We know we have an issue with our 2007 Interstate, and it doesn't stop with the LP tank. I suspect that much the same material grades are still being used in the newer Interstates that are coming off the production line today. Look at the recent Winterizing thread and at the photos that the one very helpful Forum poster provided - his all-thread (the hardware that hangs his tank from the chassis) is already bright orange, and his six-figure Interstate is only two years old!! In the photo, I believe I also may see incipient rust on his metal tank brackets.

Of course, none of that rust appears to be serious at this point - but again, the vehicle is just two years old - what is it going to look like in another few short years if it looks like that already?? My guess is that it's going to need intervention at a relatively young point in its life, and that intervention is either going to be time-consuming, or expensive, or both.

Such was the case when my husband and I had to replace our gray water system plumbing last year. The hardware was an absolute mess of corrosion. We rehabbed what we could, and replaced what could not be salvaged due to the extensiveness of the rust.

I'll have more to say about that issue later, but for the purposes of your (the OP's) original question, this is another factor to potentially consider as you weigh your choices.