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Old 03-10-2010, 06:46 PM   #1
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Question Attorney time? Rotten floor in an '07 Safari...

I've got an '07 Safari 25-footer FB SE; we were camping in July 2009 when we noticed a soft spot under the dinette which turned out to be water-damaged rotten wood. Looks like water had been gathering under the linoleum for a long period of time and causing the problem including a crumbling section about eight inches in diameter.



Had an RV service shop remove the rear trim at the bumper.

THERE WAS NO SEALANT AT THE JUNCTION OF THE BUMPER AND THE REAR WALL.



It's evident where the water was getting under the rear wall and into the interior. BTW, we keep the camper under covered storage so it has probably only seen ten days of rain.

Of course, warranty was out in May of 2009 and Airstream said they would "participate" in the repair/cost if we take it to the factory 600 miles away. My argument is that it was a factory defect that caused the issue which probably took at least 12 months to rot the floor before we noticed it. I would rather have a local Atlanta shop repair it on Airstream's nickel and not have to haul it to JC or pay a portion of the repair.

Any advice on resolving this? Is it attorney time?

Thanx, Lance
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Old 03-10-2010, 07:05 PM   #2
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I'm checking our Airstream tomorrow.
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Old 03-10-2010, 07:12 PM   #3
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17 cents worth...

well, imho, attys cost too much, alienate both parties, and generally give you a feeling of too much stress. said with appropriate apologies. Now I know there are times when an atty is an absolute. this is not one of those times. ask yourself if you really want to have AS fix this? probably not (you said as much). So just fix it. the money spent on the atty will be more than the cost of the repair. take a breath, look at the situation, see if you want to modify the area to improve functionality for yourself, look at it as a mild remodel, and get er dun.

take some photos, share them with AS and send them documentation of your repairs. put the burden of being an upright business on them. don't be a victim. just get on with life. a local guy can fix it in the time you'd take to drive up to OH. so, just do it.
...seventeen cents aint a whale of a lot...(thanks to Marshall Wilburn-The Lynn Morris Band)
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Old 03-10-2010, 07:14 PM   #4
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What's the deal with all the holes where the rivets were removed? The fix does not have "Airstream Factory Approved Repair" written on it: it has "hacks" doing the the fix, which appears to be caused by backing into something. I don't see AS being responsible , in this case.
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Old 03-10-2010, 07:33 PM   #5
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Originally Posted by wmarsha View Post
well, imho, attys cost too much, alienate both parties, and generally give you a feeling of too much stress. said with appropriate apologies. Now I know there are times when an atty is an absolute. this is not one of those times. ask yourself if you really want to have AS fix this? probably not (you said as much). So just fix it. the money spent on the atty will be more than the cost of the repair. take a breath, look at the situation, see if you want to modify the area to improve functionality for yourself, look at it as a mild remodel, and get er dun.

take some photos, share them with AS and send them documentation of your repairs. put the burden of being an upright business on them. don't be a victim. just get on with life. a local guy can fix it in the time you'd take to drive up to OH. so, just do it.
...seventeen cents aint a whale of a lot...(thanks to Marshall Wilburn-The Lynn Morris Band)
ol' Bill
I think you are correct, sir. Thanx.
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Old 03-10-2010, 07:35 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike Leary View Post
What's the deal with all the holes where the rivets were removed? The fix does not have "Airstream Factory Approved Repair" written on it: it has "hacks" doing the the fix, which appears to be caused by backing into something. I don't see AS being responsible , in this case.
Nothing has been repaired yet, and the holes in the metal were already there, not because rivets were removed.

Your post:

"The fix does not have "Airstream Factory Approved Repair" written on it: it has "hacks" doing the the fix, which appears to be caused by backing into something. I don't see AS being responsible , in this case."

makes no sense at all and is totally useless information.
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Old 03-10-2010, 07:40 PM   #7
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makes no sense at all and is totally useless information.
Wow! Excuse me.
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Old 03-10-2010, 07:44 PM   #8
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Wow! Excuse me.
No problem, you are excused.
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Old 03-10-2010, 08:19 PM   #9
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I think Mike means to say that it looks like its been improperly repaired by someone OTHER than JC or a JC authorized facility...
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Old 03-10-2010, 09:01 PM   #10
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the HOLES are where the trim was attached.

they OFTEN use SCREWS for this trim piece on some trailers and rivets on others...

hollow core/olympic style/POP rivet shafts will leak in this area withOUT goop.

and MANY of the factory service center repairs involve using SCREWS at the C channel to secure SKIN.

assembly techniques AND repair techniques have changed in several critical ways over the last 25 years

AND as A/S has changed critical shell assembly bits and extrusions.

so don't assume a past technique or a BETTER approach learned on the forums is HOW they do it at the big house.

what i c in that picture IS the factory HACKS at work and following SOP.
___________

many owners have TRIED to avoid the transport charges, time and inconvenience of going to j/c for major fixes...

FEW have succeeded in having those costs covered under warranty.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f44/...ory-39388.html

and your issue while very UNsettling and also PRETTY COMMON...

is minor compared to THIS example...

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f335...ops-25290.html

i know of 1 or 2 times when the factory SENT a worker to a nearby dealer/service center to do repairs...

this did save the owner towing/transport charges, but is VERY uncommon.

they have also monkeyed with refunds and offered other odd compensations to some UNhappy owners...

see some of flyfishers many posts on this...

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f249...hip-11154.html

cheers
2air'
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Old 03-10-2010, 09:12 PM   #11
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Basically I caught the same situation on mine - a bit earlier than you did. I used Rot Doctor on the small area where the wood was really bad and gooped on the Vulkem, reinstalled the trim, and was good. I think I'll put some more seal on the seam between the trim and the Airstream side wall. It was a day's work. Less than $100 in materials. (I am neither skinny nor young - so I take my time - but watch out for the rot doctor - it will send you on a BAD trip if you don't keep the doors and windows open and the fans running.

Paula
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Old 03-10-2010, 10:20 PM   #12
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What can an attorney do for you? Do you want to sue Airstream for failing to install the sealer or not covering something out of warranty. Just curious.
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Old 03-11-2010, 04:48 AM   #13
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If airstream will repair it free i would bring it to them and tour the plant and do whatever else you can find to do out there. That way THEY are fixing their own mistake.
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Old 03-11-2010, 05:43 AM   #14
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Attorneys can be very helpful in some circumstances. For example, an attorney is unlikely to make a inflammatory statement like, "makes no sense at all and is totally useless information" at least not gratuitously.

What an attorney would likely advise you to do is write a letter including all supporting documentation to Jackson requesting they make the full repairs and/or pay the full cost of a local shop to make the repairs... and asking for a response in writing. If they've said they'd participate, ask them exactly what this means in terms of cash. Is this is a specific amount or a percentage of the total cost? Ask them if they're willing to fund the cost of traveling to Jackson. What an attorney can tell you is the law surrounding warranties. Just because a problem is not located during a warranty period does not mean there isn't some manufacturer responsibility. An attorney can also tell you the cost-benefit of litigation. If you file in Atlanta, Jackson might have to defend itself in Atlanta. They're going to have to consider the "cost of defense" versus the cost of making the repair or settling the case.

Another advantage of an attorney is that they broker deals like this every day. Only idiots and zealots want to go to court. It's expensive, inefficient and the outcome is never certain. A settlement or negotiated resolution is far better. Oh, and because attorneys do this stuff every day, they have a much better idea of what a realistic/reasonable settlement might be. Honestly, you're not going to get 100 percent of the repair cost because Airstream isn't going to send you a check for the full amount. If they agree to make the repairs in Jackson, you're out the travel expenses and whatever legal fees you incur. If they cut you a check to do the work locally, it will a percentage of the cost. It is what it is.

One more thing I would add to the Jackson letter, a written estimate of the cost of repair from the local shop in Atlanta. This will give Airstream an idea of what it's maximum financial liability might be.

One final bit of advice... if you want help from these forums and you encounter a post you find unhelpful or nonsensical, just ignore it and move on. Kicking someone in the shins whose tried to help you isn't going to win friends and influence people. Good luck.
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Old 03-11-2010, 06:37 AM   #15
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One final bit of advice... if you want help from these forums and you encounter a post you find unhelpful or nonsensical, just ignore it and move on. Kicking someone in the shins whose tried to help you isn't going to win friends and influence people. Good luck.
You're right, that is my style to ignore, but I guess I'd maybe had a beer or two and was in a mood...

Thanx for all the advice...

Lance
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Old 03-11-2010, 06:52 AM   #16
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You're right, that is my style to ignore, but I guess I'd maybe had a beer or two and was in a mood...

Thanx for all the advice...

Lance
Just as much my fault, I miss-read the picture.
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Old 03-20-2010, 05:08 PM   #17
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How ed this turn out?
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Old 03-20-2010, 05:20 PM   #18
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Good advice from Hampstead.

JC wants to fix it there because they can do it at wholesale at their shop. If they have to pay a dealer or other RV shop they have to pay profit to them. While the factory does some pretty dumb things, the repair shop does good work (and they will acknowledge sometimes they know how bad a job the factory can do).

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Old 03-20-2010, 05:36 PM   #19
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Blame game aside it looks like it might be an easy fix with Rot Doctor or some other penetrating epoxy. A patch could also be put in if the wood is really rotten and not just soft.

I doubt the factory would do an as new floor replacement anyway, which would involve extensive major work.
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Old 04-10-2013, 01:37 PM   #20
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Angry Floor rot in '06 Safari

We had the same thing just happen to us in our 26 ft. Airstream offered to advise our local repair shop, after we had already had it repaired. There was a gap under the front trim and also there was was no sealant where the body sits on the frame. It costs us $1,600.00. We are not so thrilled that we paid more for an Airstream but it did not make it a superior product.
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