Thor bought a SOB company?

[zduke4x]

I heard that THOR, who owns A/S, purchased a large sob company making them one of the largest manufacturers of motorhomes. Is this accurate?

Has anyone heard the deal? How will it affect current units? Are they headed in another direction? Is it good for Airstreamers?....jem

[thenewkid64]

Thor owns many RV Manufacturers

Damon I think was the most recent aquisition.

Hurricane
Infinity
Mandalay
Windsport

Are the ones listed on the www.thorindustries.com site under class A

[RACRX]

Since Airstream is such a high end travel trailer with a relatively small consumer base, compared to all the many sob's combined, they need someone with a large capital base, (Thor), to keep Airstream funded. I'm afraid that Airstream would not be able to sustain it's self in a market full of lower priced sob's. What I fear most is that since Thor owns quite a few sob names, is that some of the same cheap building practices and materials of those sob's may find their way into Airstreams for the sake of higher profit margins. Let's hope I'm wrong!! Just my 2 cent.
Andre

[wahoonc]

Originally posted by RACRX
What I fear most is that since Thor owns quite a few sob names, is that some of the same cheap building practices and materials of those sob's may find their way into Airstreams for the sake of higher profit margins. Let's hope I'm wrong!! Just my 2 cent.
Andre

Andre,
I hate to tell you in a lot of cases it has. We looked at a Bambi at a dealer's a couple of weeks ago. I could not believe the fit and finish was as poor as it was for the price of the unit. If and when I buy it will be a vintage...even if I have to do a ground up restoration. I have played with vintage cars and aircraft for years and could not believe that AS would send out a product with the exposed metal edges not deburred or cleaned up in any way, as well as the amount of construction debris still inside and silicone caulk globbed on.

Aaron

[RACRX]

Aaron,

I too looked at several new Airstreams a few weeks ago. I'm affraid our concerns were not just limited to the Bambi's. A couple of their top end classics left a lot to be desired in the fit and finish department. I won't get into all that here as I have already voiced my opinions elsewhere on this forum and the AS forum. Sounds like we have some of the same ideas when it comes to redoing an older unit. I to am into the classic cars having just finished a 3 year resto on a 68 Z/28 thats been in the family (not mine) since the car was a year old. If you have time you can see it at, Z/28, good luck with a vintage!
Andre