Anyone else have serial problems with their AS?

[J. Morgan]

http://youtu.be/IIEVqFB4WUo


Superat stultitia.

[Rocinante]

It does seem they indeed sell every one built and more.

For the OP, the problem list seems long and severe enough to merit a visit to JC vs. yet another round trip to the dealer in Denver, who seems to be having some pretty fundamental problems getting basic repairs done right.

Our experience with Rocinante's initial quality was far from perfect, and it honestly took us two years to get the kinks out. Some issues were so bad we had to get significant things replaced (e.g. our forward storage door and our tank monitoring system). However, none of our failures were serious enough to prevent us camping - except for the time she spent at the dealer getting repaired. We never made the trip to JC - it's just too far from Western WA to be feasible without a retirement plan in place.

I suppose we could have put Rocinante on a flat bed and had her delivered to JC for repairs, but that didn't occur to us because the problems and dealer service departments simply weren't bad enough to push us there.

Luckily, the quality of service we got from our dealer steadily improved over those two years. We can't claim credit for that - have to give props to the management team and their decision to build a service department they could be proud of (e.g. a service department that would drive more sales instead of driving customers away from them in particular and from Airstream in general). They still aren't perfect (they keep our trailer too long), but have become so much better than they were.

Best wishes, and don't give up! When it's finally right, it'll be great.

[Foiled Again]

On my third Airstream . My 2012 is pretty great except for the water pump which is once again sucking air {NO biggie IF (a) I were 20 and nimble or (b) they put it somewhere other than under a closet in the hall where one needs orangatang arms to reach it and fix it.} and the tongue jack - a "special one" the prior owner put in flaked out 5 times before I ordered a replacement. AND a flat tire, and a damaged umbilical cord that got chewed up in a tight cornering situation by the Hensley hitch.

SORRY you are having so many problems. That was a "monday" build probably. Persist, it will get better.

Paula

[xrvr]

So the four problems you mentioned only the water pump was the fault of AS. Pretty luck. Referring to post 23.

[xrvr]

Each time you take it in for service at a different dealer it is the first time, five dealers? Why didn't you go back to the dealer who did the work instead of to a different one. Have you read your owners manual? Perhaps you are doing something wrong unintentionally. Being persistent at one dealer is much better than jumping around to others as I see you gave been in contact with the factory. Did you take it to a non AS repair shop? If so what did they do?

[Rocinante]

Originally Posted by KiraR

I'm 1250 miles away from Jackson Center, not 650. Additionally, I am traveling the country with my kids, stopping in places in the West, currently in Colorado, with the intent to travel and spend time together exploring. I didn't plan on spending any time traveling to Ohio to fix the trailer. That was not factored into my plan.

Sorry to have missed your post above. Yeah, I wouldn't want to make the 1,250 mile trip either. If you're headed to Spokane, WA, the dealer there does good work and they are very pleasant. Our own dealer is "Airstream Adventures NW," one of the larger Airstream dealerships, with multiple locations across the PNW (and in Boise, ID). We are most familiar with the location in Covington, WA.

Perhaps other members will chime in with dealers in the West who they believe to be particularly helpful. That way if you'll be passing near one of them, maybe you can get the worst problems resolved along the way. Switz often mentions his favorite authorized service location that isn't a dealer, so it may also be worth searching on his username for a post where he mentions them. I believe they are in Texas.

Meanwhile, it never hurts to chat with the folks at Airstream customer service to let them know just how unhappy you are, and why. We've done that in the past and had reasonable results, though to be fair our larger dealer has been quite effective at going to bat for us when we (and they) wanted something expensive fixed and paid for by Airstream under warranty. If you have a good relationship with your original dealer, maybe they can step into the conversation to help lobby for your satisfaction. Unfortunately, this process often takes time, but it still may be worth a try.

[rucos]

I personally would be wary of buying any "New" RV ... I've heard so many horror stories of poor workmanship on other trailers as well as airstreams .... I think thats the lucky thing about taking and oldie and turning it into a "newby" at least you know what been done ... I realize not everyone can do this... but I would be some PO'd if I spent that amount of money and was constantly having quality issues!

[enived2]

I am sorry for your problems. The one thing I can say, and I think others will agree is that all components in travel trailers are crap. Regardless of whether it is Airstream or a $12000 off brand trailer, they all use the same crap components for toilets, fittings, hot water heaters, ect. ect. Even when Airstream could source better components like tires, Airstream uses crap marathons instead of Michillins. At some point I hope you get your trailer fixed with components that work. Is that asking too much? I don't think so!

[Amay]

If your trip takes you in to Texas. Check out North Texas RV.(they only work on AS. I have had good experience with them on a 98 Bambi that I had since new and 2012 25 Flying Cloud that I have had for going on 2 years. Talk with Steve or Randy.

[switz]

Remember that Airstream only sells their trailers to "authorized" dealers (unless your are a close friend of the President) so the dealers are usually buying for inventory. Many get shafted and can not move them before the next year models come out, so they eat the floor plan and take a loss to get it out the door.

Note that dealers order units and are assigned build slots with the last 6 digits of the future VIN as the ID number. If a customer comes in, any inventory planned unit more than about two months of the build date can be switched to any other model. The first 7 alpha-numeric characters are the model specific information and clue the local tax authorities on how much to collect at the license branch.

[John Geisen]

Wow! KiraR, so sorry for all your issues. There might be something about QC and the new Airstreams. We purchased a used 2005 in 2008. We've had very few issues and non of the things you mentioned. I do like to tinker and can usually find things I can make a little better but overall our experience has been excellent.

I used JC once to get a new AC because I wanted a wall thermostat. I should have kept the unit they took out and installed it in out bedroom as nothing was wrong with it. I have a feeling someone at JC took it home with them.

Good luck. You've received lots of good advice. Safe travels.

[W4NT3D]

Sorry to hear about the hectic and stressful situation you encountered.

[TG Twinkie]

I can't believe how many people defend A$. I can't believe how many are OK taking their rig to Jackson Center.
You could not talk fast enough or long enough to get me to buy a new unit. How would you feel if you had to take your car or truck to Detroit, Germany or Japan to have issues resolved?
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to replace a water pump.
This excuse of increased production for things being overlooked. More production = more $$$$. It should equal more QC and less problems.
I feel for those who are having problems. They spend their hard earned money to buy what they believed to be the top of the line product. When in fact it is just another (very expensive) RV with all of the problems.
A$ uses the same appliances, air conditioners, furnaces, water heaters etc as a unit that costs 1/4 that of an A$.
The shiny surface and unique shape is what attracts buyers. Like a fish to a shiny lure.
A$ says their units are hand made. Last time I looked most if not all RV's are hand made.
I say "buyer beware"

[rostam]

Originally Posted by TG Twinkie

I can't believe how many people defend A$. I can't believe how many are OK taking their rig to Jackson Center.
You could not talk fast enough or long enough to get me to buy a new unit. How would you feel if you had to take your car or truck to Detroit, Germany or Japan to have issues resolved?
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to replace a water pump.
This excuse of increased production for things being overlooked. More production = more $$$$. It should equal more QC and less problems.
I feel for those who are having problems. They spend their hard earned money to buy what they believed to be the top of the line product. When in fact it is just another (very expensive) RV with all of the problems.
A$ uses the same appliances, air conditioners, furnaces, water heaters etc as a unit that costs 1/4 that of an A$.
The shiny surface and unique shape is what attracts buyers. Like a fish to a shiny lure.
A$ says their units are hand made. Last time I looked most if not all RV's are hand made.
I say "buyer beware"

I agree. This is unbelievable, but unfortunately, the norm around here. The best advice usually given is to take the unit to JC (completely unacceptable in my opinion) and that all RVs have issues, so just get used to it (again, completely unacceptable for such an expensive trailer). Someone said Airstream is at no fault as they don't manufacture the parts (?!?). This is like not faulting Chrysler if the ZF transmission in your Durango dies. Doesn't make any sense to me. I have decided if I ever want to spend $80k on a trailer, I will restore a vintage trailer at a reputable restoration shop. Those shops do not have these persistent QC issues.

[Rocinante]

I may or may not agree with the preceding comments, but how about we focus on helping the OP with their specific problem vs. repeating the usual A$ quality control discussion?

Just a crazy idea, that's all.

[dkottum]

Even the non-Airstreamer is weighing in, that's worth a lot.

We have had two excellent Airstreams, only minor wear and tear from extensive travel and routine maintenance. None of our original equipment has failed going on five years, lots of travel, and 1400 nights camping. And we're not the only ones.

Yes, the o.p. needs help. Repeated failures of the same accessories should not happen, perhaps something else is going on. Jackson Center is an excellent solution, they have the most experience and all parts are at hand. Working it into a travel plan is good advice if possible. If not, suggestions of good service near her would be very helpful.

[switz]

We use A & P Vintage Trailer Works in Paradise, TX to do anything mechanical to our two trailers. They are about 30 miles northwest of Ft Worth out in the country side.

http://apvintagetrailerworks.com

They are also an authorized Airstream warranty repair facility.

They can take the shell off and throw the rest away. Then build a new frame and complete interior to the customer specifications. They do lots of restorations.

Paul Mayeux and his crew do good work and charge accordingly. But the work is done right the first time.

[rucos]

totally agree Twinkie and Rostam .... no excuse for poor quality control

[dkottum]

Originally Posted by rucos

totally agree Twinkie and Rostam .... no excuse for poor quality control

Airstream quality control? She has nine installed components from other suppliers that have failed or broken, some repeatedly, plus a bunch of broken doors, hinges, and mirror on an Airstream only a few months in service. Sounds to me like the trailer left the factory with none of these defects and everything in working order.

Think about it.

[Rpatrick16]

Originally Posted by switz

Airstream's quality has decreased in my personal experience and a fundamental reason is the speed up of the production line with no QC checks.

2013 25FB International Serenity made in July 2012 at 26 units per week. No warranty issues or the dealer corrected them during the PDI.

2014 31' Classic started the day before Christmas break 2013 and finished in mid January 2014 at 41 units per week. I was there every day. It was utter chaos with people climbing over one another. I watched the kitchen cabinet come in and be set down on the crossed ducting (I had a photo of this) which later precluded air flow to the rear bedroom discovered on the overnite. The dealer PDI did not notice the lack of air flow. Many issues pointed out both personally and followed up with an email to the factory QC supervisor were not addressed. I caught the wrong flooring and bathroom backsplash as the dealer had failed to follow through and verify that the approved change order had made it to the shop floor work order - I had a copy on my laptop so it was sloppily corrected and we had to replace that replaced flooring the first year on my nickel. There were broken wall trim, gouges in the wood cabinets, broken hinges, broken drawer catches, the list just goes on.

The 2015 23D International Serenity made the last week of September 2014 at 51 units per week was missing the "AIRSTREAM" name on the back of the trailer, the broken blind in the front vista view window had ½" pleats and the replacement came with 1" pleats so both had to be replaced., wadded up ball of unremoved plastic protective film still on the wall with the mattress shoved against it and the dealer put the bedspread on the mattress, bathroom door stops installed on the wrong side, sheet metal for the curb side wheel opening did not match the street side opening requiring metal work to install my tire upgrade, dead USP power points and the ongoing saga of breaking plastic catches.

The 23D sat on the dealer lot for over 9 months and as far as I could see, no physical PDI was actually done or these obvious issues would have been corrected. They waited until I was there and pointed out the issues I found and immediately proceeded to open a warranty claim for things they should have fixed during the PDI. The dinette leg wore a hole in the really cheap flooring in under 2,000 miles and we found one wheel bearing scored from lack of grease and the the other three needed to be properly packed.

I got a questionnaire from Airstream about the 23D and I pointed out several pages of issues in the reply. I never heard back from them.

The upgrades and repairs to both the Classic and the 23D have been very extensive and expensive. My upgrading the 2014 Classic to the 16" SenDel wheels and 16" Michelins for safety was addressed in the 2015 Classic by being standard equipment, just like on the Eddie Bauer and now the Pendleton models.

For both trailers:

We replaced all plastic catches with brass ones, replaced all 120Vac outlets with Hubbell commercial grade 20 amp GFI units, replaced the skylights with Maxim units, replaced all Fantastic fans with MaxxFan 7000 units, upgraded the 23D from 14" GYM tires and wheels to 15" SenDel wheels and Michelin tires, converted the Classic to disc brakes and the 23D to auto-adjusting drum brakes (replacing the wheel bearings and seals with USA made Timken parts). We have upgraded the water heaters, the stoves, the refrigerators and the electric power systems by adding solar systems with lithium batteries. We installed blocking under the cabinets so "stuff" can not fall down through gaps around the plumbing or poor cabinet fitting into the voids under the cabinets never to be seen again.

The plywood floor is still an Achilles heel for these units. While I watched, the chap applying the black edge sealer was certainly disinterested and did a exceptionally poor job of getting the stuff on the edges of the floor he was working on.

So once all the work was done, they are the way we want them and they should last our lifetime with the usual maintenance one would expect to do for a home on wheels.

This fix up process is a lot like remodeling a home. One can forget the trials and tribulations after starting to enjoy the fruits of the effort.

After reading your post and the detail within I come to two conclusions:
1. You've in invested a "boat load of money" in Airstream products.
2. Why....do you continue? You obviously have the "means" to do so, so you must have a lot of "business savvy"....but why continue to "support the product". Honestly, speaking had I read your post before I bought my 2016 22FB Sport I would have walked away.

I've only owned and used my trailer a few times since buying it "mid March". And so fare so good....no major problems have come to light. Yet, I have been quite busy making a few mods "to set up the trailer" the way I want to use it. In doing so I have run across a few things such as cabinet hinges and the like that reflect either poor QC or choosing the cheapest item possible for the job.

I don't have a lot of money...and I am only "blest" to have the unit I do because of some very special and successful children. The price we paid for the Sport was nearly three times what we would have paid for the other very viable option an RPOD. Yet reading their forum I don't hear the types of complaints I have read on this forum.

Frankly, I find this really perplexing. Like many on this forum I now have the trailer of my dreams having paid a "ton of money" for it and yet wondering .....is it really going to give me "value one would expect" having spent over $50 Grand?

Do the "powers that be" in AS Corporate "read this forum"? Why don't we we hear reports of them bending over backward to address the problems others (you sir included) are reporting with their product. I'll bet if he could "ole Wally B" would be rolling over in his grave. This is "nonsense"!