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kendrick.l.j · 05-02-2017, 11:47 AM

I completely agree with Bud. QA or lack there of is an industry problem. I looked at every other brand of TT before purchasing my Airstream. I never came across another brand that I thought was better. I did look at a couple of Class A but I wasn't ready to go that route yet, maybe some time in the future but for now I am happy with my TT and I will say that after the first and only issue was fixed I have not had any problems with my Airstream.
I know that a lot of us here on the forum have gripes from time to time but I really am happy with my decision. I know AS has sold a bunch of 2016 and 2017 Classics and not everyone has had problems so that must be a good sign. But I do believe that the entire industry could do a much better job in the quality control area. On the flip side - no one forced me to buy, no one held a gun to my head and made me spend a dime, it was my decision and if I were really unhappy I would sell it for whatever I could get and walk away and chalk it up to "lesson learned".

a1ofm · 05-02-2017, 07:53 PM

This is such an insightful post. QA at AS seems to me to be primarily a 2 year no deductible guarantee. Fix it as it breaks vs. build it to not fail. And with complex units, frankly it is amazing to me how well my AS has delivered, for what is essentially a bespoke build. For example; i have also purchased brand new ford 250. love it! but i have an intermittent electrical fault that is driving me crazy. Twice, and once on an extended trip, I have had trip ending failure. and the dealer is mostly sympathetic, and trying their best to re-create the intermittent fault conditions, but to no avail...Meanwhile, I drive in a 100 mile circumference of my home, while I try to get comfortable that my AC, front window operation and other electrics will reliably function. And this from a company that ships millions of vehicles a year. So....Any quality defect is important to record and should be addressed of course....but IMO we should all recognize that some of our experience...is just that...an experience..I have had some frustrations with my AS, but mostly i would put this down to design vs. QA.YMMV

Lily&Me · 05-02-2017, 08:00 PM

"QA at AS seems to me to be primarily a 2 year no deductible guarantee. Fix it as it breaks vs. build it to not fail."

That's it, in a nutshell.

Maggie

paiceman · 05-03-2017, 10:28 AM

Having been involved in manufacturing at the GM level for two different start up companies I can say that re-work and warranty work are not profitable and therefore are avoided as much as possible. The problems with RVs is once they leave the dealership, which often does nothing to help matters, no one can control where or how the unit is being used. It's a small house on wheels. As I said, I am grateful I never worked in the RV industry.

If a company builds things to fail, they too will eventually fail.

Silver Otter · 05-03-2017, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dcasr

My eight year old Lexus at 85K miles is still on the original brakes and other than the air bag recalls, has been the most trouble free automobile I've ever owned. Airstreams would be a better quality product if they hired the Lexus factory team leaders to run the plant, IMO.

I'm with you on hiring Lexus trained managers, if we are willing to pay Lexus prices for our AS. (No, Wait, We already DO!) Our 1992 ES 300 has 251,000 on it, runs like a top and quiet. Our 2007 LS 460 has 180,000 and, like you, we've not had a single problem with it.

Zybane · 05-03-2017, 06:52 PM

Obviously managers at Airstream are aware of the numerous threads like this, but also obviously must look the other way in the name of profit.

paiceman · 05-04-2017, 04:35 AM

Cars virtually all of them today are built by robots controlled by computers - much better than people. If you have not visited the Airstream factory and if you can I urge you to do so. Again, having run two different types of manufacturing businesses I was totally amazed by the number of people working in the AS plant and the number of operations done by hand - hand built.

I came away with the realization that Airstreams truly are built by hand and therein lies part of the problem, but a major issue is vendor supplied materials - such as AC, converters, appliances, etc. None of the made by Airstream, just assembled into the AS unit and again, done by hand, by people and when people are involved there are going to be issues. I am not defending nor making excuses, simply fact, when people are involved heavily in any production process there are going to be mistakes, coupled with turnover of these same employees and the probability of mistakes increases. A management nightmare. I can only guess the plant manager and GM rarely get a good nights sleep.

As Kendrick l.j. stated we too looked and looked, having owned numerous RVs in the pat including three other AS we think they are one of the two tops - Newmar Class A diesels being the top in quality.

Bougeois · 05-04-2017, 05:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paiceman

Cars virtually all of them today are built by robots controlled by computers - much better than people. If you have not visited the Airstream factory and if you can I urge you to do so. Again, having run two different types of manufacturing businesses I was totally amazed by the number of people working in the AS plant and the number of operations done by hand - hand built.

I came away with the realization that Airstreams truly are built by hand and therein lies part of the problem, but a major issue is vendor supplied materials - such as AC, converters, appliances, etc. None of the made by Airstream, just assembled into the AS unit and again, done by hand, by people and when people are involved there are going to be issues. I am not defending nor making excuses, simply fact, when people are involved heavily in any production process there are going to be mistakes, coupled with turnover of these same employees and the probability of mistakes increases. A management nightmare. I can only guess the plant manager and GM rarely get a good nights sleep.

As Kendrick l.j. stated we too looked and looked, having owned numerous RVs in the pat including three other AS we think they are one of the two tops - Newmar Class A diesels being the top in quality.

I love that they build them that way. This is my first A/S and still like it but not impressed with things. My heater was never ran. Unless they drained all the anti-freeze out of it before they shipped it. And my hot water mess. All of the major components should've been triple checked before it left the factory. Doesn't take a robot to figure out commonsense. Luckily I'm able to work on it myself and it's stored in my hangar where I'm able to have it handy. Just found out why my refrigerator will not run on elec. fuse, not sure why it blew or if it's been that way.

Zybane · 05-04-2017, 08:58 AM

Some of the highest quality stuff out there is built built by hand. Saying "built by hand" comes with low quality is nonsense. Many of the faults on mine and many other Airstreams are due to simple negligence, no oversight or quality control steps. Not from being "built by hand".

ohmman · 05-04-2017, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zybane

Some of the highest quality stuff out there is built built by hand. Saying "built by hand" comes with low quality is nonsense. Many of the faults on mine and many other Airstreams are due to simple negligence, no oversight or quality control steps. Not from being "built by hand".

Agreed. Maybe it's more like "built by hand with overly high production rates."

The policy of providing good service for 2 years after delivery in lieu of high quality QA prior to delivery probably makes true economic sense in the short term. I recently had a few cans of Gillette shaving cream that only dispensed 1/2-1/3 of the shaving cream before becoming inoperable (there is a window in the side to show what's remaining). I called Gillette and was told there was a flaw with the plastic design and that they are offering coupons to replace failed canisters while they deploy the new design. They didn't recall the canisters - that would be very costly. They just sold them and figured some people would call and some wouldn't.

The Airstream quality is a similar situation. There are some people who will fix these issues themselves, and some who will bring them in for service. In the end, it's likely to cost Airstream less than making every trailer perfect. Whether or not that translates to the long term bottom line remains to be seen. Customer satisfaction and loyalty are important, as is word of mouth.

SilverLife · 05-04-2017, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zybane

Some of the highest quality stuff out there is built built by hand. Saying "built by hand" comes with low quality is nonsense. Many of the faults on mine and many other Airstreams are due to simple negligence, no oversight or quality control steps. Not from being "built by hand".

I also wholeheartedly concur: it is simply negligence. The laughable irony is that the root of the word negligence (Lat. negligium, from neglegerium), means to neglect, literally "not to pick up something”, which is hilarious because of the quart ziplock bag I filled with misc screws, debris and trash from my new AS, which no one ever cleaned or “picked up”. As a business owner, I build things by hand AND by robot all the time and AS's product (the one I bought at least) and my company's finished product, are not from the same planet. I have worked diligently for 30 years to build the highest quality product in multiple businesses with no real advertising or marketing, just word of mouth and reputation. At AS's level of finished product workmanship, I would have been out of business in 30 days. Without marketing and advertising, AS probably wouldn't have endured this long. As some else succulently said, "AS quality is a myth”.

paiceman · 05-07-2017, 08:29 AM

Rapid expansion at the factory, too fast with not enough people on the floor to oversee what the new hourly employees are doing is also an issue in my opinion.

I like SilverLife filled a quart plastic bag with wire clippings, screws, rivets, pieces of pipe and sawdust in every crack and corner. AS probably builds about 20 units a day. Not sure why hiring one or two people to pick up, clean up and vacuum out each unit is unreasonable. Plus, I blame the dealers, they too should take responsibility to look behind drawers, under furniture etc and clean up what the factory did not. But, then I could write a book on trying to manage a dealer network.

I am not disappointed at all with the function and comfort of our Classic, the presentation from the factory and the dealer leaves much to be desired. As has been mentioned it shows an attitude and not a good one.