Production Quality Control at Factory

Rosey · 03-04-2015, 01:15 PM

After reading about all of these quality control issue(s) on this forum I'm beginning to question my decision on ordering a new Redwood 5er, which is touted as being an upscale residential quality travel trailer. After viewing a utube video of other 5th Wheel travel trailers in production, I was amazed on the "world record speed" these things are "slapped together" on the production line(s) & if this method of production is an industry standard, it's no wonder that there are so many issues reported. Am I being too unreasonable and or has anyone taken the Redwood factory tour to see how our units are produced ?

**Blenhardt** · 03-04-2015, 01:46 PM

We have taken tours of the Redwood factory as well as the Montana factory. The production methods are are very simialiar. I would expect other factory production methods would also be similiar. The RV industry as a whole is not known for the best quality control. Some are better then others. I think the difference is how much emphasis a company places on quality control. I believe Redwood does do an above average job of quality control and does make a quality coach. Having said that, there is room for improvement. Some coaches get out of the factory with defects but the majority are well built.

Of the several thousand people who have bought Redwoods, most are not on the forum. When people do have problems they look for help and a place to vent. So what you see on the forum is not typical of Redwood ownership. When you go to pick up your new coach do a thorough PDI with the dealer. I hope you have a great experience with your new Redwood. We really enjoy ours and have had just a few minor problems. Currently just wrapping up a two month trip as snowbirds trying to avoid the cold.

Rosey · 03-04-2015, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blenhardt

We have taken tours of the Redwood factory as well as the Montana factory. The production methods are are very simialiar. I would expect other factory production methods would also be similiar. The RV industry as a whole is not known for the best quality control. Some are better then others. I think the difference is how much emphasis a company places on quality control. I believe Redwood does do an above average job of quality control and does make a quality coach. Having said that, there is room for improvement. Some coaches get out of the factory with defects but the majority are well built.

Of the several thousand people who have bought Redwoods, most are not on the forum. When people do have problems they look for help and a place to vent. So what you see on the forum is not typical of Redwood ownership. When you go to pick up your new coach do a thorough PDI with the dealer. I hope you have a great experience with your new Redwood. We really enjoy ours and have had just a few minor problems. Currently just wrapping up a two month trip as snowbirds trying to avoid the cold.

Thanks much for the info., makes sense.

Rick and Mindy · 03-04-2015, 03:08 PM

We have also toured the Redwood production facility. It is eye opening to say the least. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and was able to answer everyone's questions. One of the things that we found out during the tour was that Redwood's policy was after so many (I think 4 or 5)units were built each day the employees could go home for the day. Personally, I think a policy of that nature causes quality control issues because the employees are thinking,"the sooner I get these done,the earlier I get to go home"! This was mid 2014, not sure if that policy has changed. All in all though, the employees seem to be dedicated. If you ever get a chance to tour the facility you should, it will allow you to learn a great deal about how these are constructed.

Rosey · 03-04-2015, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick and Mindy

We have also toured the Redwood production facility. It is eye opening to say the least. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and was able to answer everyone's questions. One of the things that we found out during the tour was that Redwood's policy was after so many (I think 4 or 5)units were built each day the employees could go home for the day. Personally, I think a policy of that nature causes quality control issues because the employees are thinking,"the sooner I get these done,the earlier I get to go home"! This was mid 2014, not sure if that policy has changed. All in all though, the employees seem to be dedicated. If you ever get a chance to tour the facility you should, it will allow you to learn a great deal about how these are constructed.

EXACTLY ! ....... this would explain why they (workers) seem to be literally running to & fro , rushing their work. How the heck can someone do quality precise work this way on such expensive coaches? Just saying.

redwoodin with remy · 03-04-2015, 04:37 PM

Redwood is built to be an affordable answer to the fiver market. Take other brands, much more in cost, but is quality control any better?
I have owned six rv units and 4 manufacturered homes since 1981, same type issues with all. What matters is does the manufacturer take care of the problems in a reasonable manner.

Just heed.the warnings posted on this forum, not as complaints but as advise. I have refitted my fiver with advise from here a few times, and have learned a lot of what I thought I already knew!

RWJSIM2003 · 03-04-2015, 04:48 PM

We have also had many different RV from low end unit we started with to our Last MH which was higher end and all had many issues. Its not one brand its industry wide. We have learned to expect issues and watch very carefully for the problems and to catch them before they become a larger issue.

Grandpa · 03-04-2015, 05:18 PM

I agree with Blenhardt! This forum is a place to find help with issues and has not been used by those without problems to praise the Redwood. I would not pre-judge the unit you ordered by what is said here, however if you read these posts it will help you become aware of any issues that could pop up and how to deal with them.

After three years of ownership we are sure we made the right buying decision!

BradPAjax · 03-04-2015, 05:34 PM

We are also very happy with our unit. There were issues but they were all fixed or noted as something to keep an eye on in our file passed on to Redwood by the dealer.

2 things are very important...
1. A very thorough PDI... don't let the dealer rush you! Lots of stuff on this forum about what to look for... fit and finish... 2 batteries... ALL systems work.
2. A good dealer where you buy and hopefully plan to have service done... after care by knowledgable staff is paramount.

Best of luck and many happy days with your new unit.

Rick and Mindy · 03-04-2015, 05:38 PM

I agree with the many posting here. All the other manufacturers probably operate the same and have the same issues. What I would like to commend Redwood for is there support after the fact. Redwood has always stepped up to the plate when it comes to warranty service. That probably means more to the purchaser than if the little issues get corrected before delivery. YOU CAN!....I REPEAT.....YOU CAN DEPEND ON REDWOOD TO DO THEIR BEST TO SATISFY THE PURCHASER!

atom ant · 03-04-2015, 06:17 PM

Redwood has come through on every issue we have had. They build a nice coach and we knew what we were getting when we went in. Any problems I have with RVs is an industry wide issue. They draw resources from the same suppliers and the same work force.

johnboytoo · 03-04-2015, 06:20 PM

The only absolute that is always true is that
all absolutes are incorrect in some cases

**Dave&Ginny** · 03-04-2015, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick and Mindy

I agree with the many posting here. All the other manufacturers probably operate the same and have the same issues. What I would like to commend Redwood for is there support after the fact. Redwood has always stepped up to the plate when it comes to warranty service. That probably means more to the purchaser than if the little issues get corrected before delivery. YOU CAN!....I REPEAT.....YOU CAN DEPEND ON REDWOOD TO DO THEIR BEST TO SATISFY THE PURCHASER!

I do agree.....Redwood has been a great company to work with when problems arise. Their factory service department is simply wonderful.

**hoosierguy** · 03-05-2015, 12:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blenhardt

We have taken tours of the Redwood factory as well as the Montana factory. The production methods are are very simialiar. I would expect other factory production methods would also be similiar. The RV industry as a whole is not known for the best quality control. Some are better then others. I think the difference is how much emphasis a company places on quality control. I believe Redwood does do an above average job of quality control and does make a quality coach. Having said that, there is room for improvement. Some coaches get out of the factory with defects but the majority are well built.

Of the several thousand people who have bought Redwoods, most are not on the forum. When people do have problems they look for help and a place to vent. So what you see on the forum is not typical of Redwood ownership. When you go to pick up your new coach do a thorough PDI with the dealer. I hope you have a great experience with your new Redwood. We really enjoy ours and have had just a few minor problems. Currently just wrapping up a two month trip as snowbirds trying to avoid the cold.

Blenhardt..........well said and I agree.

I toured two factories including Redwood's before deciding on our purchase. The first factory tour for a major brand was somewhat disappointing. The tour guide did not know much about the product and the manufacturing processes that I saw convinced me that I did not want to go that way. On the other hand, the factory tour at Redwood was what convinced me that Redwood was the product for us. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and was able to answer most of my questions. Two weeks after the tour, we ordered our 2012 36RL in July 2011. Our order was placed within the first year of Redwood production. And, I am very pleased to say that we have had very few and only minor issues.

rob_fla · 03-05-2015, 04:19 AM

I agree about the quality issues in the RV industry, all of our Past RVs have had quality issues, some more than others but all appeared to be due to sloppy / rushed work.

Again, higher priced units do not get you better quality just more lipstick and gadgets.

danrn · 03-05-2015, 05:09 AM

A lot of great options expressed here. I did a lot of looking and researching before buying my RW. Now if money was not a concern I would have had one build for me, but IMO for the money RW's are a very nice 5th wheels. I believe someone had already mentioned that most of the other manufacturers have their problems too. Which sparked my curiosity, so I went to the DRV (which many believe are better than the RW's) forum. I found under, "problem & repair, 964 posts. Ironically, I saw water leaks, slide problems, quality issues....etc. Same as what I have been reading on our forum. I have not read all of the 964 post, and don't believe all of these are negative, but I believe from what I have read that you could go to most any other 5th wheel forum and find the same kind of information. Quality control overall is an issue for all makes, even high end models. I am not saying we should have to accept these problems, just that it is a common find in most all RV's.
just my option from what I read tonight.

markw · 03-05-2015, 05:59 AM

I have to say when our trailer was grabbed up from our dealer and taken to Indiana for repairs, it was retuned only partly and poorly repaired. Fortunately or not, most of our problems since have been poor dealer service.

Mark

rob_fla · 03-05-2015, 11:55 AM

Dan,

I agree with you, we love our Redwood, we love the layout, features and a lot of the design ideas, that is why we bought it.

We like everybody else spent quite a few dollars for our RW.
If I have spent 20k to 30k more on a DRV and had the same or worse quality issues it would bother me even more since the DRV is so highly regarded by many.

We do not regret our purchase at all and really have been enjoying our Redwood, its just aggravating dealing with such simple warranty repair items like our A/C unit leaking inside our coach due to a wire stuck in the A/C Seal. Come on Redwood, I know people make mistakes but some of these simple items are just uncalled for.

4happyfeet · 03-05-2015, 01:23 PM

We just bought our RW last month. We had purchased an Open Range in March 2014. We camp at least once a month. After EVERY trip, the trailer was back in the dealer for warranty repairs. We traded the OR in to move up to the RW. I did a lot of internet tire kicking, only to discover that no matter what price point, one can find someone with nearly identical complaints. Even Prevost owners! We came to the conclusion that it is indeed an industry-wide problem, so all that you can do is decide how much you are willing to pay for build materials (granite vs Corian vs laminate) and try to find a dealer with the best reputation for service. I have found that making friends with the service manager can be indispensable! Having only been out on one trip so far, I can tell you that we are so pleased with our purchase. The environment "feels" better, more solid, just like being home. And yes, there were a couple of issues, but nothing more than a loose kitchen faucet (they are notorious for coming loose) and a small section of interior slide seal that had to be popped back on. We hope you love yours as much as we do! Happy camping!

atom ant · 03-05-2015, 03:55 PM

I think part of the RV industries challenge is the ever changing design. Nothing seems to stay the same on an RV over about 3 years. It's hard to let something prove itself out if it never gets the chance.

In contrast - Toyota is has an extremely high reputation for quality - almost to a religious following. Yet they are absolutely the slowest to ever make any kind of change. They lose market in the horsepower race, but they get by because they never have to reprove themselves.

RVs are a continuous flow of change. My 2014 is nearly antiquated. When we bought our 2007 Montana, the 6 year old company had already changed the frame size and frame design 3 times, axle companies and suspension twice, the roof design was changed from flat, to bowed front to back, to bowed side to side in 3 drastic design changes. Cabinetry and countertops changed twice in the same year. Each of these changes are typically for the better, but they create a whole new set of problems they haven't encountered yet. Sure, our 2007 was a cure for many of the 2006 woe's, but was also the beginning of a whole new set of problems for 2007 as a result of the cure.

The only thing you can really count on with RVs is if something bothers you about the one you look at, wait 6 months and it will be different on the next one.

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