Never buy a Redwood. 38RL 2018

[Trailer1234]

Bought new August 2016; list 150K, paid $88K just sold that horrible lemon for $36,000. I cannot list how many problems we had every year. The stupid extended warranty didn’t cover anything. I spent $8,000 - $10,000 every year for repairs!!!! If anyone is considering buying a Redwood - DON’T.

[Jim & Mary]

You know this seems to reinforce what's been said recently about the earlier Redwood models being relatively trouble free, and now the more recent ones being a nightmare. We've owned our 2013 since April 2013 and have put over 85K on it, with little or no problems. We did install athe MorRyde IS and disc brakes, so donat worry about undercarriage problems anymore. Other than that not any problems to report.

[travelin' texans]

Sorry to hear you had such a bad experience!
Not sure what your issues were or your abilities as a handyman, but if owning a RV of any make, model or price you WILL need tools & the ability to use them, as there's an earthquake going on in there EVERY time it's moved & WILL be something to repair. If unable or willing to do it yourself then you're at the mercy of a system that's loaded up with repairs & not too many experienced technicians to handle it.
As to the low selling price, regardless what you gave for it, as soon as the rear bumper cleared their lot you lost about 25% of its value, the next brand won't be any different either.
Also most extended warranties have a much longer list of "don'ts" than "dos" on their covered repair list. The dealer & the warranty company usually benefit the most from these policies.
Not sure what or if you have replaced the RW with, but be aware they are all built in the same geographic area by the same group of people that leave one factory to go across the street & build a different brand. If you find one that's completely trouble free be sure to post it here with pictures as that will be as rare as a flying purple unicorn.
Not trying to sell RWs or any other brand nor disputing any of your issues, just stating the facts about the RV industry as a whole & it's not likely to change as long as they sell them as fast as they can build them.
Good luck in your replacement, if doing so.

[wintertree]

Well said Danny...Anyone who actually uses their RV any amount and has NO problems is very rare....and thats with all brands. After working on mostly towables for years I do have a grasp on which brands / models that have more than their share of issues....Thats for another discussion....the first issue I believe is the major components...appliances etc....which all rv's pull from the same supply....generally they poor quality....and have limited life spans....but for the average rv owner an issue is an issue..(and rightly so)....Build quality(how well they are assembled on the shop floor) will always be an issue as the companies are controlled by "bean counters" that see profits as the main thing to concentrate on....
Never seen many RVer's that are not hands on (especially with towables)...I have seen the high end Class A crowd have owners that have little or no abilities to do any maintenance / repairs...
We are still a few months away from our kick off into full time RV life....I have done some repairs on our 15 /38RL....mostly preventative stuff and I am sure once we get things in full operation actual breakdowns will occur....But I don't have any pre conceived notions about our time with our RW being trouble free..
Buying new solves nothing...in fact may create a worse experience as getting the "bugs ". out of a reasonably complicated RV can be trying...which can leave the owners with such a bad taste they do not recover....Buying a good used unit....with history can be the most trouble free form of RV ownership...plus the added benefit of not taking the beating in value..
There are lemons out there...no doubt....I hope by Jumping Brands you get the type of RV you expect....Good luck !

Wes & Denise.....2015 / 38RL. 2016 F-450

[bergeman]

Without a list of the issues, it is hard to determine if there is a PEBCAK problem or a redwood problem.

[travelin' texans]

What's a PEBCAK problem?? Sure it's an acronym for something!

[Talisker]

Coming up to 2 years and 30,000 miles on our 2018 Redwood 340RL with no expenses for either repairs or warranty. I just put in for a warranty claim on the awning led light strip that is coming out of it's track, something I would repair/replace myself if out of warranty but since we're still under the Redwood warranty I figured why not have them pay for it. We have spent $$$ on upgrading to better tires, disk brakes and Morryde IS along with solar panels, batteries and inverter. Sorry to hear about folks having serious issues but our experience has been the opposite. We've had various rv units dating back to 1980 and this one has been one of our best in terms of build quality. As someone previously mentioned that an rv is an earthquake on wheels, it is essential that owners have a modicum of DIY experience. Preventative maintenance goes a long way and a tube of caulking and a grease gun can prevent some serious issues from developing.

[GA1817]

Originally Posted by Trailer1234

Bought new August 2016; list 150K, paid $88K just sold that horrible lemon for $36,000. I cannot list how many problems we had every year. The stupid extended warranty didn’t cover anything. I spent $8,000 - $10,000 every year for repairs!!!! If anyone is considering buying a Redwood - DON’T.

How did you buy a 2018 RW in August of 2016. Seems odd to me! A list of your problems would be helpful to prospective buyers.

[Ford truck guy]

Originally Posted by GA1817

How did you buy a 2018 RW in August of 2016. Seems odd to me! A list of your problems would be helpful to prospective buyers.

Thats a good catch? FAT Finger the date ? I do that all the time... Although they were not listed at $150,000.00 in 2016.. I had a 2016 pretty much loaded and it listed at 130,000.00.. got it for a nice discount...

** TO THE OP - - - What were the issues that happened to discourage you this much?

I had a 16 and it was an awesome Redwood, the only complaint I had about it was that it didn't have the 3 AC's. Any mfg can build a lemon, its how they react that separates them..

[XCMARK]

Ford Guy I am sure will chime in But a good dealer will help owners out. A dishonest dealer will reach into your pocket for money every time and try to blame you for the problem ………

I am really sorry to hear about a Redwood owner selling there trailer due to issues. I feel EVERY manufacturer could fall into this category if the dealer doing the repairs want your money Now not the possible check from the warranty dept. The RV industry is shameless , much like used car dealers.

[Ford truck guy]

Originally Posted by XCMARK

Ford Guy I am sure will chime in But a good dealer will help owners out. A dishonest dealer will reach into your pocket for money every time and try to blame you for the problem ………

I am really sorry to hear about a Redwood owner selling there trailer due to issues. I feel EVERY manufacturer could fall into this category if the dealer doing the repairs want your money Now not the possible check from the warranty dept. The RV industry is shameless , much like used car dealers.

YES ! ! The dealer can make or break MOST manufacturers ... With a good dealer, almost any factory screw up can be repaired, quick and easy...

With a bad dealer, , well, it will be an up hill battle the entire way

I have had 2 excellent dealers with my 2 Redwoods, the first being better than the second, but not by much.

[Talisker]

I guess fat fingers on the iphone�� Bought new in Dec 2107

[Trailer1234]

Originally Posted by Trailer1234

Bought new August 2016; list 150K, paid $88K just sold that horrible lemon for $36,000. I cannot list how many problems we had every year. The stupid extended warranty didn’t cover anything. I spent $8,000 - $10,000 every year for repairs!!!! If anyone is considering buying a Redwood - DON’T.

Bought a new 2017 38RL
Issues
All water pipe fittings leaked- ALL
Roof leaked
1 slider never never worked right and finally the push rod with teeth ran thru the slide to the outside
None of the TVs worked with cable. One got 20 channels one got 38 channels the other outside never worked
ALL the cabinets came open during travel “earthquakes”. ALL stuff fell out
All refrigerator stuff fell out. Had to bunge coed all cabinets and fridge
Living room flooded due to kitchen faucet coming one by itself while the pump was left on by mistake. 60 plus gallons on floor.
Bedroom flooded due to washer dryer not hooked up to drain by dealer install
Stove top cracked in travel
Closet door was broken during travel
Closet rod had to be replaced and secured with a 2x 4
The pantry door was warped. They never could match the stain color
The shower base leaked 4 times and flooded down the stairs and out the door. E steps had to be replaced due to water damage. Am sure the whole floor is rotted due to water.
The ceiling fan fell off during travel
The blinds fell off
The rear storage door fell off
The desk even though was locked in place fell all the way out during travel and broke
And more. Sad because it was beautiful but a LEMON. 3 years old. I have the MSRP sheet showing $150,000. Perhaps the Explorer rv dealer in Fort Worth TX made the price up. But I have in print.

[piper guy]

May I ask what hitch you were using and what the tow vehicle was/is ? The great majority of your issues sounds like the coach was getting pounded on the roads. Our 36RL has over 45k miles on it and has never had all the things coming open you’ve described.

On the water issues, as far as plumbing leaks - were you running a good pressure regulator set for no more than 55 psi ? If not, and the parks you were/are in have 70-80 psi water pressure, you will get leaks even in your next coach.

[Cheezy1]

Sounds like a lot of the issues would have been avoided by having a dealer that hooked the unit up to water and electric and ran everything before delivery to you. Then the rest of the issues seem pretty common in the RV world. We have all made some mistakes in learning to make RV travel go smooth but it is always an adventure. I have a 2018 and have at least a 100 hrs making modifications and improvements to the unit before we hit the road the first time. When at Kennedy Space Center a year ago the guy giving us a tour said that going into space was a lot like RVing in that you only have with you what you can safely carry and yet you have to have what you need for the trip. That is how I approach my RV experience. I do all I can do to make sure I am safe and prepared for what might happen then I adapt and make do as I travel. Sorry for your bad experience but I have been back for warranty work twice and Redwood/Keystone has taken great care of all our issues.

[markw]

What difference does it make what hitch or truck is being used? Why should we have to tolerate the junk that is being built and sold. There are first time buyers who aren't familiar with the lack of quality in the RV industry who won't accept it.
Mark

[mstan]

Well, you certainly have had your share of many of our frustrations. I will say this. The RV industry as a whole is... well the same junk packaged differently. I went to the Foretravel factory just for giggles and looked at a 1.8 million dollar coach. That day it was raining. When my wife and I walked in we immediately noticed a major roof leak over the kitchen area. We notified the salesman. I am the trailer trash of my group of friends who travel together. One friend has a Zepher, another couple of them have Pheaton's, One has a Beaver. All of these are high end motor coaches. All of them are constantly fixing something. Almost every park we stay at for any length of time one or more of them will be spending big bucks fixing something electrical and other wise. I have a 2015 38GK. I have had roof issues. I hate the AC system, I have had to exchange the axels from 7K to 8K and upgraded the wheels and tires. I have had to fix the pull down shades and tighten the ceiling fans. The LED lights on the Awning are out now. I have to pull it out of garage to fix that. So the moral to the story is this. If you want cheap fix problems buy a cheaper RV. If you want to spend big money on high tech problems buy a high end coach. In the end we all are just enjoying the journey. I hate problems. But I have decided it is just part of the journey. So I am going grip, complain, scream and cry when it is happening to me. And when it happens to you I will remain calm and act as if it doesn't bother me. I am more mature. Major problems is when it is happening to me. And Minor problems is when it is happening to you. Sorry for your experience. Merry Christmas and I pray your have a blessed New Year! Cheers!

[XCMARK]

Originally Posted by markw

What difference does it make what hitch or truck is being used? Why should we have to tolerate the junk that is being built and sold. There are first time buyers who aren't familiar with the lack of quality in the RV industry who won't accept it.
Mark

If you tow a RV with a medium duty or heavy duty truck that is used to haul more then your average 1 ton truck the rear leaf spring will NOT absorb bumps . This will pound any RV to death regardless of the brand. That's why those trucks use $4000+ air ride hitches to prevent the frame from cracking on the coach.

I do agree that most RV are built to a bare minimum spec that sometimes is less then optimal for long life. Everything I have touched in my coach has had extra screws added or more care in putting it together correctly ( better then OEM).

[Talisker]

Originally Posted by GA1817

How did you buy a 2018 RW in August of 2016. Seems odd to me! A list of your problems would be helpful to prospective buyers.

Here is my list of problems covered by warranty:
Cracked trim in front
Cracked fender on one side
Crown moulding pulling away
DVD player not functioning

[ricknnell]

Well maybe it's because Thor stop building the coaches in 2016, and sold out to Crossroads.