# New camper WOES, do I have options



## GIDEON (Mar 28, 2008)

Not sure where to post this, so I will start here.

Back in May I purchased a new camper. I bought new because I didnt want any problems. The camper, a Flagstaff Pop-Up toy hauler was my choice. The camper fits my needs perfectly. The problems are, 1). on the first trip out, the sewing in the canvas unraveled, causing a major leak on one of the slideouts. 2). The outdoor grill that came up with the camper literally blew up in my face. God only knows how bad it would have been if it hadnt been for my son. On the trip home the lights on the trailer quit working. Great first trip. 

The second trip out was fairly uneventful, except that the toilet didn't work, (first time using it) and the door broke, the door was broke from the onset and he was suppose to have ordered a new one. A couple other cosmetic pieces took a long time to get fixed. I believe it was at this point that when I was in the store, he threw a screaming cussing fit. Directed at me. 

Had an air conditioner put on the camper, part of the purchase agreement, paid for it separately.

Third trip out, camper set up in my yard, after a rain went to get in it, electrical shock knocked me on my but. it was determined that the extension cord (my cord) was defective, as the ground prong was missing. 

Fourth trip out. Kids were playing with water balloons and squirt guns around trailer, My son (32) my grandson (4), granddaughter (3), My wife , and myself all got shocked when the trailer was touched. 

Put it back in the dealer for repairs....was there 10 days.

Fifth trip out. Went to set the trailer up last night, the top went up about 12-18 inches, gave a groan and a pop came forcibly crashing down at an angle. Took 2 hours of fidgeting just to get the top down enough to get three of the four hold downs clasped. Hunting trip shot headed home. After last nights rain , the trailer is reading 117 volts to earth ground with air conditioner hooked up. 


Am I burned or do have options?


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## 6Speed (Mar 8, 2013)

I've never owned a pop up camper without tons of warranty issues. I could go on and own but they are cheaply mass produced with poor workmanship. My suggestion, and this worked for me eventually, was to take it to the dealer and whip them with a cane until every single thing is correctly repaired and insist on replacement parts and not fixing the old ones. Never trust that they fixed anything. Take the time to check every single thing out and test it about 10 times before it leaves the dealer. 

Eventually they will know you by name and when you drive up the service manager will meet you and go over the list and check it himself before you return to pick it up. 

I have a really nice Coachman Clipper and after a couple of years I got all the bugs worked out. The important part is to identify everything wrong with it before the warranty is up and hold them to it even after if expires. Document everything on paper and with photos!

Good luck!


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## fishrod (Oct 3, 2008)

Sorry to hear about all your problems, that being said, ive got a 2001 coleman Utah. Never a problem one and still doesnt leak. Just saying, maybe you get what you pay for?


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## hommer23 (Nov 20, 2012)

Try to call the Attorney Generals office and speak to the consumer protection department, you can file a complaint with them. You will need to write it out in detail and mail to them after you call, then they will ask the dealer to reply to your complaints. It will also give you something to use if the trailer is not fixed.


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## Walley Gordo (Jan 21, 2005)

Man that sucks but you do have rights it called lemon law I would definitely look into it. Second Flagstaff is part of Forest River inc. which was bought out by Berkshire Hathaway and since then that line of products have went downhill in a big way. It a shame that you have to go thru this, whatever happened to American quality. Answer American greed for profit. I hope your able to get all good with issues, but don't let them screw you remember you have rights!!!


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## Ranger Ray (Mar 2, 2003)

fishrod said:


> Sorry to hear about all your problems, that being said, ive got a 2001 coleman Utah. Never a problem one and still doesnt leak. Just saying, maybe you get what you pay for?


I have a Coleman Utah. the whole roof has cracked and peeled. Didn't know about them replacing with Aluminum, until they went under. Now I am stuck with a piece of crap, and worse, no available replacement parts.


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## GIDEON (Mar 28, 2008)

trailer is on its way back to Indiana, factory rep said that with the amount of problems, and severity of problems a new trailer will probably be their resolution..


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## fishrod (Oct 3, 2008)

I guess just like most things there are some good products and bad ones made by the same company. OP keep on them, the squeeky wheel gets the grease.


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## 6Speed (Mar 8, 2013)

Automotive is the same way. If you assemble and manufacture a thousand parts, a thousand times a day, statistically you will have something wrong with almost every one you buy. Most go unnoticed.

Don't give up!


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## Nostromo (Feb 14, 2012)

GIDEON said:


> Not sure where to post this, so I will start here.
> 
> Back in May I purchased a new camper. I bought new because I didnt want any problems. The camper, a Flagstaff Pop-Up toy hauler was my choice. The camper fits my needs perfectly. The problems are, 1). on the first trip out, the sewing in the canvas unraveled, causing a major leak on one of the slideouts. 2). The outdoor grill that came up with the camper literally blew up in my face. God only knows how bad it would have been if it hadnt been for my son. On the trip home the lights on the trailer quit working. Great first trip.
> 
> ...


Would you like to borrow a tent for the season?


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## GIDEON (Mar 28, 2008)

A


Nostromo said:


> Would you like to borrow a tent for the season?


appreciate the offer, but Forest River has already addressed that problem, I am in a loaner till mine gets back.


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## Quack Addict (Aug 10, 2006)

GIDEON said:


> ...Fifth trip out. Went to set the trailer up last night, the top went up about 12-18 inches, gave a groan and a pop came forcibly crashing down at an angle. Took 2 hours of fidgeting just to get the top down enough to get three of the four hold downs clasped. Hunting trip shot headed home. After last nights rain , the trailer is reading 117 volts to earth ground with air conditioner hooked up.
> 
> Am I burned or do have options?


Craigslist
"Pop up camper, like new, only used 5x"


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## pike man (Feb 21, 2006)

I too purchased a NEW Forest River product, a 2017 Sabre Fifth wheel. We've had a lot of problems with the workmanship of the unit. The big issue is the Refrigerator doesn't work. We used coolers while camping all summer. It's been at the dealership for the last month. I'm going to go pick it up and see if the thing works, I hope they fixed it. If not they will have unhappy customer problems.


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## Shoeman (Aug 26, 2000)

Wow, just wow.

You're taking this way better than I would be capable of. I would drive it right through the dealer show room on a busy Saturday!

Were you able to up-grade?


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## frenchriver1 (Jul 5, 2005)

What a litany of poor design AND workmanship AND service.


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## HemlockNailer (Dec 22, 2000)

hommer23 said:


> Try to call the Attorney Generals office and speak to the consumer protection department, you can file a complaint with them. You will need to write it out in detail and mail to them after you call, then they will ask the dealer to reply to your complaints. It will also give you something to use if the trailer is not fixed.


Been there,done that . AG office,BBB,Lemon Law. It' all up hill . The manufacture has been through it a thousand times. Better to work with the dealer and get what you can while you can. When it is repaired dump it, move on.


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## GIDEON (Mar 28, 2008)

Well, after talking to the factory rep at the camper show, seems like all problems are resolved. They picked it up at the dealer. Fixed me up with a loaner, and shipped it back to Indiana. I had talked to the rep and said there was no hurry, as I wouldnt need it till April. Three weeks later it was back at the dealer. All work, done, plus some extras. When I talked to the rep, she gave me a couple numbers to call, plus a reference number, and said that as Long as I owned the trailer, if anything, anything at all went wrong, to call the numbers, ask for specific people, give them the reference number, and they would take care of it. KUdos to Forest River, seems like they believe in customer satisfaction.


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## Nostromo (Feb 14, 2012)

Hard to beat that outcome.


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## Mike Zainea (Jan 28, 2017)

I read your post, I too had a camper from them that had major problems. They took care of it at the factory. The whole roof had to be replaced. I was told that back in 2016 some employees were putting things together wrong to make the company look bad. I have had a few problems since then but nothing I could not take care of. My friend just went this last January and picked up a new one from the same dealer. Everything looks good on it and no problems.


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## celticcurl (Apr 4, 2012)

After reading you guy's problems I consider myself blessed.

We inherited a camper from hubby's grandparents. It's an 80s 5th wheel complete with mauve interior. It's so sound that it looks brand new inside. Haven't seen hide nor hair (nor poop) of a mouse.

I think it's a Nomad. It does need tires but the brakes are good. Now if hubby could just get some time off of work we could use it. I'm too chicken to move it myself but I guess I could learn.


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## jjlrrw (May 1, 2006)

GIDEON said:


> Well, after talking to the factory rep at the camper show, seems like all problems are resolved. They picked it up at the dealer. Fixed me up with a loaner, and shipped it back to Indiana. I had talked to the rep and said there was no hurry, as I wouldnt need it till April. Three weeks later it was back at the dealer. All work, done, plus some extras. When I talked to the rep, she gave me a couple numbers to call, plus a reference number, and said that as Long as I owned the trailer, if anything, anything at all went wrong, to call the numbers, ask for specific people, give them the reference number, and they would take care of it. KUdos to Forest River, seems like they believe in customer satisfaction.


Did they let you know the reason for the electrical issues? I would want to know that issue was found and corrected, nothing worst than an intermittent electrical issue. A bit scary with the Grand Children.


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## GIDEON (Mar 28, 2008)

jjlrrw said:


> Did they let you know the reason for the electrical issues? I would want to know that issue was found and corrected, nothing worst than an intermittent electrical issue. A bit scary with the Grand Children.


 Bad ground on an air conditioning unit


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## imjon (Apr 6, 2007)

GIDEON said:


> Well, after talking to the factory rep at the camper show, seems like all problems are resolved. They picked it up at the dealer. Fixed me up with a loaner, and shipped it back to Indiana. I had talked to the rep and said there was no hurry, as I wouldnt need it till April. Three weeks later it was back at the dealer. All work, done, plus some extras. When I talked to the rep, she gave me a couple numbers to call, plus a reference number, and said that as Long as I owned the trailer, if anything, anything at all went wrong, to call the numbers, ask for specific people, give them the reference number, and they would take care of it. KUdos to Forest River, seems like they believe in customer satisfaction.


When you trade it in, get one like this......


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## Offfishn (Nov 12, 2017)

6Speed said:


> I have a really nice Coachman Clipper


Does it look like this?


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## 6Speed (Mar 8, 2013)

No, it's a pop-up.


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