I am in need of advise

[Terry Weier]

I am a chief inspector for a major natural gas company and a full timer. My question is I am in a 2006 Kountry Aire and ready to upgrade. I put an order in for a Elite 38 RESB3 with a bunch of custom work and paid the $5000 dollar deposit to have it built. Did I make a mistake I have talked to a few people and not liked what I have heard. I hope these are isolated cases because if I spend 140+ on something and have a bunch of issues I will make my Lawyer a rich man.The problem is I cant find a company that is building anything I like with the Luxury of DRV. I also know it dosn't matter what color you paint a turd in the long run you still have a piece of @@@@, it doesn't mater the cost. My Kountry Aire has been I great unit and everyone knows the quality they put into them I just hope DRV can compete. I have been in the Quality Control industry for a very long time and will go through it with a fine tooth comb before I take delivery of it. (Are there any other Luxury full timers being built)

[Motor31]

If you were looking for a good custom built item you had two options. New Horizons and Space Craft. Both build to customer specs and do top level work. They are also more expensive.

DRV has a hot or miss reputation. The apologists will tell you that all RV manufacturers have problems. The fan boys will tell you DRV never makes any mistakes. Others like myself are dearly disappointed in what happened to our rigs ands spent years as well as many dollars to fix the mistakes at the factory. Some of us are still dealing with problems years later.

If you are really going to go over it I would hope you are taking delivery at the factory. Dealers have a hard time making things right on their margin. Quite a few of us have found out that in order to get things fixed to what they were supposed to be in the first place, a visit to the factory or one of their 2 or three select repair shops also in the same area is in order.

[wingnut60]

Welcome to the forum. If you listen to the reports on this forum and the SOITC forum, DRV does have some issues with new units. The idea of putting out 150k and having problems doesn't make for happy customers.
I suggest that you take the time to go to the factory and talk to the management, with specific instances of issues you have knowledge of. Also, you might consider having the PDI done at Indiana Interstate--Paul Cross will go thru the new unit for you to see if any problems at delivery. Tiara RV in Elkhart would be another place to get advice--they have gotten some good feedback on their service.
What about searching out a nearly-new unit near you? The depreciation at purchase is tremendous, and not having to absorb that loss might make up for problems you encounter.
Last July, I spoke with the owner of a new 43' that was having big problems with the bedroom slide. Beautiful rig, but he wasn't too happy.
Good luck.
Joe

[Terry Weier]

After speaking with them I found they have 1 1/2 inch foam walls I spend most winters where others won't Williston ND for example this will not cut it in such harsh environment.

[yankeeflyer]

Terry, I'm interested in your Kountry Aire if it's for sale. Thanks, Rick yankeeflyer3@gmail.com

[wingnut60]

Terry,
Having worked in oilfield camps in years past, suggest you check in Williston to see what is working for them. Even the ATCO camp units have problems in constant blizzard conditions with ice buildup on windows.
I would not attempt to spend the ND winter in my '05--and not sure any of the current fifth wheels would measure up.
Joe

[Jimfla]

I have had 2 kountry air fifth wheels I had problems with both all corrected in the first year. None of these rigs are perfect my 2011 has had very few issues very good company to deal with even after out warranty they will cover things . If you have a problem with a part they will send it to you.
Good luck

[ponch]

who told you 1 1/2 inch walls???
they have the thickest in the industry 3 1/4 "

[Terry Weier]

I have spent winters in my Kountry Aire with up to 30 bellow wind chill northern MN it can be done but you must prepare skirting and heat tape ect.I just hope the DRV can compete. I have talked with new horizons and was not impressed I will talk with space age tomorrow.

[Terry Weier]

sorry I meant space craft

[Terry Weier]

Sorry for the misunderstanding New Horizons and Space Craft both have 1 1/2 foam walls and I feel will not hold up to my requirements that is why I went DRV

[GlennWest]

Foam insulation shouldn't have an issue with falling down. I know for a fact there are areas in my sides (not slides) that have no insulation. Drilled hole in side for a antenna cable and nothing but air space from roof to window.

[Terry Weier]

Wow that is when I make phone calls to my Lawyer to see what can be done they have no idea who they will be messing with, like a broken tail bone I will be a pain in the ass. I will spend what ever it takes to prove a point.

[bstark]

Terry; you might want to consider making a condition of purchase having Paul Cross at Indiana Interstate Enterprise perform the PDI.

Many new owners have done this. DRV will either deliver or he will pick it up from the factory and go over the thing with a fine tooth comb. His shop is a scant 20 minutes from the factory.

His relationship with DRV precludes them talking to and fro with any dealer and they basicly rubber stamp any adjusments he demands they reimburse him to make before passing the rig on to the new owner.

If I were purchasing new that would be my first line of defense and then hound the crud out of them, as you describe, with any items that cropped up later.

[hitchup]

We have the Canadian pkg on our 2009 MS. It wasn't offered when our 2006 ES was built. Which means 2- smaller furnaces. The ES had 1 and it went out the first full winter in GA. We had it fixed and then it went out again. So we lived with 3-space heaters and an electric blanket. Furnace had loose wires both times, but still a good test even though it was an annoyance.

While we haven't been in -30 degrees, we have been down to -9 with an even lower wind chill in MD/MO. We've experienced snow and at least 1 ice storm. We never skirt and are slightly more comfortable in the cold in the MS than ES. We monitor the basement temps and when it's really cold, put a space heater down there, too even with the heat pads on the tanks. The 2010's & up have thicker basement doors than ours.

I don't feel the air leakage (cold or heat gain) near the slideout window where I sit as much in the MS as the ES. But we also replaced the inefficient day/night shades with residential dual honeycomb blinds within the first year. And we use homemade lined or store-bought blackout curtains over all the windows in main living area. This also helps with the heat gain from the blazing sun in south TX or GA. I used to wear a sweater in the ES, but usually just a long sleeved shirt is sufficient in the MS.

I'm in the Suite 24/7 when DH is working. So I'm aware of all tempurature changes and if something freezes, etc. The only time we've had frozen water was when DH drug his feet to insulate the water hose. It's all about preparation and how you customize when it's ordered.

We also eliminated windows in the kitchen and behind the TV. If we would have thought, we would have eliminated the one in the bathroom as well. It serves no purpose since the skylight gives us ample light in the daytime.

[Motor31]

Unless there has been a significant change DRV uses fiberglass batting for insulation in their units. That is a fine insulation in a horizontal application. It is a terrible idea in a vertical application due to the effect of gravity. When you add in the vibration and bumps of the road the fiberglass insulation will fall. I have seen the effect in non mobile homes as well as in my own DRV unit.

The sun on the wall near where the interior temperature sensor tells the tale. I set the bedroom AC temp at night. When the sun comes up I have to turn the temp up in the summertime as the sensor gets the heat transfer from the outside wall solar heating effect. Much the same kind of situation when the wonderful folks at DRV decided the proper place to put a temperature sensor was less than 8 inches above a wall lamp. Turn the light on and the AC unit goes into a frenzy trying to cool off the sensor. Do it in the wintertime and the heat will never come on. The only insulation in the wall is now about half way up from the floor. When I pulled the window on the side wall of the slide I saw there was no insulation there in the wall at all. Just a nice 1.5 inch open air dead space. That was on the deep slide next to my chair.

You might want to reconsider the foam insulation issue. It is not fiberglass batting that folks who manufacture freezers, refrigerators or even ice chests use to insulate their products. Foam will not fall from where it's placed like fiberglass batting when used vertically. It dies not compress from the effects of gravity even in a horizontal application like fiberglass matting does.

Lastly no 5th wheel trailer will be comfortable in SD / ND winter weather without setting it up properly. That means skirting and using a heat source in the basement plumbing area and possibly in the propane tank area as well.

[Jimfla]

In 2010 DRV went to a more dense wool higher R value

[rotaxman]

Terry,

First off welcome to the forum.

I will be attacked by the cheerleaders for this post but don't really care what they think as they don't have a large pile of money tied up in a junk trailer.

That being said I had an 06 that I really didn't like when I first got it but as it turned out it was almost a zero defect trailer and served me well. But getting want itis leads you to do something that hardly ever works out for the best hence this junk 09.

A large part of how good or bad your trailer will be is dependent on when it is built. If your trailer ends up being a quota trailer then you can expect to have a very large and wide variety of current and on going problems. When the Amish craftsmen are trying to make quota its Kattie bare the door on short cuts.

Also there have been some problems with Lippert frames I have one of those and it pretty much makes the trailer junk. If you find any and I mean any problems with slides fitting in the holes or the entrance door not fitting or closing correctly be sure and have that problem resolved.

Also if you see trim that is not straight going down the side of the trailer or the rear storage compartment doors on either side of the trailer not latching properly on the door catches on the side of the trailer that could be an indication of a frame problem. If they can not resolve the problem without making a frame repair I would reject the trailer.

The advice that was given to you about Paul Cross checking your unit out before you take delivery is very good advice. Paul is very well versed on all of Drv's short comings. He is the guy that diagnosed my defective frame problem. He did it over the phone and was dead on.

Also as mentioned by other posters the fiberglass insulation is a poor choice as it will sag after time. In this 09 there was no insulation under the floor in the front closet.

Good luck with your purchase I sincerely hope that you get a good unit.

As always good camping
Joyce and Jerry

[zqueenz]

I am a chief inspector for a major natural gas company and a full timer. My question is I am in a 2006 Kountry Aire and ready to upgrade. I put an order in for a Elite 38 RESB3 with a bunch of custom work and paid the $5000 dollar deposit to have it built. Did I make a mistake I have talked to a few people and not liked what I have heard. I hope these are isolated cases because if I spend 140+ on something and have a bunch of issues I will make my Lawyer a rich man.The problem is I cant find a company that is building anything I like with the Luxury of DRV. I also know it dosn't matter what color you paint a turd in the long run you still have a piece of @@@@, it doesn't mater the cost. My Kountry Aire has been I great unit and everyone knows the quality they put into them I just hope DRV can compete. I have been in the Quality Control industry for a very long time and will go through it with a fine tooth comb before I take delivery of it. (Are there any other Luxury full timers being built)

[zqueenz]

Hi Terry!! I am a NACE Certified Inspector/Utility/Environmental Inspector on pipeline projects as well. I recently purchased a used 2009 DRV TKSB3 (very lightly used) unit and I am in love with it but I have already had some issues, such as the Dometic fridge. One night I got in at 10pm (late night on job) and had a huge leak all over my kitchen floor. Come to find out it was coming from my fridge. Had 2 issues....first issue, had to shut off water line to fridge because line in back of fridge (which can be reached at outdoor panel on slide) was sitting against heat element and burned hole through line causing massive leak. Shut off valve under sink. Problem kinda resolved. Ugh!! Then I had more water leaking in drawer under fridge. Did some looking and and defroster in fridge was clogged/frozen plus water that did get out to panel in back was not draining out vent. the ribbed hose they put in for defrost drainage was brittle and falling apart at the touch. I tried to do a temp fix by purchasing a hose to connect to it and drain out vent but original hose kept breaking!! UGH!! More leaks!!! I need to pull my fridge out and replace line completely. Not a happy girl here.
Look at back panel to fridge and make sure none of your lines are touching heat element or can move around to touch it. Also check defrost line at rear panel; if it is a white ribbed hose have them replace it with something that doesn't rot out and more durable.
Hope this helps!!
All in all I do love my DRV!!! It is my first fifth wheel, just wish I had better luck.
I think you will love your unit!! Good Luck!!!

Yikes to SD!! Have worked the WY winters before and they are awful!! Out in PA and WV right now and past 2 winters have been decent, nothing like WY, CO, or UT.

[terry and jo]

At least for Terry W. and zqueenz, I may have part of a solution for you. We were having issues with our Dometic RV refrigerator and replaced it with a residential refrigerator rather than have ongoing problems. After all, the Dometic only lasted for 2 years before giving us problems.

Since we had ordered our 2010 with an inverter and extra batteries, it was no problem for us to go to a residential.

If both of you are in circumstances where you will not be boondocking, but will always be hooked to electric and not needing a fridge that operates on LP gas, it might be something to look into.

Terry, if you had known of this in advance, you could have ordered your DRV with a residential fridge already installed at the factory. If you are interested, you might see if you can still make changes to your order. (You might also see if you can get DRV to install R-22 air conditioners instead of those with the newer refrigerant.)

If either of you ever consider changing out your RV fridge for a residential, here is a link to a lots of information about our "saga" with replacing ours.

http://www.5thwheelforums.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3690

Good luck with it all. As for the insulation, we've not had our Mobile Suites for all that long (just over 2 years), but we've not really had issues with the construction. While I don't know Paul Cross, he does have a good reputation among the DRV owners. Definitely see if he can do your PDI.

Terry