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Four Winds Dutchmen inspection

Yahoo Message Number: 1460

I just finished a walk thru of my coach by a "Certified RV Inspector" in Omaha, Nebraska. I will have his signed report in a few days, but a brief recap of his observations... he was most impressed by the poor workmanship that went into building my coach. In one example, he showed how Four Winds used the wrong screws to secure the trim rail that holds the roof surface material to the side panel and doing so has allowed moisture to infiltrate the entire roof. If you pull the small rubber insert molding away from the metal track that secures the roof or the corners, you should see pan head screws. They will prevent moisture from infiltrating the attachment material in the coach. Four winds used a flat head screw which is designed to be countersunk into wood, but in this case it is attaching metal to wood, so the head will not countersink. The shank is tapered, and moisture that infiltrates the opening made by the screw will penetrate into the roof member. Proof of infiltration is when the screw is withdrawn and the entire screw is rusted. Rain and A/C moisture has drained into the metal track behind the rubber insert, and has filled the space with water which is penetrating the roof edges. Bottom line is that the entire roof will be compromised and should be replaced. He could not explain why they didn't join the rear with the side wall at the rear corner, but he did show me where they knew they had the problem because they used longer screws to attach the two pieces, and one screw actually went in crooked and came out thru the fiberglass side panel, which they then had to patch with more fiberglass!

Anyway, I will post more photos in a few days.... Saturday I will be in a catfishing tournament on the Missouri river in Sioux City, Iowa.

Denny

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Re: Four Winds Dutchmen inspection

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 1462
Will it never end? I thought you were working on a plan to trade your
rig for something else. Did that fall apart?

Re: Four Winds Dutchmen inspection

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 1464

I was "negotiating" with Thor's legal counsel for a replacement RV.... they offered me $5,000.....

Denny

Four Winds Dutchmen

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 1466

I have posted a couple more photos of the rear closet, including a photo of the door hinge on the closet door. The hinge is too large for the closet door, so only one screw is used to hold the door in place. If a person bought a home with this poor design, he would be outraged.... such a simple problem, yet one they ignore....

The inspector stated that most RV manufacturers will NOT negotiate issues unless the owner hires an attorney to handle the case. Since Colorado has no lemon laws, my only recourse is the Federal Magnuson Moss Act, which is tried in Federal Court and can take up to five years to resolve. I would have to park the RV during that time, and in the end, sign a non-disclosure and the public would never know the outcome. That is the very reason the industry has gotten by with building trash... they ultimately pay "hush money" to those that prevail in court. I do not want that to happen. The industry must be made accountable publicly for their misdeeds, just as the recent hearings on the formaldehyde problem have disclosed. Only then will there be laws passed to control the manufacturing of motorhomes, just as the automotive industry has been required to do.

Every day that I am on my soapbox is another day I and the public gains a little more truth about the industry. One day I will no longer by heard... maybe a week, or a year, or five years. I am NO crusader, and I do not place myself on a pedestal... but Thor Industries WILL learn that to silence this voice, they will do it without my having to hire an attorney. Period.

Denny

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