Not Prospective Owners Anymore

[fredwrichardson]

I was initially very excited to be a new future purchaser of a BH. After reading thru all these forums and the headaches people are having over even the most basic things falling apart or failing, I think I will pass and look at OB's. Sure it sounds like they stand behind their product and warranty most things. However, after owning a 2001 Prowler (1 slide), a 2006 Cougar Mountaineer (2 slides), a 2012 Cougar High Country (3 slides), and now a 2015 Blackstone (2 slides), all of them being travel trailers, and now wanting a 5th for full timing, I have to be quite honest and say I never ever encountered anything even remotely close to what a lot of BH and BC and LM owners have reported! My money comes to hard to throw away on purported quality when in actuality it sounds to be seriously lacking! I want to live in the **** thing without it falling apart. For you who say it is not a stick and brick house but a traveling house on wheels. I agree but all my travel trailers have also traveled rough roads and long trips (several 3000 plus). I have had dishes thrown and drawers pop open but never had valances fall off or couches move or sinks fall out or cabinet doors fall off or needing to re-caulk the roof after only a couple years. Thank you for letting me read your forums. I feel I have been really enlightened. If HL ever gets their QC in order, then and only then will I consider purchasing a unit from them.

Did you ever ask the question who out there is happy with their Heartland? I had issues but I am still very happy with my RV. If I made my decision for buying anything based on reading Forums I would never buy anything.

 

[danemayer]

if custom ordering is what deters quality tell me just how one is suppose to get the unit equipped the way they want it? All options can not be dealer installed.

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Will do this but purchasing is still a few months out.

I agree with the earlier comment that there's no reason to think that there's a quality difference on a custom order.

 

[JohnD]

All my TT's were bought new. The Prowler was still made by Fleetwood back then. I can see no justification in thinking dealer inventory is better quality than custom ordering.

The persons assembling these things have no knowledge that they are not for dealer inventory, at least to my thinking.

Oh yes they can . . .

It is called an order form rolling along with the unit as it goes down the assembly line.

Again, my theory is not scientific . . . just an observation from the many posts that are made here and elsewhere on the internet!

And it seems that those who order custom made from the factory have bigger issues than those who buy off of the dealers lot.

 

[EPaulikonis]

Agreed w/jasson07...dealership has a big role. I've heard it before that the dealership is the final 10% of the build. I did a custom order purchase on a Landmark from a less than stellar dealer. Rigs on the lot they were trying to sell were polished products ready for the sale. The custom order came in and the dealer did not perform due diligence to get my custom order up to the same standard. Guess the dealership I worked with figured the deposit was in hand and the sale was happening regardless of the condition of the coach. Result - I spent extra time (3-days total) during PDI having the dealer complete things that they'd done to prep their stock trailers sitting on the lot so they were ready for sale. GM of the dealership also ended up giving me cash back based on my customer feedback, but it wasn't worth the hassle or lost work time I had accepting the coach.

Dealership conversation aside, I wouldn't trade my HL for SOB thanks to the exceptional customer service and product manager support.

 

[schrod]

Wow is all I can say. People come on. You read three or four stories about issues (most of which could have also been solved by better service dealers) and you assume EVERY unit is falling apart. Geeze!!! Do you not realize that the most vocal are those with problems but there are 10 times more with no issues that you never hear from?? I just can't believe that I am reading that people don't want to purchase XYZ due to a few stories of issues when there have to be quiet a few more that you don't hear from as they are out using their unit. Oh well guess I am just too young and dumb. All I know is my CUSTOM ordered Big Country that is just over 2 years old has not had any major issues that weren't self inflicted. In fact some of these issues I am reading about could have been caused by the user. Oh well I will continue to enjoy living full time in mine and fix what I break.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You need to read more. There are many more than just a few disappointed owners. And yes, many users just fix the stuff on their own and go on. Warranty is definitely good, however it is being entirely over used when the manufacturer has to build a brand new 12 bay service center right at the factory! Unheard of!
Please don't put me down. I worked all my life so as to have it easy in old age. Constantly having to make repairs is not my idea of having it easy. Especially when so many of these stories involve using too short of screws. WTH? A dummy working would know to use the proper length of screw.

So, in the end it boils down to being MY money and I get to choose what to purchase. I really wanted a Bighorn 3570RS fully equipped at a MSRP of 107745. I was almost ready to place the order.

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Oh yes they can . . .

It is called an order form rolling along with the unit as it goes down the assembly line.

Again, my theory is not scientific . . . just an observation from the many posts that are made here and elsewhere on the internet!

And it seems that those who order custom made from the factory have bigger issues than those who buy off of the dealers lot.

True but I very seriously doubt the info has anything but the purchasing dealer on the order.

 

[danemayer]

schrod,

It is your money and your choice.

Good luck with whatever purchase you end up making. I'm sure everyone here wishes you the best.

 

[buddyboy]

You need to read more. There are many more than just a few disappointed owners. And yes, many users just fix the stuff on their own and go on. Warranty is definitely good, however it is being entirely over used when the manufacturer has to build a brand new 12 bay service center right at the factory! Unheard of!
Please don't put me down. I worked all my life so as to have it easy in old age. Constantly having to make repairs is not my idea of having it easy. Especially when so many of these stories involve using too short of screws. WTH? A dummy working would know to use the proper length of screw.

So, in the end it boils down to being MY money and I get to choose what to purchase. I really wanted a Bighorn 3570RS fully equipped at a MSRP of 107745. I was almost ready to place the order.

Number of sales of both travel trailers and fifth wheels by Heartland appear to average around 18,000 per year. In my past career it was evident that a company hears the bad things predominately. The people happy with the product and/or service usually don't provide feedback.

You're right - it is your money and your prerogative to spend it as you feel is best. I personally don't believe you'd ever be happy with any Heartland product since you've made up your mind the product is inferior. JMHO

I hope you can find an RV that will give you many years of happy experiences. Safe travels.

Martha

 

[schrod]

Did you ever ask the question who out there is happy with their Heartland? I had issues but I am still very happy with my RV. If I made my decision for buying anything based on reading Forums I would never buy anything.

That is a totally unnecessary question. You only find out about problems and issues from owners that have these occur! Persons that don't have issues can NOT tell you! I am now looking at Evergreen's BayHill. Very similar to Bighorn except for one major item. QC. They do a 100 point check before the units leave the factory. Rain booth to check for water leaks, cabin pressure, gas lines, water lines, and all electrical.

 

[buddyboy]

Good luck with whatever you choose. Reading postings on IRV2, they aren't without issues also. Safe travels.

 

[schrod]

Giving an update as to my switching my preferential 5th wheel from a Bighorn to a Bayhill.

We did a plant tour of each factory yesterday. I honestly have to say the Bayhill being a much younger company has their sh*t together much better than Bighorn! For starters their flooring is 5/8ths inch tongue and groove plywood. Bighorn is 3/8ths inch composite. 2nd, Bayhill uses a complete seamless duct in the ceiling between both A/C's with fiberglass insulation filling between trusses. Bighorn uses block insulation with cutouts for their ducting. What happens when a block is cut just a teeny bit short? You have air leakage that's what! I brought this up to the sales manager giving us the tour. He could not believe it until I showed him. He actually thought they had a complete duct in the ceiling!


Fit and finish was good on both brands until I looked at the little torsion rams on the overhead doors in the entertainment section of the Bighorn. I still can't believe they are installing them backwards and angled crooked! I saw this at the dealers inventory clear last spring. I should have brought this to his attention as well but did not want to hurt his feelings again.

Bayhill uses residential padding under their carpet. Not sure if Bighorn does. I missed checking that out and will have to call and ask the Sales manager.

I prefer the control panel located right inside the Bayhill doorway over the Bighorn having it stashed in the kitchen.

The Bayhill lower aluminum trim is wrapped completely under the sides of the trailer and attached to the framework.

I much prefer the arched interior ceiling over the drab flat ceiling of the Bighorn. That cathedral ceiling is just a waste of money IMO.

I much prefer having a central vacuum than a cordless Dyson.

My wife agreed 100% and said no to the Bighorn and yes to the Bayhill.

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Good luck with whatever you choose. Reading postings on IRV2, they aren't without issues also. Safe travels.

If you notice most of those were with early models. Same can be said of Bighorn when they were first getting started. Their QC has improved immensely. I can not say the same for Bighorn since Bighorn has been in production 3 times longer than Bayhill.

 

[buddyboy]

If you notice most of those were with early models. Same can be said of Bighorn when they were first getting started. Their QC has improved immensely. I can not say the same for Bighorn since Bighorn has been in production 3 times longer than Bayhill.

Good luck with your choice.

 

[schrod]

Thank you and good luck with yours.