Interestingly enough, the worm may be turning for the RV industry, at least in California, but probably elsewhere. The ramifications of what is happening in California will probably have a ripple effect for everyone. I have mentioned often that the RV industry needs real change. Perhaps this is a move in the right direction.

I warn readers in our books: a travel trailer’s purchase agreement will probably make you handle any litigation in the state where the trailer was manufactured. Manufacturers include this clause to protect themselves, and to discourage lawsuits—after all, who wants to fight a court battle 900 miles from home? I know I don’t want to, but I would. This is why you need to read the purchase contract,

In addition to this point, Thor’s warranty specifies that owners would not have the right to a jury trial. This is contrary to California law.

A California Judge in 2023 called Thor’s practice a “scheme”. He refused to allow Thor to have the case transferred out of the California court, noting that the enforcement of a clause “drafted in bad faith would be condoning, or at least not discouraging, an illegal scheme. 

What does this mean for the typical RV buyer? Probably two things:

1. Read your contract carefully to understand what the Manufacturer state are your “rights”.
2. If you have issues with your RV, an attorney like Ron Burdge can help. He states “just because it’s in writing doesn’t mean you are stuck with it”.

Remember, the manufacturer wrote the contract to protect themselves, not you. In addition, the RVIA is a lobbying group for the RV manufacturers and Dealers. Don’t assume that the little RVIA sticker next to the door on your trailer means these folks are backing you as a consumer – they are not. When the industry promotes and celebrates the defeat of Lemon Law legislation, that tells you something very important.

Happy travels, be safe!

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Our House on Wheels

The internet has given us a wealth of information including trailer blogs and Facebook pages.  These revolve around every conceivable make of travel trailer, fifth wheel, and motor home.  The intent of these pages is to be informative to the owners or potential buyers; however, many times they have the opposite effect. Why might that be?

1. People tend to complain about the problems with their RV more than talk about how great it is.  That unfortunately is just the human condition.  I’m sure if you look at any restaurant review on-line, the bad outweighs the good.  That’s because most of the time if you are happy, you just go about your normal routine.  If you are unhappy you will probably let others know.
2. People seem to forget that almost all travel trailers initially have issues that need to be worked out.  Even brand new houses have small issues that need to be worked out.  It’s probably unrealistic to think that you can buy a travel trailer and not find something that may need to be adjusted or repaired.  It is after all a small house that is bouncing down the highway on wheels at 55+ miles per hour.  This is why RV companies have a warranty period, to remedy some of the issues you may encounter after you take delivery.
3. A single post sometimes turns into a feeding frenzy.  Most posts are well-intentioned I believe, but sometimes there is what I would call “a pile on” effect.  This is where others with the same or nearly same issue begin a rant.  Imagine if you were shopping for an RV and you stumbled on to one of these threads.  It may completely change the way you feel about the trailer that might have been right for you.
4. Beware the forum lurkers.  These are folks that may be members of a site but may not have pulled the trigger on buying an RV yet;  however, they are quick to shame the company that makes the trailer any time someone has an issue. On every site it’s best to rely on the folks that have a level head when they post.

The internet is a great place to find information on your travel trailer but you really need to keep the above points in mind.  There is a wealth of information out there on every model, and the internet is a fantastic place to educate yourself about your travel trailer from simple maintenance to recall information.  It’s also a great place to find out what kind of modifications might make a great improvement to your travel trailer, such as bug screens or clear entrance door windows etc.

Our advice would be the following: Try not to put 100% of your faith in the threads you read and instead look at the company behind the Travel Trailer; what is their repair record, how is their customer service. what is their dealer network like?  Forum threads are a great place to hear what may be problems with the model you are interested in;  but they can be gripe sessions and like cars, there are the occasional lemons.  Think of the large number of RVs that are manufactured in a given month.  If even 2% have an issue it may seem to the reader that the whole line is substandard.

Remember what ever travel trailer you choose, it is still a small house on wheels. Make the most informed choice you can on the company behind the travel trailer and the other aspects that are most important to you!

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