TM Service

[Wavery]

This is my 1st post on this forum. My wife and I have been seriously thinking of buying a TM 2720. I have read nearly every post on this forum.

If TM service is as bad as it sounds on here, it concerns us somewhat.

By everything that I have been able to learn about this product is that it has changed very little over the last 20 years. The engineering of this thing has slowly evolved just behind prevailing technology but the design is basically the same.

It occurs to me that this factory may be getting bored with what it is producing (at quite some cost, I might add) and taking their customers for granted.

This is a scary business plan for the consumer and it seems that someone needs to wake-up and smell the roses at TM.

I know that there are a lot of loyal TM owners on this forum and I am not out to offend any of you but your praises seem to come with a few complaints about the manufacturer. We are now starting to wonder if we want one of these trailers. It seems to me that after 20 years of building the same darn thing they should be pretty good at it. It's not like they are building a complicated automobile that constantly changes in both engineering and design.

I agree with a previous poster....after 20 years, these people should be getting pretty darn close to perfection and apparently they're not. Some of the design flaws that I am reading about (air leaks, door design problems, faulty furnishings etc) have not been dealt with since the inception of this product.

 

[viking]

My unit is about a year and a half old. I have owned it for 8 months and have used it 1 or two times a month including a 900 mile round trip from FL to NC. I have been happy with the quality and design of my TM. If I could do it all over again knowing what I know I would still buy a TM.

 

[Al-n-Sue]

Unfortunately, dealer service depends a lot on the dealer. There are some good ones, as documented on this forum, and there are some not so good ones. Dealers who focus on the TM as a product tend to be better. Those who carry them as a side line, may not be as good, have trained technicians, or have as much interest in building a TM reputation. If you have a particular dealer you are wondering about, post it here and you'll get real customer experiences.
As for the factory build quality, I suggest that by and large, the quality of a TM will equal or exceed that of most typical travel trailers. The unique engineering can present some issues with age and wear, but by and large, the majority of problems discussed on this forum are from older units and are not from manufacturing problems, but simply age and wear. I'm guessing you'll find more old TMs in good shape on this forum than you will find on other RV forums. Just my opinion.
My experience is that my 5 year old TM is in as good a shape as a new one and my dealer here in Colorado Springs is one of the best in the nation (as exhibited by the awards on his wall!).
I think if you spend as much time on other RV forums as you indicate you have on this one, you'll find a lot of the same complaints. Maybe more.
So, I've defended TM here, but I'd suggest that if you have doubts about quality, or concerns about a dealer, you may not be happy with a TM anyway. Spend some time talking to other RVers. Then decide.
One thing you can guarantee is that if you have questions or problems, you can get straight answers here!
Good luck and good hunting.

 

[countrygirl32082]

Well we love our TM...and know that it is better quality then our Keystone TT was. About 5 or 6 years ago we were at an RV show in March and the wind was whistling...it was a bleak cold day with no sunshine and a lot of drizzle. We spent some time talking to J.D. Sanders who owns a RV/Camper shop in Alachua Florida. Suddenly we realized we were no longer chilled to the bone. He did not have a heater on!

This past year we spent 2 weeks in Missouri in late October and early November...the wind was whistling...it got down to freezing but we were nice and warm with only a light weight goose down comforter.

BTW...as a trail member you have not had full access to the forum...there is a lot more available to read.

Gee..I almost forgot...we could never cool down the Keystone Outback Sydney with it's 15000 air conditioner in really hot weather. Our TM how ever is easier to cool down with just the 13500. It also stays cool.

 

[mtnguy]

In comparing out 2003 unit to other makes from that era, ours seems to be in much better shape, both cosmetically and mechanically. We bought our unit used, and the previous owners didn't seem very knowledgeable about the workings of the unit, and they probably weren't near as anal as I am.

Because of a chronic bad back that the missus has, that doesn't get along well with the low fridge and cabinets, and the high bed in the TM, we have been shopping for a small, conventional travel trailer that has a walk around queen. So far, we have found nothing that compares with our 5 yr. old TM in quality, and functionality. We were willing to take a hit with the gas mileage if we found a unit that would work for us, but we will be darned if we have to sacrafice much else, as in all of the units that we have looked at so far.

Besides, if we got a conventional travel trailer, we wouldn't be able to get it into places like pictured in my avatar.

Chap

 

[grakin]

The TM is well-made. I have 15,000 miles on mine, and have lived in it, total, about four months. This is probably more than 80% of travel trailers get used in their lifetime. No major issues so far, and lots of little things have been considered by the factor - things you don't realize are really nice until you see other trailers (can you believe some are made in a way that having full waste or fresh water tanks can actually make sway worse, for instance).

It's not perfect, nothing is. But I can't recall even one post on this board about someone getting rid of a TM due to quality issues.

As for the design, there isn't a lot about the TM that is "behind the times". Granted, there is no major design change in the last few years, but rather incremental improvements (it's amazing how many of the complaints of owners on this board get fixed in the next model year). Some of the best made trailers, at least by reputation, such as Airstream, haven't exactly had revolutionary design changes, either (of course, one might note that an Airstream costs about 3-4 times what a TM does). When I bought the TM, I had an RV maintenance guy look at one with me - he was very impressed with how well made things were, the choice of components, the structural strength, and how well insulated (!) it was. You might do something similar - find an RV technician who has several years of experience with broken RVs to go with you shopping (on brands that the place he works for doesn't sell).

 

[Scott O]

HarveyRV wrote
"Some of the design flaws that I am reading about (air leaks, door design problems, faulty furnishings etc) have not been dealt with since the inception of this product.

I'm not sure any of your assumptions are valid. TMs are continually improving, both mechanically and in creature comforts. A forum such as this may give you the wrong impression about the product as many posts are seeking answers to a problem. What you don't see is the huge number of people who are not having that particular problem. You will get the same stuff on any product-specific forum. We have had both a motor home and tent trailer previously and can assure you there were a variety of issues with both. Possibly if you joined the forum ($12) it would allow you to search out posts which have asked the question "Do you like your TM?" It might change your overall perception of the tone of the posts here. The best way for you to answer your concerns is to check out a TM in person. No other experience comes close and I believe you might just be surprised.

Your only specific complaint that I can address is your criticism of TM dealers. Where did that come from? Most posts here are very positive about the "dealer experience" and our dealings with our dealer (Custom RV in Anaheim, CA) have been off-the-chart positive. They have been amazing, even to the point of bringing a trailer to our house to see if it fit in the garage. I have no idea how many dealers there are, but there have been negative comments on only 1-2 that I can recall on this forum...

One other thing I would like to add...I was reminded by another post...is that many users on this forum have older models which are still very serviceable. But many of the issues being written about are things which have been addressed and fixed on later models. I have a hard time sometimes figuring whether or not an issue someone raises applies to my unit. Most of the time it doesn't. We have had our TM for over a year and really could not be happier.

 

[Virginia Deacon]

Fix It Yourself

As mentioned elsewhere in this thread, the forum doesn't reflect all the manufacturing problems TrailManor has solved and we no longer have to deal with, as well as how satisfied most TrailManor owners are with their TrailManors.

With all the travel trailers we had before we bought our TrailManor, there was no forum to help us fix problems ourselves, and it was expensive to have any dealer "take a look." This forum's value is in making it easy to either fix any problem ourselves or to make sure problems are properly fixed by service folks. TrailManor's factory staff have been VERY willing to listen and provide support/parts as needed, too. Our TrailManor was delivered with two large, three-ring binders filled with everything we needed to know to enjoy our TrailManor (including warrantees and complete information on all components) - and the delivery "lesson" took over an hour, so our dealer could be sure we had all our questions answered on-the-spot.

I believe the issue is not whether there will be problems, but what happens when they occur. Based on my own experiences, I give TrailManor high marks for their product and an exceptional rating for their support!

Happy Camping!

 

[LittleRhodey]

We love our TM 2720!

We love our TM2720! We did not have a previous travel trailer. This is our first. We almost bought an Aliner this year, but when we compared it to the TrailManor, there was no comparison. It is roomy, has all the comforts of home, works in 30 degree temps as well as 95 degree temps, and has features we never expected.

Since we bought our 2720 in April, we have been out camping to 8 campgrounds, ranging from full hookups to a complete boon docking experience and it worked well everywhere. We can carry water to the campground that just has a spigot with potable water or add water to the holding tank when we are there. The toilet works wonderfully - we can go 4 days in 90 degree temperatures without unpleasant odors. The versatility of the systems running on more than one power source is wonderful.

It tows like a dream if you have a good tow vehicle. Our mileage dropped only 3 miles per gallon on our 1700 mile trip last week. On our trip to Ohio last week, we saw very few travel trailers being towed as compared to the past. I know for a fact by talking to the owners of bigger, heavier rigs that they are curtailing their travel because of the cost of a gallon of gas. They can't afford to go far with such poor mileage figures. We saw little difference.

That said, some things work loose while driving 500 miles a day. You reattach them. Some things don't work the way you expect so you check the owner's manual or especially this forum. I have never waited longer than a few hours for a response to a question. Dealers are closed at night or at other times, but TM Forum members must never sleep! We didn't have to drive to the dealer 100 miles away to get things fixed. We learned how to do the repairs here and did it ourselves. And the Forum members would let us know if they thought we should make the drive and not try to do something ourselves.

We would buy ours again in a second. I have scratched the side with our mailbox, closed the top with the outside shower open, tried to close the TM with the beds still locked in place, and more. But it still works for us. Even in the driveway, it's a refuge, a playhouse, a night away from home. Or it folds up and is out of the way. Fitting in the garage is a big plus.

So you see, it is a question for you of what you are looking for in a travel trailer. For us, it was an answer to a prayer for a way to travel with a 6 year old and have enough economy and creature comforts for 60 year olds.

Keep us informed of your decision. If you haven't seen one, do that next. Some dealers even have a model that they let you try out already set up, like MCD in Cape Cod. Good luck!

 

[Shandysplace]

TM Quality

As you can see the posters love this product and so do we. We've only had our '08 3326 since last December and have only used it a few times. The warranty issues we've had have been minor and easily dealt with. Currently we have some inconvenience as our Sacramento CA dealer is reorganizing and pretty much restaffing their service dept.

Since you're in Colorado where there is one of the most active Trailblazer chapters, just check their rally schedule on the Trailmanor website and attend one or two. In this way you'll get to see an array of models of various ages together with straight talk from their owners.

If you happen to be on the West coast the 3rd weekend in October, stop by our first West Coast Trailblazer Rally at the Petaluma, CA KOA. 29 TM owners are currently registered.

Good luck.

 

[P and B]

We have a 2008 3124KS. We bought it last fall after doing a lot of research and soul searching. We used to have a class C Rockwood. I think we were RV'ing before RVs were popular (argggg). Anyway, the TM is very complex and well engineered for something that gets pulled at 65-70 mph down the road. As many have mentioned, there are issues- some common ones, others unique to the specific model or options. Nevertheless, you will not find another TT that is as light, fully functional and spacious as the TM.

We all have a tendency to focus on the negative aspects of the design partly because it's human nature and partly because we're looking for solutions to specific problems. As an engineer myself, I can tell you that the TM is a well engineered product from a price performance perspective. Could things be improved- probably but they do continue to listen to their user base and make changes based on what we tell them. I wouldn't be surprised if other manufacturers of TTs don't start adopting some of the unique designs that TM uses to lighten their trailers.

Good luck on your search.

Phil

 

[flakeyone]

You think design and service are bad, wait until you ry to get parts. :new_cussi

 

[kempert]

Good service

If you look at my signature line below, you can see that I've had my TM for 8 years, put a lot of mileage on it, & lived in it for a total of over 40 months. I've ordered parts from the factory several times with no problems. As a matter of fact, I recently found a broken hold down latch (result of being in a 60 vehicle pile up in April) and ordered a new one last week. I called Friday afternoon to make sure everything was alright and Ed told me it was going out today. They do have a new guy in the parts department (forgot his name) who's learning about all the different parts that go into all the different models (incl different years) of TMs. I have no complaints about the service from the parts department.

 

[cochise-TMO]

This is my 1st post on this forum. My wife and I have been seriously thinking of buying a TM 2720. I have read nearly every post on this forum.

If TM service is as bad as it sounds on here, it concerns us somewhat.

By everything that I have been able to learn about this product is that it has changed very little over the last 20 years. The engineering of this thing has slowly evolved just behind prevailing technology but the design is basically the same.

It occurs to me that this factory may be getting bored with what it is producing (at quite some cost, I might add) and taking their customers for granted.

This is a scary business plan for the consumer and it seems that someone needs to wake-up and smell the roses at TM.

I know that there are a lot of loyal TM owners on this forum and I am not out to offend any of you but your praises seem to come with a few complaints about the manufacturer. We are now starting to wonder if we want one of these trailers. It seems to me that after 20 years of building the same darn thing they should be pretty good at it. It's not like they are building a complicated automobile that constantly changes in both engineering and design.

I agree with a previous poster....after 20 years, these people should be getting pretty darn close to perfection and apparently they're not. Some of the design flaws that I am reading about (air leaks, door design problems, faulty furnishings etc) have not been dealt with since the inception of this product.

Esteemed "harveyrv" wrote this on 07-20-2008. And he was/is right as nothing much has changed at TM in the two years since.

I purchased my Elkmont 24 in September 2009, and it has been in the shop 3 times now (third time now) for weeks on end. Initially TM denied that there was anything wrong with the furnace installation, and it wasn't until I contacted the manufacturer, Suburban, and RVIA that things began to flow. And even now it is more like pulling teeth. In addition to the furnace problem (wrong unit "put" in the trailer, it wasn't even secured so one cannot say it was installed) there has also been a slew of other problems, missing caulking allowing water to enter the unit, water pipes that were not tight, non code electric installations, kinked gas lines, gas regulater not screwed to its support plus the usual long list of poor workmanship, incorect gas-strut installation and the last one is de-lamination of the outer skin. But hey that is only 10 months that I have not been able to fully use my 20K+ investment.

Had I known of and read this forum before I purchased, I would NOT have bought a TM product. And this case is far from over yet.

"Make the lie big, make it simple, keep saying it, and eventually they will believe it.

Through clever and constant application of propaganda, people can be made to see paradise as ****, and also the other way round, to consider the most wretched sort of life as paradise".

Just my opinion. But yes I have learned a lot from this forum, thank you, and I will probably continue to hang around since it IS very interesting to hear other peoples experiences, both in dealing with TM, the dealers, but most the trips people take in their TT's.

 

[kempert]

Why the quote?

I don't get it. This quote seems sorta off the wall to me. Who's making it and who's believing it?

"Make the lie big, make it simple, keep saying it, and eventually they will believe it.

Through clever and constant application of propaganda, people can be made to see paradise as ****, and also the other way round, to consider the most wretched sort of life as paradise".

BTW - The hold down latch that I ordered from the factory last Friday was deleivered to me yesterday by UPS. I'm in CO near the UT border at a National Monument that doesn't have a # in my mailing address. This causes major problems for computerized mailing and shipping programs but TM had no problem getting it to me.

 

[cochise-TMO]

I don't get it. This quote seems sorta off the wall to me. Who's making it and who's believing it?

"Make the lie big, make it simple, keep saying it, and eventually they will believe it.

Through clever and constant application of propaganda, people can be made to see paradise as ****, and also the other way round, to consider the most wretched sort of life as paradise".

BTW - The hold down latch that I ordered from the factory last Friday was deleivered to me yesterday by UPS. I'm in CO near the UT border at a National Monument that doesn't have a # in my mailing address. This causes major problems for computerized mailing and shipping programs but TM had no problem getting it to me.

First of all I was referring to HARVEYRV's initial concerns about TM. Service is more than parts delivery, and the fact that UPS found you only gives them credit (UPS).

We purchased our ELKMONT 24 based on TM's propaganda brochure. I'm not going into details here but there are so many lies it is not even funny. Weight, quality, towing etc. And after they delivered a trailer with the wrong furnace, NOT even installed correctly according to the manufacturer, and the dealer failed to catch that on their delivery inspection, TM denied that there was a problem. "You don't understand how this is done" they told me. Well since the furnace presented a serious safety problem, I contacted the manufacturer of the furnace and was told: "YES YOU HAVE A SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM, DO NOT USE UNTIL IT HAS BEEN PROPERLY INSTALLED". It is now finally being repaired, after contacting RVIA and SUBURBAN manufacturing. Meanwhile the rhetoric goes on. It has now been 10 months since we purchased the Elkmont, and it is still not useable. The outer skin is de-laminating from the rest, and no one will tell me how it is going to be fixed. Meanwhile TM goes on and tells everybody how good they are, how safe their product is and how service minded they are. I have written certified letters to Mr. Michael Hulsey at TM. Did he ever bother to answer? NO! I only know he got my mail because it was signed for.

And from other members here I have read there are quite a few with problems. Perhaps the majority with problems have decided to fix these themselves, I know of one member with one of the exact same problems that I had, and also not caught by the exact same dealer. He choose to fix it all himself. More power to him, but I paid my money for a product that was NOT as advertised, hence the lie and the propaganda, take a good look at their Elkmont 24 brochure, and you will know what I have in mind.

So, service is also how you deal with your customer’s and handle their problems. When you tell a customer that everything was installed by “the book” and that quality and craftsmanship is the key but you don’t do it than that is a lie. And if you repeat it often enough it will most likely be believed. –And don’t forget that the Elkmont is a “different animal” that the fold downs. It should be much easier to build an “upright trailer” than a fold down, and yet there are all these problems.

 

[kempert]

Cochise – Thanks for the explanation. I didn’t realize that we were talking about two different things and two different types of trailers. My first post on this subject was about the comment on getting parts from TM. I just wanted to let others know of my experience with ordering and receiving parts. BTW – When trying to order things from other businesses, we often have problems with them even taking our order because of the lack of a number for a street address. The local branch of the USPS cannot figure out how to give us a street address. TM gets some credit in believing me and not some computer software.

I am very sorry to hear of your experiences with your trailer. I can’t imagine what it has been like for you over the last 10 months. I have to admit that since I have had no interest in a full height trailer, I haven’t paid too much attention to the Elkmont. After reading your explanation, your quote makes perfectly good sense to me.

Good luck to you in the future.

 

[clown9644]

I just bought my first TM, a 2004 3023 and am very impressed. I have called the factory 3 times and have been treated with respect and terrific customer service. I got technical guidance that was spot on and have ordered parts that are on their way to me. My only wish is that they accept credit cards or at least Pay Pal, but sending a check only adds a couple of days.

I think a TM is a great product and the company seems to be very responsive.

Dave