When you buy a high-end motorhome, you’re not just buying a vehicle—you’re buying into a reputation. So when there’s a change at the top of a company like Tiffin, it’s going to catch people’s attention—especially folks who own one, or are thinking seriously about buying one.
That’s what’s happening now. Leigh Tiffin has stepped aside as president of Tiffin Motorhomes. Parent company THOR Industries says it was a personal decision and emphasizes that other members of the Tiffin family will remain involved.
If you’ve followed the RV industry for a while, you’ve heard that kind of reassurance before.
It doesn’t mean anything bad is about to happen. But it does mean this is one of those moments when it makes sense to slow down and pay attention.
Why this gets noticed by RVers
Tiffin has never been “just another brand.” For years, it built its name on solid construction, conservative design choices, and a reputation for taking care of owners when something went wrong. Plenty of people bought a Tiffin because they believed someone would pick up the phone—and actually help—if they needed it.
Leigh Tiffin mattered in that story because he wasn’t just an executive brought in from the outside. He was part of the family, and for many buyers that still means something. His departure doesn’t mean Tiffin suddenly becomes a different company, but it does remove one more visible link to the way the brand built its reputation in the first place.
THOR says that nothing about Tiffin’s direction is changing. That may well be true. Still, experienced RVers know that leadership changes are often where small shifts begin, even if they’re not obvious right away.
The THOR connection, in plain English
Tiffin became part of THOR Industries back in 2020. Since then, THOR has mostly taken a light touch, letting Tiffin operate as its own brand. From the outside, that’s seemed to work. New models have rolled out, production has continued, and the Tiffin name has stayed intact.
But when a family-owned company becomes part of a large public corporation, the long game changes. Decisions are no longer just about craftsmanship or tradition—they also have to make sense on a spreadsheet. That doesn’t make them wrong. It just makes them different.
A leadership change like this is often the point where buyers start wondering which voice will carry more weight going forward.
A pattern RVers have seen before
This isn’t the first time a well-known, family-founded RV company has gone through a transition like this. Over the years, several respected brands have been absorbed into larger corporate groups, usually with promises that nothing would really change.
In many cases, things did stay the same—at least for a while. Over time, though, decisions tended to become more standardized, more centralized, and less personal. That doesn’t automatically mean quality suffers, but it does mean the company slowly starts to feel different. For buyers who chose Tiffin precisely because it didn’t feel like a mass-market operation, that history is why leadership changes tend to raise eyebrows.
The questions buyers actually ask
If you’re shopping in the luxury end of the RV market, your concerns probably aren’t theoretical. They’re pretty simple:
- Will the build quality be the same next year as it was last year?
- Will warranty issues still be handled the way longtime owners expect?
- Will parts, service, and factory support remain as accessible as they’ve been?
- And when tough calls have to be made, who’s making them?
There’s no reason to think those answers suddenly change tomorrow. But most seasoned RVers would rather watch what happens than rely on assurances alone.
What’s worth watching
The real clues won’t come from press releases. They’ll show up quietly—in how dealers talk, in how warranty claims are handled, in whether owners still feel heard when problems come up, and in how visible the Tiffin family remains behind the scenes.
For now, there’s no reason to panic if you own a Tiffin or are considering one. The brand didn’t lose its identity overnight. But this is one of those moments where it makes sense to stay observant, ask questions, and give things a little time.
Because in the RV world, “business as usual” is something you verify by experience—not something you take on faith.
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There are a huge number of quality- and customer service-related complaints since Thor took over Tiffin.
The independents are disappearing. I expect to pay for quality and expect excellent customer service. The corporations only care about profitability and share prices and then stock prices. I’m starting to hear similar concerns about Newmar under Winnebago.
Being independent along with a reputation for quality is what drove us to Foretravel. Hopefully, that will continue at Foretravel, but that will depend on the future owners.
In 2001 we bought a Tiffin Alegro. Six months after purchase we discovered huge air bubbles on the roof. We were having difficulty with the selling dealer who just kept refusing to acknowledge that this was a warranty issue. We then wrote to Tiffin in Alabama describing the problem and our frustration in getting the roof repaired.
One day while driving my tanker truck at work my cell phone rang. When I answered the voice on the other end said “Hello Lee, this is Bob Tiffin from Tiffin Motorhomes”! We discussed my situation and he agreed to help get our RV fixed. We were sent to another repair facility where they replaced the roof…at a cost of over $8000.00.
That reputation is why we decided on a Tiffin when we were shopping for a Class A in 2018. We are very much hoping that type of service survives this latest change in leadership.
I can very well remember one evening at the Fort Worth RV Show while looking over an Allegro Bus I was invited to have a seat at the dining room table by Bob Tiffin. After a 20 minute conversation I was very impressed that he would take the time to talk to some guy off the street that climbed into his RV. Throughout the conversation Bob gave the impression of being genuinely interested in what I had to say, to the point of taking notes when I would answer his questions.
Short story long, I certainly hope Tiffin is able to maintain their customer service in spite of being a Thor product. The industry needs more Bob Tiffins!
Well written. Thank you RV Travel!
Sadly , word on the street from Tiffin owners and reporting from Liz Amazing on YouTube would indicate that THOR has already changed (for the WORSE) the quality and service approach to its products and customers. Count me among those who would never consider anything associated with THOR.
We had a 2006 Allegro Bay with 3 windows having fogging problems. We were at the Hershey RV Show and sat down with Bob Tiffin. We just happened to mention the problems with our windows. He said there was a small problem with some of them. Call his office on Monday and they would ship them. I offered my credit card and he said “No, those windows were a problem”. We called and they shipped at no cost within a week. Best customer service ever.
Same experience with our 2006 Phaeton. Replaced 2 fogging windows, no charge, no hassle. Above and beyond.
I think some of the Thor influence is already rearing its corporate head, as evidenced by some of the Liz Amazing YouTube videos about folks with newer Tiffin experiences encountering all kinds of build issues and a lack of compassionate service from Tiffin
Thor Industries might be the single worst thing to have happened in and to the RV industry.
I seem to remember when Bob turned the company over to his kids. Quality, etc. got so bad he had to come back and right the ship. I expect similar issues with Thor in complete control. Thor is a nightmare. Thor’s CEO told Chuck Woodbury in an interview that he didn’t care what the product looked like as long as they kept going out the door. Corporate mindset.