Liz Amazing (her real name) posts a video every week on her YouTube channel about an RVer whose new or recently purchased RV turned out to be nightmare that a dealer or manufacturer would not or could not fix. Liz’s videos are her opinion and not necessarily those of RVtravel.com, although we almost always approve of their messages.
The article below is based on the audio from the video at the bottom of this article, which we highly recommend you watch.
The story goes…
Frank planned that a new fifth wheel toy hauler would be his summer home on wheels. He pictured motorcycle trips with friends, long weekends, and quiet mornings on the patio. Instead, his brand-new RV broke almost every time he used it, leaving him with payments, stress, and a rig he could not trust.
The dream of owning a toy hauler
He had admired toy haulers for years. A 44-foot Forest River XLR Boost 36XLRF16 with a floor plan he loved finally sealed the deal. The plan was simple: Use it for extended stays and ride with friends.
Planning the purchase
On June 4, 2024, Frank and his father drove to Mesquite, Texas, to pick it up. The walkthrough felt exciting, the patio sold the vision, and the paperwork went smoothly.
The drive home turns into trouble
Three hundred miles later, at a late-night rest stop, the first shock hit. The landing gear had no power. No backup crank, no manual override, nothing. For a first-time RV owner, it was a bad beginning.
First major breakdown
Frank spent an hour troubleshooting at 3 a.m., then gave up and tried to set up for sleep. The feeling was simple and brutal, dead in the water.
Disaster in the cargo area
Opening the back door revealed a mess. The ceiling-mounted bunk bed had collapsed onto his benches and gear. He was grateful his dad and cats were not back there. Holes hidden by wallpaper near the support arms suggested earlier problems. They cleaned what they could, slept a bit, then pushed on to Illinois.
Early inspection at Camping World
In St. Louis, technicians looked at the wiring and shook their heads. “Yeah, this electrical is screwed.” They pointed out odd choices, like three fuses in a single line. Initial issues stacked up, landing gear failure, a leak above the living room fireplace, and the collapsed bunk.
First repair attempt
Camping World in Island Lake, Illinois, kept the rig for 17 days. Frank stayed optimistic and tried to move in once it came back.
Moving in and new leaks
Hooking up city water triggered a flood under the master sink within minutes. He shut it off, but water had already seeped under the floor. The damage was done.
Cat incident
On move-in day, one of his cats needed a bath. The water heater was out. He spent close to a week taking ice-cold showers in his almost-$90,000 RV.
Other problems kept piling up:
- Toilet leak from the second bathroom
- Light peeking through the rear garage door seals, a path for water
- A leak from the air conditioner
Electrical nightmares
Extending a single awning popped fuses. The landing gear blew a 30-amp fuse almost every use, and the system had no backup. Camping World tried three times to fix it. Frank’s confidence in a good outcome was low.
Fuel pump failure from factory error
The onboard fuel pump would not dispense gas to fill his motorcycle. The factory had installed a vacuum pump backward. Straight out of the factory, not working at all.
Hidden problems with parts and build quality
Doors felt warped and needed to be slammed shut. The thermostat readings were incorrect, and a tech showed it was manufactured in 2021. On a 2023 “new” RV, that felt wrong. It started to feel like old parts dressed as new.
Techs confirm it’s a lemon
Service writers spoke in hushed tones. “Yeah, this is definitely a lemon.”
Fighting for a buyback
After seven months of ownership and roughly one month of use, Frank filed a complaint with the Attorney General. Negotiations led to Camping World offering $64,000 dollars toward a buyback, with the expectation that Forest River would cover the balance.
Forest River’s reversal
Forest River asked to inspect the RV, then promised repairs and even a factory tour. After that, they denied the buyback. The RV had been in a shop or in their possession about 95% of the time. Silence followed. The unit remains at Forest River, and the only email he received asked where to deliver it. Frank wants a buyback, not another round of repairs.
The emotional toll and lost dreams
The cost was not just money. Frank’s plans for cross-country rides vanished. Payments of more than $1,000 a month continued. Frank now says he never wants to own an RV again.
Now, watch the video. Your comments are welcome.
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RVT1230
He bought from one on the manufactures with the most problems.
When I bought my Gray Wolf toy hauler, after 3 months, it spent another month at the dealer repairing(?) multiple problems. Some were not repaired.
Then the second time I loaded my motorcycle, the ramp cracked. Neither the dealer or Forest River would do anything. Both said I over loaded the ramp. A 700lb bike and a 1500lb rated ramp!
I contacted the company that made the ramp and they sent me a new one. But I was out the money to have it installed.
Again, neither the dealer nor FR would cover the installation.
We had the same problems with our DRV toy hauler. Paid $150,000 for it to spend more time in the shop then we could use it.
I really feel for Frank and the unacceptable problems he’s had with his RV. A reasonable resolution would be either a partial buy-back, a thorough factory remanufacturing or replacement with a new unit. That none of those occurred is a poor reflection on the manufacturer and the dealership since this unit was under warranty. Some manufacturers have a reputation for poor workmanship and an RV shopper would be wise to avoid them. Some dealerships seem to “specialize” in newbies. An RV shopper would be wise to avoid them as well. Do your homework before buying any RV and stay skeptical.
I could just feel my blood pressure going up watching this. I really lucked out with my LilSnoozy molded fiberglass trailer. If I ever go to buy a second RV I will definitely take RVtravel advice and have it inspected by an RV inspector before making my decision.