by Deanna Tolliver
We wish we could report good news about Margaret B’s ongoing dilemma with her 2017 Thor Ace 
motorhome, but we heard from her this week and here’s what she had to say:
“Well, I wish I could say things have all been resolved but that has not been the case at all. (Read her previous letters HERE).
“After my Thor Ace motorhome sat on two service lots for over 15 months before I could take delivery of it due to lengthy warranty issues and delays of getting parts and authorization from THOR, I finally got to take my RV away on its first maiden voyage 16 months after signing my sales contract.
“I have been at the RV resort for only one week now and already have another list of repairs.
• Bedroom doors continually come off the two bottom latches when driving (which was already repaired).
• Toilet has a known issue where there is a sharp bend in the sewer pipe right beneath the trap and the sewer tank is all the way across the other side of my coach so I have a multitude of problems with the toilet burping contents back out onto the floor and walls and unable to make its way to the black tank which is another known THOR defect.
• Opened one of the kitchen drawers and see a large amount of water gathered in a utensil dish so after looking under the sink I see leaks in not one but 3 places which have already been replaced due to strain from the slide.
• Back ladder is loose.
• All 3 brand new TVs THOR installed are outdated with no QAM tuners unable to accept cable stations and another known THOR issue and the list goes on.
“I have exhausted all avenues with THOR customer service at this point, as they no longer respond to emails or calls as promised.
“I have spent these past few days at the campsite mopping up toilet water, dealing with tanks and soaking up leaks under the kitchen sink so as I plodded through this mess an old saying finally came to mind “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” I trusted THOR and did all they asked of me by waiting until I had my RV and they did not stand by their promise.
“….after my month’s vacation here I will be filing suit with a Seattle attorney…. I thank you for doing these articles on the Lemon Laws as there are many many people online right now that are going through the same with this company and worse, where they ask you to wait and then they delay all warranty after many repairs failed again until your warranty expires and then they are very quick to let you know of this!
“I loved my first 2012 THOR RV and want to love this one too and enjoy it without dealing with lengthy lists of repairs and walking through water leaks and sewage…I held up my end of the buyers contract, but neither THOR nor the dealership at Sunset RV held up theirs!”
We will post further updates on Margaret’s Thor Ace motorhome as we get them. Good luck, Margaret!
This is really a sad and heartwrenching story. I am so glad I own a very limited 2009 Carriage Domani 30ft. Travel Trailer. I did a lot of tire kicking before I purchased and I have had absolutely no issues whatsoever. Can’t say the same for some of my friends who purchased RVs after me and are experiencing similar problems to those listed above. All the Margarets out there should get together and launch a class action suit against Thor. Failing that, please continue to share your story with the world, as you can now add my name to the list of potential customers that will never purchase a new or used Thor RV of any kind.
It really is a sad reflection on all the employees that work at Thor and in their dealerships that no one seems to care. If they did, someone, anyone, should step to the plate and do the right thing and take care of the problems under warranty. RVing is supposed to be FUN and Margaret certainly isn’t having any!!!
We also had a Thor Bunkhouse 5th wheel 2004. We discovered a leak after years. We kept seeing a small drip on the back corner. My husband was all over the camper, on the roof, everywhere. We found the roof and the side never met like they should allowing water to seep into the back side. We discovered this after we tore it apart to rebuild the back after spending years looking. We will never buy another Thor. Shoddy workmanship! We rebuilt it better than the factory did.
We have resolved to rebuild our rig.
We full-time in a 44 foot, Cyclone, 5th wheel.
When something breaks, we repair it using better materials and workmanship.
I am appalled at what these companies are putting out.
I would be too humiliated to face a customer, take their money, and give them trash.
The entire RV industry is in the same condition that the US auto industry was back in the late seventies. Producing junk because people had no viable alternitive but the junk that was being built in Detroit. I recently read an article about how the Elkhart workers just go from one company to another because they can. No matter what any politicians says things would vastly improve for the consumer if there was foreign completion. When the American worker fears consumers ability to buy better made products they will produce better products and not until then.
This individual is just one of the people I was thinking about when I was delivering new rvs for the last 14 1/2 years. Thor is a multi billion dollar corporation who only cares about the almighty dollar. Their empire will come tumbling down eventually unless they change their ways. I left the rv tansport business last week after 14 1/2 years. The quality of the rvs I delivered along with the quality issues I encountered during delivery were just two of the factors that helped me make the decision to leave the rv industry. So sad a great industry like this will give so many people a bad taste of the rv life because of their greed. I wish her the best in receiving justice from Thor! Because of my experience in the rv industry I receive questions from friends and strangers numerous times on which rv to buy and which brand is the best. Sadly, I do not have an answer for them anymore.
Margaret, I’m so sorry for your troubles. I have been following your sad saga, hoping that you’d finally get a solution. Your latest problems brought tears to my eyes. You must feel at the end of your wits!
Also, for the rest of us who need to upgrade (as I do), or buy a first RV, it is frightening. I plan to buy nothing newer than 2008, and have it thoroughly inspected, take it for serious test drives, make sure all the appliances and RV equipment work, and then camp a night or two in it before buying. Unfortunately, I need a Class C Toyhauler, and used Thors are the most plentiful on the market.
I do so hope you win your lawsuit. We’re all pulling for you to get satisfaction and resolution. I’m sorry your well-earned vacation has been ruined by this unforgivable shoddy workmanship.
We’ll stay tuned to hear how it turns out.
Stock down 39% from its highs.
Question at 4:20. Answer starting at 5:44
https://www.cnbc.com/video/2018/06/14/thor-industries-ceo-were-finding-ways-to-counteract-tariff-costs.html
So – they plan to take out some of the glitz to be able to keep price down. Nothing said about quality.
Sad to see so many problems and some major problems at that.
I bought a 2016 Cougar by Thor, had a problem with the Atwood furnace. Fixed by mobile tech 750 miles from home. Now have had a Montana for a year, another Thor product. Just a few minor warranty items taken care of by CW. Much has to do with your dealer, I’ve bought the last 3 from the same CW as the service is better than most.
I also follow the Forest River owners forum. Lemons mentioned there. My mobile tech says Airstream has problems and are more difficult to work on some problems.
Luck of the draw today, get a good one, one with few problems, or one that is very good when buying new. Then that used model may be a lemon someone is dumping as well.
Who is the best company. We have a Jayco Jay Flight, 2014, 195 RD. We want to upsize when we decide to go full time. Jayco used to be one of the most popular. I believe Thor bought Jayco and people are really complaining about the new ones. We have had no problems with our 2014, so we may just keep it, and buy a modular when we quit traveling.
I love my 2000 National RV. I keep fixing problems like new hot water tank, frig cooling unit, etc because I hate the thought of buying a mess of unknown problems.
Thanks! Will never ever buy a Thor product -in any flavor! Our Winnebago B class had a grand total of 3 warranty issues . All were fixed quickly. Now on our 3rd year and haven’t had to go back for anything.
I’m so glad we bought a Carriage Cameo in 2004. We have never had a problem.
I have my own bone/s to pick with Thor ( Debonding Cargo Door Skins, known by Thor, and it’s Vendor Mishawaka Sheet Metal), but feel Margaret’s problems are over the top.
Time for National Exposure of the growing lack of Quality Control, even with Items concerning Safe Operation on the Highways !
Sell, sell, sell it. Cut your losses. Just say no to Thor.
Then the next owner is getting shafted by buying a unit that is broken. Now, if she sells with full disclosure, that’s a different story.
I have a 2005 34n hurricane by Thor and I love it I bought it used on consignment being a very talented do-it-yourselfer auto mechanic and Airline mechanic and inspector and since I’ve had multiple RV since 1970. As it says on this forum there is always defects that show up down the line but I found that if I go to a reputable dealer they show me everything works before I take delivery and that makes all the difference of course I know what’s going on and how everything works so I would know before I took delivery everything was working and I guess that’s the primary key go to a reputable dealer here in Tulsa I believe in Daves RV and Camperland
Linda, that was my knee-jerk reaction, too. No-one, I repeat, no-one wants to end up with someone else’s problem.
I almost purchased a Thor class A gas burner back in 2015 when I retired. It was only after scouring the Internet reading comments of owners of Thor products did I discover the type of business operation they run.
Quality control is not the only issue, poor design intended to increase profits with unrealistic piecework goals stapling together units asap is their goal.
Figure I dodged a bullet & saved a ton of stress.
This is why I will never even look at anything made by the Thor cartel of crappy RVs again! I recently went to an RV show and was shocked at what dealers had to display. Shoddy work and some even were damaged by just having people going through them. Pathetic, and they were all Thor connected products.
Thor has bought out companies known for their quality Rvs and made them crap due to cutting corners to make more profits. Thor now owns a lion share of them! If people really want to save Rving they need to boycott ALL Thor owned companies, it is really to your best interests. During the 2008 recession Thor bought up many of the RV makes available because they were going out of business. If no one buys the defective Thor products they will either have to change or die on the vine.
I feel for you, Margaret. You are a strong person to say you want to love this RV. An even stronger person to sue the company. I don’t disagree. I wish you strength and courage for paving the way for other RVers who may be going through RV nightmares. I just purchased an RV who’s family owned company was recently bought by Thor. In light of this, I probably will not consider buying from them again. I hope this RV is my first and last. So far no issues.
Thank you for sharing your experience.
Unfortunately going the lawyer route will only cost you large legal fee’s and most likely not much satisfaction. I had a lemon F150 in Canada and Ford was a nightmare to deal with. My best solution was to trade it in on another vehicle. I lost 6 thousand dollars in the process but maybe by the time you figure in legal fee’s and time invested that might be a good option. Best of luck!
Lemon law lawyers are usually on contingency, so no out of pocket costs. My lawyer negotiated their fees as part of our settlement with Thor.
Heartbreaking – …. and heartfelt sorry for the suffering you have endured. Thinking that you and your travails may be a blessing-in-disguise, … at the least for the many others that have, or, are suffering the same or similar poor workmenship and lack of quality control exhibited in today’s RV industry. I once asked a representative, while on a factory tour, about their quality control, “if a discrepancy is discovered, the individual responsibile must walk. To the end of the line, passing his contempories along the way”, a walk of shame, if you will. That was his answer to their quality control!, needless to say, it was not received well by the group.
Reading stuff like this breaks my heart. It literally scares the crap out of me to think of buying anything new and taking this giant leap of faith that what I buy will be even 50% good! I’m thinking our 2012 travel trailer will be our LAST trailer. Everything is working as advertised (once we fixed all the issues IT came with!). What are new buyers (especially first time buyers) to do? It’s rough out there.
So sorry to hear of your problems with you 2017 model. Warranty issues are a hard thing to deal with. What happened to your 2012? It was only 5 years old when you upgraded. Best of luck in your pursuit of legal action. I think we all would like to know how it turns out.
Bill I had a 2012 THOR with only just over 4,000 miles on it that my husband and I purchased at the Seattle RV show as he decided to take early retirement with hopes that we would travel across the US but sadly he passed away from a massive heart attack in Feb 2014. I went away in the RV a couple of times after he passed but the memories of him being there with me were too painful so I made the decision to trade it in and let them know the reason why and was promised a smooth sale due to the circumstances but sadly that was not the case at all where the situation with this dealership went from bad to worse as the weeks progressed. Had I known back then what I know now about this dealership and about THORs building complaints I would have kept my 2012 RV.