Dear Dave,
My 2020 Jeep Wrangler still has a brilliant shine after almost six years, about half in a garage. Why can’t RV manufacturers do this? —Dan, 2016 Thor Vegas 25.2
Dear Dan,
I believe the simple answer is the cost, and most RV buyers don’t want to pay for it.
From what I can find on the used RV sites, your 2016 Thor Vegas has a beige fiberglass outer skin with either decals or painted stripes. The fiberglass panel is most likely from Crane Composites—with products including Filon and Kemlite. The beige color is inherent to the fiberglass portion of the panel and has an outer clear coat called gelcoat. For many years, this panel had a very dull finish as it would hide bumps, waves, and other imperfections in the sidewall.
High-end coaches like Country Coach began using a thick gelcoat for a high-gloss “automotive”-style finish. This came with a higher cost and more maintenance, as the sun faded and lost its shine. Manufacturers then offered full-body paint jobs, increasing the cost to $20,000 or more.
Full-body pain job can’t guarantee a longtime shine
Even a full-body paint job would not guarantee a shine for many years, as the quality of paint and layers of clear coat will affect the longevity of the shine. That same difference in quality can be seen in cars and trucks, as some that are not garaged all the time start to fade and peel 10 years, or less, down the road. Plus, most auto owners wash their cars and even apply wax more often than RVers.
RVs have various fiberglass materials, decals, and paint quality, and owners’ maintenance plays a crucial role in their appearance. Many high-end coaches maintain their shine for over a decade due to owners covering them when not in use or routine maintenance. Some apply ceramic coatings, similar to car or truck finishes, and most car or truck paint processes are powder coating or electrified dip, which is expensive and difficult for motorhomes.
Cost factor
Back to the cost factor: Most RV buyers don’t know what the sidewall is made of or the quality of the paint. If they are comparing two different units, they don’t see why one is $10,000 or more higher. However, some people want all the shiny things in life, and full-body paint is a hot button for them.
The Thor Vegas is designed to compete in the “affordable” Class A market, even though it seems very expensive. I would suggest a ceramic coating to help keep the shine, if it’s not too late. You might get a kick out of the YouTube video I came across titled “Ugliest Motorhome Ever?”
Everyone has different tastes and what they want or need. That applies to not just RVs, but almost everything in life. Don’t shoot me, I’m just the piano man!
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I wish I could attach a picture of the 2013 Newmar Mountain Aire we owned (built in 2012). At 13 years old, the sidewalls were still glass smooth and reflected everything to almost mirror quality.
As Dave said, it’s not that automotive finishes cannot be achieved, but that it is a huge cost adder to paint and then apply multiple layers of clear coat to a large RV. Most RV buyers won’t want to, and really don’t need to, add that kind of cost to their RV purchase.
That is a great explanation. And why I should stop trying to get a mirror finish on my trailer. Be happy that I can keep oxidation of the gel coat to a minimum.
Hmmm. I read Nanci Dixon’s article on detailing – before seeing this one. See my question/comment in her article on Meguiar’s ceramic coating.
Thank you for the discussion, Dave! Interesting to hear further confirmation that lots of folks have _____ (Porsche? Cadillac?) tastes, but only are willing to pay enough to get a _____ (Plymouth? Mercury? Yugo?). Higher prices don’t assure higher quality, but lower ones usually do ensure lower auality. Have a great day and safe travels!