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Topic: Some Other Brand out of Elkhart  (Read 551 times) previous topic - next topic
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Some Other Brand out of Elkhart
      “They dreamed of adventure in their new RV. But, they say, they got geysers of sewage....”
Wow!!  Should have bought a Lazy Daze :-)

An NC couple is suing their RV's builder over chronic problems | Charlotte...

Daryl
Daryl 
2007  26.5’ mid-bath, “Blu Tent“
2021 Jeep Wrangler Sport S
  (previously 2006 23.5’ front lounge)
SKP #145689
Re: Some Other Brand out of Elkhart
Reply #1 –
What happens when you do not research what you buy. A shiny penny appearance does not mean quality under the cover.

Junk from Elkhardt is why there is a long wait list to even get an RV in the shop for repairs. Of course, most the "techs" are no better than the folks that built it in the first place.

I hope they get their money back. But, I doubt it.
Don & Dorothy
Sold our LD in June of 2023

Our boring always non-PC travel blog
Traveling Dorothy
Re: Some Other Brand out of Elkhart
Reply #2 –
It seems that the more you pay for a rig, the more time you will spend at the Factory.
The big DPs seem to be worse, being so complicated and built so fast, next to no-one but the Factory is capable of attempting to repair them.
Heaven help you if there is a serious wiring issue, some DPs have almost as much electrical as the space shuttle.
As Paul mentioned in a previous posting, it ironic that builders of high end RVs have their own campgrounds to park rigs that are waiting repairs.
I hear some of the 'campgrounds' are very nice. How thoughtful.
It's not often that you see a LD camped in the Mothership's parking lot.

Larry
Larry
2003 23.5' Front Lounge, since new.  Previously 1983 22' Front Lounge.
Tow vehicles  2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, 2001 Jeep Cherokee
Photo Collection: Lazy Daze
Re: Some Other Brand out of Elkhart
Reply #3 –
Quote from: Larry W  - 
It's not often that you see a LD camped in the Mothership's parking lot.

We just finished a 2,400 mile 6 week trip in our LD.  We had a one (1) "problem" ... one of the handles on the BR faucet needed to be tightened.  It took 5 seconds.  I'd have to check my travel notes, but I think we've had one (1) other problem in the last 10,000 miles.  And that was sediment in the kitchen faucet.   Lazy Daze RVs are just so troublesome  ;).
Re: Some Other Brand out of Elkhart
Reply #4 –
Quote from: LazDazGuy  - 
      “They dreamed of adventure in their new RV. But, they say, they got geysers of sewage....”
Wow!!  Should have bought a Lazy Daze :-)

An NC couple is suing their RV's builder over chronic problems | Charlotte...

Daryl


What a horror story! Unfortunately for the RV industry, this sort of "quality" and "customer service" is the norm these days. I heard that one corporation has bought out many of the smaller companies that used to make decent quality product but can't recall their name.
Greg & Victoria
2017 Mid-Bath  “Nocona” towing a manual 2015 Forester
Previously a 1985 TK
SKP #61264
Re: Some Other Brand out of Elkhart
Reply #5 –
"I heard that one corporation has bought out many of the smaller companies that used to make decent quality product but can't recall their name."
----
Thor and Forest River products own about 80% of the RV market; the links show the divisions, the brands and sub-divisions within brands.

http://www.forestriverinc.com/recreational_vehicles.aspx

Thor Industry Subsidiaries | Thor Industries
2003 TK has a new home
Re: Some Other Brand out of Elkhart
Reply #6 –
Quote from: Ed & Margee  - 
We just finished a 2,400 mile 6 week trip in our LD.  We had a one (1) "problem" ... one of the handles on the BR faucet needed to be tightened.  It took 5 seconds.  I'd have to check my travel notes, but I think we've had one (1) other problem in the last 10,000 miles.  And that was sediment in the kitchen faucet.  Lazy Daze RVs are just so troublesome  ;).

I hope you aren't planning on suing the factory, Ed. <grin>

Chris
Formerly: 2002 30' IB
Re: Some Other Brand out of Elkhart
Reply #7 –
Quote from: Chris Horst  - 
I hope you aren't planning on suing the factory, Ed. <grin>

Chris

You could just book a reservation at the Lazy Daze Campground and they can probably get to you in a month or two.  ;)
Greg & Victoria
2017 Mid-Bath  “Nocona” towing a manual 2015 Forester
Previously a 1985 TK
SKP #61264
Re: Some Other Brand out of Elkhart
Reply #8 –
Of course there is the other end of the RV manufacturing spectrum and that of course does include Lazy Daze.

That is the “Pot O’ Gold” at the end of the rainbow. In that pot we can find, Honest, Reliable, Consistent and Customer oriented businesses that thrive on repeat customers who send their friends and family to purchase High Quailty Motorhomes and RV’s that don’t spend a great deal of time in the service bay but rather under the trees and stars where they were intended to reside.

As the Mega Monsters gobble up all that is around them, a few reputable manufactures have escaped their clutches and carried on as usual. Thank goodness for that.

Yesterday I spoke with a friendly couple in camp that own a Big Foot Class C. Of course I had to utter those words that we hear often enough, “Nice rig. It’s too bad they don’t make the Big Foot Class C anymore”. At least that’s what I thought as it was my understanding that Big Foot no longer produced a Class C. How wrong I was.

“They had stopped making them for 5 years but they were bought out and now they make a Class C again”, they said. Great news. Theirs was manufactured before the buy out and had many of the same aminities as our beloved LD’s. I hope the new owners can live up to the high standards of the previous owners.

Best whishes Big Foot.

Kent
 
2015 27' RB "MissB.Haven"
Re: Some Other Brand out of Elkhart
Reply #9 –
Quote from: Kent Heckethorn  - 
Of course there is the other end of the RV manufacturing spectrum and that of course does include Lazy Daze.

That is the “Pot O’ Gold” at the end of the rainbow. In that pot we can find, Honest, Reliable, Consistent and Customer oriented businesses that thrive on repeat customers who send their friends and family to purchase High Quailty Motorhomes and RV’s that don’t spend a great deal of time in the service bay but rather under the trees and stars where they were intended to reside.

As the Mega Monsters gobble up all that is around them, a few reputable manufactures have escaped their clutches and carried on as usual. Thank goodness for that.

Yesterday I spoke with a friendly couple in camp that own a Big Foot Class C. Of course I had to utter those words that we hear often enough, “Nice rig. It’s too bad they don’t make the Big Foot Class C anymore”. At least that’s what I thought as it was my understanding that Big Foot no longer produced a Class C. How wrong I was.

“They had stopped making them for 5 years but they were bought out and now they make a Class C again”, they said. Great news. Theirs was manufactured before the buy out and had many of the same aminities as our beloved LD’s. I hope the new owners can live up to the high standards of the previous owners.

Best whishes Big Foot.

Kent
 

Wanting to see what they offer I checked them out on the web. They appear to only make truck campers and travel trailers. Bigfoot RV - Truck Campers & Travel Trailers - Recreational Vehicle Manufacturer

Jim
Re: Some Other Brand out of Elkhart
Reply #11 –
As Jim pointed out, Bigfoot's website indicates only truck campers and TTs as product lines.

???

2003 TK has a new home
Re: Some Other Brand out of Elkhart
Reply #12 –
It appears that one of two things have occurred in regards to Big Foot Class C reintroduction: 1: The web site is behind (LD suffers from this “catching up” syndrome). 2: Manufacturing of the Class C has not begun.

I know the owner of the Big Foot I spoke with was undoubtedly well informed so now a bit of investigation will need to be done.

Kent
2015 27' RB "MissB.Haven"
Re: Some Other Brand out of Elkhart
Reply #13 –
Quote from: Jim & Gayle  - 
Wanting to see what they offer I checked them out on the web. They appear to only make truck campers and travel trailers. Bigfoot RV - Truck Campers & Travel Trailers - Recreational Vehicle Manufacturer


A good friend I worked with was in love with Big Foot Campers. He was a year-round fisherman and wanted a rig he could use in cold weather.
When he retired, he bought a new, 4X4 3/4-ton pickup and a  Big Foot cab-over camper, it was a beauty!.
Unfortunately, the camper was extremely heavy, being built like a tank for cold climates, it overloaded the pickup.'
He ended up trading the 3/4-ton pickup for a one-ton model, an expensive lesson for someone who didn't do their homework.

Larry
Larry
2003 23.5' Front Lounge, since new.  Previously 1983 22' Front Lounge.
Tow vehicles  2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, 2001 Jeep Cherokee
Photo Collection: Lazy Daze
Re: Some Other Brand out of Elkhart
Reply #14 –
"A good friend I worked with was in love with Big Foot Campers. He was a year-round fisherman and wanted a rig he could use in cold weather.
When he retired, he bought a new, 4X4 3/4-ton pickup and a  Big Foot cab-over camper, it was a beauty!.
Unfortunately, the camper was extremely heavy, being built like a tank for cold climates, it overloaded the pickup.'
He ended up trading the 3/4-ton pickup for a one-ton model, an expensive lesson for someone who didn't do their homework."

At retirement time in 2000, we briefly contemplated a pickup truck and Big Foot slide-in camper.  When push came to shove, even a one-ton (350 or 3500) pick up truck was really and truly inadequate for complete usage of the Big Foot camper.  There were still inadequacies in weight considerations.

One possibility was a 450 Ford with a platform instead of a regulation bed to house the Big Foot.  We went to the local Ford dealer and priced such a vehicle.  It was, as you might expect, breathtakingly pricey - we figured that with the cost of the camper, the total was probably in excess of a brand new Lazy Daze.

At that point, we trotted ourselves (in our 1985 TK) down to Pomona/Montclair and had a look.  The price card on the dinette table of a 26.5-foot unit showed $60,999..  That was MUCH less than the combo Big Foot and Ford 450, so the path was clear at that point.

We had visions of a mid-size pickup truck with a 4-Wheel Camper slide-in, pop top camper as a "toad", thinking (quite erroneously) that because the combination of weight of the truck and the slide-in camper was under the tow rating of 4950 pounds, we could just tow the beast as needed.  That's when we learned the finer points of the difference between the GVWR and the GCVWR.  Just because the number LOOKS like it will support more weight, the actual TOWABLE weight can be considerably less.

Lesson learned.

   Virtual hugs,

   Judie

Re: Some Other Brand out of Elkhart
Reply #15 –
On our visit to the M’Ship in January 2004 all the sales folks were out or busy so Vince assisted us that day. Wonderful experience. At one point I asked whether he had a LD and he stated he didn’t have any RV but he had a big ol pickup truck and if he would get one he would get a Big Foot truck camper and slide it on his pickup and be set for any season. He thought Big Foot was on par with LD.

Strong recommendation.

Dave
Ruby, the red 2004 26' RK hauling Dave and Kristine hither and yon
Re: Some Other Brand out of Elkhart
Reply #16 –
Quote from: huskerblue  - 
On our visit to the M’Ship in January 2004 all the sales folks were out or busy so Vince assisted us that day. Wonderful experience. At one point I asked whether he had a LD and he stated he didn’t have any RV but he had a big ol pickup truck and if he would get one he would get a Big Foot truck camper and slide it on his pickup and be set for any season. He thought Big Foot was on par with LD.

Strong recommendation.

Dave

Well, they are out there used, slides and all:

Bigfoot Class C RVs For Sale - RvTrader.com;
Greg & Victoria
2017 Mid-Bath  “Nocona” towing a manual 2015 Forester
Previously a 1985 TK
SKP #61264
Re: Some Other Brand out of Elkhart
Reply #17 –
Having owned 2 Lance campers and really liking them, we considered buying a Bigfoot.  In the day, they were really well made and much better insulated than the Lazy Daze or the Lance.  Unfortunately however, the ceiling is lower than either the Lazy Daze or the Lance and at 6'5", it was a deal breaker for me.  Further, the big ones are  heavy and a smaller model Bigfoot that fit inside the payload limits of our F350 was too cramped to satisfy my bride.  Like Judie, buying a bigger truck was just not an affordable option.

My daughter and wife do notice how much warmer my daughter's Lance is than our Lazy Daze when parked next to each other. The camper is a smaller volume to heat, has less heat-losing windows, is much better insulated, and has a fully contained basement as well as ducted heat. 

Regardless, Cyndy loves her Lazy Daze and will never go back.

Harold

2014 27 MB
Towd: Either the Jeep Wrangler or trailer containing the BMW R1200GS and 2 E-bicycles
Happy wife=Happy life
Re: Some Other Brand out of Elkhart
Reply #18 –
Quote from: Kent Heckethorn  - 
I know the owner of the Big Foot I spoke with was undoubtedly well informed so now a bit of investigation will need to be done.

In a July 2017 interview with Truck Camper Magazine, the owner emphatically stated "We will never do motorhomes again". I am disappointed, as I like the Bigfoot motorhomes. What the person you talked to might have been referring to was the resumption of slide-in camper production.

Bigfoot Campers on the Move - Truck Camper Magazine
2005 Jayco 24SS
Re: Some Other Brand out of Elkhart
Reply #19 –
Greg,

The Big Foot you located looks much like the rig I saw in Zion. The price tag seems rather steep but the mileage very low. Works out to about a thousand miles a year. It’s always a shame to have nice things just sit around and gather dust. Never a good thing, especially for a vehicle.

Kent
2015 27' RB "MissB.Haven"