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my recent r-pod factory tour

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this_is_nascar View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote this_is_nascar Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 May 2012 at 7:51am
Originally posted by Camper Bob Camper Bob wrote:

Wow.  Out here in Oregon they have an assembly plant in Dallas, OR.  We are scheduled to take a tour of that facility this coming Thursday as ours is being assembled. (Got our fingers crossed.)  My understanding is that the parts and assemblies are sent from Indiana to Oregon and then final assembled.  Will take some pics and post them if I can. 
 
 
With all due respect to the OP..... you see that trash all over the floor?  That's indicative to how they build these things.  Sloppy, with no regards to tidiness.  If I had been them, there's no way in hell I would have let you snap that picture with that place looking like that.  It's a disgrace and the "I don't care what it looks like, as long as the normal customer doesn't see it" attitude is echoed in their product.  Take a look under a bench in you R-Pod, one of those benches that aren't supposed to be used for storage.  Tell us how much sawdust you find.  Tell us how those wires are run and fastened throughout that area.  Take a look at where the piping goes through the shelves under the sink.  Take photos of that area and see if your feelings are the same.  Unless FR has changed in the last few years (and by that picture, I'd say they haven't), then the guts of your R-Pod looks just like that floor.  Still impressed?
 
 
"Ray & Connie"

- 2017 R-Pod RP-180
- 2007 Toyota Tacoma TRD-Off Road

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Camper Bob View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Camper Bob Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 May 2012 at 10:15am
Whoa Big Fella.  They aren't making precision missile parts.  Constant cleanup would just be reflected in the prices we pay for an Rpod.  I guess it's something like watching sausage being made.  Not pretty, but awfully tasty.  I would guess that as a plant manager, you have to balance your costs against benefits.  Hope that unrings your bell.
Camper Bob and Camper Sue
Gracie the Wonder Dog (12 lb.) Mini Dachshund
2013 Rpod 171HRE (Pods-of-Luck)
2005 Chev. Tahoe
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tedbear View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tedbear Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 May 2012 at 2:47pm
Kristin said that the place is made spotless at the end of each day, which it would have to be in order for them to work the next day.  I was there, you were not.
 
Obviously, you work for the competition - either that or you're just another misinformed idiot, and I would never presume that about anyone I don't know.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Uncle Billy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 May 2012 at 3:37pm
Originally posted by Camper Bob Camper Bob wrote:

Whoa Big Fella.  They aren't making precision missile parts.  Constant cleanup would just be reflected in the prices we pay for an Rpod.  I guess it's something like watching sausage being made.  Not pretty, but awfully tasty.  I would guess that as a plant manager, you have to balance your costs against benefits.  Hope that unrings your bell.
Constant clean up is one thing but safety hazards are another.  Empty caulk tube on the ground is a trip hazard.  Not sure if those are extention cords or air lines on the ground but either way they are trip hazards also and should be hung from the ceiling.  A proper factory layout and a garbage can at each work station doesn't cost that much.  Many insurance companies will work with small factories to help improve safety at no charge and some offer discounts for compliance.
POD With No Name
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Camper Bob Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 May 2012 at 6:00pm
All good info.  If your really concerned, I would forward your issues to Warren Buffet.  He owns Forest River and I'm sure he would also be concerned.  Don't have his email address but I'm sure you can find it on the web.  Safe Travels.
Camper Bob and Camper Sue
Gracie the Wonder Dog (12 lb.) Mini Dachshund
2013 Rpod 171HRE (Pods-of-Luck)
2005 Chev. Tahoe
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tedbear View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tedbear Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 May 2012 at 8:39pm
New Rule:  No one gets to hijack my posts.  You wanna whine, then start your own discussion.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Racer|X| Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 May 2012 at 9:00pm
LMAO Nascar...that may be one of the most interesting posts I have ever read!  Things get a little messy when working.  Doesn't exactly mean the final product is trash.


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this_is_nascar View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote this_is_nascar Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 May 2012 at 7:50am
Go ahead guys.  Have at it busting my stones.  If any of you ever have the opportunity to visit a plant who puts out a quality product,  then you can come back to me with your comments.  Until you've seen what a real company plant looks like while in operation, you have no basis to doubt what I'm saying.  These looks not only reflect the finished product, they pose a huge safety risk.  I'm not going to sit here and have a p*ssing contest with anyone.  If you don't want opinions that include negative ones, don't post in a public forum.
 
Have a good day.
"Ray & Connie"

- 2017 R-Pod RP-180
- 2007 Toyota Tacoma TRD-Off Road

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tsunami Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 May 2012 at 9:39am
I concur that new Forest River products look great as long as you don't look too closely.  My FR RV had a waste hole in the floor which was never foamed in. I had vermin problems for two years until I had the lights on in the interior and noticed light shining under the RV.  I had to remove a plywood panel...the waste pipe hole had a 1 1/2 inch gap all around the pipe with no foam insulation.
After buying my Pod, I opened the pump compartment, adjacent to the shower area.  Again no foam insulation around the waste pipe hole. I am no electrician but the wiring was strung haphazardly with a lot of split wood where it was anchored down.
Plastic drawer sliders had to be replaced along with soft pine supports which had been split by overtightened screws. My dinette-bed panel crashed down after the second night of usage because the anchor screws had split the wood supports.  There were air gaps around the door and one of the window frames where insulation had not been inserted at the factory.
I felt I got a good deal on the price on my Pod. The time it took me to do touch-up repairs was my part of paying a lot less for a Pod than the competition.
I am mentioning these consistent problems so that as a new buyer you can look at these locations and have your dealer fix them if necessary before you take possession.

tsunami
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ratdog Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 May 2012 at 11:29am

 I agree with Tsunami. These campers will never be considered examples of fine American craftsmanship. The tradeoff is, that the price is kept low enough so that folks who might not be able to afford an Airstream can still get into the RV game.

 
But with the low entry price to get into this hobby/lifestyle comes another price to pay . . . your own sweat equity. These campers are a "work-in-progress". You have to do some work yourself to complete the job that Forest River started.
 
I have not had all of the nightmare problems that some on this forum have had. But my rpod was far from being "fully cooked" when I got it. I'm not thrilled with the quality but I'm basically contented with the fact that I got fairly reasonable value for my money.
 
-- Steve 

Steve, Anne, and Paige the Rat Terrier
2013 Lexus RX 450h Hybrid AWD
2011 RP-177 (aka: The Circus Wagon)
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