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2018 Rpod 180 review and sad farewell

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tcj View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote tcj Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: 2018 Rpod 180 review and sad farewell
    Posted: 10 Nov 2019 at 12:43pm
Seafans, thanks for the tip to find the sticker on the right front side of the frame.  I found it and it says our Hood River Edition 180 was manufactured in Oregon in April 2018.

We love our 180.  Pulls very easily with our Toyota Tacoma with 6 speed manual transmission, V6 engine, and factory towing package.

The only problem we have  had that was significant enough to return to the dealer to fix was a bad magnet on the left side brake.  I could tell when we pulled it home after the walk through at the dealers that the brakes were not right.  When I got home I felt the brake drums.  The right was warm and the left was cold.

I called the dealer and he gave us an appointment to bring it in the next morning.  I'm lucky in that our dealer is only five miles from home.  They put it in the shop right away, trouble shot it, and replaced the bad magnet while I watched.  It took about an hour.Big smile
2018 R-pod 180 Hood River Edition
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DavMar View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote DavMar Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Nov 2019 at 2:08pm
Originally posted by ribet

I would like to find out where the 180's mentioned above were built.  I believe mine was built in Oregon.  I will try to check tomorrow. Any ideas how to check on this?  Cant go out tonight due to a brown bear in my garage last night, 5 feet from my rPod.  


Nope no big brown fuzzy critters around here, thankfully. Just tree rats (Squirrel's), and the occasional Opossum or Skunk.

Please group correct me if I'm wrong but I believe the east coast factory is in Goshen, IN and the west coast in Sheridan, OR.

Since Forest River is owned by Berkshire Hathaway Company maybe I can call its owner Warren Buffett the next time I have a problem, you think? LOL
Dave & Marlene J with Zoey the
wonder dog.
2017 Rpod 180
2016 Toyota Tacoma SR5 4x4
Lexington, NC
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crazycoyote View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote crazycoyote Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Nov 2019 at 6:26pm
My 180 was built in the Indiana Plant, as I bought it from Cheyenne Camper Sales in Walcott, Iowa. They told me it was from Indiana Plant.
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seafans View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote seafans Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Nov 2019 at 8:42pm
tcj:

I purchase at the RV Super store in Pahrump Nevada.  The first night we stayed in it was in Death Valley.  In February we are going back with some friends.  The only problems I had with our 180 was the brakes and magnets were soaked with grease from the poor assembly practice from the axle manufacture.  Never use the grease fitting to lube the bearings.  The outlet of the grease is at the rear seal.  I have rented several of the R-pods before deciding on which on to purchase.  One problem with the brakes that has plagued mine at this time is the wires going to the brake magnet.  Three wires on one connector and the wire going to the brake magnet makes a 180 deg turn to the back plate.  This wire brakes at the terminal connection.  Will have to solder the wires together and use some heat shrink to protect them.

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DavMar View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote DavMar Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Nov 2019 at 7:27pm
I've often wondered why on the east coast you can't buy the Hood River west coast version of the R-Pod? Strange, you think they would offer for sale the west coast model everywhere for a few extra $$. Just doesn't make a bit of business sense to me, I mean FR is in for the money, right?
Dave & Marlene J with Zoey the
wonder dog.
2017 Rpod 180
2016 Toyota Tacoma SR5 4x4
Lexington, NC
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crazycoyote View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote crazycoyote Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Nov 2019 at 10:48pm
You are right there, I wish my trailer was higher , and I really don't care to add blocks. I am in Arizona and I would of bought a Hood River edition if the price was right. I was at the factory in Sheraton Oregon on the tour, but couldn't swing a deal, but I am happy with mine after all the mods.
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lostagain View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote lostagain Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Nov 2019 at 8:42am
It may be a function of the cost of transportation.  Western state prices on trailers built in the mid-west tend to be higher.  Dragging a Hood River model to Ohio and trying to sell it there with a locally competitive price may not be very profitable.  If one takes a look at the teaser ads for any given trailer built in the heartland, the prices tend to be several thousand dollars higher in the far west than they are within a few hundred miles of the factory.  On the other hand, trailers built out this way can often be had for prices in the teaser ads one sees for mid-west constructed trailers.  The closer to the point of manufacture, the better the pricing it seems.
Never leave footprints behind.
Fred & Maria Kearney
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Post Options Post Options   Quote GlueGuy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Nov 2019 at 10:18am
I would also expect the cost of transportation over the Rocky Mountains to be a major issue. Distance and elevation.
bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River
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DavMar View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote DavMar Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Nov 2019 at 8:54pm
Originally posted by GlueGuy

I would also expect the cost of transportation over the Rocky Mountains to be a major issue. Distance and elevation.


Glue, your absolutely right, transportation to the east coast would be a major cost. My question, which I guess I didn't ask well, is why isn't the Hood River model also built in Indiana and sold on the east coast along with the standard models? Just seems to me there would be a big market on the east coast for this and dealers would love it because they can mark up the price because its a "Hood River" edition. I know for myself I would of thought long and hard and probably paid the extra markup for the option of buying the Hood River for the same model I bought from my dealer.
Dave & Marlene J with Zoey the
wonder dog.
2017 Rpod 180
2016 Toyota Tacoma SR5 4x4
Lexington, NC
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Post Options Post Options   Quote GlueGuy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Nov 2019 at 10:13am
Originally posted by DavMar

Originally posted by GlueGuy

I would also expect the cost of transportation over the Rocky Mountains to be a major issue. Distance and elevation.


Glue, your absolutely right, transportation to the east coast would be a major cost. My question, which I guess I didn't ask well, is why isn't the Hood River model also built in Indiana and sold on the east coast along with the standard models? Just seems to me there would be a big market on the east coast for this and dealers would love it because they can mark up the price because its a "Hood River" edition. I know for myself I would of thought long and hard and probably paid the extra markup for the option of buying the Hood River for the same model I bought from my dealer.
I guess we might have to ask Warren Buffet about how/why that is. I have noticed over the time we have been on the list that there seems to be many differences between east and west R-pods.
bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River
2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost
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