Hello
Printed From: R-pod Owners Forum
Category: R-pod Discussion Forums
Forum Name: Introduce Yourself
Forum Discription: New Members - tell us about yourself and your r-pod
URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=8776
Printed Date: 24 May 2025 at 5:57am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.64 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Hello
Posted By: tjaquish
Subject: Hello
Date Posted: 12 Sep 2016 at 9:25am
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Hello fellow R-Pod owners. My wife and I currently have a 179 , 2016. We had a 178, 2014 before this one. We like the design and weight of these little trailers, that being the main reason we have owned two of them. Our only complaint that bothers us is the quality of the trim work inside the RV. It seems that things are really done kinda hap-hazzerdly , with poorly fitting joints and crooked pieces. On our 179 we had the apron piece under the fridge fall right off. I am a finish carpenter so fixing things like these are easily done without bringing the RV to a dealer. My question is, has anyone else seen similar issues or did I get two Friday afternoon rigs? Or am I just being overly picky?
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Replies:
Posted By: M&M
Date Posted: 12 Sep 2016 at 9:29am
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Good Morning tjaquish, My wife and I picked up our 179 a little over a month ago. I was a bit nervous about what to expect after reading some of the posts about fit and finish. We we very happily surprised that there were no issues to speak of. The unit needed to be vacuumed out but other then that we couldn't find anything to complain about.
------------- 2017 179 "Big Sexy" 2012 Honda Pilot |
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 12 Sep 2016 at 9:38am
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Unfortunately, the apron under the fridge is poorly designed. Any little thing that bumps it exacerbates the poor design and it falls off. I used anchors in the aluminum frame. Some have used hinges. I would like to use hinges, but would want one that allows the apron to swing both ways. I recently read where one person used industrial strength Velcro. That might work okay also. There were other fit and finish items that, like you, I repaired myself. One was the trim strip under the dinette, which was not fastened very well. Others were drawer alignment and slides in the kitchen. Otherwise, there have been issues where sealing around the kitchen window was not done very well and other areas where sealing around screws was not done well as shown by rust on the screw threads (spoiler and porch light fixture). Overall though, I have been very pleased with our R-Pod. ------------- StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
Posted By: densmorema
Date Posted: 12 Sep 2016 at 9:43am
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Hello and welcome to the forum,sorry to hear about your problems,the wife and I also have the 179,we bought it in late 2014 and have had a lot of good times with it.The only trim issues I have seen is on the inside corner of the slide where it has some woodgrain contact paper that's kind of wrinkled and is exposing a little of the wood,everything else seems to be ok.The beeping fridge has been a problem though it can be disabled by unplugging it at the door latch if it happens to you, I hope it doesnt.Well happy camping and enjoy your new pod. ------------- Mike and Cherie Michigan 2015 R179 2016 silverado |
Posted By: tjaquish
Date Posted: 12 Sep 2016 at 11:00am
| Don't get me wrong about my complaints. We still like the R-Pod. It's just after looking at some other makes where a lot of care was used trimming the RV out, little things start to show up. We looked at some Lance trailers and were very impressed with the cabinetry. They were also a lot more money! |
Posted By: tjaquish
Date Posted: 12 Sep 2016 at 11:07am
| I drilled and tapped larger screws to go into the stripped out holes. Seems to be fine for now as long as it doesn't get caught when sliding the wall in or out. I think the wiring behind the apron was pushing on it so I rehung it to fix that possibility. |
Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 12 Sep 2016 at 12:30pm
Small inexpensive trailers all use this style of construction. To compare the pod to a Lance, Airstream, or Oliver etc... apples to moon rocks. ------------- |
Posted By: densmorema
Date Posted: 12 Sep 2016 at 3:08pm
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I don't think your being to picky I think everyone expects a quality product when they buy something. The pod is a fun trailer and we always get lots of interested lookers. ------------- Mike and Cherie Michigan 2015 R179 2016 silverado |
Posted By: Leo B
Date Posted: 12 Sep 2016 at 3:48pm
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Welcome to the group!
------------- Leo & Melissa Bachand 2017 Ford F150 2021 Vista Cruiser 19 csk Previously owned 2015 Rpod 179 2010 Rpod 171 |
Posted By: David and Danette
Date Posted: 12 Sep 2016 at 4:55pm
I don't think you are being over picky. I think being a finish carpenter there is good and bad. The good you can properly fix what needs to be corrected the bad is you are going to notice more what needs to be fixed and corrected.  But I think the r-pods are built a little better than many other campers in the same price range. ------------- 2018 Vista Cruiser 19BFD (2018- 2012 Vibe 6503 (2014-2019) 2009 r-pod 171 (2009-2014) Middle Tn 2014 Ram 1500 Quad cab |
Posted By: ribet
Date Posted: 12 Sep 2016 at 10:57pm
| I also find the quality and workmanship lacking. I also am handy with wood so many can be fixed. BUT, we should not have to rebuild it, they should care a little for the camper using it. Lot of spaces that can be used that they sloppy hung wires across and left building trash in many hidden places. Driving screws with a power tool below service and sometimes all the way through the panel. I hope some day they get the same thing done to them, |
Posted By: tjaquish
Date Posted: 14 Sep 2016 at 9:56am
| My wife and I took a short trip to the closest R-Pod dealer, {Momot Trailer Sales in Plattsburgh NY, 60 miles } yesterday, to have some of the warranty issues taken care of before I start doing my repairs or changes. The dealer took many pictures and will contact us with a date to correct things. |
Posted By: Nittybelle
Date Posted: 15 Sep 2016 at 5:18pm
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We have had a problem with the molding tearing off when we bring the slide out back in, apparently, the storage lid over the dining seat is pushing on the molding and tearing it off, the only solution is to remember to take the lid off the storage when bringing in the slide out. The dealer is getting us new molding. Despite that, I have shopped around all other brands and I have to say the R Pod seems the most durable. ------------- Nittbelle |
Posted By: Nittybelle
Date Posted: 15 Sep 2016 at 5:19pm
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Correction, when sliding out, the molding catches the lid and pulls/breaks off. ------------- Nittbelle |
Posted By: tjaquish
Date Posted: 16 Sep 2016 at 8:41am
| I got a phone call from our local R-Pod dealer. They will not work on my problems because we didn't buy the R-Pod from them. They recommend we go back to where we bought it. I wonder what Forest River will think of this network type of thinking? |
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 16 Sep 2016 at 9:11am
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This has already been discussed in different message threads. Each dealer is independent, and can choose whether to service products bought at different dealerships or not. Forest River does not own the dealerships. If you had a dealer nearby and bypassed that dealer to go to a discount dealer farther away, you made an assumption that the local dealer would have to service it. Unfortunately, that is not the case.
------------- StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 16 Sep 2016 at 11:56am
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http://www.forestriverinc.com/DealerLocator.aspx - Forest River "policy statement"..
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Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 16 Sep 2016 at 2:21pm
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Unfortunate but true. However, there are FR dealers happy to take your money, and any dealer can work on it outside of warranty. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual 
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Posted By: tjaquish
Date Posted: 17 Sep 2016 at 10:42am
| I am normally a shop local guy but when I can save close to 4grand shopping around I shop around. According to the dealer that didn't want to do the work, he said it can be a problem getting repaid for warranty work. |
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 17 Sep 2016 at 1:29pm
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When I needed warranty work done, my dealer contacted Forest River first. Once he got approval from FR, then the dealer did the work. I would have to guess that the reason the closer dealer has had trouble getting paid is that the dealer did the work without first coordinating with FR and making sure the repair was a covered item.
------------- StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
Posted By: Leo B
Date Posted: 17 Sep 2016 at 1:53pm
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+1
------------- Leo & Melissa Bachand 2017 Ford F150 2021 Vista Cruiser 19 csk Previously owned 2015 Rpod 179 2010 Rpod 171 |
Posted By: Richand Cindy
Date Posted: 17 Sep 2016 at 5:31pm
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Agree this has been discussed before. RV dealers are not like car dealers. It is rare for a car dealer service dept to refuse warranty work simply because you did not buy from them. Just the opposite for RV dealers. It is rare to find one to do repairs on RV's they did not sell. We saved $3000.00 buying over 100 miles away. The local dealer already told us he would not do warranty work. Claims he cannot get to his own customers so we would have to wait at least a month. That said if you are going to buy further away stay there a few daysand camp locally to see if everything is working before heading home. This way you can take it back immediately for warranty work. And be forewarned. If you buy an RV far away (e.g. Couch Nation) and they ship it to you, Forest River will give you a hard time and not accept a warranty claim for something that could have broken during transit. How do they know if it was broken during Couch's shippng? So I would not recommend buying far away and having them ship it. I would buy far away only if the savings are significant and then I would drive there to pick it up, stay awhile to check it out before heading home. Have any initial problems fixed where you bought it and then bring it home. If anything breaks later your on your own but remember any appliance that breaks can be fixed at any place and Forest River will cover it if they are a qualified service center. If your refrigerator breaks no need to bring it to an RV dealer any refrigeration repair place can do it. Knowing this in advance will help you. There are also several extended warranty companies that have service contracts with many dealers and they will not turn you down. You can check if your local dealer belongs before you buy a policy and that should get around the not bought here mentality (but will cost you) ------------- OLD 2017.5 RPOD 180 + 2015 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk NEW: 2018 Passport Elite 23RB + 2017 Ram 1500 Diesel |