Elk ridge e26 disappointment

Well I went camping for the first time in my new e26 this weekend and I have to say I am really disappointed in the quality of this camper. Everywhere I look i find things that weren't put together correctly like the cabinet around the tv it looks like a ten year old put it together. none of the pieces are flush with each other the pocket door in the front of the camper is flush on the top and there is a two inch gap at the bottom. The big door that opens up into the bottom bunk area it looks like they cut the hole with a chain saw there is a gap on one side and it's flush on the other. I really was happy at first but the more i use it the more i see that is wrong with it. And now the fact that that the outside wall is delaminating I just don't know what to do. I hope it will have some value a year from now so I can trade for something different. Please put more effort into quality of your product I thought I would have this camper for years I hope it will hold together for one year..:(
 

SJH

Past Washington Chapter Leaders
I am sorry you are having issues with your Elk Ridge. No one likes to spend their hard earned money and be disappointed.

Can you give a few more specifics e.g. What year is the RV? Are there repairs that can be done under a warranty? Have you contacted Heartland directly? Was it purchased through a local dealer?

Best Wishes!
 
It is a 2011 elk ridge e26 Yes the wall delaminating issue will be fixed under warranty it is just all the little problems like on the rear stabilizer jack the person installing it broke off the one of the bolts when they installed it and never bothered to put a new one in or on the bottom panel on the outside they had to cut the tin around a bolt and they chopped it with a side cutter and left very sharp edges that could cut you very easily. and when they installed the shower controls and faucet it is so crooked that one side is an inch higher than the other its just terrible. Whoever built this camper they must have been new or just didn't care about their jobs and shouldn't there be some kind of quality control someone should have seen these problems before they sent it out. I know its an economy trailer and I can expect lower quality materials but at least it should be built correctly.
 

duc106

Member
Matt,

I have the same feelings you do. My wife and I recently purchased a 29RLSB, we ordered from the factory with the options we wished. I feel this unit was put together like a kids play set. I have a thread over at prospective owners and I sent an e-mail direct to Heartland and both go unanswered. If I could cancel this purchase and be made whole I would do so in a minute.
 

Ticaster

Member
You are not alone in your frustration. There is a definite lack of quality control on the assembly line and the burden is being placed on the dealers and owners to find and fix the problems. Not the way I would run a company. Participating in this forum I am reading a lot of the same issues across the Heartland brands that are suffering from a lack of attention to detail.
 
I too would return this camper if I could but I realize i have already made my mistake and it can't be undone. It would be like buying a new pickup and the radio was installed upside down do you think the factory would let it go out I think not. I so want to like this camper but I don't know all these things can be fixed I feel like someone kicked me in the stomach.
 

tmcran

Well-known member
Sorry to hear about the mess you have but hope your under warranty. Call H L not email and get the dealer included. My 2009 Sundance was in the dealers 4-5 weeks out of the first 3 months we owned it. HL did step up and approve the repairs. The continued lack of CQ will catch up to HL and is doing so already. My daughter and son_ in_law have refused to consider an HL product because of constant QC issues. This is seen in all models.
 

duc106

Member
I am not trying to hijack mattlinster's thread here at all.

Since we paid and picked up our trailer we have had it in our possession 11 days and the dealer has had it for 20 days. The dealer is clearly involved and I'll be dammed if I'll call the factory if the can't answer my e-mail. This is our 3rd camper and the way this is going Heartland will never see another purchase from me or anyone I know.
 

jimpav

Well-known member
Hummm........I wonder if the recent change in company ownership to Thor has anything to do with factory quality control???
 

ParkIt

Well-known member
Hummm........I wonder if the recent change in company ownership to Thor has anything to do with factory quality control???
Thor used to set the bar for everyone else, it could be they cut back the budget for HL for their top end class A MH's and recent resurgence of the Airstream which has always been their bread & butter of the non-commercial production. It would explain a lot of issues other HL owners are having.

If ours had been delivered in that bad of shape I'd be on the horn to Thor first before HL about the quality - that's where the bottom line lands.
 

TravelTiger

Founding Texas-West Chapter Leaders-Retired
I agree that some things in our trailers are not as we would like. However, It does state clearly in the Heartland manual the responsibility of the dealer is to catch manufacturing defects before delivery to the customer and to correct them.

So the dealer has to KNOW this is their job, to carry the product line.

I try to put this into real-world perspective... A sticks-and-bricks home can take 3-5 months to build and costs hundreds of thousands. Yet (in Texas) if I want it built right, I have to hire MY OWN inspector to watch over the construction, and refuse to go to closing until everything on my punch-list is fixed. Labor is cheap, skill is expensive. vs. Trailers are all the components of a home, on wheels. Made in DAYS. To be as lightweight as possible. And cost FAR LESS money. Who is watching? The dealer will fix it. How can we expect them to be perfect? What is the skill level of the workers in both these scenarios? What is the profit margin?

Now I'm not making excuses, please don't bash me. Just putting it into a different light.


E
 

Marge

All who wander are not lost.
You are not alone in your frustration. There is a definite lack of quality control on the assembly line and the burden is being placed on the dealers and owners to find and fix the problems. Not the way I would run a company. Participating in this forum I am reading a lot of the same issues across the Heartland brands that are suffering from a lack of attention to detail.
I so feel and share your pain, everybody who posted in this thread. We have had our trailer for 80 days and out of those 80 days it has been at the dealers off and on for 46 days and counting. We are going to go there today and see how it is going, they have had it for 16 days this time, so far. Working on the slide out leak and other odds and ends.

I didn't join this forum to complain, but to get advice and help from other owners who might have been having the same leaking slide out issues. It has helped to track down what the problem might be.
My husband is retired and I will be in a few years, this was going to be our dream trailer, after having 2 used motorhomes, we thought this would be such a wonderful way to enjoy ourselves. It has been nothing but one big headache. You think when you buy something brand new everything is going to be perfect. Ha!

I blame us for not shopping around more.
 
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PUG

Pug
I had a 3950 for three seasons and just traded it off for a carriage cameo. Anyone wonder why? Maybe something to do with quality of materials and construction.
 

duc106

Member
Not a single item on the punch list for the newest 5th wheel camper. Never again will heartland see another purchase from me.

Read my signature.
 
B

bwwalczak

Guest
Is this Robert Martineau? Purchased on 4/21/2011 on Macdonalds RV?
 

nathalie

Member
i understand what your feeling ....i have 6 doors open ,water came in from an extention and my electric water heater does nt work propely.....but the garranty of 1 year is finished somebody else had the same problem with the doors could it be a defect...no they will tell you it s humidity so easy to say !!!! after the warranty is finished your on your own with there problems ! i have to say i am really disapointed and will not purchase from them in the futur .
 

duc106

Member
Bryan,

You should be well aware that this is who I am. You posted a few replies when you were building our coach and also when I got no response from customer service. ( I never did receive anything from customer service)

Your quote to me was:

We are going to make sure that your coach is built well. Thank you again for your business and we look forward to many happy years of enjoyment!

The coach couldn't even make 30 days.

Thank You
Bob
 
Wow...I was gonna keep my mouth shut, but.....we also ordered our rig from the factory, and I couldn't agree more! You'd think with a custom order (or ANY order with the $$ amount we're talkin' here!) there would be just a wee bit more inspection or QC! I had just put it down to being a builder's daughter and knowing what custom finish work should look like. GFI outlets crooked, trim crooked, pocket doors not hung properly, corners cut where you're not supposed to see it...I actually got splinters when I opened my kitchen drawers! You'd think they had heard of sandpaper before? Staples and other sharp objects left in the carpet (OUCH!!) I thought for a while my Coach was trying to hurt me, lol! Oh, and NOTHING in the UDC was labeled! GRR!!!

The reason we went with Heartland in the first place was their stellar reputation. What happened? I guess I should count my blessings, as we've yet to have any mechanical problems...just cosmetic. We did lose a bit of decal the first day out the door! Heartland, what on Earth has happened to you? Maybe this is just a bump in the road for them??? Hopefully they will do something to make us all a bit happier with what we're 'stuck' with? Free HOG membership sounds about the least they could do.
 

duc106

Member
Bryan,

I week ago you asked who I was and then not a reply from you? Why would you ask and then never answer.
 
B

bwwalczak

Guest
In response to duc106 - Heartland has a history of providing great products at great prices. Unfortunately in your case, the supply chain - including the dealer delivery process has flaws. We have corrected this.

The reason I asked who you were is because negative situations are rare. Since your situation was isolated, we needed the confidence to know it was you. It was an "a ha" moment.

To the best of my knowledge, your situation has been corrected. If this is not true, please send me an email and we will work to correct. bryanw@heartlandrvs.com

Heartland will continue our pursuit of excellence. Even Michael Jordan missed a jump shot once....we will work every opportunity to earn confidence in customers buying decisions, even when it is hard to do. This is the difference from Heartland and other factories - we do care.
 
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