2013 Landmark Key Largo - Thirty Day Review

[murry135]

Don't mean to take over Kathy's thread - but has anyone contact Heartland Customer Service or the chair maker (Flair?) about the recliners not staying reclined? Is there an adjustment/tension knob underneath?

We had the same problem with our recliners in our Bighorn. Heartland and Flair states that is normal and nothing is wrong. Seems to be a design problem. We are also experiencing excess wear on the recliners and Flair will not stand by their prodduct. I failed to mention that our unit is a 2012 Big Horn. Leather is decomposing on chair edges and they say we are rubbing against edges. Not so since chair is not straight back but angled and never comes in contact with each other or the walls.

 

[Cyberdave]

Good post after one month. We are going on three and have only very minor issues. Question: When you installed coat hooks, didn't you cover only full length mirror in the bedroom? The "do these jeans make me look fat" mirror....lol. Our closet doors have a very attractive striped design on the top mirror portion and only go half way with the bottom being wood. I solved jacket problem by putting a coat rack just outside front door which is a protected area. Works well when we are in one destination for long periods of time.

Another question: Do you have recliners or theater seating? We have disfunctional recliners which will not stay reclined. We have not received any response to our problem from either the factory or our dealer. If you have theater seating, do they stay reclined. Other people have told us they do but curious about your take. This sounds trivial but is a daily nuisance. A visitor just tried one and commented how terrible it was.

Thanks for sharing your experience. I sure agree with you, awesome kitchen/storage.

Do me a favor and let me know what they say... Easier to get up though.. Just take your feet off of the brace position and you are up!!

 

[Cyberdave]

Sounds like Northwood has a problem to me if they are trying to inspect quality into a RV instead of build it into. Auto manufactures discovered from Toyota that quality is built into and not inspected into as it was years ago. Go into any modern manufacturing plant and you have very few QA inspectors. Most QA's are used to inspect incoming parts and random samples of outgoing product.

To the OP, glad to hear of the few problems on your new rig, we are very interested in a Key Largo and your update was helpful. And I agree on the windows by couch, one detractor for us.

Comparing an auto manufacturer to an RV manufacturer is really stretching it IMO. Robots build the majority of the vehicle and, every vehicle is inspected by a human Mark 1 eyeball to insure quality..

An RV has many more types of systems than a vehicle !2 VDC, 120 VAC, and inverter, charging system, Water both city and a pump, and more. While the vehicles 12v systems are much more complex, much of it is computer controlled and through the OBDC can tell you what is wrong.. (most times anyway). RV's are built by hand be workers that can have a bad day or miss an important step or a myriad of other issues. Have you ever looked at an Arctic Fox or other Northwoods product? Their quality is indeed built in and they insure it meets their standards on every rig built and if they had a rig with a design like the Key Largo, it would be a serious contender.

Go to the factories, tour the plants as we have and the difference is obvious.

 

[willie1019]

Do me a favor and let me know what they say... Easier to get up though.. Just take your feet off of the brace position and you are up!!

I will keep you posted. As of today, no response from anyone. Yeah, auto-lift chair, lol. The solution above to raise your lower back does work....but don't move a muscle or it starts the creep again. Had a really bad night, chest cold and lying in bed starts this awful coughing. So finally came out to my "recliner," and I use that word loosley, and tried to sleep in it. You know from my other posts how that went. Dreading a repeat tonight.

 

[willie1019]

Oops, thought my first reply had been deleted, oh well.

 

[Cyberdave]

I'm going to flip it over and see if the spring mount can be extended to take some initial tension off of the springs. That and if there is a tension adjustment or a way to increase the tension. Bad design IMHO.... Easier to say "that is our design and it's working the way it is supposed to...." I'll let you know if I find a way to tweak it.

 

[travlingman]

Comparing an auto manufacturer to an RV manufacturer is really stretching it IMO. Robots build the majority of the vehicle and, every vehicle is inspected by a human Mark 1 eyeball to insure quality..

An RV has many more types of systems than a vehicle !2 VDC, 120 VAC, and inverter, charging system, Water both city and a pump, and more. While the vehicles 12v systems are much more complex, much of it is computer controlled and through the OBDC can tell you what is wrong.. (most times anyway). RV's are built by hand be workers that can have a bad day or miss an important step or a myriad of other issues. Have you ever looked at an Arctic Fox or other Northwoods product? Their quality is indeed built in and they insure it meets their standards on every rig built and if they had a rig with a design like the Key Largo, it would be a serious contender.

Go to the factories, tour the plants as we have and the difference is obvious.

I have been auto in assembly plants in Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Tenn., Miss., Va., Mexico, Italy, Brasil and Germany and have yet to see a vehicle put together by robot. Robots involved in welding, painting, lift devices. Humans doing the assembly. What plant is the majority assembled by robot? The inspection you speak of by eyeball is the worker doing the assembly, not a QA inspector. Again, what plant do they use QA to inspect EVERY vehicle by eye after it is assembled? Do they take sample cars off of the lines and check, yes, every car, no. My truck has a DC system and a 120 volt plug in too. I will give you the water pump, a very complicated system.

Yes, I have looked at Artic Fox, before the local dealer quit carring them for lack of sales. They are a good unit, quality above other brands, I didn't see it. In your previous post you said Northwood's QA was above the other plants, how? Because they had someone visible? I still stand by you can't inspect quality into any product, it has to be built in. And IMHO, auto manufaturing, any manufacturing is the same. You have systems in place to build a quality product the same every time, take the variables out that can cause a defective issue, and standardize you system so it is repeatable.

 

[willie1019]

Thanks, Dave. I agree with your IMHO, a recliner which will not stay reclined is ludicrous.

 

[Cyberdave]

Yeah, you're right, every thing Northwoods does is for show during the tours... How many RV's have you owned? How many RV plants have you been to? How many fellow RV owners have you discussed quality issues with over the years? By manufacturers, I mean RV manufacturers but, you knew that. Have I been to any auto plants? No. But, I've been full time for 3 years and RV'ing for many more so I do have a good bit of information to base my opinions on.

My experiences with the rigs I've owned and other RVer's that have directly related their experiences to me, the RV plant tours I've taken, the many, many 5th wheels I've been in, the Northwoods brands build quality is better than any other brand. That is my opinion based on experience gained over the years.

So, your truck has an AC system? HVAC? Full plumping with multiple faucets? 120 to 12v Inverter? Gas furnace and heat pump? Multiple hydraulic systems? Electric brakes? Since your vehicle has a diesel, how does it compare to the drive train of a pusher?

I'm done, as old as I am you'd think I'd know better than to argue with a brick wall.

 

[travlingman]

Yeah, you're right, every thing Northwoods does is for show during the tours... How many RV's have you owned? How many RV plants have you been to? How many fellow RV owners have you discussed quality issues with over the years? By manufacturers, I mean RV manufacturers but, you knew that. Have I been to any auto plants? No. But, I've been full time for 3 years and RV'ing for many more so I do have a good bit of information to base my opinions on.

My experiences with the rigs I've owned and other RVer's that have directly related their experiences to me, the RV plant tours I've taken, the many, many 5th wheels I've been in, the Northwoods brands build quality is better than any other brand. That is my opinion based on experience gained over the years.

So, your truck has an AC system? HVAC? Full plumping with multiple faucets? 120 to 12v Inverter? Gas furnace and heat pump? Multiple hydraulic systems? Electric brakes? Since your vehicle has a diesel, how does it compare to the drive train of a pusher?

I'm done, as old as I am you'd think I'd know better than to argue with a brick wall.

Full timed for 2 1/2 years, on my 3rd RV looking at my 4th. Did 2 rv plant tours, have talked to many rver's in parks, looked at hundreds when getting ready to buy one. Never said Northwood wasn't quality, just didn't see it above other brands. If you would like to discuss drivetrains we can, I now manage a shift where we produce drive axles for class 8 trucks, so I know the difference between them and auto's.

To the op, sorry we got off topic, going to look at a Grand Canyon this weekend, compare floor plan to Key Largo. Wife likes the counter space in the Key Largo. Heard this week that Landmarks might being offering a residential refridgerator, so going to wait and see if that happens. Also trying to find one with theater seating to try out to see how it compares to recliners.

 

[caissiel]

We owned the 1st unit till 12 years old a Fleetwood the 2nd a Glendale till 15 years old and the Heartland now going on 5 years. Other then tires they were all original and in great condition when we traded. Now that is judging quality. Its more then one month of ownership that determine quality.
My truck is 8 years old, previous was 9 and ones before that were over 8 years old with great service, again that is quality product.

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[jimtoo]

And you guys have ventured way off the original subject. So,, I will close if it continues off subject.

Jim M

 

[Cyberdave]

I need to apologize for getting off track. I got wrapped up in it.

 

[kakampers]

Ok...to get us back on topic....checked the caulking and marker lights on the front cap. Cannot find any gaps, etc., in the caulk, so we are at a loss as to how water is getting into the bottom of the cap. It's not a lot...after several days of rain, it is maybe a cup or a little more, but that's it.

Any suggestions as to where else to look?

 

[TravelTiger]

Maybe take a hose up on the roof and see if you can recreate the "rain" in a certain area, check for water, no, move the "rain", etc.

Could it be from washer water lines in the closet?

I'm not sure, just some thoughts.




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[kakampers]

Thanks for the suggestions. Don't believe it's from washer lines...already had the dryer out and inspected all connections. Only happens after a rain.

 

[willie1019]

I'm going to flip it over and see if the spring mount can be extended to take some initial tension off of the springs. That and if there is a tension adjustment or a way to increase the tension. Bad design IMHO.... Easier to say "that is our design and it's working the way it is supposed to...." I'll let you know if I find a way to tweak it.

Hey, Dave, any luck on your attempt to "tweak." I am assuming not or you would have let me know the good news.

 

[Cyberdave]

Well, flipped it over and found the springs. Right side for lever / footrest. Left side is for reclining and is pretty stout. There are extra holes that I ma be able to out a grade 8 bolt into to make a new, shorter perch point. Just irritating as all get out that these recliners are basically good looking junk.

 

[Cyberdave]

I forgot to add on the island; Neither basin nut was tight or ANY of the drain connections were even hand tight. The faucet was not properly tightened at all and flopped around. The employee that did this island was not having a good day. Kind of ridiculous IMSHO. Also one brace strap on left / right fender skirts was left hanging. One attached at the bottom but not the top one vice versa. Odd thing is, I've seen it multiple times on Landmarks we looked at.