Avoid the Coachmen RV and Its Frustrating Problems
Shopping for an RV can be exciting. Just remember to do your research to avoid buying a lemon. Unfortunately, Coachmen Campers have fallen under the category of campers to avoid due to various problems. See why you need to stay away from the Coachmen brand.
Avoid Coachman Campers
According to Scanner Answers, Coachmen is one of the top four RV brands you need to avoid. So that got us curious as to why. We aren’t calling this camper brand bad, but we are exploring the potential risks involved with buying one.
Coachmen is a subsidiary of Forest River and have been producing recreational vehicles since 1964. This means that it’s a classic brand. It should be remembered well for the high-quality craftsmanship and materials it used to provide with each model.
However, Coachmen RVs only provided high-quality rides in the 60s and 70s. Scanner Answers mentioned that their quality has taken a sharp decline. They are now equipped with flimsy slides and drawers. Meaning they’re ill-equipped to carry valuables and heavier items.
Go Downsize elaborated by sharing that the Coachmen has loose screws. Windows become loose in their frames, and walls have become detached. This is both annoying and potentially dangerous.
The furniture is cheap as well. The synthetic material doesn’t last long, and it’s prone to peeling. People report that the furniture lacks comfort and support. Plus, it breaks pretty easily. It can’t hold up to prolonged use.
There are leaking problems
The Coachmen RV is prone to leaking, which can put a damper on your vacation. The loose screws in the windows can cause the windows to leak. As a result, all your gear gets soaked, and you may have to battle mold. Plus, the shower is prone to leaking, but extra caulking can fix this issue.
Plus, the RV slide-outs are prone to leaking. This is a cut-out portion of the RV that extends and retracts to increase living space while parked. Faulty seals in the slide-outs allow for water to leak in while they’re in use and while the RV is in motion.
Worst of all, the grey and black water tanks are prone to leaking as well. If the holding tanks leak, then bad smells can enter the cab. Also, waste can leak into your camper. The leaks are linked to faulty sensors that allow the tanks to overfill and insufficient quality valves.
Poor quality wiring has been reported too. This can lead to fires, drain the battery, cause devices such as the fridge to fail, and more. Reports include that connections to appliances have only been wrapped in electrical tape.
What do owners say?
We went to the Better Business Bureau to read about owner experiences. One owner complained about the window glazing leaking, but the dealer said they could not find any new rubber. Then they had trouble keeping in touch with customer service.
Another owner had their new Coachman camper for about two weeks before a colossal leak developed. They couldn’t use their RV all summer while continuing to make monthly payments. The dealer says that the slide-out and shower were replaced to fix the leak, though.
Someone with a 2017 Coachmen discovered that their bathroom quickly overflowed, the sink cracked and leaked, the propane alarm beeped when the gas wasn’t in use, and more. The camper was returned for service but took months to fix. As a result, they missed out on weeks of vacationing at a campsite they paid $2,000 to book for an entire year.
