Thor has officially bought Hymer

[gerrym51]

Thor press release



https://ir.thorindustries.com/press-...r/default.aspx

[gerrym51]

Jim Hammill press release

https://erwinhymergroupna.com/acquis...or-industries/

[cruising7388]

Originally Posted by gerrym51

correct-you can only get an ecotrek battery directly from roadtrek that contracts out the manufacture. If roadtrek stops ecotrek manufacture for whatever reason you would have to find a similiar battery and attempt to get someone to figure out how to attach.

think this way. Roadtrek is a computer that can only use ONE kind of printer. Ecotreks are the printer.

the computer(roadtrek) is designed to accept only one type of printer(lithium battery ecotrek).

You could pay out and hire someone to change the computer part or the battery part. either way it's bucks out of your pocket. Switching to AGM's is much easier as they don't require bms control. However then you lose the reason you bought ecotrek in first place. Big battery power to run AC. AGM batterys are twice as heavy and can't have as much power taken from them

IMO, Roadtrek is probably well on their way to updating their lithium battery that will resemble a package like currently being offered by Xantrex.

In all likelihood for current owners the Roadtrek 5/6 year warranty will not be affected by the Thor acquisition and for those past their warranty, I think the factory will continue to provide replacements or perhaps some program to upgrade that will be compatible with the existing reset module.

[mumkin]

Originally Posted by Mfturner

My wife saw a funny comment on another thread to the effect of: When does Thor merge with Camping World for total domination?

Followed by another merger with Winnebago...

[gerrym51]

Originally Posted by cruising7388

IMO, Roadtrek is probably well on their way to updating their lithium battery that will resemble a package like currently being offered by Xantrex.

In all likelihood for current owners the Roadtrek 5/6 year warranty will not be affected by the Thor acquisition and for those past their warranty, I think the factory will continue to provide replacements or perhaps some program to upgrade that will be compatible with the existing reset module.

You could be correct -however-since Thor will actually be calling the shots your suppositions are just that.

[cruising7388]

Originally Posted by gerrym51

You could be correct -however-since Thor will actually be calling the shots your suppositions are just that.

Thor may call the shots, but not necessarily all the shots. Warranty and post warranty obligations typically are a part of the terms of a sale like this.

[gerrym51]

Originally Posted by cruising7388

Thor may call the shots, but not necessarily all the shots. Warranty and post warranty obligations typically are a part of the terms of a sale like this.

Thors track record for playing hard ball is what it is. What will happen will happen

[cruising7388]

Originally Posted by gerrym51

Thors track record for playing hard ball is what it is. What will happen will happen

Considering that Roadtrek is selling everything they build, why would Thor want to interfere with their business plan?

[peteco]

Originally Posted by cruising7388

Considering that Roadtrek is selling everything they build, why would Thor want to interfere with their business plan?

Profit margin.

[wincrasher]

I got a nice letter from Jim Hammill announcing the aquisition and not to fret about him loosing his job. He'll still be around to look out for all their loyal customers! ROFL!

That aside, Thor's track record is not really all that appalling. They do seem to let each division continue on in their own ways - good or bad. If anything, you could accuse them of letting some brands rest on their laurels, i.e. Airstream, which hasn't had any of the advances in technology that other brands have successfully employed. They are just used as a cash-cow I guess. Sales are still strong, so why mess with a good thing?

One brand that appears to continue on strongly is DRV, even under Thor ownership. Their quality record is still amazing and they put out a very desirable line of products.

Their cheaper lines are just that - cheap! There is a place for that in the market as I'm sure you'd all agree. People have to jump in somewhere, and it's usually at the low end.

I hope they just bought Hymer as a market share play, and not some ill conceived plan to acquire Roadtrek's "technology" and put in into all their other products. That will prove a very disastrous and expensive strategy down the road.

[peteco]

Originally Posted by wincrasher

One brand that appears to continue on strongly is DRV, even under Thor ownership. Their quality record is still amazing and they put out a very desirable line of products.

I bought a 2011 Carriage Cameo in March to put on our lot in Florida. While looking for a used high end 5th wheel I looked at a lot of 2005-2010 DRVs and they looked pretty good, but each one had a problem of some sort or the price was too high. The Cameo I bought was almost problem free, though they can have issues as well, but the underpinnings are pretty solid on them as I have learned. Carriage went out of business around the end of 2011, though another company (Lifestyle) bought the factory and made the same models for a few more years. They, along with Teton, Travel Supreme, Nuwa, and other high end 5th wheel builders got undercut by cheaper units that looked high end but the underpinnings (frame, slide mechanism, cabinet quality, etc) were lesser quality. DRV was one of the few newcomers that had pretty good quality. I had heard that DRV quality had slipped since the Thor acquisition. I looked at some of their new models and they looked great, but prices were well over $100k. It is hard to look at the underpinnings. One complaint is the frames are provided by Lippert, who does not have a good reputation. Lippert has acquired many of the frame and other component companies.

I just got saw the posting below on one of Carriage/Lifestyle owner forums. Probably biased to a degree but interesting nonetheless.

We took the factory tour of DRV located in Howe IN. We were not impressed. The frame and hydraulic landing gear were all Lippert. While we were taking the tour 1 Lippert service truck was in the factory cutting and welding on a frame. In another area 2 work men were doing the same to another frame. They screwed all of the aluminum studs together. No welding. I asked why not weld them, they said welds can break. They did attach the fiber glass wall and frame to the frame by screwing it the top of floor. Carriage Attaché the wall to the frame from the side. I would guess that’s why the bolts break in the front by the 5th wheel. The bedroom slide mechanism was a cable system. The main floor slides were hydraulic cyclinder. The inside paneling appeared very thin. They stated that the cabinet were made from cherry species, I have to wonder what that is. It did not appear to be cherry wood. The cabinets and trim appeared cheap. When they attached the fiber glass to the aluminum frame it was glued and pressed.

Another couple took the tour with us that owned a 2017 model. They were their to have their water tank replaced. From the factory the tank had 2 holes in it. They were from Oregon and came out here for the repair. They stated that no DRV dealers would fix it even thou it was under warreanty. The 5th wheel was about ruined because of all the water leaking.

The outside of the unit looked good. The inside just looked cheap, like what you would get in a unit at half the price.

We did not take the tour to purchase. We just wanted to see how they make them.
I have a 2010 cameo 34SB3.

[wincrasher]

Originally Posted by peteco

I bought a 2011 Carriage Cameo in March to put on our lot in Florida. While looking for a used high end 5th wheel I looked at a lot of 2005-2010 DRVs and they looked pretty good, but each one had a problem of some sort or the price was too high. The Cameo I bought was almost problem free, though they can have issues as well, but the underpinnings are pretty solid on them as I have learned. Carriage went out of business around the end of 2011, though another company (Lifestyle) bought the factory and made the same models for a few more years. They, along with Teton, Travel Supreme, Nuwa, and other high end 5th wheel builders got undercut by cheaper units that looked high end but the underpinnings (frame, slide mechanism, cabinet quality, etc) were lesser quality. DRV was one of the few newcomers that had pretty good quality. I had heard that DRV quality had slipped since the Thor acquisition. I looked at some of their new models and they looked great, but prices were well over $100k. It is hard to look at the underpinnings. One complaint is the frames are provided by Lippert, who does not have a good reputation. Lippert has acquired many of the frame and other component companies.

I just got saw the posting below on one of Carriage/Lifestyle owner forums. Probably biased to a degree but interesting nonetheless.

We took the factory tour of DRV located in Howe IN. We were not impressed. The frame and hydraulic landing gear were all Lippert. While we were taking the tour 1 Lippert service truck was in the factory cutting and welding on a frame. In another area 2 work men were doing the same to another frame. They screwed all of the aluminum studs together. No welding. I asked why not weld them, they said welds can break. They did attach the fiber glass wall and frame to the frame by screwing it the top of floor. Carriage Attaché the wall to the frame from the side. I would guess that’s why the bolts break in the front by the 5th wheel. The bedroom slide mechanism was a cable system. The main floor slides were hydraulic cyclinder. The inside paneling appeared very thin. They stated that the cabinet were made from cherry species, I have to wonder what that is. It did not appear to be cherry wood. The cabinets and trim appeared cheap. When they attached the fiber glass to the aluminum frame it was glued and pressed.

Another couple took the tour with us that owned a 2017 model. They were their to have their water tank replaced. From the factory the tank had 2 holes in it. They were from Oregon and came out here for the repair. They stated that no DRV dealers would fix it even thou it was under warreanty. The 5th wheel was about ruined because of all the water leaking.

The outside of the unit looked good. The inside just looked cheap, like what you would get in a unit at half the price.

We did not take the tour to purchase. We just wanted to see how they make them.
I have a 2010 cameo 34SB3.

Not sure which models you were looking at. What I've seen on the Mobile Suites is pretty impressive. Their steel boxed tube frames are made by them, not Lippert. The I-beam frames on their cheaper lines are Lippert. Their suspension systems are Mor-Ryde independent systems.

They are using a hung wall system and not a laminated setup. I think that is a better way to go for long term durability.

[peteco]

Originally Posted by wincrasher

Not sure which models you were looking at. What I've seen on the Mobile Suites is pretty impressive. Their steel boxed tube frames are made by them, not Lippert. The I-beam frames on their cheaper lines are Lippert. Their suspension systems are Mor-Ryde independent systems.

They are using a hung wall system and not a laminated setup. I think that is a better way to go for long term durability.

Maybe they were looking at their cheaper line.

[VocalVirgo]

Yuk. I wrote a blog post about all this.
I’m disappointed because the next cheapest Lithium package is $20,000 more than in a RoadTrek/Hymer/Carado. Here’s to hoping EcoTrek owners don’t suffer, or lose support.

https://vocalvirgo.com/thor-is-buyin...ymer-you-suck/

[dhectorg]

I hope the economies of scale enabled by this merger will allow them to dramatically improve build quality across the board, particularly at Roadtrek. They offer some of the shoddiest quality in the industry, despite being relatively expensive vans. The RV industry, as a whole, needs to get far more serious about build quality, especially as prices continue to rise.

[mumkin]

Originally Posted by dhectorg

I hope the economies of scale enabled by this merger will allow them to dramatically improve build quality across the board, particularly at Roadtrek. They offer some of the shoddiest quality in the industry, despite being relatively expensive vans. The RV industry, as a whole, needs to get far more serious about build quality, especially as prices continue to rise.

There is no reason to expect that when one of the manufacturers with even worse quality control than EHGNA is Thor. The larger the company, the less they care about us consumers and the more they care about the bottom line over everything.

[Doneworking]

Having owned and loved two Roadtreks I doubt if I will buy another one. Four (or is it five?) owners in less than ten years doesn't lend itself to a good outcome. The original family, a Chicago private equity group, , Hymer and now Thor. I was thinking there were actually five, but it may be four. JUST FOUR!!

I loved Sears and I loved KMart. Note I used past tense. It just seems this is endemic in the economy today. Sad, isn't it?

[dhectorg]

Originally Posted by mumkin

There is no reason to expect that when one of the manufacturers with even worse quality control than EHGNA is Thor. The larger the company, the less they care about us consumers and the more they care about the bottom line over everything.

That's exactly why I'm planning a custom build. I've been looking at class B vans for a while and I have yet to discover a van by a major brand that I'd actually buy, not a single one. At this point, I'm planning to either build out my own, which I really don't want to do, or go with someone like Sportsmobile or maybe even Advanced RV if I hit the lottery lol.

[ClassB4Me]

Originally Posted by Doneworking

I loved Sears and I loved KMart. Note I used past tense. It just seems this is endemic in the economy today. Sad, isn't it?

Not sad at all. With interest rates at historically low numbers (for far too long) and government intervention in the capital markets, there are simply too companies trying to find customers.

It's time for another round of culling the RV herd. The companies providing the best product in terms of feature, quality and reliability should survive while others should leave the market.

An Airstream Interstate 19 ft is being sold for $150K by Thor.

[avanti]

Originally Posted by dhectorg

That's exactly why I'm planning a custom build. I've been looking at class B vans for a while and I have yet to discover a van by a major brand that I'd actually buy, not a single one. At this point, I'm planning to either build out my own, which I really don't want to do, or go with someone like Sportsmobile or maybe even Advanced RV if I hit the lottery lol.

I totally agree. I think that Great West was the last of the affordable quality brand upfitter. Their demise left a real hole in the market. I am grateful we got ours just in time. I am just not sure what I would do if I were in the market today.

I do fantasize about doing a from-scratch DIY build. Having owned two B-vans, I have accumulated a lot of ideas and a bit of skill. When I think through it, though, I always get stuck on the wet bath. Our current one is close to perfect. You can't match a well-done seamless fiberglass unit in any DIY way that I am aware of. I wonder what happened to the Great West molds? (they did their own fiberglass)