Team Wildcat

First topic message reminder :

Tomcat,
to the forum.

Local donut shop. LMBO

I just found this thread, but have to say that I appreciate having someone from WC on here. Having FR monitor this site can only help to make them aware of our concerns and bring us better quality on future products and quality control issues. I say "Hooray!" (and play nice).

I'm hoping they will give more help and quit the selling. This forum really isn't the proper place for that. If one company does it, more companies will want to. Then the forum becomes much less than what it is now. They can afford to do all the advertising they want, they are getting it free here. Seems really tacky to me.

Tater

I guess I got lost somewhere.

You ain't lost port. It's just the rep's that pop in from different company's are usually the guys from the sales department.
You hardly ever get the QC or the guys that actually design the units. We're already advertising just having the forum.
Having some reps from lippert, dometic, and other components would be good. Maybe.........
When someone has a problem and there is a line guy on they usually get verbally beat up before they have a chance to help.
So that being said, If a rep comes on and is from the build/fix it department, everyone for gods sake give them a chance to help. Keep in mind that not all things are at their disposal or control.

Will do, Phillip. Would love to have some reps here who know the ins and outs of RVs and camping. I don't think they can grasp a problem if they don't actually experience camping.

Tater

Tomcat,

I thought that I'd chime in here with some positive feedback. Seems like some of the feedback here has been very negative, and I know that folks have had their troubles, so I though some ++++ would balance this out.

First, when FR built my 29RLBS (East Coast Model) in the spring of 2006, they did it right. All in all I've experienced very few problems with the Cat. Those that I did experience could be listed under annoyance (too much debris in the ductwork, behind the Concertone, kitchen sink drains installed incorrectly, etc. All of these were easily corrected.

When we bought the unit, we intended to use it for recreational purposes. And we did with trips to FL, NC, the Grand Canyon, and many other places along the way. In 2007 we became "most-timers" as we worked at a KOA in NC for three seasons, using the fall to do our traveling.

We did quite a few mods to the Cat, including winterizing the basement and insulating a few areas that FR missed. This was so we could camp in the winter and we survived 4*F in the NC mountains with no problem.

In that time we have put close to 50K miles on our Cat and have experienced very few problems at all.

The only thing major that we've replaced are the tires (to be expected due to high mileage).

We're happy campers with our Cat

Admin wrote:You ain't lost port. It's just the rep's that pop in from different company's are usually the guys from the sales department.
You hardly ever get the QC or the guys that actually design the units. We're already advertising just having the forum.
Having some reps from lippert, dometic, and other components would be good. Maybe.........
When someone has a problem and there is a line guy on they usually get verbally beat up before they have a chance to help.
So that being said, If a rep comes on and is from the build/fix it department, everyone for gods sake give them a chance to help. Keep in mind that not all things are at their disposal or control.

Thank you. I was feeling old, confused and lost. Now I can see a tiny light at the end of a very long tunnel. Unfortunately it is getting dimmer and dimmer and dimmer.

schrowang wrote:Tomcat,

I thought that I'd chime in here with some positive feedback. Seems like some of the feedback here has been very negative, and I know that folks have had their troubles, so I though some ++++ would balance this out.

First, when FR built my 29RLBS (East Coast Model) in the spring of 2006, they did it right. All in all I've experienced very few problems with the Cat. Those that I did experience could be listed under annoyance (too much debris in the ductwork, behind the Concertone, kitchen sink drains installed incorrectly, etc. All of these were easily corrected.

When we bought the unit, we intended to use it for recreational purposes. And we did with trips to FL, NC, the Grand Canyon, and many other places along the way. In 2007 we became "most-timers" as we worked at a KOA in NC for three seasons, using the fall to do our traveling.

We did quite a few mods to the Cat, including winterizing the basement and insulating a few areas that FR missed. This was so we could camp in the winter and we survived 4*F in the NC mountains with no problem.

In that time we have put close to 50K miles on our Cat and have experienced very few problems at all.

The only thing major that we've replaced are the tires (to be expected due to high mileage).

We're happy campers with our Cat

Congrats. Some people do get lucky.

One thing I would like to ask FR is why they go stupid sometimes. The 29RLBS and 30RLBS area where the TV is located is the same dimensions. Height, width are the same. Why did FR have a brain dump and redesign the entertainment center. Makes no sense. Basically the same 5th wheel. Mine was just stretched a foot or two. If I had the 29rlbs entertainment center mods would be so much easier. Adding a Jensen would be a breeze. TV watching would be easier. Some engineer just had to much time on his or her hands with no adult supervision. The remaking was actually a step way back in smarts.

schrowang wrote:Tomcat,

I thought that I'd chime in here with some positive feedback. Seems like some of the feedback here has been very negative, and I know that folks have had their troubles, so I though some ++++ would balance this out.

First, when FR built my 29RLBS (East Coast Model) in the spring of 2006, they did it right. All in all I've experienced very few problems with the Cat. Those that I did experience could be listed under annoyance (too much debris in the ductwork, behind the Concertone, kitchen sink drains installed incorrectly, etc. All of these were easily corrected.

When we bought the unit, we intended to use it for recreational purposes. And we did with trips to FL, NC, the Grand Canyon, and many other places along the way. In 2007 we became "most-timers" as we worked at a KOA in NC for three seasons, using the fall to do our traveling.

We did quite a few mods to the Cat, including winterizing the basement and insulating a few areas that FR missed. This was so we could camp in the winter and we survived 4*F in the NC mountains with no problem.

In that time we have put close to 50K miles on our Cat and have experienced very few problems at all.

The only thing major that we've replaced are the tires (to be expected due to high mileage).

We're happy campers with our Cat

Really appreciate this post, Mike. Thanks again for that.

We're very interested in your Wildcat's 50K miles. Anyone else here keep good track of your travel distances?

50,000 miles is impressive. I am coming up on about 24000 miles in mine. I would also echo Mike's comments about how well our Wildcat has been for us since new. The same year (2006) so maybe that has something to do with it. I do tinker with it consantly but I have never had to do anything I would consider major that I could blame on Forest River or the folks that built it. I keep pondering upgrading to a Toy hauler (Fuzion, Voltage, Cyclone) but I am scared of getting something not as reliable as my Wildcat has been. I have not had a bad trip with it yet. Thanks Wildcat.

We keep a trailer journal in a word document that gets updated every time we go on a trip. It includes mileage on all of the tires, dates we make repairs, mods or replacements...... and/or anything else significant (blowouts, for instance).

We currently have about 26645 miles on our Cat.

Tater

Scruffy and Tater wrote:We keep a trailer journal in a word document that gets updated every time we go on a trip. It includes mileage on all of the tires, dates we make repairs, mods or replacements...... and/or anything else significant (blowouts, for instance).

We currently have about 26645 miles on our Cat.

Tater

Excellent idea Tater!!

TC

Wildcat Chris wrote:We're very interested in your Wildcat's 50K miles. Anyone else here keep good track of your travel distances?

Chris,

We do no back country dry-camping, so 75% of our mileage is over the interstate highway system. The other 25% would include local streets, state highways and U.S. highways. It has been a smooth ride. BTW, never did hear from the FR guy you were pointing at me. No e-mail or phone messages. Would like to talk to him.

schrowang wrote:

Wildcat Chris wrote:We're very interested in your Wildcat's 50K miles. Anyone else here keep good track of your travel distances?

Chris,

We do no back country dry-camping, so 75% of our mileage is over the interstate highway system. The other 25% would include local streets, state highways and U.S. highways. It has been a smooth ride. BTW, never did hear from the FR guy you were pointing at me. No e-mail or phone messages. Would like to talk to him.

I'll get it set up -- I know he was very interested!

Howdy Tomcat,

My brand spankin' new 2012 Wildcat 313RE did come with a Jensen TV, but not a Jensen Radio/DVD and certainly no HDMI, not even component, only analog A/V. The installed radio/DVD is labeled ZX75. No manufacturer's name is on the opersating instructions manual, but it looks Concertonish.

Who do I contact to exchange it for the Jensen Radio/DVD that you said is being installed in new 2012 units?

Oops, my previous post about a ZX75 radio in a 2012 FR should have been directed to Wildcat Chris since it looks like he posted the Jensen radio announcement.

I have sent you PM, please check it.