Last year several Rv builders went out of business and this year things aren't looking any better. So far, Country Coach, Monaco Coach and Fleetwood have all filed bankruptcy (of one kind or another). Who's next? That's become the name of the name.
Both Monaco and Fleetwood were "delisted" from the New York Stock Exchange before their collapse, which greased the skids for their downhill slide into bankruptcy, but it undoubtedly was only part of the problem.
Quality control, warranty lawsuits, Katrina-trailer litigation --- even employee litigation was taking its toll. Pile on a few creditors, then toss in some corporate officers that dump some of their stock, mix with a generous portion of recession doldrums and unemployment blues and it's no wonder bankruptcy darkened the horizon.
The moral of the story? If you've got an Rv with problems, now is the time to get it in the shop for warranty work while you can and while there's still someone willing to honor the warranty, if there still is. Who would have thought that Fleetwood, with all its size, would ever be standing in bankruptcy court? And Monaco and Country Coach with them.
If you're thinking of buying a motorhome, be careful. Make sure you get a warranty from the selling dealer with it too. Not just one of those over-priced service contracts from some "post office" box company either (they don't call them a collander warranty for nothing, folks, and if you don't know what that means just ask any cook). Make the dealer write on the sales contract that they will back the original factory warranty too. Otherwise, what the dealer is telling you is "good luck, buddy."
Take care of your money. No one else will do it for you.
Burdge Law Office
Helping consumers protect themselves since 1978.