Quality

I have been RVing for approximately 10 years.  I purchased a new Pleasure in 2010 and owned it for almost 5 years and 55000 miles.  I never had any problems in that time including warranty issues.  When I wanted more room than a class B, I looked at many class C and B+ RVs and selected the PC based on my visit to the factory and its reputation.  I purchased a new 2015 2350 and took ownership in Nov. 2014.  While I am happy with many items such as the wood floor, wood work, and generally interior quality, I have experienced many warranty issues that have somewhat tempered my opinion of its overall quality.  Within the first 3 months the following issues occurred (most on my first trip): two flat tires because of leaking valve extenders; gasoline fumes entering the coach when filling up and setting off the propane alarm;  failure of an electrical component preventing the water pump turning on; many screw heads were over torqued resulting in the battery ground cable falling off, the propane ground cable falling off, and the battery door latch falling off; water leakage into the outside storage bin; interior door latches not working; and a few other items.  Just recently the battery disconnect switch failed.  While PC fixed all the warranty problems and even sent me a new disconnect switch and solenoid free of charge even though I was outside of the warranty, I have become somewhat disenchanted with PC.  I would like to ask new owners if they have experience these type of problems or am I being to hard on PC.

Chuck,

Your story is a very rare "read".

I don't think you are being hard at all.  You've had a laundry list of odd mishaps & failures of which from your description, many could have been avoided during the assembly of your 2015 2350.  I cannot comment as to why.  Only that I hope you are getting satisfaction with the resolve.  I am encouraged to read that Phoenix is helping you even though you are 1/2 year past the warranty period.

Hopefully you'll get over the hump and find the rest of your ownership a much more pleasant experience like the bulk of the rest of us PC owners.

I hope you keep us informed along the way.

Ron

I couldn't believe it when I read your entry. I am sitting in my pc 2351 in a campground 15 miles from the factory. I just picked up my unit after having the rear cap replaced from a self inflicted crunch. I also had them do warranty work on some squeaks and rattles but also included gasoline smell while refueling and two flat tires. I picked up our new 2016 unit in December and left for two weeks in Florida. First morning on the road, I did my walk around and found a flat tire. Changed it (6 below) and drove on. Next morning another flat same location. Was of course a bad valve extender. PC changed out all extenders. Must have gotten a bad batch. I checked units under construction for problems with the fuel fill. It is all Ford. Plant manager (Bob) thinks the fill door compartment wasn'the sealed well enough. They  revealed it. I still think it is one of the best brands out there.

Interesting & unfortunate trouble a few of you have experienced with the rear tire valve extenders.

Our 9 year old PC has it's original tires with undisturbed original flexible valve extenders.  I had been afraid to touch anything back there for fear of introducing leaking valve extenders.  But I think the time has come to mess with them for I think I have a small leak in one of them.  I am thinking of just getting rid of them and live with the difficult to access original stubby valves.  When it's time to replace the rear tires, I plan to use valves of a one piece design, a bent steel rod style similar to the ones pictured below.  They extend only enough to add air through the holes in the wheels.  They are not an extension of the tire valve, but rather they "Are" the tire valve, which eliminates the connection between valve and extender where the air leaks from.

I believe the reason why RV manufactures including Phoenix don't install them is because they would have to take the tires off the chassis and send them to a truck tire shop to swap valves.  The flexible extenders are simple to add right there at Phoenix without removing the tires.

If buying new tires for your PC, it might be worth considering this kind of valve to eliminate the need for valve extensions.....or live with the short stubby ones.


Here is how a tire shop would replace the standard valve with a longer bent one to eliminate extenders.


For reference, this is another style of valve extender, mechanically identical to the flexible stainless steel type.  It screws onto the original valve to provide easier access.  This can leak just like the stainless type, though maybe less vulnerable.  It is hard to say for certain.

Ron

After two flats we replaced the original valve stems and extenders with a set of Borg Dually Valve Stems a year ago and find them to be a perfect application for us.  We are pleased to report that it has now been a year since we installed these and have not had any leakage.  They are very easy to use.

Here is a link to our original post.

http://forum.phoenixusarv.com/index.php/topic,2080.0.html

Barry

We've had our new PC for 3 months now and have been living in it since pick up, so it got a fast break in. The only significant issue so far is with the water distribution box, the new type. One morning I found water running out the overflow hole while hooked up to city water. Called and talked to Kermit who said they had a bad batch and immediately sent a new one. Incidentally any one with this style might want to check the vent hole in it as mine is open to the inside, nice bug entry,, the actual vent is on the drivers side.
Other than that were good.
Bob

Ah, yes.  I remember your post now.  What you did is ideal to me.  If my regular valves without extensions are not enough, I may just install the Borgs you have.

Thanks for that Barry-Sue......again.

Ron

Chuck, like you we came to the PC world from Class Bs.   We had a 1996 Roadtrek 190P and a 2007 Roadtrek 210P, the 190 on a Dodge and the 210 on a Chevy.  Of course, class Bs are not made on a production line but a cleaned out van which is often extended, raised or lowered.  So, making them is an entirely different process compared to a C.  

We researched for a time for a small Class C.  We had seen PCs many years ago and after careful research decided a 2350 was for us and were preparing to order a new one when we found one ten months old with 7700 miles less than five miles from our house!   We have been pleased with our PC and find the quality better than on most Class Cs.   That being said, we never expect to have another rig with the quality of our old Roadtreks.  Your Pleasureway  would fall in the same category and Class Bers have argued for twenty years about PW vs RT.   They are, in fact, very close to the same quality Canadian build.  Excellent!  

Now, let me add that new Roadtreks (and I assume PWs) seem to have more problems than the ones a few years ago.  I don't know about PW, but RT has had three different owners in four years.  Until the first sale, it was owned by the same family that started it about 1979 and was being run by the second generation.   I look at the new ones and the quality in my opinion has deteriorated  since my 2007 was essentially hand made.  

I think a lot of the problems in the RV industry today are that the parts they must  purchase are just not as good a quality as what was available a few years ago.  Things that were made in the US or Canada are now mostly Mexican or Chinese and they are simply not to North American standards of durability.   I think we all know that whether it is a sorry RV cabinet hinge that looks just the same as it did ten years ago except now it is stamped "China" in very small letters and breaks way too often or electrical components that should last years and fail in months.   How sad.  But a fact of contemporary life.  

I am so sorry you have had the problems with your new rig that you have experienced.   Candidly, those of us coming from Class Bs to Class Cs just notice a lot of things.  Your problems seem to be excessive.  The good news is that Phoenix Cruiser seems to take care of their  customers much, much better than about anyone still left around.  The fact that the company is owned by folks that are there every day is a real plus.  The PC guys started out in the RV business actually building a real neat Class B called Intervec Horizons and Falcons and I can see the B quality carried over across those decades  If I call up Roadtrek today in Kitchener, Ontario, the person I will talk with now works for a European owned company.  This is my second unit these folks built if you count my Intervec Horizon many years ago.   I loved it, too.  

Hopefully all those problems are behind you now and you can really enjoy your 2350.  We feel like we are in a mansion in our 2350 compared to the Roadtrek!   And a lot of the stuff in the 2350 is simply superior to what was in our Roadtrek, but the cabinetry is sure not the same but it is close enough to provide us many years of good use and service.

Good luck my wish for you is that you get your problems resolved and enjoy your PC like we enjoy ours.  

Paul  

Adding to what Paul mentioned about the sourcing of materials, we have noted a few things we feel we're of a better grade on our 2012 PC then on our  new 2016.   They are minor, at least we hope, but the improvements made over the years more than make up for these changes.  One of the things we picked up right off is the rear ladder and roof rack are not as substantial as previously installed, so Ron the one in your basement maybe increasing in value.

One of the things we picked up right off is the rear ladder and roof rack are not as substantial as previously installed, so Ron the one in your basement may be increasing in value.