Summary Problem
Poor workmanship regarding the preparation and/or painting of motorhome cargo doors. Aluminum cargo doors now have many areas where the painted surfaces are erupting into raised blistered paint bubbles. These areas range in size from 1.5 to 5.0 inches in length and/or diameter.
Detailed Problem
I purchased my new Pace Arrow Vision in October and have enjoyed a number of trips over the past four and one-half years.
Over the first year of coach ownership, I went through a number of fix-it's that were required to get the RV in proper shape in the shape that I'm sure Fleetwood intended it to be in upon delivery. Mike Thompson RV explained that these minor repairs weren't unusual, and often manifested themselves after a trip.in other words, shake-down trips would often turn-up small problems that could be fixed quickly and generally at no cost. Following the first year, it seemed that I got all the bugs out.
In early 2003 (while washing and waxing the coach), I noticed that the top edge of/and the inside on the fuel door was beginning to rust. With that, I set-out to conduct a thorough front-to-back inspection of all the painted surfaces. To my surprise, I found additional areas around the top edges of the drivers-side cargo doors, where the paint was blistering in various pattern sizes. With this finding, I contacted Mike Thompson RV, where they asked that I bring the coach down for their inspection. Like me, they suspected that the doors had not been properly cleaned or primed (at the factory) prior to painting. With some coordination between Mike Thompson and Fleetwood, they concluded that the problem was factory related and repaired/painted the doors at no charge.
Approximately two months ago (April) after finding additional new blistered paint spots (still on the cargo doors) I called Fleetwood, and explained this new dilemma. After spending several minutes on the phone with a young lady, I was told that Fleetwood didn't want to take any responsibility (an out of warranty issue) as it had been too long between the first repair and that telephone call. OBVIOUSLY I WOULD HAVE CALLED EARLIER IF I HAD NOTICED THE PROBLEM.
Last weekend, after returning from Dana Point, we washed the rig (as usual) prior to returning it to the storage area. During this period, I found even newer spots on the doors, in different areas and on a front surface.
Photographs of the damaged areas can be viewed at: http://www.streamload.com/114603681/PaintDamage.
It obvious to me, Mike Thompson RV and an independent RV paint and body shop in Costa Mesa, CA., that these eruptions under the paint were caused by poor workmanship the aluminum doors weren't properly cleaned prior to being primed and painted.
I would appreciate that you investigate this issue. It just doesn't seem to be fair to own a relatively new expensive RV, (with less than 9,500 miles) and one that is maintained at the highest standards in a covered RV storage area, and have paint problems of this magnitude. Automobiles that are twenty years old don't have this kind of problem. I need your help.
Resolution
Fleetwood should repair/replace these doors, as they weren't manufactured: cleaned/primed and/or painted correctly the first time.
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