Peeling paint

MrAmazon

The paint around the edges of the window trim panels is peeling up in spots.  There are 8-10 small areas all around the trim on both sides this is happening.  Has anyone had this happen to them?  If so, was it covered under warranty? 

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ericnliz

MrAmazon, I'd sure give them a call tomorrow and send pictures. Go to T@B Contact Numbers in the column to the right, and call the warranty # listed at Nucamp. After you click on the T@B Contact Numbers, it will come up, then click on the highlighted heading & you'll be able to find the number you want. You might even want to shoot them an Email with photos so they can see the trouble you're having. Being a 2016, you should still be under warranty, but call to find out. I hope this helps you out!

MrAmazon

Thanks for the info Eric or Liz!  I emailed Ed Kauffman from the warranty department and impressively got a response within the hour.  We are trying to arrange a date for my dealer to send it up to the factory to have the sidewalls repainted.  I am amazed at the customer service we have received with PV & the dealer we purchased the T@B at.  My parents are full timers in a very expensive 45ft. Newmar Coach and have had nothing but headaches trying to get simple repairs done.  I joke with them that they should have gone with a little guy :•)

ericnliz

MrAmazon, I'm glad you got such a quick response in lieu of the recall on the fridge hoses. Everything I read here about Ed Kauffman, and Marvin has impressed me very much, and given me a real sense of what customer service is, and should be. I only wish other companies would take stock of what both Pleasant Valley, and Nucamp bring to being truly customer oriented in not only their responsiveness and quality, but pride in their workmanship as well. Glad to hear another story turn out well for a fellow T@B owner!

MrAmazon

I wholeheartedly agree!  Thanks again for your guidance helping me resolve the issue. 

ericnliz

  

sabel

This summer we visited a dealer to take a look at the new models. Noticed the same type of peeling on them, but much worse.

MrAmazon

sabel said:

This summer we visited a dealer to take a look at the new models. Noticed the same type of peeling on them, but much worse.

Well that's not good ... At least like ericnliz mentioned above, Pleasant Valley and Nucamp take pride in their work and go above and beyond doing the right thing to take care of issues.  Unlike other big motor coach companies people pay a half million dollars for & struggle to get simple things repaired. 

Ratkity

What I find is odd is that the colors were infused into the plastics at one point. Not sure what happened to change that unless they found the process wasn't allowing the plastic to be flexible enough (speaking as someone who has had cracks in many places that have had to be repaired under warranty).

Geo

Ratkity,
My '04 DM plastic trim is 'infused' all the way through, and has no cracks or failure of any kind.  My thinking is that they went to a cheaper type of plastic sometime along the production years as many late model DM T@B's have the cracking issue as well.

Ratkity

@Geo, I forgot to mention that my 2015 T@B has infused silver plastic - no paint. No telling when things change or change back.

MrAmazon

I'm kinda confused about what you guys mean by the plastic being "infused."  It is not the plastic that is peeling, it is the actual sidewall, right where the plastic meets the wall. 

Ratkity

Oh, sorry @MrAmazon, I meant the color goes all the way through the plastic. It's not painted at all. If you scratch a silver panel, it's still silver, it doesn't go to a white underlayer. That said, anyone with custom colors started off with the white base and it was painted to suit the special order needs.

Sharon_is_SAM

I didn't think the roof or sides were painted - thought the alufiber came off a large roll.  I think the plastic trim is painted, but not the sides?.

MrAmazon

Ratkity said:

Oh, sorry @MrAmazon, I meant the color goes all the way through the plastic. It's not painted at all. If you scratch a silver panel, it's still silver, it doesn't go to a white underlayer. That said, anyone with custom colors started off with the white base and it was painted to suit the special order needs.

Ahhhh... I see, said the blind man as he picked up his hammer and saw

Sharon_is_SAM

Mr. Amazon, to me, it looks like a raw edge of plastic left over from the fabrication.  Sure it is peeling?  The color looks like the gray from the window trim.

MrAmazon

SAM said:

Mr. Amazon, to me, it looks like a raw edge of plastic left over from the fabrication.  Sure it is peeling?  The color looks like the gray from the window trim.

Yeah it's definitely peeling.  I just went out and scraped a spot with my fingernail.  Underneath the paint it appears to be aluminum sheet metal.  After seeing the pictures, Ed Kauffman from NuCamp told me it needed to be brought back to the factory to have the sidewalls repainted.  So not sure about other models, but my 2016 Sofitel has painted sides & roof. 

Geo

MrAmazon,
Sorry we kinda hijacked your thread with discussion of the plastic trim.

I believe that all T@B's with the Alufiber skin are painted.  Only the first production run Aluminium skinned and the T2 production run DM T@B's are not painted.  My '04 is Aluminum skinned and only has a clear coat over it.  The T2's are fiberglass skinned and most likely need to have a fresh gel coat every few years like a fiberglass boat.   

Ratkity

Oh d'oh, I was looking at the trim and not the AluFiber skin. Many apologies. I hope you get it fixed!

Verna

The Sofitel is the only current T@B model with aluminum sides. All other current T@B's have the Alufiber (sp?) sides. This is per a discussion with Scott Hubble (CEO of NuCampRV), John Gerton (dealer in Mount Vernon, IN) and myself. 

Sharon_is_SAM

Verna, is the Alufiber painted like the aluminum sides?

Verna

SAM said:

Verna, is the Alufiber painted like the aluminum sides?

No @SAM, the color goes all the way through on stock colors.  I'm not sure of it's actual name, but it is infused with fiberglass and I'm not sure what the other content is.  I have a cutout of it and it is the same color through and through.  (Honest answer....leaving on a camping trip and not enough time to check with the factory for sure.)

Sharon_is_SAM

Thanks Verna.  I just remember seeing large rolls of prepared siding at the factory and did not see paint involved at all.  Enjoy your trip!

MrAmazon

pfcardwell said:

My 2016 Sofitel has got the pealing on left side where plastic meets paint in a couple of places (just like the picture) and where white plastic cable/antenna hook up. It seems the company installed these plastic pieces to tight. Factory is willing to repaint but I wonder if it is worth doing. Dealer would have to ship back and forth (could be damaged in shipping), everything on that side would be removed and reinstalled, resealed (leaks). Would be without trailer for how long? Anybody have their trailer repainted?

Ours is being sent back the first of December to be repainted, but those same thoughts did cross my mind.  I agree about the cause (tightening the plastic too much) because every spot it is peeling is under where the screws are.  I was told by Ed it would be about a month to have repainted and sent back, that's not so bad...hopefully it holds true.  I am taking advantage of the time it will be at the factory and having a portal window installed in the bathroom.  I will post an update on how long it took when the trailer is returned.