Help! Cracked laminated gel coated fiberglass

[woodchuck]

Last weekend we gave our credit card to a dealer to hold one of the new VR 1 trailers. Duing the week, we got a call that a screw had bumped out the side wall a bit and needed to be repaired. When DW called to set up the walk through, she was told that the fiberglass was actually cracked and being repaired. What does this mean for the integrity of the sidewall of the trailer. Should we run the other way as fast as we can, or will a patched fiberglass sidewall be as strong as an unpatched one. Our old trailer had aluminum coated sidewalls so we have no experience with fiberglass. We were told there was a soft spot in the roof of our 1993 Wilderness and it would cost over $3,000 to repair it. We weren't sure it was worth putting that much money into a 14 year old trailer. We are supposed to sign the papers and pay on Sunday, so we need feedback quick. Thanks!

[dieselrealtor]

I would want to look at it before anything was done to see just how bad it is, if it is not fesable, then ask them to email you a pic.

This is a matter of personal opinion, but if it is a new "damaged" unit, it should come at a discount, like a hail sale. If not, I would want one that hasn't been damaged.

I think that repaired fiberglass may look identical for a while, but as UV takes its toll, the repair may become more visable over time.

good luck.

[DmaxMaverick]

The fiberglass siding isn't just fiberglass. It's a laminant, with ply under it. The beauty of this paneling, is its ease of maintenance and repair. If the underlaying laminant is in good shape, the repair may well be permanent if done correctly. Most RV dealers do this on a daily basis. I would suggest a footnote in your contract to cover that repair for, say, a 10 year period, and a discount for "less than new" merchandise, at the manufacturer's (Keystone) level. A manufacturer's warranty can be warranted at any dealer, whereas the dealer's warranty can only be covered in their shop. The dealer won't lose anything. Their insurance or manufacturer probably already paid for any loss they could take on it.

Don't let the dealer snow-job you. They do this all the time.

[woodchuck]

When I contacted the salesperson, she was very dismayed and is having another unit brought in for us (in the color we really wanted). There is another unit on the lot in the same color as the one they sold us, but was listed for more money. She has told us we have the choice of the two. I really appreciate how she has gone to bat for us. I also appreciate their being honest with us. I guess they could have tried to just pass it off on us and not said anything. Thanks for the info on the laminated side too, very informative.