Faded brown front cap 2012 BH Outback trailer

pucci · 02-16-2015, 02:40 PM

We have a 2012 312BH that we paid an extra $1400 for the brown front and we did this so it would have better resale when and if we ever trade it in. I have had too many problems to list besides the front cap. Keystone will not come forward and recall this problem. I have seen many brown fronts the years of 2012 & 2013 doing the same thing. The gel coating is the main issue. My own dealer told me that Keystone knows about this issue. Keystone will not help me with my problem. They gave me some decals but expect me to fix the white fading. If anyone has this problem it will take hours & hours of fixing it. We bought it brand new in 2012 and noticed it in start of 2014.

**JRTJH** · 02-16-2015, 02:56 PM

If you're a Good Sam member, you might try their ACTION LINE and see if maybe by providing them a detailed account of your issues, possibly they can intervene on your behalf? If you do a forum search, you'll find that a number of owners have had (or have) the same problem. Some have been successful in getting Keystone to intervene, others face the same setbacks as you.

Good Luck,

**sourdough** · 02-16-2015, 04:44 PM

You said you have had too many problems to list. Were they referred to the dealer/Keystone and were they resolved?

The fading front caps are a universal problem for many brands from what I've seen. I had mine repainted 10 months after I bought it. When discussing with the service manager he said Keystone does not use the top quality paints, sealers etc. and therefore they have issues. I am sure most RV manufacturers do the same thing. I told him I wanted the very best RV paint/sealers out there put on my trailer. He told me they did get them and use them; even gave me the name...which I promptly lost.

I just returned from the dealership about 15 minutes ago after visiting with them about the status of my trailer which is again in their shop. I have had numerous small problems (well, maybe a little bigger than that) and Keystone has stepped up every time. I am aggravated when I have a small problem but I have to give Keystone credit...or it may be the service manager which I talk to all the time, and, he handles my issues personally. I'm sorry you are having such an issue. If you have talked to Keystone and their owner relations dept. and they've turned you down John may have suggested an alternative.

pucci · 02-18-2015, 05:02 AM

The 1st problem was from delaminating the 1st 3 months we had it. The 1st year we had it it was in the shop at least 5 months out of the 1st year.

The other problems have been fixed but some are starting to come back and we are out of the warrenty now. Put it this way everytime we take it out we feel like it is an egg shell. We have had many campers but this was the best we or so we thought we have ever owned.

Just very frustrated it and will never buy from them again. I have at least 8 hours so far in redoing our brown cap and about another 8 hours or more to go.

pucci · 02-18-2015, 09:31 AM

Is there another site that you can post how unhappy you are with Keystone? I plan on using Good Sam- thanks to who told me that

.

People have the right to know before they buy a Keystone product to make sure to buy a longer warranty or don't buy from them at all. I would buy from Jayco next time.

**JRTJH** · 02-18-2015, 10:19 AM

pucci,

Please check for my PM in your inbox. Thanks

GaryBro · 02-19-2015, 08:20 AM

Pucci,

I bought a Fuzion in 2012 with a black front cap and by 2014 it was also fading quite badly. The first thing I did with the new trailer was give it a complete wash and wax. I do this every spring and I've tried many things to fix the fading problem, but nothing has worked. We are in Florida and found out about the RV show in Tampa, so went over. While there, I talked to several Keystone officials and told them about the cap. One of the guys said that he would contact the company and get back to me. I really thought that this would be the end of the discussion, but within a couple hours I got a call from Keystone. As it stands now, they said to get an estimate on repainting the cap and then send it to them. I did let them know that I would not be back home until April and probably could not get an estimate until then. They agreed that waiting would be fine. I sincerely hope that I have a very positive outcome - time will tell.

**sourdough** · 02-19-2015, 09:41 AM

pucci - I've owned a Jayco...they have their issues too. As GaryBro indicates it may be how you are presenting your problem and to who. And, as I've stated before on this thread, all manufacturers of RVs have their issues. Keystone has been one of the best ones. I was in the dealership two days ago and the person there said I was lucky I bought a Keystone instead of a Heartland. So it goes with every brand. You might try to state your case a little differently to Keystone and see what happens.

GaryBro - did you get the name of the Keystone rep that called and did they commit to repairing the cap or just want you to get an estimate? I've had really good luck with them going the extra mile for me. Let us know how they handle it.

Good luck to you both.

GaryBro · 02-22-2015, 11:46 AM

Tim Markel was one of the guys I talked to and I do remember he helped me out with a tire/wheel problem. He was very concerned with what I had to say and it felt good that it was not just words, but action. I'm not sure if he was the one to hook me up with the person working on the cap problem. As we left it, I will get an estimate and then someone will determine what action will be taken. Not a definite, but sounding positive. I will post when something happens (not for at least 1.5 months until we get home).

chevydoesit · 02-22-2015, 01:09 PM

Just out of curiousity did you get any sort of protective coating on the outside of the trailer? We had the inside and outside done on our 2014 Laredo, that's why I'm asking.

GaryBro · 02-22-2015, 06:39 PM

I didn't have any protective coating done to mine.

pucci · 02-23-2015, 05:34 AM

No I didn't on the clear coating. Is this something that is easy to have someone do?

pucci · 02-23-2015, 05:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sourdough

pucci - I've owned a Jayco...they have their issues too. As GaryBro indicates it may be how you are presenting your problem and to who. And, as I've stated before on this thread, all manufacturers of RVs have their issues. Keystone has been one of the best ones. I was in the dealership two days ago and the person there said I was lucky I bought a Keystone instead of a Heartland. So it goes with every brand. You might try to state your case a little differently to Keystone and see what happens.

GaryBro - did you get the name of the Keystone rep that called and did they commit to repairing the cap or just want you to get an estimate? I've had really good luck with them going the extra mile for me. Let us know how they handle it.

Good luck to you both.

I did support Keystone in the start of this process. Believe me I had their back since we have a lot of people we know who bought from them. I did ask nicely in the beginning of this process. It all started with Lori from Keystone. I told her that we are having issues with our brown front and we are now out of warranty. She said take it to a dealer to have them look at it and this is where the magic happens. I never understood this quote.

I have been nice and professional up to now. I have talked with 2 different people as well.

It is just difficult when you have it happen to you and no one will help so you feel helpless. I have always taken great care of our campers. The ones we traded in sold within the same day or same week since they looked great.

I know that ever camper place will have issues with their product. We have owned a number of KZ products that were great to own and the owners where great to deal with. I know Keystone bought them which is a win win for them and a good move.
We bought this camper because it was a really nice looking camper and we felt great about it then.

Not sure what else to do but fix it and move on. It is just getting kind of expensive to fix.

Thank you for your advice.
Pucci

**sourdough** · 02-23-2015, 08:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chevydoesit

Just out of curiousity did you get any sort of protective coating on the outside of the trailer? We had the inside and outside done on our 2014 Laredo, that's why I'm asking.

When our cap was repainted they upgraded to what I was told was the best paint available vs the cheap paint Keystone used. It was then clearcoated.

**sourdough** · 02-23-2015, 08:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pucci

I did support Keystone in the start of this process. Believe me I had their back since we have a lot of people we know who bought from them. I did ask nicely in the beginning of this process. It all started with Lori from Keystone. I told her that we are having issues with our brown front and we are now out of warranty. She said take it to a dealer to have them look at it and this is where the magic happens. I never understood this quote.

I have been nice and professional up to now. I have talked with 2 different people as well.

It is just difficult when you have it happen to you and no one will help so you feel helpless. I have always taken great care of our campers. The ones we traded in sold within the same day or same week since they looked great.

I know that ever camper place will have issues with their product. We have owned a number of KZ products that were great to own and the owners where great to deal with. I know Keystone bought them which is a win win for them and a good move.
We bought this camper because it was a really nice looking camper and we felt great about it then.

Not sure what else to do but fix it and move on. It is just getting kind of expensive to fix.

Thank you for your advice.
Pucci

I know when it seems you've tried to beat down every door at some point you have to bite the bullet and move on. I hate to hear that you can't get it resolved.

I've worked extensively with Lori (Kaler?). She's very nice but I found it hard to get things done. Recently I worked with Jonathan Watkins and he seems to be on top of things. On the work being done at this moment all I did was send him an email detailing my long running issues and he told me to tell the dealer to contact them. I visited with the dealer last week and they are authorized to replace the fenders, install/fabricate new supports for the skirts, replace the LP tank cover and paint, adjust slides, repair/paint damage from tank cover coming off, replace awning arm, replace fridge vent cover (they broke) and a few other things not coming to mind. Mine has been in the shop far more than I've used it but I've reconciled myself to using the 1st year to get the bugs out. Plus, mine is still in warranty where yours is not. Good luck on the repairs you are doing.

chevydoesit · 02-23-2015, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pucci

No I didn't on the clear coating. Is this something that is easy to have someone do?

We had ours done at the dealer before we took it home. I believe the coating is a Cal Tex product.

pucci · 02-25-2015, 10:26 AM

It was Lori and I was waiting for about 2 months to hear back. I would send e-mails to her waiting to hear back and then I found that she doesn't work there anymore.

Pucci

rs2049 · 02-27-2015, 10:15 AM

I own a 2012 Raptor 365. It has a white front cap and the top has faded out to yellow now too. Mine did not have any protection applied to it when new. I am presently in a park in Arizona where there is another 2012 Raptor - different model than mine. He has the same problem and he had protection added to his cap when it was new. Neither of our Raptors have fading on any other portions of the unit except for the cap.

pressure_welder · 02-27-2015, 03:26 PM

just thought I would share my recent experience. My wife and I own a 2013 keystone Laredo fifth wheel, with the brown front cap. First summer we owned it I could notice the fading start to happen, by the end of last summer it looked like complete garbage. (iam fairly anal with how my things look) Anyway I was going to have it painted myself this spring but did some research and seen that some people were having keystone do this repair. Took some pictures and sent them to my dealer, and within 6hrs I had approval from Keystone to paint the front cap and apply new decals on their dime. Also should mention that we are 10 months out of warrenty. They said their covering 1500$ of this repair, so to break it down for you the decals are on order with are 500$ (canyon Laredo pkg), and then my uncle who has his own autobody/hot rod shop is doing the paint job for 1000$. Its hard to say whom would charge what for painting.

**sourdough** · 02-27-2015, 05:27 PM

As I've said before, Keystone has been pretty good about things for me. Mine was 10 months into our warranty and the service manager told me mine was faded enough and they were going to get it repainted. Keystone agreed and they did. He also said they had done out of warranty work on the fading and keystone knew it was an issue. I guess it's the luck of the draw?

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