I like these trailers. It is a problem with every RV you literally have to take it home and go thru it yourself, write everything down and return it to the dealer. Great detailed video of all the cons of this trailer. Thanks for taking the time to do such a well detailed inspection.
In the market for a small used toy hauler as we speak. While ATC was on my short list, you have definitely convinced me ATC is not the answer. Imagine the chronic nightmares you would have experienced had you not gone through that thing with a fine-tooth-comb. And we're not talking about light bulbs that don't work. We're talking about water, electrical, heating/cooling, and sewage problems..... basically, every major system it has. The only thing you didn't mention was the suspension and after watching this video I would tear that thing apart down to the lugnuts if I was you. I'll deal with the potential wood issues and go ahead with a purchase on a 2212 Lance I have been eyeballing. Twice the quality at half the price. THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH!!!
Well, I actually did have to replace all of the lug nuts and studs on my ATC, it’s another video but they were damaged from the factory and I discovered it when I had to take the wheels/tires off to get spray foam insulation installed. The threads on the wheel studs were damaged and it caused the lug nuts to seize and the threads were all galled from whoever installed the wheels on the axles. Some of the lug nuts were seized on the threads but the nut wasn’t tight to the wheel, would have been a disaster if I’d not found it when I did.
Thank you for your response I hope they will take this and get better. Intec also makes Aluminum trailers not sure if 100 percent but look at those. Keep the dream keep moving forward hope to meet you on the road and if I do I buy Dinner.
It’s seems like it’s not in their best interest to ignore what customers are saying about their products, so I do hope they can improve and then everyone benefits. I appreciate the offer for dinner, and it would be good to meet you too. I’ll be doing more videos soon on the new camping setup I’m working on.
This is so utterly disappointing. *sigh* Just when you think you've found a manufacturer building a unique quality product, you get this type of real world experience. Thanks for doing this.
Checking the furnace ducts I noticed they used rusty steel naked clamps. Over time they would have rubbed through the ducting. Quality control isn't the answer here. It's the whole build. If they cut corners for this amount of money how strong is the aluminum welding. ATC has some serious issues and needs a major recall. Fire some workers and retrain with an area supervisor. One last point I'd like to make. I called ATC and asked if I could tour their facility. They said no. I asked if the trailer could be wired for an commercial ice maker. They said no. You get what they put on it no custom features. Something to keep in mind. Also for those who are gasoline and chemical operators you need a wall and sunk in floor to stop the smells and spills from moving all the way into your bedroom. I have used a toy hauler for 18 years. No matter how good you're at strapping down fluid tanks and liquids sooner or later when breaking you get a spill. People pay real close attention here.
I looked over the entire frame and bottom side of the trailer when I was prepping it for spray foam and I thought the structural welds all looked pretty good, that being said their warranty doesn’t cover you if you pull the trailer with larger than a 1 ton truck basically. I don’t remember how it was worded exactly but the concern is that a medium or heavy duty truck will ride rougher than a pickup and probably fatigue and break the frame over time. I did see some poor quality welds on smaller parts in places like interior framing and under the wheel wells if I remember correctly. Speaking of the wheel wells, they are just light gauge aluminum sheet and if you have a tire blow out it can cause a lot of interior damage. They also sell these trailers with cheap China bomb tires so it’s a recipe for disaster there too. You are correct on the ducting being a future issue. I dug pretty deep on my trailer during all of the repairs and looked at everything I could and all of the plumbing, ductwork, and wiring was really sloppy assembled. The ducting already had holes in it from running it through sharp holes in sheetmetal. The battery charger/main breaker and fuse panel was a big mess of tangled wire when you looked behind it. The wire should have been bundled together and secured to prevent it from being damaged but it wasn’t. I was obviously very disappointed especially for what they cost and how they are advertised.
ATC has been making less than great trailers for a looooong time. Probably 15-20 years ago their car trailers had wood floors and would rot out within a few years from all the leaks they had. I would have hoped they've improved as they make the ideal (on paper) race car toy hauler but... yeah...
Thanks for this honest review. Glad they didn't buy your review and for you to say it's perfect. All your problems are asinine especially for the price of these things,, crazy!!!!
This was really eye opening. I've been in the process of. Learning about RV living and trying to see what would work for me. Camper, travel trailer, 5th wheel or van. And seeing all these quality issues that you found , especially in knowing my own limitations in the mechanical knowledge needed to to find and fix issues. Really makes me second guess my retirement plans. Thank you Subscribed
I did have a lot of issues with mine but I will say don’t give up hope completely if that is your dream. I think the industry is changing for the better with new companies, products, and better engineering. Also owning a home on a foundation can be a lot of repairs and maintenance… Thanks for watching and subscribing!
Thanks for the detailed critique. It provides a much needed contrast to advertisements and owners who don't note issues they've experienced. Some items, like the el-cheapo tires, and plastic propane fittings, are common and relatively easy to fix. But the sheer number of issues you found, including glaring ones like the cracked stainless sink, improperly secured gas tank fittings, improperly supported shower floor, and failure to clean the debris created during final assembly, are not items to be excused. I hope ATC viewed this video. If they have, it should have prompted both an immediate revision of quality control procedures, as well as a personal response to you (a thanks for reporting, and a promise to address unresolved items).
Thank you, I’ve heard from a few people with seemingly worse experiences and some with better, ATC’s PR firm reached out to me to see if I wanted them to go over the warranty with me but that was it, they didn’t seem overly concerned actually. I fixed everything myself, I was able to get reimbursed from them for some of the time on repairs but it took months.
I own an ATC 2816 and have had a few minor flaws that you have mentioned. The dealer has also repaired a few items under warrantee. Overall, I’m very satisfied with my ATC and the company. Although disappointing, I’m not surprised. RV sales have tripled if not more since 2010. Veteran RVers agree quality control in any RV including airstream suffers during peak years. Getting or keeping good help during COVID I’m certain was difficult. At least you have a good eye and have made good repairs. You got most of the bugs out and have a great RV now. Enjoy it!
Can't thank you enough for sharing your experience, as frustrating as it appears. I'm amazed with your self composure and quite honestly loyalty to ATC. I would have driven this back to the dealer and never looked back. ATC should be embarrassed by the lack of quality control and overall poor craftsmanship. Apparently they didn't count on a smart consumer such as yourself. They should hire you as quality control and pay you handsomely. I was considering ATC but they definitely are lower on my wish list - very disappointing. Thank you again.
Thank you. I thought about taking it back to the dealer but I had a trip planned and I knew I would have to do the repairs myself to make it all work out in the amount of time I had to prepare. Doing it over again, I would take it back and ask for my money back. I don’t really feel like I’m loyal to them, I probably won’t buy another one from them after this and I don’t have a desire to work for them either, but I do see the need for someone qualified to be their QC. Thanks again for the comment, I’m glad it’s helpful to other potential customers like you.
Apparently quality control in the trailer,RV industry is shocking in last 10yrs.Some dealerships the good one's hire a RV, Trailer inspector to go over them first before they'll sell them so they guarantee a good product & if no good send them back to factory.Shocking really Quality Control is pathetic & the industry needs to step in & have a independent Quality Controller at every manufacturer to keep them in line so industry standard improves. Shouldn't be one bolt,nut or screw loose.Actually disgraceful how they're not built properly these days especially for the money they charge.I would turn up with my own registered inspector at my own cost to look at it & tell them what needs to improve before I bought one. One inspector said it takes about a year to get things right getting them to fix stuff under warranty this shouldn't happen should be alright to start with.
@@Pioneer_Classic_Trucks Pity Lazy Daze shut down they were quality & there are tons of old one's still going decades old.Born Free another great RV.Arctic Fox Trailers are meant to pretty good too. In future research the dealers cause some will get every RV,Trailer inspected to make sure it's up to standard. Aluminum & Azdale fiberglass built units no wood in frame are pretty good & don't delaminate.Metal sides & aluminum framing no wood in frame be good as well.Smaller companies seem to put more heart & soul into their builds & build high standard units.
FYI We purchased a Grand Design Momentum 40' toy hauler. Right off we have several warranty issues, that really weren't fixed to our satisfaction. The window frames to the back patio started separating. The solution by the dealer was to press them back together by hand!!! Back awning extended then wouldn't retract, one window won't stay open, it slams shut, never got fixed correctly. Then the last straw!!! 1.5 years after purchasing, the membrane roof started peeling off mid trip in souther AZ. Bare in mind I store it in a 53' ac Rv garage all the winter before. Never in the AZ heat! I had to crawl up there and tape it down and the very next day the tape failed so I sliced off the entire front roofing and thew it in the garage and continued on my trip.Called GD in June on the trip got a case number and when I reached the Seattle area got it into a warranty dealer, first week of July. No action on it for a few weeks then GD agreed to cover it under the 10 yr roof warranty. Take a wild guess when we got it back, First week of October. The dealer that did the repair was horrible when it came to the service writer. RV Country Buckley Wa. So I'm selling the rig as I've lost confidence. Side note the new roof was repaired perfect and I'm very satisfied with that but to get to that point was painful!!
I feel your pain, you end up spending your vacation time dealing with problems instead of being able to use the RV. It’s a lot of time and money lost in my case and yours it sounds like. It seems like humans should be capable of building a reliable form of mobile shelter by now but we haven’t evolved far beyond covered horse drawn wagons in my opinion. Maybe if you buy something high end such as an Earth Roamer you could expect a reasonable amount of quality and reliability but the RV industry in general is a scam, pay for junk, pay for insurance, pay for warranties, they lose value and degrade faster than you can pay for them...
Cimarron has been doing horse trailers for years. Outlaw does the living quarter conversions on them and now they're doing toy haulers. By far the best quality construction available but you pay for it they're probably twice the cost of the ATC product
The coldest weather we used it in was mid 30’s at night and it cooled off inside the camper very quickly when the temp outside dropped. During the day especially when parked in the sun, I could really feel the heat radiating in like standing under a patio heater. So to answer your question, the insulation was very minimal, better than nothing, but not by much, mostly a fair weather rig.
Thank you for the video! it's amazing how much a difference in final product you have. I have a 2019 24' and have not seen a single one of the issues you have found. My friend just picked up a 28' game changer front bedroom, a couple weeks ago, and had it up at Sturgis, we will for sure go through his.
I was told to look for "Pre-Plandemic" ATC trailers because those that were knowledgeable and may have left the job were replaced by an inexperienced workforce.
I have heard that also and I agree. I would advise buying a pre 2020 model probably. Not only was ATC affected but all of their suppliers of materials and components.
Thanks for the courage to make this video. We are just starting to look at the so called higher end market of toy haulers. The Forrest River Gray Wolf is 30k, you can by 2 of them for the price of this one. People say they don’t hold up either. Not sure what to buy.
Thank you, hopefully the video is helpful for you, I didn’t watch any reviews before buying mine, I wish I had. I still don’t know what to recommend that would be any better either. I think major changes need to happen to our RV industry. I know they are supposedly manufactured to certain standards but it all just seems like a scam to me. ATC told me they will reimburse me for repairs so that’s good, but apparently they’re in no hurry as I’ve not received a check yet.
@@Pioneer_Classic_Trucks yes as a tradesman myself, I could see the quality of your repairs. Unfortunately when you take it back to the dealer, you never know if they are in a hurry and not do it as well as you did.
Considering taking it back to the dealer for repairs, I was skeptical at best because they didn’t catch any of the problems I had to fix when they prepared it to sell, or maybe they just didn’t do any pre sale checks. Either way, they failed.
If ATC had any sense they would replace this trailer with one that had a meticulous quality inspection I was going to buy one of these, I’ve totally lost interest now
Thank you!! Huge help. I have seen few “real” reviews. Other stories have confirmed all you have addressed. Great concept, poor execution. Will still consider the good with the bad. Don’t like my options. Thank you Sir.
sad too see these on such a high end trailer but still gonna buy one, other trailers ive seen over the years are worse hope they get their qc dialed in
ATC trailers are fascinating in a way... you are drawn in by the build design but it is a nuts and bolts construction... while there are issues many are quick fixes. But you do have to see the sloppy or lack of QC. I own the QUEST MC300 motorcycle trailer.. saw some of the same nuts and bolts issues but I have really enjoyed it. If I did buy your model I would give it a severe once over and take a 50 mile trip through the mountains and check it out again.... like you said in the end NO WOOD .. Thank you fir the honest and frank review... I guess you're off ATC's Christmas list.. Cheers Scott
Haha, I guess I am probably not on ATC’s nice list anymore, oh well, honesty is more important. Thanks for passing on your experience with your ATC trailer. They have a lot of potential with their design and materials used, but making the payment isn’t very fun if the trailer is always at the dealership getting worked on it.
UPDATE: Spent the entire afternoon (8-31-2021) repairing the couch in my MC300 Quest Moto trailer. While on adventure this weekend I sat own and it came off the wall. The bolt could have been seated bettter. (the fix) I reenforced it with a steel plate and used larger bolts with more diameter. The seat is in perfectly and is sturdy. I just rewatched your video and I was much more encouraged with the ATC product. Many of your repairs were right up today's alley. Any future ATC aquisition would definitely get a handyman once over from me out the box. Cheers. Scott
Thanks for the update, sounds like you were able to improve upon the fasteners and hopefully it’s good now. It’s unfortunate that the original design and execution isn’t as reliable and solid as it should be.
I want to thank you for making this video. I have one order and should be receiving it soon. I’ll make sure to inspect it well and I’m going to make the changes you did.
Thank you, I will do a follow up video after everything is fixed. I understand, no one buys a new trailer expecting to do extensive repairs. If I’d known about everything I would have to fix so far it might have changed my mind about buying it.
@@Pioneer_Classic_Trucks 👎 that would have been a Game Changer Decision 😂👍 thank you so much for your very thorough video, I was about to write out a $130 K check, going to ask factory of every point you brought up in this video 🇨🇦
Haha, yes the Game Changer phrase is so overused now but it’s true. Good luck with your purchase if you buy an ATC and let us know their reply if you want to.
Looking at toy haulers and this shocked my wife and I. Thank you much for the in depth break down of the issues you had. Saved us a lot of headaches i bet. Good luck!
Found this video while deciding weather or not to order one. For the cost of this thing I am very disappointed. I'm not going to buy one. Thanks for taking the time to make this video.
I have been researching Outdoors RV built in Legrand, Oregon. There is wood involved in their builds but after watching their factory build process and QA control I'm leaning that way. These are hand built, they build their own chassis and are not factory cookie cut mass produced. The quality is there. Now to check some owner reviews.
I looked at their website and it did look like they have a unique and quality product. The wood construction has some benefits over aluminum but I’ve had bad experience with wood framed trailers in the past that leaked and then it turned into mold and structural damage. Also even if they don’t leak they can form condensation inside the walls when used in extreme weather conditions and that can lead to mold so in my situation I avoid the wood. Probably fine for some people though.
If you bought a cargo trailer and tried to convert it into something like this it would cost you a good 100k. So you have to think its still worth it to buy this for 50k and go over a few things that you have to get right. Theres just nothing else to compare it to and people want this type of rv. Still beats the other wood trailers.
Good luck if you do, I know I said in the video that they are still probably the best option but with their customer service or lack of, I can’t recommend anyone buy their product now.
Excellent and well done. I was considering one of these. This does not kill it but teaches me what to look for. Scary they allow these out without QC, they are not cheap to purchase.
Wow! Completely unacceptable for the price of ATC products. This is not $25k trailer. I've been seriously considering at 2419 model but now having second thoughts. Who has time and wants to deal with the frustration of hagling with a dealer to fix problems that should have never left the factory. Now that you are two years in with yours, what are you thoughts at this point?
I actually sold the trailer after only using it a few times. After all of the repairs and seeing how poorly they are built I decided it was going to be an ongoing maintenance and repair nightmare and I lost interest in it completely and got a composite truck camper from OEV which has been way less problematic and better quality.
Thanks for sharing this misfortune . I bought a game changer 29’ w/24’ box Shavings of aluminum was found everywhere Scratched kitchen sink All over in bottom as if someone lived in it But they said there wasn’t anything they could do about that. The fender wells as well as the whole bottom should have some insulation sprayed for it does get cold . Thanks for pointing this out as well as the front step I have had issues with trying to close my door You have to use both hands when inside and it does not close or should I say latch easy or at all ,unless I hold the door key opener open then push close and manually latch it.. when I’m On the outside. The “HAPPY-JACK” when reading the pamphlet it speaks of two beds can fit on the same Happy Jack So I have only one therefore I want it to come down to where it’s just inches away from the back side of my couches So from Where it is now there are no hand rails or fixed anything that would give you a secure footing coming down off of the bed and your left with guessing your footing and even your balance with the narrow ladder that is provided. Their answer from dealership is that there is by code a certain height that it can come down So that leaves the pamphlet being wrong ? I would have to agree though that All Aluminum and no wood is the best way to have it. Plus the removal if furniture or different places you can shift them
Sounds like you ended up with some of the same issues I had unfortunately. It feels like you get the scratch and dent model but don’t get a discount for damages. The aluminum frame is fine without insulation if you just stay in areas with nice weather, but that doesn’t work well for me. Due to past experiences with mold, I won’t buy anything that’s wood framed now, and I know I’m not the only one with these types of concerns, but until these companies can build high quality products, we’re stuck with buying what feels like a DIY project.
Has ATC reached out you or offered you bring it back to Factory for full repair. I sent this to Complete Trailers in Colorado working on a sale with them. Sent them a couple of your videos ask them to get them to ATC. Would be good videos to play in the next production meeting. I have had lots of RV's always problems but yours seem like they could fix them pretty quick with some management/owner intervention.
Their PR firm reached out to me after finding my videos apparently but nothing really happened from the communications, they basically just offered to go over the warranty with me. ATC did eventually reimburse me for some of the repairs I had to do but it took months. I’ve sold the trailer and I think I probably had most of the bugs worked out of it before selling it but it was pretty disappointing for what they cost and how much they brag about how good they are.
Not too bad, some issues are QC based, fair compensation would be to send you a $2000.00 check. But yes these types of issues can happen. NOW for long term you need to make sure your frame doesn't crack
@@Pioneer_Classic_Trucks I think $5000 to $10,000 would be minimum fair. Imagine how much they would have charged you (out of warranty) if the fixed these defects properly...like you did.
Yes, absolutely. I haven’t heard from anyone else who owns one to know if everyone has this many problems of if I just happened to get one built on a Friday afternoon.
I find the idea of all aluminum the ideal. But aluminum cracks and strips easy threading so it is never a wise idea to use screws on it. Bolt on is the way to go. Even welds can break. Positive is they will not rust or rott you away. I believe they use Amish as workforce. Guess the Amish ain't neighter anymore what they used 'ta. Having the electricity underneath is recipe for trouble.
I agree, aluminum is a great material but their design is not. I haven’t heard about them using Amish as labor, that’s interesting. The mechanical and electrical was a mess everywhere that I could see it, really sloppy work, under the trailer, interior wiring, behind the battery charger/breaker/fuse panel was a huge mess of wires, exposed to sharp edges, not secured in place, bad connections, unsealed connections under the trailer, damaged wheel lug nuts, defective and damaged components, it was a long list of things that I found to fix.
I paid full retail price for the trailer, it took a long time, but ATC did reimburse me for some repairs I had to make. It wasn’t nearly enough for all of the trouble but it helped.
This is rather shocking, Can't believe that a company of this magnitude has not got proper quality control!! Thank you for pointing out the issues you found 👍🏻
ATC did reimburse me for some of the repairs I had to make but not everything, it was quicker to do it myself than wait on the dealer so I took that risk of not being compensated for my work but I had to have it done to use the trailer. I sold the trailer and was happy to see it go even though I had fixed all of the problems. I did not get lawyers involved.
Dammmittt is their anything built right anymore? Thanks for your time and showcasing what you found and repairs including field repairs...😎🎯 Subscribed...
Thank you, I don’t know if anything is built right, I’ve had better luck with much cheaper RV’s in the past. I think I’ve decided that I will have to build what I want and be my own QC.
Since I do not RV full time & reasons as in this video I realized overall it’s a no brainer just to rent a cabin and then walk away from it all until year’s vacation.
There’s definitely benefits to that approach, campers are kind of an expensive luxury and not usually a great financial investment unless you get a lot of use out of them. Just depends on your unique situation.
Thanks for the video. Looks like I can take this brand off my list. Seeing I just came back from the show in Hershey Park Pa. this month just to see these trailers and one other brand. And neither one of them were there. Or at least as I could fine. As the ATC dealer that is some what near me wouldn`t let me inside the one they had. Because they first said it just came in and it need to be PDI before they let any one in them. Then later said the same thing only this time because it was sold. Now after seeing your video and another one on here about the same trailer I think I know why. Because it looks like for the price they are asking for them. It is just as cheaply built as the other trailers out there.
What is the other brand you were looking at? I was able to look at one other trailer at the dealership when I bought this one but a lot of the problems I had to fix were things that weren’t obvious until I got it home and looked at everything closer when I started using it. It seems like their original design and intention to build something quality is lost when the people assembling them don’t have the skills, experience, or competence to create the end product that matches the original design and marketing. They have a lot of potential with the materials used, but it did seem like it was the same attention to detail that you would find on any basic RV’s construction, just thrown together with lots of sloppy work, especially all of the mechanicals and interior finish work, the structure and exterior seems the be where they were able to maintain more consistent QC. Any panel I removed to work on mechanicals revealed lots of construction trash and wires and plumbing not properly secured, just kinda shoved in place and covered up, which was going to make any future repairs/maintenance even more challenging. I was willing to give them my money because I was led to believe they had a superior product, but I should have done more research before buying from them.
@@Pioneer_Classic_Trucks I wanted to see this and the outdoors RV. Their out of Oregon and they really seem to be put together right on there videos. But aren`t they all LOL. Plus they seem to already come with everything standard geny water tank heaters etc. I can`t get over how these guys build them. A toyhauler for side by side or bikes etc. There is a pretty good chance that the people who would buy a trailer to take there toys with them. Mite know a wrench from a screw driver. So you would think that they mite put a little more effort into quality control while making these. Seeing these are more money then a normal trailer. I looked at a brand new 25G the dealer just got in. The frame was already rusting and under carriage cover was hanging down. And the trim inside was coming off. As it was only put on with staples and the shower insert wasn`t sealed. There is a guy on here that has one of the Outdoors RVs and does reviews on it. I think he said he has over 8000 miles on it and hasn`t had one issue. Lets be honest these things get up to 75k and more. If you buy a 75k car or truck that damn thing had better be right from the word go. But with a RV the builder like are well you know it`s an RV.
You are correct, it’s like the RV industry is exempt from holding to any standard even though they have the little sticker on the outside that says they meet the standard for the industry. It’s all a joke I think. They build what they want and charge what they want and expect most people won’t know the difference. Outdoors RV does seem to have kind of a unique product also, but they are still wood construction, so I never looked at them seriously. I’ve had to do repairs on past trailers that have the plastic belly pan covering the tanks and plumbing etc, and they are junk, there’s no way to keep rodents from getting in, something is always coming loose, anyway I could go on and on about how poorly made they all are.
Excellent video thank you. I am not looking to buy a trailer at the present time, but have a plan for down the road in the future when I retire. ATC is one of the trailers at the top of my list. But watching shoddy workmanship like this frustrates me. Not sure that I will be ATC in the future if I have to go through all the Hoops you have gone through. Again, thank you
Thank you, I appreciate the feedback. I’m glad the time I spent making the video wasn’t wasted, seems like it’s reaching the people who need to see it.
Typical RV issues. At least it's not gonna rot when it leaks, or when the moisture in your breath condenses on the cold spots. One misnomer that needs to be cleared up. The phrase aluminum does not rust is misused. Rust it the name for corrosion on ferrous metals. Aluminum is corrosion resistant not corrosion proof. If exposed to briny liquids like that used in road deicers the aluminum will corrode rapidly.
At this point I would not buy another one, it hasn’t been a great experience overall, email after email unanswered and calls to the dealer and they seem to just forget about me and don’t call back, and I still haven’t been reimbursed for parts I had to buy. It’s been so frustrating and disappointing.
@@Pioneer_Classic_Trucks Oh man! I’m so sorry to hear this news… You know, I was seriously considering this camper until running into your feed and reviews about the build quality. To see how much you rely on this kit for what it was designed for and have it perform in this manner hurts me brother. Would you go with another brand, or just keep rebuilding this unit until it is up to your standards? I’m just curious…
I reached the end of my patience and actually just sold the trailer, I feel like I had most of the bugs worked out and repairs done, but I had a bad feeling about the long term durability of the unit, especially considering the lack of support from the dealer and company. It seems like their only fix was to review the warranty with me which didn’t give me much confidence in them, I need something that is reliable long term, I want nothing to do with it if it’s always going to need repairs.
@@Pioneer_Classic_Trucks Really? Well… you’ve made up my mind about this rig and I’m going Class C then. I’m so terribly sorry to hear this mate! Tank toy for your commentary and Truth. I’ll stay connected with you.
Thank you for taking the time to point these things out!I have the same trailer but 20' with many of the same issues, and some you didn't show. How can I get in contact with you?
WoW, I was looking to purchase the 4528 toy hauler, I guess I go with the Cimarron TH with the Outlaw conversion. Although not the perfect floor plan, at least it wont fall apart. I'd be concerned about the deficiencies you didn't find. i.e. behind the aluminum skin. THX for your information, very helpful. I think I would have asked for a replacement or my money back.
I was so discouraged that I was actually thinking about taking it back to the dealer and asking for money back or a different trailer, I didn’t expect another trailer to be any better I guess. I agree that it not confidence inspiring to find so many “surface” issues when there is so much that’s buried beneath the skin and inside the structure. I feel like the way you do one thing is the way you de everything...
@@Pioneer_Classic_Trucks Sad, because I really wanted to believe that this brand was the holy Grail of toy haulers. Maybe going forward they will improve their build quality.
I seriously considered that but I had a trip planned and wanted to make it work. It wasn’t worth the trouble, I could have just tent camped and saved a lot of work and headaches.
@@Pioneer_Classic_Trucks Too much to list here. We sold the trailer, but I still have a log of the issues beginning literally from the moment we first saw it. They talked a big game, but the QC was abysmal.
Seems like the same assembly quality as the stick n staple type trailers...so what ever happened to "made in merica" is better...guess not. And for their price point, the assembly quality should damn well be stellar!
Yes, I’d say it’s the same assembly quality or worse for this trailer in particular compared to the generic campers on the market. I’ve heard from some ATC owners with better and also worse experiences with these trailers.
I’m definitely not a competitor, just an unhappy customer. I didn’t find problems till I got it home and started preparing for a trip and going through systems just to get familiar with it. Also prepping for the spray foam exposed a lot of problems that weren’t obvious looking at it on the sales lot.
Wow.. now i am questioning should I even look at these. I am in the market for a toy hauler. I would have not thought the ATC would have these QA issues
I was surprised to find so many issues, hopefully I’ve got most of the bugs worked out but I will still be doing more work to it in the future adding solar panels, new charge controller, and relocating the batteries.
This video disappointed me tremendously. Just when I thought I had found a company and a product that was superior to all the others. And given the cost of these units, this kind of poor quality is totally unacceptable. I don't know if ATC saw this video but someone should send it to them if they haven't seen it. Not sure I would have been as gracious as you are and I don't think I will buy one now.
They have seen it, their PR co reached out to me but all they’ve offered so far is to go over the warranty with me. I have been waiting for months now but I have not even been reimbursed for parts I had to buy yet. I would not recommend them to anyone at this point if this is the best customer service they can offer.
I’ve already sold it, and I still haven’t been reimbursed for parts I had to buy so I’m not happy with ATC’s customer service either. I will probably never buy from them again.
I bought a slide in camper called the Camp X from Overland Explorer Vehicles and have not had a chance to use it very much yet. My initial impression is that it is a much higher quality unit, but it’s obvious very different from the toy hauler. I honestly don’t know what I would buy if I bought another trailer. I would definitely not buy anything bumper pull again, I’ve always had 5th wheels and they tow so much better, especially for something as big and heavy as a toy hauler. I’ve talked to other people with bumper pull toy hauler trailers and they say the same thing, they are not always easy to get the weight where you need it for proper tongue weight and a sway control hitch is pretty much mandatory to be able to tow them at highway speed. There was another manufacturer mentioned somewhere in the comments that I looked up and they seemed interesting and might have potential to be well built, I don’t remember the name right now.
Man... sorry you had all these issues. I have been looking at these trailers for a year and had my mind made up on the 2816. Question for you... It appears you did a lot of work after you received this trailer and that some of it will just be unfixable due to where it is positioned etc. Did you make ATC aware of these issues other than this video and if so what was their response? New to the RV scene so just learning about things. Is there any legal type action you could take. It appears that they delivered an inferior product (probably due to covid) and that you should be due some sort of compensation. It's like buying a house with the foundation messed up and finding out after the you purchased it that the old owners had someone do work on the house and they messed up the foundation So you still have the legal ability to go after that contractor even though you didn't hire them. With the kind of money you spend on these trailers the damn thing should dry you off when you get out of the shower. Thanks for taking the time to make and post this!
I think everything is fixable, I haven’t noticed any structural issues or anything major like that. I have not attempted to contact ATC directly but the dealer seems like they are willing to fix things and reimburse me for parts I’ve had to buy, but I haven’t had time to get the trailer back to them yet. Probably will soon and depending on how it goes it might be content for another video...
I am concerned for everything that isn’t visible though, when there are so many very obvious issues it makes me wonder what’s hiding under the surface out of sight. I will be looking into compensation and probably making another video update on how it goes.
I’ve sold the ATC, but I have not been reimbursed for the parts and repairs I had to make. I have several emails to the dealer now that have gone unanswered so I don’t know If the problem is with the dealer or ATC, but either way it has not been a good experience.
Does ATC sub contract building this trailers? I was searching the ST Louis Missouri area and it appears the dealer is A Trailer Repair/Custom build operation, I think if I would build one I would want QC at the build location in person before taking ownership...
I have visited the same dealership in the St. Louis area. I believe the are just a dealer. They can do repairs but I don’t think they build them. They also have a dealership in the cape area.
Great review of the issues.. Glad to hear you would still buy it though.. I have had a new ATC (2 years ago) and a Used one before that, with the exact same thoughts. HOW DID THAT PASS INSPECTION!!, and "I'd definitely buy it again"... ... as a side note, "So far" ATC has honored ANY request for warranty work we asked for. Friends and acquaintances have been denied from "other" manufacturers for basic stuff. Best part, Structural warranty is 5 years now. Please be sure and make another video after you get it sorted out. Beautiful looking trailer by the way... Who did the insulation underneath if you don't mind...
I’m glad to hear that your warranty work has gone well, the 5 yr warranty helps to have confidence in that part of the manufacturing, all of the structure and welds that are visible look good. I had a local residential insulation company spray the foam, I’d have to look up the name now but I took the trailer to their yard and picked it up the next day.
I am sorry to hear this but wondering who the dealer was so I do not use them. They obviously do not check their trailers before delivery. And we did you choose to do repairs and not have the dealer do it. I am set to order from ATC and did all the research before choosing them but this was tough to hear so thx. At the least I would want to hear why their quality control is apparently lacking so badly
@@richardgiambruno4052 I did the repairs myself because I wanted the peace of mind that it was actually ready to go and reliable. Having a breakdown or a lot things not working when you’re on a trip a long way from home and help isn’t the kind of vacation we wanted. I have seen too many bad experiences in the past from putting trust in other people’s repairs and integrity. So yes, it’s completely ridiculous to have to do repairs to a new trailer, but I also didn’t trust anyone else to do any better.
They do have a warranty, after getting the trailer home I did the repair work myself because I had a trip planned and it was just easier and faster for me to do it than take it back to the dealer and wait for them to have time to work on it, then go back to pick it up. Also, I didn’t really know if I could trust them to do the work any better than the factory did. They apparently didn’t go over the trailer before they sold it, or they would have seen at least some of the obvious problems I had to fix. I also did the prep work myself before having the spray foam installed and I found a lot of things to fix during that process. I just did what I had to do to be able to use the trailer for a trip. Looking back now, I should have taken it back to the dealer and got my money back immediately, it would have saved so much headache.
I had a 2014 ATC enclosed trailer that I bought new. It had a full bathroom and beds in it to function as a toy hauler. I had quite a few little issues with it. However, I will say that ATC stepped up and paid for repairs no questions asked. I traded the ATC trailer for a much larger InTech gooseneck trailer and I have had NO issues with the Intech trailer. Just my .02
I can’t say for sure but I would shop around more with other manufacturers and also spend more time looking at the trailer closely instead of just listening to how good the salesman thinks it is. I would be the crazy guy who brings my own creeper to roll around under the trailer at the dealership before buying it. Ultimately I plan to build my own camper, I just thought this would be a good solution for the short term.
NEVER sign the financing or delivery documents until you have performed a delivery inspection. Once you sign the papers it is your problem, and the dealers / factory will not be responsive.
I definitely looked it over before buying it, I even pointed out the potential water leak I found and the dealer sent a tech out to look at it and determined that they had just spilled some water filling the tank and called it good, which was not the case. I should have tested everything in the trailer more thoroughly before signing, I guess I was too trusting when they told me they prepped it and it was all ready to go.
Do you feel this is partially due to Covid supplies and labor quality decrease or typical of this brand? This is the first really bad review of an ATC I have myself seen. Are the earlier versions higher quality?
That’s the only reason or excuse I can imagine but I honestly don’t know, I have no prior experience with ATC and don’t know anyone personally that has one either. I think this one was built around the end of 2020.
I know “one trailer” is a small sample group, but I have an 2018 20’er and it’s been great. Only issue we’ve had is the motor for the awning has gone out twice, both times it was with the prior owner. It was actually at dealership to replace the motor when we bought it. We’ve had zero issues with it. Is that because it’s pre-covid, possibly. I know ATC had a great reputation when we bought it. I watched tons of video reviews and didn’t find anyone having the issues you’ve been dealing with. That sucks and hopefully they get it taken care of for you.
@@Pioneer_Classic_Trucks I'm looking a toy haulers for my wife and I with our toy being a CF Moto 1000. Price does matter and I'm looking at Forest River Wildwood 270. My hurdle is spending $27,000 for something that may not last the duration of the loan. This would be my 1st toy hauler. Any thoughts?
I’m not familiar with that particular trailer but yes, they basically all depreciate faster than you can pay them off. I had a Wanderer wagon years ago, pretty basic but decent for what it cost.
I was going to buy one of these trailers for hunting and carrying my motorcycle Not going to pay a premium for this poor quality control Really disappointed If ATC management stressed workmanship and not pumping out trailers as fast as possible I would gladly pay an additional five thousand to get a perfect build Whoever their quality control man is would be fired
This just sucks man. I guess even ATC totally dispenses with any notion of quality control, just like all the rest of the RV industry with their crappy balsa wood contraptions. And yet, ATC charges an extremely premium price for these trailers - 50% to 100% more than an equivalent "wood" trailer - and ATC is much more primitive and unrefined on the interior design and amenities. What really concerns me is the thing they push the most in their marketing - the all aluminum frame. It makes me wonder - do the welds on that aluminum frame have the same quality control issues that all of the interior and mechanicals have? Are cross-members going to start cracking after 10,000 miles and the whole thing starts coming apart? And they drastically increased their prices from 2020 to 2021, up almost another 50%. It's just pitiful. ATC should be ashamed of themselves and everybody should see this video. Hopefully it goes viral and forces ATC to publicly address the changes they are going to make.
Thanks for the comment. I have experience in welding and manufacturing and trust me I looked at all of the structural welds that I could see, and they actually look pretty good. I imagine the crew that assembles and welds the aluminum frame is different than whoever finishes out the rest of the trailer. To me, the frame and upper framing is the most important part, and I feel like I have more confidence in that part of the trailer than how it was finished out. If I’d seen sketchy looking structural welds anywhere under the trailer I wouldn’t have bought it. Period. I don’t know how it will hold up long term but I feel like it has to be more reliable than a wood frame. I used to always find staples and screws on the floor of my previous wood framed trailers when I would arrive at the final destination. I’ve also experienced water leaks, defective rubber membrane roofs, rotten structural wood, and mold on past trailers. I have no desire to ever own one of those again so an aluminum trailer was my only hope. I didn’t expect perfection from ATC, but I also can’t believe all of the problems I’ve found so far.
Thank you! I'll be looking out for these specific issues when I take a look at these.
I like these trailers. It is a problem with every RV you literally have to take it home and go thru it yourself, write everything down and return it to the dealer. Great detailed video of all the cons of this trailer. Thanks for taking the time to do such a well detailed inspection.
Thank you, hopefully it’s helpful to some people.
Holy crap, so many inexcusable defects! Thank you for the heads up.
Yes! I probably used some other language at the time! Lol
In the market for a small used toy hauler as we speak. While ATC was on my short list, you have definitely convinced me ATC is not the answer.
Imagine the chronic nightmares you would have experienced had you not gone through that thing with a fine-tooth-comb. And we're not talking about light bulbs that don't work. We're talking about water, electrical, heating/cooling, and sewage problems..... basically, every major system it has.
The only thing you didn't mention was the suspension and after watching this video I would tear that thing apart down to the lugnuts if I was you.
I'll deal with the potential wood issues and go ahead with a purchase on a 2212 Lance I have been eyeballing. Twice the quality at half the price.
THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH!!!
Well, I actually did have to replace all of the lug nuts and studs on my ATC, it’s another video but they were damaged from the factory and I discovered it when I had to take the wheels/tires off to get spray foam insulation installed. The threads on the wheel studs were damaged and it caused the lug nuts to seize and the threads were all galled from whoever installed the wheels on the axles. Some of the lug nuts were seized on the threads but the nut wasn’t tight to the wheel, would have been a disaster if I’d not found it when I did.
Had Lance before I bought ATC not looking back structure wise ATC is much better
THANK YOU KIND SIR. I ALMOST BOUGHT ONE OF THESE. I AM NOW GLAD I DIDN'T. THE PRICE IS HIGH ENOUGH WITHOUT ALL THE COMPLICATIONS
That’s what I thought too, I’m glad you found the video helpful.
I own a 2021 2916, I did not have your unfortunate experience, however you gave me some ideas of what to look out for, thank you
Good to hear, thank you!
Thank you for your response I hope they will take this and get better. Intec also makes Aluminum trailers not sure if 100 percent but look at those. Keep the dream keep moving forward hope to meet you on the road and if I do I buy Dinner.
It’s seems like it’s not in their best interest to ignore what customers are saying about their products, so I do hope they can improve and then everyone benefits. I appreciate the offer for dinner, and it would be good to meet you too. I’ll be doing more videos soon on the new camping setup I’m working on.
Wow thanks for sharing
Thanks for watching, I hope it’s helpful.
This was my dream trailer. I'm gonna have to rethink the buy now. Great video.
Thank you, good luck if you buy one.
Have ATC for two years now and very with it
I knew it was too good to be true. I was really hoping that these trailers were as good as they said. Thanks for the information and good luck.
Thanks for watching, and good luck to you if you’re shopping for a camper.
This is so utterly disappointing. *sigh* Just when you think you've found a manufacturer building a unique quality product, you get this type of real world experience. Thanks for doing this.
Yes, for what they cost, it is very disappointing.
Checking the furnace ducts I noticed they used rusty steel naked clamps. Over time they would have rubbed through the ducting. Quality control isn't the answer here. It's the whole build. If they cut corners for this amount of money how strong is the aluminum welding. ATC has some serious issues and needs a major recall. Fire some workers and retrain with an area supervisor. One last point I'd like to make. I called ATC and asked if I could tour their facility. They said no. I asked if the trailer could be wired for an commercial ice maker. They said no. You get what they put on it no custom features. Something to keep in mind.
Also for those who are gasoline and chemical operators you need a wall and sunk in floor to stop the smells and spills from moving all the way into your bedroom. I have used a toy hauler for 18 years. No matter how good you're at strapping down fluid tanks and liquids sooner or later when breaking you get a spill.
People pay real close attention here.
I looked over the entire frame and bottom side of the trailer when I was prepping it for spray foam and I thought the structural welds all looked pretty good, that being said their warranty doesn’t cover you if you pull the trailer with larger than a 1 ton truck basically. I don’t remember how it was worded exactly but the concern is that a medium or heavy duty truck will ride rougher than a pickup and probably fatigue and break the frame over time. I did see some poor quality welds on smaller parts in places like interior framing and under the wheel wells if I remember correctly. Speaking of the wheel wells, they are just light gauge aluminum sheet and if you have a tire blow out it can cause a lot of interior damage. They also sell these trailers with cheap China bomb tires so it’s a recipe for disaster there too. You are correct on the ducting being a future issue. I dug pretty deep on my trailer during all of the repairs and looked at everything I could and all of the plumbing, ductwork, and wiring was really sloppy assembled. The ducting already had holes in it from running it through sharp holes in sheetmetal. The battery charger/main breaker and fuse panel was a big mess of tangled wire when you looked behind it. The wire should have been bundled together and secured to prevent it from being damaged but it wasn’t. I was obviously very disappointed especially for what they cost and how they are advertised.
@@Pioneer_Classic_Trucks I k kw about those Chinese tires. One blew on my car hauler and ripped the sheet metal away from my trailer.
ATC has been making less than great trailers for a looooong time. Probably 15-20 years ago their car trailers had wood floors and would rot out within a few years from all the leaks they had. I would have hoped they've improved as they make the ideal (on paper) race car toy hauler but... yeah...
Well this sure has changed my mind about ATC. Another one I can scratch of my list. This is so sad.
Good luck in your search
Thanks for this honest review. Glad they didn't buy your review and for you to say it's perfect. All your problems are asinine especially for the price of these things,, crazy!!!!
I was surprised at how many problems there were and that the factory didn’t want to do more to make it right. They definitely didn’t buy my review.
This was really eye opening. I've been in the process of. Learning about RV living and trying to see what would work for me. Camper, travel trailer, 5th wheel or van. And seeing all these quality issues that you found , especially in knowing my own limitations in the mechanical knowledge needed to to find and fix issues. Really makes me second guess my retirement plans.
Thank you
Subscribed
I did have a lot of issues with mine but I will say don’t give up hope completely if that is your dream. I think the industry is changing for the better with new companies, products, and better engineering. Also owning a home on a foundation can be a lot of repairs and maintenance… Thanks for watching and subscribing!
Thanks for the detailed critique. It provides a much needed contrast to advertisements and owners who don't note issues they've experienced. Some items, like the el-cheapo tires, and plastic propane fittings, are common and relatively easy to fix. But the sheer number of issues you found, including glaring ones like the cracked stainless sink, improperly secured gas tank fittings, improperly supported shower floor, and failure to clean the debris created during final assembly, are not items to be excused. I hope ATC viewed this video. If they have, it should have prompted both an immediate revision of quality control procedures, as well as a personal response to you (a thanks for reporting, and a promise to address unresolved items).
Thank you, I’ve heard from a few people with seemingly worse experiences and some with better, ATC’s PR firm reached out to me to see if I wanted them to go over the warranty with me but that was it, they didn’t seem overly concerned actually. I fixed everything myself, I was able to get reimbursed from them for some of the time on repairs but it took months.
I own an ATC 2816 and have had a few minor flaws that you have mentioned. The dealer has also repaired a few items under warrantee. Overall, I’m very satisfied with my ATC and the company. Although disappointing, I’m not surprised. RV sales have tripled if not more since 2010. Veteran RVers agree quality control in any RV including airstream suffers during peak years. Getting or keeping good help during COVID I’m certain was difficult. At least you have a good eye and have made good repairs. You got most of the bugs out and have a great RV now. Enjoy it!
That’s interesting, I was actually wondering if they were much better before covid and I’m not surprised to hear you’ve had less problems. Thank you
Glad I found this Vblog! I was about to buy one of these at 90k! Yikes!!!!!
They are a lot of money, and I couldn’t justify such an expensive project with poor quality so I sold mine. Good luck with whatever you buy!
Well, i thought i wanted an ATC... thanks for posting.
Thank you, good luck with your search.
This was being built at the height of the coof 19 craziness. just something to think about
Yeah, I’m sure that was a huge factor, and other people confirmed that also. Regardless of their excuses, the end product was pretty terrible.
Thanks for this video! I was looking at purchasing one of these, but looks like this made my mind up to go with sundowner
I’m glad it was helpful for you, good luck with your new trailer and thank you for watching.
Oh, wow! I am SO SORRY for your trouble. What a disappointment!! This was one of my favorite considerations - Maybe now, hotels!!!
It was so disappointing! Good luck with your search.
It was so disappointing! Good luck with your search.
Can't thank you enough for sharing your experience, as frustrating as it appears. I'm amazed with your self composure and quite honestly loyalty to ATC. I would have driven this back to the dealer and never looked back. ATC should be embarrassed by the lack of quality control and overall poor craftsmanship. Apparently they didn't count on a smart consumer such as yourself. They should hire you as quality control and pay you handsomely. I was considering ATC but they definitely are lower on my wish list - very disappointing. Thank you again.
Thank you. I thought about taking it back to the dealer but I had a trip planned and I knew I would have to do the repairs myself to make it all work out in the amount of time I had to prepare. Doing it over again, I would take it back and ask for my money back. I don’t really feel like I’m loyal to them, I probably won’t buy another one from them after this and I don’t have a desire to work for them either, but I do see the need for someone qualified to be their QC. Thanks again for the comment, I’m glad it’s helpful to other potential customers like you.
So basically it comes with the same problems any other regular Rv comes with lol
Apparently quality control in the trailer,RV industry is shocking in last 10yrs.Some dealerships the good one's hire a RV, Trailer inspector to go over them first before they'll sell them so they guarantee a good product & if no good send them back to factory.Shocking really
Quality Control is pathetic & the industry needs to step in & have a independent Quality Controller at every manufacturer to keep them in line so industry standard improves.
Shouldn't be one bolt,nut or screw loose.Actually disgraceful how they're not built properly these days
especially for the money they charge.I would turn up with my own
registered inspector at my own cost to look at it & tell them what needs to improve before I bought one.
One inspector said it takes about a year to get things right getting them to fix stuff under warranty this shouldn't happen should be alright to start with.
I agree, it’s pathetic how they are built with no standards or quality control.
@@Pioneer_Classic_Trucks Pity Lazy Daze shut down they were quality & there are tons of old one's still going decades old.Born Free another great RV.Arctic Fox Trailers are meant to pretty good too.
In future research the dealers cause some will get every RV,Trailer inspected to make sure it's up to
standard.
Aluminum & Azdale fiberglass built units no wood in frame are pretty good & don't delaminate.Metal sides & aluminum framing no wood in frame be good as well.Smaller companies seem to put more heart & soul into their builds & build high standard units.
FYI We purchased a Grand Design Momentum 40' toy hauler. Right off we have several warranty issues, that really weren't fixed to our satisfaction. The window frames to the back patio started separating. The solution by the dealer was to press them back together by hand!!! Back awning extended then wouldn't retract, one window won't stay open, it slams shut, never got fixed correctly. Then the last straw!!! 1.5 years after purchasing, the membrane roof started peeling off mid trip in souther AZ. Bare in mind I store it in a 53' ac Rv garage all the winter before. Never in the AZ heat! I had to crawl up there and tape it down and the very next day the tape failed so I sliced off the entire front roofing and thew it in the garage and continued on my trip.Called GD in June on the trip got a case number and when I reached the Seattle area got it into a warranty dealer, first week of July. No action on it for a few weeks then GD agreed to cover it under the 10 yr roof warranty. Take a wild guess when we got it back, First week of October. The dealer that did the repair was horrible when it came to the service writer. RV Country Buckley Wa. So I'm selling the rig as I've lost confidence. Side note the new roof was repaired perfect and I'm very satisfied with that but to get to that point was painful!!
I feel your pain, you end up spending your vacation time dealing with problems instead of being able to use the RV. It’s a lot of time and money lost in my case and yours it sounds like. It seems like humans should be capable of building a reliable form of mobile shelter by now but we haven’t evolved far beyond covered horse drawn wagons in my opinion. Maybe if you buy something high end such as an Earth Roamer you could expect a reasonable amount of quality and reliability but the RV industry in general is a scam, pay for junk, pay for insurance, pay for warranties, they lose value and degrade faster than you can pay for them...
@@Pioneer_Classic_Trucks I so agree!
Great video - thank you.
What did you pay for the spray foam?
About 700, I dropped off the trailer at their yard and they fit it into their schedule.
Cimarron has been doing horse trailers for years. Outlaw does the living quarter conversions on them and now they're doing toy haulers. By far the best quality construction available but you pay for it they're probably twice the cost of the ATC product
Thanks for the info, I have not looked at a Cimmaron but it’s good to hear that someone is building a quality product.
How's the insulation? For cold weather?
The coldest weather we used it in was mid 30’s at night and it cooled off inside the camper very quickly when the temp outside dropped. During the day especially when parked in the sun, I could really feel the heat radiating in like standing under a patio heater. So to answer your question, the insulation was very minimal, better than nothing, but not by much, mostly a fair weather rig.
Thanks for the review! You just showed me what RV BRAND NOT TO BUY!!!
Thank you
Thank you for the video! it's amazing how much a difference in final product you have. I have a 2019 24' and have not seen a single one of the issues you have found. My friend just picked up a 28' game changer front bedroom, a couple weeks ago, and had it up at Sturgis, we will for sure go through his.
That’s good to hear, thanks for passing on that info. I hope your friend’s trailer doesn’t have any issues either.
I was told to look for "Pre-Plandemic" ATC trailers because those that were knowledgeable and may have left the job were replaced by an inexperienced workforce.
I have heard that also and I agree. I would advise buying a pre 2020 model probably. Not only was ATC affected but all of their suppliers of materials and components.
I really appreciate this review. I thought I had found the one. I guess not.
I thought so too but didn’t last long, good luck in your search!
Thanks for the courage to make this video. We are just starting to look at the so called higher end market of toy haulers. The Forrest River Gray Wolf is 30k, you can by 2 of them for the price of this one. People say they don’t hold up either. Not sure what to buy.
Thank you, hopefully the video is helpful for you, I didn’t watch any reviews before buying mine, I wish I had. I still don’t know what to recommend that would be any better either. I think major changes need to happen to our RV industry. I know they are supposedly manufactured to certain standards but it all just seems like a scam to me. ATC told me they will reimburse me for repairs so that’s good, but apparently they’re in no hurry as I’ve not received a check yet.
@@Pioneer_Classic_Trucks yes as a tradesman myself, I could see the quality of your repairs. Unfortunately when you take it back to the dealer, you never know if they are in a hurry and not do it as well as you did.
Considering taking it back to the dealer for repairs, I was skeptical at best because they didn’t catch any of the problems I had to fix when they prepared it to sell, or maybe they just didn’t do any pre sale checks. Either way, they failed.
If ATC had any sense they would replace this trailer with one that had a meticulous quality inspection
I was going to buy one of these, I’ve totally lost interest now
The best they offered was to go over their warranty again with me. I sold the trailer
Thank you!! Huge help.
I have seen few “real” reviews.
Other stories have confirmed all you have addressed.
Great concept, poor execution.
Will still consider the good with the bad. Don’t like my options.
Thank you Sir.
You’re correct when you say great concept, poor execution. Thank you and good luck!
sad too see these on such a high end trailer but still gonna buy one, other trailers ive seen over the years are worse hope they get their qc dialed in
I hope so too, good luck with your purchase
ATC trailers are fascinating in a way... you are drawn in by the build design but it is a nuts and bolts construction... while there are issues many are quick fixes. But you do have to see the sloppy or lack of QC. I own the QUEST MC300 motorcycle trailer.. saw some of the same nuts and bolts issues but I have really enjoyed it. If I did buy your model I would give it a severe once over and take a 50 mile trip through the mountains and check it out again.... like you said in the end NO WOOD ..
Thank you fir the honest and frank review... I guess you're off ATC's Christmas list..
Cheers
Scott
Haha, I guess I am probably not on ATC’s nice list anymore, oh well, honesty is more important. Thanks for passing on your experience with your ATC trailer. They have a lot of potential with their design and materials used, but making the payment isn’t very fun if the trailer is always at the dealership getting worked on it.
UPDATE: Spent the entire afternoon (8-31-2021) repairing the couch in my MC300 Quest Moto trailer. While on adventure this weekend I sat own and it came off the wall. The bolt could have been seated bettter. (the fix) I reenforced it with a steel plate and used larger bolts with more diameter. The seat is in perfectly and is sturdy. I just rewatched your video and I was much more encouraged with the ATC product. Many of your repairs were right up today's alley. Any future ATC aquisition would definitely get a handyman once over from me out the box. Cheers.
Scott
Thanks for the update, sounds like you were able to improve upon the fasteners and hopefully it’s good now. It’s unfortunate that the original design and execution isn’t as reliable and solid as it should be.
I want to thank you for making this video. I have one order and should be receiving it soon. I’ll make sure to inspect it well and I’m going to make the changes you did.
Thank you, I happy to hear it was helpful.
Great review. I hope ATC takes note of this kind of quality control issue. This will definitely affect my buying decision to an extent.
Thank you, I will do a follow up video after everything is fixed. I understand, no one buys a new trailer expecting to do extensive repairs. If I’d known about everything I would have to fix so far it might have changed my mind about buying it.
@@Pioneer_Classic_Trucks, will watch closely for the follow-up. Thanks for this very informative review!
Thank you, hopefully the next video is slightly more entertaining and less talking about problems.
@@Pioneer_Classic_Trucks 👎 that would have been a Game Changer Decision 😂👍 thank you so much for your very thorough video, I was about to write out a $130 K check, going to ask factory of every point you brought up in this video 🇨🇦
Haha, yes the Game Changer phrase is so overused now but it’s true. Good luck with your purchase if you buy an ATC and let us know their reply if you want to.
Looking at toy haulers and this shocked my wife and I. Thank you much for the in depth break down of the issues you had. Saved us a lot of headaches i bet. Good luck!
Thank you, hopefully it helps in your decisions.
Found this video while deciding weather or not to order one. For the cost of this thing I am very disappointed. I'm not going to buy one. Thanks for taking the time to make this video.
Thank you, it’s very disappointing, and I’m sorry to discourage your purchase but I just wanted to show it as honest as I could.
I have been researching Outdoors RV built in Legrand, Oregon. There is wood involved in their builds but after watching their factory build process and QA control I'm leaning that way. These are hand built, they build their own chassis and are not factory cookie cut mass produced. The quality is there. Now to check some owner reviews.
I looked at their website and it did look like they have a unique and quality product. The wood construction has some benefits over aluminum but I’ve had bad experience with wood framed trailers in
the past that leaked and then it turned into mold and structural damage. Also even if they don’t leak they can form condensation inside the walls when used in extreme weather conditions and that can lead to mold so in my situation I avoid the wood. Probably fine for some people though.
Never buying wood trailer again and very happy with ATC have it for two years no major problems yet.
@stanislavsavonin6405 yes, composite is much better than wood.
If you bought a cargo trailer and tried to convert it into something like this it would cost you a good 100k. So you have to think its still worth it to buy this for 50k and go over a few things that you have to get right. Theres just nothing else to compare it to and people want this type of rv. Still beats the other wood trailers.
I agree it’s a better solution, it’s not 50k though…
Wow these trailers are not cheap. I guess they don’t have quality control.
Yeah, it appears they don’t.
Very glad you are so particular I really wanted one my still get one just cheaper then there asking
Good luck if you do, I know I said in the video that they are still probably the best option but with their customer service or lack of, I can’t recommend anyone buy their product now.
Excellent and well done. I was considering one of these. This does not kill it but teaches me what to look for. Scary they allow these out without QC, they are not cheap to purchase.
Thank you, I agree.
thanks for highlighting these
I’m hoping it helps potential buyers or current owners be more aware of possible issues.
Wow! Completely unacceptable for the price of ATC products. This is not $25k trailer. I've been seriously considering at 2419 model but now having second thoughts. Who has time and wants to deal with the frustration of hagling with a dealer to fix problems that should have never left the factory. Now that you are two years in with yours, what are you thoughts at this point?
I actually sold the trailer after only using it a few times. After all of the repairs and seeing how poorly they are built I decided it was going to be an ongoing maintenance and repair nightmare and I lost interest in it completely and got a composite truck camper from OEV which has been way less problematic and better quality.
Thanks for sharing this misfortune .
I bought a game changer 29’ w/24’ box
Shavings of aluminum was found everywhere
Scratched kitchen sink
All over in bottom as if someone lived in it
But they said there wasn’t anything they could do about that.
The fender wells as well as the whole bottom should have some insulation sprayed for it does get cold .
Thanks for pointing this out as well as the front step
I have had issues with trying to close my door
You have to use both hands when inside and it does not close or should I say latch easy or at all ,unless
I hold the door key opener open then push close and manually latch it.. when I’m
On the outside.
The “HAPPY-JACK”
when reading the pamphlet it speaks of two beds can fit on the same Happy Jack
So I have only one therefore
I want it to come down to where it’s just inches away from the back side of my couches
So from
Where it is now there are no hand rails or fixed anything that would give you a secure footing coming down off of the bed and your left with guessing your footing and even your balance with the narrow ladder that is provided.
Their answer from dealership is that there is by code a certain height that it can come down
So that leaves the pamphlet being wrong ?
I would have to agree though that All Aluminum and no wood is the best way to have it.
Plus the removal if furniture or different places you can shift them
Sounds like you ended up with some of the same issues I had unfortunately. It feels like you get the scratch and dent model but don’t get a discount for damages. The aluminum frame is fine without insulation if you just stay in areas with nice weather, but that doesn’t work well for me. Due to past experiences with mold, I won’t buy anything that’s wood framed now, and I know I’m not the only one with these types of concerns, but until these companies can build high quality products, we’re stuck with buying what feels like a DIY project.
Thanks for the review I hope you get the dealer to replace and make everything right.
Me too, we’ll find out soon.
Seems like it’s impossible to buy a new RV that isn’t falling apart
Not impossible, but it’s not cheap
Has ATC reached out you or offered you bring it back to Factory for full repair. I sent this to Complete Trailers in Colorado working on a sale with them. Sent them a couple of your videos ask them to get them to ATC. Would be good videos to play in the next production meeting. I have had lots of RV's always problems but yours seem like they could fix them pretty quick with some management/owner intervention.
Their PR firm reached out to me after finding my videos apparently but nothing really happened from the communications, they basically just offered to go over the warranty with me. ATC did eventually reimburse me for some of the repairs I had to do but it took months. I’ve sold the trailer and I think I probably had most of the bugs worked out of it before selling it but it was pretty disappointing for what they cost and how much they brag about how good they are.
Not too bad, some issues are QC based, fair compensation would be to send you a $2000.00 check. But yes these types of issues can happen.
NOW for long term you need to make sure your frame doesn't crack
2k would be reasonable compensation I think, I have yet to receive anything, not even for parts with receipts.
@@Pioneer_Classic_Trucks I think $5000 to $10,000 would be minimum fair. Imagine how much they would have charged you (out of warranty) if the fixed these defects properly...like you did.
You’re right, shop rates at around $100/hr adds up very fast and I know it was a lot of hours for me to track down and correct all of the problems.
Geez!!
I was really considering purchasing one of these trailers. You would think with the cost of these trailers they would have better workmanship and QA.
Yes, absolutely. I haven’t heard from anyone else who owns one to know if everyone has this many problems of if I just happened to get one built on a Friday afternoon.
I find the idea of all aluminum the ideal. But aluminum cracks and strips easy threading so it is never a wise idea to use screws on it. Bolt on is the way to go. Even welds can break. Positive is they will not rust or rott you away. I believe they use Amish as workforce. Guess the Amish ain't neighter anymore what they used 'ta. Having the electricity underneath is recipe for trouble.
I agree, aluminum is a great material but their design is not. I haven’t heard about them using Amish as labor, that’s interesting. The mechanical and electrical was a mess everywhere that I could see it, really sloppy work, under the trailer, interior wiring, behind the battery charger/breaker/fuse panel was a huge mess of wires, exposed to sharp edges, not secured in place, bad connections, unsealed connections under the trailer, damaged wheel lug nuts, defective and damaged components, it was a long list of things that I found to fix.
Are you Series! how much did you pay for all this trouble....
I paid full retail price for the trailer, it took a long time, but ATC did reimburse me for some repairs I had to make. It wasn’t nearly enough for all of the trouble but it helped.
thats your Covid assembly line quality
@@mofo9900 yeah it was a nice touch
This is rather shocking,
Can't believe that a company of this magnitude has not got proper quality control!!
Thank you for pointing out the issues you found 👍🏻
I agree. Thank you
This was built during covid ???
Yes
Over all did the company make things right? Are did you have to get a Lawyer?
ATC did reimburse me for some of the repairs I had to make but not everything, it was quicker to do it myself than wait on the dealer so I took that risk of not being compensated for my work but I had to have it done to use the trailer. I sold the trailer and was happy to see it go even though I had fixed all of the problems. I did not get lawyers involved.
Dammmittt is their anything built right anymore? Thanks for your time and showcasing what you found and repairs including field repairs...😎🎯
Subscribed...
Thank you, I don’t know if anything is built right, I’ve had better luck with much cheaper RV’s in the past. I think I’ve decided that I will have to build what I want and be my own QC.
@@Pioneer_Classic_Trucks Based on your knowledge, standards, and skills i have no doubt you would build a great RV. Much better than ANY manufacturer.
I probably will build one when I finish restoring the truck I’d put it on.
Look like you are not happy of your trailer. Your voice tone is look like a guy having a prostate exam. But your tour from your rv is great !
Thank you, yes I was very unhappy, did a ridiculous amount of work on it, used it a few times and then sold it.
Since I do not RV full time & reasons as in this video I realized overall it’s a no brainer just to rent a cabin and then walk away from it all until year’s vacation.
There’s definitely benefits to that approach, campers are kind of an expensive luxury and not usually a great financial investment unless you get a lot of use out of them. Just depends on your unique situation.
Outstanding review. ATC should be embarrassed.
Thank you! I agree.
Thanks for the video. Looks like I can take this brand off my list. Seeing I just came back from the show in Hershey Park Pa. this month just to see these trailers and one other brand. And neither one of them were there. Or at least as I could fine. As the ATC dealer that is some what near me wouldn`t let me inside the one they had. Because they first said it just came in and it need to be PDI before they let any one in them. Then later said the same thing only this time because it was sold. Now after seeing your video and another one on here about the same trailer I think I know why. Because it looks like for the price they are asking for them. It is just as cheaply built as the other trailers out there.
What is the other brand you were looking at? I was able to look at one other trailer at the dealership when I bought this one but a lot of the problems I had to fix were things that weren’t obvious until I got it home and looked at everything closer when I started using it. It seems like their original design and intention to build something quality is lost when the people assembling them don’t have the skills, experience, or competence to create the end product that matches the original design and marketing. They have a lot of potential with the materials used, but it did seem like it was the same attention to detail that you would find on any basic RV’s construction, just thrown together with lots of sloppy work, especially all of the mechanicals and interior finish work, the structure and exterior seems the be where they were able to maintain more consistent QC. Any panel I removed to work on mechanicals revealed lots of construction trash and wires and plumbing not properly secured, just kinda shoved in place and covered up, which was going to make any future repairs/maintenance even more challenging. I was willing to give them my money because I was led to believe they had a superior product, but I should have done more research before buying from them.
@@Pioneer_Classic_Trucks I wanted to see this and the outdoors RV. Their out of Oregon and they really seem to be put together right on there videos. But aren`t they all LOL. Plus they seem to already come with everything standard geny water tank heaters etc. I can`t get over how these guys build them. A toyhauler for side by side or bikes etc. There is a pretty good chance that the people who would buy a trailer to take there toys with them. Mite know a wrench from a screw driver. So you would think that they mite put a little more effort into quality control while making these. Seeing these are more money then a normal trailer. I looked at a brand new 25G the dealer just got in. The frame was already rusting and under carriage cover was hanging down. And the trim inside was coming off. As it was only put on with staples and the shower insert wasn`t sealed. There is a guy on here that has one of the Outdoors RVs and does reviews on it. I think he said he has over 8000 miles on it and hasn`t had one issue. Lets be honest these things get up to 75k and more. If you buy a 75k car or truck that damn thing had better be right from the word go. But with a RV the builder like are well you know it`s an RV.
You are correct, it’s like the RV industry is exempt from holding to any standard even though they have the little sticker on the outside that says they meet the standard for the industry. It’s all a joke I think. They build what they want and charge what they want and expect most people won’t know the difference. Outdoors RV does seem to have kind of a unique product also, but they are still wood construction, so I never looked at them seriously. I’ve had to do repairs on past trailers that have the plastic belly pan covering the tanks and plumbing etc, and they are junk, there’s no way to keep rodents from getting in, something is always coming loose, anyway I could go on and on about how poorly made they all are.
Excellent video thank you. I am not looking to buy a trailer at the present time, but have a plan for down the road in the future when I retire. ATC is one of the trailers at the top of my list. But watching shoddy workmanship like this frustrates me. Not sure that I will be ATC in the future if I have to go through all the Hoops you have gone through. Again, thank you
Thank you, I appreciate the feedback. I’m glad the time I spent making the video wasn’t wasted, seems like it’s reaching the people who need to see it.
Typical RV issues. At least it's not gonna rot when it leaks, or when the moisture in your breath condenses on the cold spots.
One misnomer that needs to be cleared up. The phrase aluminum does not rust is misused. Rust it the name for corrosion on ferrous metals. Aluminum is corrosion resistant not corrosion proof. If exposed to briny liquids like that used in road deicers the aluminum will corrode rapidly.
Yes, very true, especially the calcium chloride being used now, horrible for any metal
Would you make the purchase again, or would you purchase another brand? I’m so curious…..
At this point I would not buy another one, it hasn’t been a great experience overall, email after email unanswered and calls to the dealer and they seem to just forget about me and don’t call back, and I still haven’t been reimbursed for parts I had to buy. It’s been so frustrating and disappointing.
@@Pioneer_Classic_Trucks Oh man! I’m so sorry to hear this news… You know, I was seriously considering this camper until running into your feed and reviews about the build quality. To see how much you rely on this kit for what it was designed for and have it perform in this manner hurts me brother. Would you go with another brand, or just keep rebuilding this unit until it is up to your standards? I’m just curious…
I reached the end of my patience and actually just sold the trailer, I feel like I had most of the bugs worked out and repairs done, but I had a bad feeling about the long term durability of the unit, especially considering the lack of support from the dealer and company. It seems like their only fix was to review the warranty with me which didn’t give me much confidence in them, I need something that is reliable long term, I want nothing to do with it if it’s always going to need repairs.
@@Pioneer_Classic_Trucks Really? Well… you’ve made up my mind about this rig and I’m going Class C then. I’m so terribly sorry to hear this mate! Tank toy for your commentary and Truth. I’ll stay connected with you.
Good luck with your search and purchase!
Wow thanks for the information had my mind made up on atc I guess I’ll give sundowner a second look good luck with your new rig.
I was also looking at Sundowner, and I would sure be interested to know if they have better QC. Good luck to you as well.
Thank you for taking the time to point these things out!I have the same trailer but 20' with many of the same issues, and some you didn't show. How can I get in contact with you?
Thank you! I’m sorry to hear yours has issues also. Can you message me on Instagram for contact info? It’s @pioneer_classic_trucks
WoW, I was looking to purchase the 4528 toy hauler, I guess I go with the Cimarron TH with the Outlaw conversion. Although not the perfect floor plan, at least it wont fall apart. I'd be concerned about the deficiencies you didn't find. i.e. behind the aluminum skin. THX for your information, very helpful.
I think I would have asked for a replacement or my money back.
I was so discouraged that I was actually thinking about taking it back to the dealer and asking for money back or a different trailer, I didn’t expect another trailer to be any better I guess. I agree that it not confidence inspiring to find so many “surface” issues when there is so much that’s buried beneath the skin and inside the structure. I feel like the way you do one thing is the way you de everything...
@@Pioneer_Classic_Trucks Sad, because I really wanted to believe that this brand was the holy Grail of toy haulers. Maybe going forward they will improve their build quality.
I hope they do, I think the market needs it.
They would get this hauler BACK- 👍🏻
I seriously considered that but I had a trip planned and wanted to make it work. It wasn’t worth the trouble, I could have just tent camped and saved a lot of work and headaches.
We have been.looking aT these
Bummer
Well I’d recommend looking closely before you buy. I hope you don’t have problems like mine if you do buy one.
We went through this with a Sundowner. Thought ATC might be better. Nope!
Oh, interesting! I have no experience with them but I expected them to be a high quality unit based on the pricing. Thanks for the comment!
@@Pioneer_Classic_Trucks Too much to list here. We sold the trailer, but I still have a log of the issues beginning literally from the moment we first saw it. They talked a big game, but the QC was abysmal.
Seems like the same assembly quality as the stick n staple type trailers...so what ever happened to "made in merica" is better...guess not. And for their price point, the assembly quality should damn well be stellar!
Yes, I’d say it’s the same assembly quality or worse for this trailer in particular compared to the generic campers on the market. I’ve heard from some ATC owners with better and also worse experiences with these trailers.
wth? with these many issues.. why did you buy it??? seams more like a competitor knocking the atc
I’m definitely not a competitor, just an unhappy customer. I didn’t find problems till I got it home and started preparing for a trip and going through systems just to get familiar with it. Also prepping for the spray foam exposed a lot of problems that weren’t obvious looking at it on the sales lot.
Geeezus my 1st review was at 4 min. And it's still getting worse, fuckin ay the wheel studs....
Yeah, wheel studs and nuts are pretty important.
Wow.. now i am questioning should I even look at these. I am in the market for a toy hauler. I would have not thought the ATC would have these QA issues
I was surprised to find so many issues, hopefully I’ve got most of the bugs worked out but I will still be doing more work to it in the future adding solar panels, new charge controller, and relocating the batteries.
This video disappointed me tremendously. Just when I thought I had found a company and a product that was superior to all the others. And given the cost of these units, this kind of poor quality is totally unacceptable. I don't know if ATC saw this video but someone should send it to them if they haven't seen it. Not sure I would have been as gracious as you are and I don't think I will buy one now.
They have seen it, their PR co reached out to me but all they’ve offered so far is to go over the warranty with me. I have been waiting for months now but I have not even been reimbursed for parts I had to buy yet. I would not recommend them to anyone at this point if this is the best customer service they can offer.
Any chance you'd be willing to sell it now that all the issues have been resolved? It was up on my list but after your video I'm a skeptic.
I’ve already sold it, and I still haven’t been reimbursed for parts I had to buy so I’m not happy with ATC’s customer service either. I will probably never buy from them again.
@@Pioneer_Classic_Trucks Thanks for the excellent review and I'm sorry it was such a bad experience. Thanks also for the prompt reply!
@@Pioneer_Classic_Trucks As a matter of curiosity have you found a better built rig?
I bought a slide in camper called the Camp X from Overland Explorer Vehicles and have not had a chance to use it very much yet. My initial impression is that it is a much higher quality unit, but it’s obvious very different from the toy hauler. I honestly don’t know what I would buy if I bought another trailer. I would definitely not buy anything bumper pull again, I’ve always had 5th wheels and they tow so much better, especially for something as big and heavy as a toy hauler. I’ve talked to other people with bumper pull toy hauler trailers and they say the same thing, they are not always easy to get the weight where you need it for proper tongue weight and a sway control hitch is pretty much mandatory to be able to tow them at highway speed. There was another manufacturer mentioned somewhere in the comments that I looked up and they seemed interesting and might have potential to be well built, I don’t remember the name right now.
Man... sorry you had all these issues. I have been looking at these trailers for a year and had my mind made up on the 2816. Question for you... It appears you did a lot of work after you received this trailer and that some of it will just be unfixable due to where it is positioned etc. Did you make ATC aware of these issues other than this video and if so what was their response? New to the RV scene so just learning about things. Is there any legal type action you could take. It appears that they delivered an inferior product (probably due to covid) and that you should be due some sort of compensation. It's like buying a house with the foundation messed up and finding out after the you purchased it that the old owners had someone do work on the house and they messed up the foundation So you still have the legal ability to go after that contractor even though you didn't hire them. With the kind of money you spend on these trailers the damn thing should dry you off when you get out of the shower. Thanks for taking the time to make and post this!
I think everything is fixable, I haven’t noticed any structural issues or anything major like that. I have not attempted to contact ATC directly but the dealer seems like they are willing to fix things and reimburse me for parts I’ve had to buy, but I haven’t had time to get the trailer back to them yet. Probably will soon and depending on how it goes it might be content for another video...
I am concerned for everything that isn’t visible though, when there are so many very obvious issues it makes me wonder what’s hiding under the surface out of sight. I will be looking into compensation and probably making another video update on how it goes.
@@Pioneer_Classic_Trucks Exactly... like after a long day what parts have rubbed together and become damaged in some way. Well Good Luck!
I’ve sold the ATC, but I have not been reimbursed for the parts and repairs I had to make. I have several emails to the dealer now that have gone unanswered so I don’t know
If the problem is with the dealer or ATC, but either way it has not been a good experience.
Does ATC sub contract building this trailers? I was searching the ST Louis Missouri area and it appears the dealer is A Trailer Repair/Custom build operation, I think if I would build one I would want QC at the build location in person before taking ownership...
I don’t know if they sub out any of the construction on these, it’s possible. I know other manufacturers sub out different phases of the build.
I have visited the same dealership in the St. Louis area. I believe the are just a dealer. They can do repairs but I don’t think they build them. They also have a dealership in the cape area.
Damn i just got mine from them as well being delivered this week i hope. I'll have to take a look all around to see if i have the same issues
I hope you don’t have ANY issues with yours.
Great review of the issues.. Glad to hear you would still buy it though.. I have had a new ATC (2 years ago) and a Used one before that, with the exact same thoughts. HOW DID THAT PASS INSPECTION!!, and "I'd definitely buy it again"... ... as a side note, "So far" ATC has honored ANY request for warranty work we asked for. Friends and acquaintances have been denied from "other" manufacturers for basic stuff. Best part, Structural warranty is 5 years now. Please be sure and make another video after you get it sorted out. Beautiful looking trailer by the way... Who did the insulation underneath if you don't mind...
I’m glad to hear that your warranty work has gone well, the 5 yr warranty helps to have confidence in that part of the manufacturing, all of the structure and welds that are visible look good. I had a local residential insulation company spray the foam, I’d have to look up the name now but I took the trailer to their yard and picked it up the next day.
I am sorry to hear this but wondering who the dealer was so I do not use them. They obviously do not check their trailers before delivery. And we did you choose to do repairs and not have the dealer do it. I am set to order from ATC and did all the research before choosing them but this was tough to hear so thx. At the least I would want to hear why their quality control is apparently lacking so badly
@@richardgiambruno4052 I did the repairs myself because I wanted the peace of mind that it was actually ready to go and reliable. Having a breakdown or a lot things not working when you’re on a trip a long way from home and help isn’t the kind of vacation we wanted. I have seen too many bad experiences in the past from putting trust in other people’s repairs and integrity. So yes, it’s completely ridiculous to have to do repairs to a new trailer, but I also didn’t trust anyone else to do any better.
wow what a letdown thought this trailer was going to be a good one and a lot of money for so many mistakes.
Yes, way too much money for all of the problems.
what about the warranty etc?
They do have a warranty, after getting the trailer home I did the repair work myself because I had a trip planned and it was just easier and faster for me to do it than take it back to the dealer and wait for them to have time to work on it, then go back to pick it up. Also, I didn’t really know if I could trust them to do the work any better than the factory did. They apparently didn’t go over the trailer before they sold it, or they would have seen at least some of the obvious problems I had to fix. I also did the prep work myself before having the spray foam installed and I found a lot of things to fix during that process. I just did what I had to do to be able to use the trailer for a trip. Looking back now, I should have taken it back to the dealer and got my money back immediately, it would have saved so much headache.
I had a 2014 ATC enclosed trailer that I bought new. It had a full bathroom and beds in it to function as a toy hauler. I had quite a few little issues with it. However, I will say that ATC stepped up and paid for repairs no questions asked. I traded the ATC trailer for a much larger InTech gooseneck trailer and I have had NO issues with the Intech trailer. Just my .02
Interesting, I’m not familiar with the InTech but I will be checking them out. Thanks!
Was considering ATC 20 foot but now considering the Intech Terra Sol based on great and thorough repairs/issues by PCT.
I’m not familiar with that company but I hope you have great luck with them.
Would you buy the same brand over?
I can’t say for sure but I would shop around more with other manufacturers and also spend more time looking at the trailer closely instead of just listening to how good the salesman thinks it is. I would be the crazy guy who brings my own creeper to roll around under the trailer at the dealership before buying it. Ultimately I plan to build my own camper, I just thought this would be a good solution for the short term.
NEVER sign the financing or delivery documents until you have performed a delivery inspection. Once you sign the papers it is your problem, and the dealers / factory will not be responsive.
I definitely looked it over before buying it, I even pointed out the potential water leak I found and the dealer sent a tech out to look at it and determined that they had just spilled some water filling the tank and called it good, which was not the case.
I should have tested everything in the trailer more thoroughly before signing, I guess I was too trusting when they told me they prepped it and it was all ready to go.
@@Pioneer_Classic_Trucks That happened to us on a Voltage toy hauler.. Tough lesson learned.
Yes it is
As a 2021 ATC 2823 owner I can tell you I have as many and some of the same issues as this man. *** DO NOT BUY ATC ***
I’m sorry to hear that, and unfortunately I’ve heard that from a lot of people since I posted my videos. Good luck with it.
Wow this is very disappointing; the most expensive trailers on the market and this is the finished product
That’s wild!
I expected to be more impressed for what they charge. It’s nice to use now that I fixed everything but what a hassle it was.
Do you feel this is partially due to Covid supplies and labor quality decrease or typical of this brand? This is the first really bad review of an ATC I have myself seen. Are the earlier versions higher quality?
That’s the only reason or excuse I can imagine but I honestly don’t know, I have no prior experience with ATC and don’t know anyone personally that has one either. I think this one was built around the end of 2020.
I know “one trailer” is a small sample group, but I have an 2018 20’er and it’s been great. Only issue we’ve had is the motor for the awning has gone out twice, both times it was with the prior owner.
It was actually at dealership to replace the motor when we bought it. We’ve had zero issues with it.
Is that because it’s pre-covid, possibly. I know ATC had a great reputation when we bought it. I watched tons of video reviews and didn’t find anyone having the issues you’ve been dealing with. That sucks and hopefully they get it taken care of for you.
It’s great to hear that your ATC has been a good experience.
And these are $95,000? I'll pass
Mine was a little less than that but that was a few years ago.
@@Pioneer_Classic_Trucks I'm looking a toy haulers for my wife and I with our toy being a CF Moto 1000. Price does matter and I'm looking at Forest River Wildwood 270. My hurdle is spending $27,000 for something that may not last the duration of the loan. This would be my 1st toy hauler. Any thoughts?
I’m not familiar with that particular trailer but yes, they basically all depreciate faster than you can pay them off. I had a Wanderer wagon years ago, pretty basic but decent for what it cost.
So , what you are saying is they are built like crap just like the rest of the trailer market. So disappointing but thanks for sharing.
Thanks, it’s definitely disappointing.
I was going to buy one of these trailers for hunting and carrying my motorcycle
Not going to pay a premium for this poor quality control
Really disappointed
If ATC management stressed workmanship and not pumping out trailers as fast as possible I would gladly pay an additional five thousand to get a perfect build
Whoever their quality control man is would be fired
I agree, I’m willing to pay for quality, but they don’t have it currently.
Guess it's true to let someone else buy your rv and fix all the issues then sell it at a discount a few years later.
That’s not a bad plan if they’ve done quality work.
I would say this company is severely lacking in QA inspection!
This just sucks man. I guess even ATC totally dispenses with any notion of quality control, just like all the rest of the RV industry with their crappy balsa wood contraptions. And yet, ATC charges an extremely premium price for these trailers - 50% to 100% more than an equivalent "wood" trailer - and ATC is much more primitive and unrefined on the interior design and amenities. What really concerns me is the thing they push the most in their marketing - the all aluminum frame. It makes me wonder - do the welds on that aluminum frame have the same quality control issues that all of the interior and mechanicals have? Are cross-members going to start cracking after 10,000 miles and the whole thing starts coming apart? And they drastically increased their prices from 2020 to 2021, up almost another 50%. It's just pitiful. ATC should be ashamed of themselves and everybody should see this video. Hopefully it goes viral and forces ATC to publicly address the changes they are going to make.
Thanks for the comment. I have experience in welding and manufacturing and trust me I looked at all of the structural welds that I could see, and they actually look pretty good. I imagine the crew that assembles and welds the aluminum frame is different than whoever finishes out the rest of the trailer. To me, the frame and upper framing is the most important part, and I feel like I have more confidence in that part of the trailer than how it was finished out. If I’d seen sketchy looking structural welds anywhere under the trailer I wouldn’t have bought it. Period. I don’t know how it will hold up long term but I feel like it has to be more reliable than a wood frame. I used to always find staples and screws on the floor of my previous wood framed trailers when I would arrive at the final destination. I’ve also experienced water leaks, defective rubber membrane roofs, rotten structural wood, and mold on past trailers. I have no desire to ever own one of those again so an aluminum trailer was my only hope. I didn’t expect perfection from ATC, but I also can’t believe all of the problems I’ve found so far.
I’d take it back and get a discount
Damn. This right here is just another reason why the RV industry gets a bad name . . .
Unfortunately, yes it is.