Fadiing paint

[catmck]

Hi all, we have a Sunset Trail 30 RE and have enjoyed it for 3 yrs. For the past 2 yrs. we have wintered in Florida and this year have noticed light streaks on the top front of the trailer. Has anyone else had this problem and what can I do to fix it? It has been washed and waxed and I can't believe that the sun would do this amount of damage on a 3 year old trailer.
Thanks for any help.
Cathy

[Chateau Duke To Go]

My 2014 Cruiser is currently in the paint shop because the front cap faded. It looked like it was melting. Not only Crossroads but a number of manufacturers had an issue with the tan - brown paint. Even though it was out of warranty, crossroads picked up the cost of repai ting due to it being a problem with the materials used.

[catmck]

Thanks, did you take it to your dealer or the factory?

[Chateau Duke To Go]

I took it to Camping World in Robertsale Alabama. I know CW has a terrible reputation but I have had very good luck with this particular location. I did contact Crossroads directly to facilitate the repair.

[Tim D]

My "13" cap had faded. My dealer took it to a big body shop to be repainted. I had dealer note mine starting to fade under warranty, then brought it in later.

[Darrell]

This has been a huge issue with the Crossroads products. I am in the club as well. I will be taking it to Maaco in Halifax NS for a repainting (covered by the warranty). Maaco guys have painted many trailers from different makes. The tech said they do not use enough paint, or apply enough/any clear coat, thus the fading. Mine only took 18 months to fade.

[Crobyn]

Their finish is designed to just make it past the warranty period and they will not cover it. Some have even started fading before the warranty and as far as we know CrossRoads repaired them. But if you expect a quality finish that will last 10 or so years don’t buy any of their products. You would expect the finish on a $40K camper to last longer than 1 ½ years. They flat out reject any help for us as you can see by the correspondence below.

Unfortunately your unit is over a year past its warranty expiration date so we cannot participate in any coverage.

[Crobyn]

Good luck! If we get this resolved, we are thinking of having the cap painted to match the beige sides.

Originally Posted by Darrell

This has been a huge issue with the Crossroads products. I am in the club as well. I will be taking it to Maaco in Halifax NS for a repainting (covered by the warranty). Maaco guys have painted many trailers from different makes. The tech said they do not use enough paint, or apply enough/any clear coat, thus the fading. Mine only took 18 months to fade.

[mark5w]

That would be your best bet to paint the same color as sides. Unfortunately, you have to pay for it. But you will have the advantage of a painted cap and not a colored gel coat.

[Tim D]

Originally Posted by Crobyn

Good luck! If we get this resolved, we are thinking of having the cap painted to match the beige sides.

I asked about that. They said it would cost more due to needing more paint and multiple coats to cover the brown with the lighter color. I suppose if you pay the difference you could get whatever color you want.

[LeBo]

Crobyn you give CR to much credit when the word design is used it implies doing some of calculations that could predict when the cap would start fading.

[8iron]

Originally Posted by LeBo

Crobyn you give CR to much credit when the word design is used it implies doing some of calculations that could predict when the cap would start fading.

I don't believe that CR make the fibreglass front caps. Like the majority of your rv it is assembled from components manufactured by a 3rd party. I do wish that CR would ensure better quality materials were used instead of having the same fading issues every model year.

[Crobyn]

I got a call from Mike, the Retail Manager at CR. He said he was sorry, but we are out of warranty. I was snarky and replied - "really? I didn't know that!" Anyway, I told him that this was a major negative customer experience and if CR was truly interested in customer satisfaction, they would do something to help us out with this very known issue. He continued with the "Sorry, you are out of warranty" speech.

Originally Posted by Tim D

I asked about that. They said it would cost more due to needing more paint and multiple coats to cover the brown with the lighter color. I suppose if you pay the difference you could get whatever color you want.

[Tonialax]

With all of these paint problems, do you all think that I should get the extended warranty for paint/fading through our dealer? We are closing on our trailer next week and I'm starting to think that it might be a good idea to have that. I think that I remember it costing between $500-$900.

[Lloyd]

Seems that CR has gotten the fading issue under control from what I have read. Plus, I believe it was the dark colored caps that were the one's having the problem. If your new trailer doesn't have the the dark front cap, I guess I wouldn't be worried about fading.
Another thing, if that extended warranty you mentioned was just going to cover the painting of the front cap, some have stated they got theirs repainted for that amount of $

As far as extended warranty, that has to be your decision. Just make darn sure you know what it will, and what it won't cover.
Usually the price is quite negotiable, and it ranges all over the board.

[8iron]

Originally Posted by Tonialax

With all of these paint problems, do you all think that I should get the extended warranty for paint/fading through our dealer? We are closing on our trailer next week and I'm starting to think that it might be a good idea to have that. I think that I remember it costing between $500-$900.

Ask exactly what is covered under the extended warranty. In my experience those ex warranties aren't worth the dollars paid for them.

[rhemeyer]

Too bad CR does not stand behind their product. My nose cone is faded, chairs and sofa had to be replaced as the fabric fell apart. Harness on slide still has not been repaired, my jacks had to be repaired twice and the overflow on our fresh water holding tank was crimped from factory. Trading it in and it won't be a CR. You have my money for a working rv now stand behind your product!!!

[harley]

Your front cap is only crappy gel coat ,not paint ...the sofa is only bonded leather that peels eventually. Get ready for other things.

[OhioMark]

My 1 year old is starting to fade also despite two clay bar and wax jobs last year.

I am completely astounded how the boating industry solved this problem 20 years ago yet the knuckleheads that make the caps for trailer manufacturers still after 5 years can't get the UV protection right on these.


...I'm smelling a class action suit here, but as we all know only the attorneys really make out in the end and the owners end up with a $10 gift certificate to Camping World

I'm still under warranty but if they paint it, I lose all the decals on the cap and it will look like a FEMA trailer.

I'm thinking of just putting a full 3M wrap/decal across the areas that are fading

[rhemeyer]

Originally Posted by harley

Your front cap is only crappy gel coat ,not paint ...the sofa is only bonded leather that peels eventually. Get ready for other things.

yes but when you buy a brand new unit, you should at least get 2 years out of it. I only use this unit 2 months a year. The unit I had before lasted 8 years and was in good shape when I traded it in a Coachman. They can't fix or won't fix the slide harness. The gel coat should last more than 1 year. We have waxed it and keep it in the shade. Thank goodness the company that makes the furniture stood behind their product and exchanged them. They looked like a chipmunk had been let loose on them. My lamp fell down twice, the valences are coming out, the under belly almost blew our floor out as it was crimped and did not allow for overflow and while the sensors do not work and I can go on. I will let others now so they won't spend their hard earned money on junk that should have been built right to begin with. My dealer does not carry them anymore for this reason!!!