The Lexington Class B+ motorhome from Forest River offers the features and amenities that most Class B shoppers are looking for in an affordable, easy-to-drive recreational vehicle. You will appreciate the large slide-out pantry with more than enough room for all your food storage needs. Lexington owners also enjoy the full dry bath with shower, linen storage, and mirrored medicine cabinet. All Lexingtons feature solid oak raised-panel cabinet doors and drawers, oak-edged countertops and dinette table, a large two door refrigerator and an abundance of overhead storage.
When talking with dealers and RV owners we found that Forest River was average in quality construction and customer service. In our housing publications we found large companies typically produced affordable homes with a lot of nice amenities but overall rated average in the area of construction and average to below average on customer service. Small to midsize companies, in our opinion, usually have a better handle on customer service and quality control issues. The downside with small to midsize companies is that they typically don’t have the price advantage as larger companies do. Most consumers are driven by price, which gives large companies like Forest River an edge.
Comments: Forest River is the largest privately owned manufacturer of RVs in the United States. In the summer of 2005 Warren Buffett, billionaire investor and insurance executive, purchased Forest River for an undisclosed amount. According to an article by RV Business, “Liegl, the company’s founder continues to run the company with a, “hands-off” management style approach. Buffett, believes that managers of his companies ought to be left to run their businesses without interference from him, and without having to adhere to any unifying corporate strategies or goals.”
The company’s business model is volume orientated and is appealing to the entry-level to mid-range buyer with price being the main driving force. On the downside, based on our research, many Forest River owners are displeased with the workmanship regarding the interiors. Little things like cuts in the linoleum, factory workers puncturing water lines and drawers that pop open when traveling were issues. We are not suggesting that Forest River is a bad company or their products are inferior. These are just some of the things we discovered during our research. The company sells thousands of units per year and it’s impossible to have a perfect record. If you’re considering a Forest River we would encourage you to focus on a reputable RV dealer that has a good reputation for servicing their customers
Questions like the ones below are covered in our RV Comparison Guides:
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How do I determine the overall quality of construction? |
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Should I trade in my old RV or sell it? |
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How do I select the right RV dealer for me? |
