construction

 I was at a RV show over the weekend and noticed with the r-pod on display that the framing was a soft white wood with knots not the hardwood clear of knots the earlier r-pods were built from. The over all quality was still better than the average camper at the show and that most all campers were built with the same soft white wood. What I also noticed that campers from different manufactures many of the staples missed the framing they were intended for. My thinking are these campers are being built very quickly and the builders are not able to take the time to be more careful things are lined up correctly. Staples are the number one method for assembly though the better campers are still using mostly screws. Some for the interior framing are using aluminum but in someways I would prefer wood for doing mods easier to work with. If the fit and finish of most campers were like that of our tow vehicles there would be many good looking quality campers. As most campers are built now I would never want to pay close to what the manufactures suggested retail price is listed. I think when someone is looking for a camper they need take a close look at the overall construction to avoid repairs down the road and hopefully get a good camper for what they are paying for.    David

I agree, knowing how many issues with rot I've read about and seen (friend's and paret's campers).  No wood or particle board would be great from a longevity standpoint.