I am laughing so hard that Craig can change breaks and do all of that other maintenance but didn't fix the cabinet door. You both are so funny and a pleasure to watch! Thanks for sharing your adventures! 😊
As a Business/IT Analyst, I found their problem solving/solutions/testing techniqes and the fact that they are sharing this information all very interesting.
You all are a breath of fresh air. Love your videos. Thanks for the factory tour! We're retired and just get up and go ,...wish we could have done it when we were your age! Go get those memories. Thanks!
I have been waiting for this update. So glad it came out great. We have decided to order the Z3400 for our Full time home this year. With a matching new GMC Denali 3500. You can only spoil yourself once.
I am also very impressed that they quality check EVERY UNIT. That definitely does not happen with other brands. They'll check every so often, but not every single unit. I also love that the owners of this company actually camp and use RVs so they know what common issues are and better functioning for layout and user friendliness.
I am very impressed with how they keep their stations clean and vacuum up sawdust and pieces of wood and plastic and screws etc. as they go. Nobody else does that it seems. Other brands we have had constantly drip/shower sawdust and pieces of junk out of the roof, vents, and cupboards every time we drive down the road and we have to vacuum and wipe everything down each time. It is a pain! So glad to see these guys taking care of each stage and making it clean and easier on the customer.
That was really good, folks. One thing I noticed over other factory tours is how clean everything looked. We've done several factory tours and we were constantly stepping over stuff on the floor (sawdust, screws, wiring pieces, etc.). The inside of the units being built was the same way. Brinkley seems to be a step above on so many levels. Brinkley (Z3610 and G3500) are on the short list for our next rig. Thanks for an honest review; makes the decision that much easier!
As an RV Salesman, I love showing the Brinkley's! Watching peoples eyes pop out of their heads is always fun! When people who have had multiple RV's walk into a Brinkley and start testing the fit and finish and they can't believe how well it's built, It makes this job so much fun! Looking forward to following your adventures. Talking price point, For the build and the overall quality of the Brinkley's, they're price point is amazing. There are other brands that are ALL AROUND nowhere near as well built that are 10, 20, 30k more for the same floor plans.
Love what you Guy's have been doing and I started while You were in Mexico and I always keep up with You. Please keep on doing what You Do. The Personalities go so well. God Bless You Both
Thanks for this update, we've ordered a Z2900 and are looking forward to our first fifth wheel after numerous travel trailers. So happy to hear all the positive comments. Safe travels.
Love watching you-all. We aren't full-timers but we have a z3100 no. 538 off the line and your right in that they corrected a lot of little things as they built more units. Their customer service has been just great. Response time is really fast. We love everything about Brinkley. Thanks for sharing your factory experience with us.
As a retired electrical engineer I applaud their use of wiring harnesses. These are the types of manufacturing techniques that help reduce and eliminate mistakes as well as speeding up assembly.
Great update and tour! I, too, have followed Brinkley for quite a while but had to wait on a bumper pull as we can't leave behind the fishing kayak and gear (and do not have a dually). We put an order in on the Z Air 285....sight unseen! That's just how much we've loved and appreciated the finishes we've seen on all of their other models. Can't wait to follow you up to Alaska! I've cruised and flown up but not driven! Safe journeys to you both!
People are nice because you’re so nice and nice attracts nice. Love follow you!!!! You’re just so refreshing with uplifting videos. We keep you in our prayers for safe travels❤
Another great video! Happy anniversary! Amy and I are buying a 3100 and finding your channel has been informative and fun. If you're coming through Kingman Arizona, we have a nice piece of land in the mountains with a 50 amp service, water and a place to dump. Feel free to contact us if you'd like to park awhile and enjoy the cool pine forest👍
LOL! I have a soft close cabinet in our stick and bricks like you have in your rv. It too has been a problem closing. Watching your vid I learned the way to adjust the door!!! Thank you!
I like the eternabond sealing! That’s a nice touch! The shower/caulk issue has been a problem on our last 2 rigs!! What an easy fix! 😢 We look now..unfortunately.
You guys rock! Another great video. We’ve been in our Brinkley Z3100 (#513) for9 months with minimum issues. I agree with you about Brinkley’s customer service team. They are second to none. Stay safe on your trip to Alaska.
I don't have anything bad to say about Brinkley. The problem I have is watching the workers in the plant, they are moving as fast as they can. Guys are running putting the roof on, the same guys putting the screws in look like it is a competition who can do more. Mistakes are often overlooked when we work at this speed. I've worked over 30 years for myself and quality trumps speed every time. You do 10 things well and nothing really gets said but make one mistake and the word travels quickly.
That is correct, specially if no one is checking the work has been completed correctly. But then again, these workers I'm sure know they were being watched or filmed. When that happens, they want to show off their skills and how quickly it could be done. Kind of a way to impress the boss or the people that are watching.
During our factory tour about a week before Craig and Victoria’s, I was impressed by the speed as well, but noticed most of the workers had a smile on their faces. I’ve seen the same thing in the construction industry where crews that work together 5 or 6 days a week can be fast and good. It’s like a competition within your group to get better, it helps the work day pass more quickly. Another thing that impressed me was when the workers were screwing down the roof deck, any screw that snapped they worked the screw head back out then put another screw in. Many workers would not have taken the trouble and just kept up production.
You clearly don't work in manufacturing, Time is money... Cycle times are the most important part of manufacturing, you would cringe if you saw how your car or truck was built. And yes that's what I do for a living is automation for manufacturing. You have a set time to get your station completed, most of the workers are also Amish or Menanite in Indiana and they are used to working hard and fast. A lot of these plants allow the workers to do piece work, if they make their quote for the day by noon they get to leave after they are done. If they take their time then they stay longer during the day. They also have PDI which is supposed to catch all of the possible quality issues ( But doesn't always catch everything as I know from my Alliance Valor). If it took 2 weeks to build a trailer you would be on a waiting list for years to get a trailer. Mass production is key to getting a new trailer in a timely manner.
@@JeffGarrison-xz9qq this unit is number 101. I’m sure when the company first got things rolling there were problems. We had an 03 motorhome with a neo angle shower door. Every time we took a shower, as soon as we opened the door it dumped water on the floor and carpet. We just assumed it was our fault because of not leveling perfect or something. It turns out that a teeny little black plastic plug at the end of the track had fallen out. It’s these little things that when discovered a company finds a way to improve it. In my experience as a homeowner and using various sealants and caulking compounds I’ve found that silicone products seal badly. We had a professionally installed shower door with an anodized frame sealed to a porcelain tub with white RTV. After several months due to constant heating and contraction etc it leaked. Fortunately it was quite obvious and we had to remove the doors, the top rails, the side frame and pry off the track to reseal it. It was not our only tub shower thankfully. We were without that tub for the better part of a week. In an RV with limited work space, a single shower, and likely no close by Home Depot, this would have been a pain to fix. The company that did our shower door install told us they have since changed to a different caulk since the original was failing.
Great update on the Brinkley. I’m going to the Tampa show this year and can’t wait to see all the offerings. Thanks for this video and please know, there are more nice people out there than mean people. Thank goodness!
We just caught up on all you videos, really enjoy your adventures. We too are full timers with a Border Collie. Love to see your boys as it reminds us when we had 2. People will never understand life with a BC. They are not like any other dogs. Our murphy would chase the cars from the back seat also, his nose would squeak on the driver side window behind me. Found after 4 years a plastic bottle with pennies in it, shaken once and hat behavior was done. He never did it again. Unfortunately we lost him 3 years ago and now have only Charlie who is 8 years old now. WE live in our Grand Design Solitude 310GK 2021 and love it! We are very impressed with the Brinkley's also. Keep up the great videos and feature life with Border Collies as it is exciting! They are great dogs.
We looked at the 3610 before purchasing our 3100 and considered it. Like you Craig, I would have loved to have a dedicated office to use as an edit suite. But, we really wanted to stay 35' or less on the trailer so we went with the 3100. Looking forward to your Alaska trip. We were gonna go this year, but after buying the Brinkley, we decided not to go break it in the first year. Totally agree on the residential look and feel. The first night Toni and I sat in the rig we both said we didn't feel like we were in a trailer, we felt like we were in an apartment. Love how it feels in the inside. Agree on the Furrion appliances. We are currently dealing with an issue with our fridge. The compressor just stopped working. We had to leave the rig for 4 days for a video shoot in Los Angeles and when we got back we had a mobile tech come look at it. He pulled it out, fired it up to check the power to the compressor and now it's working fine. Of course that now scares me because who knows when it's going to crap out again. I really don't want to throw away a couple couple hundred dollars of groceries again. I wish they would have gone with a residential fridge, but as you mentioned, that would have added cost. Not just in the cost of the appliance but once you go residential, you now have to add an inverter. The back storage was also a selling point for us. We travel with a lot of gear as we do corporate video work while on the road. I was worried that with the 3100 not being a drop frame, we wouldn't have enough storage. The back storage made up for that and was the prefect size for one of your Pelican cases. 100% agree on the customer service. We've had a few issues with our rig since we got it and Brinkley has been amazing. Some of the issues weren't even caused by Brinkely but were the fault of our incompetent dealer. Brinkley could have just walked away and left us fighting with the dealer, but they didn't. They covered the repairs in a timely and friendly manner. As far as I am concerned that's the most important thing to look for when purchasing a rig. Things are going to break on any rig, you need a dealer that will stand behind the product and Brinkley absolutely does that!!! Lastly, since you guys are heading out west we're gonna be in the west too. We will be spending the summer and fall in the northwest quarter of the US. If we wind up in the same area we should meet up and swap Brinkley stories! As always a great video! Safe travels!!!
We did the Brinkley tour late last summer and were amazed at the quality of their workmanship especially after touring another factory in the area. One big difference with Brinkley is when they are delivered to the dealer there is very little they need to do at all to prep for delivery to the customer. Our next rig (if we buy one) will definitely be a Brinkley. Thanks for your great video content and stay safe out there.
I guess the co-founders of Grand Design that are now the co-founders of Brinkley learned from the mistakes they made with Grand Design. Let’s hope they continue to focus on quality.
Seen a lot of factory tours of Brinkley, really enjoyed this unique one. Victoria's 'I haven't been shirt' is on point! Happy to see Brinkley does factory service. It was a much appreciated benefit at Newmar and an annual pilgrimage for me. Learn quickly to not trust any dealer to do it as well as the factory. Maybe Brinkley will take another page from the Newmar playbook and build a rv park on the property for people there for service. ;). Keep up the great content you two. Looking forward to your Alaska adventure!!
You are SO RIGHT about the wood trim around windows! We bought a Cougar Fifth Wheel last month and that was the first thing I did! Buy matched paint and add trim! :) We enjoy y'all so much! Happy and safe travels!
We've been looking at Brinkley for a few weeks. We're looking to take our two youngest and our doggo on a year long US tour in an RV. I really appreciate y'alls perspective and sharing your experience. And maybe I am not the first the say it, but the two of you are too damn cute to not start beautifying the future. As the father of eight wonderful humans, I hope you two plan to make the future more like you, as well. Good travels and thanks for the great video!
I have a 2022 GD Solitude. Back then, GD was the buzz. I love my Solitude, but if I was buying today, it would be a Brinkley. Thanks for the informative video.
We have been touring toy haulers all over the country. We are a full time RV family and also travel for work. Anyway so far Brinkley is by far the best quality we have ever seen! Thanks for the video it just confirms what we thought when we first walked through a Brinkley.
I loved this video just like always you seem to be enjoying life and each other. I picked up on Victoria's comment about the decor changes made by other RV manufacturers. I'm sure the competition doesn't like Brinkley, quality, customer service and price goes a long way to consumers. Thanks for entertaining me again. God bless both of you.
Love your videos! We had been at an RV show all day and looking at the Brinkley’s when we came home and saw your video posted! That was great to see! Thank you.
Another great video!! We met Brendin in Hershey, great guy and very knowledgeable. Our G3500 comes off the line in three weeks!! Keep up the great work and God bless you both!
The one thing I would have considered, especially since they are in the neighborhood of Brinkley so to speak, is turning the fridge into a 12v or 120v compressor type. JC Refrigeration does the conversion and I've yet to hear anyone not love them.
Love following you guys. THIS video was sooo informative, we thank you. We will be pulling the trigger this Fall as we enter retirement and will be purchasing our first fifth wheel. Brinkley was a consideration but bottom of the list due to price. YOU brought it back to the top of the list. Seeing the video of the manufacturing plant and the quality that goes into the manufacturing of their products was eye opening. Additionally, knowing you guys put 10,000 miles on yours in under a year with limited issues is just great to know. Thank you for this video 🙌.
Hey guys, enjoyed the factory tour. So, how full can the holding tanks be while traveling? The tour guide only answered for the fresh holding tank mounted over the axles. I don’t dare travel outside the RV park with the holding tanks full. Site to the dump station as far as I go.
OK you guys , Your suggested water saving shower head really hit the mark! It is my third purchase for my trailer (none of the previous were any good). But I love this one and the hose is perfect and flexible! Thanks for the suggestion. Hang in there with the channel.
Great tour!!! We have loved each of the tours. You nailed it, the employees are proud and speak highly about the company they work for. Each time we have gone to Brinkley, one of the owners has been there and passing by us has stopped and taken the time to chat and just ask how things are going. There aren’t many companies where the owners do take time out of their busy day to actually do this. You literally had us thinking you got your mancave RV! 😂
It's very true!! You really do notice a difference when you start talking to people who work there. It's really great to see. and lol!! I had no clue Craig was about to say that when he did 🤣
We had caulk missing in our shower. Jayco RedHawk never caulked the inside of the shower. We thought it was one piece until we showered the first time😮 💦
I hope that your Brinkley joy persists; you deserve a good turn after all you endured with your previous rig. I'd love to go on a factory tour someday - it seems like a fun time seeing how it's all done. Safe travels, you 4, and as long as you make those videos, I'll be sure to check in. 👍🏾
Rosie and I bought unit 392 last spring. We spent the summer going to Alaska and the winter out here in the LTVA near Yuma Az. Best company in the business by far. We toured the plant and have known Nate and Micah for years. These guys know how to back a product. Burlington Bill busking on the road and on You Tube.
I’m with Craig, that Z3610 is very nice. We were looking at the one you have but now looking at the Z3610 would love to have the G3500 but it’s out of my budget range. Love watching you guy’s keep up the good work 😊😊😊😊 when we were in Tampa the build quality is what I can’t get away from. Wife wants a bath and a half, as you know the Z models don’t have one…
You guys are one of my favorite RV channels now… videos are always easy going and informative. Thanks for sharing, our Brinkley Z air arrives within a week or two.
I think they should make the roof framing and trusses out of aluminum lighter weight, stronger than wood no mold or mildew also, I don’t understand why the camper industry has not implemented airbags suspension on trailer axles yet we have only been using them in the trucking industry since the 80s
@@wildrvlife you must be talking about the aluminum roof truss system I was talking about. Air suspensions take all the abuse and it doesn’t transfer. That’s why we use it on tractor trailers, and on the trailers themselves.
Thank you. Im loving the transparency of the tour. I'm a bit concerned about the speed those man where working @. Easy to make simple tiny mistakes. Along with big ones. Reckless workmanship. They deserve better working conditions. And customers deserve this also. Just saying. You guys are great & i am grateful.✌️😊
We'll have a look at Brinkley, never heard of them? My wife and I have been RVing for 50 years. We gave it up 4 years ago because we just couldn't stand it anymore. They constantly break, leak, bend, warp, the plumbing is always terrible, pumps fail everything leaks and the awnings are all terrible. The very last one the frame, and front axle broke! On the very same trip the large duct blew off the turbo going uphill, almost causing a huge accident on an interstate!! We just had enough! We bought a conversion van and have been staying in Mom&Pop motels. Short term, it's been cheaper!! Best luck to ya'll!! 8) --gary
Thanks for the video, The Bride and I looked at a bunch of Brinkley's at the Dallas RV Show last week. We'll be in the market to buy one next summer when we begin our full time adventure.
Loved this video and really appreciate your honesty. Once I saw the Brinkley a couple of months ago I knew it was going to be our last RV. Have not gotten it yet, but praying by next year. Also our dream RV trip is to Alaska! So excited to hear you are going to do this! So we will definitely be following you! Thanks for another great episode!!
I just caught up watching all your videos. I really enjoy your channel. I hope as your channel grows, and it will. You won't get caught up in the drama with haters and jealous youtubers. Stay golden and humble.
The Alaska trip should be a true dyno test to the durability of your Brinkley. You should probably plan on stopping back into their plant on your way back. Good luck.
Thanks for giving us tour we enjoyed your tour. Excited to see your adventures to Alaska. Our friends are headed there this summer as well. Travel safe.
looks like they build them better them most manufactures.at about 19;00 when you talked about the fan and you hesitated right before you said sucks the moisture out I know what you were thinking LOL
I've been looking at several 5vr's with a (retired) automotive engineering eye. For what they are, I find Brinkey's to be a quility product and they're not afraid of innovating, using wiring harnesses for example. It's a little disappointing they use OSB in lieu of marine grade ply, but this is not a deal breaker. Given the outragous margins they earn off these units, they could switch and still earn good profit. I would consider purchasing one if they made a unit smaller than the 2900. Of course these are not on the level of a New Horizons or SpaceCraft, but they also cost less than half as much. As mentioned, go look at a Grans Design or similar, and you will be glad you chose a Brinkley.
How old is that young man. Reminds me of a young man that gave me a tour of a nuclear submarine. The kid was 25 years old and knew everything about that boat. This kid knows everything about Brinkley.
Great video and tour. Looks like a nice manufacturing facility. 10,000 miles is a pretty good test. Just surprised they only do a one year warranty, I thought manufacturers were going to two years. I enjoyed Craig's point about the appliances, but you stopped mid sentence a few times and didn't finish your thoughts.
Been watching you guys for a short time but am hooked. You are real and a joy to watch. I tried joining the community but the site doesn’t seem to be working. Keep up and enjoy your journey..:-)
Bonjour, Just to let you know that last year we went to Alaska and you will love it. Came from South shore of Montréal all the way to Edmond then turn right thru yukon and the top of the world road arriving to Chicken. Then all the way to Fairbanks down to Anchorage, Sewar, Homer Palmer and so on. Came back thrun beautiful northern British Columbia and to à must the canadian rockies and national park, Jasper, Banf, Lake Louise simply amazing. Then Vancouver, ⛴ to Victoria island, Osoyous, Okanagan Valley for wine. Then back thru the us from Calgary all the way down to Arizona and Texas and from there à caravan to take us to lo de marcos 1 ho 15:18 hour North of puerto vallarta and back home for april. A trip of 10 and à half month and 32,400 KM à.bit more than 20,000 miles. Enjoy bonne fin de journée.
We are paying slightly over $100k with one upgrade (double panes). I am okay with the LCI appliances. We will get a few different things due to the company adding upgraded brakes and jacks. I love this company and everyone I’ve dealt with.
I am laughing so hard that Craig can change breaks and do all of that other maintenance but didn't fix the cabinet door. You both are so funny and a pleasure to watch! Thanks for sharing your adventures! 😊
hahaha I think this was more of a lack of effort problem rather than lack of ability 🤣😆
I thought the sane thing! He did that massive battery project, but didn't tackle the cabinet door...haha!
As a Business/IT Analyst, I found their problem solving/solutions/testing techniqes and the fact that they are sharing this information all very interesting.
I’ve been thinking of buying an RV for 10 years, but hated the interiors. Brinkley is mind blowing, finally a company gets it.
You all are a breath of fresh air. Love your videos. Thanks for the factory tour! We're retired and just get up and go ,...wish we could have done it when we were your age! Go get those memories. Thanks!
so glad you're enjoying them and thank you so much for coming along!
I have been waiting for this update. So glad it came out great. We have decided to order the Z3400 for our Full time home this year. With a matching new GMC Denali 3500. You can only spoil yourself once.
Oh how awesome!! I'm sure you'll enjoy it, that is such a unique rig!
I am also very impressed that they quality check EVERY UNIT. That definitely does not happen with other brands. They'll check every so often, but not every single unit. I also love that the owners of this company actually camp and use RVs so they know what common issues are and better functioning for layout and user friendliness.
I am very impressed with how they keep their stations clean and vacuum up sawdust and pieces of wood and plastic and screws etc. as they go. Nobody else does that it seems. Other brands we have had constantly drip/shower sawdust and pieces of junk out of the roof, vents, and cupboards every time we drive down the road and we have to vacuum and wipe everything down each time. It is a pain! So glad to see these guys taking care of each stage and making it clean and easier on the customer.
That was really good, folks. One thing I noticed over other factory tours is how clean everything looked. We've done several factory tours and we were constantly stepping over stuff on the floor (sawdust, screws, wiring pieces, etc.). The inside of the units being built was the same way. Brinkley seems to be a step above on so many levels. Brinkley (Z3610 and G3500) are on the short list for our next rig. Thanks for an honest review; makes the decision that much easier!
The 3610 is also my favorite model too! ✋ ❤
As an RV Salesman, I love showing the Brinkley's! Watching peoples eyes pop out of their heads is always fun! When people who have had multiple RV's walk into a Brinkley and start testing the fit and finish and they can't believe how well it's built, It makes this job so much fun! Looking forward to following your adventures. Talking price point, For the build and the overall quality of the Brinkley's, they're price point is amazing. There are other brands that are ALL AROUND nowhere near as well built that are 10, 20, 30k more for the same floor plans.
When the only thing that is really invested in is aesthetics (instead of engineering) at this price level, that's not hard to achieve.
Love what you Guy's have been doing and I started while You were in Mexico and I always keep up with You. Please keep on doing what You Do. The Personalities go so well. God Bless You Both
Thank you so much! Your comment means a lot to us, and I'm glad the videos continue to be entertaining to you.
I'm glad they repaired it to your satisfaction! Good work on the tour! Hope the doggies are doing OK>Y'all have fun!!
They are doing a great job with customer satisfaction. I have been super happy with them so far.
Thanks for this update, we've ordered a Z2900 and are looking forward to our first fifth wheel after numerous travel trailers. So happy to hear all the positive comments. Safe travels.
oh congrats, that's awesome!! I'm sure you'll love it!
We're getting the Gen-Y gooseneck and have a standard truck bed, did you install the 5" offset@@wildrvlife
@@liset6347 we did! We’ve got a 6’4” bed with our mega cab and definitely feel like the offset gave us the extra room we need for tight turns, etc
Love watching you-all. We aren't full-timers but we have a z3100 no. 538 off the line and your right in that they corrected a lot of little things as they built more units. Their customer service has been just great. Response time is really fast. We love everything about Brinkley. Thanks for sharing your factory experience with us.
Thank you for watching! We had a blast filming this video.
As a retired electrical engineer I applaud their use of wiring harnesses. These are the types of manufacturing techniques that help reduce and eliminate mistakes as well as speeding up assembly.
Great update and tour! I, too, have followed Brinkley for quite a while but had to wait on a bumper pull as we can't leave behind the fishing kayak and gear (and do not have a dually). We put an order in on the Z Air 285....sight unseen! That's just how much we've loved and appreciated the finishes we've seen on all of their other models. Can't wait to follow you up to Alaska! I've cruised and flown up but not driven! Safe journeys to you both!
The OSB floors concern me. Airstream moved to composite flooring a few years ago.
People are nice because you’re so nice and nice attracts nice. Love follow you!!!! You’re just so refreshing with uplifting videos. We keep you in our prayers for safe travels❤
thank you so much ❤️❤️ We are so grateful to have you coming along on our adventures with us!
Another great video! Happy anniversary! Amy and I are buying a 3100 and finding your channel has been informative and fun. If you're coming through Kingman Arizona, we have a nice piece of land in the mountains with a 50 amp service, water and a place to dump. Feel free to contact us if you'd like to park awhile and enjoy the cool pine forest👍
I've only been RVing since last April & got new Jayco.. What I can say is no one beats the 2+3 year warranty..
Wow! Brinkley does it right...awesome!
Finally getting value for your money. Impressive!
We agree!
I'm glad to hear that you had such a good experiance with Brinkley.
We are definitely glad it came out this way!
LOL! I have a soft close cabinet in our stick and bricks like you have in your rv. It too has been a problem closing. Watching your vid I learned the way to adjust the door!!! Thank you!
hahah! well, I'm glad it ended up helping you! We probably should have attempted to fix it ourselves to begin with, but you live and learn 🤣
I like the eternabond sealing! That’s a nice touch!
The shower/caulk issue has been a problem on our last 2 rigs!! What an easy fix! 😢 We look now..unfortunately.
You guys rock! Another great video. We’ve been in our Brinkley Z3100 (#513) for9 months with minimum issues. I agree with you about Brinkley’s customer service team. They are second to none. Stay safe on your trip to Alaska.
They really are great! and how awesome to hear! You've got a pretty early model too!
I don't have anything bad to say about Brinkley. The problem I have is watching the workers in the plant, they are moving as fast as they can. Guys are running putting the roof on, the same guys putting the screws in look like it is a competition who can do more. Mistakes are often overlooked when we work at this speed. I've worked over 30 years for myself and quality trumps speed every time. You do 10 things well and nothing really gets said but make one mistake and the word travels quickly.
That is correct, specially if no one is checking the work has been completed correctly. But then again, these workers I'm sure know they were being watched or filmed. When that happens, they want to show off their skills and how quickly it could be done. Kind of a way to impress the boss or the people that are watching.
During our factory tour about a week before Craig and Victoria’s, I was impressed by the speed as well, but noticed most of the workers had a smile on their faces. I’ve seen the same thing in the construction industry where crews that work together 5 or 6 days a week can be fast and good. It’s like a competition within your group to get better, it helps the work day pass more quickly.
Another thing that impressed me was when the workers were screwing down the roof deck, any screw that snapped they worked the screw head back out then put another screw in. Many workers would not have taken the trouble and just kept up production.
I agree speed is not needed caulking under or on a shower track is very needed
You clearly don't work in manufacturing, Time is money... Cycle times are the most important part of manufacturing, you would cringe if you saw how your car or truck was built. And yes that's what I do for a living is automation for manufacturing. You have a set time to get your station completed, most of the workers are also Amish or Menanite in Indiana and they are used to working hard and fast. A lot of these plants allow the workers to do piece work, if they make their quote for the day by noon they get to leave after they are done. If they take their time then they stay longer during the day. They also have PDI which is supposed to catch all of the possible quality issues ( But doesn't always catch everything as I know from my Alliance Valor). If it took 2 weeks to build a trailer you would be on a waiting list for years to get a trailer. Mass production is key to getting a new trailer in a timely manner.
@@JeffGarrison-xz9qq this unit is number 101. I’m sure when the company first got things rolling there were problems. We had an 03 motorhome with a neo angle shower door. Every time we took a shower, as soon as we opened the door it dumped water on the floor and carpet. We just assumed it was our fault because of not leveling perfect or something. It turns out that a teeny little black plastic plug at the end of the track had fallen out. It’s these little things that when discovered a company finds a way to improve it. In my experience as a homeowner and using various sealants and caulking compounds I’ve found that silicone products seal badly. We had a professionally installed shower door with an anodized frame sealed to a porcelain tub with white RTV. After several months due to constant heating and contraction etc it leaked. Fortunately it was quite obvious and we had to remove the doors, the top rails, the side frame and pry off the track to reseal it. It was not our only tub shower thankfully. We were without that tub for the better part of a week. In an RV with limited work space, a single shower, and likely no close by Home Depot, this would have been a pain to fix. The company that did our shower door install told us they have since changed to a different caulk since the original was failing.
Great update on the Brinkley. I’m going to the Tampa show this year and can’t wait to see all the offerings. Thanks for this video and please know, there are more nice people out there than mean people. Thank goodness!
We just caught up on all you videos, really enjoy your adventures. We too are full timers with a Border Collie. Love to see your boys as it reminds us when we had 2. People will never understand life with a BC. They are not like any other dogs. Our murphy would chase the cars from the back seat also, his nose would squeak on the driver side window behind me. Found after 4 years a plastic bottle with pennies in it, shaken once and hat behavior was done. He never did it again. Unfortunately we lost him 3 years ago and now have only Charlie who is 8 years old now. WE live in our Grand Design Solitude 310GK 2021 and love it! We are very impressed with the Brinkley's also. Keep up the great videos and feature life with Border Collies as it is exciting! They are great dogs.
We looked at the 3610 before purchasing our 3100 and considered it. Like you Craig, I would have loved to have a dedicated office to use as an edit suite. But, we really wanted to stay 35' or less on the trailer so we went with the 3100.
Looking forward to your Alaska trip. We were gonna go this year, but after buying the Brinkley, we decided not to go break it in the first year.
Totally agree on the residential look and feel. The first night Toni and I sat in the rig we both said we didn't feel like we were in a trailer, we felt like we were in an apartment. Love how it feels in the inside.
Agree on the Furrion appliances. We are currently dealing with an issue with our fridge. The compressor just stopped working. We had to leave the rig for 4 days for a video shoot in Los Angeles and when we got back we had a mobile tech come look at it. He pulled it out, fired it up to check the power to the compressor and now it's working fine. Of course that now scares me because who knows when it's going to crap out again. I really don't want to throw away a couple couple hundred dollars of groceries again. I wish they would have gone with a residential fridge, but as you mentioned, that would have added cost. Not just in the cost of the appliance but once you go residential, you now have to add an inverter.
The back storage was also a selling point for us. We travel with a lot of gear as we do corporate video work while on the road. I was worried that with the 3100 not being a drop frame, we wouldn't have enough storage. The back storage made up for that and was the prefect size for one of your Pelican cases.
100% agree on the customer service. We've had a few issues with our rig since we got it and Brinkley has been amazing. Some of the issues weren't even caused by Brinkely but were the fault of our incompetent dealer. Brinkley could have just walked away and left us fighting with the dealer, but they didn't. They covered the repairs in a timely and friendly manner. As far as I am concerned that's the most important thing to look for when purchasing a rig. Things are going to break on any rig, you need a dealer that will stand behind the product and Brinkley absolutely does that!!!
Lastly, since you guys are heading out west we're gonna be in the west too. We will be spending the summer and fall in the northwest quarter of the US. If we wind up in the same area we should meet up and swap Brinkley stories!
As always a great video! Safe travels!!!
💌You are both so special. Have a wonderful trip to Alaska. Can't wait to watch.
I am actually sitting in my brand new 3610 right now, absolutely love it, it is by far the best quality built RV on the market per price point
We did the Brinkley tour late last summer and were amazed at the quality of their workmanship especially after touring another factory in the area. One big difference with Brinkley is when they are delivered to the dealer there is very little they need to do at all to prep for delivery to the customer. Our next rig (if we buy one) will definitely be a Brinkley. Thanks for your great video content and stay safe out there.
That is so good to hear! We wish we’d had time to tour another factory and compare the two because we figured there would be quite the difference 😅
I guess the co-founders of Grand Design that are now the co-founders of Brinkley learned from the mistakes they made with Grand Design. Let’s hope they continue to focus on quality.
Seen a lot of factory tours of Brinkley, really enjoyed this unique one. Victoria's 'I haven't been shirt' is on point! Happy to see Brinkley does factory service. It was a much appreciated benefit at Newmar and an annual pilgrimage for me. Learn quickly to not trust any dealer to do it as well as the factory. Maybe Brinkley will take another page from the Newmar playbook and build a rv park on the property for people there for service. ;). Keep up the great content you two. Looking forward to your Alaska adventure!!
Where the pups happy to be back home? Stay safe and healthy.
Yes! they were very glad to get all their napping spots back 😄
Such a delight to watch you both!! I thought the tour was really interesting!! Love your couch 😅 thanks for this great video ❤❤
You are SO RIGHT about the wood trim around windows! We bought a Cougar Fifth Wheel last month and that was the first thing I did! Buy matched paint and add trim! :) We enjoy y'all so much! Happy and safe travels!
it makes such a big difference in making it feel like a house instead of an RV. thanks for coming along this week!
We've been looking at Brinkley for a few weeks. We're looking to take our two youngest and our doggo on a year long US tour in an RV. I really appreciate y'alls perspective and sharing your experience. And maybe I am not the first the say it, but the two of you are too damn cute to not start beautifying the future. As the father of eight wonderful humans, I hope you two plan to make the future more like you, as well. Good travels and thanks for the great video!
Glad to see you back in your RV/home. Safe travels.
I have a 2022 GD Solitude. Back then, GD was the buzz. I love my Solitude, but if I was buying today, it would be a Brinkley. Thanks for the informative video.
We have been touring toy haulers all over the country. We are a full time RV family and also travel for work. Anyway so far Brinkley is by far the best quality we have ever seen! Thanks for the video it just confirms what we thought when we first walked through a Brinkley.
I loved this video just like always you seem to be enjoying life and each other. I picked up on Victoria's comment about the decor changes made by other RV manufacturers. I'm sure the competition doesn't like Brinkley, quality, customer service and price goes a long way to consumers. Thanks for entertaining me again. God bless both of you.
Thank you so much for watching! It was a fun tour to get to experience.
Love your videos! We had been at an RV show all day and looking at the Brinkley’s when we came home and saw your video posted! That was great to see! Thank you.
Another great video!! We met Brendin in Hershey, great guy and very knowledgeable. Our G3500 comes off the line in three weeks!! Keep up the great work and God bless you both!
Once again...... very informative and thorough video, thanks for the great editing Craig !! Safe travels, see you next week
The one thing I would have considered, especially since they are in the neighborhood of Brinkley so to speak, is turning the fridge into a 12v or 120v compressor type. JC Refrigeration does the conversion and I've yet to hear anyone not love them.
The Brinkleys actually come with a 12v fridge! It's been a great upgrade from our last propane/electric fridge in our old RV
Love following you guys. THIS video was sooo informative, we thank you. We will be pulling the trigger this Fall as we enter retirement and will be purchasing our first fifth wheel. Brinkley was a consideration but bottom of the list due to price. YOU brought it back to the top of the list. Seeing the video of the manufacturing plant and the quality that goes into the manufacturing of their products was eye opening. Additionally, knowing you guys put 10,000 miles on yours in under a year with limited issues is just great to know. Thank you for this video 🙌.
Hey guys, enjoyed the factory tour. So, how full can the holding tanks be while traveling? The tour guide only answered for the fresh holding tank mounted over the axles. I don’t dare travel outside the RV park with the holding tanks full. Site to the dump station as far as I go.
OK you guys , Your suggested water saving shower head really hit the mark! It is my third purchase for my trailer (none of the previous were any good). But I love this one and the hose is perfect and flexible! Thanks for the suggestion. Hang in there with the channel.
Great tour!!! We have loved each of the tours. You nailed it, the employees are proud and speak highly about the company they work for. Each time we have gone to Brinkley, one of the owners has been there and passing by us has stopped and taken the time to chat and just ask how things are going. There aren’t many companies where the owners do take time out of their busy day to actually do this.
You literally had us thinking you got your mancave RV! 😂
It's very true!! You really do notice a difference when you start talking to people who work there. It's really great to see.
and lol!! I had no clue Craig was about to say that when he did 🤣
We had caulk missing in our shower. Jayco RedHawk never caulked the inside of the shower. We thought it was one piece until we showered the first time😮 💦
Brinkley really seems to have there act together unlike GrandDesign
Well done guys! Impressed every time! I support the man cave idea 100%. Thanks for being real! God bless you guys!
Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed the video!
I would claim it for my crafty cave. Hubs can have the kitchen table. 😁
I hope that your Brinkley joy persists; you deserve a good turn after all you endured with your previous rig. I'd love to go on a factory tour someday - it seems like a fun time seeing how it's all done. Safe travels, you 4, and as long as you make those videos, I'll be sure to check in. 👍🏾
We hope so too! 😄 our old rig certainly gives us a special appreciation for it, that's for sure lol. Thanks for watching!!
Rosie and I bought unit 392 last spring. We spent the summer going to Alaska and the winter out here in the LTVA near Yuma Az. Best company in the business by far. We toured the plant and have known Nate and Micah for years. These guys know how to back a product. Burlington Bill busking on the road and on You Tube.
I am glad you’re back on the road. Travel safe.
I’m with Craig, that Z3610 is very nice. We were looking at the one you have but now looking at the Z3610 would love to have the G3500 but it’s out of my budget range. Love watching you guy’s keep up the good work 😊😊😊😊 when we were in Tampa the build quality is what I can’t get away from. Wife wants a bath and a half, as you know the Z models don’t have one…
Thanks for sharing the tour of Brinkley!!!
You guys are one of my favorite RV channels now… videos are always easy going and informative. Thanks for sharing, our Brinkley Z air arrives within a week or two.
thank you!! and congrats!! I can't wait to start seeing some of the Z airs out on the road!
I think they should make the roof framing and trusses out of aluminum lighter weight, stronger than wood no mold or mildew also, I don’t understand why the camper industry has not implemented airbags suspension on trailer axles yet we have only been using them in the trucking industry since the 80s
I wonder why they don't. I wonder if it has something to do with the transfer of energy through metal vs. wood.
@@wildrvlife you must be talking about the aluminum roof truss system I was talking about. Air suspensions take all the abuse and it doesn’t transfer. That’s why we use it on tractor trailers, and on the trailers themselves.
I was using Airbag trailer suspension in 75, so almost 50 years of verification.
I agree 100%. I’ve been driving truck for 44 years.
Aaaw! You’re both such good people. Happy Belated Anniversary. Hope you get some well deserved rest before getting back on the road. .
Thank you so much!!
Thank you. Im loving the transparency of the tour. I'm a bit concerned about the speed those man where working @. Easy to make simple tiny mistakes. Along with big ones. Reckless workmanship. They deserve better working conditions. And customers deserve this also. Just saying. You guys are great & i am grateful.✌️😊
My sister lives right around the corner. We went past it.we didn't go in either. Went to Shipshewana for the amish chicken dinner.
Love your videos. You guys are all hilarious. Fun to watch.
We'll have a look at Brinkley, never heard of them? My wife and I have been RVing for 50 years. We gave it up 4 years ago because we just couldn't stand it anymore. They constantly break, leak, bend, warp, the plumbing is always terrible, pumps fail everything leaks and the awnings are all terrible. The very last one the frame, and front axle broke! On the very same trip the large duct blew off the turbo going uphill, almost causing a huge accident on an interstate!! We just had enough! We bought a conversion van and have been staying in Mom&Pop motels. Short term, it's been cheaper!! Best luck to ya'll!! 8) --gary
Thanks for the video, The Bride and I looked at a bunch of Brinkley's at the Dallas RV Show last week. We'll be in the market to buy one next summer when we begin our full time adventure.
Like someone else commented, you both are really like a breath of fresh air! Love your videos!
thank you so much, this is such a compliment, and we're glad you enjoy the videos!
Loved this video and really appreciate your honesty. Once I saw the Brinkley a couple of months ago I knew it was going to be our last RV. Have not gotten it yet, but praying by next year. Also our dream RV trip is to Alaska! So excited to hear you are going to do this! So we will definitely be following you! Thanks for another great episode!!
oh nice!! Hopefully soon! 🙏 and we're so excited to take you guys along for our Alaska trip!
Thanks guys! Agree with all you said! Enjoy and hope to catch up on your way back from Alaska!
Great video. You guys are awesome. We love watching you. Can’t wait to see your new adventures. 😊😊
thank you so much!
I just caught up watching all your videos. I really enjoy your channel. I hope as your channel grows, and it will. You won't get caught up in the drama with haters and jealous youtubers. Stay golden and humble.
Thank you so much for watching and we're glad you're enjoying the videos!
So excited for your trip to Alaska. If yall come to Anchorage or even the Palmer/Wasilla area and have a meet up we would love to met yall.
That's what we all want ... 'a transformer RV' ~ It's true. We've had a camper, a trailer, a class C, a class A & back to a trailer.
It would be so awesome to have that could change sizes depending on the places you wanted to go.
Enjoyed this video. Great info. The factory tour was informative as was the review. Craig's humor is refreshing, gifting the new camper was a hoot 😂
Great video! We can’t wait to go on that tour in a couple years.
It was even more interesting than we thought it would be!
The Alaska trip should be a true dyno test to the durability of your Brinkley. You should probably plan on stopping back into their plant on your way back. Good luck.
Glad you had a great experience with the repairs and your Brinkley overall. Are you all going to Alaska with Open Roading?
yes we are! super excited about it!!
Great video, very encouraging! We’re picking up our new Z3100 this weekend! 🎉 Love your content! ❤
Next time you do a tour suggest vinyl plank flooring instead of sheet vinyl. That way if the floor is damaged you can just replace the damaged plank.
We’ll, you SHOULD be sponsored by Brinkley! You’re selling me! And I have a Lance, my very favorite until now.
It's hard not to talk about them when they are trying as hard and doing as good as they are. But i hear Lance is very good also.
Great video again. Happy that everything has been fixed and you have your home back!
thank you!!
Thanks for giving us tour we enjoyed your tour. Excited to see your adventures to Alaska. Our friends are headed there this summer as well. Travel safe.
Our pleasure! And we can't wait to take you along for Alaska... it's going to be amazing!
looks like they build them better them most manufactures.at about 19;00 when you talked about the fan and you hesitated right before you said sucks the moisture out I know what you were thinking LOL
I've been looking at several 5vr's with a (retired) automotive engineering eye. For what they are, I find Brinkey's to be a quility product and they're not afraid of innovating, using wiring harnesses for example. It's a little disappointing they use OSB in lieu of marine grade ply, but this is not a deal breaker. Given the outragous margins they earn off these units, they could switch and still earn good profit.
I would consider purchasing one if they made a unit smaller than the 2900. Of course these are not on the level of a New Horizons or SpaceCraft, but they also cost less than half as much. As mentioned, go look at a Grans Design or similar, and you will be glad you chose a Brinkley.
Great job on the tour and overall video guys! Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Great video ,, thanks for the tour,, I just watched your video while sitting in our z3100. Drive safe to Alaska!
Thank you so much!
How old is that young man. Reminds me of a young man that gave me a tour of a nuclear submarine. The kid was 25 years old and knew everything about that boat. This kid knows everything about Brinkley.
He is very knowledgeable. It's pretty surprising how much he knows about it all.
Look at outdoors RVs, they’re made in Oregon for the NW & Western Canada terrain. It’ll give a different feel since they’re everything outdoorsy.
We've heard that those are good rigs too!
You guys rock! This video was great!!
Thank you so much. I'm glad you enjoyed it. It was a fun one to get to film.
I was really expecting a tour of your RV!
Very cool inspection at the end.
Great video and tour. Looks like a nice manufacturing facility. 10,000 miles is a pretty good test. Just surprised they only do a one year warranty, I thought manufacturers were going to two years.
I enjoyed Craig's point about the appliances, but you stopped mid sentence a few times and didn't finish your thoughts.
Watching the factory tour noticed that nearly all of the workers were Amish who have the best work ethic ever.
Been watching you guys for a short time but am hooked. You are real and a joy to watch. I tried joining the community but the site doesn’t seem to be working.
Keep up and enjoy your journey..:-)
What a wonderful video! You are such an enjoyable fun couple!!
thanks so much!!
Bonjour, Just to let you know that last year we went to Alaska and you will love it. Came from South shore of Montréal all the way to Edmond then turn right thru yukon and the top of the world road arriving to Chicken. Then all the way to Fairbanks down to Anchorage, Sewar, Homer Palmer and so on. Came back thrun beautiful northern British Columbia and to à must the canadian rockies and national park, Jasper, Banf, Lake Louise simply amazing. Then Vancouver, ⛴ to Victoria island, Osoyous, Okanagan Valley for wine. Then back thru the us from Calgary all the way down to Arizona and Texas and from there à caravan to take us to lo de marcos 1 ho 15:18 hour North of puerto vallarta and back home for april. A trip of 10 and à half month and 32,400 KM à.bit more than 20,000 miles. Enjoy bonne fin de journée.
what great tips!! thank you so much! We are really looking forward to our Alaska trip... I have a feeling it's going to create some amazing memories
I think eventually, you'd have figured out the adjustments, I did thinking I was simply tightening the hinge! LOL
Flagstaff offers an off road RV option and it’s pretty cool 😎
We are paying slightly over $100k with one upgrade (double panes). I am okay with the LCI appliances. We will get a few different things due to the company adding upgraded brakes and jacks. I love this company and everyone I’ve dealt with.
so glad to hear you've had a good experience too! It seems everyone we talk to has good things to say, which is very encouraging!
So with the waste and freshwater tanks being built in how do you remove them if they ever break or leak?
I believe the tanks can just slide forward or back and out how they normally would do it.
Thanks for the tour and honest review of Brinkley. We are considering this same model for our full time rv living. Did you ever consider a class A?
Why am I channeling Forest Gump when listening to him talk??? LOL❤😂