2022 Imagine 2600RB infested with Powderpost Beetles

[PowderpostBeetles2600RB]

I first want to start with a disclaimer. I am making this post for awareness and educational value to others, some of whom may have or are experiencing the same issue my wife and I are having now. The problem we're having is not solely with one manufacturer as we've heard from others, however my post will address our experience dealing with Grand Design and Lazydays.

Before purchasing our very first camper I did a lot of research on different manufacturers and kept coming back to Grand Design for their appearance, features and affordability. We decided on a 2022 Imagine 2600RB and purchased December 27, 2021 from Lazydays in Knoxville TN. At first we loved everything about our new camper until early to mid-March 2022 when heartache appeared from our ceiling panels. We started noticing small pinholes appearing in the ceiling panels along with a sawdust like material on the floor and furniture. We couldn't figure out what was going on until I noticed a small bug on the ceiling and then another emerging from one of the small holes. After much research, sharing specimens with a local pest company and then providing specimens to the University of Tennessee Department of Agriculture did we get confirmation that the bugs are Powderpost Beetles, the next closest thing to a termite. My battle with GD and Lazydays began with neither wanting to own any claim to the problem, which began during the manufacturing process as I cannot change the PP Beetles genetic lifecycle. This is also supported by UT and a professor at the University of Kentucky who wrote the following article. https://entomology.ca.uky.edu/ef616

We are still battling with GD and Lazydays over this issue and the dealership has had our camper for 1 week shy of 2 months. To make matters worse we've found other owners with the same problem, one of which is 1 number off from our vin. Another in California with a close vin number, both in the same ceiling panels. The owner who's camper is 1 digit off from ours just got approval from their insurance company to total it out. This problem is not associated only to GD as Forest River and Jayco have had the same issue. A couple sued Jayco and won for their Class A being infested. https://www.rvtravel.com/jayco958/

I sent an email to Don Clark, CEO of Grand Design seeking some assistance and then Grand Design called me yesterday and they are accepting no responsibility for this as the Customer Relations Manager (Austin Paulis) states its not part of their warranty. Very unfortunate since GD knows it to be an issue and allows the Customer to deal with it. If we decide to trade in or sell the camper we'll lose at least half of its worth but my morale compass doesn't want to make it a problem for the person or family who buys ours.

Everyone looking to buy a camper should do their own due diligence and decide what's best for them. I'm not here to persuade someone from buying from GD but I would like to make everyone aware our problem could potentially be your problem as well. If you're currently dealing with PP Beetles, know you're not alone (unfortunately). Educate yourself and push back on manufacturing and Customer Service. Good luck and "happy camping".

Here is our info on the IRV2 site. https://www.irv2.com/forums/f50/gran...ml#post6241514

[PowderpostBeetles2600RB]

I wanted to give an update.

So after speaking with Austin Paulus at Grand Design and Austin informing me that Powderpost Beetles are not covered under warranty and that GD is only doing this as a "goodwill" gesture, I forwarded my original email sent to Don Clark to Michael Happe CEO of Winnebago. This was then sent back to Austin who emailed me stating the same as before, it's not covered under warranty and GD is replacing ceiling panels as "goodwill". The other couple who's vin was produced right before ours had their 2600RB totaled out by their insurance company after having several local pest companies review and recommended its "destruction" and also because of the immense cost involved (removing walls, ceiling panels, the roof, tented fumigation, etc).

So Grand Design says it's not a manufacturing issue however 2 units produced back to back both have the same problem in the same exact locations but purchased one month apart and from different dealerships. How could a sane person NOT point back to manufacturing?? We did a Google Earth view of the Grand Design plant and holy cow, they have trailers backed up right up to a long tree line.



[Link to another forum removed]

[traveldawg]

Sorry to hear about your troubles.

I just wanted to comment that we’ve seen new home with the same issue. I don’t know who cover the expense but the homes had to be tented and fumigated by a pest control company. It turned out the beetles were in the cabinet wood which came from overseas.

So maybe consider that you haven’t seen the last of this.

That article you referenced does not support the beetles coming from the trees near GD’s parking lot. It says it is from foreign wood already infected and then used in wood construction.

[jproctor9]

Sorry to hear about the issues. Before they rip out panels, I'd probably see about getting the unit tented and fumigated. Might be a lot less invasive and SHOULD be cheaper than tenting a house.

Best of luck and please keep us updated.

[dryfly]

I'm also sorry to hear that you are having to deal with this issue on a new trailer. How in the world does one do due diligence on what might be a potential problem of this nature? It appears the bugs did not show up for a couple of months, so unless a dealer has had a unit on the lot for that time period, how are customers to know?

[PowderpostBeetles2600RB]

I'm also sorry to hear that you are having to deal with this issue on a new trailer. How in the world does one do due diligence on what might be a potential problem of this nature? It appears the bugs did not show up for a couple of months, so unless a dealer has had a unit on the lot for that time period, how are customers to know?

It would really depend on several factors based on the PP Beetles lifecycle. One thing to keep in mind with them is that their eggs can lay dormant for up to a year before hatching. This is especially problematic for any new construction. I'm citing Michael Potters article from UK on those 2 sentences.

As for us, we bought in December 2021 and being a cold month didn't think anything about bugs until the temps started to warm up. The visual indicators will be small pin holes and frass (sawdust like material) underneath the holes. In our case it was on the floor, reclining seats and countertop in the bathroom. Then you'll start seeing the bugs themselves. If you have tape handy (I used 2" blue painters tape) you can pull them from the holes that they're chewing through. That is how I was able to capture many live samples. I also collected plenty of dead samples and put them in Ziploc baggies. After taking the camper to the dealership and once they removed the ceiling panels, I had them cut some ceiling panel samples for us to hang on to as a "safe measure".

Read up on the article from UK. Very informative and seems to be the "go-to" on these pests. The author even states that kiln drying the wood is necessary however if improperly stored afterword can become infested. We were told by GD that the wood was kiln dried but still had them appear. Our unit was built in October 2021 and purchased December 2021.

[PowderpostBeetles2600RB]

I wanted to provide another update. We filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau and after several rejections the file was closed without a resolution. The only good news that came from it is that it's posted for others to see and hopefully avoid our concern. Our camper is still sitting at the dealership in pieces, going on 3 months. What a nightmare!!

[Chad from Oregon]

Seems like it would have been appropriate for the manufacturer to push this up the chain to their supplier….