Fleetwood Homes

[crystal]

I am considering buying a Fleetwood Home at a dealership in Texas. I have been doing some research on the internet and have found some bad remarks about Fleetwood homes. I have also checked them out with the BBB and have found them in good standings. So I am so scared on what to do now. Can someone please give me some insight on Fleetwood Homes. I would appreciate any information.

[Shelly]

Hey Crystal,
I have heard some negative comments about different brands of homes, it's kind of like buying a new/used car; although all seems perfects there can be manufacturer defects that cause more problems... But here is what I do know... My husband and I own a 1991 Fleetwood, and recently moved it from the location that it has been located at since it was bought new by the previous owners... We have owned the home for a little over four years, and have had very minimal problems other than regular maintenence... We have the same heating/cooling unit that works perfectly... We have the same refrigerator and stove/oven that came with the home... Last summer we had to replace the defrost unit in our freezer that cost about $100, but considering the age of the refrigerator we didn't feel that was too bad... And a few months ago we had to purchase a new heating element for our oven, which cost about $20... But other than that, we have not had to be out any major expenses... We were skeptical about moving our home since it had been on location for 13 years, but the movers we hired did a superb job in moving and setting it back up and nothing was damaged or broken in the move, and we left EVERYTHING inside! For our home to be the age it is, it is in great condition and I would highly recommend Fleetwood to anyone... But you may get a bad deal, so be aware, and trust your instincts... Only buy what you feel comfortable with... When the previous owners had our home built that had extra insulation blown throughout which has cut our heating/cooling bills by probably $100-$300 per month had it not had the extra insulation there... I wish you the best of luck in your buying endevours... I didn't mean to write so much, but I wanted to share some positive feedback with my personal experience with Fleetwood... I hope this helps
Best wishes,
Shelly

[crystal]

Thank You so much for your insight. I am so glad to hear that you have had a good experience with your fleetwood. I agree with you there probably bad ones in every brand and its the luck of the drawl. Once again thank you for sharing your comments with me

[Tanya]

Not that I'm any kind of expert, I don't own a Fleetwood, but after buying Randy Eaton's book that's advertised on this site and doing a little comparison shopping, my husband and I discovered that the Fleetwoods may not be poorly made, but that some other brands were just better made. Randy's book was great because it teaches you what to look for and what questions to ask about the construction of a home. Before we read it, we went to a Fleetwood dealer and were just falling in love with the pretty design and look of the models. But after we read it, we went back to the dealership and began looking under the sinks, behind the closet doors, started banging on doors and cabinets and so on and so on, as well as doing the same at some other brand dealerships. That was when we realized that as pretty as Fleetwoods are, some other brands are just built a bit more solidly. (Look for my older thread "Fleetwood vs Palm Harbor")
But bottom line, it's not the luck of the draw! It's how much research you do!

[Eugene]

two things
#1, the BBB site is not a good resource for information. so don't look there.
#2, Fleetwood homes are the most problematic homes on the market. Look somewhere else.

[James]

I think that the kind of Home you should be looking for really depends on the part of the country you plan on purchasing it in.
You are doing good by asking around but do your research mostly in the area you plan on buying in.

[Howard Neel]

i got my Fleetwood home in March of 2002 and hav had nothing but problems with it. From the roof leaking and shingles blowing off to Mold growing inside of the house now . And the best part of it is that it is still under warrantie and no one will fix the problems. Fleetwood is great for taking your money and just saying see you later we got paid now you deal with the house that is going to fall apart in a few years hahaha!!!!!!!!