2008 Forest RIver reviews

This has been an excellent 5th wheel for 14 years since I bought it new. As any RVer will tell you, they all have their issues. This one has been a solid performer for us living in it full time for 3 years, raising our first babies in it until age 2, and as a live in onsite office while we built our home. The living room slide is massive and was probably more than what they should have designed. A slide topper is critical here to prevent roof warping especially if snow piles on the roof in winter. At times the slide can be problematic to open or close fully, and if unopened fully can cause drafts. Never any bedroom slide problems. Watch the windows for leaks as delamination is common, and have your windows pulled, taped and resealed. That said we lived in all climates in all seasons as far north as Maine and this thing performed well in all. We added a second A/c in the bedroom which was a fairly easy install though not pre-wired. I did have tank failure issues (maybe my fault as they could have retained water when not level when drained for winterizing) but Forest River sold me perfectly matched tanks about year 5 of my ownership for a very reasonable price. When the air mattress on the foldout failed, Forest River sent me a new one as well as a few other parts for no cost even though I was out of warranty. Customer service with Forest River was always excellent. After a few years the entertainment system cd player failed, but the rest of it has held up well. You cant beat the storage and kitchen layout in this unit. Sadly we have to upgrade as kids are getting bigger and want tagalong friends and privacy, but I will really miss this camper. It has been very good to us. Show less

We bought this at retirement and we have had great adventures with this 5th wheel. We bought the Ford F250 Diesel simultaneously. The truck and 5th wheel have new tires. Air bag suspension on the 5th wheel and the truck provide for smooth towing. It has a great open floor plan with the rear kitchen and a push out window in the kitchen allows for plants or decoration. The king bed is comfortable and with a second air conditioner in the bedroom, you will never be hot. There is a place for a small TV in the bedroom and you can close it off from the rest of the living area. We love this 5th wheel but are getting too old to camp anymore. Show less

I did alot of research online. They say if your full time living in an RV buy the biggest you can afford. 38' is the perfect tiny house! Lots of storage space for all the things you use daily and even more storage area for the not so often things you need. Nice big 8' closet fits all 4 seasons of clothes. Stackable washer and dryer makes trips to the laundry mat a thing of the past. Double kitchen sink and removable spray handle is very handy for filling large pots. Enjoy a regular shower with a 10 gallon water heater. Dual propane tanks are a life saving! Vent-o-matic fan is a must. A regular electric 10 cubic fridge is far better,bigger and more energy efficient than the dual propane/electric models. My model has room for a standard size sofa and love seat, both with dual recliners. I love the galley kitchen filled with lots of cabinets, pantry and pull-out spice rack. I have good countertop space with enough room for the toaster oven, toaster and blender. This unit has an electric fireplace. I like the flames on a cold winters day. I have a desk area for my laptop and office essentials. Overall I picked this unit because it has everything I need. Show less

We’ve owned our camper for 10 years & it still looks and performs as well as the first day we bought it. As an allergy sufferer, I am very impressed with the quality of materials, insulation, windows, and long-term dryness that has been maintained. We couldn’t be happier and have many wonderful memories. Thank you! Show less

Loved the rear seperate living space. Very roomy for an RV.used it to live in while looking for a new place to live,downsizing after kids left the nest. Never got to tow anywhere so can't attest to that, and never had any service work done by dealer. Show less

The Berkshire 390QS was one one the first RV's to have the TV mounted in the center of the RV. This opens up the living area like a family room for watching TV. The captain chairs turn around for easy straight on watching. Forest River builds quality products. I have had to replace or repair several items related to the operation of the slides, but do not consider these large issues. When I replaced the tires I increased the the size and installed a Super Steer Safe-T-Plus Steering Control Device and Motion Control Units. These really improved the handling, especially when driving on interstates with truck grooves. The 350 hp Cummins and Allison Transmission are ample for towing a 4000 lb. vehicle. The unit has two vanity units with one in a closed room with the commode which is very convenient. The kitchen is roomy with a large amount of counter top, double sink, propane cook top, and microwave/convection oven combo. The Forest River Motor Coach factory are very good to repair issues and they never charge for work at the factory. The parts manager is a great person and is always willing to get parts to you quickly or refer you to the manufacturer if he does not stock them. If I were going to buy another Motor Home, I would buy from Forest River. Show less

This is our third Forest River RV, two Cardinal Fifth wheels and the Berkshire. Forest River builds good RVs. The 390QS is a great floor plan. It was the first motor home I saw with the TV in the middle of the RV. This really opens up the living area since you can turn the driving seats around(the passenger seat has an electrical foot kickup). It has a large kitchen counter area with plenty of storage. The bath area is also really nice since it has two vanities, one in the commode room and one next to the shower. The bedroom is comfortable with a queen bed and large closet and more drawers than we use. The washer/dryer hook-ups are in the bedroom and I installed extra removable shelves for storage. I installed a ceiling fan which is good for sleeping. The under storage has three door full through compartments with one slide out. The three color tan full body paint still looks new. The Freight-liner chassis with the 350 HP Cummins and Allison Transmission is an excellent piece of equipment. I probably average 9 mpg which depends on wind and terrain. I had issues with the steering wandering when new and an alignment and later installing the Steering Assist Cylinder took care of that. I had trouble with slide alignment when new and later had a water leak on one slide during a heavy rain. We stopped by the factory and they fixed the slide alignment and at a later date I called about the leak and they told us to stop by on our next trip and they replaced the seals on all four slides. The factory people told me anytime you bring it to the factory it does not cost anything. The factory manager Randy Hauser and the parts manager Andy Thompson are great people. We tow a Jeep Liberty and you don't know it is there. There is a rear camera and one on each side. Our motor home is for sale because we have been RV'ing for nearly twenty years and been in all but four lower states and are just tired of RV'ing but, will keep traveling in it until it sells. Show less

I am the second owner of this fifth wheel trailer and have owned it for over seven years. In that time I hauled it around 4,000 km. or about 2,400 miles. It is the second large Forest River made fifth wheel rv that I have owned. Both have been exceptionally well made. I have never had a single issue or problem with either unit. I used both as a home away from home for the last 12 years while working winters in the energy industry, and it is usually very cold with temperatures often dipping down to -40 degrees or 40 below 0. I was very comfortable even at those extreme conditions. Although I did not stay full time in my trailers I did use them many times throughout every winter when I was between camp jobs or for where the jobs were within driving distance from my trailer. This Daydreamer is very luxurious at the same time as being very livable. It has huge amounts of built-in storage inside and underneath in heated basement storage. With the disc brakes and air ride suspension, it is a dream to tow. The only reason for selling is that I'm retired and have no further need for something this big anymore, but I admit I am sure going to miss it. Show less

The Berkshire is a rv to drive with great maneuvering ability in tight spots as well as the highway The wide open floor plan makes for lots of room for 2 or more. Whether you go for a weekend or a month it has all the comforts of home. Show less

Bought this trailer brand new in 2010, as it was a non-current. Purchased in Orno, Ontario. Took delivery in Jan 2010. Furnace was inoperative, stereo was inoperative. Have had the unit for 8 years, it is ready for the scrap pile. Totally rotted out. Roof rubber cut too short at the back, we didn't realize it but it leaked from day one. Plywood under the linoleum was frozen on delivery. Dealer was a crook. First trip to florida, and on a hot day all the window sealant ran out and down the outside walls. Dealer told me no problem, was not warranty related as this was considered normal maintenance. Need to carry 2 spare tires, as it seems to be quite normal to blow 2 tires in one trip. Have had to replace all the leaf springs. Replaced all tires twice. Trailer has made 3 trips to florida, and one or two trips a year within the province. (2-300 miles). Not comfortable towing it, would not surprise me if the axles and all fly off on the highway. At this point I have the whole back of the trailer ripped apart to try to repair some of the rot, cannot believe how shoddily this thing is thrown together. Everything is out of square, looks like maybe it is the first trailer they have ever built. Will never ever buy another Forest River product. Show less