Don't Make'em Like They Used To

[jmowrey]

Our 32-year old Thetford Aqua Magic IV toilet quit holding water. I guess once every 32 years or so you need to replace these things! Sad thing is, seems you can't get a decent functioning RV toilet for cheap anymore. I bought a Thetford Aqua Magic V, the latest version, and it was terrible. They redesigned it so that now it won't rinse completely around the bowl. It falls short by about a third, not touching any part of the back of the bowl. Plus, it's made from cheaper plastic than the old model. So I sent that one back and ordered a Dometic 300 series. It's also a disappointment. It's "360 degree" promised flush does go 360 degrees around the center of the bowl and rinses the back and sides completely. But it doesn't reach the top 6 inches or so of the front part of the bowl at all. And it's made of even cheaper plastic than the Thetford.

I know these are both the low end models, but you would think someone would have tested these at some point to see if the design actually works. Too bad I already tossed the older Thetford. It probably would have been worth rebuilding to replace the seal and flapper. At least I would have a toilet that actually rinses the bowl. I suppose I'll keep the Dometic for now. Maybe if I'm feeling "flush" (pun intended) next season I'll upgrade to a more expensive model and hope it functions better than the low enders.