In this column, we summarize some of your emails and comments regarding RV service centers and repairs (we asked you to submit your stories here). We’ll tell you all: the best, the good, the bad and the ugly. At the end of this article, you’ll find a place to submit your own comments. I encourage you to do so.
Keep in mind, we typically only present one side of the story in most of these. Also, any remarks about service centers and mobile techs mentioned are the opinions of our readers and not necessarily RVtravel.com.
Here’s what you had to say:
RVer’s dream come true: RV tech on-site at campground!
Chris M. shared an RVer’s dream come true—a certified traveling tech that is an RVer at the campground. She writes, “When we retired, traveling was first on our to-do list. My husband, Fred, is able to repair just about anything thrown at him, including being able to fix our own RV issues.
“Pretty soon people were asking for his help. He knew he had to do more in life than just travel and the occasional workamping gigs we did and quickly realized, after hearing other RVer’s repair horror stories, that he could provide a need while on the road. He got his RVIA certification, stocked up on some more tools and he was busy in no time.
“While workamping, having an RV repairman on-site and off proved invaluable. The biggest complaint he heard from customers has been the ability to get a mobile tech to show up, much less getting someone that can do what needs to be done correctly. They would prefer to have a mobile tech do the work than to have their RV sitting in a shop for weeks or months. His promptness to show up for jobs and his quality of work, as well as doing warranty work when in places for an extended period of time, have kept him a busy man while still traveling and seeing the country.”
Can our readers help Peter find a replacement hide-a-bed?
Peter N. can’t find a replacement hide-a-bed for his 2017 Grand Design. Can you help? He asks, “Looking for a replacement for a 70-inch Hide-a-Bed Sofa on my 2017 Grand Design 5th wheel trailer. My dealer can’t find one, and Grand Design Trailers doesn’t have replacements. Where can I get a replacement?”
Wow! Reattached RV roof and had it back in three days
Donald T.’s RV roof detached and he had excellent service. He shares, “I had a problem with my roof detaching during a visit to the desert. I limped home hoping to not do further damage to it. Once home, I contacted Temecula RV Repair in Temecula, CA, and spoke with Frank to schedule bringing the RV in for an evaluation on the following Monday. They inspected the damage and after giving the usual warnings about not being able to guarantee the roof could be repaired, I left the RV with them to attempt a repair. Long story short: They were able to reattach the roof and I had my RV back three days later. Other service facilities would have kept the RV for at least a week before even beginning repairs. I am pleased to say that the repair has held up well and instead of spending over $15,000 for a new roof, I had it repaired for a little over $2,000.”
Go mobile
Mike M. would have had a two- to three-month wait to get in for service but instead… “The dealer where we bought our Grand Design Thor is 2-3 months out for service. We were recommended a mobile service in our area and have everything done in our driveway in a matter of days.”
Check out how the shop looks
Susan B. mentioned how immaculate the repair shop she used was and that may indicate the quality of work. She explains, “Have a 2017 25’ FC Airstream. Not once but twice the drive side 20’ plus Panel was rearranged due to user error, both times it did not get in the way of using the AS. The first time it was repaired at the factory and took three days, covered by insurance. The second time I just figured it would not cover and took to a well-known company in Maine. In just three days it was done and the work was meticulous. My husband noted when we got there the shop was immaculate, everything was in place. Three workers got on it immediately. All parts had been ordered previously and were there waiting to be used. Great work, fair price, a rather big job, and finished in a timely manner. We drove up from NJ on a Sunday, work began Monday morning. Note: Jim at Silver Moose Restorations: perfection.”
Too old to climb on the roof. Know any mobile techs in the Duluth, Minnesota, area?
Sandra W. had a great dealer but no mobile tech available. If you know of any in the Duluth, Minnesota, area please leave a comment. She writes, “I love the dealer that we bought our Winnebago Minnie travel trailer from. We keep it year-round in a campground, about 20 miles away from the dealer. Every year, we drive 1,800 miles north to live in it during the summer. During Covid, the dealer had to suspend the mobile repair side of their service department, and, due to a continued lack of employees, has not started it back up. Because we don’t have a tow vehicle (and also live in it full-time while we’re there), we dread needing some kind of maintenance or repair because there’s no one who can come out and work on it. And we’re too old to climb on the roof.”
Shout out for miracle repairs
Sue R. has nothing but gratitude for the miracles that got them back on the road: “When we rolled into Tuscumbia, AL, on Sunday, oil was all over the front passenger side of our tow vehicle, tow hitch, tow chains and RV tailpipe.
Miracle 1– On our car trip Tuesday to Elvis’ Birthplace, we stopped for lunch in Fulton, MS (about an hour away from the campground). The diner owner happened to mention he was a retired truck driver. We told him of our problem and he suggested we go to Roadrunner Truck Service just a mile up the road.
Miracle 2– By description, Roadrunner knew what part we needed and advised we take it to any of the truck repair shops back in Tuscumbia and assured us of their good reputations.
Miracle 3– I called our campground office in Tuscumbia for possible referral. Shoals Truck Repair was just across the street to the left and also provided their contact info!
Miracle 4– Shoals Truck Repair was willing to help us the very next morning! (A HUGE miracle in the RV repair world!)
Miracle 5– Shoals suppliers didn’t have the part (like looking for hen’s teeth, we’re told) but provided the part number and maker.
Miracle 6– Call to Roadrunner where Anita spent two hours calling around and finally found the part we need in Missouri. It’s being overnighted (cha-ching!) and tomorrow we will make the car trip back to Roadrunner in Fulton, MS, to pick it up and deliver it to Shoals Truck Repair in Tuscumbia, AL, for installation.
Miracle 7– We’ll be back on the road on Friday, after a delay of only one day.
“This is not a sight you want to see, especially far far away from your trusted repair shop, but we couldn’t have landed at a better, more helpful trucker community than this one. Shoutouts to Peppertown Restaurant, Roadrunner Truck Service, Shoals Truck Repair, Heritage Acres RV Park, and most importantly, God who guided us each step of the way. This time and always.”
Editor’s note
Note from RVtravel.com: If hiring a mobile tech, a small or mega service center, make sure that they are experienced in the issue and have insurance in case something goes wrong. Also, check their warranty policy on the work they perform. Check reviews too and read between the lines—if the review sounds way too good to be true it might be. Compare with several reviews and not just the ones on their website.
Questions for you about RV service
We’ll continue to share stories of your RV service experiences. We want to know:
- Have you had good luck with great service or not so much?
- Did you get good service from knowledgeable technicians
- Are you waiting to get into a service center or have a mobile tech come out
- What has been the average time to get an appointment
- Has your RV been in a service center for a while
- Are you able to get any mobile techs to come out
- Are the service centers able to get parts
- When you do get the repairs done, is the price reasonable?
Please fill out the form below and tell us what your experiences have been like. It can be a horror story, an opinion about what’s going on, a positive experience, or anything else related to the topic. We want to know the great, the good, the bad, and the ugly!
Check back next week for more on RV service centers. See you then.
Last week’s RV Service Centers and Repairs Report:
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Ickes RV Surplus
Montpelier, IN
Great to see some positive repair reports
RecPro! Very good replacement furniture for RV’s.
We are fortunate to have many mobile RV repair people in Yuma, AZ. Some stay all year. Most are very good and have reasonable charges. Your RV stays in your park or on your lot as they come to you. No hauling your RV to a stealership or repair joint that may have it for months on end and still don’t fix the problem. I really feel for folks here in the winter that have something that needs repair under warranty as the parade begins to from the dealership that must have it in house. Then they order the wrong parts and the back and forth continues. Go MOBILE/
We winter in a rv resort in Az. There is a repairman in the park. The person across the street needed water heater repair. He spent almost 3 hours before finding a blown fuse.(start at the source, not at the end. I would have found that in minutes. Another time a lady called him for no hot water. Another blown fuse. This time he spent 15 minutes. $185. Service call and parts(45 cents). There goes her budget
Numerous options to replace 70” hide a bed. Any furniture store, RecPro in Bristol, IN, Lambright Comfort Chairs in Shipshewana, IN, Bontragers in White Pigeon, MI.
PeterN, I have a 67 inch hide a bed sofa, I just removed from my 2018 Georgetown, sitting in my workshop. Tan in color, and I don’t think it has ever been .used. I replaced it with theater seating recliners. I am in
Southern Oregon.
God bless Fred! What a wonderful service he provides!
Try Mastercraft In Shipshewana IN. They have a store/showroom in Shipshewana, we have bought probably 5 different types of sofas from them over the last 40 years. They don’t custom make, I think, but what they make come in different sizes. you should be able to find something there, plus you will get a chance to pick out the fabric. If you make it to that area, stop in you won’t be disappointed or give them a call.
Do an internet search for rv surplus stores. Bontragers, in southern Michigan is a good one for example. Then start calling those stores. Another idea is to go to your local furniture store and see what they have for 70” hide a bed couch’s. Then it’s simply out with the old and in with the new.
Replacement 70″ hide-a-bed …. who was the manufacturer of your original unit?
I solved my replacement furniture problem by going to an RV show that included my brand, finding a factory rep at the show and sweet talking him into making direct contact with the furniture manufacturer (by-passing the manufacturer’s poor customer service staff). Because my sofa bed wasn’t in the manufacture’s published catalog, yet still being installed in new RVs, the dealers I contacted were worthless. And the manufacturer’s customer service staff was just as worthless. I worked for nearly three months until I followed the above path to success.