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:
Tempted to travel by stagecoach
Stephen M. had been getting the runaround for months and at least now can get in the waiting queue. He tells us: “We have a problem with our Carefree Slide Topper on our 2022 Dynamax Force 34KD. It’s the long passenger-side slide. Last fall, the topper started flapping and flopping, hitting the side and top of the RV. I called the local Carefree Warranty Service person, who is a mobile tech. After three calls and three months of trying to get that person out to look the problem over, I moved on. He kept making promises but the last time I called, I specifically asked if he wasn’t interested to let me know. I also called a local RV dealer and service location. They played the game that they would have the service department give me a call back. Never heard back from them.
“Finally called what used to be Campland, in Indiana (which is now a Lazydays). They scheduled me in to put me in their queue. Which means drop it off—when we can, we’ll get to it. Seems that scheduling is not their thing. But at least we got some attention within a week. We are now on a trip. Lazydays ordered a ‘stop ’em from floppen’, which will be installed once we can once again put our RV back in the queue. All I can say is, if this $35 part should have been installed with the awning, at the time of manufacturing, it would have saved us a lot of aggravation.
“We get worried about the Winegard 360+ being smacked loose every time the wind picks up and the slide ends up being pulled in. I could see this as a good approach if the winds were over 15+ mph, but not at sub-15 mph. This sort of highlights the whole RV industry and their attitudes toward design/manufacturing, warranty service, and service in general. If we didn’t enjoy our RV travels as much as we do, we’d be tempted to travel via stagecoach.”
Warranty worked… dealer didn’t
Randy W. bought a used RV and found a number of things the dealer should have fixed. He reports, “We bought a used 2017 Grand Design Reflection from a bigger dealership about 90 miles from where we live. I had seen it online and did some research on the camper and found it to be fairly highly rated. When we first went to look at the camper, I immediately saw that the fireplace and one of the air conditioners didn’t work. At first, the dealer balked at repairing the issues but eventually agreed to.
“I also purchased and paid for the installation of a clothes washer/dryer combo. After agreeing on a deal, I returned a week later to pick up the camper. They gave me a quick run-through with an inexperienced RV tech and sent me on my way. After getting the camper home, I chose not to de-winterize it yet as this was early spring, and the place that I was eventually taking it to was still experiencing sub-freezing temperatures. During this time at home, I also realized that the refrigerator was not working.
“I called the dealership and they flat out told me that I had purchased a warranty, and to use it. I did some research on the refrigerator brand and found that there was a recall issue and was able to repair it myself. After pulling the camper to the place I needed it to be, I found that the water heater had a crack in the bottom as I was de-winterizing it. Again, I called the dealer and asked why this was not found during their pre-sale testing. They again said that I had purchased a warranty and told me that I could pull it to one of their two dealerships within 80 miles of where I was or find my own mobile repairman.
“I chose the latter as I knew that if I was to take it to one of their dealerships it would be put in the back of the lot and they would work on it when they chose to. During this mobile repairman’s visit, it was also found that there was a plumbing leak in the kitchen, and he wound up repairing that also. All of these issues should have been taken care of during their pre-sale testing but obviously were left to the person who made the purchase.
“These things being said, I will never step foot in a Bish’s RV again. If it wasn’t for the warranty and the understanding mobile repairman that I was able to find, I would be out another $2,000 besides the original cost. After more research, I believe that the washer/dryer that I paid to have installed has not been installed correctly and will not be able to drain. I haven’t tried it yet but that’s just the feeling that I get after seeing how low they made the drain stand pipe.”
*Editor’s note: Our friend, Josh the RV Nerd, works for Bish’s RV. While we love Josh and know (for a fact!) that he knows his stuff, we understand that not every experience at every location can be a positive one. Josh, we still love you!
Excellent repair service and recommendation
Dan M. tells us about the great service he had: “We were able to get timely, excellent repair service on our dislodged black tank and some other minor repairs at a shop in Ridgecrest, CA. Dave Lind was able to get us in and out in three days! Unheard of! He was excellent at working with the insurance company to try to get repairs covered (they refused coverage). If you are in the CA high desert go see Dave! Or call first 760-446-5151. Lindustries RV Services, located at 1034 W Ward Ave, Ridgecrest CA.”
Fixes things correctly
Daniel K. has good things to say about this repair center: “Linda B. is right. Freedom RV Marana is the best. The two primaries, Newt and Elka, are amazing and their staff of techs are relentless in fixing issues both correctly and timely. We have nothing but admiration for their operation.”
Homeless and now paying for something they can’t use
Katherine M. has had so many problems with her RV that she is now homeless. She tells us, “When we first started camping five years ago it was fun. We went from work camping in NC and vacationing in Florida. We found a park in SC for three years for a very reasonable $500 per month and then we were sent to Virginia for work. Next we moved from there to Massachusetts. We bought a used travel trailer. Never again. So many problems. Water leaks, toilet broken, refrigerator went twice, batteries and slideout broke in July 2022. I, my son, and my six cats have been homeless since. RV parks are outrageous. Not a happy camper. Still paying for something we cannot use.”
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:
##RVT1106
The mega dealership that sold my 2022 travel trailer to me has a venue in the heart of RV manufacturing to do all the dealership’s pre-sales checks before shipping to the retail venues. In theory, the retail shop mostly does janitorial work to make the unit look nice, fill and install propane tank(s), and mount a battery. So far as I can tell, the only mechanical checks are if the internal and external lights work, if the furnace and range light, and the water pump hums. As the unit remains ‘winterized’ (did it ever have a drop of water in the system?) certainly things like plumbing and waste tank sensors aren’t tested. There is a place for a TV, but none supplied, so the antenna is not tested.
(continued)
It is wholly up to the new owner to check fit and finish. Yes I found a loose panel barely held in place and the tech immediately jumped to add a missing mounting piece of wood. I was on the road and 250 miles from the dealership before I discovered the tank sensors didn’t work. Well actually they did… by reversing two wires at the factory, I found the ceiling lights had to be on before the sensors lighted. Luckily I am decent at troubleshooting such things because I had and the dealer couldn’t provide, a wiring diagram. Then I found the grey and black tank sensor wiring was swapped. Fixed that but began to suspect deliberation in the mis-wiring. I eyed the wall plate for the TV antenna. And yes, the antenna and cable TV inputs were also reversed.
So as stated, dealerships are more concerned with making a new unit look pretty than actually testing it before delivery. In fairness, new car dealers do the same. The difference is MUCH better quality control at the factory.
I don’t think it’s so much “improve the quality at the factory” as it is “reduce the apathy and indifference” there.
When we were shopping for midline Class A coach, every coach we looked at had screws going in at obviously wrong angles or missing, wiring routed/terminated flat out wrong and things like mirrors and shower head brackets attached unlevel or off-center with no regard to being right.
I refuse to believe the assemblers honestly don’t know screws sticking out at because they’re in wrong is bad and the inspectors don’t know to call it out. Instead, I think it’s apathy, lack of pride in workmanship and arrogant indifference. Nobody cares, they know the average buyer won’t build their own.
TLDR: The things I’ve seen on coaches should have never left the dealer, let alone the factory. Hard to blame Service for not being better at fixing problems than the factory is at creating them.
Not defending anyone, but many times it’s upper level management that says if it makes it through the warranty period that’s all that’s important. Had two Nissan engineers say that about Nissan’s worst in the industry CVT(automatic transmission).
Bob, I agree completely. Top management in any business sets a tone for operations. That business philosophy then permeates the organization. Good people toward the bottom can become indifferent as they fight, for a while, to do things right, but finally feel defeated.
Most line workers, I believe, want to do things right. With proper training & encouragement they will shine. If whipped and beaten and told to just get it out the door, that is what will happen.
Poor quality is due to corporate greed, from the same companies which received the largest tax giveaway ever in 2016.
There are many systems in an RV, mechanical, electrical and plumbing. If you do not test these systems, prior to drive off, how can you be confident they work? If a dealership won’t hook up and allow you to test these systems, look elsewhere.