Reader claims this article is just ‘alarmist BS.’ But is it?

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:

Is this article (column?) just alarmist BS?

Dennis R. thinks so. He writes, “This whole article is a mishmash of alarmist BS. I own a 2022 Forest River motorhome and it is excellent. Had a few small issues, but a trip to the factory (it does travel, ya know) resolved it all. The dealer network is a complete horror story, but for the record, Forest River has backed up our purchase 110%. I do not doubt there have been issues, but folks with problems have always been louder than those without. I stand on my statements. Love my motorhome.”

Top-notch dealer sales and service

Dave M. has been very pleased with both sales and service. He wrote, “I’m on my second RV purchased from Stoltzfus RV and Marine [now General RV], West Chester, PA. My first RV was a 2020 379TH Momentum, and my second was my current 2022 Tiffin Phaeton 36SH. Their sales and service are top-notch! They have always taken care of my RV needs. They’re at the mercy of the manufacturers just like anyone else for parts availability, but do everything they can to take care of their customers.”

Replaced all the tires from China

Thomas F. had two serious blowouts and changed tires. He writes, “I bought a 2019 Attitude toy hauler with the famous China bombs on it. It bounced while towing and had its first blowout in Nevada. It shredded the tire and ruined the mag wheel. The second time was North 80 going 55 mph and another one blew out. I stopped immediately and found the tire was shredded. I proceeded to Reno, NV, and had all five of them replaced with American tires.”

Only two issues and satisfied with RV and dealer

Mike M. writes to us about just two issues that were repaired under warranty: “The experience with our 2023 Grand Design Reflection 150 5th wheel has been great. A cracked skylight in the bathroom and a poorly mounted electrical outlet were the only two issues that needed warranty repair. General RV in Richmond, VA, had the repairs done in two days. We are very satisfied with this RV and our dealer.”

Warranty ran out while waiting for parts

TD. writes to us warning about the extended warranty running out. “My sister-in-law bought a used toy hauler from Bish’s RV in Idaho Falls. They bought an extended warranty and went over it thoroughly with the representative to what it covered. They had to bring it in for repairs and it was understood to be covered through the warranty. They kept the RV for months, had to order parts, and then wouldn’t cover the repairs. Bish’s stated that it was no longer warranty-covered due to the time frame of not having the parts at the time of inspection and receiving the parts, which was outside the warranty date. DO NOT BUY AN EXTENDED WARRANTY, at least at Bish’s RV.”

Call local repair services

L3eK has good luck when going to the manufacturer and hiring the local repair services to work on their rig. They write, “We always drive to Red Bay for service on our Tiffin Phaeton. The work gets done correctly and at a reasonable price. We did use the Tiffin service center, which did good work, but we had to wait in line. Now we call the other local repair services for appointments. They have numerous people here that can do anything you need. Today our front seats are being recovered by Waylon Burroughs. Ashley is servicing our Aqua-Hot. Fowler Detailing is doing the wash and wax. Bay Diesel will do the engine and chassis service. All of this in five days. We usually plan this trip once a year. Always great service! Maybe we will meet Nanci here someday.”

Nanci’s note: So true! We have local shops already scheduled and will be in Red Bay in April! Perhaps we will meet then. 🙂

“I do my own repairs now”

Michael R. got his money back when the so-called repair didn’t work. He wrote, “Had trouble with my canopy jumping a bit, took it to Dylans RV in South Jersey, got it back in a few days. They charged $70 and the first time I opened the canopy it jumped again. I called them and asked what they did for $70. They said they lubricated it. I told them I’ve done that five times and that’s not the problem. At least I got my money back. They did change the commode under warranty. I do my own repairs now.”

Sold RV and jumped back in and bought a smaller rig

Mark S. had some nice words for RV Travel and tells us his story. He wrote, “Thanks for the great coverage of my posting, BUT I must add a P.S. After just three months of no RV in the drive and the flexibility having one provides, we jumped back in and purchased another used, smaller class A.

“Think this great daily RV newsletter had something to do with it, plus the ability to go visit the grandkids 80 miles away and stay in an RV park just eight miles from their home helped, too. We just like being able to go when we want… again. Not a big investment so sitting for long times in the drive will not be such a bother, nor will the resale when we do finally really give up the lifestyle.

“We are having to get used to one A/C and 30 amp service as this is a small 28-foot class A. But hey, we have been doing this for over 20 years and I think we can make the adjustment. If not, we know where to get advice. Thanks, y’all, for keeping us informed and bringing us back to the great RV community.”

Don’t return calls or off at show or training

John V. has his RV sitting at the service center for months while Jayco denies the claims. He wrote, “Our first camper was built during COVID, and we had no issues. We traded it in on a new Starcraft 2022 20FBS in March of 2023. The walk-through didn’t reveal anything that was an issue.

“During the five trips that we took this past summer, we discovered these issues: The screen door was out of square and didn’t close at the top. The inner door had to be slammed to get it to close. The shower leaked at the base. Two of the sliding windows didn’t stay locked and would come open while we were driving. Both awning motor caps fell off while traveling. And the best one… they drove a screw through the back of the couch armrest which was digging into the control wires for the slide out. This ended up causing a short and the slide would not close.

“It’s been at the dealer since 8/25. They informed us that Jayco denied all of these under the warranty. The dealer ‘good-willed’ all the repairs except for the awning caps. Or at least they said they did all the repairs. Every time I call, they are either at a show, training or just don’t return my calls when they say they will. They said they wouldn’t replace the awning caps because it looked like we hit something. If that were the case, we would have ripped the awning off the camper.”

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.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Name *

First

Last

Email

Paragraph Text *

File Upload

Drag & Drop Files, Choose Files to Upload

Submit

Last week’s Service Centers and Repairs Report:

• RVer writes, “All RV dealers must go to the same ‘School of Shame”; and, “Camping World became a ‘House of Horrors’”

##RVT1149