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:
Day one, furnace not working – two dealers couldn’t fix. After one year, mobile tech fixed it in 30 minutes
Lawrence B. says he only got B.S. for an answer: “On the first day, the furnace was not working. Camping World could not fix the problem. I took it to another Camping World and they did not fix it. We used our fireplace for heat. After one year of playing with Camping World, I called an independent RV repairman who came over in thirty minutes and had it fixed. Cost $300 dollars and Camping World refused to pay. Called the home office and got B.S. for an answer. Never ever spend one dime on that crooked company.”
Excellent dealer service and happy first-time campers (in their late 70s)!
Neal S. and his spouse are avid travelers and, in their late 70s, just bought their first camper. He wrote to us: “For the last 30 years we have been avid international travelers blessed to have visited all seven continents. Now in our late 70s, we made the decision to purchase a camper and see more of the USA. After much research and renting a couple of campers, we picked the Rockwood 2606WS as our perfect couples camper. We finally located one in March last year. Unfortunately, it was six hours away at Cedar City RV in Lebanon, TN. The price was right and it was the only one we could find in AL, GA, FL, and TN. We immediately paid a phone CC deposit and prepared for the 6-hour drive.
“Since we had never owned a camper and I was hearing all the stories about issues with new campers and lack of support from dealers, we made plans with Cedar City RV to buy the camper, stay overnight at a local campground, and come back the next morning with a punch list they would address. The first night was an adventure. It was cold, we had very limited experience and, of course, there were issues with the camper.
“The next morning we were back at Cedar City RV, they addressed the problems, and we were on our way back to Wedowee, AL, shortly after lunch.
“It is now 12 months later. We have been on ten camping adventures. There have been a few issues. Cedar City RV has provided excellent support by either putting a technician on the phone with me or sending me parts to resolve the issue. Only once was a long return trip required, and that service was provided as promised in a week.
“We love our Rockwood and are looking forward to a two-month adventure to the National Parks this summer including Glacier. Cedar City RV says, ‘We Sell Fun!’ They do, and provide excellent support.”
Security cameras keep the techs honest…
Mark L. finds that his security camera catches everything, even when the service centers mess up. He wrote: “The best tool in my arsenal when it comes to RV and chassis service centers is the Blink security cameras I have installed. They tell me when the coach has sat forever, collecting dust, even though the service manager swears they were just working on something ‘yesterday.’ It tells me when the tech says ‘uh oh’ when messing something up or backing into something. I cannot tell you the countless times I have relied on camera notifications and video saved to the cloud to keep service techs honest…”
Slide chewing up plywood floor and RV unusable for 9 months of its 12-month warranty
Steven S. writes to us about his new RV in for repair for 9 months of its 12-month warranty: “Here’s a new warranty coverage scam. We purchased a new 2023 Thor Pasadena. Since day one the slides had problems. The camp-side slide was misaligned and would not operate without chewing up the plywood floor. Unfortunately, the bed was a fold-up and could not be used without the slide extended. Once extended, the slide would not retract without creating further damage.
“The opposite slide would, when extended, disconnect the sinks’ and shower’s plumbing from the grey tank, causing wastewater to pour onto the interior floors. These combined flaws rendered the RV unusable.
“Our dealer didn’t have enough parking spaces to store the RV while the warranty work was approved or performed (multiple times), so we’d drop it off for assessment, then have to drive back to our storage facility until called to work on it for a day or two. Repeated this cycle six times! In all, the RV was unusable for 9 months of the 12 months of warranty.
“I asked Thor to extend our warranty coverage by 9 months to account for the time the rig was unusable and they denied the request, saying the rig was only ‘in for repair’ for fewer than two weeks. This is criminal. Thor should be ashamed.”
RV dealership should be divided into two separate businesses
Jim J. quotes one of our readers’ comments and tells us about his service dilemma and a suggestion to make the business better. “Another reader, John V., wrote: ‘Every time I call, they are either at a show, training or just don’t return my calls when they say they will.’
“Yep. That statement exactly fits my last experience with the service manager at the dealership that sold us our RV. Luckily, I was not waiting for parts, but for information. And I learned a lesson. Most RV dealerships are all about making the sale rather than the service revenue from an existing customer or building the future of another sale to that customer.
“In most RV dealerships, the service technicians serve two masters. They are responsible for the service and repair of already sold vehicles, but they are also responsible for all the prep work and walk-throughs of the vehicles about to be sold. Re-read the last sentence of the previous paragraph to see which master gets priority.
“In a dream world, an RV dealership would be split into two businesses, sales and service, with each having their own technical teams and profit goals. And if the sales side had to reimburse the service side for post-sale warranty items that should have been caught during dealer prep, I’m willing to bet our rigs would be better prepped. And, in turn, allow the service side to better control workflow.”
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 Service Centers and Repairs Report:
##RVT1155
We attended an RV show here in Carson City this past week. Tons of trailers and MH’s. I don’t know how they got them all in the area! It seems like almost every one we looked at was ‘pre-loved’ and offered at a great deal. But as we toured several motorhomes, we found small defects in almost every one. The sales guy (who always showed up as we wandered into various units) assured us that they wouldn’t let us drive away with anything that had any problems. Super nice guy, but I didn’t believe a word of that promise. As usual, we bought nothing and continue to love our 2012 TT.
Yes, if they don’t care enough to spiff up a unit for a special show, they’re not going to do it after you buy it.
Funny how they have to keep drumming up new business, after most of their prior clients have been let down by their bad service or false promises. There must be a lot of dealerships that are on ‘never-again’ lists.
Grand Design being one of the outfits in serious question. I learned the hard way.
Agreed ‘continue to love our’ 2003 39L.
Run like Jesse Owens from CW and don’t look back.
Thank you, Nanci! 🙂 Jim J’s suggestion of separating an RV dealership into two units — sales and service — that act as independent entities is interesting. My only concern is that there aren’t enough qualified service technicians to cover both sides of the business; sales and service. Thanks again and safe travels, Nanci! 🙂