RVs may be called junk by some, but not in Red Bay, AL, where Tiffin service shines

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:

Excellent and affordable

Mike M. sent us this recommendation for a shop and mobile service. “I found excellent service and fair price at Manny’s Affordable RV Service, Quarry Road gate #3, in Coburg, Oregon. Manny maintains both a shop and mobile service providing 30 years of tech experience. His mobile # is 541-731-9137; office 541-343-3492.” [Sorry, I can’t find a website or FB page for this service. —Diane]

Knowledgeable and patient

Gary S. knows there is a lot of bad press about Camping World, but this location in Golden, Colorado, was indeed golden. He wrote, “Great sales service and aftermarket product service from Camping World, Golden, CO. We purchased our second Class C from Camping World with the assistance of the same young salesman we used with our first Class C purchase. The salesman was knowledgeable and was not pushy to close the sale.

“We closed the transaction and a month later I ordered a front steering stabilizer, a rear trac bar and a towing package with the aftermarket product salesman. He was extremely knowledgeable and patient with all of my in-depth questions. Then he spent a couple of hours going over the hookup procedure of the tow bar and going over the software operation of the RVibrake3 system.

“I have read a lot of negative things about Camping World, but the service you get from any dealership can vary from location to location. And the most important thing to remember is the service you seek is only as good as the customer service philosophy of the dealership management and the people providing that service.”

Call a reputable roofer

Michael N. has this advice for readers on TPO roofs. He says, “Just commenting on the TPO roof bubbles. TPO roofs are widely used on commercial buildings and are very reliable. I know, as I am a commercial construction superintendent. If you have issues or think the dealer or service center is scamming you, try calling a reputable TPO roofer. TPO suppliers have a list of very reputable roofing companies they sell to.”

Another place for great service

Neal D. sent us info about Northgate Parts. He wrote, “We continue getting great service at Northgate Parts in Hixson, Tennessee.

“We noticed that the driver-side front leveling jack appeared bent. We called for an appointment and were scheduled 10 days later. I happened to call a few days later and was offered an appointment a day earlier. We barely had time to eat breakfast (~45 minutes) before our RV was ready.

“Turns out, a bolt at the top of each jack has a small amount of ‘play’ to allow the jack to pivot slightly to follow the ground’s contour. The charge was $0 because, as the service manager said, ‘We didn’t DO anything.’ Is it any wonder I patronize these guys?”

Fake wood peeling off everywhere!

Paul P. is very disappointed with their RV. He wrote, “2018 Forest River Sunseeker TS2390. With just my wife and I traveling, we thought this small Class C motorhome would fit the bill, but then the nightmares started happening. A shelf in one cupboard holding plastic plates and cups came right off the wall. Another time, our first time using the Truma Combi heater, the high amount of moisture it put out warped the drawer face above it. Fake wood is peeling off everywhere. And the rear camera stopped working within 15 months. This thing is a hunk of crap!!!!”

Made the pilgrimage to Red Bay

Tim L. had a horrible response from a dealer so he made the pilgrimage to Red Bay, Alabama. He wrote, “We have a 2022 Tiffin Class A. From the start we had problems, but then I expected a ‘home on wheels’ to have problems. We had absolutely horrible response from the dealer from the second we drove off the lot! It took Bob Tiffin himself to straighten out several major items.

“We just returned from our first pilgrimage to Red Bay, Alabama, home of Tiffin. What a remarkable facility. The repair shop has 48 bays and can do just about everything needed. As an example, our dryer stopped working and Tiffin gave us the option of ordering a new heating element, or replacing the entire dryer, which they had in stock. The mechanics’ bay was able to do all the 15,000-mile Cummins maintenance and generator service.

“We are looking at Tiffins again, and whether we decide on a new or slightly used one, our first trip will be to Red Bay. We were stunned about how many owners did this exact thing. The general consensus was that there were NO reliable dealers.”

Editor’s note: We make the pilgrimage almost yearly and work with the experienced vendors there, too.

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.

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Last week’s Service Centers and Repairs Report:

• Rubber roof blows off, leveling alarm beeps for 25 hours; ‘Nothing but a nightmare!’

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