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:
Extended warranty woes
John S. now does his own repairs. He wrote, “I got suckered into an extended warranty when we bought our new travel trailer. We had two under-warranty repairs done within a week of bringing in our RV in the first year. We brought it in later to have repairs done under the extended warranty and it took over two months to get our rig back since they were ‘waiting on parts’. The only communication we had was driven by us. After we got our RV back, we got out of the extended warranty and got a partial refund. Now we do our own repairs with help from family and friends when needed.”
From AAA to Good Sam to Coach-Net
Suzann V. is so pleased she switched roadside service providers and wrote, “After having bad service from AAA, who told us it would be more than 10 hours for someone to come while we were stuck, and Good Sam, who left us in the middle of nowhere Wyoming for about 18 hours after an engine fire, we switched to Coach-Net.
“I am so glad that we did. They have been wonderful and are worth every penny we pay for the service. We had an unfortunate situation turning our 36′ motorhome and missing our driveway and sinking in the ground next to it up to the top of our wheels. I called Coach-Net, not expecting much, and was pleasantly surprised at the exceptional service we received.
“It took several calls to locate service because they were not familiar with our area, but soon we had a tow service that was adequately equipped to handle our situation. The Coach-Net rep kept in constant contact with me until the motorhome was out of the ‘swamp’ next to our driveway and back in its normal parking spot. I highly recommend Coach-Net above any of the others.”
GEICO road service proved exceptional for her car
Dana L. wrote to us about her good service from GEICO. “I’ve only had one occasion to use the road service on my GEICO policy, and on a Sunday, I hit a coyote in ‘the middle of nowhere’ Kansas. The radiator was leaking so I couldn’t drive my car. Called GEICO. Immediately they dispatched a tow truck from Wichita (110 miles away).
“The tow truck driver stopped at a town along the way to Wichita so we could pick up a rental car. That Sunday I received a call from the GEICO representative in Wichita. He said he had canceled his Monday morning appointments and he’d be at the body shop when they opened. He told the body shop he wanted my car fixed by Friday, and to FedEx overnight any parts needed. There was a lot of front-end damage. Yes, on Friday my car was fully repaired and I continued on my vacation to the Black Hills. I never received a bill for anything.”
Jacks stuck down on street—mobile tech to the rescue
Mark B. came to the conclusion that he couldn’t figure out the jacks after an extensive Google search. He wrote, “We had a really good experience with an RVTAA-certified mobile repair tech. This all started last June on our way home to Colorado from Texas in our 2016 Thor A.C.E. 29.3. We were going through Fort Worth on the interstate doing about 60 mph when three LEDs on our LCI leveling system panel started flashing, “Engage Parking Brake, Jacks Down, and Excess Angle”.
“We pulled over as soon as safe and verified the jacks were not actually down. After resetting the system, the lights stopped flashing. A few miles later, the lights started flashing again. We decided it was a false reading and it was safe to keep going to our overnight stop. That night, I did some basic troubleshooting and searched the Google machine. After a couple of hours, I came to the conclusion that I couldn’t figure it out.
“We managed to get level that night and the next night doing multiple resets. We got home safely and managed to get level enough to unload the RV, but I’d exhausted my good luck and the leveling system would no longer respond to resets.
“I was stuck with the jacks down on the street in front of our house. Good thing my neighbors are understanding… I contacted Lippert and quickly learned they’d walk me through the troubleshooting steps during their normal hours, which are also the hours I have to be at work.
“Then, a lightbulb came on. I remembered that we paid way too much for an extended warranty when we bought this used in 2021. I noticed I had a $150 deductible.
“After checking the RVTAA locator, I found a mobile tech willing to work warranty jobs. He got me on his schedule a week later and was able to diagnose the issue as a bad controller after spending two hours on the phone with Lippert. The part was ordered and a week later, he came and replaced it. He then recalibrated the leveling system and it now works better than it did when we first bought the RV. The tech and I have stayed in touch and he’ll be my first call if I get stumped again.”
Mobile tech business failed and walked away with deposit
Bob S. writes to us about being ghosted after giving the tech a deposit. “I have two RVs that I rent out and use to go camping. My 2013 Eclipse Milan T24BHG has been and remains to be the most solid camper. No slide out, but at 24 feet it has been the best. I can do most repairs and upgrades myself as I took the NRVTA course online, but some things are beyond my abilities.
“I do take it to my local RV repair shop when it’s a bug thing, but one time I tried a mobile mechanic. He said he would need $500 for the repair. That was for fixing the heater. He asked for half the payment upfront so he could get the parts. I paid him, then he ghosted me. Seems his mobile tech business failed and he walked away with my deposit. This is why I just go to the RV repair shop from now on.”
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.
RELATED
Last week’s Service Centers and Repairs Report:
##RVT1193
Thank you for the compilation, Nanci! Poor Bob S! I can only try to imagine his anger and frustration after making a partial payment and getting nothing repaired. I certainly hope we never have that experience. Have a great day and safe travels!
“Beware of giving deposits before RV work is done.” I got snookered by Camping World in Cedar Falls, Iowa once…after they lied about numerous things that were supposed to be fixed. Fool me once…fool me twice.