Alan Warren, your RV Wingman from The RV Show USA, discusses the realities of filing a lawsuit against an RV manufacturer or sleazy RV dealer, and gives some advice for those who have a sure-fire lemon RV.
It’s something to consider doing BEFORE engaging with a lawyer. As always, the RV Show USA welcomes your comments and voicemails. Post comments below or leave a message on the show’s 24 hour voicemail at 1-855-296-7469.
I wouldn’t say fighting a large RV producer is entirely futile. I am bound by gag order not to speak about the specific company I fought and won over but I can tell you I returned a new $100,000 + class C (with 42 documented faults, 4 of a safety nature) to the selling dealer, telling him in no uncertain terms that I was taking the entire matter up with as many media concerns as I could involve, and they returned every nickel of the money.
The dealer had been in business since 1969, and they wished to continue to be able to say, “they’d never had a problem” with the builder in the past, representative in what they delivered to me. What a crock as I found out later investigating this very large company.
I did end up with another new Class C, but not after going over it with a fine tooth comb. I could write a book on this matter easily, but I will say one thing, if you’re shopping do so within a short drive of where you live, We didn’t and I was out of pocket travel distance 200 miles X’s two. It could have been much worse. The ace in the hole was that in the short time I had the vehicle I didn’t register it, if I had done that it would have been considered a Used vehicle” and one of two things could have happened after that. If I could have returned it as a new vehicle at all, it would have been devalued, as a new vehicle even though I only drove it the 200 miles X’ two. The other thing is that they could have told me to pound sand and not accepted it back at all.
They tried real hard to save this deal, by trying to convince me that everything could be fixed, ( I asked them if they could fix all the crap wrong why didn’t they do so before I bought it) ya 200 miles away and how many times would I have had to book it and rebook it and travel travel travel to that place to sit sit sit, waiting to enjoy my NEW!!!!! Toy?
I told them I didn’t by a new vehicle to wait around having it “fixed” I was one lucky dude. Personally if I wasn’t trying so hard to please the little lady with a penchant for modern RV’ing in the junk they’re building today I would have gone back to a vintage car and tent trailer – the best times I’ve ever had RV’ing, but them 50 years of wedded bliss does things to a guy – like not taking anymore crap than is necessary.
On the Lemon Law: after a fatal black water tank defect left my 2018 Premier Tt a health hazard due to black mold in the compartment under the floor, I was blessed with an honest RV dealer who made me a good deal in trading out.
Why? You ask.
Well here”s the rest of the story.
It’s one thing to be warrantied from here to Sunday and to have made the purchase in a Lemon Law State but there was still one fact in the whole situation that few of us realize. What to do about the finance contract you are still obligated to. You have to pay thousands to get out of it or trade.
In this situation don’t rely on your RV insurance company at all if you have a warranty. They will turn you down. Useless.
The dealer I will name with their permission: Fun Country RV and Marine in Anthony, TX put together a good deal for me to trade out. Otherwise I would have spent last winter camping out of my truck!