Comments Re Classic Coach Works, Lakeland, FL

[stevebxl]

Classic Coach Works is owned by a son and father team, Alan and Greg.
Their motto is "The customer is NOT always right."

While traveling in central Florida in our 40ft RV our grey water tank valve broke in the open position so we had to find a place that could fix it for us. Classic Coach Works (CCW) was just a few miles out of our way home in FL, so we decided to get the work done there.
CCW also does renovations so we decided to get some additional work done:
1. Install a SeeLevel Tank Gauge system with two monitors. $1531.00
2. Mount a TV & DVD player in the basement for outside viewing. $891.00
3. Build a walnut storage cabinet under an existing cabinet where we could store bread, chips, etc. $395.00
4. Install a black water tank flush system & reconfigure my wet bay piping so I could grab the dump valves directly. My coach had cable pulls to operate the valves and these always broke - which is the original reason we stopped here. Total cost of this project: $1021.00
6. Build and install a custom computer desk. $2,295.00
7. Install a new fm/am radio with remote control. $295.00
8. Remove the existing storage cabinet on the passenger side and relocate it to the basement for use as an outside table/bar. $197.00 ( IMO they charged me too much for this, but I just paid it).

A call was made to CCW and I was told they could do the work and to bring my coach in for an estimate. I was greeted by Alan (the owners son) and he started to give me a tour of their facilities which consisted of looking at their show room furniture, new flooring, etc. I politely asked Alan if we could skip this tour and let's get out to my RV because my wife & dog had been waiting around for about 90 minutes by now. He got flustered and on our way out to my RV I had to look at the carpenter shop and 2 other RV's that were in the process of getting new floors installed. Really dude? I just told you I was in a hurry.

We finally made it to our coach and after discussing the work to be done I was told by Alan that they could get the work done in 5 to 7 weeks. Alan wanted to give me a quote on-the-spot, but I wanted to get home ( it had been 3 hours by now) so I asked him to email me the estimate. Three days later I get the estimate.

Four weeks go by and I have heard nothing from CCW regarding the status of work being done so I email Alan directly and ask him to email me back or call me and get me up to date. It took this guy SIX days to open and reply to my email. (Yes, they have programs to track when emails are opened.) Even after he opened my email asking him to call me, I had to run him down with the phone to get a status of my completion date. When I asked him why it was taking so long he told me, "We have been really busy with snow birds and haven't gotten much done on your RV" because you told us that you weren't in a hurry. In other words - I had been bumped back. I DID tell them I wasn't in a hurry, but THEY told me 5-7 weeks.

I dropped of my RV at CCW on Jan. 28th. I picked it up on April 23rd. TWELVE weeks later my coach is finally finished. Had to cancel attending a FT rally in the panhandle!

The quality of the work is "satisfactory" in my opinion, but the lack of follow up and/or status reports from the owner(s) is terrible. Even though I asked Alan to let me know if they had any problems, I seldom heard from him until it was time to collect the final bill.

My Issues With CCW:
1. We wanted a storage cabinet with a tambour door (like a roll top desk) so we could access the cabinet when our slide was in. They couldn't get the door to work because they thought I was going to store my coffee pot in the cabinet. I SPECIFICALLY told Alan not to worry about that $10 coffee pot because I could always move it. He didn't remember THAT conversation so the cabinet was built with 2 doors instead. In order to access the contents now my slide has to be out because of the swing out doors.

NO ONE called us to inform us that they had made any changes to our initial design request. Totally INAPPROPRIATE in my opinion. I asked for and was willing to pay for a specific design that was changed without my knowledge. When we arrived to settle our "balance due" CCW still wanted me to pay the extra $200 for my tambour door cabinet. I didn't.

I can't prove this, but when I dropped off my RV my backup camera was working just fine. When I picked it up the monitor didn't work. I DO know that someone spliced some video wires together under the dash to try and get my monitor working. CCW did have to cut some wires because the backup monitor was also my old tank level gauges. I just decided to get away from CCW and get a new camera from some where else to the tune of $750.

I would NEVER bring my RV here for more work unless it was a critical emergency and I would NEVER recommend Classic Coach Works in Lakeland, FL to any of my RV friends.

Well, that was MY experience anyways.

[deanjeep]

I tried 2 years in a row to get a quote from them for some work in our motor home and after looking at the coach and making a list of everything they never even have me a quote. Even after contacting them and telling them that someone had looked at the coach while at the Tampa RV show they still never contacted me with a quote. I would never approach them to do any work for me. They just don't really seem interested.

[KIX]

About 5 years ago CCW was operated by a man and wife "team". Dennis and Beverly, I think were the names. I got the impression that they were the owners......maybe they sold to the folks you dealt with.
My experience with them was a lttle different than yours. NOt quite as much work but the workmanship on the carpentry part was excellent. Their carpenter was a guy named Norman. The rest of the work they did was okay at best. Part of their job was to install a new TV. When I dealt with Dennis I advised him that the coach had an existing surround sound system and that I thought the dash radio was somehow connected intot he system. I further advised him that I suspected that the dash radio would have to be upgraded so to include that in his quote (not an estimate) for the work.
Dennis assured me that the work I was having done was mundane for them and they "knew their business" and the job would be completed with everything working properly. We agreed on th e price and when I picked the coach up the dash radio did not work. The fix for the radio was that i had to physically go buy one and they would install it which they did. During all this problem at pick up Dennis was very rude and condescending and actually said I was getting their services of installing the radio for free. I reminded him of his assurances that they "knew their business". He got angry and huffed off. he wouldn't speak to me after that so I paid a shop employee and got a receipt and left. Regardless of ownership of that business I will never do business with them again.

[stevebxl]

What amazes me is that before I took my coach to CCW there was only ONE review ( Buyer Beware was the title) anywhere that I could find. The customer bought a used RV from them in "as is" condition, found a lot of things wrong with the RV and asked CCW to fix them. CCW fixed some , but not all. Apparently the transmission went out on the used RV and they buyers got really mad then. CCW did reply to the bad review, and the reponse made sense to me, so I went ahead and scheduled some work.

I've posted my review everywhere and NOW I'm getting comments from people with the same experience - a bad one.

The internet is a powerful tool! If more people would post actual experiences, both good and bad, it would help us ALL when looking for services. Give us reviews!!

Cheers!

[RBrun357]

I have just finished reading the reviews about Classic Coach and thought I would add my experience to the mix.

My wife and I have been full timing since 1998 and we recently upgraded our home from a 1998 40’ American Dream to a 2006 43’ Newmar. We took our home to Classic Coach and had significant interior remodeling performed. We had all new interior colors installed on the window valances, new MCD blinds, new wide screen TV cabinet constructed where the TV rises up out of the top along with numerous other items. Our experience was wonderful! We found Greg and his wife Stephanie very easy to work with and they provided us with ample amounts of their time to assist us with the design and engineering portion of the project. We were able to make changes along the way and they accommodated all of our desires. Greg provided us with a time frame for the renovations and we were pulling out of their parking lot with our newly renovated and personalized home right on time.

Since then I have referred a few friends to Classic Coach for their renovations, one had new luxury vinyl flooring, an oven and a residential refrigerator installed along with significant cabinet work. All of the people that I referred had similar results where they told me they enjoyed their experience working with the Classic Coach and they loved the quality craftsmanship.

My wife and I are currently in the process of creating another list of improvements that we want Classic Coach to perform to our coach and we look forward to another satisfying experience.

See you down the road.

Richard

[stevebxl]

Originally Posted by RBrun357

I have just finished reading the reviews about Classic Coach and thought I would add my experience to the mix.

My wife and I have been full timing since 1998 and we recently upgraded our home from a 1998 40’ American Dream to a 2006 43’ Newmar. We took our home to Classic Coach and had significant interior remodeling performed. We had all new interior colors installed on the window valances, new MCD blinds, new wide screen TV cabinet constructed where the TV rises up out of the top along with numerous other items. Our experience was wonderful! We found Greg and his wife Stephanie very easy to work with and they provided us with ample amounts of their time to assist us with the design and engineering portion of the project. We were able to make changes along the way and they accommodated all of our desires. Greg provided us with a time frame for the renovations and we were pulling out of their parking lot with our newly renovated and personalized home right on time.

Since then I have referred a few friends to Classic Coach for their renovations, one had new luxury vinyl flooring, an oven and a residential refrigerator installed along with significant cabinet work. All of the people that I referred had similar results where they told me they enjoyed their experience working with the Classic Coach and they loved the quality craftsmanship.

My wife and I are currently in the process of creating another list of improvements that we want Classic Coach to perform to our coach and we look forward to another satisfying experience.

See you down the road.

Richard

I am very glad you had a good experience with CCW. It seems that their expertise is new floors, carpentry, and fridge replacement. What angered me was that they did NOT keep me informed to the various set backs they had. I still would never go back. Cheers!

[harleychief]

Last week we had our 05 Newmar Dutch Star at Classic Coach Works and our experience was excellent. Working closely with Allen and Greg by emails, phone calls and web pages we picked out our new flooring and carpet before we even got there. I explained to them that due to work I had to have the coach done in one week, they said it wouldn't be a problem, and they delivered. They were very easy to work with and after we dropped the coach off they said we could stop by anytime to see the progress. We checked back once and they were quick to answer all our questions. On Friday they told us the coach would be ready at 3:30, again they delivered. As you can see I've got only good things to say about them and we're planning on going back to get new windshield shades and maybe a new fridge.

[RedWing Nut]

Originally Posted by stevebxl

When I asked him why it was taking so long he told me, "We have been really busy with snow birds and haven't gotten much done on your RV" because you told us that you weren't in a hurry. In other words - I had been bumped back. I DID tell them I wasn't in a hurry, but THEY told me 5-7 weeks.

I learned long ago to never tell someone that there is no hurry. NEVER! You will almost always be put behind the customers that are in a hurry.

[Ernie Ekberg]

Originally Posted by harleychief

Last week we had our 05 Newmar Dutch Star at Classic Coach Works and our experience was excellent. Working closely with Allen and Greg by emails, phone calls and web pages we picked out our new flooring and carpet before we even got there. I explained to them that due to work I had to have the coach done in one week, they said it wouldn't be a problem, and they delivered. They were very easy to work with and after we dropped the coach off they said we could stop by anytime to see the progress. We checked back once and they were quick to answer all our questions. On Friday they told us the coach would be ready at 3:30, again they delivered. As you can see I've got only good things to say about them and we're planning on going back to get new windshield shades and maybe a new fridge.

what they charge you for flooring?

[Clayobx]

Too much! Never, I repeat never use them unless they are the last resort. Personal experience, never again.

[Ernie Ekberg]

wow- took 5 and half years to respond to this thread

[Clayobx]

Originally Posted by Ernie Ekberg

wow- took 5 and half years to respond to this thread

Yep, it just popped up on a search for remodel. Added my two cents worth. I stick by my statement, never ever again!

[Ernie Ekberg]

must have been expensive

[Clayobx]

Yes, rude salesman, inept tech's. Two days to install a front motorized shade and never hooked up my front tv.. I had to pull the panel, find the clipped 12 volt source and splice back into the system! Never ever again! Thank goodness I PM'd you and found they were way high on slide out carpet replacement. You saved me more than just expense/money...time!