Holiday Rambler Neptune nightmare

[Les Stallings]

Fix their product - Yes. Pay extra expenses - No.

My last comparison: You buy a gas efficient commuter car to get back and forth to work. It breaks down and you have to take it to the shop for warrantee work. Now you have to rent a car to get back and forth to work. Will Toyota or Honda pay for your rental car??? It would be much easier to make a case for expenses necessary to get to work than for discretionary RV travel.

"Stick me with a fork, I think I'm done."

[Nedra]

Actually Toyota does give you a free loaner for warranty work if the car is kept over 24 hours. I have a fuel efficient Toyota Prius and if there is a warranty problem and the dealer can't fix it the same day I get a loaner FREE

When I bought my Honda many years ago they did the same thing! I think that many dealers are now doing this on their own as an incentive to get people to buy vehicles.

Nedra

[Nedra]

Well we took this coach for our week long trip and all I can say is this coach is worse now than it was before they fixed it. Perhaps I'm spoiled by gas coaches with decent chassis but now instead of porpoising it just bounces...A LOT. It was bad enough that my dogs levitated off the couch and once one was on my lap and he levitated off my lap. The shower door fell off again and Al had to fix it and the wood panel over the microwave popped out.

I guess this is one of those cases where the fix was not a fix. Needless to say I'm still NOT a happy camper and I'm definately not happy with Monaco or Holiday Rambler at this point and I'd certainly not ever recommend it to anyone looking for a new coach...

Nedra

[Chef Guy]

Nedra,

Look for any Lemon Laws that may be applicable in your case. Some state have them and buyers have been successful in going after the manufacturer for reimbursement for faulty manufacturing, which looks like the case here.

Be sure to document everything and take pictures and keep all of your previous correspondence with Monaco as well as the dealer.

It certainly looks like you have a lemon here, as much as I hate to say it. Monaco has been good to a lot of people, but, as I mentioned before, it only takes one instance of not living up to their responsibility to make me leary of companies like these. I believe that you are not the first one...in fact there may be some blogs out there with people in similar circumstances as yourself.

Good luck to you and I really am sorry for all of this anguish the dealer and Monaco have put you through. Keep us posted

[William Willard]

Nedra -- I can relate to your flusteration -- Been there -- Bite the bullet & go to Harrisburg -- I know it`s an expensive trip from N.M.-- I live in AZ. & I`ve made 2 trips there -- One in Jan. & one in Feb.--- They will fix your coach there -- You`re wasting your energy going to a dealer -- The tech`s will keep test driving your coach until it`s right --If you make an appointment, be sure to list all complaints, because when you get there, you want be able to add to the list unless it`s a safety factor -- I agree that Monaco should have to pay for some of the expenses when a coach has that many problems,& need`s to go to a Monaco Service Center, but not when a local dealer can do the job,(which is not very often)-- It`s not right when the customer has to do Quality Control for a co. but that is the modern way -- One bright side about going to Harrisburg OR.you`ll get to meet MonacoMama -- Best of luck & don`t make you`re sick over this -- It`s fixable -- Bill Willard

[Nedra]

Actually Rocky Mountain RV is not the dealer we bought it from and they are actually the ones who have bent over backwards trying to get Monaco to step up to the plate and take responsibility for their incompetence and authorize them the time to get it find the problem and fix it. Honestly they have been great and we haven't bought anything from them. So, I cannot blame this dealer. They might have overlooked a couple of things but when we finally pushed a bit they pushed back, well they pushed Monaco and they were authorized to go on a search mission and they discovered the problems with the air bags, valve and rods.

We mostly got jerked around by Monaco who provided two service centers with wrong information in ride height settings (twice each time) going back a year and then had the nerve to deny they even authorized any service on the ride height a year ago. I said deny all you want I have it here in black and white with an authorization number and the supervisor over the service dept who I spoke with personally as well as the Service Center we went to. Monaco is trying to blame incompetent service centers when in fact it was them who was incompetent. The original invoice from last year clearly states that Monaco gave them the wrong ride height settings TWICE. Not once but two people gave the wrong settings. The same thing this time but RM RV pushed and they finally figured out the computer had the wrong settings all along. What idiots! Perhaps they should send their techs (and service manager) back to school or find another job.

They offered me a 6 month extension on our warranty and I told them what they could do with that 6 months. I finally agreed to calm down a bit, go on our trip and enjoy the ride (NOT) and call when I got home. Well I will call and see if they change their tune. If not I will make another call....

Had Monaco provided the correct ride height settings a year ago we would have found out then that the rods were the wrong size because they could not have been able to set it at the correct ride height. So, in all honestly it is NOT the dealer or the service centers that caused this nightmare. It's MONACO!!! I'm not sure I want to meet Monaco Mama at this point and I know for sure she wouldn't want to meet me!

Nedra

[Nonno]

Nedra,

Sorry to hear about the problems you're having. Hopefully they will get resolved to your liking.

Monaco discovered that the system (computer) had the wrong settings. They have now corrected the settings BUT the coach cannot be set at the correct ride height setting because the rods they installed are too short.

Having discovered this error, is Monaco or you saying that the ride height and incorrect rods effects all or certain serial numbered 07 Neptune 36 PDQ coaches?

What measurements were you given as the correct ones?

Having just bought our new 07 at the end of Apr and this being our 1st experience with diesel and air, this topic obviously is of interest.

[Nedra]

Originally posted by Bob Russo:
Nedra,

Sorry to hear about the problems you're having. Hopefully they will get resolved to your liking.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> Monaco discovered that the system (computer) had the wrong settings. They have now corrected the settings BUT the coach cannot be set at the correct ride height setting because the rods they installed are too short.

Having discovered this error, is Monaco or you saying that the ride height and incorrect rods effects all or certain serial numbered 07 Neptune 36 PDQ coaches?

What measurements were you given as the correct ones?

Having just bought our new 07 at the end of Apr and this being our 1st experience with diesel and air, this topic obviously is of interest. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

It would depend on when it was manufactured. IF you are not having a problem with the ride then I wouldn't worry about it. They changed the ride height settings in some 07 models so it would depend on when yours was manufactured. Unless you are having issues with porpoising, harsh ride with things falling apart like we did don't worry about it. If you are having any problems then I would have your ride height checked. Make sure they contact Monaco if there are questions. I think ours is 8 1/4 or something like that but the correct setting is going to depend on your serial number. Part of our problem was also caused by a cracked valve perhaps due to the setting being too low and causing the coach to crash down hard with little or no cushioning.

Was your 07 a new or used one?

Nedra

[Nonno]

It was manufactured in March 07. It's a new unit I bought Apr 08 from a dealer in N.C.

I haven't experienced the harsh ride conditions that you have. Mileage when I bought it was around 1200 and it has about 2500 now. I plan on doing the initial AT filter change and drive shaft lube prior to the required 5000 mile mark so I'll have the ride height checked then. I'll call Monaco to get the right numbers.

[MonacoMama]

I'm not sure I want to meet Monaco Mama at this point and I know for sure she wouldn't want to meet me!

WOW.. you really don't know me very well! I would actually enjoy meeting you. I have a pretty open mind and I do know that sometimes things are wrong in the world. I haven't/won't comment on your situation because I have not witnessed it first hand.
GOSH..prove to me there is a problem and I am the loudest mouth screaming for you.
Oh well...I guess it might be both of our losses.

[Nedra]

Bob, I suspect if yours was manufactured in March of 07 it's fine. We bought ours in April of 07 and I believe it's the earlier year models that were having the problems and they made some changes. Since you're not having a harsh ride I wouldn't waste your time or money having the ride height checked at your own expense because Monaco won't pay for it if there is not a problem. As the saying goes, if it ain't broke don't fix it.

Monaco Moma I apologize. I thought he was referring to someone at Monaco. I'm not exactly thrilled with them and don't have too much nice to say about them at this point. I don't think we should have to drive it to Oregon or anywhere else to get things fixed. The dealer who has been working on it seems to be far more conpetent than Monaco. They discovered the problem and that it was Monaco that was messing up so I"m not sure I'd trust them to do a better job than these people.

Nedra

[William Willard]

Nedra -- I have seen in other forums, that the ride height affects the angle of the drive shaft & if not correct, could cause wear on the u-joint`s -- I`m sure not a mechanic, but it makes sense to me, for what that`s worth -- Bill Willard

[Nedra]

Bill, I'm calling Monaco tomorrow and will discuss this with them. Thanks!!!!

Nedra

[Nedra]

Monaco approved for Rocky Mountain to check everything out and all is ok. Well, it's not ok but there is nothing wrong with the U-joints.

We're still not happy with the way the coach rides. Guess we'll have to make some decisions what to do about it.

Nedra