Lesson Learned

[Grady Ray]

Me Too! We bought a 2001 HR Imperial that was was supposed to be have had this PDI done, and also detailed. Well, the coach was barely cleaned, and shortly after returning from a trip I discovered the exhaust manifold was cracked. Well, this cost me 2K. I've decided this company only wants your money, and doesn't give a rap about customer service. They're really no better than a used car dealer with no ethics. Guess I need to grow up and realize some people aren't your friend. By the way, this is the big company well known for every thing to do with camping!
Grady Ray

[Grimesy]

If you choose to go the small claims route, think about serving a subpoena to everyone involved with company. Owner, general manager, sales manager, mechanics the whole bunch. May not help your case but turn about is fair. Might also include the cost of presenting your case.

Don G.

[TeJay]

Grady,
I realize that this is not much consolation but some of these chain service centers may be a franchise. That said, it is really up to each center how things are run. My background is in teaching auto mechanics and I am friends with a CW GM. He and I have discussed running the service business and he prides himself on efficient, quality work from his service technicians. He expects parts to be ordered and the customers to be notified regarding their repairs. If there are problems he deals with them. If somebody is not a team player they may soon not a part of the team. Since he took over last fall he's replaced probably over 50% of the personnel in service and sales.
If there is an upper management individual a call to their headquarters would be in order. Perhaps a sit down with the local GM as well.
Word of mouth advertising can be a powerful tool. I have seen it done on these forums and one can always report on RV Service/reviews web sight. Because we travel all over the country it is helpful for us to go to a web sight and get some indication of the quality of service that we can expect from different places.
Best of luck with your service issues.

TeJay

[distaff]

I think that for most Pre-Delivery Inspections amount to an employee taking a nap in your new coach!

Can I suggest you post the dealer's name? No point in keeping shoddy work a secret. One of my neighbors just bought a consignment coach from Guarantee RV here in Calgary, and after they had a PDI done they took delivery and found the tires cracking and I tested their deep cycle batteries with a refractometer, and they were done and had to be replaced along with the rubber. The sensor on one of their hydraulic jacks came loose a day later and flooded the compartment with hydraulic fluid. Oh, and they didn't get the manuals.

[luckyd]

We bought the coach in May, did not put it on the road until the end of June.
We have taken two trips one week each and went to a wedding for three days.
In total we have:
replaced the expansion tank
awning spring
all faucets taken apart and cleaned.
brake job
toilet repair
new water pump
seal roof and replace fridge cover
repair water line for ice maker

We are still waiting for an answer about whether the aqua-hot
was serviced. They seem to be avoiding the issue.

The PDI on this coach was "done" by Westgate RV in Kelowna.
We have since talked to a few people who bought from them and
they feel the service is very bad.

When we had ours "back to them" 2 days after buying it, a body man
was working on a 45 foot coach. Looked like it had been used for
off road drag racing. There was a lot of damage to the coach.
I later saw it up for sale for 169,000.00

[lbaldwin]

Slight change from the rest of this topic.

What is a 'refractomer'? test of deep cycle batteries? and how is it done? and who does it?

Thanks,

Lee Baldwin

[Steve Ownby]

Originally Posted by lbaldwin

Slight change from the rest of this topic.

What is a 'refractomer'? test of deep cycle batteries? and how is it done? and who does it?

Thanks,

Lee Baldwin

A refractometer is a optical tool that tests the specific gravity of a number of liquids. For automotive use they are calibrated to test the freeze protection of coolant and the state of charge of lead acid batteries. I just purchased one on an eBay auction for $15. It's really cool.

[ahicks]

Stop the frustration easily by not going to a dealer for service work. Learn to do what you can on your own, and find a mobile serviceman you feel you can trust. Start with small projects for him so you can see how (if?) he works?

I go to dealers for parts not available elsewhere. That's it. And I do not ask for advice there, under any circumstances.

[distaff]

Originally Posted by ahicks

Stop the frustration easily by not going to a dealer for service work. Learn to do what you can on your own, and find a mobile serviceman you feel you can trust. Start with small projects for him so you can see how (if?) he works?

I go to dealers for parts not available elsewhere. That's it. And I do not ask for advice there, under any circumstances.

I agree, sometimes you don't have a good option but to do it yourself. Spent 7 hours last week changing the belts on my Onan. The dealer couldn't work on it, if I didn't fix it I had to go home because we were dry camping and I have a residential fridge. The dealer gave me the parts manual with exploded diagrams and sold me one of the belts, gave me the dimensions for the other one so I could find it from another supplier, and I went at it. Saved about $1,000 in service charges.

Right now the door is in my garage - had to re-glue the vinyl liner and I found a place that would fix my fogged window.

It really NEVER ends. Helps if you are handy.

[distaff]

Originally Posted by jmoffat

having read these comments makes me concerned about how to know you are getting what you pay for. I have a 2007 Beaver new to me and next week am going to have "all" fluids replaced ie trans, coolant (oat) hydraulic oil grease oil and all filters. Other than standing there all day (and not sure they would let me) how would I know they did all they charged me for? As you know this is not a $40 oil change

Jim

I NEVER let an RV dealer touch my chassis. I have had a few occasions in the dead of winter where I let one touch my coach because I just couldn't work on it outside.

Heavy diesel shops can find their way around a Roadmaster chassis, it is basically just a truck chassis - with a few exceptions such as the HWH leveling system. I have found diesel shops to be quite different, in a good way, from automobile shops.

[luckyd]

As I stated at the start of this thread.......
This was a PDI that was supposed to be done prior to
me taking delivery.
I most certainly would not have allowed their "mechanics" near
the coach if I would have known how bad they were.

I have always done as much repair myself as possible.
Unfortunately when you attach "RV" to the part, the cash register
starts singing.

[TeJay]

When we were taking delivery on our first TT 4 years ago they got us the WDH and installed it. I went back into the service area to see how they were getting along. At first I asked why the hitch ball was tilted. He said to make it easier to hitch up the TT. That should have been my first clue because I had read about the ball angle and the purpose of the WDH and knew he didn't have a clue what he was doing.

I walked back in the shop later and noticed the same lead technician,(mechanic), who is also the owners Son, had a large pipe wrench around the ball on the WD hitch. His partner (mechanic in training) had a large flat screwdriver wedged up under and around the very large nut that holds the bal. He was using it as a wedge so the nut wouldn't turn. That nut is supposed to be torqued to 250 FT/LBS. It was at that time that I realized we were in big trouble if we needed any service. Later we found a dealer in our area that would service our unit on warranty stuff. Everything else I do myself.

TeJay