Community Forums

deSanford · 02-22-2012, 09:24 PM

I just want to let it be known that we are all very lucky to have had Navastar as the parent company of Monaco. They stand behind their product and are putting the customer FIRST even in this very difficult economy. My warranty is up, during my one year of warranty I couldn't have asked for better "concerned" service. Everyone of the items on my list of issues was addressed to my complete satisfaction. I am proud to be a NAVASTAR MONACO motorhome customer. If I was younger I would even buy another unit from them, but I will be 70 in a few more months so this is my last RV. Again I'm very happy that I made the right choice in purchasing my RV from a really stand up company. I'm sure this customer satisfaction must come from the top of their management and I applaud them for it.

deSanford

moisheh · 02-23-2012, 07:13 AM

Desanford: That post was a joke? Right? Is this the same Navistar that left Workhorse owners with no brakes? The same Navistar that left owners with no warranty? I am glad you had good service and hope that what you posted is the norm. I do appreciate the tech support that Navistar offers but I am from Missouri when it comes to them being customer oriented. There are some on this forum that would disagree with you and use much stronger language.

Drifter · 02-23-2012, 08:58 AM

Wow, Sandford that's a good Apirl fools day post your put up.

Traps90 · 02-23-2012, 09:32 AM

Glad to hear that deSanford, that pretty much mirrors what I've heard from other's in priivate messages that have purchased the new Monnaco / Holiday Ramblers.

William Willard · 02-23-2012, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deSanford

I just want to let it be known that we are all very lucky to have had Navastar as the parent company of Monaco. They stand behind their product and are putting the customer FIRST even in this very difficult economy. My warranty is up, during my one year of warranty I couldn't have asked for better "concerned" service. Everyone of the items on my list of issues was addressed to my complete satisfaction. I am proud to be a NAVASTAR MONACO motorhome customer. If I was younger I would even buy another unit from them, but I will be 70 in a few more months so this is my last RV. Again I'm very happy that I made the right choice in purchasing my RV from a really stand up company. I'm sure this customer satisfaction must come from the top of their management and I applaud them for it.

deSanford

Did Monaco send you a card for 500 gallons of free diesel at Flying J ? Bill Willard

VestaDave · 02-23-2012, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moisheh

Desanford: That post was a joke? Right? Is this the same Navistar that left Workhorse owners with no brakes? The same Navistar that left owners with no warranty? I am glad you had good service and hope that what you posted is the norm. I do appreciate the tech support that Navistar offers but I am from Missouri when it comes to them being customer oriented. There are some on this forum that would disagree with you and use much stronger language.

Gotta say the company support on my 2011 Vesta has been very good so far. I wish the MH had an exhaust brake but I bought it without one; so I think that's on me. Again the customer support has been just fine.

DriVer · 02-23-2012, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moisheh

Desanford: That post was a joke? There are some on this forum that would disagree with you and use much stronger language.

That was then and this is now. There's a new Sheriff in town! The guy that is leading the charge at Navistar is Bill Osborne. See the Press Release in the RV Industry News.

Osborne to Head Monaco & Workhorse Units

Bill is a Navistar Vice President and is in charge of those units. He comes from an extensive global automotive background and he is dedicated toward assuring that his customers are treated well. Bill actually comes out of his office and goes out to the dealerships to see how things are going first hand.

Nobody can change the past and if folks are unfortunately stuck in the Monaco bankruptcy quagmire that's regrettable and truly devastating to some former Monaco Coach Corp. owners. What is being shared with us today, is that the now and future is different and improving daily.

Bill Osborne VP Navistar, Alliance Coach VP Brett Howard (former in charge at the Monaco Wildwood Service center) and partner VP Caroline Champion from Alliance Coach.

DriVer · 02-23-2012, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VestaDave

Gotta say the company support on my 2011 Vesta has been very good so far. I wish the MH had an exhaust brake but I bought it without one; so I think that's on me. Again the customer support has been just fine.

I am not trying to rub salt in the wound but here's what to look for the next time someone enters a Monaco Vesta or HR Trip.

2012 MaxxForce engines on Vesta & Trip now feature an Exhaust Brake.

moisheh · 02-23-2012, 02:43 PM

Driver: Although I apprecaite where you are coming from one cannot just wipe the slate clean with a that was then and this now. Thousands of Monaco owners were left hanging as were many dealers. Consumers have short memories and it did not have to be that way. Your perspective is from being a NON MONACO owner and you have a personal interest in painting a nice picture ( IRV2 Marketing). Nothing wrong with what you do as that is business but many if not most owners will not buy into your mantra. Monaco should do a survey of existing owners and ask them if they would buy a Monaco today. I do like some of the new product ( but not the engines) The full wall slide bath and a half is one of the best floor plans available but I do not think I could buy a new Monaco at this time.

William Willard · 02-23-2012, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moisheh

Driver: Although I apprecaite where you are coming from one cannot just wipe the slate clean with a that was then and this now. Thousands of Monaco owners were left hanging as were many dealers. Consumers have short memories and it did not have to be that way. Your perspective is from being a NON MONACO owner and you have a personal interest in painting a nice picture ( IRV2 Marketing). Nothing wrong with what you do as that is business but many if not most owners will not buy into your mantra. Monaco should do a survey of existing owners and ask them if they would buy a Monaco today. I do like some of the new product ( but not the engines) The full wall slide bath and a half is one of the best floor plans available but I do not think I could buy a new Monaco at this time.

AMEN -- Bill Willard

DriVer · 02-23-2012, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moisheh

I do like some of the new product ( but not the engines) The full wall slide bath and a half is one of the best floor plans available but I do not think I could buy a new Monaco at this time.

Monaco "had" a loyal group of owners that would stay the brand name at any cost and that's they way it's supposed to be. I for one am brand loyal to my equipment. I would not expect anyone to wipe the slate clean with the few words that I wrote.

When Monaco Coach went belly up it was something that nobody had seen on the radar. It was like a Pearl Harbor all over again. I don't see much in the way of trust from the existing owners especially those that are/were deeply impacted by the bankruptcy.

In the picture that I provided, both Brett and Caroline were out of a job after many years of loyal service to Monaco. I can appreciate the perspective from the viewpoint of the dealership personnel.

From an ownership perspective, buying a new coach just to have the warranty invalidated is terrible and that stinks. If I were in the position of having one of those rigs (6 digit - multi K$) with the thought that there is no more company, service, parts, support etc., I would be as most are just terribly upset and absolutely mad as hell if Monaco were just plain dead.

Is there is a silver lining in all of this? - perhaps. Today's reality is that there is a Monaco. The infrastructure is restored, service is available, parts are bringing to flow and support is back. 1 example of this if I can be repetitive is that Alliance in Florida said that they can fix anything and get whatever parts they need. In some cases they will actually fabricate parts. If I were a Monaco or HR owner I might think that this could be a good thing long term.

As a company, I believe that Monaco RV LLC is going to have to work hard, 1 sale at a time, to regain its former glory days. Ever the optimist, I hope that the hi-water days of Monaco have not been seen yet and that the brand will provide RV buyers with options & a good reputable product. As far as long term tenure in the RV Industry, Navistar isn't going anywhere and they do want to be in the RV business. (even if it is very slow at the moment - according to RVDA - deliveries are not stellar)

Like you, I am impressed with the full wall slideout floorplans like the 43DFT and others. Ever since I saw the Winnebago 35P a few years back, FWS would be the way I would go if I were to buy a new rig.

VestaDave · 02-23-2012, 04:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DriVer

I am not trying to rub salt in the wound but here's what to look for the next time someone enters a Monaco Vesta or HR Trip.

2012 MaxxForce engines on Vesta & Trip now feature an Exhaust Brake.

If I had bought an "old" Monaco and had been cut loose without warranty, I think I'd be more than a little angry, so I get it. I certainly would not be in line to buy another! That doesn't change the fact that current owners of the "new" Monaco are getting pretty good service. So I guess that's just a little more salt.I believe the company would have been better off had it handled the takeover in a way that would have honored the warranties of existing owners.

moisheh · 02-23-2012, 04:10 PM

Driver: A good example of a company that has stood behind it's customers is Tiffin. IMHO the product is no big deal but the owners are almost like a cult. They would blindly follow Bob Tiffin into the sea. I guess it has paid off as they sell more units than anyone. In retrospect Monaco could be at the top today but they chose to take the low road! In this market recovery for Monaco will be very difficult. I sincerely hope you are correct that they will continue to support the existing customer base. Some words to that affect would go a long way to appease the legacy owners. I don't mean empty words. If I were Monaco one of the first things I would do would be a special factory rebate for Monaco owners. I am not thinking of a few grand. maybe a $20,000 dollar rebate on products over a certain lsit price and less for lower price units. Or maybe a doubling of the warranty period for existing owners. Or $10,000 worth of free upgrades. You get the idea? They need to make ammends. Better yet they could give me a 2013 Dynasty to use for one year. YA, That is the best idea ever!!!!

buck62 · 02-23-2012, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VestaDave

If I had bought an "old" Monaco and had been cut loose without warranty, I think I'd be more than a little angry, so I get it. I certainly would not be in line to buy another! That doesn't change the fact that current owners of the "new" Monaco are getting pretty good service. So I guess that's just a little more salt.I believe the company would have been better off had it handled the takeover in a way that would have honored the warranties of existing owners.

New Monaco (Navistar) should have done a better job supporting the past Monaco owners especially the ones that had the "trailing arms cracks" and had to pay a lot of money out of their own pockets to fix their motorhomes. The brake fiasco that left Workhorse owners with faulty brakes for a few years was also a real lack of customer support or indifference. Fleetwood also went through a change of ownership but, they decided to continue the warranty support for previous customer and to assist prior owners with technical support. Let's see will I buy a New Monaco with a iffy reputation and demostrated lack of customer service or a New Fleetwood with their attitude to satisfy their customers.