New Monaco Service Center Policy

[Snowman 1]

Thought I'd pass along this little nugget of info for any Monaco owners heading to Oregon to get work done. The Monaco service center in Coburg has a new policy restricting coach owners from being in the service bays. The service writers actually escort owners back to their coaches if you need to get anything. No more staying in the privacy of your coach while techs work on your RV.

We were there recently and had to hang out in the waiting room for two days with 15-20 people, fight over the remote and watch dogs fight. What fun! For those of you that have experienced this contact Navistar and let them know that getting your RV serviced is different from dropping off your car at the dealership. Folks have driven hundreds of miles to get their coach worked on and are very inconvenienced not being able to stay with their rigs.

We have had our coach worked on at numerous RV centers in the Northwest and this was the first time we have been told we cannot stay in our rig. We make an annual pilgrimage to Coburg to get our list of things worked on and always enjoyed the open policy and ability to ask techs questions. That day, unfortunately for the time being, is over.

[Midniteoyl]

Its an insurance thing.. Someone most likely sued the center after being stupid... Once someone sues, all the fun is over.

Its the same way for car service centers and, unfortunately, more and more junkyards.. no more 'pick your own part'... :(

[gg]

Its an Insurance thing. Drop the policy and get a new one that allows it. What every happened to - The Customer is King . If the RV Service center does not allow me into the repair area and stay with the coach I will find a Service center that does.

[jim.smithjr]

We experienced exactly the same attitude at Cummins Western Canada in both Calgary, AB and Langley, BC. Fortunately we were only there for a couple of hours. As well, neither would even "venture a guess" as to how long it would take to complete their work, even though both jobs were quite easy!

[a10koaksfed]

It's that same way at Nappannee, IN with Newmar and other places I have stopped. It's a liability issue. If you know in advance, it's not a huge deal. Take the toad and go sightseeing, out for lunch, etc.

Dave's RV in Danbury, CT has explained that if the state inspector stops in, they get fined for un accompanied visitors in the work area. We'll adjust.

[Barlow46]

If I owned the company and insurance regs would not allow you in the bay area, I would have camera(s) mounted and record what was done to your coach. I would then make you a DVD of the activity. Not sure how the techs working on the coach would like it but if they were good, they would be all for it. Another option would be a "web cam" of sorts just like they have in day care centers where parents can log in from work and watch what the kids are doing. Easy and relatively inexpensive for a large company to set up. Sure would make it much easier for me to accept the "no one in the bay policy".

[moisheh]

Did they bring your coach out every night?

[bdpreece]

Seems like they could try a little harder to accommodate people if they want our business. We just spent 7 days and nights at Freightliner of Arizona in Chandler. They warned us that once the coach was in a bay we could not stay in it then they backed the coach up to the bay and left it outside. On Saturday evening they closed the gates and locked us in until Monday morning and said if there was an emergency to call 911. Monaco needs to get the message.

[DennisZ]

Brian
What kind of problems did you have that took 7 days to fix??

Dennis

[Snowman 1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by moisheh Did they bring your coach out every night?

Yes, all the coaches whose owners are waiting and that need to go back in the next morning are brought out around 3:30-3:45. No problem there.

After talking with the service writers and the tech working on our rig, this is strictly a decision by Navistar to close off the service bays. And yes, probably because of a new insurance regulation. However, we were never told that a customer twisting an ankle or a technician's Snap-On wrench turning up missing was behind this new policy.

I can understand a typical repair center not wanting people and especially little kids back there, running around the service bays, tripping over items, tying up a technician with endless questions, etc. But this kind of repair facility experience is different. And Navistar needs to be educated about this.

[Pairajays]

Snowman1,

Or maybe Navistar is educating the customer. IMO, there is absolutely no reason a customer should be in the work area when work is being done. It is just that is something we are used to. It's coming to a halt and rightfully so. Solving overnight arrangements should be made before taking the RV in for repair or service. Full timers may find this to be a problem but most service centers are sympathetic and return the RV to the park area each night. At least that has been my experience.

Jim

[bdpreece]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DennisZ Brian What kind of problems did you have that took 7 days to fix?? Dennis

Had a hole in the radiator. There was no indication that anything was thrown up and punched the radiator and the coach only had 6K on it. Had to be towed in then they removed the radiator and sent it out. Next the Extended warranty had to send out an independent inspector who then had to send in pictures and make a recommendation. Next we had to wait over a weekend while the insurance company made the decision to repair. Actual repair time was probably more like 8 hours the rest was just waiting.

[Corkey]

This thread confuses me, I have been to the Monaco service center in Oregon several times prior to the Navistar takeover. Never was I (or anyone else at the time) allowed to actually stay in the coach while work was done. They took the coach every morning between 6:30-7 while we all migrated to the waiting room. They returned it to the parking area every evening around 5pm, when we all returned to stay in the coach till the next day if it needed more work.

But never were we allowed to actually stay in the coach while work was being done. Sure, we could visit the coach to get information about repair progress, but that was it. My confusion comes from why it's a surprise they don't allow it now, when they never did before.

We met a lot of nice folks in the waiting room, and are in constant contact with some over the years. Is the waiting room fun?, ... no, but not so bad that I would avoid service just because of the policy.

[Snowman 1]

Sorry for your confusion Corkey, but as you can read from the replies, other folks have a different memory of Monaco's former policy than you do. I can only surmise that you were simply unaware that Monaco has allowed folks in the past to stay in their coaches. They have had an open bay policy there for years.

I have never known them to work 10 hour shifts. The tech's arrive at 7:30 and clock out at 4:00. We have been there in the old Monaco days at Harrisburg and after the Navistar buy-out when service switched to Coburg and customers have always been allowed to stay in their coaches while work was being performed.

The ability to hang out with strangers in a waiting room and make friends for life is a commendable one. I've lost track of people I've known for years, much less a few hours.