Suggestion for PI

[ChiefJohn]

I would like to see a more informative web site for PI and their various models. For example, check the library of manuals that Aerolite offers their owners. PI makes a great product but unfortunately, IMHO, their web site does not reflect this same quality. Anyone else care to chime in??

[ChiefJohn]

I would like to see a more informative web site for PI and their various models. For example, check the library of manuals that Aerolite offers their owners. PI makes a great product but unfortunately, IMHO, their web site does not reflect this same quality. Anyone else care to chime in??

[wrongway]

Aerolite is little bigger company (Thor Industries) than what Petersons is. Internet sites are a very labor intensive item and I could see just a full time person just make a impressive site. Excel already has one, and does spend allot of time in it, along with items for the dealers that customers do not see. The internet is huge library, but were does a business start or stop, and what expense do they put into it. This is all IMO.

[KU9L]

When I asked the factory a similar question I was told my local dealer could provide all of the information I needed, which is being given out to me in little one line replies ... which are great but all they do is inspire me to ask 10,000 more questions that I am just limited to asking in emails rather than to be able to go look it up myself. I am hoping my dealer visit and also the factory tour in two weeks will fill my question asker for a while.

David

[MakinSmoke]

Having owned and managed a (much smaller) small business myself, I can appreciate the expense of added headcount. If that headcount does not bring in additional revenue, then it just isn't worth it. On the other hand, it seems to me that most of us who buy this class of fifthwheel are fairly sophisticated and would appreciate the ability to do research online. Those who sell these units don't have to bamboozle the buyer. These things are so ****** good, they practically sell themselves. So it is not necessary to "force" us to the dealer early on. I think there is a possibility that the investment may be worth it's costs. The quick way to find out is to "rent" the people who do this for a while and find out if the consumers time spent and hit count on the website goes up. As always, jmnsho.

[KU9L]

Good points Virgil! Me, I get bored fairly quickly having to be spoonfed info when I would rather it be available for my own private research.

A by-product of contracting in aerosapce is I am usually overwhelmed with data to absorb and organize. When I can read an entire website in 3 minutes it generally doesn't have answers to the quick questions that I would be asking. In fact we were able to weed out quite a few manufacturers and dealers early on in our RV research because after about question 6,000 the golf cart would suddenly come back to the gate and we'd be told they didn't have what we were looking for ... that has happened more than a few times!

Back to my research!!!

David

[ChiefJohn]

My intent with this post was not to denigrate PI and/or their folks. Constructive criticism based on my observation of other RV sites and comments from Excel owners.

Wrongway, I'm not suggesting PI budget/spend thousands of additional dollars on "fluff", but I would like to see more information available for download/research. Examples: Owner's manuals for the different product lines (RT, Classic, and Limited) on-line and updated; posting of the most FAQs and responses; and, location of dealers. The FAQs may answer an owner's question and save a call to "Captain" Jack--not that he has anything else to do .

David & Sheila, I believe your research will support purchasing an Excel 5th Wheel -- their quality product is backed by the outstanding folks in Smith Center. As Virgil stated in his response, "These things are so ****** good, they practically sell themselves."

[KU9L]

Yes John, we have already decided on an Excel, but for us the Devil is in the details. Our Dealer answered many, many questions with ease although as you say most could have been answered with consulting the owner's manual.

One question that was bugging us was why was the RT 28TRW only handling have the payload weight as the RT 26TRW. The answer turned out to be upgraded axles and also the 28RTW is being discontinued for 2008.

The 26RTW with its 5020 pounds of payload capacity (minus options and other upgrades) will fit into parks that the bigger units not dare, yet has a decent floor plan matching exactly what Dave & Sandy teach at L.O.W. about full-timers not needing a large dance-hall just to full-time and boondock extensively, etc.

Overall we are very satisfied with the answers we have received from our dealer, it is just that it would be supreme to browse the manuals in PDF format over morning coffee while we re-arrange our lives over the next year to morf from owning a house to full-timing. We think we have a good idea of our journey since L.O.W., but every piece of information we get re-shapes our plans just slightly toward the next milepost of our goal.

Now if web designers can just get that Holideck going so we can do a few trial virtual vacations! We'd really jump into full-timg with full confidence and fewer surprises!



David

[Greenthumb]

I also would like to see more information for the prospective buyers as well as the current owners of Excels on their website. As an example, I don't understand why Peterson Industries is so reluctant on posting on their website a list of their dealers throughout the country.

Two years ago, I had a critical electrical problem while on the road in the south. It required visits to three separate dealers before the problem was solved. Smith Center was very cooperative. However, I had to call them each time we had moved to a new region for the name of the closest dealer in the direction we were traveling. It would have been a lot more convenient to just look up this information on their website. Perhaps, each dealer could be located on a national map. Clicking on the appropriate dealer could supply their respective address, telephone number and hours open.

[ExcelRVGuy]

I have a meeting this morning with our marketing firm. I will start the ball rolling to get our owners's manual published in pdf format on our website. Thank you for the good idea.

Bryan Tillett

[ChiefJohn]

Thanks Bryan -- I believe the PI web site could potentially reduce the number of phone calls from folks seeking information.

[wrongway]

Chief,I was just expressing my thoughts in relations to what time it takes to put a website together and what expense it can take. In the past we have had a employee take care of just imputting inventory, pictures, and information about the units that we have on the lot. Sometimes it would take several hours to keep up with this, which is beneficial to us and to you the consumer, since then this employee has gone on and now our site is down on information a little. Hopefully we can bring in another individual soon and bring our site back to what it needs to be. You blink a little on a web site and before you know it, its way behind.... I think it would be another great tool for Excel, and great idea on your behalf. Again, for the business side, I was just thinking of what it may take to put on a great web site. Hope that Excel can achieve what you and others maybe looking for, as it will be another informational tool to the internet. Have a great day.

[MakinSmoke]

I continue to be dazzled by this level of customer attention.

On another issue, yesterday I emailed Jack Yenne asking a host of questions about installing a W/D and satellite receiver in September. I got his response TODAY and it was totally complete. These guys simply continue to exceed my expectations.

[ChiefJohn]

Wrongway (Tom) -- I hear and understand what you're saying. I've designed, built, and maintained web sites and can relate to how quickly they can become outdated if not nurtured. If we're ever in your neck-of-the-woods we'll stop in and say "Hello"!