Service Truth Or Myth ?

[Peter M]

Originally Posted by harleyjt

So what DID he really tell you? He won't service it, or he will put you behind his customers? Quite a big difference in those two scenarios. Not an uncommon approach in the auto industry either to put one's own customers first and take care of locals who bought elsewhere as time allows. Most dealers will service travelers, often times on a priority basis. That's a whole different ball game. But, if you drove 500 miles to save money on the purchase, then you should be ok driving 500 miles to have it serviced.
jt

Harley jt,
He said just that he would not service it !
Example dealer #2 had a much better price locally than local dealer #1. I liked the environment of DL #1 and offered the option to them to earn my business by competive pricing. they would not alter price , and that was there
option.

[twogypsies]

We bought two RVs during our full-timing years and never returned to either. Newmar & our previous, Travel Supreme, backed their customers wherever they went. I will say we had perhaps a handful of very small warranty issues during the first month and then nothing.

Servicing can be at many places other than the dealer, including mobile servicing while you're in RV parks.

[Peter M]

Originally Posted by wnytaxman

Your complaint is a common one, but I think most posters on this subject fail to look at service from a dealer's perspective. If a dealer has a customer who has just plunked down hundreds of thousand of dollars on a rig, the dealer will take care of that customer first. In our area we basically have a six month camping window. That means that the dealers are buried in their service departments during that six months. I don't think it is reasonable for a customer to expect a dealer to prioritize the needs of a non-customer over a returning customer.

In my own practice we run some pretty long hours during tax season. I will get people calling for tax advice during the season. If they are a client then I will gladly take the call, but if they are not, then I really don't have the time for those who are not a client. That isn't being selfish, just taking care of business.

Thanks for the reply,. I get there are VIPs I'm in business for myself as well. But the little guy should be treated with equal respect , the little guy may turn out to be a bigger Dog down the road.

[Peter M]

Originally Posted by Hooligan

Really depends on the dealer. I've dealt with Carpenters Campers in Pensacola for several years. I've been very satisfied with the quality of service on my Siesta, which was purchased there.
The following is from their website:

• CUSTOMER SATISFACTION INDEX ABOVE NATIONAL AVERAGE 98.8%
• PREFERRED SERVICE CENTER BY MANUFACTURERS FOR QUALITY WORK & TRANSIT CUSTOMER CARE
• PREFERRED SERVICE CENTER FOR MOST INSURANCE COMPANIES
• WE SERVICE ALL MAKES & MODELS OF RVs
• WE ALSO SPECIALIZE IN INTERIOR & EXTERIOR RESTORATIONS
• WE CARE ABOUT GETTING YOU BACK ON THE ROAD, JUST ASK OUR CUSTOMERS!
  
• "We don't care where you bought your RV".

Nice !
All can learn from this.

[nothermark]

Originally Posted by Peter M

Thanks for the reply,. I get there are VIPs I'm in business for myself as well. But the little guy should be treated with equal respect , the little guy may turn out to be a bigger Dog down the road.

The issue is not how big you are. The issue is whether you are their guy or not.

Chances are you will not do enough business to make any difference to them as few of their customers will buy more than a couple rv's in their lifetime. They know that. They know they have to keep their customers happy. I'd give the guy a star for being up front with you. A lot will just take in your rv and put it in the back lot until they get around to it. Say next winter when things slow down.

[TonyMac]

Why take your RV to anyone, especially someone as famously morally corrupt as a rv dealer, when there are so many mobile rv repair technicians who do your rv wherever it sits. I use C.Co Mobile RV Repair in northern Utah. I leave the RV unlocked, and when he's done, it's fixed and there is an invoice on the table. IN MY DRIVEWAY, while I'm at work or play. This guy is AWESOME! He charges 85/hr.

[timjet]

Originally Posted by Peter M

Harley jt,
He said just that he would not service it !
Example dealer #2 had a much better price locally than local dealer #1. I liked the environment of DL #1 and offered the option to them to earn my business by competive pricing. they would not alter price , and that was there
option.

You may have hit on the reason dealer #2 gave you a better price. Being 500 miles away, perhaps he knew you would not likely be back for warranty work so hence the better price.

If a dealer is swamped with warranty work he seems reasonable to put out of town buyers at the back of the line. So he puts you at the back of the line where you belong, then later that day a guy that bought from him last week has a problem, does he tell that guy you're behind the guy that bought 500 miles away because he got a better deal?

I do feel you're pain in this and it's been discussed so many times on this and other forums it seems it's a common problem. It would be nice if the manufactures would just make it right the first time. But that's not the issue.
So you might call the manufacturer and ask if warranty work can be done at non-dealer repair shops. You might get better service and a quicker response time.

[Statgeek]

My experience with two different RVs, two different brands, bought at two different places, is that it rings about 90% true. If you are seeking service within the warranty period (typically a year, but sometimes longer/shorter), you can bet your bottom dollar that if you purchased your RV at Dealer-A, no other dealer will want to do the warranty work.

If you are getting work done out of pocket expense, my experience has been that I get to wait at the bottom of their list, if they'll put me on it at all.

I am thankful that I now live within a few hours of where my RV was manufactured, so I'm just taking it back to them now when I need to.

[peggwn]

We haven't experienced this yet, but we bought second hand. When pellet-fueled stoves first came out several years ago, we found a dealer (the only one at that time within hundreds of miles) a few hours away and bought one. In the meantime, a local "stove shop" in Weatherford got into that business. We needed some more pellets so naturally we went there to buy some. The first question they asked was, "Did you buy your stove from us?" We said not. They said they would not sell us pellets. We said when we bought the stove they did not even sell them at that time. They said rather curtly that didn't matter, they wouldn't sell us any.

As an aside, it turns out, this "stove shop" has a reputation locally for being exactly that way; we didn't know. We should have suspected because when we went there to buy a tractor, they would not competitively match or even flex on their pricing and when we mentioned a competitor, the salesperson said, "That's the price", turned his back and walked away from us. So, I guess one finds this kind of attitude in all kinds of dealerships.

Best option: Do likewise and find someone who wants your business either before or after the sale.

[harleyjt]

Originally Posted by peggwn

We haven't experienced this yet, but we bought second hand. When pellet-fueled stoves first came out several years ago, we found a dealer (the only one at that time within hundreds of miles) a few hours away and bought one. In the meantime, a local "stove shop" in Weatherford got into that business. We needed some more pellets so naturally we went there to buy some. The first question they asked was, "Did you buy your stove from us?" We said not. They said they would not sell us pellets. We said when we bought the stove they did not even sell them at that time. They said rather curtly that didn't matter, they wouldn't sell us any.

As an aside, it turns out, this "stove shop" has a reputation locally for being exactly that way; we didn't know. We should have suspected because when we went there to buy a tractor, they would not competitively match or even flex on their pricing and when we mentioned a competitor, the salesperson said, "That's the price", turned his back and walked away from us. So, I guess one finds this kind of attitude in all kinds of dealerships.

Best option: Do likewise and find someone who wants your business either before or after the sale.

What an arrogant, asinine attitude. I wouldn't spend a nickel there. Screw him. Jmho.
jt

[lllkrob]

The whole reason this attitude is pervasive in the RV industry is due to the attitude of the RV manufacturers. The manufacturers are interested in SELLING each unit and not fixing it when something goes wrong. Why, it cost them money to fix their mistakes. So the harder it is to get warranty service the less it cost the manufacturers. Same holds true for dealer service. Dealer RV service/parts departments are so poorly structured, staffed, and supervised they never break even let alone make money so dealer's do everything in their power to limit losses in these departments.

The RV industry is a SALES industry that is not interested in customer satisfaction. One look at a RV manufacturers franchise agreement says it all. It is strictly a sales representation agreement with no mention of servicing requirements other than a brief statement that the dealer has to perform warranty repairs. There are no requirements pertaining to customer satisfaction or servicing ability.

[HarleyOutlaw]

Originally Posted by Peter M

Newbie here, So the RV dealer clearly stated the following. If you did not purchase your RV here we will not service it ! He suggested that you are last on the list and there buying customers come first. This policy he said is implied through out the industry .
What is your experience ?
(Mod Edit)

Ran into this attitude within a week of taking delivery of our RV. Had a warranty issue where the dash air/heat/defroster would not work. This was in January, by the way.
Took delivery in Texas and made it to Maryland before it became a real issue due to weather. Called a dealer in Maryland, Leo's Vacation Center, and they refused to even look at it even for warranty items. Thor said their hands are tied and can't force them to look at it.

So far this is the only situation I've dealt with. I just wrote that dealers name on a piece of paper and struck a line through it. Will never do business with them and would encourage others not to as well.

Now, I fully expected to be put at the back of the line and was ready for that. I was not ready to be flat out refused.

[TexasTom]

The Newmar dealer I purchased from went a step further. They said they would only service customers who bought new RV's from them. The used MH I purchased from them wouldn't get me in the service department.

[firedoc]

Originally Posted by TexasTom

The Newmar dealer I purchased from went a step further. They said they would only service customers who bought new RV's from them. The used MH I purchased from them wouldn't get me in the service department.

WHAT????