Crooks or Normal RV Dealer?

[golden]

Originally Posted by tedward1555

At this point I'm not going to name names... but somewhere in Central Texas, I was directed to a Fleetwood dealer for service via the Fleetwood web site. I called in early March and was given 3/22 as the date. Took it in with my list of needed repairs.
Today I pick it up and:
1) Can't start the Onan 8000, They charged me $128 to tell me they couldn't find out how to make it start and I would have to take it to another Onan serice center... and IT"S UNDER WARRANTY
2) Charged me $64 dollars to put rubber bumpers on the bolts behind the front "hood" to stop a really annoying rattle. See Pic
3) Tecma Power Flush toilet doesnt' flush... They charged me $25 for "snaking the line" and said it was fixed. Maybe they did snake the line but the toilet still doesn't flush..
4) Charged me $64 dollars to tell me that the outdoor kitchen was "off it's slide" and they are still waiting on "Fleetwood to call back with a price for new tracks"... huh? See pic... I knew it was off it's slide... I told them that.
I'm glad to have my rig back and I'll never go there again, but is this just normal business as usual in this industry? or did I choose a really lousy dealer?
I feel like the wind was knocked out of me.
Ed

Sorry for your troubles. You have me a little concerned as I'm not far from you and I don't want to use the same company. I've been happy with the company I use in Georgetown and hope that's not the one to which you are referring. Can you at least say what town/city it is in?

[tedward1555]

HI Golden, I'ts not in Georgetown.

[Elkhartjim]

Ed, in my opinion, you should post the dealers name and location regardless of the outcome you have with the mangement. I would like a heads up on a dealership that conducts business in this manner. Its pretty easy to locate all the Fleetwood dealers in the Austin area, so for now, I'll avoid all of them if the need should arise. Good luck and I can certainly tell you you to avoid DeMontrond Motorhomes in Houston. But then of course Fleetwood just dropped them as a dealer. Nuff said!

[tedward1555]

OK Jim you're right. It's Ancira Motor Homes (GMC,Pontiac) in Boerne Texas

NEWMAR folks might want to take note too because Ancira is very proud that they have just become a Newmar dealer.

[SteveLevin]

Sorry to hear of your troubles... it's never good to hear about any kind of crappy service like this.

Steve

[RocketDork]

Originally Posted by tedward1555

I also don't see what is to gain in a forum like this when someone says things like "shame on you"...

I said shame on you, so I'll reply.

You started the thread with the title of "Crooks or Normal RV Dealer". It was clear to me when I clicked in that you felt you had been ripped off. The question was not whether or not you had been ripped off, but rather, does everyone get ripped off.

Then you proceeded to itemized and photo document the dealers failures. The points you did NOT make were;

Did the dealer attempt the repair at all, or was the cost associated with the labor to diagnose the problem?
Did you receive a written estimate of what the repairs would cost?
Was the written estimate of the repair cost exceeded?
Did the dealership repair anything else successfully? Or did you just point out their failings and none of their successes?

There were a couple of flags that alerted me to your inattention. You paid good money for a generator "repair" that you KNEW would have to be performed somewhere else...You also failed to mention if the rubber bumpers solved the problem...just because a solution is simple, doesn't mean a dealership shouldn't charge you for it.

In a later post, you admitted that you didn't verify that the repairs had been made prior to leaving the dealership, that you were in a hurry.

SO, while the dealership didn't live up to their commitment as a provider of service, you didn't live up to your commitment as a receiver of service. If the dealership is truly as bad you say they are you should have made them aware of it right away. What you've done by delaying your request to fix the problem is allow others to find themselves in the same situation as you were in.

You also called them Crooks without giving them a chance to make the situation right. Now that you've posted their name, I certainly hope that you'll follow up on the results of the complaints, positive or negative.

SO, I'll stand by my "shame on you".

I sure wish I had the dealerships side of this story.

[tedward1555]

Originally Posted by RocketDork

I said shame on you, so I'll reply.

You started the thread with the title of "Crooks or Normal RV Dealer". It was clear to me when I clicked in that you felt you had been ripped off. The question was not whether or not you had been ripped off, but rather, does everyone get ripped off.

Then you proceeded to itemized and photo document the dealers failures. The points you did NOT make were;

Did the dealer attempt the repair at all, or was the cost associated with the labor to diagnose the problem?
Did you receive a written estimate of what the repairs would cost?
Was the written estimate of the repair cost exceeded?
Did the dealership repair anything else successfully? Or did you just point out their failings and none of their successes?

There were a couple of flags that alerted me to your inattention. You paid good money for a generator "repair" that you KNEW would have to be performed somewhere else...You also failed to mention if the rubber bumpers solved the problem...just because a solution is simple, doesn't mean a dealership shouldn't charge you for it.

In a later post, you admitted that you didn't verify that the repairs had been made prior to leaving the dealership, that you were in a hurry.

SO, while the dealership didn't live up to their commitment as a provider of service, you didn't live up to your commitment as a receiver of service. If the dealership is truly as bad you say they are you should have made them aware of it right away. What you've done by delaying your request to fix the problem is allow others to find themselves in the same situation as you were in.

You also called them Crooks without giving them a chance to make the situation right. Now that you've posted their name, I certainly hope that you'll follow up on the results of the complaints, positive or negative.

SO, I'll stand by my "shame on you".

I sure wish I had the dealerships side of this story.

It makes no difference whatsoever what they did right. The fact that they handled the 3 items I listed the way they did, in my mind makes them a rip off.
And if you want their side of the story... Call them, you have their name

[RocketDork]

How about you make them aware of this thread and invite them to reply? Perhaps I could do that? I believe if you explicitly express your approval to them, that they would be happy to discuss the situation in the open.

Its important to note that I am holding the dealership responsible for their errors, just as you are...

Where we differ, is that I am also holding you responsible for your errors, I guess that offends you.

[steelheadbluesman]

Tedward - After 17 years on the highways and 3 rigs, and of course many repairs, I hear your frustration. I think the best advice was from NlovnIt (not sure I spelled it right) Document the events, make noise all the way to the top, ask for refunds, and rat 'em out! No one should have to take it!

[NLOVNIT]

On a related note, a few things I learned when dealing with any complaint situation is to be calm, diplomatic, to the point & ask for specific compensation when composing your complaint letter or speaking with the person (& it may take speaking to several persons in between) who has the authority to remedy your situation. Ranting, swearing & losing your temper will get you nowhere. You also need to be the "squeaky wheel", i.e. don't give up. They count on you just giving up in frustration & going away or giving in.

I stuck to my guns for over 4 years on a mis-billed service I disputed. It took dozens of phone calls, painstaking documentation of who I spoke to, on what date & what was said, as well as at least a dozen letters to finally resolve the issue. I probably spent more in time & paperwork than the charges were, battling the error. But it became the principle not the money, I didn't back down & I eventually was credited...plus interest.

Lori-

[tedward1555]

Originally Posted by RocketDork

How about you make them aware of this thread and invite them to reply? Perhaps I could do that? I believe if you explicitly express your approval to them, that they would be happy to discuss the situation in the open.

Its important to note that I am holding the dealership responsible for their errors, just as you are...

Where we differ, is that I am also holding you responsible for your errors, I guess that offends you.

Rocket;
Where we differ is that I do not come to a forum like this to be told what I already know about my own shortcomings.. I am 55 years old, I'm a successful business man. I have had many many buyer/seller dealings in my adult life. The first thing I've learned to do in any situation is examine my part in any problem.

The reason I posted this was to get honest feedback on whether or not it was ... for example reasonable to pay normal shop rate for "diagnostic time" when something is under warranty, or is it normal for an RV dealer to charge me $64 to put on $1.40 worth of rubber bumpers on 4 bolts. I manufacture decorative lamps and I give finials away as part of customer service I don't charge for them.. (seems similar to me). SO I honestly came here with questions... I think you believe, and maybe the way I titled it and wrote it, you're justified, that I came here just to rant and blast a dealer... only partly true, I really was unfamiliar with RV service because this is my very first experience. Of course I know what to watch out for next time.

[JC2]

Originally Posted by Doug Sage

I agree that many dealers do not know how to repair their products. The one that I bought my motorhome from had to call the manufacturer for advice every single time that I took it in! Needless to say, I haven't gone there after the warranty expired. A good resource is: RV Service Review . Check here before using a service center and then post a review here describing your good or bad service. It will help others in the future.

I to would go here RV Service Review and write up your experiance. Future readers can then make their own decision on whether to patronize them.

[tedward1555]

Originally Posted by JC2

I to would go here RV Service Review and write up your experiance. Future readers can then make their own decision on whether to patronize them.

JC I will do that after it's a closed case. I did search and there are currently no reviews of this dealer there.... so maybe my experience is out of the norm for this dealer... I don't know... maybe they saw "sucker" written on my forehead when I walked in

[Noelj]

I am proud to sy that I have had excellent dealings with the dealer who has sold me two used Class A. Fair honest dealings with the purchase, went to extremes to make sure everything was in good condition when we got it. free service and replacement on anything for the first month, and excellent service and repair work later, at a fair price. Alas, they only service what they sell, so I can't send folks there for help. However, if one has a problem in the local area, I could probably talk them into working in a new customer.