Dometic A/C fiasco

[Acker1]

I have a 4-button thermostat. I needed a new control board for my rear A/C. Cost--$118.93.
Only control board that is now available is for a 5-button thermostat. The 4-button control boards & t-stats are discontinued. That meant I needed to also change my thermostat to a 5-button type. My front A/C has the 4-button control board so that also had to get changed. Only difference in the thermostats----on the 4-button you had to hold down the 'mode' & 'fan' button at the same time to change 'zones'. On the 5-button t-stats, the additional button is for changing 'zones'. The $118.93 part ended up costing me $512.
That is absolutely ridiculous!!!!!!!
This is on the second new rear unit since last summer. First one was bad, replacement was acting up and Dometic did take care of those problems under warranty BUT it took lots of phone calls, 3 different techs & 7 months to get the problems fixed. Control board was not covered under the warranty because they only changed out the upper unit.
Maybe I can EBAY the old control board and t-stat to make up some of the cost and save someone else from having to go thru that mess.
I just needed to vent--thanks for listening.
DICK

[Acker1]

I have a 4-button thermostat. I needed a new control board for my rear A/C. Cost--$118.93.
Only control board that is now available is for a 5-button thermostat. The 4-button control boards & t-stats are discontinued. That meant I needed to also change my thermostat to a 5-button type. My front A/C has the 4-button control board so that also had to get changed. Only difference in the thermostats----on the 4-button you had to hold down the 'mode' & 'fan' button at the same time to change 'zones'. On the 5-button t-stats, the additional button is for changing 'zones'. The $118.93 part ended up costing me $512.
That is absolutely ridiculous!!!!!!!
This is on the second new rear unit since last summer. First one was bad, replacement was acting up and Dometic did take care of those problems under warranty BUT it took lots of phone calls, 3 different techs & 7 months to get the problems fixed. Control board was not covered under the warranty because they only changed out the upper unit.
Maybe I can EBAY the old control board and t-stat to make up some of the cost and save someone else from having to go thru that mess.
I just needed to vent--thanks for listening.
DICK

[Oemtech]

Welcome to the world of non regulated RV world. If the RV manufactures came under the same rules that the auto industry have you would see parts available for at least 7 years after the last model year that used the part.... or so I have been told.

Here is one for you.... The headlights and side markers on my coach are from a 98-02 Mercury Marquis. So, the parts were 4 years old (design wise) to start with. The taillights come from a 93-97 Ford Ranger... That makes them 7 years old already. Newmar wants $94 for a headlight through the dealer only and I can get then off the net for $45....