Midway RV Experience?

[mitchellga]

Has anyone had a recent experience purchasing from Midway RV? Would love to know about their reputation. Thanks!

[oldenavy]

Are you talking about the place in Grand Rapids?

If so, we’ve looked there a couple of times but didn’t buy from them. Not because of how we were treated, just didn’t find what we were looking for.

[redbaron73]

I have dealt with Midway in the past for sales. They are honest, straightforward. I purchased my 2019 DSDP from Midway with factory delivery.

I would definitely recommend that you talk with them.

[NCC-1701A]

We just traded with them 10 weeks ago.

What we found to be good:

The sales experience was the 2nd best we've had over 30+ years and quite a few RV purchases. The paperwork was a breeze and they provided their very simple, short agreement in advance for my review so nothing was sprung on us at the last minute. No pressure. Answered pre-purchase questions. The tech walkthrough was excellent compared to any other we've had elsewhere. Since this is our third Newmar (a 2021 New Aire 3545) and I do all my own maintenance, I was aware of most functions and uses already, so we "only" took about 2/3rds of a day to review the coach, it's functions, and a substantial test drive. They did not try to limit our time and mentioned that a few prior clients without knowledge of coaches have taken up to two full days. That's a lot of a tech's time, but sounds like they will make that investment. The coach had been completely detailed. Being a "covid era coach" I asked for and quickly received all Newmar records of warranty items fixed on the coach. I wanted to be sure there were no serious and/or recurring issues and getting that info was important to us.

Some room for improvement:

While in long distance negotiations I did a search for any outstanding recalls. I found one, so don't assume they will do this on their own. It was the Valid TPMS software update recall & they did then get that done. As part of negotiations I had to ask for the genset maintenance to be done. I pressed them to find out what they called "full service" chassis maintenance and never did get all my questions answered, and some they answered were not correct as they were not done (or poorly done by my standards.) I had to press several times to prove to me that the engine fan gearbox had correct gearlube amount, which they finally did. They told me the fan driveshaft had been greased, but I checked after I got home and the U-joints just had black goo come out as I pumped fresh grease in. Frankly, the main driveshaft was not much different. Slack adjusters not done, best I can tell. If any of those were greased it was a quick pump and done, not a thorough correct job. I had asked in advance for their PDI sheet so I would know what (at least in theory) they were looking at. I also got a "completed" copy during our walkthrough. I would rate the "completed" one as D- at best because many of the items were not checked off as complete and some minor cosmetic issues were found on items checked off with their person not finding what I found. Back to the gearbox lube check...they showed me a picture of the gearbox and dipstick oil level...great! Once home I wanted to recheck. I'm so glad I did! The stupid Freightliner design requires that one of the upper gear box retainer bolts is removed and another loosened to move a bracket that blocks access to the dipstick! Well, apparently they didn't retorque the loose one and forgot to reinstall the one removed, which was nowhere to be found. No damage done...I torqued the one still there and got a replacement for the other. But if I hadn't checked myself I would have had a gearbox with only two of the upper 4 retainer bracket bolts properly in place and torqued to spec!

In net, we had a better than average total purchase experience, but in the RV industry, that is still not what I fully expect when spending hundreds of thousands.
We would certainly deal with them again but, as with all RV sales, "trust but verify" is a good motto. Do your due diligence prior, during, and even after.

Besides the walkthrough and test drive, DW and I spent a few hours on our own checking things not completed on the PDI and our own personal checklist. If you don't want to or cannot do a thorough PDI, hire a competent inspector. With 15 years of Newmar ownership and 40 years of RV ownership, we feel confident doing our own. Don't trust ANY RV Dealers checks or do so at your own peril.

Hope that gives you what you need. Again...I would recommend them, but just don't be complacent no matter how friendly your salesperson is! :-)

[mitchellga]

Originally Posted by NCC-1701A

We just traded with them 10 weeks ago.

What we found to be good:

The sales experience was the 2nd best we've had over 30+ years and quite a few RV purchases. The paperwork was a breeze and they provided their very simple, short agreement in advance for my review so nothing was sprung on us at the last minute. No pressure. Answered pre-purchase questions. The tech walkthrough was excellent compared to any other we've had elsewhere. Since this is our third Newmar (a 2021 New Aire 3545) and I do all my own maintenance, I was aware of most functions and uses already, so we "only" took about 2/3rds of a day to review the coach, it's functions, and a substantial test drive. They did not try to limit our time and mentioned that a few prior clients without knowledge of coaches have taken up to two full days. That's a lot of a tech's time, but sounds like they will make that investment. The coach had been completely detailed. Being a "covid era coach" I asked for and quickly received all Newmar records of warranty items fixed on the coach. I wanted to be sure there were no serious and/or recurring issues and getting that info was important to us.

Some room for improvement:

While in long distance negotiations I did a search for any outstanding recalls. I found one, so don't assume they will do this on their own. It was the Valid TPMS software update recall & they did then get that done. As part of negotiations I had to ask for the genset maintenance to be done. I pressed them to find out what they called "full service" chassis maintenance and never did get all my questions answered, and some they answered were not correct as they were not done (or poorly done by my standards.) I had to press several times to prove to me that the engine fan gearbox had correct gearlube amount, which they finally did. They told me the fan driveshaft had been greased, but I checked after I got home and the U-joints just had black goo come out as I pumped fresh grease in. Frankly, the main driveshaft was not much different. Slack adjusters not done, best I can tell. If any of those were greased it was a quick pump and done, not a thorough correct job. I had asked in advance for their PDI sheet so I would know what (at least in theory) they were looking at. I also got a "completed" copy during our walkthrough. I would rate the "completed" one as D- at best because many of the items were not checked off as complete and some minor cosmetic issues were found on items checked off with their person not finding what I found. Back to the gearbox lube check...they showed me a picture of the gearbox and dipstick oil level...great! Once home I wanted to recheck. I'm so glad I did! The stupid Freightliner design requires that one of the upper gear box retainer bolts is removed and another loosened to move a bracket that blocks access to the dipstick! Well, apparently they didn't retorque the loose one and forgot to reinstall the one removed, which was nowhere to be found. No damage done...I torqued the one still there and got a replacement for the other. But if I hadn't checked myself I would have had a gearbox with only two of the upper 4 retainer bracket bolts properly in place and torqued to spec!

In net, we had a better than average total purchase experience, but in the RV industry, that is still not what I fully expect when spending hundreds of thousands.
We would certainly deal with them again but, as with all RV sales, "trust but verify" is a good motto. Do your due diligence prior, during, and even after.

Besides the walkthrough and test drive, DW and I spent a few hours on our own checking things not completed on the PDI and our own personal checklist. If you don't want to or cannot do a thorough PDI, hire a competent inspector. With 15 years of Newmar ownership and 40 years of RV ownership, we feel confident doing our own. Don't trust ANY RV Dealers checks or do so at your own peril.

Hope that gives you what you need. Again...I would recommend them, but just don't be complacent no matter how friendly your salesperson is! :-)

Thanks for all of the detail. I’m curious who your best sales experience was with?

[jaydee325]

We've bought two motorhomes from them. Both excellent experiences.

Their service department is excellent as well.

I have no reservations recommending them.

[redbaron73]

The best sales experience is a very broad timeline.

Pre-sales experience is easily divided between those that know what they want and those that have no clue.

For the no clue crowd, going to a Rv show like Hershey, Tampa, NIRVCs Tennessee show, or others that are well represented by multiple brands, models, etc is the best starting point. This is the only way you will be able to see the entire lineup and compare.

With Newmar, the floor plan and model is just the beginning.

Once you know what you want then you need to design it. Choosing colors, flooring, and many various options.

Multiple ways to do this, but the top 2 are either going to Newmar and designing your coach, or going to a dealer that has a design center.

Midway & NIRVC both handle this extremely well. Other dealers less so (Holiday World is terrible).

Once you have your Newmar design approved by Newmar, you can use that configuration to shop for pricing. Each dealer can pull the design and quote you based on their availability for production slot and final price.

After you have purchased the RV, then your salesperson is the best way to determine when the production begins, and to update you for final delivery.

Factory delivery involves a 30 day wait after completion while they do PDI.

Dealer delivery is going to average the same 30 days as that includes transport and pdi time.

Midway is a small dealership, with a single location. This has a huge advantage when it comes to attention during the entire process.

Midway is limited on the chassis work they do in house, but will coordinate any of that work with the service centers. Again, this is not a negative and works out very good for the customer.

NIrVC has a huge service center, and their ability to do any repair rivals all dealerships, and is better than factory service for all things except for wood/cabinets which still have to come from Newmar.

NIRVC can do most chassis work in house, and their paint and body is the best in the business(at least in Lewisville)

I purchased from Midway in 2018 (Chad) and from NIRVC in 2021. (Kimberly).

Both salespeople have kept in touch regularly since the purchase and have been extremely helpful when dealing with Newmar. The salesperson works very hard during the customized request stage, and having a dealer knowledgeable about what can be done or should be done means a lot.


One final note: there are dealerships that are awarded the highest rating for Newmar that do not actually service or provide near the pre/post sale support. One of those dealers is always the lowest price, but the expectation is that you will do a factory delivery and deal with Newmar directly for all warranty work.

NIRVC will provide service no matter where you buy the coach. AFAIK they are the only dealer to publicly state this.

[NCC-1701A]

Originally Posted by mitchellga

Thanks for all of the detail. I’m curious who your best sales experience was with?

2002. Our first Diesel Pusher purchase...a new Winnebago Journey DL 39QD. A single location family dealership in Menominee, WI that unfortuately went under in 2010 during the Great Recession. The only sales person we've ever dealt with that, in every respect, seemed 100% honest! If he wasn't sure of an answer to a question, he openly stated so and said he would find the correct answer, and he did! Every promise was kept, every statement true, not one single surprise or regret.

In your original post you didn't mention if you are looking to buy new or used. I think Redbaron makes good points regarding new purchase factors. There are certainly some different factors that come into play when purchasing used.

[mitchellga]

Originally Posted by redbaron73

The best sales experience is a very broad timeline.

Pre-sales experience is easily divided between those that know what they want and those that have no clue.

For the no clue crowd, going to a Rv show like Hershey, Tampa, NIRVCs Tennessee show, or others that are well represented by multiple brands, models, etc is the best starting point. This is the only way you will be able to see the entire lineup and compare.

With Newmar, the floor plan and model is just the beginning.

Once you know what you want then you need to design it. Choosing colors, flooring, and many various options.

Multiple ways to do this, but the top 2 are either going to Newmar and designing your coach, or going to a dealer that has a design center.

Midway & NIRVC both handle this extremely well. Other dealers less so (Holiday World is terrible).

Once you have your Newmar design approved by Newmar, you can use that configuration to shop for pricing. Each dealer can pull the design and quote you based on their availability for production slot and final price.

After you have purchased the RV, then your salesperson is the best way to determine when the production begins, and to update you for final delivery.

Factory delivery involves a 30 day wait after completion while they do PDI.

Dealer delivery is going to average the same 30 days as that includes transport and pdi time.

Midway is a small dealership, with a single location. This has a huge advantage when it comes to attention during the entire process.

Midway is limited on the chassis work they do in house, but will coordinate any of that work with the service centers. Again, this is not a negative and works out very good for the customer.

NIrVC has a huge service center, and their ability to do any repair rivals all dealerships, and is better than factory service for all things except for wood/cabinets which still have to come from Newmar.

NIRVC can do most chassis work in house, and their paint and body is the best in the business(at least in Lewisville)

I purchased from Midway in 2018 (Chad) and from NIRVC in 2021. (Kimberly).

Both salespeople have kept in touch regularly since the purchase and have been extremely helpful when dealing with Newmar. The salesperson works very hard during the customized request stage, and having a dealer knowledgeable about what can be done or should be done means a lot.


One final note: there are dealerships that are awarded the highest rating for Newmar that do not actually service or provide near the pre/post sale support. One of those dealers is always the lowest price, but the expectation is that you will do a factory delivery and deal with Newmar directly for all warranty work.

NIRVC will provide service no matter where you buy the coach. AFAIK they are the only dealer to publicly state this.

Thanks again for this detailed info. As an aside, I had a bad experience at the NIRVC Nashville location to the point that NIRVC’s COO had to get involved. I guess that service can vary per location, In fact, for what it’s worth, I have read some pretty poor reviews lately about NIRVC service.

[redbaron73]

Originally Posted by mitchellga

Thanks again for this detailed info. As an aside, I had a bad experience at the NIRVC Nashville location to the point that NIRVC’s COO had to get involved. I guess that service can vary per location, In fact, for what it’s worth, I have read some pretty poor reviews lately about NIRVC service.

As with any business, the service is only as good as its weakest link.

Having relationships with your service team helps, and proactive communication is necessary. I apply this process to most dealings. It doesn’t prevent all problems, but will at least identify them sooner.

[purrin along]

Originally Posted by mitchellga

Thanks again for this detailed info. As an aside, I had a bad experience at the NIRVC Nashville location to the point that NIRVC’s COO had to get involved. I guess that service can vary per location, In fact, for what it’s worth, I have read some pretty poor reviews lately about NIRVC service.

Your experience with NIRVC sounds like ours.I have heard good reviews about Midway, good luck.

[Mark Foucher]

We just picked up a 25 LA from Midway. Ordered it in December thru Chad and made many changes. All done remotely as we were in Florida. Priced the coach at 4 locations and they were very competitive. Bought a used 20 DS from them 4 years ago.

Both transactions went very well.

Spent 3 days there last week taking delivery. Over a full day getting oriented and the rest transferring some equipment. Took almost a day for us to transfer our stuff. They did not rush us out the door.

Delivery tech, Issac, was exceptional. Knew the coach and was always available to explain/fix anything that came up. Very mature for someone in his early 20’s.

We got a “factory level” delivery at the dealer.


Sometimes size matters. For them smaller is certainly better. Would buy from them again.

[krpowers54]

There are some lengthy replies here. I've not read any but will try to keep this one short. I just got my coack ('20 DS 4081) back from Midway yesterday. Every year, they get my coach to take care of the 'above chassis' items and Cummins in Grand Rapids gets to handle my service on everything below the box. Both facilities do a great job and at a reasonable price. The last repair - entry steps were bent. I had given them the go-ahead to replace with new. Instead, they straightened them out as best they could (which is great) and saved me about $1500. I live about 40 miles away. I take my coach in once a year to one of these locations. Between them, they get my coach to the other location. This saves me two 40 minute drives. I bought a 2005 Kountry Star from them and they were the first place I looked in '21. Unfortunately, they didn't have any coaches in stock that we were interested in. With the KS, they did a wonderful prep & walk-through and I know someone else that has purchased four London Aires from them but never been to their facility. They take possession at Nappanee. While many will only take their coach to the mothership, I won't take mine anywhere other than Midway, unless we're caught out on the road.

[SteveM4037]

I purchased new from Midway in Jan 2024. The coach was a '23 leftover and after I shopped all the similar models around the country Midway was right with the others on pricing, plus this one had a dishwasher. ()
I dealt remotely with Chad in sales, and Isaac did the delivery; both were easy to deal with and there was no pressure.
Nothing against NIRV; I looked at Entegra's at their Phoenix location and had a good experience there as well.
But I liked the smaller dealer atmosphere and would definitely look to deal with Midway again in the future.