Okay: I can now join the CLUB

[Indio]

What is in the subject title? Seems like a good portion of the participates in this forum has had "issues" with their Alpine, and the other are the most gracious members that offer solutions. Now, after one and a half years of almost full time use.......... something has finally gone wrong with our coach. Seriously, this is the very first thing that has gone "south".........

Not to much of a major, but anybody that has an 04 with the ProSine 2.0 Inverter ending with a serial number ------------(lots of zeros) plus a 94R, you may eventually have a problem. After 1 1/2 years of flawless performance ( not so much as a burp ), ours started shuting down and re-starting each time it would go into the Charge Mode. Doing this on an average of 6-8 times a day.

Called Zantrex and related the fault codes the unit was showing, and they said this was in fact a production series that they were aware of the problem. Since, the 2.0 has been improved upon two times, and this should not occur.

My complaint is not with Zantrex, they were most helpful, understanding of my situation, and eventually the solution to the problem..... this Zantrex is a good company. Can not ***** at WRV, not their fault. After being sent back to our purchasing dealer, and being told we were past our one year complete coach warranty, and the issue was "between me and Zantrex".... I about lost it. I related that I had been given a warranty replacement authorization number from Zantrex ( the warranty period is two years )...... reply, "okay, bring it in, we will replace it, you pay for it (2,000 + bucks) and you can get your refund from Zantrex, now for what should be very obivous ( this is the same dealer I gave a couple of hundred thousand bucks to ), my pressure valve is rising. Next I say, what about this $3,800.00 Extended Warranty Program you sold me..... reply, "Oh great you have one of the better ones, bring your coach in and we will send the unit out and get it rebuilt!!!! and it will only cost you 500 bucks for your deductable". Of course after reading the fine print on my policy, this was all true, and on top of having to pay my hotel expenses for who knows how long. You can imagine where I told them to put their "after sale follow up service", and "insurance policy" ....that I was led to believe was a "must have". I was told, "What if the Plasma TV goes out"? , "how about the big refer?".... the fine print says they will only cover current replacement value on TVs' that are less than 32", and not residential style refers. My fault, should have done my due deligence before buying. My only excuse, it was Christmas Eve, nine thirty at night, it was raining cats and dogs..... and I would have bought anything to get through that final process of paper work and get on with the walk through. All I wanted to to do was get in my beautiful new Motorhome and hit the road.

Summary: Called Zantrex. No problem, sent me one out next day @ no-charge, with an RMA# to send the faulty one back......... great service, no hassle........ ProSine geta an "A+".
Called Extended Insurance: To cancel.... After finally getting through ( 40 Minutes )( their brochure states they have the best Customer Service in the Industry ) to a real person that in my opinion would not be able to find her rear end with both hands...... was told "oh we do not have anything to do with cancelling policies"..... huh?, go back to the dealer that sold you the policy. Of course the dealer couldn't do it until the end of what ever period we were in. Wrote and mailed a certified letter requesting my money back based on deception and fraud. Now I anxiousely await, even if I get a response. After looking this Insurance company up on the WEB, I found horror stories about them, my situation was nothing by comparision.

Hope my product report and company insight is helpful for others.

............. I can now feel like I'm really in the club,

Walt

[Indio]

What is in the subject title? Seems like a good portion of the participates in this forum has had "issues" with their Alpine, and the other are the most gracious members that offer solutions. Now, after one and a half years of almost full time use.......... something has finally gone wrong with our coach. Seriously, this is the very first thing that has gone "south".........

Not to much of a major, but anybody that has an 04 with the ProSine 2.0 Inverter ending with a serial number ------------(lots of zeros) plus a 94R, you may eventually have a problem. After 1 1/2 years of flawless performance ( not so much as a burp ), ours started shuting down and re-starting each time it would go into the Charge Mode. Doing this on an average of 6-8 times a day.

Called Zantrex and related the fault codes the unit was showing, and they said this was in fact a production series that they were aware of the problem. Since, the 2.0 has been improved upon two times, and this should not occur.

My complaint is not with Zantrex, they were most helpful, understanding of my situation, and eventually the solution to the problem..... this Zantrex is a good company. Can not ***** at WRV, not their fault. After being sent back to our purchasing dealer, and being told we were past our one year complete coach warranty, and the issue was "between me and Zantrex".... I about lost it. I related that I had been given a warranty replacement authorization number from Zantrex ( the warranty period is two years )...... reply, "okay, bring it in, we will replace it, you pay for it (2,000 + bucks) and you can get your refund from Zantrex, now for what should be very obivous ( this is the same dealer I gave a couple of hundred thousand bucks to ), my pressure valve is rising. Next I say, what about this $3,800.00 Extended Warranty Program you sold me..... reply, "Oh great you have one of the better ones, bring your coach in and we will send the unit out and get it rebuilt!!!! and it will only cost you 500 bucks for your deductable". Of course after reading the fine print on my policy, this was all true, and on top of having to pay my hotel expenses for who knows how long. You can imagine where I told them to put their "after sale follow up service", and "insurance policy" ....that I was led to believe was a "must have". I was told, "What if the Plasma TV goes out"? , "how about the big refer?".... the fine print says they will only cover current replacement value on TVs' that are less than 32", and not residential style refers. My fault, should have done my due deligence before buying. My only excuse, it was Christmas Eve, nine thirty at night, it was raining cats and dogs..... and I would have bought anything to get through that final process of paper work and get on with the walk through. All I wanted to to do was get in my beautiful new Motorhome and hit the road.

Summary: Called Zantrex. No problem, sent me one out next day @ no-charge, with an RMA# to send the faulty one back......... great service, no hassle........ ProSine geta an "A+".
Called Extended Insurance: To cancel.... After finally getting through ( 40 Minutes )( their brochure states they have the best Customer Service in the Industry ) to a real person that in my opinion would not be able to find her rear end with both hands...... was told "oh we do not have anything to do with cancelling policies"..... huh?, go back to the dealer that sold you the policy. Of course the dealer couldn't do it until the end of what ever period we were in. Wrote and mailed a certified letter requesting my money back based on deception and fraud. Now I anxiousely await, even if I get a response. After looking this Insurance company up on the WEB, I found horror stories about them, my situation was nothing by comparision.

Hope my product report and company insight is helpful for others.

............. I can now feel like I'm really in the club,

Walt

[Mike & Nancy]

Walt.......Welcome to the real world of Motorhoming 1 1/2 years with no problems.....thats great. Good to hear Xantex is standing behind their product. What extended "Service Agreement" do you have? We have First Extended Service Corp......have not yet had to use it, but I am wondering about them living up to the contract agreement. Also, who is your selling dealer???? good to know who takes care of business after the sale.

Keep us posted on what happens

Mike
04 36MDDS

[EngineerMike]

I haven't seen an "Extended Warranty" insurance policy yet that was any more effective than a **** in a hurricane.
Best Buy, however, has a pretty good store policy if you happen to purchase a unit that goes bad. I bought a DVD player, and have finally run to the bottom of thier munificence- picked up my 4th DVD player coupla weeks ago & they told me, sorry but that's as many times as we can replace it. Well, OK. I can live w/that.

Glad Xantrex came thru for you. I see a lot of commentary like yours on their service.

[Ted III]

Walt, It's great that you got a year & 1/2 without any problems but to be treated like that by a dealer almost negates the good 1-1/2 that you have had. Not really, but I am sure, you especially, understand my comment. I think it only fair that we all know who the dealer is and I certainly would have a very definitive chat with WRV and explain the type of representation that the have or hopefully had. You may have already done that but if you have not I surely would not hesitate.

Glad to hear it all turned out well for you.

Ted

[Indio]

Mike & Nancy:

The Insurance Company is, I hate to tell you, First Extended Service Coporation of Dallas, Texas.
I am not one to suggest to other people what I think is best for them, you do your homework, make your decision yourself.

I think Engineer Mike is absolutely right, and I knew better. I have purchased a few vehicles over the years, and never, never have I bought one of these worthless policies.... shame on me. My suggestion, read the fine print, then see if you think is has any merit. They skirt claims in a very simple way....... You have to return to the dealer that sold you the policy. Hey, these are motorhomes we own, and meant for travel. They get around the hotel/rental car expense by the exclusion: The repair has to be more than 4 hours shop labor time, regardless of how long you coach may be in for repair. Not sure what your deductable is, but ours @ 500.00........ well, may as well pay for most repairs yourself.

Go to ripoffreport.com, type in the companys' name, and read for yourself.

Based on paying 3,800.00 for a seven year policy, and actual time in force, I feel, I am due approximately a 3,000.00 refund. What ever I get back, I will consider it a bonus, and for not having the future aggravation of dealing with these people. Will you know what happens.

Best of luck, and take care,

Walt

[Mike & Nancy]

Walt......I was afraid you were going to say "First Extended Service Corp". I am assuming your selling dealer is Saddleback RV? We bought our coach used and for $25.00 we were able to transfer warranty from orginal owner. I like you have never brought one of these extended rip off's.....but for $25.00 I could not pass it up especially buying used. Anyway good luck...I was told you can cancel and get some money back.

Mike and Nancy
04 36MDDS

[EngineerMike]

Mike 'n Nancy-
Maybe you can cancel and make a good return on your $25 principal?

[MajDad]

For as intelligent as one would appear to be, whom is successful enough to afford a $100,000+ RV.. there are a lot of really stupid people out there! No disrespect intended, for the present posters.. but this is a pet peeve of mine!
I could never really understand why anyone who has been off the boat, for more than two days, would be foolish enough to think that if they 'buy-new' that the dealer will 'take care of them'. Yes, there are some good dealers out there, but the bad ones appear to outnumber them by 100 to 1. Even Las Vegas has better odds than that!
My experience has shown me that at 4-years of age, you can save 50% off the original retail price of the coach, if you buy from a private party. Yes, there are some that have been burnt this way too, but most owners seem to be more likely to tell it straight, than the 'used car salesman' on the lot.
On the used unit, most of the 'bugs' have been worked-out, and the unit rarely has more than a few miles on it.
So, let's see.. If I buy a $200K coach for $100K.. I've saved $100,000. Do you suppose that with this $100,000 I've saved, I could afford to do some amount of 'fixin'? I think I could replace the engine, the transmission, the inverter, the fridge, and the toaster.. and still come out ahead.
That doesn't mean you can go in with both eyes and ears closed, and still get a 'good' deal.. but if you are careful.. 99 times out of a 100, you should save money, and have a whole lot less frustration.
I'm done ranting.. I'm going camping (in my 'used' motorhome, and just sit around the campfire and count my money). Have a good day, and 'Good Luck'. Paul

[EngineerMike]

Paul is right. I'm an idiot.
Funny thing about motorhomes depreciating and aging, though. In my experience, no matter what you pay, for how old a coach, they go down in price every year proportionate to their value last year. It is a crazy thing to spend money on no matter how you slice it. You just have to want to live that way. I tried to explain it to a real estate venture capitalist once; he continually reminded me how he could rent a motel room cheaper. "Why would anyone buy something like that?," he said.
Guess he's never been to Quartzite in January.

[Indio]

...... Lets see. I never made it out of the eight grade, so I would never think of being referred to as being intelligent, EngineerMike, you have admitted to being an idiot, I have never gotten off a boat........ so I must be foolish. I thought I already admitted to doing the first stupid thing in my life.

Yet, with what little math learning I do remember from my schooling..... If you buy a used four year old MH that sold new for 200K for 100K, and put in a new Cummins 400ISL Diesel, hook it up to a Allison 300MH Transmission, replace the Panasonic 32" Plasma Television, add a Xantrex Prosine 2.0, plus the Amana Double Door residential refer (that you have to remove the windshield to get out)........ I think this would very possibly consume the major portion of the 100K I thought I was going to save, and could not afford the toaster. Me, I would do something foolish like go out and buy a brand spanking new coach for 200K, (which I did), but be intelligent, and not cough for the Extended Warranty..... and I too could sit around counting my dough......... no pun or disrespect intended.
Mike & Nancy: Yes you are correct, it was Saddleback. Not wanting to name names, I just feel like my situation wasn't all that big of a deal, and everything worked out just fine. I was treated absolutely great by their sales staff, gave me the deal I wanted on the Alpine.....and they did have a guy by the name of Mark in the service department that would take my stupid phone calls when I could not figure what or which button did what ( my walk through was all of about 45 minutes). They get an "F" on "After the Sale" customer service, but I would buy another coach from them, all things given.... just go somewhere else if I have a problem.

It's just my nature to always give everyone an opportunity to be honest, otherwise how would we know if they really are. Let them say what they do, and see if they do what they say.... and you will know which one of those 100 dealers is the good one that you would go back to a second time. All good things rise, all bad things fall by the wayside.......... given time.

My new Prosine is up and running, working without a glitch, I'm about as happy as an Inverter could be......... so I want to withdraw my application to the "Issues" club, and go back to my near perfect record of nothing "going south"

Take Care,
Walt

[Tom and Patty]

I know Engineer Mike is smart. Most of the time I don't understand what he is talking about .

We are one of those who bought an older model. But we can pretty much rank up there with Walt and say in 1 year and 19K miles we have had just a hicup, knock on the real wood cabinets.

It is good to hear that with all these systems these coaches are reliable. We just bought a toad for our coach (what am I saying it's for US). I have no money to count!

[EngineerMike]

Most of the time I don't know what he's talking about either.

[Jim&MaryJo]

I know what "factory pickup 8/15" means

It means 4 days earlier I pick up my new coach and 4 days later Mike and I (and my friend Walt) are happy campers