Tiffin Service Center Changes

[kayak70]

Recently Tiffin has posted on FaceBook and distributed a flyer to those in Red Bay service center on changes to the service center. Yesterday Tiffin removed the facebook posts completely. There was the announcement with a large number of unhappy responders then there was an answer from Bob Tiffin. To read the announcement check in at the other forum TVRN and find the long threads there regarding it.

In essence the changes include:
1: Extended warranties of any kind will no longer be accepted at Red Bay service center after September 2015.
2. Coaches over 4 years of age may not be left in the outback for service. (This modified by Bob's letter to state they may but within a certain time limit and will be charged per day after notification)
3. No remodel services will be done at the service center, none, no change of anything from original OEM.

We are not personally impacted by this statement of changes at all except that the extended warranty denial is a monster change for most Tiffin or many Tiffin owners. We take our coach to other service centers with free parking and 50amp service and those centers accept our ProTrek extended warranty. Thought you might not have seen the postings on facebook (remember they were removed yesterday) but remember this can be easily verified with a phone call or visit the other site. The facebook posts fluctuated for two days, responses were deleted then restored and finally the whole mess removed but it is still "on the web" in many places.

Overall Tiffin handled the notification poorly, infuriated a bunch of people and changed course midstream for many with the extended warranty announcement. Bob did apologize in his letter but for many of us it left a bad taste because Tiffin has always been noted for great customer service, their reputation.

[edgray]

Originally Posted by kayak70

Recently Tiffin has posted on FaceBook and distributed a flyer to those in Red Bay service center on changes to the service center. Yesterday Tiffin removed the facebook posts completely. There was the announcement with a large number of unhappy responders then there was an answer from Bob Tiffin. To read the announcement check in at the other forum TVRN and find the long threads there regarding it.

In essence the changes include:
1: Extended warranties of any kind will no longer be accepted at Red Bay service center after September 2015.
2. Coaches over 4 years of age may not be left in the outback for service. (This modified by Bob's letter to state they may but within a certain time limit and will be charged per day after notification)
3. No remodel services will be done at the service center, none, no change of anything from original OEM.

We are not personally impacted by this statement of changes at all except that the extended warranty denial is a monster change for most Tiffin or many Tiffin owners. We take our coach to other service centers with free parking and 50amp service and those centers accept our ProTrek extended warranty. Thought you might not have seen the postings on facebook (remember they were removed yesterday) but remember this can be easily verified with a phone call or visit the other site. The facebook posts fluctuated for two days, responses were deleted then restored and finally the whole mess removed but it is still "on the web" in many places.

Overall Tiffin handled the notification poorly, infuriated a bunch of people and changed course midstream for many with the extended warranty announcement. Bob did apologize in his letter but for many of us it left a bad taste because Tiffin has always been noted for great customer service, their reputation.

Thanks for adding this issue to the Tiffin Owner forum here. I don't OWN a Tiffin product, but follow their successful business very closely. IMO, the changes recently announced make perfectly good BUSINESS sense, and I believe they are intended to help relieve some of the congestion that has plagued the factory service center for some time now.

I noticed that you posted the extended warranty issue as first on YOUR list, but it was the last item on the original Tiffin notice. FWIW, I think not wasting time dealing with after-market dealer sold extended warranty plans is a smart decision that will dramatically speed up access to the service center for those who seek repairs there. I don't see where Tiffin is refusing to do repairs that may be covered by an extended warranty plan, but rather that they are simply unwilling to spend their time trying to get approvals and reimbursements from these plans. I'm sure any owner can pay for the repairs at Tiffin, and then seek reimbursement from the plan themselves, on their own dime. I also commend Tiffin for giving more than 6 months notice about this change in their policy. That provides more than enough time for owners with an extended warranty plan to decide where they should take their rigs for warranty repairs.

As for the issue of coaches being dropped off for repairs and then not retrieved when repairs are completed, I think Tiffin is simply tired of providing "free storage" for too many customers who obviously must not "need" their coach. Two weeks after notification of completed repairs is long enough, IMO and I hope the daily charge after two weeks is actually enforced, but knowing how "nice" Mr. Bob can be, I doubt many will pay storage fees.

Also IMO, remodeling services are better left to companies who specialize in those activities, and have no place in a service center that is constantly over-whelmed by SERVICE & REPAIR needs from the thousands of owners who go to RB seeking the best of care for their coach.

All the above is just my opinion, as an unbiased observer. Ed

[kayak70]

Well, yes the EW is first priority for me. Most Tiffin owners did not purchase extended warranties from a dealer, that is purely conjecture and error. Most or many purchased from Wholesale Warranties just as I did and one year after RV purchase. I totally agree with the remodel move. Agree with the leaving RVs in the outback area and, yes, I disagree with the EW move.

By the way, an owner can not in any case get post facto reimbursed from any extended warranty as far as I know. I spoke to Wholesale Warranties and they specifically said they would not pay for any service at Tiffin after this change is implemented. Extended warranties require prior authorization for work to begin, that's just how they work. I also realize that many dislike extended warranties, don't even want to open that debate freshly. This is my very first extended warranty on anything but it's the second Tiffin RV and based on the first Tiffin RV I knew we could not afford it without an extended warranty. Other brands I never considered this an issue.

I did not state any preference or opinion except that the initial announcement was handled poorly and resulted in a fiasco of negative responses on facebook. That is true. Tiffin has removed the page, totally within their rights.

What would expedite the service center at Tiffin is better quality control in the manufacture but that's true of all RV manufacturers probably. I seriously doubt the extended warranty denial will speed anything up at all. Not doing remodel will help certainly. They also get to redeploy those three employees to other work so that's a plus for them.

The point of the post is to inform customers and potential customers of a very big change in corporate culture at Tiffin. According the the checkin at Red Bay most people had an extended warranty of some kind. Based on the TRVN forum a lot of those were Wholesale Warranty products including ProTrek. It's just information. The entire move ultimately should help first year warranty resolution and yes, I agree, other resources should be tried before Red Bay. Like I said, we have found alternate service locations already - before this change. I didn't like the service center management or the long wait for service. Others have no issue with it. The alternate service center which we selected as primary accepts our extended warranty, they don't sell RVs, they repair them.

So, deep breath, the post is information. Anyone who wants to read it or Bob's response I can post it here or you can go to TRVN.

[johnboy99]

I guess you will have to take the RV someplace else, whats the big deal?, maybe the extended warr was a bad deal for tiffin just like many people have realized after they got one, slow pay, short pay & no pay. Customer left, bill still not paid, prob never will be paid ever.......

[BobGed]

A member of another forum has posted that they received a phone call from Bob Tiffin, and that he stated Tiffin will continue to assist in the pre-authorization requirements of extended service contract companies, but full payment will be required to be made by the coach owner after service is performed. This makes total sense to me.

The following is just my personal experience and opinion, and obviously may be different than that of others, but may also apply to some.

I purchased my service contract (aka: extended warranty) from Wholesale Warranties a couple of years ago, and have a different policy than what is being offered today. At that time they were able to offer the XtraRide policy, which is highly regarded by many, however I selected the Performance Care policy as I felt I received better coverage that I won't do into detail on now.

I looked at my actual contract today, which I would urge everyone with a service contract to do, and found the following statement at the beginning of the contract [highlights are mine]:

We will pay or reimburse you for Reasonable Costs to repair or replace any breakdown of a mechanical part or component (Covered Part(s)) listed below based on the coverage purchased, less any deductible(s) you are required to pay.The amount authorized by the Administrator will be paid to the Licensed Repair Facility or directly to you, whichever the Administrator deems appropriate.

I then called my policy holder and asked them how I would go about getting personal reimbursement from a qualified service location that, for whatever reason, didn't want to cooperate with my policy provider. It did take getting beyond the customer service rep and finally speaking with a supervisor, but she confirmed this could all work out as long as the following procedures were followed:

1. Present your warranty agreement to the repair facility, and call your warranty administrator.
2. After having your vehicle diagnosed, please have your repair facility call or fax the administrator to obtain confirmation that the repair has been approved.
3. In order to receive payment for a covered repair, you or your repair facility must provide [warranty company] with a legible copy of your repair order. It should be noted on this repair order that full payment has already been received by the service provider, and reimbursement should be sent to the contract owner.

As long as Tiffin cooperates with item #2, I think the contract owner should be able to receive direct reimbursement. Now this clearly might not be what Tiffin actually charges for the diagnosis and repair, but it should cover the majority of the charges.

I don't think the sky is falling at Tiffin just yet.

[kayak70]

Bob,

Thanks, saw this on the other forum this AM. You know I spoke to Wholesale Warranties and they disagree. That being said, my warranty from ProTrek is worded exactly as you quoted. I'll give ProTrek a call today and see what they say, perhaps the contract holder will have a different answer than the broker That would be sweet if, as you say, Tiffin will make those calls. I have no problem paying up front and I agree the reimbursement might not be the actual cost paid Tifin - OK with that too.

Yes, the sky is pretty darned solid over Tiffin right now, a bit cold but solid. We lost water here last night, got a plumber on the way. Brutal cold.

[BobGed]

Originally Posted by kayak70

Bob,

Thanks, saw this on the other forum this AM. You know I spoke to Wholesale Warranties and they disagree. That being said, my warranty from ProTrek is worded exactly as you quoted. I'll give ProTrek a call today and see what they say, perhaps the contract holder will have a different answer than the broker That would be sweet if, as you say, Tiffin will make those calls. I have no problem paying up front and I agree the reimbursement might not be the actual cost paid Tifin - OK with that too.

Yes, the sky is pretty darned solid over Tiffin right now, a bit cold but solid. We lost water here last night, got a plumber on the way. Brutal cold.

Bill, I think what you were told by Wholesale Warranties is correct, as I was essentially told the same thing when I contacted my policy company. If a contract owner tried to file a claim, it would be turn down. The repair has to be pre-authorized, and the only one that can request that authorization is the qualified service provider, in this case Tiffin. I think the fact that Bob has now stated that even after September 1st that they will assist the contract owner with the pre-authorization process makes a big difference.

This is mere speculation on my part, but I would think even though the coach owner pays Tiffin in full, and the policy company subsequently pays Tiffin rather than reimbursing the coach owner, that Tiffin would simply endorse the check over and send it to the coach owner.

I don't know if you have seen Crusingator's post on the other forum, but after reading the hassle he personally went through with one claim, I certainly understand Tiffin's motivation behind their decision when you multiply that scenario by the number of claims they have probably been handling.