Community Forums

Crasher · 03-29-2014, 11:38 PM

Our time is just too valuable to sit in Red Bay for repairs. At our AZ home, we have LaMesa in Tucson 45 miles away and in WI we have Kings Campers 40 miles away. Both of these dealers have excellent service departments. Kings did such a great job prepping our new bus, that the punch list after a few weeks only had a few minor items to correct. The one time I went to Red Bay nine years ago with a roof problem on our 03 Phaeton, I ended up taking it back to Kings to be fixed correctly. I've always said pick a dealer with a good service department and buy there. What my dealer can't handle, a local Kennworth shop authorized by Tiffin can.

bbott · 03-31-2014, 08:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crasher

Our time is just too valuable to sit in Red Bay for repairs. At our AZ home, we have LaMesa in Tucson 45 miles away and in WI we have Kings Campers 40 miles away. Both of these dealers have excellent service departments. Kings did such a great job prepping our new bus, that the punch list after a few weeks only had a few minor items to correct. The one time I went to Red Bay nine years ago with a roof problem on our 03 Phaeton, I ended up taking it back to Kings to be fixed correctly. I've always said pick a dealer with a good service department and buy there. What my dealer can't handle, a local Kennworth shop authorized by Tiffin can.

That's good that you found a good rv repair place. They are few and far between. Also, we full time, so "going back home" is not an option as we are home in our MH. So we can not just leave our rig in a repair shop for weeks at a time. So going to Red Bay is the best option for us. It's not for everyone.

dirko · 03-31-2014, 10:29 AM

Hi Ho: We are also going to Red Bay to get some work done, but will not visit the Tiffin repair facilities. McKinney RV (right across the street from Tiffin) has done excellent work for us. They know the Tiffin products as well as the factory since most of them worked for Tiffin in the past. They did a great job on our wet bay when we couldn't wait for Tiffin. But Brannon Hutchinson at Custom RV in Vina has installed over 250 residential refrigerators in Tiffin motorhomes, so that's where we are headed. There is also a good paint shop in downtown Red Bay that has the Tiffin colors down pat and does good work.

roger8070 · 04-01-2014, 12:33 PM

Long story short. New Phaeton, under warrenty. We had a hydraulic leak while in Mongomery. PS slide and jacks would not operate. Contacted local Tiffin dealer (Marty Ingram). Very unhelpful. Their 1st question "Did you buy from us?" Based on that I would never buy from them. Next, contacted a repair facility from a list provided by Tiffin. They sent someone out and had concerns about replacing the hydraulic hose. Bottom line they didn't feel confortable about doing that even tho Tiffin would send the correct hose. So we went to Red Bay and the hose was repaired in 2 hours (including lunch). No muss, no fuss. That is why we go to Red Bay.

kbhine · 04-03-2014, 06:29 AM

We are waiting for our Allegro Red 33AA to start the building process. It is a good thing Red Bay is just over an hour away. I am thinking that if we need repairs, hubby will be working, and I'll be going to Red Bay solo.

Z714X4 · 04-04-2014, 01:47 PM

Just so you hear another side of the story....

Living on the west coast and still employed, I have no time or desire to make the pilgrimage to Red Bay for fixes. My answer: Buy a motorhome that didn't need a service shop and do the little stuff myself!

Seriously, If I had needed any repairs done I would have gone to local independent shop (no dealers for me please) and have Tiffin pay for it. That simple.

Fortunately for me, the only problems I had were easily fix by me. I did call Red Bay for a few parts and without any hassle they shipped them to me quickly and accurately!

Maybe someday when the DW and have nothing better to do and we happen to be in the neighborhood we MIGHT stop by and see what all the fuss is about (meet Bob?) however that's a little further away than I can drive round trip in long weekend so we'll have to wait on that.

poppopc · 04-04-2014, 01:58 PM

This is why we took our NU Wa HH. BACK TO CHANUTE for repairs.
And now with our 2013 Winnie Journey, we go back to Forest City, Ia.!!!

bbott · 04-05-2014, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Z714X4

Just so you hear another side of the story....

Living on the west coast and still employed, I have no time or desire to make the pilgrimage to Red Bay for fixes. My answer: Buy a motorhome that didn't need a service shop and do the little stuff myself!

Seriously, If I had needed any repairs done I would have gone to local independent shop (no dealers for me please) and have Tiffin pay for it. That simple.

Fortunately for me, the only problems I had were easily fix by me. I did call Red Bay for a few parts and without any hassle they shipped them to me quickly and accurately!

Maybe someday when the DW and have nothing better to do and we happen to be in the neighborhood we MIGHT stop by and see what all the fuss is about (meet Bob?) however that's a little further away than I can drive round trip in long weekend so we'll have to wait on that.

I agree that minor repairs my husband can do also. However sitting around at home waiting for a part that you ordered is not an option for us as we full time. So that waiting around that you did in your home, which I'm sure was a few days, was good for you but for us it would be waiting around a repair shop for those few days sitting and waiting for that part. Not the same.

Larger stuff like our engine light and ERG valve sensor needed a mechanic. Not Tiffin's fault as they did not build the engine, so we can't blame them. Unfortunately for us we had just taken delivery of our new coach and this all happened at the dealership. The dealership does not do mechanical stuff. Their was a Cummins dealer right down the road (Memphis) however they couldn't get us in for over a week. Red Bay was 2 hours away and Tiffin said to come right over and they'd get us in right away. And they did. We were in and out of the mechanics bay in a matter of a couple of days. So yes, we have "Better things to do" but waiting around for over a week to get into a Cummins dealer only to sit there and possibly have to wait for parts was not on our agenda. So off to Red Bay we went for immediate service.

And "Nothing better do to"...yes, we have a life and better things to do. However, in this rv world where their is no motor home built that does not need repairs or attention, I would much rather go back to Red Bay where the parts are readily available and the knowledge base is here. We've had our bad experiences at outside repair shops and we have better things to do than wait around for a part to arrive. If you have a repair shop that you are comfortable with then by all means, go there. We have not come across one yet.

We live full time in our motor home and are young rvers so yes, we still work. We work online so we are lucky enough to be able to travel all over the country. We just plan on a stop, if need be, when we're in this part of the country. We don't go out of our way to come here. Unless it's something like the above situation. Then yes, we'll make the 2 hour drive to get immediate service rather than wait around. Waiting for a part, like you did in your home, would just be a total waste of time for us. We'd like to get things fixed so we can get back on the road. Life is an adventure and the more we can travel and see the richer our lives are.

"My answer: Buy a motorhome that didn't need a service shop"...When you find a motor home that doesn't need repairs, please let us all know. I'm sure we'd all like to invest in that company. Unfortunately, it does not exist. So our choices are limited to what's out there. It seems like you have a Tiffin so you know of their great customer service. Not all motor home manufacturers have that going for them. This is why we chose Tiffin and the above example of them getting us right into their mechanics bay is a prime example of that.

Not all situations are the same. So please do not think we are here at Red Bay just wasting time, twiddling our thumbs and have nothing better to do than sit around all day. We are working while our coach is getting repaired. Still living our lives. It just happens to be in Red Bay at the time. None of us, including you I'm sure, would want to wait around for parts or anything. What works for one (going to Red Bay vs service shop) may not work or be ideal for another.

IMHO that is

Crasher · 04-05-2014, 11:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bbott

That's good that you found a good rv repair place. They are few and far between. Also, we full time, so "going back home" is not an option as we are home in our MH. So we can not just leave our rig in a repair shop for weeks at a time. So going to Red Bay is the best option for us. It's not for everyone.

There are always exceptions. You and David are fortunate to combine your careers with the motorhome life and it sounds like you are very good at what you do. Going to Red Bay is not an inconvenience for you. I suspect that most people that go there for repairs, have to interrupt their schedule, travel sometimes hundreds of miles at considerable expense. Then, some have said they had to stay there up to three weeks. Some may not mind doing that, but although we are retired, we have better things to do with our time. Fortunately for us, we have a qualified dealer close by. Without that convenience, I'm not sure we would own a brand that required an 1800 mile round trip to get something repaired.

MikeandClaudia · 04-06-2014, 11:08 PM

SO Perhaps the thing to take away from this thread is:

When buying a motorhome, stay in the immediate area of the dealer, preferably in his parking lot for a few days until you have gone over it from stem to stern. If you can wait to sign the check, so much the better.

If they have you hanging around waiting for them to "Get her right" perhaps they can be jazzed up enough to do it better. When we pick it up, then drive 500 miles back home only to discover that there are 50 thing wrong with it, it leaves a very bad taste in our mouths!

bbott · 04-07-2014, 06:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crasher

There are always exceptions. You and David are fortunate to combine your careers with the motorhome life and it sounds like you are very good at what you do. Going to Red Bay is not an inconvenience for you. I suspect that most people that go there for repairs, have to interrupt their schedule, travel sometimes hundreds of miles at considerable expense. Then, some have said they had to stay there up to three weeks. Some may not mind doing that, but although we are retired, we have better things to do with our time. Fortunately for us, we have a qualified dealer close by. Without that convenience, I'm not sure we would own a brand that required an 1800 mile round trip to get something repaired.

I see you have a Tiffin and that you are in Arizona. I'm glad that you have a local service center that you trust. Not everyone can say that.

For you driving 1800 miles round trip I can see would be an inconvenience. I'm just saying that for people like us that full time and use our coaches to travel and see the country, it's not as bad if we plan our trip around this Red Bay area, if we happen to be in the area. Yes, we are very fortunate that we made the right choices in our business and life to be able to do this lifestyle so young.

It really is no different than if you went back to Forest City, Iowa to get a Winnebago repaired or Nappannee, Indiana to get a Newmar repaired. My point was that people like to come back to the place that manufactured their motor home because the parts and knowledge are here. Rather than wait in a service center for parts or for them to figure out what is wrong because they may not have seen your coach before so they do not know where everything is. That makes for a lot of wasted time.

I'm also thankful that I can come back to Tiffin any time of the year rather than the other manufacturers that are up in the snow belt. They get super busy in the summertime for repairs as that is the only time that people (most people at least) are in that area.

It's not just a Tiffin Mecca. It's any manufacturer. I happened to be in Forest City, Iowa at Winnebago last year in July as my husband and I were searching for a new motor home and visiting manufacturers and you should have seen the hundreds of coaches their waiting for service. It was the summertime so it was really busy. I'm sure people their were waiting a few weeks to be seen too.

bbott · 04-07-2014, 06:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeandClaudia

SO Perhaps the thing to take away from this thread is:

When buying a motorhome, stay in the immediate area of the dealer, preferably in his parking lot for a few days until you have gone over it from stem to stern. If you can wait to sign the check, so much the better.

If they have you hanging around waiting for them to "Get her right" perhaps they can be jazzed up enough to do it better. When we pick it up, then drive 500 miles back home only to discover that there are 50 thing wrong with it, it leaves a very bad taste in our mouths!

Yes, I would say hanging around the dealership for a few days while you use your new coach is a good idea. For any manufacturer. As we all know, their is always a break in period and if you are near your dealer, and you are comfortable with them making repairs, then by all means, have then do what is necessary. We had to hang around our dealership for a few days because we were moving from one coach to another as we full time. Not to mention we had to wait for the paperwork to finish up. So that gave us a few days of living in it to work out anything that needed attention. Unfortunately for us we knew we were heading back to Red Bay as our check engine light came on for an ERG valve. A local Cummins dealer could not get us in for over a week. Tiffin got us in immediately.

As far as you having 50 things on your list that needed repair, that unfortunately is not unusual. This happens with any manufacturer, not just Tiffin. I agree that it does leave a bad taste in your mouth. You have a new motor home and it needs repair? We're dealing with that right now. Our new motor home only has 510 miles on it, all from driving from the factory to the dealership and back. It shouldn't be this way, but sorry to say, it is with any manufacturer. Their just is no one making a motor home that does not need some kind of attention. Even the expensive Newell's or Prevosts have issues. The only difference their is they will send a tech to you. I'm sorry but I do not want to pay that price tag.

caninecop · 04-07-2014, 08:14 AM

Fortunately for us, we have a qualified dealer close by.

Which dealer do you use for your Tiffin repairs?

Pa Uon · 04-07-2014, 09:01 AM

caninecop,

That is a great suggestion on this thread ! Should we start another on shops where people have had good/ bad service on their Tiffins?

We have used Coach Masters in Bend, Oregon. Ours is a 40 ft, 2007 Phaeton. Great body shop, paint shop, and repairs. Takes awhile but they get it right. They have really great things to say about working with Red Bay and about Tiffin products. We have an extended warranty and they were able to use that on almost everything and we never even had to call the warranty company. All was handled between them. We, of course had a bill of our own, but it was fair and reasonable. They also do not sell MH (big plus) just service and warranty work.

We came down from 4 months in Alaska after summer and had thousands of dollars or repairs that were needed after the pounding we took (we will never do that again and recommend taking a cruise to everyone we meet). We called them from the US boarder and made an appointment. We were on their lot (plugged in and in our coach) for a little over a week for the first round of repairs. They ordered a bunch of parts and we traveled for two weeks and returned when the parts came in.

Which shop have you used?