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Link · 05-16-2007, 12:27 PM

As a person looking at Excel, I found it a real turn off to hear of so much problems in a new Excel.
Problems like rain leaks, Air cond. that didn't work from day one, and had to be replaced with a lot of run around, slide outs that didn't work right from day one,dealers that would not work on a new Excel if they had not sold it, they (the owners)had to go clear back to the factory to get some electrical wiring corrected & etc.

And This is suppose to be a 4 1/2 star RV!!

Link · 05-16-2007, 12:27 PM

As a person looking at Excel, I found it a real turn off to hear of so much problems in a new Excel.
Problems like rain leaks, Air cond. that didn't work from day one, and had to be replaced with a lot of run around, slide outs that didn't work right from day one,dealers that would not work on a new Excel if they had not sold it, they (the owners)had to go clear back to the factory to get some electrical wiring corrected & etc.

And This is suppose to be a 4 1/2 star RV!!

ChiefJohn · 05-16-2007, 01:46 PM

Link,
I deleted your first post on this subject and I'm locking this post.

Rethinking poster's comments, I'm opening this post for forum member comments.
John

Butch50 · 05-17-2007, 05:09 AM

I would like to ask where you are seeing all of these reports that are saying this. I'm on a number of different RV boards and have not seen these reports that you are making reference to. Please provide the locations of these posts. I do remember Linda have problems with her slide out. I believe it worked ok to begin with but started having problems after a short period of time. The difference here is the manuf. was working with her all of the time.

Saying all of this I'm looking forward to picking up my new Excel tomorrow and looking forward to many years of use from it. I'll report any problems that I have with mine when I can speak from first hand experience and not some heresay. I'm hoping that I don't have any problems with it but if I do I'm sure they will be taken care of after some of my positive experiences with PI already.

ChiefJohn · 05-17-2007, 05:24 AM

Thanks Butch! "Link" has taken extracts from Linda's and other posts on this forum and twisted the cited issues/problems to present his/her negative take on PI and Excels. Folks, take time to read through "Link's" 14 posts since March 2005 and you'll quickly identify a trend.

LindaH · 05-17-2007, 05:39 AM

Link, we did have problems with our A/C and slides. However, we've resolved these two problems with the help of the factory and Jack's Campers Too, the Excel dealer east of Sturgis, SD (for the A/C problem).

We probably wouldn't have had to make the trip back to the factory for the slide problem if we'd been able to find an Excel dealer who was able to get us in for service. The attitude of some dealers not being interested in helping you out if you didn't buy the rig from them is disappointing; however, from reading many, many RV forums, it is not limited to just Excel dealers, so no matter which brand you end up buying, you're likely to run into this attitude.

Would we buy another Excel? Yes! Even with the couple of problems we've had, Peterson Industries has been right there to help us get the problems resolved, even going so far as to squeeze us into their busy schedule to diagnose and fix the slide problem when we couldn't get into a dealer.

Any RV can have problems, but you want to have one where the manufacturer stands behind their product and will work with you to get the problem solved. You'd be hard pressed to find any other RV manufacturer any better than Peterson Industries in this respect.

MakinSmoke · 05-17-2007, 05:52 AM

It is obvious that "Link" is an inexperienced RVer. The question with RV ownership is not whether there will be problems but rather how the manufacturer and dealer respond to those problems. ALL RV's come with problems and experienced RVer's know that. Less knowledgeable RVer's expect a panacea.

Glad you opened this back up. We should not be afraid of some criticism. It will eventually make us stronger.

HB Phil · 05-17-2007, 06:38 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by LindaH:
The attitude of some dealers not being interested in helping you out if you didn't buy the rig from them is disappointing; however, from reading many, many RV forums, it is not limited to just Excel dealers, so no matter which brand you end up buying, you're likely to run into this attitude.

Would we buy another Excel? Yes! Even with the couple of problems we've had, Peterson Industries has been right there to help us get the problems resolved, even going so far as to squeeze us into their busy schedule to diagnose and fix the slide problem when we couldn't get into a dealer.
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I can only vouch for RV Sales NM. But when I was there in early April, they were extremely busy from 7 a.m. until dusk in constant motion helping customers, booked as solid as could be. I do not think it would be fair for them to cancel scheduled service for one to fit another one in instead. There is such a high demand for RV Sales NM service because of the fine work that they perform there. People come from all over the U.S. to have their rigs worked on there because it not only gets done right, it gets done beautifully.

Moreover the service workload is extremely heavy for the dealers as folks get their rigs out of winter storage and prep them for another season of rv'ing.

Suppose that I were an RV dealer and there were two coaches outside seeking service but I only had one opening. Also suppose that one was my customer who had bought their coach from me, but the other was someone who had announced over the internet that they could get a better deal than at my dealership and went and bought at another dealer.

Who would any of us give our only service opening to? Our customer or someone who had blasted us all over the internet? Who would YOU give your preference to?

In other words things are not quite as cut and dry as some would have us think.

Phil

RustyJC · 05-17-2007, 06:59 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by HB Phil:
Suppose that I were an RV dealer and there were two coaches outside seeking service but I only had one opening. Also suppose that one was my customer who had bought their coach from me, but the other was someone who had announced over the internet that they could get a better deal than at my dealership and went and bought at another dealer.

Who would any of us give our only service opening to? Our customer or someone who had blasted us all over the internet? Who would YOU give your preference to?

In other words things are not quite as cut and dry as some would have us think.

Phil </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Since this topic isn't Excel-specific but is a fairly general complaint of RVers, there's a third hypothetical that should be considered. What if a third RV was sitting outside that belonged to someone who was hundreds of miles from his home base and selling dealer and in need of emergency assistance? I ask this because (as someone who has owned 5 RVs) we've been in just this situation. A call for help to the nearest dealer who handled the brand of RV we owned at the time was answered with, "Did you purchase your RV from us?" When we explained our situation, the response was, "Well, that's too bad, but since you didn't buy your RV here, we can't help you."

THAT is where the RV service marketplace differs greatly from the automotive or truck market where dealers routinely try to help travelers in distress.

Rusty

wrongway · 05-17-2007, 08:58 AM

Here's a Dealer aspect on the situation. We have taken care of customer all accross the US and Canada that have travel thru our area, regardless if they are customers of our, or customers of someone else. That is why we have a service department. Now here is where is gets sticky. If you live with our area and decide that you are going to purchase a unit from some of the many wholesalers that are popping up around the US, that are only concerned about getting you into a unit, and passing any and all service onto the dealerships that you are within the area that the customer may live. We see this a ton in the entry level market, not so much in the high end market. With there being so many manufactures and product lines on the market today, there should be a dealership with in the area that you live to purchase from and also to able to handle your service needs. To summarize, we take care of our customer base and anyone that is traveling thru the area to the best of our ability. If you are living in the area and purchase long distance to save a dime or two, then you need to work with your selling dealership to handle the repairs. Example of this happened just this week. A customer that lives only with 30 minutes of our service department purhased a Keystone product that we do not handle. The purchase was made in Michigan, over 12 Hours away. They are now having trouble with the Microwave. They contacted the dealership within our area that handles the product that this customer has and they responded that take care of there customers. They then contacted Keystone looking for a Keystone dealership, Our dealership was given. The customer contacted us. After a few questions, it was determined that it was a internet based company that he purchased it from. Given the time of year that it is and the amount of Sales and Service that we are receiving we explained to the customer that we currently were taken care of our customers, and asked them to contact there selling dealership. Now if this customer would have moved into the area from the Michigan area and ofcourse brought there trailer with them, we understand and would assist the customer in there repair needs.
This has become long and maybe hard to understand in areas, but we attempt to assist traveling customer, as well as our own. Internet Sales somewhat upsets the applecart to a point.
One last story. There is a customer that lives in Michigan, purchase a New Excel, had some issues and also wanted a New Generator installed. The dealership was somewhat new and did not understand some of the items that needed to be repaired and also was not willing to install the Gen. We took care of it. Gave the customer a complete re-walk thru of the unit and sent them down the road. Received a Nice letter from the customer and also from the dealership and now the customer is working back with the dealership.

Now in relationship to the "Links" comment. If he can find a perfect trailer to purchase with No Service Issues, please let us know, as I would love to sell that product line, that way we can reduce our Service department and have a perfect world. LOL.

Hope when reading this that you understand what we are trying to say. Not trying to be a difficult dealership, but a fare one.

Enjoy the rest of the Day.

RustyJC · 05-17-2007, 09:09 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by wrongway:
Here's a Dealer aspect on the situation. We have taken care of customer all accross the US and Canada that have travel thru our area, regardless if they are customers of our, or customers of someone else. That is why we have a service department. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
I'm sure that your dealership does. Unfortunately, as my experience attests, not all share your philosophy regarding those traveling in areas distant from their selling dealers.

Rusty

HB Phil · 05-17-2007, 09:18 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by RustyJC:

THAT is where the RV service marketplace differs greatly from the automotive or truck market where dealers routinely try to help travelers in distress.

Rusty </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

As demonstrated by LindaH's case,THAT high level of responsiveness and service is where Excel is separate and flys above the pack of the general rv marketplace. In my mind this level of service is where Excel earns it's high ratings.

Even in a non-emergent situation where she could not find a quick opening for a scheduled service appointment, the factory stepped up to the plate and got her in - problem solved.

I've been rv'ing for ten years now and have never heard of this level of after sales service. The factory is usually seeking ways to deny service and warranty work and reach into the customer's pocket.

I have no doubt at all that in a truly emergent situation the nearest Excel dealer would respond.

RustyJC · 05-17-2007, 09:29 AM

Read Linda's post again.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">We probably wouldn't have had to make the trip back to the factory for the slide problem if we'd been able to find an Excel dealer who was able to get us in for service. The attitude of some dealers not being interested in helping you out if you didn't buy the rig from them is disappointing; however, from reading many, many RV forums, it is not limited to just Excel dealers, so no matter which brand you end up buying, you're likely to run into this attitude. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
I'm not talking about factory service - I'm talking about dealer service. When my situation arose, I was probably 1500 to 2000 miles from the factory.

Rusty

HB Phil · 05-17-2007, 09:45 AM

Although Linda's problem was an inconvenience, I would certainly not classify Linda's problem as an "Emergency." Therefore, I would not expect dealers to drop customers' scheduled service appointments.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by RustyJC:
Read Linda's post again.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">We probably wouldn't have had to make the trip back to the factory for the slide problem if we'd been able to find an Excel dealer who was able to get us in for service. The attitude of some dealers not being interested in helping you out if you didn't buy the rig from them is disappointing; however, from reading many, many RV forums, it is not limited to just Excel dealers, so no matter which brand you end up buying, you're likely to run into this attitude. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
I'm not talking about factory service - I'm talking about dealer service. When my situation arose, I was probably 1500 to 2000 miles from the factory.

Rusty </div></BLOCKQUOTE>