Opinions on Forest River?

[redhooker]

Originally Posted by manwithnorv

So Couchs RV Nation advertises as an internet wholesale dealer for Forest River, or at least some models. Any one have experience with these folks. I believe this is the people my local Cedar Creek dealer said that if I purchased from them, he would not service my RV. He's a small family owned dealer.

Recently we were told the same thing by our local FR dealer, but we found the coach we wanted elsewhere and could not get what we wanted at the local dealer.

After purchase I needed a part and stopped by same dealer and went in to the service/parts department. When I mentioned we could not bring our unit in for maintenance or repairs they looked insulted. I told them the sales team said no go if we bought elsewhere and the service manager told me the sales team was “incorrect” (shaking his head) and to come in for whatever we need.

Just mentioning in case you want to double check with the service department at your local dealer. The dealers refusing to service coaches they did not sell are foolishly losing out- they could be building good relationships with future customers.

[Cumminsfan]

Originally Posted by redhooker

Recently we were told the same thing by our local FR dealer, but we found the coach we wanted elsewhere and could not get what we wanted at the local dealer.

After purchase I needed a part and stopped by same dealer and went in to the service/parts department. When I mentioned we could not bring our unit in for maintenance or repairs they looked insulted. I told them the sales team said no go if we bought elsewhere and the service manager told me the sales team was “incorrect” (shaking his head) and to come in for whatever we need.

Just mentioning in case you want to double check with the service department at your local dealer. The dealers refusing to service coaches they did not sell are foolishly losing out- they could be building good relationships with future customers.

Sounds like a sales scare tactic and not the true business model.

[jimcumminsw]

Originally Posted by manwithnorv

So Couchs RV Nation advertises as an internet wholesale dealer for Forest River, or at least some models. Any one have experience with these folks. I believe this is the people my local Cedar Creek dealer said that if I purchased from them, he would not service my RV. He's a small family owned dealer.

This is true for all of the locally owned Forest River and most other dealers if you are looking for warranty work. As the dealer has to eat the labor hours for the warranty work.

Now for general run of the mill service were you are paying the labor rate and buying parts the dealer could care less where the unit was purchased.

[mobilemike]

Originally Posted by jimcumminsw

This is true for all of the locally owned Forest River and most other dealers if you are looking for warranty work. As the dealer has to eat the labor hours for the warranty work.

Now for general run of the mill service were you are paying the labor rate and buying parts the dealer could care less where the unit was purchased.

No dealer Eats the labor for warranty repairs. Factories generally pay less then going shop rate for warranty repairs, The dealer shop may be loosing 20% to 50% labor rate doing the work but would loose that whether they sold the unit or not. However they sneakily account for it by having crappy under paid and non trained workers doing the warranty service. This is why warranty work is so shoddy. The quality mechanics (if they have any) are on the high paying high charge jobs while a guy off the street is working on your 2 month old rig.