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floreska27 · 03-29-2014, 06:43 PM

The customer service at Best RV in Turlock, CA stinks! Please avoid this dealer and especially their service department. We purchased an Aluma-Lite Ultra Travel Trailer Holiday Rambler, manufactured by Monaco RV, from Best RV in August 2013. We were told yesterday when we took it in for some minor repairs under warranty that Monaco RV recently shut down and we no longer have a warranty for our new trailer. Best RV refuses to honor our warranty for any needed service/repairs. They were very rude and could only offer us an extended warranty at an added cost to us!

Today we learned from Holiday Rambler RVC that Allied Recreational Group bought Monaco RV and as part of the sale, ARG picked up all valid warranties at the time of sale.

So what it comes down to is that Best RV is not certified or qualified to service Monaco RVs and want nothing to do with their warranties.

If you live in Turlock, Modesto, Ripon or in northern California in general, please steer clear of Best RV. Our experience with them has been a nightmare and we just wanted to put the word out to others so they won't have the same nasty experience.

Fast0ne · 03-29-2014, 08:04 PM

Wow sorry to here this as we also have a aluma-lite ultra. But our dealer here in vancouver never once gave us any warranty issues.

On another note. Which model did you get and how do you like it.

Best of luck with everything.

Clubhouse · 03-30-2014, 10:23 AM

I certainly hear your frustration, but what should BEST RV be expected to do? Perform service work at a loss to them? Now they never should have been rude to you...there is no excuse for that.

I doubt they sold you a TT knowing the mfg was closing. They got caught in this mess themselves. What do you think it does to the value of their inventory to be an orphaned brand?

I understand ARG purchased Holiday Rambler/Monaco and plans to maintain existing warranty obligation, however if BEST isn't an approved ARG facility -- they can't help you and expect to get reimbursed, so you are asking them to eat the cost opposed to simply calling the mfg and learning where you should take it.

By the way, I live in the Central Valley too and did avoid BEST for both my purchases.

Theberrys · 03-30-2014, 10:39 AM

This isn't a new thing with Monaco

They have been passing through hands trying to stay in business for the last few years. In one of the turnovers they abandon existing warrantees. I really like the products they make but I just can't put such an unstable company on my short list no matter how much I like the offering.

Dick

I'm poking a Tiger with a stick here with this opinion

Monaco owners are by far the most loyal customers I ever met

There just has to be something in the product that outweighs the flakiness of the company.

floreska27 · 03-30-2014, 05:48 PM

I hopped on yelp.com earlier today and searched RV dealers, Turlock. You would be amazed at all the unhappy customer reviews, expressing their disgust with Best RV's service dept.! So I guess it's not just my warranty problems with Monaco's Aluma-lite, but it goes much deeper.

I checked with another RV service center in no. California and they agreed to honor the warranty and told me that Monaco RV, LLC was sold to Allied Recreation Group located in Decatur, IN. As part of the sale ARG picked up all valid warranties at the time of the sale. It seems to me that Best RV could have shared that information with us.

As I warned everyone..... steer clear of Best RV!

floreska27 · 03-30-2014, 05:52 PM

Our model of the Aluma-lite is the Ultra 207S. We love this little 20 ft. trailer. We pull it with our 1/2 ton Toyota Tacoma with ease. Just hope we can get the few minor issues resolved soon.

Fast0ne · 03-30-2014, 07:35 PM

Best of luck.

The 207 was what we wanted. But was a bit heavy for our chevy colorado according to specs.

Clubhouse · 03-30-2014, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by floreska27

I hopped on yelp.com earlier today and searched RV dealers, Turlock. You would be amazed at all the unhappy customer reviews, expressing their disgust with Best RV's service dept.! So I guess it's not just my warranty problems with Monaco's Aluma-lite, but it goes much deeper.

I checked with another RV service center in no. California and they agreed to honor the warranty and told me that Monaco RV, LLC was sold to Allied Recreation Group located in Decatur, IN. As part of the sale ARG picked up all valid warranties at the time of the sale. It seems to me that Best RV could have shared that information with us.

As I warned everyone..... steer clear of Best RV!

Great news you located another dealer to support your warranty needs.

Is unfortunate that you didn't look into BEST RV before purchasing from them. I fortunately stumbled into a negative story when shopping for our first TT which caused me to look at them a bit closer and realized I wouldn't deal with them, period.

PJBontrager · 03-31-2014, 07:54 AM

When buying a new unit be sure the dealership will stand behind the warrenty if the manufacturer goes out of business or reject warrenty claims. This may not help you with your Monaco claim but may help you or others in the future .

PJ

floreska27 · 03-31-2014, 11:43 AM

Just received some good news from Monaco RV concerning our RV warranty... they will be honoring warranties on all existing products. All dealers were notified but I guess Best RV didn't get the message (yea, right). Anyway, they sent us a list of other service center options in our area so now we are happy "campers".

Thanks to all for your supportive messages.

Bob and Kathi

Superslif · 03-31-2014, 12:09 PM

Good to hear...

That would get my nerves up too.

There is one RV dealership near me (NE Ohio) I that the after sale warranty issues seem to fall by the wayside. I'll go there to look at a RV, but I would be really hard pressed to buy from them. My parents bought two MH's from them and regretted it both times. Brother bought a Toy Hauler and had to wait so long for any warranty stuff to be completed.

I guess I'll have to call ourselves lucky. Three RV's bought new since 1999 at three different dealerships, a few minor warranty issues on each, and taken care of within 2 weeks of dropping the unit off. Bought all 3 during the spring time, and since the issues were somewhat minor, I would first call the manufacture before I called the dealer, and I would take the RV in after the season (late Nov or Dec) so this way I didn't really care how long they took. I wrote everything down, sometimes with pictures attached.

KenInCA · 04-01-2014, 04:42 PM

Those RVers who have had the extreme misfortune of dealing with BEST RV's service department know exactly what you are referring to. I purchased my Bay Hill 5th wheel in January 2013. Six months later BEST refused to honor the manufacturer's warranty--a warranty from a Evergreen that was still in effect. Because BEST no longer sold any Evergreen RVs, the service manager / co-owner refused to honor the the manufacturer's warranty.

PJ's advice about questioning a dealer about honoring a company's warranty ever if the manufacturer goes out of business is certainly very sound.

Hopefully, I've finally got my immediate RV issues solved for the time being by taking my 5th wheel to Toscano RV in Los Banos.

Best of luck Floreska!

Ken

ramboy2 · 04-22-2014, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clubhouse

I doubt they sold you a TT knowing the mfg was closing. They got caught in this mess themselves. What do you think it does to the value of their inventory to be an orphaned brand?

Don't be so sure. One of my local dealers was still selling Pilgrim TT's well after the company went under.

floreska27 · 04-23-2014, 09:01 AM

Best RV lied to us.... Monaco RV is honoring their current warranties and paid for the repairs done at Whitaker's RV in Linden. So don't feel sorry for Best RV. They are rude to their service customers and want nothing to do with "warranty repairs".

If you enjoy abusive behavior, then head on over to Best RV.