Community Forums

MoHo Dave · 02-05-2018, 07:35 AM

Anybody out there have any dealings/opinions about General RV in Tampa? We are in the process of buying a Holiday Rambler Navigator 36U from them (RE: Diesel Fears thread under 'Cummins'). I'm asking because we went down and test drove the coach on 1/27/18. DW said while I'm driving that she can't get into the bathroom with the slide out in, the door doesn't open far enough. When we stopped, sure enough, with the optional theatre seating the mid coach bathroom door only opens about 8" with the slide out in. On the drive home I'm thinking we're missing something. Nobody would design it that way. From home I called the operations manager the next day and asked him if he would check this out and give me his opinion. He said he'd check it out and call me back shortly. He never called back. I drove down again on Monday and myself and another person who works there went in the coach and I showed her what the problem was and suggested that since the door is on a piano hinge it could be made to swing in instead of out which would solve the problem. She wrote this up on some form, said she'd talk to somebody about it and get back to me. Never heard back. Wednesday the salesman calls and says his solution is to leave the door open when you put the slide in, or put in accordion doors. So Friday we drove back down and me, the salesman, the operations manager and a service guy finally go out to resolve this. Yep, can't open the door more than 8". I look outside and there's an identical unit next to ours. I have them open it up, same layout, theatre seating etc. but the door opens fine. I do some measuring, go back in ours and lo and behold, our theatre seating is hung up on the seat belts underneath and not up against the wall. Shoved it back, door works fine. Problem is I don't think they ever even looked at it. I have four people from General RV (service guy, operations manager, salesperson, and the lady who supposedly wrote this up) about this perceived problem. Wouldn't you think at least one of them (like maybe the operations manager) would have said to themselves "I don't think this is right, never heard of this before") and at least checked it out? If you sell these things and this were a problem wouldn't you want to know? They never even bothered. I had to make three trips down and figure it out myself. Could have been solved in 5 minutes. Now I'm reading on line there are problems with the vacu-flush system they use in the bathrooms and with the bedroom slide and king size bed hanging up all the time and then the slide won't go in. I like the coach otherwise but they only seem to interested in just sign here on the dotted line. Anybody else have problems dealing with them? Thanks.
Dave

les.warden · 02-05-2018, 07:49 AM

I know this doesn’t help with them specifically, but toooooo many other places selling so many other RVs of every shape, size, and $$ range. IMO, I would walk and keep looking. If you’re experiencing this now, wait until something major happens that needs to go back to them. For me, they would have already went WAY down on the trust level. Just my $0.02

OldToolmaker · 02-05-2018, 07:53 AM

You need to keep in mind that you are dealing with a sales organization. As such a sales organization is only concerned with the sale that is in front of them at that moment. When you're "looking" the members of the sales organization are thinking "Lookie Lou." After you sign the contract the good men and women of the sales organization are thinking "Who is next?"

You can think through the rest. Salesmen are a necessary evil. I keep telling myself this before I bang my head into the wall.

Sudsy · 02-05-2018, 10:38 AM

Tell them exactly how you feel and walk. If they offer some incentive like a big discount then go through with the deal but don't count on any help from them in the future for anything.

Sudsy

They really just want your money!

beamisl · 02-05-2018, 04:13 PM

Ask them if they do a run through with you about the working parts of the rig? If they do not it's probably because of them not having any idea where everything is and how it works. If they can't show you, then walk.

We dealt with General RV in Birch Run, MI. Not good.

Coral · 02-05-2018, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beamisl

Ask them if they do a run through with you about the working parts of the rig? If they do not it's probably because of them not having any idea where everything is and how it works. If they can't show you, then walk.

We dealt with General RV in Birch Run, MI. Not good.

Same here, they did not give me a warm feeling. Follow your gut feeling, look at a floor plan that will make your wife happy.

G.G. · 02-05-2018, 05:30 PM

MAYBE after they didn't call back the 1st time, we'd call them or go back. DEFINITELY would not go back after the 2nd no call. You're dong all the work...not them. Find another coach. There are plenty out there.

koda59 · 02-06-2018, 01:33 PM

I cannot respond to buying from General RV, but we have all our maintenance done at General RV in Orange Park, Fl Our daughter also has her rv serviced there.
They average selling about 20 rv's a month. Never heard anything bad about them and always satisfied with the repairs. If close you might check them out. Always found everyone to be very friendly. They are on Wells Rd Orange Park, Fl.

momdoc · 02-07-2018, 07:08 AM

When ever buying vehicles (cars, trucks, RVs) I always do some research first. If I find the salesperson is not as knowledgeable as I am I tend to walk. Sorry if you are selling a product you should know your product.

Last time when buying our toad we explained what we wanted to do with the car. The immediate response was...you cannot tow this vehicle. So I really wanted the car and we had looked all over the eastern US for it and found basically the only one, so I could not walk if I wanted this vehicle. I then showed him how blue ox made a tow plate for the car(they even had a picture of the tow plates installed) and gave him a number for a technician at the car web site to contact. After this his response was I don't care what you can buy or what an expert says you cannot tow this car. So we asked for a new sals person (slaes manager) and bought it from him. 15,000 towing miles later ....no problems.
Be educated before you shop!

RV Pirate · 02-07-2018, 07:30 AM

Edit: Koda59 glad your experience at General was better than ours..

Hopefully they are better than General RV over here in Orange Park FL. After several different attempts to get minor items fixed , I have zero confidence in them to repair anything. I now take photos of the parts I need , email the pics to General RV, pick the parts up, (assuming the correct parts come in and they can find them when I get there) , do my own repairs, and return the defective items back to General. It's amazing (scary) to see how they function.

harleyjt · 02-07-2018, 07:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by G.G.

MAYBE after they didn't call back the 1st time, we'd call them or go back. DEFINITELY would not go back after the 2nd no call. You're dong all the work...not them. Find another coach. There are plenty out there.

It always pizzes me off when I have to work so hard to buy something from someone... If I'm having to work that hard, then why do I even need the worthless sales guy? He's just in the way.
jt

RV Pirate · 02-07-2018, 08:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by harleyjt

It always pizzes me off when I have to work so hard to buy something from someone... If I'm having to work that hard, then why do I even need the worthless sales guy? He's just in the way.
jt

Bingo.. the same with service after the sale. [emoji41]

Wofour · 02-07-2018, 08:20 AM

I had nothing but problems with General RV. Once they get your money you become invisible. All the used car salesmen that failed at selling used cars now work for General RV. They sell so many different units that they have no folks who are really knowledgeable enough to solve problems.

darbyjudy · 02-07-2018, 08:25 AM

I bought a new 2017 Holiday Rambler Vacationer 35K from General on May 30, 2017. I have had numerous problems and one exactly like you are saying about mid bath door. Since may 30 they have had the MH for over 100 days trying to repair all the problems. Water leaks, toilet leaks, awning, mid bath door and ect. I finally blew my top this week and went over and talked to Sales manager and the Service mgr and they are supposed to have it for me on Monday of next week. I call and they are always with customer and I ask to be called back and very seldom does that happen. I feel the place is just too big and too busy for you to get decent customer service. I would never buy again from General.