Service centers near me no longer taking RVs they didn't sell.

[MXdad]

I traded Campers one year in Florida and then needed warranty work. Couldn’t get warranty work done local in Texas, dealers said the sss as me thing or it would be months to get me in. Florida dealer got factory to sent me the parts(water tank cracked) and I replaced it myself. Knew next time I would by local. When I bought my Thor outlaw brand new in 2016 Motor home specialist in Alvarado t tones straight up told any repair would be 4-6 months
That’s just how the industry is.

[DadJokeDad]

I was able to fix the slide myself, after hours of learning and working on it. I'm learning a lot, for when the next repair comes along, I guess. Mobile repair techs are booked pretty solid here, the two service centers I was talking about were well known in the area, everyone brought their RVs to them. I did call camping world, there is one about an hour away from me. They are booked through July. We are leaving on our big 7 week vacation June 26, so anything goes wrong between now and then, I've got to learn how to fix it myself.

My father was a maintenance guy at a paper mill his whole life until he retired, owned an auto body shop on the side, welded, did all his own electrical and plumbing, fabricated a wood burning furnace that was so efficient the local heating oil company bought it from him, and patented it. Sadly he never taught me how to do anything like that. My parents pushed me towards college, didn't want me being a grease monkey, as my father called it. So now, at 48, I'm sorting through all the tools he left me, figuring out how to repair minor stuff that he could have done in minutes. My son is 10. I'm doing my best to include him in what I'm learning how to do now so he won't be so far behind in that area.

Also, we do have a couple of truck service centers locally, every one of them booked out for months, one has an RV specialist, but when I see an RV come on to the lot, it's there for literally months before it gets picked up.

[Dr. Mike]

"Reminds me of the old joke about the plumber who told a customer he couldn't make any money in his previous profession so he became a plumber. The customer asks "what was your previous profession?" he said he used to be a doctor."

This is not a joke. A plumber (or any tradesman) gets paid the full bill when the work is completed. A physician may get a small partial payment 45-90 days following the office visit, hospital stay, or ER (clinic) visit from the insurance company.
There are many times where the laboratory actually eats the cost of the test. An example: One of our male members has a prostate biopsy. Medicare will pay the lab $165.00, but the cost (to the lab) of the test is over $1,000.

[jim dejarnet]

As a service manager at a rv dealership we always had the attitude that if you purchased it from us we were obligated to take care of you before the competitor's customer as they supported you first. They will take care of you but the "customer" is always first. As we all take care of our family first.

[PNWGirl]

Originally Posted by wolfe10

SPOT ON!

Additionally, a large number of the new RV'ers grew up not owning tools, having no interest in owning tools or knowing how to use them.

Their mantra appears: all I need is my credit card.

I really don't see that mentality working with any RV past the initial "honeymoon" period. Should be some real bargains in a year or so.

======================================

I have always loved doing as much work on my RV's as I could. I have collected my own tools for the last 40 years.

I loved Black Friday so I could get my tools on sale then. Funny how Home Depot and Lowes were empty while the department stores were packed. I guess that my priority is different from theirs.

[PNWGirl]

Originally Posted by Bedlam

Too many rely on degrees and forget that the trades is where you go to keep things running. I almost fell into that thinking years ago but realized this while attending university.

I wish that I had become a mechanic as I love to tinker and fix things.

My first 'fix' was my grandmothers 25 year old frig that died. I took it apart, put it together and it started working. I had absolutely no idea what I did as I was 11 years old. That frig was still running the day that she passed 30 years later and is now with a cousin and still going strong.

[twogypsies]

It's amazing that full-timers don't have a problem getting repairs done. They are certainly not going to return to the selling dealer unless they happen to be close by. They're not being asked to turn your RV in and wait 2 months. What are they going to do? That's their home. They seem to get it done.

[Keith55]

Originally Posted by jrollf

I would prefer work with my hands then Costco...

In some industries the technicians can be on call 24 x 7, never know when a problem is found that needs to be fixed, product delivery schedule rules.

If I was a tech making Costco level wages, I would say see ya' and go to Costco where I'm making the same amount of money and not worried about getting called in at 2 am on my day off.

It's often a qaulity of life issue too. The norm of 'Dad is never home' isn't so normal any more, and it shouldn't be.

One day I was complaining about all the hardship in the world to a very dear friend. He gave some very sage advice. Turn off the news - its all bs stories that are depressing. People are getting rich everywhere. Start to do what they do. Read about their habits and dont be afraid to fail. Try and try again.

That was advice that paid many many dividends.

IF you dont have a skill that pays more than Costco wages, learn one. Be willing to move. Sorry the job you wanted isn't 10 minutes from your house. Might have to take a night course. IT might be hard to learn a new skillset. Be humble. Ask questions.

And learn about and fix your own RV when some dealer doesn't want to give you the time of day. Skills build on each other.

[Cruisingat60]

I was 300 miles from home the other day when the check engine light came on. AutoZone gave me the code, an issue related to a DEF sensor, and I went to the Ford dealer one block away. They couldn’t help me: a 2-week backlog.

I called 3 other dealers that were within 2 hours - no help there. It turns out this code means a high risk of engine failure and I was told not to drive it. What am I supposed to do? At that time I didn’t know it was a recall issue and I was calling local diesel mechanics, then some further afield. No help.

I called AAA and learned my coverage was for one 200-mile tow. The remaining 100 would be on me. And I wasn’t allowed to be in the cab of the tow truck and would have to find my own way home. It was then suggested I call Ford Dearborn. I made 6-8 calls to them, increasingly panicked. Long, long story, but Ford finally agreed to have me towed to the closest dealer who could fix it - 300 miles away, in the wrong direction. I’m now at that dealer, whose service rep doesn’t know about a referral from Ford, has no notice of my name, no knowledge of this recall, and also doesn’t have a lift big enough for my 23’ rig. Interestingly, my chassis is Ford but Ford sent me to a Lincoln dealer. And I can see a Ford dealer right across the street from where I’m parked.

All this to say that I feel your pain. Warranty, recall, it’s very, very hard to get service.

[tropical36]

Originally Posted by DadJokeDad

Found out this morning when I was calling about getting some service done on my RV that the two largest RV sales and service centers near me are only performing service on vehicles bought from them. I guess they are booked out so far that's what their solution is. So unless I want to take my RV 2 hours away, it's mobile techs only in my area.

I have a mobile tech coming but he's booked out over a month also, trying to hire a couple of assistants, and has me on his "fit in when in the area" list. So far it's just for my slide issue, but had the service center taken me in I was going to have some stabilizing upgrades put on as well as a few other things.

I mean, there's a Camping World an hour away, but...it's Camping World.

A Dealership is the last place I'd take my rig anyway.
In fact if hot for doing most of my own work, I wouldn't even own one. Looks like it's coming to that as well.
As for Camping World, I've had a couple of decent experiences there for what I didn't want to do for myself.

[DutchmenSport]

Find the dealership's Facebook account and start posting negative comments about how disappointed you are in their policy. I promise you, they'll get you in. Social Media has more leverage than anything else. Our dealership, where we purchased our last camper from, gave us a run-around. My wife posted comments on their Facebook page and within 2 hours she had a return call from them, rescheduled our appointment (mysteriously how something opened up), and got us in and out within the next 2 days.

[ArtJoyce]

I have all my mechanical stuff i dont done by. Truck shops.

The RV stuff we have been able to do ourself, except the time we damaged the body.

I'm not sure the education system is teaching kids not to go into blue collar jobs. Our school systems also has a trade route. But kids are not interested in the paths that kids were doing when I was a kid. (Electrial, Mason, pluming, HVAC,carpenter,, etc.... they want to do the IT tech, and a few auto mechanic, Bodywork. South of the border seems to be filling the construction jobs.

[Ken Thompson]

I have no certifications, but have been fixing and upgrading toy haulers, and DP for over 20 years. I’m very mechanically inclined and know how most everything in RV’s work. Been a mechanic, and construction contractor for over 30 years. Very particular on fixing things better than new. I’m in a small suburb south of Portland, Oregon and would be willing to fix or service your RV’s. I don’t know how many demand certification, but if you bring it to me and I can’t fix it, I won’t charge you. How’s that for a deal.

[Rob918]

Originally Posted by hohenwald48

A combination of tech shortage and customer inability is making for difficulties in most industries these days.

Reminds me of the old joke about the plumber who told a customer he couldn't make any money in his previous profession so he became a plumber. Customer asks "what was your previous profession?" he said he used to be a doctor.

I wonder if any RV manufacturer requires selling dealers to service their particular brand regardless of where purchased?

I think any brand of auto dealer is required to service that brand regardless of where purchased. I believe it's part of the selling agreement with the manufacturer.

Like one of the other posters said, three years ago the dealership made it a point to mention that they only service units that they sell. I found this hard to believe, so I called several RV manufacturers (Winnebago, Jayco, etc.) and all of them said the same thing….. they would like all dealers to take in all units just like car dealerships, but there is NO contract that requires them to do so. Another sad truth about the RV industry. The Industry in general is plagued with poor quality with even with very expensive rigs. The other problem, especially with warranty work is that the dealership is reimbursed at a significantly reduced labor/shop rate compared to a customer paying for their own repairs outside of the warranty period…….. of course the warranty work goes to the back of the line.