Got another call from an owner with a brand new, just off the lot Cardinal fifth wheel. Water is running out of the lights in the ceiling, rear air conditioner doesn't work, and the list goes on. Has a "life time" warranty, but said the dealer acts like "I am the problem" and is stalling off service. Said if I will make it right, he will pay me out of his own pocket.

Steve

 

I'd be having that guy calling the manufacturer!

 

Have you ever read the part in the owner's manual that says all dealers are private companies? I read mine and it makes it sound like the manufacturer can't make the dealer do anything. I stopped by and talked to one small dealer today and they said they have been fighting with Forest River for coverage on a new RV for weeks and finally told the owner he will have to call and fight with them. This whole warranty situation is completely unpredictable and now many dealers make the customer get repairs made through their extended warranties, even on brand new campers!

Steve

 

I don't believe in lawyers but this sounds like the time. Do it while the iron is hot. Stalling is their ally.

 

The other complaint I hear is how long dealers keep the RVs. In states with a lemon law you have some protection, but here in Tennessee where RVs are excluded from the lemon law, they can keep it an eternity (months are common).

Steve

 

Don't BBB complaints help?

 

That's a good question. I am not dealing with this one right now, but you would think with all the negative posts about after-the-sale service, someone would have complained to the BBB.

Steve

 

Bought the Coachman below 2 months ago. On delivery day at final walk around I noticed smoke coming out of the fridge vent. Ended up that something in the brand new fridge heated up so severely it melted the drip pan and the inner shell melted to the bottom pull out drawer. This resulted in a new fridge being put in. That little minor issue and a bunch of dings, dents, chips and scratches and then a stuck gray water valve... meant that I haven't had the rig home yet.
Got the call yesterday that "all is now fixed and you're good to go" so hopefully Saturday is the day. All work done under the warranty. Happy about that but concerned that all this came up before I even got it home.

 

One real puzzler is why, with all the organizations allegedly devoted to the interests of RV owners, none have ever attempted to organize their members for a class action suit. Given how manufacturers go ape crap when they have to do a buy-back, I think the impact would be profound!

Steve

 

Since you hadn't taken possession yet, think I might have opted for a different trailer.

 

You know the problem with this scenario is where you are choosing between warranty work and being reimbursed at your full rate it is not unusual that warranty work sits a darn long time.

Ask yourself what there is on that list the requires two months time! Grr!

Steve

 

Steve, I talked with the Coachmen service rep from Forest River and he said that they are re-writing their dealership agreements because of issues like this. I had a dealer 5 miles away from me tell me to go to hell and that they wouldn't look at the non-working trailer brakes and that I had to bring it 2 hours away to the dealer I bought it from.

 

I hope you are right, but I am skeptical as all get out. Discussions about this issue have been going on for literally decades at the manufacturer/dealer level and it has only gotten worse. The manufacturers are not going to do jack, in my opinion, as they will not risk alienating the dealers who are their customers.

This situation will not change until it has to change. Years ago when I was still very active in the industry I was asked by the president of the manufacturers association (RVIA) to put together a group of independent technicians who would be willing to accept warranty work because the manufacturers were fed up with their own dealerships' behavior. I, along with some techs I knew, put together a list of the things we felt could be done outside of a dealership. The dealers jumped on this idea like it was the devil's spawn and the idea did nothing except waste my time.

Those guys at the manufacturer level who are all my best friends when they have high-dollar rolling stock when NASCAR comes to town here, will not take my calls the minute the rigs roll out.

What is going to change this situation will be the information on the Internet and it would change quickly if there was a group willing to pool funds and invest in some high dollar legal help. I have been to a training session when lemon law buy backs were discussed. If you want to see a topic that draws attention fast, that is it! Until then, it is all smoke and mirrors. Again in my opinion.

And my wife and I still RV, have been doing it all our lives and are loading our camper in between typing this leaving Sunday for a few days. I love RVing, hate the RV industry.

Steve

 

The retired service manager at our local large dealership once told me that he would never own an RV because of the industry wide poor workmanship and the hassles getting paid for warranty work.