No more RV’ing

[bardave]

We have been weekenders only, part timers, full timers for three years in motor homes and back to part timing a fifth wheel ….and now in sticks and bricks with no RV.

All of us have had a time when RV’s were not part of a life style. Not many have gone from no RV, to two different motor homes, (Beaver, Newmar – both new) full time back to part time, in a pick up and fifth wheel (Mobile Suites), and presently no RV.

The life style is great, the scenery is fantastic, and a person meets the best folks in the USA in RV parks. Everyone is friendly and mind their own business. But go outside to fix something… more than likely one or two people show up to help out in anyway they can.
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Don’t like the scenery, or the weather, then move….no problem.

My one and only issue with this entire industry is “Service”….or better yet, lack of service….. Salesmen are your best friend until you signed the dotted line, then they don’t remember your name…but the servicing end of the RV industry is even worse.

All service departments I’ve been to (50+) seem to be equally bad. For example, I recently took the rig to Camping World in Katy TX and not only did it take 35 days to do a 20 minute job… (Install a delay timer to the hydraulics) they stole things out of my rig. Go back to complain and they point to a sign that states to remove all valuables…. (Hard to do when traveling)

We have been to another manufacturer home office (Newmar Mountainaire), 10 days to fix some items, departed and before the sun set, had more problems and continued with the existing problems. And the list goes on …

Sure, RV‘s have guarantees….but if your out on the road, you must wait for weeks to get an appointment and I have rerouted many agenda just to get service done. And the guarantee is not only with the brand name of the rig…but then you must deal with guarantees of different companies for the chassis, then deal with another group for the engine, then different groups for the jacks, the brakes, the icebox, the fans etc etc..

Even though I try to fix everything, many things I just don’t know how or where to fix some problems. I have learned most of the service guys don’t know much more than I do so I may as well try to fix it. But I am not Mr. Good wrench by any means.
Yes, I can fix some things; for example, I diagnosed a complete power failure when parked, to a faulty inverter, removed it, and replaced it with another. Removed a vibrating washing machine to removed the packing bolts that service folks left in place, Replaced AC’s, fixed a faulty refrigerator, replace doors etc…

Another time, in the Mountainaire my HWH leveling jacks had a total failure, while in Lake Louise Canada….the Spartan chassis folks make an appointment for me at a Spartan shop in Burnaby Canada… (475 miles & 2 days away). Wait another 5 days for my appointment, only to learn this company only works on Fire Engines with Spartan chassis. Ended up going to Everett Washington (where they tore off my mud flap in a dip in the road)

And I could continue to site examples but why?

The theft at Camping World in Katy TX combined with their total non-response to my concern was a major factor for departing this industry. But the icing on the cake for me was a small matter, but it just filled me to the gills with dealing with this incompetent industry. I made an appointment, with an authorized dealer, 28 days ahead, to fix a flap on a slide-out and to look at grease being slung out on some lug nuts. Took my rig to the shop at its appointed time and it took 21 additional days to fix a seal and to pull a wheel.

A person has to weigh for themselves the pros and cons, the ups and downs, both sides of the coin to decide to proceed in this lifestyle.…and it is a great lifestyle for some…. But I was simply tired of dealing with the (lack of) service of this industry.

Will now see the USA via Holiday Inn!