Forest River and Repairs

[kentdavido]

Well we're just being driven crazy. Our brand-new 2016 Georgetown 364 TS that we purchased June 15, 2016 has been sitting at the dealership for three weeks now. The repair vendors have screwed this up. Frigidaire and the windshield people. Refrigerator needs a new brain, and now we must have a new windshield. While rig sits there payments for the motorhome and storage is due. Summer is slipping by and the kids start school on August 18th. Tell me how you've been able to make things move more quickly. I would've thought it would be faster considering it's brand-new. I haven't even been able to get it out to do the suspension handling changes I want to make. I think we're never going to drive again only make payments. Yikes

[Flybob]

RV dealers are very busy this time of year and things never go as fast as you want them to or they should. Not right, but the way it is. It seems like the diagnosing and ordering part of the repair process is the one that usually holds things up. If at all possible on dealer repairs, I always recommend taking to the dealer get diagnosis and have parts ordered, then take it back and use it while you wait for parts. Once parts arrive schedule a repair date and return it. Call dealer on a regular basis, ask for confirmation/proof that parts are on order. If you are told parts are on back order call OEM and verify. If you are handy at all, you may be able to do the fridge control board your self it you really want to get out.

[youroo]

Agree with most of Post#2,less the Fridg. part,Help would be needed just to remove far enough for repair! Youroo!!

[kentdavido]

We understand there's a shake out period with the rig. We took it on the 2500 mile adventure and had 11items on our list. It took a week for their windshield and refrigerator people to come out and take a look. And then started the delays. I even offered for them to use my business FX account to ship things in overnight. The issue is I can't even get Forest River to return my call. I think that's pretty sad.

[RudysWorld]

I would emphasize that we had trips planned and the dealer and FR always worked around our schedule and made it workable until they they could get in on our schedule.

[SternHappens]

Feel your pain. I turned my unit in back on Oct 5, 14. On Dec 3, 15 picked it back up to use while we waited on parts. Only had like 4 things to check. Two they never even looked at, the main one being the bed slide issues (the very reason the factory rep told me to get it right in to be worked on), the other was the antenna not swiveling position easily (was getting hung up somehow, cable twisted or something), they never even looked at it. Another issue was the step having a bounce to it on the left side. Was told there was a recall on the step and they replaced it with a new one. Turns out it lasted about 3 days and there was a loud pop, which turned out to be the spot weld they had just put on the frame area, the reason for the bounce was the frame had torn about 3", probably nothing at all wrong with the actual step mechanism. Along with the slide issue was a rip in the flooring where an improperly installed screwed gouged into the floor and ripped it up when we first brought it home. Quick fix - remove culprit screw, duck tape to keep rip from getting worse, and throw a bath carpet over the area when slide open to not remind me of it. I was told they had parts on order and would call me to bring it back in when they arrived. Well today is July 30, 16 some mere 240 days later and no call!!! Not that there's a chance in H#LL I'd bring anything back to them. Numerous emails with the factory promising they want to make it right and will assist in finding another repair shop to get the work properly done. However those emails have stopped and I get no response now! The warranty is worthless, once you sign the papers it's a done deal. So make sure your unit is 100% before you sign, that is realistically your only chance while the dealer has incentive to move the unit off the lot. Of course being handy in any regard and doing as much of the work yourself helps out.
Don't get me wrong other than the repair experience with this particular dealer we love our 264 and it suits our needs fine, and for the price point I didn't expect perfection, but higher quality or any quality of workmanship would have been nice.

[hikerjohn7]

Originally Posted by kentdavido

Well we're just being driven crazy. Our brand-new 2016 Georgetown 364 TS that we purchased June 15, 2016 has been sitting at the dealership for three weeks now. The repair vendors have screwed this up. Frigidaire and the windshield people. Refrigerator needs a new brain, and now we must have a new windshield. While rig sits there payments for the motorhome and storage is due. Summer is slipping by and the kids start school on August 18th. Tell me how you've been able to make things move more quickly. I would've thought it would be faster considering it's brand-new. I haven't even been able to get it out to do the suspension handling changes I want to make. I think we're never going to drive again only make payments. Yikes

My friend just bought a new Winnebago for about $50 grand more than my Georgetown and had more problems than I so I guess it's just the RV industry in general. Still, you think they could clean up their acts more.

[stervin]

RV dealerships are like playing the lottery/ not easy to win.
Had the same issue with delays with repair on our SUNSEEKER / after 3 weeks contacted the factory and they put pressure to get it done
This works if the repair work is under warranty
Have to tell you if you can cozy up to your customer service rep at the dealership it helps
My experience tells me that all dealers are this way
Good luck

[OldSarge]

Remember, RV Dealerships sell RVs and that is basically all they do. Repairing warranty items is not on the priority list. I had the same/similar problems and found taking my Georgetown to a RV service center was less stressful. Just keep telling yourself the dealership sells and if you want someone to "service" your RV go somewhere else!

[kentdavido]

Wow those are some incredible stories. I feel they have become complacent and this is normal to the dealership because this kind of stuff happens to them all the time. If I was a dealer I would be selling a product that made us look good. Everyone of the issues is a black mark on the dealership. And it seems to me the subcontractors who represent the products that are installed in the rigs are the ones who are neglectful. I just want to talk to Forest River to express to them the issues we've had with the service company who takes care of full-size residential refrigerators.
Thanks for listening.

[lars36]

Just getting into the RV scene and I have learned a lot reading the posts on the forums. From what i have been reading, lot of problems with RV's. Made me think if these same companies built airplanes??

[KatanaPilot]

I've owned two Diamond airplanes (DA20 and DA40) and one Forest River RV (Forester MBS).

The Diamonds are much better built and warranty service was available at ANY dealer. No arguments about where it was bought and no months of sitting waiting for the factory to authorize or ship the correct parts. Airplane owners would not tolerate the cruel joke that is "warranty service" from the RV manufacturers.

The more stories I read on this forum about the defects from the factory, the finger pointing games being played about service and parts - the more I vow never to own another RV, regardless of brand. I wish I had read this forum before I bought.

[Johntgif]

Don't count on Camping World to be better!
After several months of "no service", I demanded to pick my TT up and made my own repairs. They will never see my camper in one of their facilities unless it rains in H*** first.

[OldBob]

Originally Posted by Johntgif

Don't count on Camping World to be better!
After several months of "no service", I demanded to pick my TT up and made my own repairs. They will never see my camper in one of their facilities unless it rains in H*** first.

I certainly agree. I bought from a small mom and pop RV dealer and they bend over backward to keep you satisfied. If you buy from most big box dealers be prepared to do your own service work or be prepared to wait a number of months.

[kentdavido]

We have a great dealership and I feel the motorhome manufacture makes it difficult for the dealership to do the work quickly because of their process and the independent repair service vendors they use while the coach is under warranty. We were going to purchase through the Texas dealership who has amazing how pricing,but our local dealership gave us a better price and I'm thankful because I can't imagine trying to get it repaired in Texas when we live in Oklahoma. We're thrilled with our Georgetown and understand there are issues and our dealership is great. The dealership hands are tied because of the process and I think Forest River has to correct that. They have become compliant and consumers have let them get away with this behavior

[grumpyoldman]

Originally Posted by kentdavido

Wow those are some incredible stories. I feel they have become complacent and this is normal to the dealership because this kind of stuff happens to them all the time. If I was a dealer I would be selling a product that made us look good. Everyone of the issues is a black mark on the dealership. And it seems to me the subcontractors who represent the products that are installed in the rigs are the ones who are neglectful. I just want to talk to Forest River to express to them the issues we've had with the service company who takes care of full-size residential refrigerators.
Thanks for listening.

I agree that the service company that repairs the residential refrigerator is totally at fault. I had my 2015 CC in the shop for 4 times for a leaking ice maker on the Whirpool fridge. First they said it was the shutoff solenoid. Replaced that, still leaked. Then they said it was low water pressure to the ice maker?? Replaced the water shutoff valve, still leaked. Replaced the whole ice maker unit, still leaked. Replaced the ice maker unit again along with the supply line. It finally works. Not sure what the cause was for the leak, but it finally got repaired after 5 months. Each time the service company came to work on the ice maker it was a different service man so each one had a different idea of what was wrong. And of course they didn't have parts with them so they had to be ordered. (Many weeks of delays due to this). More delays waiting for authorization from FR. Very frustrating indeed.

[kentdavido]

The biggest challenge on the refrigerator repair company is they won't come to us. The Dealership offered the company $150 to come to our property and they refused. We live in in the Tulsa Metropolitan area and it wasn't like they had to drive to some rural community. Once again that's why I would like to talk to Forest River and explain how their service contractors is hurting their reputation. The same in your story is each time you had a different device person fixing your unit they had a different point of view. It is absolutely a crazy process.

[pmsherman]

I'm just wondering if FR paid for four repairs to that residential fridge. I believe that when a repair company is paid for a warranty repair and whatever was done doesn't fix the problem, they shouldn't be allowed to charge to attempt the repair again and again and again ......

Phil

[kentdavido]

I do believe it's in the best interest of the repair vendor not to fix the unit if they're getting paid every time there's something still broken,,it's an odd process.

[Iwannacamp]

I know a lot of people feel like me....the only warranty work I would seek would be something I couldn't repair. My ole 5er didn't have a warranty so it was never a problem.


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