Official Georgetown Owner!

[sherman12]

I have added my two cents of opinions and question asking since joining FRForum back in July. I can now say as of this past Friday, 8/17/12 at about 3PM DW and I bacame official owners of my posted about 2011 GT 330TS! This forum has been a fantastic help in pointing out some of the issues that have plaqued FR/GT before we moved forward with a final purchase agreement. DW and I are both excited to take this next step in our RV'ing adventures with a more spacious and modern rig from our 2000 Allegro.

Our first trip out was a prior scheduled trip to one of our favorite NYState Parks, Keuka Lake State Park in the Finger Lakes region of NYS (becoming internationally known for their wines). After a hectic Friday evening of packing the rig with most of what was acquired over the last five years in the Allegro (where did all this stuff come from!) we were up early and on the road Saturday morning with the DW RAV4 in tow on the dolly. Arriving at the park before check-in time gave us a chance to just sit on the sofa and marvel at our beautiful new rolling home. After stopping to fill the water tank for the first time (oops, dealer did not plug low point drain) and off load the car, and arriving at our site, set-up was a snap. Plug in electric (glad I remembered to take the 50A to 30A adapter off of old rig), press 3 buttons to open slides, press one to level auto jacks, one button to open electric awning, put out patio mat, table, three chairs and folding tray table and we were officially camping in our New(er) motor home! We opened a beer and laughed how sore our fingers were from camp set-up.
The rest of Saturday could not of been more perfect, meeting up with best friends and family who also came to Keuka a couple of days before to help celebrate Dear Wife's birthday on Sunday! My poor DW, on her birthday as she was getting cell call after cell call of birthday wishes I decided to look around the GT for some of the repair before final purchase items on my punch list. First off was to check the hydraulic orange lines that were to be replaced and assured by the sales manager just before leaving the dealer that indeed they all were replaced (7). Crawl under the rig and right away see an old orange line not replaced! Open stairwell cover and staring me in the face is one large blistered old orange line. Ok, well deal with it when back home. Wife goes first to shower in our glass surround sky light shower, no hot water, Tank will not heat either on electric or gas. Shrieks as she takes a cold shower. I put a CD in the home theater system to lighten the atomsphere and amazed at how good the sound is. Ok, back on track to loving the new rig. Recover and enjoy the rest of her day right up to not having a campfire, going inside and turning on the TV (also amazed at recption which we never got before) and enjoying the comfort of the sofa and euro chair and ottoman.
Beautiful Monday arrives, coffee, a walk, light breakfast (forgot eggs, toaster and bagels) and time to break camp. I pack up the outside as we always do, DW stows inside stuff. Get the finger out, slides in, awning.....won't go in! Dead! Now what? Call dealer, tech has me check some fuses, pull stairwell cover and check fuse box on frame rail. Not marked what each fuse is for. Says he will check on the lot, takes phone number to call right back, never does! Wife and I find manuel with fuse description, nope none of these. Plan 2 as per Domentic manual is manuel wind of awning. Picnic table with 2 step stool atop to reach 12ft. up. Screw are torx screws, lucky have allen wrenchs that fit. One screw out, awning won't wind, take out second screw, slowly wind awning, comes out of end holder and drops on my head. DW shreeks! Get awning in, tie off and bungee close to get on the road. DW takes her first ever camping puplic shower shower, eeck!
Drive straight home, dump car and dolly, head right for dealer, about 8 miles away. Go in and ask for owner, he'll be right with us. Sit down in a private office and I start off I don't like being "Lied" to that everything was completed on the mandated repair before purchase list, especially the hydraulic lines. Mr. Owner takes great offense to me using the word "lied to" and we go at it for several minutes. Calls in service manager who tells me Forest River and Jonn Carpenter only authorized the replacement of 5 hydraulic lines! Work through the disagreement and Mr. Owner types out a work order and promises everthing will be done to our total satisfaction. DW and I believe him, tell service mgr. that we will become best friends. Wait now for rig to be done.
Follow up on Tuesday night, service mgr. calls to give a progress report (do believe he is a good guy)had hydraulic lines made up locally (better quality too!) to save time from Forest River or Lippert. Awning motor is blown, need to order one from Dometic/A&E. Some small items also taken care of. Things appear to be on course and moving nicely.
Today, again getting excited to take the "New" rig out camping, sending my DW a text "Where to next trip?" We'll see!

Post Note: Why did I not do a better PDI when picking up the rig on 8/17? One, time. With an early departure set for the next day, wanted to get home as early as possible to load and set up. In addition, family coming over for Bday dinner to DW (they to cook). Second, worn down/out from a purchase/delivery process that started in Apil. Third, took a 15 page in Word PDI form I got from another forum site with me with full intentions of going over it line by line that applied to our rig and also my mandated repair list (hyd. lines, stairs, hot water tank support, mid-ship rattle/rumble etc.) and early into the rig demo I thought to myself the heck with it, stop being so pessimistic and start trusting some people! Young tech go over everthing seemed to be very forthcoming on what was done plus things they normally cover as a matter of dealer policy anyway. I know, haste makes waste, next time I will stay my non-trusting pessimistic self and do things a whole lot different. Funny, up until the rig pick up, I thought I was in control! Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, Shame on Me!

[Iggy]

You really jumped into it didn't you. Great 1st review.
Congrats onthe new rig and yes " Why did you NOT DO a better PDI when picking up the rig on 8/17?"
Anyway at least your dealer replaced the lines locally. I have to wait weeks for mine. LOL
Welcome to the family and plan on heading your way next year for a FROG Rally in Canada near Niagra Falls. Maybe we can hook up as I plan to continue to drive to MA, CT and down the east coast.
Iggy

[Alan JS]

Great review and intro Sherman. We are set to pick up our new Georgetown 378 next Tuesday the 28th and am gearing up for the encounter.
Part of me hates being an a**hole but the reality is we live 70 miles away and I don't want a return trip to the dealer . My DW definitely will scream bloody murder with a cold shower!!
Point well taken and Iggy I know you have been through a lot with your 378 too.
We have a list and a mission. A crap load of money goes into buying these motorhomes and we deserve at least on delivery a functional unit.
Many more fun trips.

[sherman12]

Thanks guys! Onward and upward is the only to go now. Friday still waiting to hear from dealer on status. Trying to plan a week get away 9/3 to 9/10 and I am reluctant to book (aka lock in $$$) campsite till have better idea when rig will be back. Emailed dealer yesterday to also check out the right side (camp side) rear vision camera which had a cloudy picture and at times wouldn't switch back to the rear camera. Staying positive!

[Merry]

If my awning didn't retract I would have to drive home with it out. I would never be able to do it manually! Did it leave a mark? Awning 1 - Sherman 0

What was wrong with the water heater? I admit I haven't tried mine yet! The tech seriously freaked me out about it and now I'm afraid to try

Congrats on a great unit (we looked at and really liked the GTs but we aren't ready for a Class A yet) and hope you get it back soon

[SEAYALL]

Originally Posted by sherman12

I have added my two cents of opinions and question asking since joining FRForum back in July. I can now say as of this past Friday, 8/17/12 at about 3PM DW and I bacame official owners of my posted about 2011 GT 330TS! This forum has been a fantastic help in pointing out some of the issues that have plaqued FR/GT before we moved forward with a final purchase agreement. DW and I are both excited to take this next step in our RV'ing adventures with a more spacious and modern rig from our 2000 Allegro.

Our first trip out was a prior scheduled trip to one of our favorite NYState Parks, Keuka Lake State Park in the Finger Lakes region of NYS (becoming internationally known for their wines). After a hectic Friday evening of packing the rig with most of what was acquired over the last five years in the Allegro (where did all this stuff come from!) we were up early and on the road Saturday morning with the DW RAV4 in tow on the dolly. Arriving at the park before check-in time gave us a chance to just sit on the sofa and marvel at our beautiful new rolling home. After stopping to fill the water tank for the first time (oops, dealer did not plug low point drain) and off load the car, and arriving at our site, set-up was a snap. Plug in electric (glad I remembered to take the 50A to 30A adapter off of old rig), press 3 buttons to open slides, press one to level auto jacks, one button to open electric awning, put out patio mat, table, three chairs and folding tray table and we were officially camping in our New(er) motor home! We opened a beer and laughed how sore our fingers were from camp set-up.
The rest of Saturday could not of been more perfect, meeting up with best friends and family who also came to Keuka a couple of days before to help celebrate Dear Wife's birthday on Sunday! My poor DW, on her birthday as she was getting cell call after cell call of birthday wishes I decided to look around the GT for some of the repair before final purchase items on my punch list. First off was to check the hydraulic orange lines that were to be replaced and assured by the sales manager just before leaving the dealer that indeed they all were replaced (7). Crawl under the rig and right away see an old orange line not replaced! Open stairwell cover and staring me in the face is one large blistered old orange line. Ok, well deal with it when back home. Wife goes first to shower in our glass surround sky light shower, no hot water, Tank will not heat either on electric or gas. Shrieks as she takes a cold shower. I put a CD in the home theater system to lighten the atomsphere and amazed at how good the sound is. Ok, back on track to loving the new rig. Recover and enjoy the rest of her day right up to not having a campfire, going inside and turning on the TV (also amazed at recption which we never got before) and enjoying the comfort of the sofa and euro chair and ottoman.
Beautiful Monday arrives, coffee, a walk, light breakfast (forgot eggs, toaster and bagels) and time to break camp. I pack up the outside as we always do, DW stows inside stuff. Get the finger out, slides in, awning.....won't go in! Dead! Now what? Call dealer, tech has me check some fuses, pull stairwell cover and check fuse box on frame rail. Not marked what each fuse is for. Says he will check on the lot, takes phone number to call right back, never does! Wife and I find manuel with fuse description, nope none of these. Plan 2 as per Domentic manual is manuel wind of awning. Picnic table with 2 step stool atop to reach 12ft. up. Screw are torx screws, lucky have allen wrenchs that fit. One screw out, awning won't wind, take out second screw, slowly wind awning, comes out of end holder and drops on my head. DW shreeks! Get awning in, tie off and bungee close to get on the road. DW takes her first ever camping puplic shower shower, eeck!
Drive straight home, dump car and dolly, head right for dealer, about 8 miles away. Go in and ask for owner, he'll be right with us. Sit down in a private office and I start off I don't like being "Lied" to that everything was completed on the mandated repair before purchase list, especially the hydraulic lines. Mr. Owner takes great offense to me using the word "lied to" and we go at it for several minutes. Calls in service manager who tells me Forest River and Jonn Carpenter only authorized the replacement of 5 hydraulic lines! Work through the disagreement and Mr. Owner types out a work order and promises everthing will be done to our total satisfaction. DW and I believe him, tell service mgr. that we will become best friends. Wait now for rig to be done.
Follow up on Tuesday night, service mgr. calls to give a progress report (do believe he is a good guy)had hydraulic lines made up locally (better quality too!) to save time from Forest River or Lippert. Awning motor is blown, need to order one from Dometic/A&E. Some small items also taken care of. Things appear to be on course and moving nicely.
Today, again getting excited to take the "New" rig out camping, sending my DW a text "Where to next trip?" We'll see!

Post Note: Why did I not do a better PDI when picking up the rig on 8/17? One, time. With an early departure set for the next day, wanted to get home as early as possible to load and set up. In addition, family coming over for Bday dinner to DW (they to cook). Second, worn down/out from a purchase/delivery process that started in Apil. Third, took a 15 page in Word PDI form I got from another forum site with me with full intentions of going over it line by line that applied to our rig and also my mandated repair list (hyd. lines, stairs, hot water tank support, mid-ship rattle/rumble etc.) and early into the rig demo I thought to myself the heck with it, stop being so pessimistic and start trusting some people! Young tech go over everthing seemed to be very forthcoming on what was done plus things they normally cover as a matter of dealer policy anyway. I know, haste makes waste, next time I will stay my non-trusting pessimistic self and do things a whole lot different. Funny, up until the rig pick up, I thought I was in control! Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, Shame on Me!

As one mite say in Mn... UFDA ..... welcome to the wonderful world of motor homes ..... keep with it, keep on it, an inspect rig before an after every trip,learn every part of it .. an your good to go . have fun !

[cfsoistman]

Congrats sherman12 on your Georgetown purchase. Keep that positive attitude, it helps when dealing with the issues that every motorhome owner eventually comes across.
I know the feeling about doing a better PDI. The problem is with all of the excitement of getting a new RV, in our case our first motorhome, it's a lot to take in. My biggest concern the day we picked ours up was "How in the world am I going to drive this bus without hitting anything on the way home" It was the first time I ever drove anything that long, sure I towed our trailer before but that was 23ft and followed the SUV I drove on a regular basis.
Here's to hoping all of the problems are behind you and there's nothing but great times and memories to be made. Enjoy your coach and be safe!

[sherman12]

Water heater was clogged/blocked by grit from assumed Florida water on some type of valve on the top of the water heater that regulated cold water into the heater, or something like that. Service mgr. said he will show me the valve so I could be repair myself if it would happen again. Not planning any near future Florida trips though!