F.R. (Rockwood) Is broken

[Mr Havercamp]

I sent the email Sunday evening. It was sent to one of the listed service reps and the ownerrelations addy. I cc'd the other 3 service reps, the sales rep, and my salesman.

No response yet.

"Please allow up to 48 hours for a response to your inquiry."
That's their line, not mine.

[silverback 35ts]

I will make this short and may be not so sweet, you are dead on the "WHOLE INDUSTRY" is screwed up, it dose not matter if it is FR, Fleetwood motorhomes, Thor and on and on.
The biggest issue is right now "I would not purchase a new coach unless i had to(fire/accident)" as they all are selling more units every month then any of these company's can make!! So what does that mean, it is simple do not hold your breath that anything is going to happen in a timely manner.
As for issues with dealers i have been there and yes there are some dealers out their thould should not be selling bubble gum, but i will tell you what i was told direct from a FR person i can not name (If we could afford (competition) to close 1/2 of the dealer we have we would) So yes even FR knows they have issues with dealers, but today back to your issue, i will bet the warranty person at Rockwood is at least two to three WEEKS behind on issues they know of, and that's before your case.

So i am not in any way defending FR or any rv company, they are all run on one thing $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ and for any business the size of these company's it will not change.
The best thing i can tell you or anyone looking to purchase any rv brand new, "Just figure it will only be 1/2 finished and as soon as you purchase it, just drive it right back to the factory (and oh yes they do have factory service) and tell them two things; 1) FINISH building the coach, 2) Look over and test everything like it was going to be YOURS!
And lastly get the factory service sheet on how and what you the "owner" is suppose to be doing to maintain your rv!

Hope some of this helps and good luck with all this but in the end Happy Camping

[CaptnJohn]

I have something following me of my last 3 ~~ had a Rockwood TT that never went back for any work. Next was a Heartland TT ~~~ never went back as zero issues. Last month bought a Keystone 5er and drove 750 miles on maiden voyage. Furnace problem Atwood took care of immediately. Have used nearly every system and nothing found except one of the porch lights does not work.
After all the horror stories I held off having slide toppers installed until after some use and have all those warranty problems fixed when the toppers were installed. So far that light does not make a long list. Hopefully, that will be all.
One thing ~~ everyone of those 3 was built in November after Thanksgiving ~ not one on a Monday.

[Mr Havercamp]

Originally Posted by CaptnJohn

I have something following me of my last 3 ~~ had a Rockwood TT that never went back for any work. Next was a Heartland TT ~~~ never went back as zero issues. Last month bought a Keystone 5er and drove 750 miles on maiden voyage. Furnace problem Atwood took care of immediately. Have used nearly every system and nothing found except one of the porch lights does not work.
After all the horror stories I held off having slide toppers installed until after some use and have all those warranty problems fixed when the toppers were installed. So far that light does not make a long list. Hopefully, that will be all.
One thing ~~ everyone of those 3 was built in November after Thanksgiving ~ not one on a Monday.

Nothing wrong with that. Im glad you or anyone else doesn't have to go through this BS. I said it before, its not about the issues or what they are, its about the process. I don't give a rats ass if its the dealer dragging, or Rockwood. If the dealer is the problem Rockwood should do something about it, they are their agent. And if Rockwood is the problem the dealer should demand better. Its nothing more than a big game to relieve you of your cash and they are in it together. I refuse to separate the two from now on. I now have 0 confidence in the warranty other than the possibility of returning it to Rockwood for service in the future. They are in bed together so as far as I am concerned its up to them. If I still had my 2013 Keystone sitting out back, this sale would of probably have been canceled by now.

My last three, the 2013 Keystone, a 2011 Aerolite, and a 2010 Palomino popup were never back for warranty work either, although the Palomino just fell apart after the sale. Silverback35ts is correct. If you buy one of these 2016's your taking a huge gamble, and its all due to them pushing them out the door faster than they are capable of. I have learned my lesson, that's something I did not take into account in my research this time around. And I will never, ever, special order another trailer. It will be one that's "in stock" that I can go over and over prior to committing like the last two were. I even had said that before and went against my own judgement. Well it bit me right in the stones and I don't like it much.

By ordering and then selling the 2013, I am sort of locked into this now. I want a 23WS so I have no other option but to cancel this and start looking again or order another. I'll find the same issues I am sure if I do that, and more importantly have the same slow idiotic buying process. That is unless I just close my eyes and ignore it which I am not going to do. Or I could just quit the hobby entirely and in that case I would save thousands upon thousands every year, but I like it too much. I'll deal with it and eventually I'll get it worked out, hopefully before trout season in April.

They are making their own bed here. They are turning thousands upon thousands of first time buyers off to the whole industry who will never be 2nd time buyers. Add to that the fact that their huge customer base is aging and those things are going to come back to bite them. The generations behind us are just not going to be into the RV lifestyle as much. That writing is already on the wall.

By the way, if you can go by the build date on the sticker, and the shipping and other paperwork which was all in the trailer, it was built on 12-2 which was after Thanksgiving and on a Wednesday. It didn't matter this time.

I'll say it again, the issues and quality are nothing, I'm fine with it. Its the process needed to correct them. They could fix that process easily but it might cost a nickel.

[CaptnJohn]

No one should have to go through the BS ~~ period! When problems are found it should be a quick fix by the dealer or builder. If a dealer is a problem the builder should want to protect their rep and eliminate them. Why does a dealer carry a line that hurts their rep? From my experience and what I see at shows, brand or builder loyalty is rare. Some shop price, others like me shop floorplan above all.

I bought the last 3 from CW. This location sells over 1200 units annually. The service mgr tells me because of their volume a couple builders are much faster on warranty approvals in addition to they know what needs done for approval and with some builders the work is completed before the warranty claim submitted.

You are much more patient than I but our coach is used all but a couple months in the summer. I winterize by going to FL and as it warms a little AL or LA, maybe MS this year.

You hit many key points. The FL campgrounds are full even though many Canadians stayed home due to the $1.39 exchange rate. All snowbirds in FL and we are an aging group. I don't camp in summer when school is out much but wonder how many families can drop $20,000 to $60,000 for a camper plus $55,000 on a TV. How many working families have the time to put up with the process? You are correct~~ after something like this who has the time to go through it again.....

Unlike you, we shop floor plan but it seems my wife can always find one she likes better within a few weeks. I have cut a few off the list recently, models and builders. I've not heard many complaints about Keystone recently and they are one of the biggest. As long as people are involved in the build process there will be problems ~~ it is how the problems are rectified that counts. I'm soon 68 and this is probably my last 5er. Next possibly a MH or just give it up. I know I bought my last boat ~~ not home enough to use it much.

Not everyone is buying based on price. I know the wholesale guys sell a lot and many will travel to them. I prefer to have a relationship with a fair dealer and the service manager. I also would prefer a brand that may cost a little more but has more quality in workmanship and materials. Although of no interest to me I see Air Stream still has a following.

Good luck with a quick resolution.

[Mr Havercamp]

Well, some kind of action.

I have yet to receive a response to my email I sent Sunday evening from anyone. So at noon today I fired off another simply stating that I had sent a detailed email on Sunday about the situation, and had not received a response despite the website indicating I could expect one in 48 hours. This email I sent only to the owner relations at Forest River address. It took about an hour and a half to get a response. I will not post names but it was from the manager of owner relations. It simply apologized and said "let me get the upper management at Rockwood involved in this, please call me if someone does not contact you by noon Friday". There you have it.

[CaptnJohn]

You must really want that floorplan! Where is the holdup, FR or dealer or both? You sure have much more patience than I but if you would be winterized anyway instead of in the south maybe. Even the northern season is not far off though...

[Mr Havercamp]

Originally Posted by CaptnJohn

You must really want that floorplan! Where is the holdup, FR or dealer or both? You sure have much more patience than I but if you would be winterized anyway instead of in the south maybe. Even the northern season is not far off though...

We do really want it. Your guess is as good as mine on the holdup. At this point I think mostly Rockwood, but don't know for sure. I am starting to look at it as one entity and not two. However, if the dealer is the hold up because of the warranty process, and they are busy which I know they are, you could always argue he would not even need to go through that process in this case if the factory was not shipping problems out the door? We're that close. The right tech, and a couple hundred dollars worth of parts, and it could all be corrected to where I would accept it in less than a day I would think.

Remember this is new and not technically even sold yet, so its not really "warranty". to me its manufacturing, or correction of manufacturing, or quality control. It also sucks. I really was not concerned with after the sale warranty work, or lack thereof, or the dealers reputation. They hit the price point I was shopping and were closer so if by chance I did need something in the future. I had thought if something major came up I would just use the factory service as Millersburg is less than a days drive. I didn't anticipate needing the warranty before the purchase though.

Anyhow thanks for the comment, I don't know how I am being this patient either. I am usually the first person to go ballistic on something like this.

[Mr Havercamp]

I received another follow up email today asking if I had been contacted yet which I had not. I replied saying so and seconds later my phone rings and the caller ID says Goshen Indiana.....................Hello, hows that for service?

I don't want to get too giddy yet, but I was assured it will be taken care of. The person I talked with from Rockwood, who will remain nameless, said he would contact the dealers service / warranty people tomorrow.

He said he will call me back tomorrow and I assume they then will be able to put some time frame to it. He believes the dealer can take care of it and I'll agree with that, I said before I had confidence in the dealers techs and the 3 items of biggest concern are all easy repairs. We discussed my list in detail, and he answered some questions as to why some things are the way they are, and what the fix will be for some. I am fine with it for now as long as things keep moving. I don't think I can ask for more than that.

I don't believe any fingers can be pointed nor need to be except at the entire system that's in place. I truly believe my conversations with both the dealers personnel and the rep today from Rockwood, were both genuine. They are not the ones that instituted this warranty system, and I still think it's a total cluster%^#$ of a mess that needs fixed.

I am impressed I was able to have that conversation with someone at the factory. You will never do that with Keystone RV. It took a little longer than they say it will take to get a response, but that's fine.

[DreiHunde]

Glad to hear you have gotten some positive action! Hope it continues !!

[dan-nickie]

That's what I was saying back on my post. At that point I don't think you had really given the manufacturer a chance.

[Mr Havercamp]

Originally Posted by dan-nickie

That's what I was saying back on my post. At that point I don't think you had really given the manufacturer a chance.

I won't dispute that, you could very well be right. But then again if I wouldn't of went this route I may have just sat around for another week or two, or longer, without knowing anything or anything getting accomplished. I might not be getting anything accomplished regardless? I like this way better.

[dan-nickie]

Originally Posted by Mr Havercamp

I won't dispute that, you could very well be right. But then again if I wouldn't of went this route I may have just sat around for another week or two, or longer, without knowing anything or anything getting accomplished. I might not be getting anything accomplished regardless? I like this way better.

Exactly, you had already gotten to know your dealer very well. But had not talked directly to the manufacturer.

I Have spoken many times with my factory rep and the dealer. When I need something done I call both of them. Works very well and everyone knows what's going on.

Good luck on getting everything taken care of. :-)

[Mr Havercamp]

Hopefully this will be the last post to this thread.
Rockwood has stepped up to the plate here, as I had always hoped they would.
Its all in the dealers hands now other than waiting for a few parts to be shipped out.
I still do not consider the time frames involved, and some of the communication or lack thereof to be acceptable but it looks like none of that is going to change anytime soon.

[CaptnJohn]

That is good news but it could have moved along faster ~~ but I have seen worse by many builders including FR

[Mr. Dan]

This thread has been closed by the site team at the request of the OP.