RV Direct vs Local Dealer

[oregonct]

Of course, I would prefer to purchase from my local dealer but if they don't come close to the price of the distant competitor will they still service my unit under warranty? The FR web site make a bold statement about independent retailers and their desire to service their own customers. Just curious as to what others have experienced.

[Mtelkman]

Totally depends on the dealer. Some do, some don't.


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[JLeising]

I found the closest "local" dealer (80 miles away, who I bought from) was inconvenient, gave me poor service (I re-did most of what they "fixed"), and was difficult to deal with (slow or no e-mail or phone response). I finally used a local independent RV repair shop (with FR pre-approval). They were convenient, fast, no-hassle, and competent. Saw NO benefit to buying "local".

[GASPEDDLER]

I had a bad experience as well with a local dealer, Ron Hoover in Donna Tx. My TT was originally purchased from the Corpus Christi Tx area which is 130 miles from me. Last words the Ron Hoover service manager said to me was "maybe we don't want your business here." At that point I walked out and never returned. I too found a local Rv repair center who worked with my warranty and made the needed repair. In most cases if you don't buy from them they put you at the end of the line behind those that purchased from them. Hell of a way to build a business relationship.

[TURBS]

What you save in $$ by going to rvw you'll likely loose in stress and complaints and time and money trying to get another dealer to work on your unit.
And that's if your close to one.

1) go to the end of the line.
2) you may go behind all of there "purchasing customers" no matter if your unit was scheduled first or not or they don't have any purchasing customers units to work on.

Some people have good luck some don't with non purchasing dealers.

Good luck.

Remember they don't HAVE to work on your unit..... but if they do you may wait months and months to get the work done.

TURBS.

[Emptypockets]

Closest FR dealer was 150 miles away so didn't even check their prices. Bought from RV Direct - knew at the time for any repairs I would be using an local independent RV repair shop. Like JLeising said; the one time I had a warranty repair needed first I got FR Okay on the agreed price said repair shop would do it for - all was good.

[oregonct]

Interesting that FR will work with independent repair facilities for warranty work. Lots of options. Thanks for your information.

[Emptypockets]

Originally Posted by oregonct

Interesting that FR will work with independent repair facilities for warranty work. Lots of options. Thanks for your information.

If you decide to go this way always remember to get the okay first or they won't cover the cost.

[rattleNsmoke]

These RV manufacturers should ONLY "award" a RV repair facility a dealership right only if that facility will honor any and all warranty claims regardless of place of purchase. Car and motorcycle dealers do that. I don't understand the RV dealer prima donna attitudes toward non purchasing customers, unless they are getting reimbursed pennies on the dollar by the manufacturer. Twenty-Five years ago I worked as a service writer for a Jaguar dealership in lower Fairfield county CT. At that time Jaguar cars was pulling the dealership rights left and right from auto shops due to poor sales\service etc. That process left my dealership with 3 times the service hours that could fit into 16 technician bays in any given day. Word was given by the service manager that we did not turn anyone away, but would place them behind customers that bought from us first. That resulted in a s**t-storm of complaints that were heard right down to corporate HQ in New Jersey. We were between a rock and a hard place and had no choice other than place them in Que the best we could depending on the severity of the repair...ie, window falls down in a rain storm etc. That job sucked..period, but 'we might not want your business' attitudes suck worse.

[NO3putt]

Our local FR dealer is not worth the drive for maintenance. Buy where you get the best deal unless you have piror experence with you local dealer.

[HomeOnWheels]

Originally Posted by rattleNsmoke

These RV manufacturers should ONLY "award" a RV repair facility a dealership right only if that facility will honor any and all warranty claims regardless of place of purchase.

x2. This is absolute right and necessary. People move or need emergency repair on the road, away from original purchase location, and should not get low priority treatment. This is a rule only FR can enforce.

[GASPEDDLER]

The problem is a lack of competition in the Rv industry. FR is leaving the door open much like Detroit did back in the 70's and 80's with poor quality and customer service, this allowed Nissan and Toyota to move right in. Unfortunately I don't see how a foreign company could ship these monsters and still make a profit. But perhaps they would set up factories in the US as the Japanese did, maybe then FR would take notice.

[bclemens]

Originally Posted by oregonct

Of course, I would prefer to purchase from my local dealer but if they don't come close to the price of the distant competitor will they still service my unit under warranty? The FR web site make a bold statement about independent retailers and their desire to service their own customers. Just curious as to what others have experienced.

I just connected another member to his local dealer with the same frustration. As I have posted on here before...please, Private message me before you buy from an internet dealer and let me try to connect you with your local dealer or your next closest dealer.

I have posted on here before a long, detailed post of why the "sales experience" can go south...but to save you the novel, just PM me what you're looking for, an email address and where you're located.

[oregonct]

Thanks again for your time. I agree that businesses should prosper by creating value. Value can be inventory availability (that you pay for in their price) and great service. If you have time to shop for the unit ... my thought is you offer a few players your business and let the best company win your business. My history has been that my unit rarely has a problem near my home dealer (that would be too easy). I like the idea that FR will work with independents (with advance notice) .. Thanks all for your great feedback!

[HomeOnWheels]

Originally Posted by bclemens

I just connected another member to his local dealer with the same frustration. As I have posted on here before...please, Private message me before you buy from an internet dealer and let me try to connect you with your local dealer or your next closest dealer.

I have posted on here before a long, detailed post of why the "sales experience" can go south...but to save you the novel, just PM me what you're looking for, an email address and where you're located.

I remember Mr. Clemens said this before, 'RV Direct is not my dealer'. And it is quite obvious he is trying hard to encourage customers to buy local. While I'm okay with giving the local dealer a chance, I don't understand why RV Direct is not a dealer but apparently selling a lot of FR products? And if RV Direct helps bring profit to FR, why is it less favored by FR? I must be missing something.

[bclemens]

I am the National Sales rep now, so they are ALL my dealers in a way. RV Direct is not less favored than any other dealer. But if the local dealer (the place you hopefully turn to for service and support) can match their price then why not buy locally. Save the trip to some unknown location. Save the issue that you arrive and something is not quite right. If you're local, then you just drive home until it is right.

All I am trying to do, is make sure there was not some confusion or misunderstanding in the pricing, options or features between the two quotes. There is no ulterior motive here...you are not missing anything. I have always and will always buy the same way. I will give my local guy every chances in the world to earn my business.

[schrederman]

I would say that if FR slowed down the production line just a tad, and built better quality into their trailers, that the dealers wouldn't have so much to fix, and wouldn't be quite so busy...

[HomeOnWheels]

Originally Posted by bclemens

I am the National Sales rep now, so they are ALL my dealers in a way. RV Direct is not less favored than any other dealer. But if the local dealer (the place you hopefully turn to for service and support) can match their price then why not buy locally. Save the trip to some unknown location. Save the issue that you arrive and something is not quite right. If you're local, then you just drive home until it is right.

All I am trying to do, is make sure there was not some confusion or misunderstanding in the pricing, options or features between the two quotes. There is no ulterior motive here...you are not missing anything. I have always and will always buy the same way. I will give my local guy every chances in the world to earn my business.

Thanks very much for your clarification. I'm in total agreement with you on giving my local guy a chance. After all, they, not RV Direct, show me a unit. To be honest, I don't expect them to match the price (impress me here please). If the difference comes down to $3k for Solera, I consider it even. If > $5k, the choice is obvious. What do others think as an even point?

[bclemens]

Originally Posted by schrederman

I would say that if FR slowed down the production line just a tad, and built better quality into their trailers, that the dealers wouldn't have so much to fix, and wouldn't be quite so busy...

This seems to be a bit off topic.... But since its here. This year my plant ramped up from 15 a day to 17 a day. It went well for a while and then parts shortages from suppliers started happening. So we were trying to build 17 a day, and then still finish the ones that went off short. As soon as we saw quality start to suffer, we dropped immediately to 13 a day so that we could catch up the shortages without rushing.

I don't know anything about the Surveyor plant (different division), but at Class C plant #34...that's how we do it.

[oregonct]

I agree ... 2-3K is a reasonable difference ... plus the difference in any freight.