Warranty work at CW

[Oggie]

Could someone explain to me how warranty work is done in the RV industry ?
My wife and I bought a NEW Grey Wolf 27RR in Feb of 2016 at the Indiana Boat Sport and Travel Show from CW, wasn't able to pick it up until the 3rd week of March because we were leaving for vacation the week after we purchased it. When we picked it up from CW the rear door on the bathroom had a 4" hole knocked in it which wasn't there when we purchased it at the show only thing wrong with it at the show we seen was the seam tape was coming loose on the walls which the salesman said they would fix before we picked it up but wasn't done when we picked it up. I was told they would order the door the next day and i offered to put it on myself since I live 1 1/2 hours from CW and they agreed to ship the door to me.
While setting up the trailer after I got it home I found some other issues the light in the vent hood over the stove didn't work after i removed the cover to see if the bulb was burn't out I discovered there was no bulb in it at all. I'm guessing who ever checked this off at the factory and at CW when they received the unit never even tried it.
Also discovered after buying a new TV and putting it in the RV that the DVD player doesn't work had audio but no video.
Despite all this my wife and I still planned our 1st outing the weekend of April 16th so on April 13th i start to flush the water system and as soon as I put the garden hose in the water tank fill port water starts dripping from under the RV after inspection its was dripping from the insulation and the belly pan under the water tank.
I also discovered there was light coming around the drivers side of the ramp door from the bottom about 3 feet up the side so the ramp door wasn't sealing correctly. My wife called CW and told them of the problems and was told to drop the RV off on our way back from our trip because we would be going right buy there and it would take 3 to 4 weeks for the repairs we couldn't drop it off because i was using it on a hunting trip the week of April 25th. On our trip we filled the water tank when we got to the campground and it dripped all weekend. While on my trip to southern Indiana I noticed the TV would not pick up any TV stations and only picked up 1 radio station.
I dropped the RV of at CW on May 2 on my way home from my trip the girl at the service desk told me CW was 3 months behind on Warranty work I explained to her I wasn't going wait 3 months to get my NEW camper back so I then talked to Rick the service manager at CW in Greenwood Indiana he looked at my list of warranty problems and assured me several times he would have back to me by Memorial weekend even after the girl at the desk questioned him about being 3 months behind he assured me again I would have it back by Memorial Weekend. Rick called me twice the week of May 9th and told me they were working on our RV and had everything fixed except the water leak and said they had filled it up and couldn't find a water leak so I had taken a video of the leak with my phone and I sent that to Rick he replied and said thanks. Didn't hear from anyone again about the RV I text Rick on May 31st and ask about a update on the RV he replied back and he didn't know he would let me know something the next day. Never heard from back from so I called and left him a message on June 6th he then text me the update on the RV the only thing fixed was the light bulb over the stove they had it over a month at this time and the only thing fixed was installed a light bulb. WOW ! when I ask him about Memorial Weekend and him telling me 3 weeks earlier it was all fixed but the water leak he denied ever saying any of that. He said he told me it would be June 15th I agreed to his new deadline and waited again. I told him we were tired of making payments on a NEW RV that was sitting at CW if it wasn't done by the 15th we wanted our money back and they could have the RV his replied to me was OK.
June 15th I text Rick and ask if the RV was done his reply was there waiting on authorization for the ramp door from Forest River and the bathroom door to get there but everything else was done ARE YOU KIDDING ME THE BATHROOM DOOR WAS SUPPOSE TO BE ORDERED IN MARCH WHEN I FIRST PICKED IT UP. I told him I needed to talk to his manager, he text me back later that day saying he had talked to his manager and he said I could come and get the RV and when the other parts come in they would come and get the RV and fix it and if that didn't work he could have his manager call me that day my reply to him was I still needed to talk to his manager.
June 17th I still never received a phone call from the manger so I text rick again about not getting a phone call his reply was he would remind him to call me. Still have not received a phone call this. By the way this is the same manager my wife called 2 weeks and left a message for him to call her and she has never received a return call.
I worked at Chevrolet Dealership as a mechanic for years I know how warranty works in the automotive industry all I keep hearing from Rick at CW is they have to get warranty work approved from Forest River before they can do anything of which I have been told that Forest River denied the bathroom door and the light bulb as warranty.
I guess I don't understand to me it's a NEW RV to me its all warranty CW should make the repairs and discuss it with Forest River later and get our RV back to us in a reasonable amount of time.
So could someone explain to me is this warranty repair practice done by everyone in the RV industry.

[ChipBruce]

Sorry for your problems. Couple of things that may help:
1. Rv warranties aren't like car warranties. There are lots of posts on this forum and others about this. Google is your friend.

2. You don't say in your post, but it sounds like you bought it sight unseen without a PDI? There are lots of forum posts about the importance as well. The dealer should show you both how and that everything works before it is pulled off of the lot.

3. Welcome to the forum. There are a lot of great people here and they are willing to help and are good teachers.

I hope you get your problems fixed.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

[SeaDog]

Welcome to the forum, your story is not unique in terms of problems with warranty work or problems with CW. Unlike car buying you have to make sure its fixed before you take it.

[RSchleder]

That type of "service" is shameful. When i take my Wildcat MAXX to my dealer, I make an appointment, take it there, and pick it up that evening or the next day depending on the issues that need to be resolved.

[dahagen]

I think I would have demanded CW take the unit back when you went to pick it up and found the hole in the door.

[Oggie]

Thanks for the replies we didn't buy it sight unseen and when I took it back I ask who signed off on the PDI and that question was ignored. I'm a pretty easy going guy but my patients is really wearing thin. We love the RV we just want it fixed.

[glb6]

I'm having a lot of the same issues with CI. It's been there for 2 weeks with minor warranty work that they are waiting for approval from Forest River. They even called me yesterday and told me that the tech dropped a ladder and broke something on the side rear view mirror. Sloppy workmanship but whenever they were trying to make a sell, everything was roses. Also, my light above the stove did not work.

[ChipBruce]

Oggie, I'm going out on a limb here and have to ask. Did you walk around with the dealer (CW) at the dealership and have them prove to you that everything either worked or identified what needed fixing? That is a PDI. If you weren't involved in it then you bought it sight unseen. That, as you are experiencing now, is a bad place to be. Just to be clear, the PDI is done right before signing the papers, as that is the only time you have any leverage to get things fixed. A walk through at an RV show would not qualify as the PDI as there would be no gas, no water and no way to check everything out. On my last camper I bought in March, this took over 2 hours with the tech to see it all and to guarantee that everything worked. In answer to your last question about who signed the PDI, that should be you who signed it. If that's not what happened with your sale, I feel sorry for you and I would stay away from another purchase from them.

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[Mahlstedtd]

Oggie, I too work at a gm dealership for 25years. I too bought at CW. I too got the big run around. Took 8 months to get 4 things fixed. The RV warranty is totally different. Forest River has to authorize repairs before anything can be fixed. If the dealer is slow to request repairs it will take a long time. Waited 6 months for a door. I did contact Forest River directly and they seemed to want to repair anything damaged. Find the website and give them a call.

[Mars]

Sales and service do not seem to even talk to each other at our local CW. The service department has been pretty helpful getting warranty items repaired. It did take 4 weeks to get a few parts from FR. After the initial order I had to take a photo of our control panel (has issues) as FR did not know which one they installed in our unit, nuts........

[spock123]

C/W is just like all the dealers, if you see something broken or needing work done the best time to get it fixed is before you sign the dotted line. If you need warranty work done then they make a appointment, there's always a line. I take my camper to get it fixed and if they order parts then I take camper home, if they can fix camper that day I stay with camper, if not camper goes home with me


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[GDoubleU]

Our first camper was from CW. Never again. PDI was good, but service sucked. Mine was in the shop for the first 3 months I owned it. 2 years later they wouldn't talk about a trade in unless I put money with it. I went to another independent dealer 200 miles away and they traded with me and I special ordered a Hemisphere. Less than a year later, the A/C went out and I again did not take it to CW. I took it to a local independent dealer. Not only did they work on it when they said they would, I had a new A/C, installed, and the camper was returned to me in 9 days. CW is in my past now. I have a new dealer that wants my business.

[W5CI]

Im sorry for your trouble, but buyer beware from CW, its all about the Sale. they could care less from there on, I avoid them completely except for parts I need immediately that they may have. I would never buy an RV from CW

[bob dirt]

A couple of weeks after I bought my RV, I got a letter from FR saying thanks but also if I had any problems with any dealer with scheduling, to call them(FR) and would help get it in and fixed. I think my letter is with my paperwork. I don't have the phone number handy but I know it's available on this forum. I would complain directly to FR. CW should have had all that stuff fixed but the company is no better than the people you are dealing with.

[northstar1960]

We all know all dealers are different just like all CW's are different . to bad you did not notice this stuff before you bought it .
Warranty works sucks for the tech's and CW alike most dealers don't seem to care much for warranty because more often then not it's hard to get paid .go in and offer to pay shop rate and parts and they get in day post haste . warranty work for techs is no pay for diag . 9 times out of 10 that takes long then the job . which if flat rate so to replace your door a tech may get 20 mins . no wonder their always rushing and why i will never work as an RV tech for flat rate .

[CaptnJohn]

When you purchased at CW you should have received a note that stated if you have problems not being addressed to email Marquis, the CEO ~~ email address should be provided. I asked my service writer once WHO read them and did it do any good. She said Marquis reads them himself and no GM wants to hear from him. Suggest you use that email address.


CW dealers are not all alike. I have bought my last 2 campers from CW in Myrtle Beach ~ Sean the internet mgr handled the sales and many questions as well. I have never needed service during the prime tourist season but the times I wanted something done it was completed promptly. We rarely use the 5er during the time school is out.


We purchased the current 5er an hour after it arrived. We were 1st in after the battery was installed and 3 slides out. Gave a deposit and came back 4 days later for the PDI. Results of the PDI ~ nothing found,, same in the previous transaction. I would not hesitate to buy at CW in Fayetteville NC or Myrtle Beach SC. Any other CW will take some research for me to decide. My previous camper had zero warranty items. The 5er furnace was run for 10 minutes after the AC got the temp down. 1st trip it blew 2 fuses. Atwood sent a tech. After towing 4000 miles and 46 nights replaced a bulb, adjusted the screen door latch as it rubbed the island when slide was in , and adjusted the table ,,, that's it.

[camaraderie]

Originally Posted by CaptnJohn

When you purchased at CW you should have received a note that stated if you have problems not being addressed to email Marquis, the CEO ~~ email address should be provided. I asked my service writer once WHO read them and did it do any good. She said Marquis reads them himself and no GM wants to hear from him. Suggest you use that email address.

The CEO of Good Sam and Camping World is Marcus Lemonis (also star of the reality show THE PROFIT). For email try:
MarcusVIP@campingworldrv.com

or visit this page: RV where you can link to the above address or re-post all your problems with the SPECIFIC CW into their "Marcus" forum for action.
Like Capn John...I'm not down on all CW's and have a few that have treated me well and solved my problems.

CW has announced they are gonna make Marcus a lot more money with an IPO shortly...my guess is they will be concerned with keeping you happy.
I've also found my warranty guy at Georgetown/Forest River to be most helpful and reasonable. Go to the forest river site to find the name & # of your guy for your brand & give him a call.

Unlike Automotive...NO dealer has a legal obligation to fix any mfrs. product or service a particular coach. They make more by fixing out of warranty issues than the meager amounts mfr's will pay them. As others have implied...you made an unforced error in signing on the dotted line without personally doing a comprehensive PDI..mine took FOUR hours. Once you leave the lot with problems unsolved... at a variety of dealers...you become a low priority.
I hope you get some help from Marcus or Forest River...it is apparent your dealers people have treated you like crap. Good luck.

[RangeMaggotBob]

So sorry about your problems. I bet you guys were really excited about using your new RV. I can just imagine the disappointment. It's too bad you have to deal with Camping World. They are the worst! All of them! Good luck, and let us all know how it turns out.


P.S.- this crap about having to have FR approve repairs is BS!

[rmac04401]

Camping world warrentee work is terrible. They made my issue worst. Went and picked up camper and it will never hit their lot again. If you live in Indiana you could contact the factory and have them fix the issues. Some have been able to have them fix big problems. As far as your tv and DVD. The usual problem is the video cord is plugged into the wrong spot in back of the DVD unit. A lot of people had this problem with their Grey Wolf.

[MCTroy]

Our friend just purchased a new SOB TT from camping world in Hamilton, Ohio. He waited almost 6 weeks to pick up his new trailer as he wanted an awning added over the slide out. During this time they were to dewinterize it and have it checked out. They did a quick PDI, and now there are several things wrong. Even a chair that is broken and the unit still had anti freeze in it. They didn't do anything except add the awning. Of course, to fix anything the unit would have to go back and sit there for months. That is nuts! Avoid CW best advise to give any TT buyers.