Wow-wee!

Ida Ratherbe Camping · 10-10-2013, 07:26 PM

Took our camper in to get some warranty work done because of a water leak. Rain water that is. Anyways, my wife and I found the leak before we took it in. Seems to be coming in from the vent-ta-hood over stove. The little plastic piece that goes through wall must have a small spot that doesnt have any sealer on top of it. (Maybe they should have used some that is all over the sides of the camper) LOL.
Told the Tech that checked us in what we found and that if they took the hood down they would see the trail that the water left and the the rust on the rivets.
Water would fill the top of the hood then run out on stove and down inside the knife rack and across the front of cabinets. Swelling everything.

They called today and said that the reason the cabinets were swelled is that the heater is running too hot and made the cabinets swell. I just about blew a fuse......
Bought the camper in May of this year, it is now October. Do they really think that I used the heater through the summer in Arkansas? And even to a point that it got so hot in there that is made the cabinets swell up.

Just sad, I guess I am going to have to go up there and show them.
Venting a little, it only been a week.

iceblaze580 · 10-10-2013, 09:02 PM

Looks to me water caused the press wood to swell I don't see how a heater can cause swelling

Ida Ratherbe Camping · 10-10-2013, 09:58 PM

The bad part is that I dont even know if the heater works!

iceblaze580 · 10-10-2013, 10:13 PM

I think the water leak from the vent caused the cabinet to swell seems to me the dealer is trying to pin all the problems on you

**Herk7769** · 10-10-2013, 10:23 PM

Very depressing when you realize most dealers back shops are incompetent at best and crooks at worst.

While there are some who are very good, reliable, people they are scarce as hen's teeth. I would send those photos to the factory rep direct and document the response from your dealer's "so called" mechanics.

It is clear that damage was a water leak. Ugh...

Ida Ratherbe Camping · 10-11-2013, 04:27 AM

sent the pics to the factory rep first. They are the one who recommended this shop. As long as they fix the cabinets. I dont care what they say happened.

Ida Ratherbe Camping · 10-11-2013, 08:06 PM

Called them today and asked if they reexamined the leak problem. No not today, was the reply.
Asked them if at least was the factory going to warranty the cabinets. Waiting on reply from factory was the answer to that question.
Asked them about the other things it was in there for. Parts are order and covered by warranty. Asked them why, when they were getting approval for other things they didn't get it for cabinets. Crickets......
Got a feeling they are going to do the easy stuff and stump their toe on the cabinets. The good news is that they got the mud dauber screens installed and are patiently waiting on my check....

I hate taking my stuff to someone to get it worked on. Would much, much rather do it myself.

Can you get the factory to send the consumer the parts to do our own warranty work? Figuring not.

**ependydad** · 10-11-2013, 08:33 PM

I have heard of a handful of cases where consumers were able to get warranty stuff sent to them.

papap · 10-11-2013, 09:00 PM

They sent me parts. Dealer is 3 hours away. One way.

Batts-toy · 10-11-2013, 09:05 PM

I think my concern would be if I did the work myself whether the warranty would stop on future issues.

Ida Ratherbe Camping · 10-12-2013, 08:39 AM

Just was thinking out loud. I hope it doesnt come to that. Sent them pics, ( the dealer) last night. Because it was to hard for them to remove the four screws to remove the hood and look for themselves. Raining now, so if they left it outside, they will probably figure out that its not the heater.

wilem · 10-21-2013, 11:28 AM

wow wee is right... they would be lucky for me to do my own warranty work. 1. it would get done right, 2. there would be a minimum of waste and collateral damage. 3. downtime would be negligible.

**Herk7769** · 10-21-2013, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ida Ratherbe Camping

Can you get the factory to send the consumer the parts to do our own warranty work? Figuring not.

For future reference, if you find you can not get an FR dealer in your local area to support you, if there is a local tractor trailer repair facility close by you might want to stop in and make their acquaintance.

I have been told that as long as it is a "repair facility," FR can send FR specific parts to them to install without violating the "contract" with their dealers.

I will use Grows Trucking for anything I can't (or don't feel like) doing myself. If it is big (like a wall), it is going back to the factory in Goshen.

Even if they don't actually DO the repair, they may be willing to order the parts for you.

Since they have your rig now, I don't see how you can get out of dealing with them.

Ida Ratherbe Camping · 10-26-2013, 10:18 AM

Thanks Herk. I will have to keep that in mind. Going up there this Friday to pick the camper up. Daughter getting married the following weekend and lives 4 hrs away. Told them from day one that I was going to pick it up on this date. Fixed or not. I hope for their and my sake that they havent tore it down to the point of not usable. My DW will not be happy if that is the case!
When I get it, I am going to ask for the paperwork on warranty claim. To 1. see if they have really contacted Forrest River, and is it going to be fixed. 2. If so, what parts are on order, and 3. ETA on arrival.
Have called the service tech, every monday to check on progress. From what I can tell, none. Except that the Daubber screens installed. We will see....

wrvond · 10-26-2013, 11:06 AM

Don't underestimate the difficulty level of mud dauber screen installation!

Ida Ratherbe Camping · 10-26-2013, 11:09 AM

I picked something tough for them to check out their work.

Probably gonna cost me a pretty penny too. But trying to set up a relationship with them seeing how I didnt buy the camper from them.

wilem · 10-26-2013, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ida Ratherbe Camping

Thanks Herk. I will have to keep that in mind. Going up there this Friday to pick the camper up. Daughter getting married the following weekend and lives 4 hrs away. Told them from day one that I was going to pick it up on this date. Fixed or not. I hope for their and my sake that they havent tore it down to the point of not usable. My DW will not be happy if that is the case!
When I get it, I am going to ask for the paperwork on warranty claim. To 1. see if they have really contacted Forrest River, and is it going to be fixed. 2. If so, what parts are on order, and 3. ETA on arrival.
Have called the service tech, every monday to check on progress. From what I can tell, none. Except that the Daubber screens installed. We will see....

Just a Pain in the tail. Good luck my friend. At the moment nothing is wrong with mine. Fingers crossed.

Ida Ratherbe Camping · 11-02-2013, 09:58 AM

Well called them last Monday to see what was going on. They said that the parts had just showed up!

Told them again do not tear anything up that they could not fix by friday. Called Thursday to see if they were going to be ready for me to pick up on Friday. Yes, but there is a problem with the outside sink, factory sent the replacement, but not the stuff to hook it up. So sink is inoperable. Parts are on order though. Friday morning, they called me about the time I was supposed to leave to pick up. Parts for sink had showed up and give them an extra hour and they would have it repaired.

Gave them and extra 3 hours so they would not feel rushed and do it correctly with no leaks.
Happy to say that the Service Manager and the Service People who work on the RV's are a lot more professional than the intake tech. Camper is repaired, seems like workmanship is high quality, and on time. The only thing not fixed were the mini blinds and they are being drop shipped to me. Moix RV in Conway AR gets a thumbs from me at this point in time. Now going out to wash and re-bond with our TT, its been gone too long. That and check to see if the leak is really fixed! LOL....

Ida Ratherbe Camping · 11-02-2013, 10:49 AM

Also forgot to say that they at first forgot that they had put the insect screens on, I asked about how much I owed them for it. They kinda blinked, and I said unless of coarse they are free. Not likely, told them not to make me sorry that I reminded them, they did. 169.73 for Dauber screens, back to the Wow-Wee

rattleNsmoke · 11-02-2013, 10:54 AM

$169.73 for wire mesh screens??? Ahh, you musta got the real gold zircon encrusted screens as the upgrade. Makes perfect sense now.

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