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Old 03-05-2016, 09:48 PM   #121
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I too paid a little more to buy local. Not just once but every time on many units. Since I moved south long ago all have been bought at the same dealer and same sales person. The sales manager and general manager. Not only the service writer but the service manager and 2 techs know me. Only 2 of the many techs work on my 5er and get me in / out quickly warranty or not.
One more comment ~~ the furnace ran during PDI of my 5er however on the 1st trip it would not work. Being 700 miles from my dealer there was no way they could help. So I called the furnace company. In less than 5 minutes they emailed a list of mobile techs and said to get the one that could be there 1st. Yes, I paid the service call but Atwood took care of parts and labor. $50 and I had heat in less than 36 hours. No idea what I would expect the coach builder to do from over 1500 miles away either.
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Old 03-05-2016, 11:17 PM   #122
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SO............after reading all this.........how about something constructive? As someone who is about to order one of these things, please pm me and tell me what is the best 40' fiver I can buy??

I'm serious. I'll give a dollar to ever serious reply.

This is my last one, and I want to buy the best that I can afford. I hear the "NO" votes, I'm just asking where you put your "YES" votes????
This is our first RV so I can't commit on past experience. We really enjoy our Coachmen 5th wheel, no major issues so far. A few things that I would guess that needs adjustment after a few trips that has settled into place. I will say this though, after a lot of research we had decided on the Coachmen brand but, none of the local dealerships carried it and when we had brought up the possibility of ordering one we where basically blown off. So we ended up traveling about 1000 mile round trip to purchase it. One of the better decisions I feel we made. Now the problem is the local dealership is not to keen (in my opinion) on doing the warranty work. If the small stuff is an issue what may happen if we run into something big.

Have fun checking out the new 5th wheels. opinions are free.
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Old 03-05-2016, 11:24 PM   #123
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Mr. Clemens.

There is no need for you to defend yourself.

I have never seen any kind of factory reps contribute to a forum as you and josh do.

Keep up the good work, and remember. You can't please everybody.


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Old 03-06-2016, 10:50 AM   #124
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Buy local! I have no problems having my dealer service my Rv.
There's weekly threads about driving half way across the country to save a couple grand.
Was it worth it? Sounds like it bit you in the butt.

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Originally Posted by Kenny kustom View Post
The coach I am looking at now, is a 30 hour round trip away. That is the closest dealer ( while still staying in Canada)

I have checked with the 3 local FR dealers, and all will warranty my unit.

I guess it helps, that snow tends to put a damper on most Rv business.
Warranty work is what keeps them open for the other 8 months of the year.


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You chastise me for buying out of town and then a few posts later you state you are buying another FR from a dealer 500 miles away. I find your comments disingenuous to say the least.

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"We are committed to providing you the best possible ownership experience. Routine maintenance and service will ensure ongoing reliability and enjoyment of your coach. So, if you should ever need assistance from a Forest River authorized service center, we request that you contact us directly if you have questions regarding product safety, any issue that is not resolved to your satisfaction, or if your coach has been at a service center beyond five (5) business days. Timely notification allows us the opportunity to expedite your service experience and avoid unnecessary delays. You can reach the Service Department via email at Service-Dynamax@forestriverinc.com or by telephone at (888) 295-7859. "
I called FR directly when the generator on my 3 month old MBS failed. I was 1000 miles from home and CoachNet was no help. The FR rep I talked to promised to get right back to me. I got a voicemail 3 days later telling me to take it to my selling dealer. Wouldn't have mattered if I had bought locally (Georgia/Florida) or Michigan (where I did purchase). Still hundreds of miles away. FR did not offer help or a real solution.

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This is why we do provide excellent customer service and warranty system. Unfortunately an online forum doesn't always see the ones who love their coach or have had little to no issues.
A warranty is just a piece of paper with words on it. If your dealer network doesn't honor said warranty, it's pretty useless. Expecting us to drive to Elkhart (where I expect you would provide excellent customer service) is unreasonable and impractical.

If I ever buy another MH, it will be used. That way, I have no unreasonable expectation that a warranty will be honored in a timely and thorough manner.
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Old 03-06-2016, 10:58 AM   #125
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Originally Posted by KatanaPilot View Post
You chastise me for buying out of town and then a few posts later you state you are buying another FR from a dealer 500 miles away. I find your comments disingenuous to say the least.

That is the closest dealer.
I have also done my homework for warranty.


Anywho. It sounds like you are " one of those customers" that will never be happy.
But yes... Bashing the brand/company/ reps on the forum is the way to have your issues resolved.

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Old 03-06-2016, 11:30 AM   #126
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That is the closest dealer.
I have also done my homework for warranty.


Anywho. It sounds like you are " one of those customers" that will never be happy.
But yes... Bashing the brand/company/ reps on the forum is the way to have your issues resolved.

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Kenny,

I will try to respond in a way that doesn't get me banned.

Glad you've done your homework. I guess I should have called my local FR dealers to make sure they would provide FR warranty service regardless of where I purchased. Had I known, I think I would have made a different choice.

I called on FR one time when I needed them, was 1000 miles from home and they were of no help. There was no follow up and certainly no effort to even apologize for their failure.

The one time I took my vehicle in for warranty service, it sat there for a month (after a month delay getting an appointment) and had only one of the items "repaired" - that probably took less than 30 minutes. The other items were not repaired.

I've since resolved my issues on my own and expect to do so in the future. So frankly, I don't need FR to help me out now - not that they did when I needed them to.

And yes, I must be "one of those" impossible to please folks that will never be happy.

Maybe I will have you on one of my flights one day so that I can hopefully provide superior customer service so you can see what that looks like. If we have a service failure or cancellation, I certainly won't tell you "too bad" and leave you hanging. But I bet you shop around for the cheapest airfare which is probably not on my airline...
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Old 03-06-2016, 12:50 PM   #127
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Originally Posted by Kenny kustom View Post
That is the closest dealer.
I have also done my homework for warranty.


Anywho. It sounds like you are " one of those customers" that will never be happy.
But yes... Bashing the brand/company/ reps on the forum is the way to have your issues resolved.

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Oh my my something is seriously wrong here. I am choking on my words as I get them out but.... Write this down.... I AGREE with Kenny. Lol. No back to normal.



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Old 03-06-2016, 01:05 PM   #128
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"I called FR directly when the generator on my 3 month old MBS failed. I was 1000 miles from home and CoachNet was no help. The FR rep I talked to promised to get right back to me. I got a voicemail 3 days later telling me to take it to my selling dealer. Wouldn't have mattered if I had bought locally (Georgia/Florida) or Michigan (where I did purchase). Still hundreds of miles away. FR did not offer help or a real solution."

Not sure what FR could do 1000 miles away. Why not call the generator manufacturer?
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Old 03-06-2016, 01:09 PM   #129
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As a frequent traveler for the last decade...I can attest to the fact I have been told "too bad". Maybe they don't not utter those words, but, result was the same. I can't base my judgement of said airline on one single event however, because at the end of the day, i think it still comes down to the people, no matter what systems you put in place.

Recently I was trying to get home early and asked to fly standby. One gate agent told me, the flight was oversold and there was nothing she could do, sorry. I walk down about 5 gates and thought...I should at least get on the list just in case, with my status, I should be top of the list. At that gate I ask the same thing from a different gate agent. She says its oversold, but I can put you on the standby list just in case someone misses their connection (different person, different outcome).

Boarding is just about over and there is a guy in front of me going ballistic...he has a middle seat, he booked in advance and had picked an aisle and was demanding to be moved, they said there was nothing they could do, flight was full, so he boards cursing. I step up and they hand me my boarding pass, last seat available, middle seat, I was ecstatic as it was the last seat and I was getting home to my family almost a day early.

Its unfortunate that your one experience with FR was a bad one and the one with a dealer was also bad. I wish I could guaranty that your 2nd experience would have been better, but I think that's what ANY company strives to do. Make sure the customer experience is good, no matter who they talk to.

12 years of flights and over a million miles I've had plenty of really bad customer service and really good customer service (more often than not). It always seems to come down to the individual person helping and to some extent the expectations of the consumer being helped. It still amazes me the number of people that flip out over weather related delays.

In any event, I don't control all of Forest River, but I hope that when someone calls my Dynamax facility, no matter who they get they get the same level of customer service. I know right now that is not going to be the case, but knowing is half the battle (GI Joe quote of the day)
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Old 03-06-2016, 03:20 PM   #130
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Last post from me on this, I promise

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Not sure what FR could do 1000 miles away. Why not call the generator manufacturer?
I don't know, maybe get back to me in a timely manner like they promised? Or call one of their local dealers and see if they could/would help? If I had been nearer to home, would that have somehow made a difference?

I did call the local Cummins/Onan dealer. They were two weeks out.

If you are saying I need to stay near home, or the selling dealer - sort of defeats the purpose of having a motor home, doesn't it?

Mr. Clemens, I hope your bad travel experiences have not been on my airline. If they were, I hope they were dealt with in an acceptable manner.

In any event, I have clearly learned my lesson. 1. Don't buy a new motor home or travel trailer and expect timely warranty service from another dealer while on the road. You may not get it. 2. The manufacturers do not have a franchise agreement with their dealers - so they have little to no sway with them. 3.Don't expect too much from the free year of CoachNet.

Thanks to all, this has certainly been an education on RV'ing and the RV industry.
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Old 03-07-2016, 09:58 AM   #131
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I also sent this Via PM so you always have a way to get ahold of me.


Brian hit the nail on the head, sometimes it has to do with the person not the company whether you're dealing with the airline industry or the RV industry.


Brian and I both make ourselves available on this forum for questions, comments, or concerns.


I'm also always available by PM and on occasion by phone to help diagnose issues whether you're on the road or at home. Next time you have an issue get a hold of me.
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Old 03-07-2016, 01:46 PM   #132
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Praise is seldom written on forums. Finding a good dealer is key. My dealer is 600 miles from me. My dealer stressed no matter where I may be traveling in the country to call them first. They will arrange to have service. Many people go right to FR with a warranty problem. Always make sure your dealer is in the loop. Even if you don't buy local. Your selling dealer should help. As for Brian and Joshua I can't thank them enough for being here on the boards helping us FR owners. Bad experiences will happen and I do feel bad for those owners. These rigs will have things go wrong. Patience is needed by us owners and also our dealers and FR. We owners can get frustrated but usually if we know someone is trying to help we can understand delays and be more amicable. It's when dealers blow us off that emotions get involved. As for me as long as I know someone is trying to help me I'm fine. Never had to deal directly with FR for a problem. My dealer is top notch and as I said before he is 600 miles away. He even monitors these boards offering help whenever appropriate .
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Old 03-07-2016, 01:57 PM   #133
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Very well-stated! My sentiments exactly.
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Old 03-07-2016, 08:00 PM   #134
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Yes, I appreciate Joshua and Brian bring on these boards and being concerned also. It is hard not to get emotional when you have a large financial investment with a lot of hours thrown in on maintenance, and some dreams thrown in. Personally, getting my RV was on my bucket list for about 30 yrs. Never, could I have imagined that my one year new Solera would have it's engine blown up on first oil service by a lousy dealer. What a nightmare that ensued to get it back in running order again.
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Old 03-07-2016, 08:03 PM   #135
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I feel for you and am heartfelt. My RV was also on my bucket list. I would be devastated if the same happened to me. Incompetence from so called professionals is mind blowing.
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Old 03-08-2016, 09:29 AM   #136
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That is why I do most servicing myself.
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Old 03-08-2016, 09:53 AM   #137
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These are basically houses on wheels. I have not known anyone that had a house built that did not have the contractor come back and do some type of tweak. Some issues are due to components made by other companies. That's why when in construction there is what is called a punch card that needs to be resolved before signing off on the project. Sometime the contractor is back multiple times to get it fixed.

Yes cleaning up the work debris is an issue with RV construction and some fit and finish items.

Yes RV industry can and should do better. But in the world of manufacturing there will be issues.

Automobiles have recalls, look at the airbag issue. Is this the fault of car manufacturer? No it is the fault of the component manufacture but the auto manufacture has to fix the issue.

I had problems with my TT new. I'm getting them fixed but still enjoying the heck out of my camper.

Sorry but the "house on wheels" excuse is getting old. Forget about sawdust behind cabinets. How about half full spray cans left rolling around under the bathroom floor.
Lets just look at the basic 12v system. How is it possible for car companies to have 3 to 5 year 30k to 50k warranty on all parts of a 12 v electrical system but RV companies have trouble standing behind 3,000 miles of use with the 12v system part of what they sell?

I have, in writing, admissions from FR that the vinyl graphics on my Coachmen was defective but somehow it was my responsibility to spend well over $800 getting it replaced. How about the water pump being incorrectly located (also admission in writing but no offer to pay for a fix) so I would be required to re-locate the pump before I could winterize my unit? Ever try and get a right angle drill into a 2-5/8" space? FR never gave any consideration that a pump would ever need to be replaced when they installed the pump below the bathroom floor before they built the bathroom right over the pump.

Screws through 110v romex, bare electrical wire ends, missing curtain supports, open holes in floor large enough to see the ground from inside living space of RV, broken welds on exhaust pipe hanger, door latch out of align so door does not open with only one hand.
Ya we're suppose to accept this as representing quality from an American company with American workers all the while complaining that tires made in China fail when they are run low on air.

The RV companies are worse than "Detroit" in the 70's before they got their clock cleaned by better quality imports. Just wait till Toyota or Honda of Kia decide to make RVs.
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Old 03-08-2016, 10:14 AM   #138
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Oh my my something is seriously wrong here. I am choking on my words as I get them out but.... Write this down.... I AGREE with Kenny. Lol. No back to normal.
Come to the dark side !! We have cookies !
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Old 03-08-2016, 10:29 AM   #139
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door latch out of align so door does not open with only one hand.
Maybe you should have noticed that when you opened the door to enter the rig for the first time.
Seems like a red flag to me.
Just sayin...

Anyway- don't get me started on KIA/Hyundai quality, TSB's and ongoing problems...
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Old 03-08-2016, 10:56 AM   #140
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.
.
.
If I ever buy another MH, it will be used. That way, I have no unreasonable expectation that a warranty will be honored in a timely and thorough manner.
We did just that. We purchased a 1 year old 2015 Solera 24R. The first owner complained to me about his "first three months" going back-and-forth to the dealer - who was 2 hours away. Microwave, Power Inverter, Water Pump, etc. When we took ownership of the unit it was all in working order, but I later discovered that Power Inverter that the dealer replaced was so poorly installed I couldn't believe my eyes.

The dealer disconnected the broken PI, removed the screws holding it to the wall, reconnected the replacement PI, and let it sit on the floor on top of a pool of other wiring ! I was pissed about such shoddy workmanship. It took me an entire 5 minutes to screw it back to the wall. That would have been issues just waiting to happen as we bounce down the road...

I am convinced that if you don't buy something along the lines of a Prevost or a Monarch, you better be handy (electrical, plumbing, mechanical), and you better be willing to spend time making things right / making things better, OR, buy it from a guy like me who takes pride in his work, is handy, and has had time to scrub it top-to-bottom.
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