Has Anyone Received On Time?

scroses40 · 05-18-2012, 11:20 AM

We ordered our 312BHX last Saturday and were given a 6 week delivery date. Our 2 week trip to California is scheduled for July 14, exactly 9 weeks after our order. We didn't think it would be a problem, but now I've read several threads about deliveries being delayed by several weeks. Are those just the exceptions? Since we plan on selling our current trailer before then, I really hope they meet their 6 week date.

Triguy · 05-18-2012, 11:28 AM

Well , its the busiest time of the year for the factories and delivery drivers.

6-8 weeks is what everyone hears, but the actual time seems to be 8-10 weeks. That is what happened last year, too. I expect we will be reading about it again next year.

Much of this depends on when an order was submitted and which models were being made when. They don't make all models every day. Usually, a bunch of one type are made, then another, then another. Maybe Wildcats are different.

The driver shortage happens at this time of year. This is where a really good dealer makes a difference. I recently spoke with my dealer that I had bought from last year. They hired a guy to take deliveries just for them. He's made 8 trips to Indiana in the last 3 weeks. They had to do this to keep their customers happy.

You probably didn't want to hear this, but I think its time to reset expectations.

Twisty · 05-18-2012, 11:37 AM

You can do it differently next time.

scroses40 · 05-18-2012, 12:04 PM

Thanks for the honest reply. I have no issue with whatever time frame they tell me when ordering, but I have a big problem if they know it's going to be longer than they're telling me. Hopefully, 6 weeks is the norm like they said, and the horror stories are exceptions.

Mad4sax · 05-18-2012, 01:11 PM

I have been trying to create a timeline from other threads like "I want my Roo!!!"
and "How long do you have?". Since I have plenty of time waiting on my 233S.

So far pretty consistently running 9-11 weeks from order to "off line".
Then delivery from a few days to 3 weeks.

CHD Dad · 05-18-2012, 01:35 PM

We ordered our SP-295 and were told 6-7 weeks. It took 9 weeks to roll off the line and another week to be delivered. We were in the same position, we had a trip in 11 weeks and figured 6 weeks gave us a lot of time. We ended up with only a week to get it ready to go! We were trading our other camper in so we had a backup, but it was emptied, cleaned and ready to trade so we would have had to reload.

Wildcat Chris · 05-18-2012, 01:40 PM

Our current build schedule is 6-8 weeks out, with demand keeping our plant running strong. We are seeing some issues and occasional delays due to driver availability and shipping (which is, unfortuately, normal at this time of the year). Your best bet is always to communicate with your local Wildcat dealer about production times and offline dates! They can always call their reps to get updated info!

NancyTX · 05-18-2012, 02:05 PM

I have been wondering the same thing. We just ordered a Rockwood 2604 and were told we would have it by the end of June. That sounded optimistic and I hope the dealer didn't just say that to keep us from looking around for a suitable unit on the lot at another dealer. Is the Rockwood made in a different plant from the Wildcat?

Wildcat Chris · 05-18-2012, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NancyTX

I have been wondering the same thing. We just ordered a Rockwood 2604 and were told we would have it by the end of June. That sounded optimistic and I hope the dealer didn't just say that to keep us from looking around for a suitable unit on the lot at another dealer. Is the Rockwood made in a different plant from the Wildcat?

Yes! In fact, many Forest River products are made in separate facilities! Make sure you contact your local Forest River dealer for the most up to date information! Truly, it works best this way since Forest River doesn't make all transportation schedules and most dealers do their own check-in and PDI process!

SaskCampers · 05-18-2012, 02:30 PM

I will say one should never order one of these things and cut it so close to trip time to end up missing a trip that was booked due to delays. I would say give yourself a 12 week delivery window and then you have room to wait. We had to wait almost 14 weeks for our unit in 2010 due to issues with Cherry furniture deliveries to the factory so anything can really cause delays including delivery issues that Chris spoke about.

scroses40 · 05-18-2012, 02:52 PM

Our dealer is telling us 6 weeks is when it should come off the lot. He arranges the delivery himself and does the PDI, which takes another 3 - 7 days. This would obviously work out well. Again, just trying to understand real world experience. Thanks everyone for the replies.

HIDE OUT · 05-18-2012, 05:55 PM

Well here I go again. We ordered on Feb 24 2012 we were told 6 to 8 weeks. no problem we said as long as its here by memorial day weekend.they said oh definitively not a problem well guess what?.12 weeks later and a trip less than a week away no TT. So all I can say is it gets here when it gets here. Sorry that's not what you want to hear. but its the truth. hopefully yours will be different.Good luck. I suggest that if you must go on your trip you have a backup plan

**bikendan** · 05-19-2012, 02:33 PM

just a comment.
there are a huge number of threads running, about waiting times.

all of these are from buyers that chose to buy their RVs, for the summer season.
which is the busiest times for the factories, who probably have been running with less employees, due to the economy.

so, if you choose to buy, at the peak ordering time, your RV and make plans to have it in the minimum time frames, you kinda have to put up with delays.

buying in the spring, for a factory-ordered RV, is the absolute WORSE time of the year to buy, if you expect quick delivery.
i also think that due to the avalanche of orders, this time of the year, that the factories are pushing their employees to get the RV through the assembly line, resulting in sloppy work and poor quality control.

personally, this is why i've always recommended people ordering in the fall.
of course, this is just my opinion.

Vern · 05-19-2012, 02:50 PM

We must be the only ones in the whole FRF community who are happy with the timing of the factory turnaround our delivery vis-a-vis the dealer's estimated delivery, etc. Ordered our new Windjammer March 30th and were told 8 to 10 weeks. Received delivery yesterday, May 18th, exactly 7 weeks after the order date. It actually came in from the factory in just one day over 5 weeks (May 7th). It may not have hurt that our dealer is located very near the factory, making the delivery from factory to dealer a snap. Dealer actually offered us the delivery on the unit a week ago (within 6 weeks of order date), but I wanted to give the dealer plenty of time to prep, etc., and Memorial Day was still a couple of weeks away.

rkswyo · 05-19-2012, 03:01 PM

Mine took two weeks longer than what I was quoted. Drove me crazy with anticipation!

Triguy · 05-19-2012, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bikendan

just a comment.
there are a huge number of threads running, about waiting times.

all of these are from buyers that chose to buy their RVs, for the summer season.
which is the busiest times for the factories, who probably have been running with less employees, due to the economy.

so, if you choose to buy, at the peak ordering time, your RV and make plans to have it in the minimum time frames, you kinda have to put up with delays.

buying in the spring, for a factory-ordered RV, is the absolute WORSE time of the year to buy, if you expect quick delivery.
i also think that due to the avalanche of orders, this time of the year, that the factories are pushing their employees to get the RV through the assembly line, resulting in sloppy work and poor quality control.

personally, this is why i've always recommended people ordering in the fall.
of course, this is just my opinion.

Good point, Dan.

I think part of the problem is that newbies (to ordering) just don't know. I can relate to this because I was in those shoes last spring after having experience with several used trailers.

Maybe we should start a thread next fall warning newer members of this cycle if they are thinking of ordering in 2013.

BicycleMark · 05-19-2012, 04:42 PM

I believe much of the timing has to do with which manufacturing site your trailer is coming from and what is scheduled to be built at that particular factory. As it happened, our trailer was delivered 2 weeks early due to the order hitting at the rite time. This was good because it took a week for PDI, then during our walk-through we found an issue that took another 2 weeks to correct.

I would suggest keeping your current trailer until you have the new one in hand if you have camping plans.

Just my 2 cents,
Good luck

melbornj · 05-19-2012, 05:53 PM

I don't think many of us have a problem with the time it is taking. For me it is the fact that I was promised that it would be here in six week and by the time I pick it up I will be just over fourteen weeks. My dealer told me he is not surprised because that is what normally happens with the early spring orders. I would have zero issues waiting if he told me to begin with to expect fourteen weeks but when I expected something two months ago and it is still not here at is when it becomes frustrating.

NancyTX · 05-19-2012, 06:49 PM

Exactly right. The problem is in the setting of expectations by the dealer. They should be honest when they quote you a time. The advice for a newbie would be that they should require the dealer to actually call the factory to confirm before quoting a delivery timeframe. It is the dealers who need to fess up to someone ordering in high season that the wait is going to be longer. Of course there might be an unexpected delay, like a holdup in delivery of cherry furniture, but there is no excuse for saying six weeks if every Spring the actual timeframe is 12 weeks or more.

scroses40 · 05-19-2012, 09:05 PM

Thanks for all the replies and I'm happy to see that some folks received on time or within a reasonable timeframe from the expected date. Like many have said, it's not so much the delivery time, as it is relying on what's communicated and then planning vacations around that. I would think the factory could plan well enough to give a solid date at the time of order. Things outside their control like dealer delivery or a sudden parts shortage from a vendor are a different story and part of any delay in manufacturing. I'll post on here when ours is delivered so other buyers have another story to reference.

For all those looking forward to Memorial Day camping......happy camping!!!

Shawn

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