Took delivery of my second Work and Play

[jaherbst]

Took delivery today of my new 25WAB. Dealer delivered it from 100 miles away. After waiting three days there to take it when promised I drove home and they brought it to me. Naturally nothing had been checked and many things were not working i.e.Generator, water system, unable to put fuel in gas tank??? and many other things. And you guessed it, no one was answering the phones all day. Very slip shod run down small dealer. The entire dealership looked like an atom bomb had just hit. I am surprised Forest River allows this franchise to operate. There are only two W&P dealers in Arizona. One in Yuma and one in Scottsdale. I chose the latter which was 150 miles closer. I now have second thoughts. No check out and nothing obviously had been checked before delivery.

I must say that everyone I met there has been nice and friendly when you are able to contact them or their occasional return of phone calls. Techs/Mech's were generally a bunch of young kids that were not up to standards except for The fellow who mounted the TV's and some extra tie downs. This was a very disappointing experience to say the least. We have had to cancel our vacation and now are faced with the excruciating pain of having to get everything fixed and where to go to get it fixed under warranty. Yuma is 200-250 miles away and the temps will be 106*.

Only writing this to warn others and perhaps spare you the disappointment and let down. I have had calls to sales, service, finance manager and owner since noon today. No one has contacted me except the fellow who delivered the Trailer. Said he would try to contact someone for me. He does not work there I believe.

Well thanks for listening and I feel better now. Will let you know tomorrow if anyone bothers to call back.

Jack

[Big Red and 30WR]

Your brave or dumb as hell for buying a second one . After my first one , I`ll never buy a FR product or any rv for that matter . Good luck getting your mess figured out.

[jaherbst]

Originally Posted by Big Red and 30WR

Your brave or dumb as hell for buying a second one . After my first one , I`ll never buy a FR product or any rv for that matter . Good luck getting your mess figured out.

Probably a little of both. After I got all the bugs out of the 18EC I did enjoy it. I bought this one in Scottsdale AZ and the 18EC in Texas at RV max. Not sure which experience was worse!

They did send someone down (100 miles) to look at the generator. It was the auto connect hung up. I asked to look at the furnace and Hot water. Furnace works Hot water needs a pressure valve that will not allow water into the tank. Here we go again. Not sure they will drive back to fix it. Will update. There goes our little shake down cruise and trip in June.

Had they checked all these things before delivery, which I asked them to do numerous times it would have saved us a lot of heartbreak.



Jack

[jaherbst]

Talked to owner this morning and sounds like they will come to me to fix the water heater. Element I'm sure is burned out also. Electric switch on with no water in the tank. Water pressure was fine and pump primed.

Feeling a little better now about the purchase. Lets see if they follow through. If so I will be a "happy camper" again.

Jack

[CaptnJohn]

Originally Posted by jaherbst

Talked to owner this morning and sounds like they will come to me to fix the water heater. Element I'm sure is burned out also. Electric switch on with no water in the tank. Water pressure was fine and pump primed.

Feeling a little better now about the purchase. Lets see if they follow through. If so I will be a "happy camper" again.

Jack

I was 750 miles from home (710 from dealer) on the maiden voyage when I had a problem with the furnace. Called Atwood, they emailed a list of techs ~~ problem solved. I had to pay $50 service call but would do that for any appliance if far from the dealer.

[jaherbst]

My gut tells me that they did not open up the bypass valve before delivery and the tank never had water---burned out element.

Jack

[azwiz]

Originally Posted by Big Red and 30WR

Your brave or dumb as hell for buying a second one . After my first one , I`ll never buy a FR product or any rv for that matter . Good luck getting your mess figured out.

X 2

[SuicideSaints]

Originally Posted by Big Red and 30WR

Your brave or dumb as hell for buying a second one . After my first one , I`ll never buy a FR product or any rv for that matter . Good luck getting your mess figured out.

I completely disagree with this. I would buy another FR product in a heartbeat!

I understand that you didnt buy local but the 2 golden rules in RV purchases are:

1) choose a reputable and well reviewed dealer, the dealer is your life line

2) nothing compares to a solid PDI when purchasing any RV, 5er or TT.

With that being said it does sound like they are easier fixes and that actions are already taking place. I hope you get it all taken care of and are back out enjoying the camping season soon.

[jaherbst]

Originally Posted by SuicideSaints

I completely disagree with this. I would buy another FR product in a heartbeat!

I understand that you didnt buy local but the 2 golden rules in RV purchases are:

1) choose a reputable and well reviewed dealer, the dealer is your life line

2) nothing compares to a solid PDI when purchasing any RV, 5er or TT.

With that being said it does sound like they are easier fixes and that actions are already taking place. I hope you get it all taken care of and are back out enjoying the camping season soon.

You are correct. I have had a little experience with this but buying a new RV regardless of how many you have owned or which dealer you bought it from you are going to have problems. I have owned 7 Class A motorhomes (two large diesel pushers and 2 toy haulers) and none of them worked perfectly out of the box. I have been to several factories in Indiana and watched how these things are slapped together. I forced Fleetwood to take back a motorhome and that was another experience for another day.

Moral of the story is, if you own an RV things are going to go wrong. How you and your dealer handle them will determine the joy of owning them.

Remember buyers expectations are always greater than most Dealers are willing to provide.

Jack

[SeaDog]

I expected some problems so I have not been disappointed, all RVs regardless of make have problems just like new cars. Why stay on a FR forum if you would not buy their product?

[Retired JSO]

We are on our second FR product. The first, we bought a new 2004 Sandpiper fifth wheel. Added a second A/C, blew a converter, out of my pocket. FR had me in touch with Lippert who sent new axles and a hydraulic slide pump along with picking up the labor tab. We got about 30,000 miles on that trailer. After a 3 year absence from trailers, we bought a new 25 ' W&P toy hauler in February and have been over 3,000 miles on 8 different trips. The only thing I have wrong at this time, the water heater pop off valve leaks for a few hours after we set up. Headed out this weekend for 2,000 more miles over a few weeks. Update upon return.

[Keystone]

I brought my 2015 25CB home this February. 5,500 miles of towing, 21 nights in it so far. Nothing wrong with it.

[jaherbst]

Well water heater is up and running. Dealer did not do a precheck to see if things worked. After they were unable to deliverer three days past delivery date and we had driven 200+ miles to pick it up they agreed to deliver it to me. Nothing had been checked to see if it worked. One of those things was the WH and they had failed to close the bypass valve and open the valves to the water tank. Heat element was not burned out as we discovered a shut off switch when it overheats with switch on. I did this myself with phone directions from the service department.
This was not discovered till it had been dropped off buy a non employee who knew very little about such things.

One more item to go and that is the indicator for the fresh water system. It indicates full with no water in the tank.

MORAL OF THE STORY: never accept delivery without a complete walk through that checks each and every unit in the motorhome/ trailer. This insures that the dealer has done all the things required before delivery to you. Any reputable dealer will do this. Mine did not. Now my trailer is 150 miles away from the dealer and this is all


being done long distance.



Jack

[Big Red and 30WR]

I`ve owned 4 used trailers before buying the 30WR new . 72 Shasta 78 nomad 89 prowler and a 08 roadmaster predator. Never had to do a thing to any of these trailers. My 30WR is a different story. Its @ the dealer for the 3rd time in a year. Got a trip planned for the end of July then its for sale. Can`t justify making a payment , work on it , Reg and Ins for a week a year that I use it. They don`t build them like they use too.

[jaherbst]

Originally Posted by Big Red and 30WR

I`ve owned 4 used trailers before buying the 30WR new . 72 Shasta 78 nomad 89 prowler and a 08 roadmaster predator. Never had to do a thing to any of these trailers. My 30WR is a different story. Its @ the dealer for the 3rd time in a year. Got a trip planned for the end of July then its for sale. Can`t justify making a payment , work on it , Reg and Ins for a week a year that I use it. They don`t build them like they use too.

If the dealers would at least get everything up and running for you before delivery it would at least put you ahead of the broken game.

[Big Red and 30WR]

Originally Posted by jaherbst

If the dealers would at least get everything up and running for you before delivery it would at least put you ahead of the broken game.

I agree . Its @ the dealer now , was there last month as well and again last August. I have over 40 hours of work on it myself. Friday night I replaced the screws in the slide guards for the bedroom door and garage door. They used quarter inch screws . I thought WTF. I placed them with 1 inch screws.