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04-25-2015, 01:12 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Whereever our Berkshire is Parked!
Posts: 7,082
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Hood RV Decatur AL
Wanted to let folks in the Tri State area know that Hood RV is your go to dealership for repairs & towable sales!
Anne-Marie and I went to the dealership at the suggestion of Rob Walworth (FR Corporate Sales) as the closest dealership for ROckwood & Cardinal 5th Wheels.
WOW was that a good visit.. Rodney & Nick Johnston (Owner and General Manager) made us feel right at home and it seems that Hood RV had hired some of the fine folks that used to work at Dandy RV as well!
So if you are in the market for a FR Towable or are on I65 near exit 334 and need FR parts, service or RV accessories (they have a small but well stocked RV store with great prices.) I can personally vouch for Hood RV
3504 Deer Road, Decatur AL 35603
I-65 exit 334 Behind the Pilot Truck Center
256.350.9395 | www.hoodrv.com
Their web site is under development - Rodney just hired a new Internet manager last week.
__________________
Bob & Anne-Marie [BamaBob & 6 Actual]
| 2017 Berkshire XLT 43A with Ultrasteer Tag | Blue Ox Avail + KarGard II |
| SMI AF-1 Air Brake | 2016 Jeep Cherokee Overland TOAD | Pedego Bikes |
Nights Camped: 2013 - 24 2014 - 42 2015 - 56 Jul 2016 - Fulltime
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08-16-2015, 10:54 AM
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#2
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Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Alabama
Posts: 90
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You got lucky with Hood Rv...we bought a class c from them in 09 ...after many trips back they never could fix a water valve problem ..
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08-16-2015, 10:58 AM
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#3
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Georgia Rally Coordinator
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: GA
Posts: 24,359
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Many things can change over time. Later RJD
__________________
2020 Shasta Phoenix SPF 27RKSS (sold)
2018 Dodge Ram 2500 6.4 3:73 gearing. Traded 2015 Chevy 2500 6.0, 4:10
Traded 2015 30WRLIKS V-Lite
Days camped 2019 62
Days camped 2020 49 days camped 2021-74 2022-40 days 2023 5 days
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08-16-2015, 11:33 AM
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#4
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Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Alabama
Posts: 90
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It was a very bad experience and it was not handled very well. We try ed to work with Hood for almost a year and they never able to make the repairs. ..we took it elsewhere and got the repairs done. I was told that warranty repairs didn't pay their shop rate so they worked on them as they had time. I felt that they did not want to do warranty work and they were doing me a favor because they sold me the coach
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08-22-2015, 06:10 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Whereever our Berkshire is Parked!
Posts: 7,082
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dogpound
You got lucky with Hood Rv...we bought a class c from them in 09 ...after many trips back they never could fix a water valve problem ..
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Quote:
Originally Posted by aceinspp
Many things can change over time. Later RJD
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dogpound
It was a very bad experience and it was not handled very well. We try ed to work with Hood for almost a year and they never able to make the repairs. ..we took it elsewhere and got the repairs done. I was told that warranty repairs didn't pay their shop rate so they worked on them as they had time. I felt that they did not want to do warranty work and they were doing me a favor because they sold me the coach
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This is a "That Was Then, This Is Now" situation
Hood RV is now under new ownership - they just decided to keep the dealership name "Hood RV - a Johnston company."
I can assure you that Rodney & Nick Johnston (Owner/General Manager) will do everything in their power to make sure you are a delighted customer. I urge you to give them a try again, I am positive you will not regret it!
__________________
Bob & Anne-Marie [BamaBob & 6 Actual]
| 2017 Berkshire XLT 43A with Ultrasteer Tag | Blue Ox Avail + KarGard II |
| SMI AF-1 Air Brake | 2016 Jeep Cherokee Overland TOAD | Pedego Bikes |
Nights Camped: 2013 - 24 2014 - 42 2015 - 56 Jul 2016 - Fulltime
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08-22-2015, 08:50 PM
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#6
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Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Alabama
Posts: 90
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Sorry ...why take chance.
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08-22-2015, 09:02 PM
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#7
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Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Alabama
Posts: 90
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We really need a factory dealership close by. If you build it you should know how to fix it. It very disappointing to buy from a dealer who can fix What needs fixed and tries to blame
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08-22-2015, 09:15 PM
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#8
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Citrus County, Fl.
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Hernando, Fl
Posts: 2,368
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Where is there a factory dealership?
__________________
2016 Forester 3011DS
2017 Toyota Corolla SE toad
PREVIOUS: 2015 Flagstaff 832IKBS
99 Terry 31G
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08-22-2015, 10:27 PM
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#9
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 67
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Bought my TT from them last July. Their techs seemed to break three things for every one they fixed. They installed an electrical outlet upside down. They fouled up television wiring. Messed up our wall trim next to the fridge. Fouled up my speaker wiring. Incorrectly installed a winterization valve. Last straw was a water pump they replaced that they did not even mount-just left it hanging by the water hoses. I gladly paid 3x what they charged for my annual "RV Warranty Forever" inspection because I did not trust them to correctly inspect/repair anything. Glad your experience was good, Bob, but their service dept lost my confidence. I hate being a Gloomy-Gus and contradictory, but just wanted readers to understand that their experience, like mine, may differ drastically.
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08-23-2015, 07:19 AM
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#10
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Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Alabama
Posts: 90
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Forest River has a lot of authorized dealers however they sell other brands...most of them don't want to do warranty work...FR is slow pay so they say. There is no factory service in the area. The closest would be Indiana. We have been using Bankston so far so good, they fixed the problems under warranty that others didn't in a timely manor
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08-23-2015, 12:10 PM
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#11
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Citrus County, Fl.
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Hernando, Fl
Posts: 2,368
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I know BamaBob's word is as good as gold. Yoy should give them a try. As for factory dealerships, I wasn't aware any factory owned a dealership except maybe Nexus and Born Free. Factory authorized, that's another story.
__________________
2016 Forester 3011DS
2017 Toyota Corolla SE toad
PREVIOUS: 2015 Flagstaff 832IKBS
99 Terry 31G
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08-23-2015, 02:00 PM
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#12
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Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Alabama
Posts: 90
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Bess his heart,,,they really messed up my coach and caused my wife and myself a lot of time and trouble. Like l said we worked with them for over a year. ...and they never did fix it.
As for a factory dealership. ..I said it would be nice to have one where they only work on coaches they manufacture. A independent dealer is what l call a jack of all trades master of none.
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08-23-2015, 04:24 PM
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#13
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 67
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No one doubts Bob's word...and I agree with your assessment--his character is beyond reproach. But different people have differing experiences. Remember, consistency and standardization went away when the second person arrived on earth.
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08-23-2015, 07:04 PM
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#14
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Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Alabama
Posts: 90
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What has consistency and standardization have to do with training....then comes the experence...what happened to the apprentice program...I know for sure that an rvs systems are very different from a residential system a
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08-23-2015, 07:24 PM
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#15
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 67
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Dogpound, I was referring to consistency and standardization of experiences one has at a dealership. You may have a good one, I may have a bad one. That is inconsistent. And standardization is how one should be trained. All are trained to certain standards. Standardization training is an aviation term and I am an old aviator. So I used it in context to how techs are trained and expected to perform. BTW, I agree with you that Hood's has a bad service dept--check my previous posts.
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08-23-2015, 07:59 PM
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#16
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Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Alabama
Posts: 90
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We do agree that Hood has a bad service dept. It was such a bad experience that we would never go there for service or repair
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08-24-2015, 10:29 AM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Whereever our Berkshire is Parked!
Posts: 7,082
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Again All, this is a "That was then, This is now" situation. Rodney & Nick Johnston just acquired Hood RV (I believe) early this year.
They have made some pretty sweeping changes, hired the finance officer that used to work at Dandy RV (Camping world Acquired them last NOV) and completely revamped the service department. They now specialize in tow-behinds. The do not sell Class A, B or C MH, but I suspect if someone was in trouble they could service the RV part of the MH but not the drivetrain.
The dealership really is "Under New Management."
__________________
Bob & Anne-Marie [BamaBob & 6 Actual]
| 2017 Berkshire XLT 43A with Ultrasteer Tag | Blue Ox Avail + KarGard II |
| SMI AF-1 Air Brake | 2016 Jeep Cherokee Overland TOAD | Pedego Bikes |
Nights Camped: 2013 - 24 2014 - 42 2015 - 56 Jul 2016 - Fulltime
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