HELP!!!! Very unhappy camper.....

ashump · 05-24-2012, 09:46 AM

My wife and I just picked our Silverback from Gillette's Rv in Lansing Michigan. When doing our walk through, I noticed that the dining table side slide was not sealing. Not a problem we were told, it would be taken care of before we left. I later asked if it was done, and i was assured it was. So, 3 hours of towing back to our house, we open it and not only is it still not sealing, but the molding around the top of the slide is bent out and cracked. Also when we got it home and really had a chance to look at it, we noticed the cuts in the refrigerator frame. We were assured that it would be taken care of, but i do not feel that I should have to pay for the fuel, or loose a day of work to get it there. The sales person has not responded to either phone calls or emails and the service department is trying to pawn it off in another dealer. So, did i make a mistake going from Jayco to Forest River? Would love to talk to a rep if anyone could put me in touch with one.

Itsthetwoofus · 05-24-2012, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ashump

My wife and I just picked our Silverback from Gillette's Rv in Lansing Michigan. When doing our walk through, I noticed that the dining table side slide was not sealing. Not a problem we were told, it would be taken care of before we left. I later asked if it was done, and i was assured it was. So, 3 hours of towing back to our house, we open it and not only is it still not sealing, but the molding around the top of the slide is bent out and cracked. Also when we got it home and really had a chance to look at it, we noticed the cuts in the refrigerator frame. We were assured that it would be taken care of, but i do not feel that I should have to pay for the fuel, or loose a day of work to get it there. The sales person has not responded to either phone calls or emails and the service department is trying to pawn it off in another dealer. So, did i make a mistake going from Jayco to Forest River? Would love to talk to a rep if anyone could put me in touch with one.

That doesn't sound good at all. We ordered our Cedar Creek through Gillette in Lansing. There were a few problems but they seemed happy to repair everything although I stayed and watched to make sure it was done correctly. A few things things needed to be tweaked by me at times and that's to be expected.
Where do you live? Grayling area? you said three hour trip home..Just wondering. We are suprised tp hear Gillette has gone by the way of many dealers who don't seem to know the internet and bad service don't mix well. Don't take to many bad reports to put a dealer in the "stay away" column.

ashump · 05-24-2012, 10:25 AM

We live in Manistee. I know and I hate dragging a place through the mud, but honestly right now i am so PO'd, i don't think i would recommend a forest river product to anyone. If this is what i can expect from their dealers and service, they can have it back.

MilCop4523 · 05-24-2012, 10:49 AM

good luck. 4 tires, awning issues, dead bolt broken in the locked position , main window casing and trim problems... and some other matters to the tune of about 1300 dollars of warranty paid out of pocket commencing on day 2 of ownership in Sept 2011 for a 2012 model and I'm still waiting for reimbursement.
I understand that Good Sam Club has a program that assists campers get warranty claims and monies spent on repairs said to be covered back for campers.

Last weekend an 82 yr old camper noticed my galley drain broken. Misalignment at factory forced split at the toughest piece of the joint.

punkaccountant · 05-24-2012, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ashump

So, did i make a mistake going from Jayco to Forest River? Would love to talk to a rep if anyone could put me in touch with one.

I had major issues with a 2011 Jayco trailer before I traded it in for my current FR product so I can tell you the grass isn't always greener...

I have always found the FR reps to be very assessable for any question I asked. I just call the main number on the back of my models brochure and they will route you to the right person.

ashump · 05-24-2012, 11:23 AM

Thanks... I'll give that a try.

Itsthetwoofus · 05-24-2012, 11:26 AM

ashump, If you read other Forums and see what other Mfg's. are doing you see there all about the same. It's called saving money and doing just what's needed to move the product..It sucks big time and even though our Forest River product had some problems, all in all it's a pretty good 5th wheel.
Gillette in Lansing and Terry Town in Grand Rapids are owned by the same person. We have found that the service in Terry Town is a bit better then Gillette. It's a bit further for us to drive but sometimes ya gotta do what ya gotta do. For wheel bearings we go just a block past Terry Town to Camping World just off 131 south of Grand Rapids. The 76th street exit. You can see it from the freeway. If I were you I think I'd call Terry Town and tell them your problem with Gillette and see if they can help you with the repairs.. That all should be covered by the warranty, now to just get the right place to do the work..
I hope this helps some and if you'd like to talk to Forest River people and show them all your problems, try to make the Forest River Rally in Goshen IN. in August. Look for the info here on the forum..
Good luck and we'll be watching for some progress in your behalf.

bob213 · 05-24-2012, 11:37 AM

I don't understand why people want to bash FR for poor service from the dealer they chose to buy from. Have you given FR a chance to correct this? I agree it shouldn't have left the factory that way but ALL mfg's have build problems. It was the dealer who failed to perform as promised. Call FR and ask them what to do or where to take it for repairs. If they don't come thru then bash away! Good luck with getting things repaired. Nothing is more frustrating than buying something new and then having to repair it. I hope you can get to the "fun stuff" of camping soon.

ashump · 05-24-2012, 11:57 AM

Not really bashing forest river and you're right I have not given them a chance to correct this. However, the dealer I purchased from is representing forest river by selling their product. And they are doing a very bad job of it. I started this post hoping to get a phone number or email address for a forest river representative. I was told to call the main number, which I will and hopefully that will get me where I want to be.

CHD Dad · 05-24-2012, 12:06 PM

Call the number on the back of your brochure. I had to deal with FR warranty when my axles were warped on my brand new Salem along with some minor issues. FR was great about everything. I had a tire blow due to the warped axles being so out of alignment. FR replaced all four tires along with the spare with no questions asked. They reimbursed us for the hotel we had to stay at when we got stranded for another issue.

You have a dealer problem first, FR problem second. Yes they made it, but the dealer is the one who didnt follow through on repairs promised to you.

bob213 · 05-24-2012, 12:07 PM

If the phone numbers don't get you where you want to go try here. May not be the correct person but they directed me to my Surveyor rep.
aevans@forestriverinc.com

ashump · 05-24-2012, 12:26 PM

I know that this isn't a quality problem with the unit. But then, as delivered, it is. Trust me, i will file a complaint with the BBB against Gillette's RV. Just hoping FR can put a fire under someones behind. Really sucks having a camper that you know will leak as soon as the first drop of rain falls.

Hey, thanks for the email address...

MilCop4523 · 05-24-2012, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bob213

I don't understand why people want to bash FR for poor service from the dealer they chose to buy from. Have you given FR a chance to correct this? Call FR and ask them what to do or where to take it for repairs. If they don't come thru then bash away!

Thanks for letting me know that I am good to bash away ..... to this point anyway. Apparently the FR warranty department wanted me to complete a W9 IRS form before I got to proceed with reclaiming my 1300 dollarsalready paid out for warranty repairs.

punkaccountant · 05-24-2012, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MilCop4523

Thanks for letting me know that I am good to bash away ..... to this point anyway. Apparently the FR warranty department wanted me to complete a W9 IRS form before I got to proceed with reclaiming my 1300 dollarsalready paid out for warranty repairs.

It's common practice for any corporation to obtain a W-9 any time a check is cut. I would simply ask them whether you will get a 1099 at the end of the year (you shouldn't unless you were a contractor). They want it on file before the check is cut because if they later determine they needed it the likelihood of getting it signed after payment is made is nil.

rockwood06 · 05-25-2012, 05:35 AM

With you being new to FR, if you want to give FR a chance to fix things the first thing I would do is call FR and complain to them about the dealership that represents there product,....Like you just said "I Would Not Recommend a Forst River Product To Any one" Well this is how reputation get started, by word of mouth just because a dealer didn't follow though dosen't mean that the product is bad.

As mention before ALL rv manufactures have their problems there is no such thing as a perfect camper. What it comes down to is how much can you tolerate this is what I have come up with for the past 12 years of camping, only owning just differant makers of campers, Fleet Wood and Forst River.

Right now I am so happy that a tree fell on my camper and totaled it, because I have had nothing but problems with it the day the warrenty ran out, I only lost $3,000 from what I paid for it 6 years ago.

As I read this forum and others I see the problems people are having, I can relate to most of them and the funny thing is that the only thing that has chanced is the price and nothing else, the quality is the same. As we go to the Rv Shows and pondering over pulling money out of my pocket to buy or to keep it where it is I just walk away and think about it over and over and ask myself, do I want to deal with the same old problems according to what all of you are posting.
The small stuff is nothing to deal with I expect that and over time things need repair just from use.

Then there members that have not had some of the major problem that come early and are happy campers, and I would like to say I wish them well, I wish I was one of them.

The only thing I can say is give Forst River a Chance and go diectly to them and see what they are going to do for you.........Good luck and happy camping.

Capsfloyd · 05-25-2012, 08:03 AM

We came from a 2010 Coleman pop up . In 2010 Coleman manufacture went belly up .

The fr dealer help us sell our pop up and we bought the TT from them

I feel very blessed , camped 5x's , this long weekend will be the real test . All has been good , no problems ,

We did the walk through when we bought , and I printed out walk through of the Internet and was up front with the service guy , we will go over this

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