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Old 05-04-2015, 07:48 AM   #1
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Camping World buying Tom Johnson?

This is not fact, but conjecture. Perhaps someone else can confirm or refute my conclusion.

In the Camping World app on my phone, the list of stores says they have new stores coming soon in Concord and Marion, NC. The coincidence of that being where Tom Johnson has sites leads me to consider the possibility of him selling off his business.

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Camping nights: 2021, 52; 2022, 99; 2023, 88; 2024, TBD (Est: 80+)

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Old 05-04-2015, 03:49 PM   #2
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Its already done, but from what the folks there were talking is that CW owns it but its staying TJ for now.
http://www.rvbusiness.com/2014/12/ca...on-dandy-rv-2/
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Old 05-04-2015, 11:08 PM   #3
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Thanks for the info. I bought my trailer there and got a fair deal but was unimpressed with the PDI. I also was dissatisfied by the attitude of the service writers toward my requests for corrections in the two days I stayed at the campground. I was clearly an annoyance.

My dealings with the local CW (Lake City, FL) have been positive. They happily took on my warranty work despite not having purchased my trailer from them.

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Camping nights: 2021, 52; 2022, 99; 2023, 88; 2024, TBD (Est: 80+)

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Old 05-05-2015, 06:51 AM   #4
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Originally Posted by chriscowles View Post
I bought my trailer there and got a fair deal but was unimpressed with the PDI. I also was dissatisfied by the attitude of the service writers toward my requests for corrections in the two days I stayed at the campground.
Marion? From what I understood was the 21DK models just showed up at TJ in the last month or so, They never seen a Sapphire package till ours arrived from Concord.
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Old 05-05-2015, 07:21 AM   #5
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Camping world is trying to consolidate the RV industry and become a large national RV superstore. Right now many of the RV dealers are independent family owned affairs. Much like funeral homes. There really is no walmart of the RV dealer world. I think CW envisions themselves buying up the larger regional family businesses and becoming that large force in the market.
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Old 05-05-2015, 12:20 PM   #6
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Marion? From what I understood was the 21DK models just showed up at TJ in the last month or so...
I bought my 2014 model 21DK there in June 2014. They bought it on spec. I bought it sight-unseen.

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Camping nights: 2021, 52; 2022, 99; 2023, 88; 2024, TBD (Est: 80+)

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Old 05-05-2015, 12:29 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by vinmaker View Post
Camping world is trying to consolidate the RV industry and become a large national RV superstore. Right now many of the RV dealers are independent family owned affairs. Much like funeral homes. There really is no walmart of the RV dealer world. I think CW envisions themselves buying up the larger regional family businesses and becoming that large force in the market.
This could *potentially* be a good thing AND provide RV owners with a Nationwide chain of dealerships they could go to, and get service while on the road.

OTOH, I have been underwhelmed by most of the CW 'super stores' I have visited. The sales staff in a couple of locations were completely clueless and I have heard the techs are hit-n-miss (I have not used a CW for service yet). I have however shopped at a CW and IMHO their parts and accessories are WAY overpriced--which should not be the case since they have volume purchasing power.

Think I will continue to support my local dealer (Hood RV in Decatur, AL if any passing through need a reputable service center.) I emailed one of the folks about a service issue this morning and the service manager called me 2 hours later and apologized it had taken him so long to get back to me! Then got one of his senior techs on the phone to see if we could problem solve the issue instead of bringing the unit in for service!


Let's see CW top that!
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Old 05-05-2015, 12:34 PM   #8
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Big is not always better. Imho
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Old 05-05-2015, 12:45 PM   #9
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It's true. We were at a local competitor of Tom Johnsons 5 weeks ago and that is what they told us. Then when asked the folks at TJs told us that too.
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Old 05-05-2015, 01:44 PM   #10
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Originally Posted by chriscowles View Post
I bought my 2014 model 21DK there in June 2014. They bought it on spec. I bought it sight-unseen.

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Then you must be the one to thank....Its funny that we were looking at running to Iowa to get this floor plan at a CW, and the local CW could NOT get it shipped here, but a company they own is now carries it local....
Chris if you ever find your way back near the NC Mts....I got a spot for you to stay.
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Old 05-05-2015, 01:59 PM   #11
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Tom Johnson had/maybe still has a good sales staff, but their service department in Concord has always been a BIG disappointment. We happened to get an excellent tech when we picked up our 5er, but haven't seen hide nor hair of him since Feb 2012. Last I talked to a service tech the winter of 2012 and he told me to take it to someone to get it fixed, I haven't talked to or walked in their doors. Now, the Marion service dept. is absolutely great the one time we were there. Very friendly, professional, qualified and did outstanding work on our 2008 Flagstaff. Was really impressed with them.
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Old 05-05-2015, 03:59 PM   #12
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Then you must be the one to thank....Its funny that we were looking at running to Iowa to get this floor plan at a CW, and the local CW could NOT get it shipped here, but a company they own is now carries it local....
Chris if you ever find your way back near the NC Mts....I got a spot for you to stay.
I appreciate the invitation but had nothing to do with their ordering the model. I bought it from them because it was already in their lot.

Different CW sites will carry Roo vs. Shamrock, depending on what line is available in the area for them to be a dealer of. If another dealer in the area already represents Roo, FR won't add another Roo dealer too close to them for competitive reasons. So, if your local CW is a Roo site and the 21DK you found in Iowa is a Shamrock, I believe they can't move a Shamrock to a Roo dealership even if they (or you) were willing to pay the freight.

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RV: 2020 Rockwood Mini-Lite 2507S, Propride 3P hitch w/ 1400# spring bars

Camping nights: 2021, 52; 2022, 99; 2023, 88; 2024, TBD (Est: 80+)

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Old 05-05-2015, 08:39 PM   #13
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Camping World

FYI: Camping World has acquired Tom Raper RV in Fairfield, Ohio (just outside of Cincinnati).

Website indicated "coming soon".
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Old 05-05-2015, 08:48 PM   #14
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Old 05-06-2015, 11:13 AM   #15
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Quote:
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FYI: Camping World has acquired Tom Raper RV in Fairfield, Ohio (just outside of Cincinnati).

Website indicated "coming soon".
Stopped at their location in Richmond, IN a couple weeks ago to buy some supplies and the sales staff already wearing the CW and Good Sam's apparel. I made up my mind that if they started the pressure to get a GS membership I was leaving the stuff on the counter and walking out, but it didn't happen. They apparently haven't been indoctrinated into the GS/CW cult yet.
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Old 05-10-2015, 06:08 PM   #16
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We were very dissatisfied and disappointed with camping world. We purchased our last rv from cw in New Braunfels TX. Our salesman was extremely friendly, made the deal and set us up with the walk through. That's were the nicety ended. Pmi missed a lot of issues. The service writer acted as if it was a burden to do his job. Small repairs took over 3 weeks and I believe they broke more then they fixed. We would never buy from cw again and we won't even shop there.
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Old 05-11-2015, 06:23 AM   #17
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Does anyone know if a lot of the old staff is still in place, I am trying to deal on a unit in stock and live to far to go back for warranty work, plus do most fixes myself, so far things seem good just wondering as most have said before CW they were a great place hope the old guard is running the show still.
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