Negative: Hilltop RV in Ishpeming, MI

[Boyd]

These folks are happy, all smiles and promises when selling a rig but when it comes to fixing what is covered under warrantee, it's a whole different story. I'm guessing that the repair department is either overworked or 'UNDER-SKILLED." Avoid this place like the plague. They take poor craftmanship as a norm and expect the customer should be happy with sloppy work.

[NWJeeper]

Hi Boyd, Sorry to hear of the issues with your dealer but this is the "norm" in RV sales not the exception. Service after the sale is one of the biggest gripes of new owners we see here. The issue is not dependant on brand either, you will find it of any brand.

This is why we usually advise that if it is an issue you can fix yourself you should as YOU know YOU did it right. If it is an issue with an appliance or accesory not made by FR then find the closest authorized repair facility for that item (Dometic, Suburban, Amana, etc.) In many cases it will not be the dealer you bought from and they are usually much better at dealing with the particular issue. The appliances and accesories not made by FR do not require FR to be involved in the warranty process, FR only becomes a middleman in the issue if you take the rig to an FR dealer.

Beyond that if it is an issue with the construction of the unit itself you are stuck with an FR dealer or a shop they authorize to do the work. If you call FR directly they can and have approved a non FR shop to do work in the past. If it's something you can do and just need parts they may just send them to you, that is what happend in our case. I do not trust my local dealer and advised FR I would not take my RV to them. I told the gentleman at FR that I was more than capable of doing my own work and they sent me the items to do the fix myself.

Once you get things worked out the rig should hopefully be a good experience for you.

Take care.

[Boyd]

Originally Posted by NWJeeper

Hi Boyd, Sorry to hear of the issues with your dealer but this is the "norm" in RV sales not the exception. Service after the sale is one of the biggest gripes of new owners we see here. The issue is not dependant on brand either, you will find it of any brand.

This is why we usually advise that if it is an issue you can fix yourself you should as YOU know YOU did it right. If it is an issue with an appliance or accesory not made by FR then find the closest authorized repair facility for that item (Dometic, Suburban, Amana, etc.) In many cases it will not be the dealer you bought from and they are usually much better at dealing with the particular issue. The appliances and accesories not made by FR do not require FR to be involved in the warranty process, FR only becomes a middleman in the issue if you take the rig to an FR dealer.

Beyond that if it is an issue with the construction of the unit itself you are stuck with an FR dealer or a shop they authorize to do the work. If you call FR directly they can and have approved a non FR shop to do work in the past. If it's something you can do and just need parts they may just send them to you, that is what happend in our case. I do not trust my local dealer and advised FR I would not take my RV to them. I told the gentleman at FR that I was more than capable of doing my own work and they sent me the items to do the fix myself.

Once you get things worked out the rig should hopefully be a good experience for you.

Take care.

Thanks a thousand JW Jeeper. Yes, I can, and have, fixed many of the annoying problems myself. The BIG problem that remains is a slide issue. I have a, new 2010 Coachman Freelander Dreamer, one slide. The engineer/s that designed this slide must have had recieved thier degree from "Save a Buck Tech." The underside of the slide is so constructed (When slide is out) that air, dust, wasps, spiders, bees, can pass into the inside without obstruction. When at the dealer for warantee work I was told by the head of the repair department that the issue was un-resolvable and that I had purchased a unit that was defective from the beginning-when it came off the line...OUCH!

The only way I can see make it air tight is to have a tent-type material encase the bottom of the slide attached with snaps or Velcro. That in it'self would be a pain but better than bees buzzing around with us at supper or an unhappy spider sinking their fangs in us when were down in southwest this winter.

Could you direct me to a phone number where I could talk with Fox River directly? It is possible that are addressing this issue with a retrofit of some sort.

One year, bumper to bumper warrantee is good through the end of this month.

Thanks again for your help,

Boyd
Iron River MI

[NWJeeper]

Boyd, Forest River is basically a bunch of different RV divisions all run differently and because of that you need the number for the division that manufactured your trailer. If that is "coachmen" then you would need that number. Unfortunately I do no know what that would be. I hope one of the more knowledgable trailer owners here might have that number. I know that the Coachmen side was a recent purchase for FR.

Many RVs with slides have a wiper seal on the bottom side of the opening, perhaps they missed putting one in or something, I don't know.

Sorry I can't help more. Hopefully someone can direct you to a good number for the Coachmen side of things and can help.

[MightyMike]

I recently had a question about a Forest River product. I was surprised to find there is no contact info on their website. I called one of the local dealers and they gave me a number to call. I think I still have it at home, I'll look when I get there. Anyway, it got me to some lady who when I told her what I was looking for gave me a direct # for a factory rep for that division. Maybe try a dealer?

[aintgotnun]

Check out the 3rd post here.

I'm pretty sure we have more contacts here on the forum just have to search for them.

Edit: Another thread.

Edit: Yet another thread.

Edit: And another thread.

[MightyMike]

Sorry, kept forgetting to look for this. Dealer gave me this number-574-389-4600. When they answered I just told them the division I was trying to get info for. Think I spoke to someone named Megan, and she gave me the number of the east coast rep for that division.