Negative: Jeff Couch Nation, OH

[bev]

I shopped around for several months trying to find the best deal on a new 5th wheel. Jeff couch's rv in hamilton ohio did have the best deals. When first contacting them they were rude and rushed me on the phone like they didn't want to take the time to speak to me. I thought once they knew I was serious about purchasing their attitudes would change but unfortunatly that didn't happen. They have horrible customer service and are very very very rude! The manager brannon and jeff himself are the worste sale's people I have ever talked to in my entire life.

P.S. If someone that works at this rv dealer reads this and all the other forums posted about your dealer I hope that you would learn how to be respectful when speaking to your potential customers. I am very disappointed in how I was treated by your company

[RhoZeta]

That pretty much sums up our shopping experience this past summer. With the exception of two salespeople out of the couple of dozen that we talked to. They dont have time to talk unless you have a check in your hand. The majority of them were camper idiots as well, I knew more about them than most of those bozos! They make used car salesman look like Mother Theresa!
That is why I did not give it a second thought when I ordered ours from RVW.

[bikendan]

probably because they're getting their butts kicked by RVW.

i can't believe RVW won't beat Couch's RV prices.

[lbrjet]

We didn't end up buying from Couch's, but did go there several weekends this summer. We dealt directly with Jeff each time and his customer service towards us was outstanding. We we looking at Wildcat's but ended up buying a Flagstaff.

[Bigun]

My experience was the the same as bev. Jeff actually cussed me out and said things that would make a sailor blush. I have told several to stay away or get ready to hear it!

[Goomph]

I bought from there ...

They do not know what customer service is for sure ....They were not outright rude, but dismissive.

I would probably buy again from them, if they have the lowest price, knowing full well I would get zero customer service. Go, pay, hitch up and leave ...That sums up my experience.

[prof_fate]

Originally Posted by bikendan

probably because they're getting their butts kicked by RVW.

i can't believe RVW won't beat Couch's RV prices.

Um, from some of the posts in this thread I guess they don't have to, huh?

[KyDan]

Originally Posted by Goomph

I bought from there ...
They do not know what customer service is for sure ....They were not outright rude, but dismissive.
I would probably buy again from them, if they have the lowest price, knowing full well I would get zero customer service. Go, pay, hitch up and leave ...That sums up my experience.

Why would you buy from a dealer where you expect
no customer service??? What if you have problems??
I've always told people the price soon pales compared to
good follow up service.

A bad experience at a dealer is remembered long after
the price is forgotten.
The same goes for a good experience.

My 2¢

[prof_fate]

Originally Posted by KyDan

Why would you buy from a dealer where you expect
no customer service??? What if you have problems??
I've always told people the price soon pales compared to
good follow up service.

A bad experience at a dealer is remembered long after
the price is forgotten.
The same goes for a good experience.

My 2¢

Absolutely true. Many studies of car buyers have been done over the years and one thing always comes up the same - those buyers that paid full retail were happier than those that paid the lowest price. Could be the cheapskates felt they were getting ripped off no matter how low the price, or could be a dealer that got paid more could/would treat that customer better.

Remember, you get what you pay for in life with few exceptions.

[Goomph]

I am from Canada .. The only reason I bought across the border was price. 30K versus 21K is a HUGE difference. (Out the door prices)

And I did have problems with my trailer and hopefully they are now addressed, mentioned them on leaking Surveyor thread.

The initial reason I went there was price, and if I ever wanted to save that much money, I would do it again.

It is not like they are my local dealer where I can take my trailer. I knew going in, eve if they had fantastic customer service, I would never see them again.

I hope that explains what I meant ? Otherwise I sound like I an umm, err, you got it

Campkings is my local dealer, and except their refusal to service my trailer because I bought it in USA, they are an excellent dealer ! You can't go wrong with them ! I go there for advice, all the parts I need and they are there for me ! it is a shame they could not even come close to the price I paid.

Your full retail in USA and my full retail in Canada are VERY different numbers ...Nothing is what it seems to be, there are people out there who make their calculations, take their risks, and still come out ahead ....

I would have done it all over again ...

[prof_fate]

What makes up such a big difference in price? Import duties or something? Higher cost of doing business in Canada?

When you say they won't service it - just warranty work or anything you want and will pay for? I understand if they refuse to honor the warranty, but work you can pay cash for shouldn't be refused.

$9,000 is a big difference - that might be worth the extra hassles.

[George K]

Hello everyone, I am completely new to this site and I am very ignorant of using "threads" but I noticed several of you mentioned Couch's RV Nation as being a horrible experience. I am now totally "shaking in my shoes!" I live in the southern most part of WV and I am planning on driving to Couch's dealership in OH on the 26th of this month to p/u my new Surveyor 304. I went with them because of price and initial customer service. (Prompt return e-mails during my search, quick return phone calls, etc.) I had been to several RV shows over the past year and I knew what I wanted, but it just seemed like I kept getting the run around on pricing. When a dealer realized I was prepared to buy and I actually had good credit, it seemed as if their calculators began to malfunction and the prices kept going up. "Fuzzy Math" as George Bush would say. Jennings Camper Sales here in WV lost my business last fall because of their magic calculator. I was ready to hook up and pull one off the lot but the price magically raised almost $2,200 dollars during our paperwork session. Back to Couch's RV World; they called me last week to verify that my unit had arrived from the factory. When I shopped around, they beat the second closest dealer by nearly $5,000 for the exact same unit. I talked with Country Roads RV's in NC, a group out of FL, Burdette's Camping Center here in WV. (They talked themselves right out of my business too. When they thought I was "on the hook," they started treating me horrible. I saw the writing on the wall with those guys too) I contacted another business in PA.(Can't remember their name.) Honestly speaking, Couch seemed to sincerely want my business more than the others because of their calls, e-mails, pricing, etc. Although I will probably not be using Couch's for service, (I am about 6-7hrs from them) I like the peace of mind knowing that I am dealing with honest people. To date, I am only out $500 to Couch's. Am I making a mistake? I have never owned a camper in my life and this will be my first buying experience. I would hate for the experience to totally turn me off to camping. Does anyone out there have anything good to say about Couch's or is their only negative feedback from customers. I realize the phrase rings true that "you can't please all of the people all of the time," but-if you want to stay in business you had better be able to please most of the people most of the time. Any input will be much appreciated. Also, I think it is great to have a forum to talk about things like this. Happy camping to everyone.

[lowbubba]

Originally Posted by George K

Hello everyone, I am completely new to this site and I am very ignorant of using "threads" but I noticed several of you mentioned Couch's RV Nation as being a horrible experience. I am now totally "shaking in my shoes!" I live in the southern most part of WV and I am planning on driving to Couch's dealership in OH on the 26th of this month to p/u my new Surveyor 304. I went with them because of price and initial customer service. (Prompt return e-mails during my search, quick return phone calls, etc.) I had been to several RV shows over the past year and I knew what I wanted, but it just seemed like I kept getting the run around on pricing. When a dealer realized I was prepared to buy and I actually had good credit, it seemed as if their calculators began to malfunction and the prices kept going up. "Fuzzy Math" as George Bush would say. Jennings Camper Sales here in WV lost my business last fall because of their magic calculator. I was ready to hook up and pull one off the lot but the price magically raised almost $2,200 dollars during our paperword session. Back to Couch's RV World; they called me last week to verify that my unit had arrived from the factory. When I shopped around, they beat the second closest dealer by nearly $5,000 for the exact same unit. I talked with Country Roads RV's in NC, a group out of FL, Burdette's Camping Center here in WV and another business in PA. Honestly speaking, Couch seemed to sincerely want my business more than the others because of their calls, e-mails, pricing, etc. Although I will probably not be using Couch's for service, (I am probably 6-7hrs from them) I like the peace of mind knowing that I am dealing with honest people. To date, I am only out $500 to Couch's. Am I making a mistake? I have never owned a camper in my life and this will be my first buying experience. I would hate for the experience to totally turn me off to camping. Does anyone out there have anything good to say about Couch's or is their only negative feedback from customers. I realize the phrase rings true that "you can't please all of the people all of the time," but-if you want to stay in business you had better be able to please most of the people most of the time. Any input will be much appreciated. Also, I think it is great to have a forum to talk about things like this. Happy camping to everyone.

I too was nervous about too good to be true pricing of Jeff Couch's RV. They are 30 miles from me. The wife and I looked at the RV show in January. We started at one end and finished at the other. We decided to purchase a Surveyor 275. The price they quoted as at the show never changed. When the unit came in, we went and looked at it, found a leak in the bathroom vent. They fixed it. When we went to pick up the camper, they showed us how to work the different things (first camper). We brought it home. Had 2 inches of rain and the vent still leaked. I called them, they asked if I was local, I said I was, I was asked to bring it back, they re caulked the vent, plus installed a Maxx air vent to make sure it did not leak again. At no charge to me. I asked for one on the vent over the bed, they said sure, installed $40.00. It has rained even more and no leaks.
Everyone from the owner, Jeff Couch to the salesmen, to the mechanics in the back were extremely nice. Yes, they are busy, but if you had a question. They took the time to answer. If I was to purchase a new camper, or if someone asked me where to go, I would send them there with out question. If I can help, please PM me. Also, I am not affiliated with Couch's campers in anyway.
Randy Hatton

[Goomph]

I bought from them and their customer service mentality, in my opinion, does not exist.

Having said that, They quoted me a price, I negotiated it down, learned the final figure. Drove around a thousand miles, paid the rest, took my trailer, ad drove home.

The price did not change. Their techie guy had no idea how to install the equalizer. he also did not know how to adjust the slideout as it was scraping the floor and called someone else.

If all you want is cheap price, yeah, they keep their promise. I did NOT get ripped off after driving 1,000 miles ... or whatever the distance was

So rest easy, go pay for it and get your trailer. I would buy from them again, knowing full well how shabbily I would be treated. But hey, you pay much less, and they give you a brand new trailer just like they promised at the price they said they would.

Feel better I hope ?

[buckeyefan]

I bought my TBUD from Jeff last year.
I personally don't have any issue with them.
He is a high volume dealer with rock bottom prices.
He keeps the operation lean and inventory moving.
I think that fast moving environment makes people think he doesn't care or that customer service is bad.

I do have the luxury of being 15 miles away and can easily drive there.
I've seen his staff interact with customer on the phone and in the showroom.
The way I read it, he wants to give you facts, the best deal and you let him know if you are interested. After all, you wouldn't be calling from 100-2000 miles away if you didn't already do your research and know what you were looking for.

They have all been knowledgeable on any question or concern I've had.
I am actually looking to trade my TBUD in on a 5th wheel or a larger TT.
I've kick a few models and number around, but I am waiting to see a few new models when they arrive. The numbers we've worked up have been more than fair.

I have absolutely no hesitation with purchasing from Jeff again.

Happy to talk to anyone who PM me.

[George K]

I want to shout out a thank you to everyone who had such a quick reply to my concerns about my near future purchase from Couch's. I am probably stubborn enough to actually be willing to tow my TT back to my original dealership (approx 280 miles one way) in order to get the problem fixed. Hopefully, I won't have many problems and I am pretty good with home repairs, (I actually built my own home from the ground up and I had a few rental properties until recently) but I realize that when you take an object that is essentially designed to be setting stationary and pull it all over the place, there will be leaks, shortages, etc. My only hope/prayer is that if I come across a problem, Couch's will help me out personally or get me to someone who can help. To date, they have been very professional and courteous. I too am a "too the point" type of person and I appreciate that quality in a person. I realize that this sometimes rubs people the wrong way (I was programmed to interact this way because of my job as a State Trooper) but when I talked with Jeff Couch, I straight forwardly told him the lowest price quote I had been given. I faxed him the invoice along with the options list. Couch's sent me their quote with the same options list and they knocked one out of the park with their pricing. (Approx. $5,200 cheaper and they have agreed to pay my WV sales taxes) If they give me 1/2 or even 1/3 the follow up service after the sale, I believe I will be satisfied. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this summer will be a fun adventure in camping and many years of great family trips. Once again, thanks everyone!

[CincyED]

I just bought my first new 5th wheel ( I have had 1 popup, 2 hybrids and 1 TT) from Jeff Couch RV nation in January. Brannon and Jeff were great. Yes they are VERY busy but they answered all my questions and qouted me a GREAT price. I was very sceptical until it arrived and I signed all the paper work. But they delivered the excact camper I ordered for the price they qouted me with out any gimicks. I did secure my own financing prior to the deal which was initially much better then they offered me but they even matched the interest rate. So far I'm very happy with my Salem 32SRVP fifth whel toy hauler.

[mTn_biKer65]

I just bought from Couch's RV Nation in Sept. 2012 and had a great experience. I sent no less than 14 e-mails to my salesman Scott and never once received anything less than a courteous response answering any questions. I'd contemplated staying in the trailer over night which they were willing to accommodate although in the end I never did. I'd arrived with a weight distribution hitch with plans to install it while the registration for the trailer was getting switched over. The service department did it for me free of charge including removing the incorrect 2" ball and installing a new 2 5/16" ball. We spoke with many of the staff including Jeff during the pickup and were treated extremely well.

I think it goes without saying that if I had to do it over again I wouldn't hesitate.

Thanks

Paul (Kingston, Ontario)

For Canadians buying in the U.S. they know exactly what's required and make sure it's included in your package to get back across the border.

[Shelli030]

I know this thread is old, but just in case anyone else is looking at it, I wanted to reply. I bought a used, the absolute cheapest RV Jeff Couch's had on the lot less than a week ago. I was treated the same as every other customer and was given an amazing deal. The exact camper elsewhere was easily $1500 more than at Couch's and when you are buying in the under $10k range, that can mean a lot! My salesman called and kept in contact even when another couple put a deposit on the unit before I could and when their financing fell through he called me immediately and refused to sell it to two other shoppers that day and held it for me, sight unseen. The entire staff was amazing, friendly, helpful and very caring. My walkthrough on my used camper from Couch's was entirely more in depth and the service tech was more knowledgeable than when I purchased a brand new TT last year from Alum Creek RV and Marine. I feel much more prepared to handle the trailer myself now, which as a single woman, is hugely important. I cannot say enough great things about Jeff Couch's and really can't believe anyone ever had a poor experience with such great people.

[prairiecamper]

We bought our trailer in Oct 2012, from Couch's a factory order, they kept us informed of the progress and were very helpful and courteous. I would buy from them again!!