Service without a local dealer?

Loadtoad-FRF

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Sep 27, 2023
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For those who do not live close to a dealership, how do you get service or maintenance completed if required? Does it just become a DIY project?

We are shopping Dynaquest and the availability of a local dealer to us (Cheyenne, WY) is a concern.
 
I do 96% of all work on my cars, trucks, MH.
Have not had any issues with getting parts including warranty parts.

The closest Dynamax dealer for me is 3 hours away on a good day.

If I get in a situation where Dynamax cannot ship to me directly due to Forest River corporate I have them sent it to local RV repair shop and I pick it up from there. The list is fairly small.

No matter what brand, your Pre delivery inspection (PDI) must be thorough.
On a Dynaquest that should take at least 3-5 hours or more to test every feature/system in the unit. Before it leaves the property, a weekend stay should be included and everything that you have a question or concern should be addressed. You should be comfortable with the Firefly system and what to do when things don't look right.

Good luck. IMO you cannot go wrong with a Dynamax product.

:trink39:
 
My Dynamax dealer is 8 hours away. No way I'm going back there for service. I do as much of my own work as I can - all PM's and most repairs if needed. I do have a Forest River dealer near by and I've been there a couple times if I believe I need their help. And I have a couple Freightliner shops nearby for their PM's.
 
Lazydays in Colorado would not be very far from WY. My experience owning many different RVs brands over the years is if you don’t buy it from them, sometimes it’s had to get service. I did buy from Lazydays but FL Lazydays. I live in Colorado.

Like Ken said, do a thorough testing before you leave your dealer. I’d recommend hiring a mobile RV repair person to do this for you. I didn’t. I’m handy and do most all work myself including repairs and Dynamax was great at sending me parts under warranty. I had my fair share of issues after leaving the dealer.

Good luck with your purchase.
 
We have shopped Lazydays (Loveland, CO) but told we had to purchase from the Tampa store as they could only sell the ISATA 3 & 5 new. They did say they would service warranty issues but with a 2 month wait for an appointment (that was about 3 months ago). Basically felt like I was blown off as I was not there to shop what they had.

Transwest dealer just south of them was very impressive and will be my FR chassis service center. Just a shame they are not Dynamax dealers. The extra power and Xplorer package are our decisive selling points for the XL over the Verona.
 
We have shopped Lazydays (Loveland, CO) but told we had to purchase from the Tampa store as they could only sell the ISATA 3 & 5 new. They did say they would service warranty issues but with a 2 month wait for an appointment (that was about 3 months ago). Basically felt like I was blown off as I was not there to shop what they had.

Transwest dealer just south of them was very impressive and will be my FR chassis service center. Just a shame they are not Dynamax dealers. The extra power and Xplorer package are our decisive selling points for the XL over the Verona.

The XL is a beautiful rig. Yes, I like Transwest. I'm surprised Lazydays Loveland treated you that way, but yes, I'm not surprised how long it takes to get it in for repairs. The only reason we went to Tampa Bay was we decided on the floor plan and asked the Dynamax sales rep where in the country is there one for sale. The only place was Tampa.
 
For those who do not live close to a dealership, how do you get service or maintenance completed if required? Does it just become a DIY project?

We are shopping Dynaquest and the availability of a local dealer to us (Cheyenne, WY) is a concern.

I have owned 8 RVs over the years and have never taken any of them back to the dealer for repairs. I have always done minor repairs myself. Twice I have needed warranty repairs and have taken them back to the factory. The Dynamax factory repair shop is excellent and can usually get you in and out very quickly. It would be a road trip for you but well worth it. Besides, you’re buying a RV to travel so what’s a little road trip? Hope to welcome you to the Dynamax family soon, you won’t regret it.
 
I’ve been RVing with motorhomes for the past 25 years, and no RV of mine has ever gone to an RV dealer for service or maintenance. Even with our recently new Sunseeker class C, for warranty issues the dealer agreed to give me the parts for free and I would do the labor, thus the RV never went back to the dealer.

Frankly, if I had to rely on a dealer for service and maintenance, I would rather not RV and would find a different hobby.
 
Dropping an RV off for servicing is pretty difficult. I consider RV servicing a gimmick.

When I first got the RV, there was the inspection that identified some things that needed fixing. All relatively minor. I had to bring the RV home and then take it back when the parts came in. Then I had to drop it off and come back to pick it up when it’s done.

I also had some minor things that popped up that I had to take to the shop to identify, they ordered the parts, I dropped it off when the parts came in and picked it up another day.

All that stuff I could have done on my own and have sinner become a YouTUbe certified RV tech form my year and make.

What I couldn’t do was more major stuff like a blowout on a tire that took away the paneling on the side of the RV. I dropped that off for an estimate, and three months later I picked it up when parts came in and the install was done.

I can’t say DIY has saved me money, its created other rabbit holes to go down, like I installed a really decent solar power system, which took a lot of time, but I love it.

I do the work on my own vehicles except for the tow vehicle for the RV. That will go into a shop. The diesel is too much for me to deal with.
 
I’m still under factory warranty. My dealer follow up service has been AWFUL. My Dometic toilet valve was not working properly. I called Dometic direct. I sent them a video of what it was doing and a copy of the sales contract showing when I bought it. In less than a week a new toilet showed up at my house. I installed it myself.

I learned when I had a pool built that it is surprisingly easy to call component manufacturers and get technical support people on the phone to help trouble shoot.

Just remembered, I also called Furrion about my AC systems and got a technical guy on the phone who was helpful with an issue I was having.

Same with Curt Hitch.
 
Forest River -- or any "RV" manufacturer -- rarely warrants things like toilets, refrigerators, or even the trailer or vehicle frame -- they just assemble the vehicle leaving warranty issues to whatever company manufactured the parts.

If I was to buy a motorized camper I'd first research where I can get it automotively serviced. The rest of the vehicle service can be done by ANY decent RV dealer; e.g. -- the local Jayco dealer that serviced my Roo every year to include warranty work on the refrigerator suspected I didn't buy it there. :) Establishing a relationship with a service source will help.

-- Chuck
 
I don't like RV dealers and avoid them as much as possible.
I do some work and a few times I have hired local mobile RV mechanics for furnace and AC issues.
 
I am looking to move to a Dynamax Isata 5 from a Winnebago View. The closest dealer to me is MH Specialist which has what looks like the worse reputation other than maybe Camping World so I would never buy or have a rig serviced there. They are 2.5 hours from me and I am struggling to find any other Dynamax dealer anywhere close to my location (1 hour north of Dallas) and since I am not mechanical myself I am not sure it will make sense moving to a Dynamax. Any dealer suggestions would be great especially if it is in reasonable distance to me.


Also new to this forum and still trying to learn this system.



Thanks,


Michael
 
What does the Dynamax offer that you don't already have with the Winnebago? To a guy with a camper trailer like me they seem functionally identical. :)

-- Chuck
 
There are multiple RV repair/service centers near you

"GOOGLE" Cheyenne, WY RV Service for multiple local centers. Some brand dealers really don't want to provide service if you didn't purchase your rig from them. I've read that Texas, for example, has onerous rules about that.:mad:
 
One thing about Texas law...a dealer CAN'T provide warranty service on your rig unless they carry they carry the brand. They can provide aftermarket service however.
 
One thing about Texas law...a dealer CAN'T provide warranty service on your rig unless they carry they carry the brand. They can provide aftermarket service however.

I was told by Motorhome Specialists in Alvarado Texas that any Forest River dealer would do warranty work on a Dynamax. Is this not true?
 

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