as long as you are doing it, and have taken the time to know what it all means and you still think it is worth the risk, you made the right choice...
I just hate when one makes a decision like that without taking the time to know just what it is he is doing, then later blame a dealer who knows what his fixed cast and overhead is and he also has to decide what he can live with... if everything goes well for you you will be happy, if it don't, just remember the local dealer owes you nothing, but will still help when he can...
having a good working relationship with your local dealer can be terrific, I make it a point to establish that long before buying and have no less than three local dealers that would help me in a heart beat... I have bought at least one trailer from each over the years...
one example would be, my WH wasn't turning off on elec. when I asked my dealer what all to check he said he had a tech coming to my seasonal area the next day and he would look at it... no parts were needed and what ever he did corrected the problem, and no bill...
these aren't isolated instances I had a bent spring bar for my hitch... I took it to the shop to see if I could do something with it and he just gave me a good used one he had...
things always work both ways and it takes a little effort on both parts... but it works... there are many ways this relationship pays off, before, during and after the sale...
I to priced through a wholesaler but when the total transaction was accounted for the difference was closer to $500
and the very best part is if I need to leave the unit at the dealer I have a trust and confidence already in place and don't need to worry about it while it is there...
good dealers will survive but competing against a volume wholesalers that offers few if any services is hard for them and when enough of them are gone the wholesaler will be just as high and in the end we still lose...
Love my mass produced, entry level, built by Lazy American Workers, Hornet
Lots of people told me that local dealers would not service an RV that hadn't been purchased from them. From my experience, that was a lot of hogwash. I bought brand new Fleetwood DP out of state and have had no problem getting warranty work performed at several dealers in Florida, including a window replacement and not minor slide work. I had AC work done at a non-Fleetwood dealer. One thing I found was that even a crummy dealer doesn't treat their regular customers very well either. I had a poor experience with the first Fleetwood dealer I used; not doing items they said were complete, not having the unit ready when they said it would be, etc, but sitting in the waiting room revealed that their regular customers were very disatisfied as well. They weren't singling me out, they treated everybody poorly. The other dealers I used were glad to get the business and did good work.
Times are tight. I doubt you will have trouble getting a dealer to make more money for himself. One problem my last service manager told me was that the factories are tightening up on what they will pay for under warranty and customers are having to fight with the manufacturer to get claims approved. Dealers get caught in the middle sometimes.
I also would make sure the manufacturer will allow you to bring it back to the factory if you are not happy with the dealers work or there is major repair needed EG delamination, etc.
To be honest with you ... I've read a lot of "oh, if you buy something from another dealer, your local dealer won't service you."
BUT
I have read precious few actual posts from someone who was refused local service, regardless of where they purchased their rig. And most of those posts, quite frankly, are quite suspect, and probably some dealer salesman spreading "fear."
Most of the credible "service problem" reports are from people who have had trouble with service work performed by their local dealers.
You also have to remember ... there is nothing about trailers that is rocket science.
And our rigs aren't just covered by a manufacturer's warranty ... but are covered by MULTIPLE warranties from each and every component. Your refrigerator is covered by your refrigerator manufacturer, your awning is covered by your awning manufacturer, etc. etc.
Just wait until you get your delivery package ... you'll be floored by all the variously warranty pamphlets.
So, while your local XYZ RV dealer may be a jerk ... there is a Dometic authorized service dealer just down the street who is independent and more than happy to help you with your refrigerator problem.
So when you read the fear-mongering about "oh, if you don't buy it here, we won't service it" really doesn't mean anything ... and flies in the face of the policies of major RV manufacturers, let alone the warranty departments of the 5 or 10 major component manufacturers.
Now, having said all that ... it is extremely difficult to get ANY RV dealership to work on your rig in July ... where as they will all be happy to work on it in Jan.
And, that's because they are all understaffed and overworked ... during the camping season. In the off season, they are all in danger of going out of business.
Much better to cultivate a relationship with a local independent RV repair shop, who is probably an authorized service center for Norcold, Dometic, Carefree, etc. etc. and understands the wisdom of not turning away business.
But, as I said ... I've read precious few actual posts from actual folks who have run into a problem with a service center turning them away because they didn't buy their rig there.
Instead the internet is full of tales of woe about shoddy local dealer service of their own actual customers.
And last, if you travel a lot ... odds are you will be 100s of miles away from your selling dealer when you have a problem.
Jayco, for example, has an 800 number to aid you in finding service and will also authorize warranty work done by INDEPENDENT RV service guys.
So, go, enjoy your new rig. Don't look back.
Most of us never have to take a rig back for warranty work.
I have never had any trouble getting warranty work done in fact we bought a TT at a dealer about 150 miles from where we live, a few months later we were getting ready to leave on a trip and the propane regulator quit working ran by a local dealer to just buy one and he asked a few questions I told him I didn't buy the TT there and said it didn't matter it was warranted and handed me a new one and said to just bring the old one by some time when we got back no deposit or anything. I will do business their from now on.
You're right - $4500 buys a LOT of service work. I think you made the right decision, run with it and be happy.
If you do need warranty service, and find that the local dealer is less than cooperative..Contact the manfuacturer, ask them to help you find a dealer that will do the work. You may be surprised to find that one or more of your local dealers *will* do the work (although they may take care of their customers first, resulting in yours not getting done quite as soon as you might hope for).
If that fails, see if manufacturer will let you get the work done where you want (maybe local dealer?) at your expense, and manufacturer re-imbursing you directly for whatever portion of it they will pay. Yeah, they may not pay *all* of what it costs you to fix it, but with what you saved on the purchase price, I'd say it might be worth that risk.
As already said, if you're handy and not afraid to fix the minor things yourself, you may well never even need to bring it in for warranty work.
JJBIRISH makes a great point, though: Wholesalers that allow people to do just what is being described here, make it very hard (and kind of unfair) on the local dealers. Tough to compete against someone that doesnt have to maintain a real service dept., inventory, etc., when you do have to maintain those things. Kind of scary to think about what this eventually could lead us to (very few if any local dealers, nothing but RV wholesalers with little or no service dept. and prices same as local dealers now....)
Will & Angela
2 wonderful children that love camping, Stephen & Allison
2003 Ford Excursion V10 4x4
2003 Thor Citation 33M, Hensley Arrow hitch, Brakesmart Brake Control
(wanna see? Here is a picture of it )
Yeah, but RV DIRECT is a real RV dealer ... with three RV dealerships in New York and Iowa. I've been to Des Moines RV ... RV Direct's Iowa dealer ... their shop is bigger than my local dealership ... and is being expanded this summer.
In fact, Des Moines RV is one of Jayco's oldest full service RV dealers.
So it's not like you are purchasing from some electronic blip on the internet that's going to take your money and disappear.
But I also understand how someone in California might have second thoughts about buying from someone who nearest dealership is in Iowa ... I wouldn't ... because as I said, I'm always 100s of miles away from home ... so having a "local" dealer really isn't a lot of help ... or comfort.
My local dealer (the one I purchased my TT from) is not real helpful so far, I have tried to get them to do the following:
1). Re-pack wheel bearings: Answer, we don't do that kind of work
2). Check out antenna: Answer, see us in six weeks...at the earliest
3). Replace (under warranty) tires: Answer, here's an 800 number-good luck with that
Before this, the first questions was what EXACTLY was the delivery date?
So, I also have a local RV service (Independent--George's RV, Minot ND) who does all my service work. In the last 30 days they have made around $1000.00 in sales and service that could have gone to the dealership but didn't. I figure that if the dealership doesn't want the income, someone else does. I do a lot myself, but some things I am more than happy to let someone else do.
I bought from RV direct and yes saved some money now I have a unit going back there to be picked up by the factory to replace my flooring and will be with out it for a month or more then have to drive all the way back up there to pick it up when its done. would I every do it again "No" but if I didn't have a problem with the flooring on my Jayco I would be with the others telling you to do it. I don't know if im just unlucky or what. If you don't know someone first hand that has done it please think hard about it before you put all your trust from a Internet sight
Ah, Hart Broken Barb, good to see you again. Now you're saying Jayco is picking up your trailer for repairs ... and that's a bad thing? How would things been different if you had dealt with a local dealer? If a problem is bad enough to warrant return to a factory, the outcome is the same.
And how is it that Jayco decided to pick up the trailer. In another anti-RV Direct thread, you said RV Direct wouldn't help you, nor would your local dealer.
Are you now saying Jayco has authorized return to the factory for the repairs? Without any dealership even looking at your problem?
You also said in the prior thread your slide out was stuck out, yet your rig is going back to Jayco now for a flooring problem.
I also offered to help intervene. Please PM the names of the folks at RV DIRECT whom you say won't help you. The offer still stands.
Now, granted, if your story is true ... the drive from Missouri to Iowa will be an expense and a pain ... but you are still receiving factory support from Jayco ... so it's not all bad.
Could you please upload pictures of the floor problem? I'd like to see it. Thanks!
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