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MDPaddlersPod View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Topic: Opinion Please
    Posted: 25 Jan 2018 at 11:06am
I would really appreciate peoples experience with dealer warranty service. I have a 179 and am on my second year with the extended factory warranty. At the end of season (October) I told my dealer I would like to schedule some warranty work; water leak behind bathroom sink, water heater not working on propane, and a leaking outside shower assy. I was told they would get back with me in a week to make an appointment, didn't happen. I went to the dealer and was told there were 10 customers ahead of me and they would get to me in order. They said they would make sure I was ready to go before the season begins. Well here we are in January and no word. My warranty expires in June, I am concerned. I am not sure what the norm is for wait time for camper repairs but, this seems excessive. I can get my car repaired in a couple of days, I would not expect to wait months to get my camper repaired. I would really appreciate advise and how long these things should take. I don't want to attack my dealer and establish a bad raport. Help.
MDPaddlersPod
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Jan 2018 at 11:25am
Leo & Melissa Bachand
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Jan 2018 at 11:28am
We have had warranty work done in the past, usually had an appointment within a week or two and work was done quickly. usually on the day we dropped it, only had to leave it overnight once.
We have a pretty good rapport with the service manager. 
Leo & Melissa Bachand
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Jan 2018 at 12:26pm
I won't get deep into how RV repair works at the dealer level. But, a quick note on how the business works.

From April until September, a dealer can't have enough people. From October until March, he can't have enough work.

So, in the off season, techs get let go. Staff is reduced. It takes longer to get anything done. The worst part is, it's hard to keep GOOD techs, because they need to work all year.. just like anyone else.

As far as when your warranty runs out. If the issue is logged, as yours is, before the warranty runs out, it will be covered.

Having people "ahead of you" for service is normal.

The reason a car dealer can always turn you around faster is, their service staff stays busy all year.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Jan 2018 at 12:55pm
Originally posted by MDPaddlersPod

I would really appreciate peoples experience with dealer warranty service. I have a 179 and am on my second year with the extended factory warranty. At the end of season (October) I told my dealer I would like to schedule some warranty work; water leak behind bathroom sink, water heater not working on propane, and a leaking outside shower assy. I was told they would get back with me in a week to make an appointment, didn't happen. I went to the dealer and was told there were 10 customers ahead of me and they would get to me in order. They said they would make sure I was ready to go before the season begins. Well here we are in January and no word. My warranty expires in June, I am concerned. I am not sure what the norm is for wait time for camper repairs but, this seems excessive. I can get my car repaired in a couple of days, I would not expect to wait months to get my camper repaired. I would really appreciate advise and how long these things should take. I don't want to attack my dealer and establish a bad raport. Help.

Charlie's second law of thermodynamics the world: "Incompetence is not hard to find. It's everywhere". That said I would keep bugging them. Their promises to call you back often get dumped in the bucket or they leave with the personnel on Friday afternoon. If they get annoyed you probably don't want them working on you camper anyway. Attitudes vary greatly with the shop. Some are in business to keep you happy; some are in business to keep themselves happy.

Charlie's first law? "There's no such thing as too much garlic".
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Jan 2018 at 1:48pm
I would think that any work for which an appointment is made before the end of the warranty would still be covered under warranty even if the work wasn't done until after expiration. You should be able to get something in writing from the dealership for evidence.

We are very fortunate to have the service manager that we do. Even if there are RVs ahead of us, he will make the best use of the time when work on those RVs is paused for whatever reason to deal with other RVs.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Jan 2018 at 1:48pm
LOL
Leo & Melissa Bachand
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Jan 2018 at 2:29pm
Thanks guys, I will try to remain patient but, check in more often. I really don't want to piss them off, that wouldn't be a fun relationship.
MDPaddlersPod
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Jan 2018 at 4:27pm
Don't be too patient.  We went through almost the same thing.  Unit went in for warranty work as we were coming to the end of the warranty period.  Nothing really serious....just a bunch of little stuff.  We phoned and phoned and phoned some more.  There was always at least 3 units ahead of us, or the Techs had an off site repair to do....more units ahead of us.  We thought this was one of the better dealers in town but I suspect that warranty work hits the bottom of every pile.  Units that customers are paying for automatically go to the front of the line.  Once the warranty expires then good luck trying to get anything done then.....the conversation with the Service Dept was almost like a session of "Who's on first"  k
You have lots of time but I wouldn't give them too much slack.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Jan 2018 at 5:12pm
With RV's (especially Forest River) the dealer is like the final assembly line worker.  So whenever new RV's arrive they need to be gone over and require several hours of repair work. And they take priority.  Then the larger units Motorhomes (over six figures) go next.  The lowly sub $20,000 RPOD is dead last on the list.  Lastly the walk throughs are usually done by the same people doing the repairs so that also takes priority.  So that is why it can take weeks (our dealer is 3 week wait), a dealer where we did not buy takes forever.  So be patient try to get a appointment in writing through email then you can document when it was promised and more importantly prove to FR the problem was reported BEFORE warranty expired
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