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Footslogger03 View Drop Down
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Location: Laramie, WY
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Posts: 362 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Is Service Optional?
    Posted: 05 Aug 2011 at 10:50pm
Been doingma lot of talking and visiting of Forest River dealers. It seems like some of them feel like it is up to them whether theymwork on an R-Pod or not.

Just wondering what everyone's experience has been. There is no doubt loyalty between a customer and the dealer from whom they bought their R-Pod.

But what about those of you who travelled a great distance to purchase/pick-up your R-Pod and now have to take it to a different dealer for warranty issues?

Thanks in advance   ...

MJ
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Aug 2011 at 7:02am
It is my understanding that the selling dealer is the only one who is obligated (by FR) to perform warranty work on a FR product that you may buy from them.  The FR web site (last time I looked) had a statement or 2 encouraging one to "buy local".  Personally, I like to spend my $$$ as close to home as I can, whenever possible.  Not all FR dealers sell Pods and their technicians may not be quite as "sharp" on anything unique to the Pod & it's construction.
With that said however, it seems most will do the work; as they get re-imbursed by FR for the cost.  I suspect this is at a negotiated price with FR.  I also suspect this would be something less than the dealer's standard "retail" rate.  So, you may get put in line behind those who purchased from them.  The dealer wants/needs to make money.  I would think their priorities would be something like this:
 
1.  Out of warranty "retail" repairs & upgrades  ($$$)
2.  Warranty work from "loyal" (and potential repeat) customers  ($$)
3.  Warranty work from guys/gals who bought elsewhere to maybe save a few dollars ($) 
 
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tdrace View Drop Down
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Posts: 133 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Aug 2011 at 10:08am
I am from South Carolina and bought my rpod from RvNations in Ohio. I have had no problem with Camping World and another Rv dealer working on my camper. I can't imagine anyone not wanting the business in this economy. Everyone has been Great!
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Footslogger03 View Drop Down
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Posts: 362 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Aug 2011 at 11:07am
Thanks for the replies. I wouldn't even have brought up this point but was told so by a supposed FR dealer (not to be named) the other day. In fact this same dealer tried to get me interested ina different rv than the R-Pod.

We have other options   ...

MJ
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Posts: 1950 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Aug 2011 at 11:29am
I haven't had any problems with my locale dealer here in Florida.  I bought mine in Ohio also.

Terry
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Posts: 130 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Aug 2011 at 9:36am
Yeah, I ran into this with my local dealer too.  They told me if I bought my Camper elsewhere, that they would not honor the warranty.  Given that the Ohio dealer was about 3k cheaper than the local guy, I bought elsewhere anyway.  I just couldn't justify spending an additional 3k on the pod so I could have someone local honor the warranty.  

As others here have posted though, I hear camping world and other places will take care of you.
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Posts: 1950 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Aug 2011 at 11:50am
Find a Forest River dealer that doesn't sell R-Pods and take it to them.  They MIGHT do warranty work on it anyway.

Terry
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TIDALWAVE View Drop Down
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Posts: 315 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Aug 2011 at 2:58pm
When I was shopping for my Pod (and bought from RVnation), I checked with my closest Forest River dealer and was told that they would not do warranty work if I didn't buy it from them.  I checked with the next closest dealer and was told that they would do the work even if I didn't buy from them.
Subsequently they are the dealer who I chose to do annual maintenance on the Pod.  I have been buying additional items from them as I modify the Pod's interior.
I have visited the 'closer' dealer and informed them that they had lost significant after-market business from me.  And that the 'other' dealer was soon going to make up his 'lost' sales profit in
selling me all the items I wanted to install on the Pod and doing maintenance on the Pod.
Shop charges in my area are close to $100/hr...and it doesn't take long to start to add up.
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Posts: 466 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Aug 2011 at 7:37pm
This thread shows yet another issue with the RV industry.  How dare a dealer refuse warranty work if you didn't purchase the rig from them.
"Ray & Connie"

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Posts: 6128 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Aug 2011 at 8:29pm
Originally posted by this_is_nascar

This thread shows yet another issue with the RV industry.  How dare a dealer refuse warranty work if you didn't purchase the rig from them.


It's not just the RV world brother..

We bought a VW GTI a few years ago, from a dealer in the nearest town. About a year later they closed their doors. There are 3 other dealers within 75 miles, and believe it or not, it's the farthest one away, that will/would do our warranty work, even when we explained we did buy from a local dealer, just as they would want their customers to do, but through no fault of our own we couldn't go there anymore. We had a problem in Chicago one weekend, and the closest dealer to us at that point was fantastic. If we were ever to buy another VW, we would go there and buy it. We actually got rid of that VW because it was such a pain to get it worked on under warranty, and REALLY didn't want to find out how it would be out of warranty..
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