As some of you might have read on our blog, we ran into an electrical issue whilst staying at the Freedom Shores campground in Isla Aguada, Mexico.The electrical outlet was incorrectly wired and was outputting 240V. Silly me, I didn't test the outlet since other RVs where plugged in without issues. Little did I know, only the outlets for our site (and some surrounding sites where no one was parked) had the wiring issue ...Long story short: the 240V fried our microwave and converter. We spoke to Thelma, the campground owner, and she agreed to cover the repair cost as it is the RV parks responsibility.As we were on our way south for a trip through all the Central American countries, we agreed to get back in touch with her son William (who lives in Houston, TX), once we got back to the US.Last Friday, we arrived back in the US after a trip of 5 months through Central America.Whilst in Central America, we tried to have our electrical issues fixed but no electrician was able to. In the US, we contacted repair companies and people on Craigslist, but all say that 240V fries so many things (motherboard, etc.), that is cheaper to buy a new one!So, as agreed, we contacted William and Thelma with the repair bill for our microwave and converter. Total cost for parts and labor: approximately $600.It's been a week now since we've been trying to get a reply from the people at Freedom Shores. We even suggested to split the bill in half and each pay $300.No reply from them whatsoever. It looks like they're ignoring our contact attempts. Frustrating.Has anyone here had experiences staying with them or dealing with them?P.S. They were very easy to contact when it happened. Now that the bill is here, it's a different story.

Sorry about the problem. That's a nice looking truck camper setup you have.

The sad thing is - many outlets in Mexico are incorrectly wired. Knowledge of electricity - a meter to test outlets - necessary. We have also found problems in some parks in the US. I am not sure how they manage to get 220v wired outlets in Mexico but we have seen them elsewhere - Piramide Inn in Piste by Chichen Itza comes to mind. We have stayed at Isla Aguada but sorry we can offer no help for your problem with them. Sorry this happened.

over the years there has been no owner/manager on site during the off season. Waiting 5 months to make a final claim is not helping the cause, give them a few more weeks to check business emails.

We finally heard back from Freedom Shores today.Bad wiring at the RV park fried our appliances in February this year; Telma, the owner, hired an electrician who confirmed the RV parks liability; Telma agreed to pay for our damages once we got back to the U.S. ... and today, almost 6 months later, we get a phone call from her son William that they will pay nothing because it was our fault. He said that it wasn't his fault (even though his mother, Telma and the local electrician in Isla Aguada told us different back in February) and even though the right thing to do is to pay (imagine what a happy, grateful customer we would be on the internet), he said there's nothing we can do about it since the business is in Mexico and people basically do what they can get away with. Nice.Interesting business ethics down in Mexico! All I can say: beware before staying there. We won't ever again.Even though Telma agreed to pay for all our expenses back in February (upon our return to the US), we didn't even ask for all of it ... but half! I explained to William (the son) that we asked for half since, yes, it's their fault, but at the same time, we should have been smarter by testing before plugging in.As a result, I feel it is my duty to document my negative feedback on the RV park online: here, Trip Advisor, Church's ... Hard to understand some businesses: one unhappy customer can be more expensive than a large amount of advertising.Sorry for my rant, but the phone call with William this morning was just too much. Talk about lack of customer service or honesty as compared to his friendly mother who was willing to help us.

A rant is always welcome along with info about a park but I don't understand the comment Interesting business ethics down in Mexico! . All other countries have good business ethics except Mexico?

Trouble at Freedom Shores in Isla Aguada | Good Sam Community

29 Replies

bighatnohorse
Explorer II
Jul 16, 2014
jornvango wrote:
Silly me, I didn't test the outlet since other RVs where plugged in without issues.

I have a surge protector that I wired into the camper - an internal surge protector.
My camper would appear to be "without issues" too.
Belgique
Explorer
Jul 16, 2014
I'm surprised. Thelma and Bill (RIP) were fantastic hosts in our stay there and went out of their way to accommodate. I hope this was an isolated incident.
qtla9111
Nomad
Jul 16, 2014
moisheh wrote:
This post has nothing to do with surge protectors . She promised to assist this person and then reneged. As for customer service in Mexico: One has to remember that it is only in recent years that Mexican business people have come to understand that treating the customer well is good for business. Mexicans do not like to make waves. If a Mexican RV'rs had this problem he would have just shrugged his shoulders and said nothing! Campers should avoid this CG>

Moisheh

You're right 100%. But it's about one service provider, not a country.
rocmoc
Explorer
Jul 15, 2014
On the positive side of customer service,

We stayed at El Mirador RV Park in Playa Hautabampito, Sonora Mexico, http://ontheroadin.com/Mexico%20West%20Coast%202011/El%20Mirador%20Hotel.htm in May a few years back. We have always had to stay in one of the back rows away from the beach in the winter as we passed thu as the front row is always full. Well, in May the whole front row was ours. We had the 5er then and they said I could pull in forwards, drop & jockey the pickup out. Well in the jockeying out I took the hookup post out including the water. They were so nice, said they would have it repaired in an hour. When completed, they would not take a cent. No matter what they would not allow me to pay. So we spent every cent we could in their GREAT Restaurant. El Mirador has always been on our favorite list along with the great owners. As a side note, I still have the dent in the door of the pickup! Most of the places we have stayed have been like this, just sad the OP was not taken care of because that park was on our future bucket list. Now, maybe not!

rocmoc n AZ/Mexico
moisheh
Explorer
Jul 15, 2014
This post has nothing to do with surge protectors . She promised to assist this person and then reneged. As for customer service in Mexico: One has to remember that it is only in recent years that Mexican business people have come to understand that treating the customer well is good for business. Mexicans do not like to make waves. If a Mexican RV'rs had this problem he would have just shrugged his shoulders and said nothing! Campers should avoid this CG>

Moisheh
qtla9111
Nomad
Jul 15, 2014
stanbnv wrote:
I really love these posts.(Sarcasm) Someone posts that they had a problem in Mexico, a couple of people give helpful hints, several snarky comments that it's your fault, and the one who really hates the US chimes in with its like that in the US too. What a helpful bunch.

Well it has to be one of us that apply to the comments above :)

If you do any research at all about rving, or read other forums on this website you'll see that surge protectors are recommended by people and used all over Canada, U.S. and Mexico.

Power Protection..Why So Few Have If Really Needed?

Surge Protector
2112
Explorer II
Jul 15, 2014
While they did not make my "places to stay while in Mexico" list yet they just found a spot on my "places to avoid" list.

Thanks for the heads up!
stanbnv
Explorer
Jul 15, 2014
I really love these posts.(Sarcasm) Someone posts that they had a problem in Mexico, a couple of people give helpful hints, several snarky comments that it's your fault, and the one who really hates the US chimes in with its like that in the US too. What a helpful bunch.
navegator
Explorer
Jul 15, 2014
Was that a 50 amp or a 30 amp outlet?

Most 30 amp outlets are 120 V A/C and the 50 amp outlets are 240 V A/C.

And please do not give me a lesson on A/C cirquits.

Moral: Always check outlets before pluging into them not yust in Mexico but every where!

navegator
2oldman
Explorer II
Jul 15, 2014
jornvango wrote:
The electrical outlet was incorrectly wired and was outputting 240V. Silly me, I didn't test the outlet since other RVs where plugged in without issues.
Does that imply that you were the first person ever to plug into that outlet in that space, and get 240?

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Trouble at Freedom Shores in Isla Aguada

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