Forum Discussion

Dutch_Oven_Man's avatar
Dutch_Oven_Man
Explorer
Mar 11, 2014

Dealer or Factory delay??

We ordered a Forest River Wildcat back at the first of January. We were told by the dealer to expect 4-6 weeks, but from experience, I knew it would probably be closer to the 6 week mark. It is now going on 8 weeks+.

I started calling the dealer two weeks ago and never got a call back (come to find out my salesman quit), so I think the ball got dropped. When I finally got the sales manager to call me back, he said the unit was built and has been sitting at the factory for two weeks, but they couldn't get a delivery time scheduled.

I couldn't get a real straight answer from the sales manager, but who is responsible to having the fifth wheel delivered from the factory, Forest River or the dealer? If it's Forest River, probably not much I can do. But if it's my dealer...that's a different story.

Since my sales guy quit, nobody really seems motivated to call me back to let me know an ETA on the unit. I have been told twice "I'll find something out today and call you right back". It's been a week and nobody has called. I have the patience of Job, but my patience is wearing thin. Before I called the dealer again tomorrow, I wanted some knowledge so I could make an "informed" argument if the dealer is the one to blame.

8 Replies

  • Oaklevel's avatar
    Oaklevel
    Explorer
    Mar 12, 2014
    Weather & others delays don't help..... but it is probably just as much the delivery company...... In good weather when ours was built the driver told us he picked our unit to haul/ tow, over another waiting as he knew our dealer would turn him around quicker & back on the road compared to other dealer that make them wait hours before they accept the unit.
  • ependydad's avatar
    ependydad
    Explorer
    Mar 12, 2014
    Dayle1 wrote:
    Once the unit is built, the factory delivers the unit to a 3rd party transport company for delivery to the dealer. Neither dealer nor the factory have any control over when the fiver will be delivered. In fact, even the transport company doesn't have much control. Instead, it is up to individual drivers to decide which unit they will deliver to which part of the country. Weather, road construction and fuel prices along with a drivers personal interest in 'visiting' an area are all factors that determine how long a specific unit sits before leaving the yard.

    The only useful info that you can seek is an actual VIN and build date for the fiver and if it has left the factory. After that it is just waiting for your turn to come up.


    This is all true with the caveat. The delivery order forms from the factory to the 3rd party dealer have a status indication (normal, hot, extra hot - I think they were). The factory can push on the transport company to get it delivered quicker (I know- I've seen it done twice for my camper).

    I did talk to a delivery driver. Apparently drivers hate coming to the mid-Atlantic area due to toll roads and only being paid for 1-way. They do get a 10-cent per mile increase for coming east.
  • AUWing's avatar
    AUWing
    Explorer
    Mar 12, 2014
    Took a day trip to Middlebury yesterday for a factory tour and snoop around for our new rig. Didn't think we'd find it but was fun being able to look around the nursery. There are a lot of trailers in everyone's lot waiting to be delivered to dealers. A production manager told us this was shaping up to be the first uninterrupted production week this year. Of course more snow was being forecasted as we left.
  • Dayle1's avatar
    Dayle1
    Explorer II
    Mar 11, 2014
    Once the unit is built, the factory delivers the unit to a 3rd party transport company for delivery to the dealer. Neither dealer nor the factory have any control over when the fiver will be delivered. In fact, even the transport company doesn't have much control. Instead, it is up to individual drivers to decide which unit they will deliver to which part of the country. Weather, road construction and fuel prices along with a drivers personal interest in 'visiting' an area are all factors that determine how long a specific unit sits before leaving the yard.

    The only useful info that you can seek is an actual VIN and build date for the fiver and if it has left the factory. After that it is just waiting for your turn to come up.
  • Deb_and_Ed_M's avatar
    Deb_and_Ed_M
    Explorer II
    Mar 11, 2014
    ependydad wrote:


    It depends on the dealer, but most of the time it's Forest River who handles the scheduling of drivers. Given the weather issues in Indiana lately, things are all sorts of backed up.

    Occasionally it's the dealer's responsibility, but that's usually for the high volume dealers especially if they're based out of Indiana.


    That's what I'm guessing, too? Forest River would make the arrangements unless the dealer has a better option? Freight has to weigh heavily on something that can only be moved one-at-a-time; so I'm pretty sure a dealer will wait for the best pricing, to take delivery.
  • ependydad's avatar
    ependydad
    Explorer
    Mar 11, 2014
    Dutch Oven Man wrote:
    I couldn't get a real straight answer from the sales manager, but who is responsible to having the fifth wheel delivered from the factory, Forest River or the dealer? If it's Forest River, probably not much I can do. But if it's my dealer...that's a different story.


    It depends on the dealer, but most of the time it's Forest River who handles the scheduling of drivers. Given the weather issues in Indiana lately, things are all sorts of backed up.

    Occasionally it's the dealer's responsibility, but that's usually for the high volume dealers especially if they're based out of Indiana.
  • RL_Rahe's avatar
    RL_Rahe
    Explorer
    Mar 11, 2014
    Dutch,

    Thanks for the post. With the severe weather and cold this winter the plants in Elkhart actually closed down which delayed delivery to dealers across the country. Once they opened back up, weather in the midwest, south and west delayed deliveries even further. When the weather gets bad, drivers become every cautious when and where they go, understandably not wanting to venture into an area hit with ice and snow pulling a trailer or fifth wheel they are responsible for getting to a dealer on one peice. It was a "perfect storm".

    It effected most all manufacturers and most dealers. Believe me, most dealers want to know when the inventory they bought gets delivered so they can keep customers happy.

    Hope this helps.
  • Jack_Diane_Free's avatar
    Jack_Diane_Free
    Explorer
    Mar 11, 2014
    A lot of production delays and shipping delays as the result of the bad winter storms. Some factories closed for days over a few week period.

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