Third times the charm?

Well, we've had our share of bad service experiences, but we have learned. We have the "pleasure" of being in the Elkhart area for family during the summer, so we get a lot of our service work done there. Most of these are "word of mouth" but there are bad ones in the area as well. And I didn't blast any Camping World's. There just are none in the northern Indiana area.

And while we don't have a house here, we have rentals. We have a list of repair people available with a phone call. They all do a fantastic job for us and we have a great relationship with all of them.

Dale

Scottiemom wrote:
bob34787,

For a lot of shops that is the rule. We are fulltimers, however, and do not subscribe to that process. We use a shop in Elkhart, Charger Enterprises, where we make an appointment and the motorhome is in/out the same day. If it happens a part has to be ordered, we take it back to camp and go back when the part arrives. Then it's in/out the same day. They are honest people and we've never had a bad experience, nor have any of the people we have sent there. We use a mobile lube outfit, Michiana Mobile Lube, when in Elkhart. They are allowed to come to the campground and change the oil in the motorhome while it sits on our site. They are there when they say they will be. The lube shop owner walks his dog every night in the campground. There are great businesses out there and they get our business. Hill's Truck Service in South Bend is a Freightliner Service center. . . great people to work with as is Coach Care in Goshen. Had work done at all those place. Also just had shocks put on our Phaeton this week. Used Marv and Tom's Truck Service in Elkhart. They ordered the shocks and made an appointment for 8:30 a.m. Wednesday. They started work when we got there, had it out at 9:30 a.m. How great is that?

Those are the shops that get our business. If we have problems on the road, which is extremely rare (twice in 9 years), we call the manufacturer and ask for recommendations on where to go. One time the Allison Tech told my husband how to "fix" the problem to get us out of limp mode. We then drove 45 miles to his location where he replaced a defective wiring harness on the transmission in the parking lot. Another time we needed a tire repaired and the Michelin dealer was 20 miles away. We waited 6 hours on our road service to send someone to put on a bad used tire, then drove to the tire center and boondocked in their back lot. They fixed the tire in the morning. Should have called them first, they would have sent a truck and for $85 we would have been back on the road in a couple hours tops instead of the $385 we got raped with.

Dale

WOW! Someone who comes to your site to change the oil! Sounds like the 1950's! You've had an amazing run of great service technicians -- it certainly helps being in the heart of RV country up in Indiana, even still they sound like amazing repair people. Even when we owned our bricks and sticks home we'd cringe whenever we had to call a repairman - never knowing what we were going to get!
We like Camping World - we admit it. It is convenient shopping for us esp with Walmart carrying less and less of the things we need, and we've had many more great experiences there than bad. We compare prices and for the most part they are good prices even their service dept charges - not far off local garage charges if you can get in -- size wise that is!

bob34787,

For a lot of shops that is the rule. We are fulltimers, however, and do not subscribe to that process. We use a shop in Elkhart, Charger Enterprises, where we make an appointment and the motorhome is in/out the same day. If it happens a part has to be ordered, we take it back to camp and go back when the part arrives. Then it's in/out the same day. They are honest people and we've never had a bad experience, nor have any of the people we have sent there. We use a mobile lube outfit, Michiana Mobile Lube, when in Elkhart. They are allowed to come to the campground and change the oil in the motorhome while it sits on our site. They are there when they say they will be. The lube shop owner walks his dog every night in the campground. There are great businesses out there and they get our business. Hill's Truck Service in South Bend is a Freightliner Service center. . . great people to work with as is Coach Care in Goshen. Had work done at all those place. Also just had shocks put on our Phaeton this week. Used Marv and Tom's Truck Service in Elkhart. They ordered the shocks and made an appointment for 8:30 a.m. Wednesday. They started work when we got there, had it out at 9:30 a.m. How great is that?

Those are the shops that get our business. If we have problems on the road, which is extremely rare (twice in 9 years), we call the manufacturer and ask for recommendations on where to go. One time the Allison Tech told my husband how to "fix" the problem to get us out of limp mode. We then drove 45 miles to his location where he replaced a defective wiring harness on the transmission in the parking lot. Another time we needed a tire repaired and the Michelin dealer was 20 miles away. We waited 6 hours on our road service to send someone to put on a bad used tire, then drove to the tire center and boondocked in their back lot. They fixed the tire in the morning. Should have called them first, they would have sent a truck and for $85 we would have been back on the road in a couple hours tops instead of the $385 we got raped with.

Dale

We have always taken our 3 different Onan generators to an Onan/Cummins shop. Never been disappointed with the service at 3 different shops around the country. . . Elkhart/Goshen, Ocala, and Indianapolis. They know their stuff and usually have the parts on hand. Had one rebuilt and others were tuneups. . .one with fuel pump problems. Independent repair shops we used just throw parts at them for the most part. Onan diagnoses, repairs and tests their fixes. They certainly know their product.

Dale

jleas524 wrote:
I can say that I am not satisfied with the service I have received, or rather not received from Camping World. We bought a used motor home from them. Every time we try to go back for routine service, we are told it is at least a 3-4 week waiting period, even for an oil change.

and how long do you wait when you go to other shops? anywhere from 2 weeks to 1 month seems to be the norm, some shops will take it in but than it sits and waits its turn.

I can say that I am not satisfied with the service I have received, or rather not received from Camping World. We bought a used motor home from them. Every time we try to go back for routine service, we are told it is at least a 3-4 week waiting period, even for an oil change.

I have a coworker that has a brand new Winnie. He said the generator was loud like a bolt was loose, missing or it wasn't mounted very well. Talked to our CW service writer and she said he would need to take it to a local Onan shop.

OP Received a call from the service manager at CW of Nashville, David, and he was very apologetic for the delay in service and especially the lack of communication on the part of his staff, an item he said he would defiantly take care of. Additionally he went to bat on our behalf with Good Sam Insurance and was able to get our deductible refunded. Made the multiple trips and waiting for repairs a bit easier to accept. I did offer a suggestion that they consider waiting rooms or areas especially for those of us fulltimers without the option of dropping off their "home" for a few days. Another suggestion my wife thought of, when we were there earlier in the month we had to spend an overnight at the neighboring KOA and they gouged us for close to $80. Why not enter into some agreement with a local campground for a discount for those people not there for the campgrounds amenities, but just the need to park overnight? But again, thanks David and Nashville CW for resolving this issue!

Jim

bauernfeind,

Thank you for your time and post. If able please send me a PM with your contact information. I would be happy to help.

Thank you in advance.

Mark F
Marcus' Rapid Response Team
goodsamcs@goodsamfamily.com

We had an issue with our generator and I had the people I bought the MH from fix it and the ones that built the chassis. Nothing worked. I brought it to an independent truck repair place that had done great work for me in the past and they fixed it. Didn't cost a lot either.

The lesson I learned is to have things fixed by people that really deal with these things on a day to day basis. Camping world would not be my first, or second choice to fix a generator.