Complaint about a dealer
So, where do I document issues I have had with my RV dealer? Is there someplace on these forums? I have been very careful to not say anything but I may have gotten to the point where I just need to ...
Forum Discussion
Obviously,as you read that you can probably make judgements against me (rightly so) that I wasn't diligent enough during the inspection and to a point I accept that but there were things that we couldn't have known.
Regarding my list most items were serviced and after they had the coach for about a month I received a call that I could come pick it up. The service manager talked to me for about 2 minutes and said they thought they took care of all my concerns and she had a porter get the RV and then excused herself. I inspected what I could then drove home.
I was very frustrated when I took the coach to them but I was feeling much better when I picked it up after they fixed most of my documented issues.
About a week went by and my brother and I visited our elderly parents to help them around the house. While there, 450 miles from home, my wife called me and proceeded to tell me that we received a bill from the RV dealer for $2700. I couldn't believe it.
I sent the following to the owner:
We received two service bills. One for around $2000 and the other around $700. I am very confused by this. The issues corrected are items that should have been completed upon delivery but was not. I sent multiple emails about some of the issues after we had the coach home and you told me to document them and you would take care of them when we returned from our vacation.
I feel that these bills sent to us must be a mistake. Please call me so we can discuss further.
to which he replied:
I will retrieve the bills sometime today and review them with service Monday morning. I will be in touch sometime Monday.
(It was a Friday when I sent the email and he replied on Saturday)
My Brother and I returned home on Sunday.
On Monday I received the following email from the owner:
After review we have decided that there is no balance due from you. In the future when scheduling a service visit remember that things that are not covered by warranty would be at your expense. A lot of things are covered but some are not. we just want everyone to know that the warranty covers a lot, but won’t cover labor time to look for problems that don’t exist. In other words you would have a bill for labor if a problem is not found.
I was quite irritated with that statement as I felt I was getting things fixed that should have been from the delivery and he was saying that I was looking for warranty work!
That was that, and so we decided quietly that we would not do business with them anymore.
Fast forward to this past weekend. We went to a local state park and camped. We had a major issue while leaving. When I left the campsite, I needed to get out and retrieve a small carpet piece from our site. I put the coach in Park where the 'Autopark' light came on. I then pulled the parking brake knob. Then I took my foot off the foot brake and the coach started rolling which scared me a bit. I slammed on the brakes and repeated the process. Took the coach out of Park and back in, saw the Autolight indicator then pulled the parking brake knob, took my foot off the brake and we started rolling. No doubt about it, our Autobrake/Parking brake is out!
I made an appointment to drop the coach off at the local Workhorse Service Center today (Thursday). I reviewed my warranty that came with my coach which was provided by the dealer and realized that the dealer is the warranty agent. That is, they don't have a third party or insurance company administering this warranty...they are doing it all themselves. Now I was worried!
I dropped the coach off at the service center this morning and then came home and got some work done.
This afternoon, I received the following in an email from the RV dealer:
I just wanted to touch base with you about the warranty claim that was submitted by Coffman truck sales. I went over it with the warranty dept. and they will not ok to have a part replaced when that part can almost always be repaired.
So...here we go again!
I replied quickly with:
Can you tell them that please? What are the parts and what is the cost?
After I sent that I figured I'd better just call the service center. I called and they told me that they needed to do a complete park brake assembly and the price for parts, labor and diagnostics is $2970.78.
Meanwhile the RV Dealer sent me the following:
Yes I still have to call them back they just sent over the fax shortly after lunch. Right now what they have submitted for is a complete park brake assembly. Parts, Labor, Diagnostic time, everything came to a total of 2,970.78.
Can you tell me again what happened?
To which I replied:
We were leaving a campground this past Sunday. I backed out of the site and got on the road which was downhill. I needed to get out and pick-up a small rug so I put the coach in park and I saw the autopark light come on. I then pulled the parking brake knob. When I took my foot off the brake, the coach started rolling. I applied the foot brake again and pushed the parking brake knob in and put the coach in gear. Then I repeated the parking steps. I put it in park, saw the autopark light come on, then pulled the parking brake knob. I took my foot off the brake and it started rolling.
Coffmans told me that the Workhorse service manual states to replace the brake assembly. I am totally helpless on this and can only take their word for what they are saying and your word for what you are saying. I do know that Coffmans is well known in the area for their service department.
To which they replied:
Quick question for you. Could you hear the Hydraulic pump turn on when the coach goes into drive?
My answer:
Well...I think so. There is a noise for a few seconds when I put it in gear.
At this point I am very irritated. I am getting the feeling they just don't want to handle this or me!
Earlier in the week I found someone on the forums that is familiar with this Autobrake issue. I contacted him and he put me in contact with Alan from Brazel's in Washington State. I am familiar with them as they have some nice after market solutions and seem to be well known for their service center.
Tonight I received a call from him and we discussed this issue so now I feel much more educated. he explained how it all works and why it needs replacing as my service center is stating. Further he said that there are no rebuild kits. He also said that if a warranty company told him to rebuild and not replace he would tell them to tow it out of his garage. He said he knew of no way to repair as my RV dealer stated.
After speaking to him, I sent an email to Carlisle who is the manufacturer of my brake system and sent the following:
To whom it may concern,
I purchased a used 2006 Fleetwood Pace Arrow which is on a Workhorse W24 Chassis. The autobrake/Parking Brake has failed. The RV has a Carlisle Brake Controller, Workhorse number W8001667 (Carlisle J72). I am being told by an authorized Workhorse Service center that the only fix is to replace the complete park brake assembly. The RV dealer that has self-warrantied the coach is telling me that they may not cover it because the part can be rebuilt/repaired. I spoke to Brazel’s RV in Washington state who specializes in after-market RV products. They also fully service RV’s. They told me that these parts cannot be rebuilt and that Carlisle does not provide rebuild kits. In fact, they said that if a warranty company told them that, he would have them tow the RV out of his shop. Can you please give me clarification on this?
So there you have it folks! This is where I am. Possibly stuck with a true lemon! I would really appreciate your views on this matter and I will update everybody on what happens next. I am just frustrated with this dealer and really needed to share...and vent!
Regarding my list most items were serviced and after they had the coach for about a month I received a call that I could come pick it up. The service manager talked to me for about 2 minutes and said they thought they took care of all my concerns and she had a porter get the RV and then excused herself. I inspected what I could then drove home.
I was very frustrated when I took the coach to them but I was feeling much better when I picked it up after they fixed most of my documented issues.
About a week went by and my brother and I visited our elderly parents to help them around the house. While there, 450 miles from home, my wife called me and proceeded to tell me that we received a bill from the RV dealer for $2700. I couldn't believe it.
I sent the following to the owner:
We received two service bills. One for around $2000 and the other around $700. I am very confused by this. The issues corrected are items that should have been completed upon delivery but was not. I sent multiple emails about some of the issues after we had the coach home and you told me to document them and you would take care of them when we returned from our vacation.
I feel that these bills sent to us must be a mistake. Please call me so we can discuss further.
to which he replied:
I will retrieve the bills sometime today and review them with service Monday morning. I will be in touch sometime Monday.
(It was a Friday when I sent the email and he replied on Saturday)
My Brother and I returned home on Sunday.
On Monday I received the following email from the owner:
After review we have decided that there is no balance due from you. In the future when scheduling a service visit remember that things that are not covered by warranty would be at your expense. A lot of things are covered but some are not. we just want everyone to know that the warranty covers a lot, but won’t cover labor time to look for problems that don’t exist. In other words you would have a bill for labor if a problem is not found.
I was quite irritated with that statement as I felt I was getting things fixed that should have been from the delivery and he was saying that I was looking for warranty work!
That was that, and so we decided quietly that we would not do business with them anymore.
Fast forward to this past weekend. We went to a local state park and camped. We had a major issue while leaving. When I left the campsite, I needed to get out and retrieve a small carpet piece from our site. I put the coach in Park where the 'Autopark' light came on. I then pulled the parking brake knob. Then I took my foot off the foot brake and the coach started rolling which scared me a bit. I slammed on the brakes and repeated the process. Took the coach out of Park and back in, saw the Autolight indicator then pulled the parking brake knob, took my foot off the brake and we started rolling. No doubt about it, our Autobrake/Parking brake is out!
I made an appointment to drop the coach off at the local Workhorse Service Center today (Thursday). I reviewed my warranty that came with my coach which was provided by the dealer and realized that the dealer is the warranty agent. That is, they don't have a third party or insurance company administering this warranty...they are doing it all themselves. Now I was worried!
I dropped the coach off at the service center this morning and then came home and got some work done.
This afternoon, I received the following in an email from the RV dealer:
I just wanted to touch base with you about the warranty claim that was submitted by Coffman truck sales. I went over it with the warranty dept. and they will not ok to have a part replaced when that part can almost always be repaired.
So...here we go again!
I replied quickly with:
Can you tell them that please? What are the parts and what is the cost?
After I sent that I figured I'd better just call the service center. I called and they told me that they needed to do a complete park brake assembly and the price for parts, labor and diagnostics is $2970.78.
Meanwhile the RV Dealer sent me the following:
Yes I still have to call them back they just sent over the fax shortly after lunch. Right now what they have submitted for is a complete park brake assembly. Parts, Labor, Diagnostic time, everything came to a total of 2,970.78.
Can you tell me again what happened?
To which I replied:
We were leaving a campground this past Sunday. I backed out of the site and got on the road which was downhill. I needed to get out and pick-up a small rug so I put the coach in park and I saw the autopark light come on. I then pulled the parking brake knob. When I took my foot off the brake, the coach started rolling. I applied the foot brake again and pushed the parking brake knob in and put the coach in gear. Then I repeated the parking steps. I put it in park, saw the autopark light come on, then pulled the parking brake knob. I took my foot off the brake and it started rolling.
Coffmans told me that the Workhorse service manual states to replace the brake assembly. I am totally helpless on this and can only take their word for what they are saying and your word for what you are saying. I do know that Coffmans is well known in the area for their service department.
To which they replied:
Quick question for you. Could you hear the Hydraulic pump turn on when the coach goes into drive?
My answer:
Well...I think so. There is a noise for a few seconds when I put it in gear.
At this point I am very irritated. I am getting the feeling they just don't want to handle this or me!
Earlier in the week I found someone on the forums that is familiar with this Autobrake issue. I contacted him and he put me in contact with Alan from Brazel's in Washington State. I am familiar with them as they have some nice after market solutions and seem to be well known for their service center.
Tonight I received a call from him and we discussed this issue so now I feel much more educated. he explained how it all works and why it needs replacing as my service center is stating. Further he said that there are no rebuild kits. He also said that if a warranty company told him to rebuild and not replace he would tell them to tow it out of his garage. He said he knew of no way to repair as my RV dealer stated.
After speaking to him, I sent an email to Carlisle who is the manufacturer of my brake system and sent the following:
To whom it may concern,
I purchased a used 2006 Fleetwood Pace Arrow which is on a Workhorse W24 Chassis. The autobrake/Parking Brake has failed. The RV has a Carlisle Brake Controller, Workhorse number W8001667 (Carlisle J72). I am being told by an authorized Workhorse Service center that the only fix is to replace the complete park brake assembly. The RV dealer that has self-warrantied the coach is telling me that they may not cover it because the part can be rebuilt/repaired. I spoke to Brazel’s RV in Washington state who specializes in after-market RV products. They also fully service RV’s. They told me that these parts cannot be rebuilt and that Carlisle does not provide rebuild kits. In fact, they said that if a warranty company told them that, he would have them tow the RV out of his shop. Can you please give me clarification on this?
So there you have it folks! This is where I am. Possibly stuck with a true lemon! I would really appreciate your views on this matter and I will update everybody on what happens next. I am just frustrated with this dealer and really needed to share...and vent!
