Petite RV Sales aka Lakeside Auto N Sheridan Beach Park IL
We would like to bring our experience with this company to the attention of your readers. We purchased a Dodge Pleasureway RV from them late August 2013.
We were told and shown that the air conditioner worked. It doesn’t. We realise now the cab air con was on full during the demonstration. This does work and therefore it was cooling the van whilst the air con proper was just circulating air.
We were told a generator switch needed replacing. We were told that the company would locate the necessary switch and post it on to us. This didn’t happen. On calling they said they had posted it and had the package returned. The address we gave was a valid one and no parcel or parcel notification was ever received. It now also turns out that the labor involved in this replacement is likely to be high.
The water tank leaks. After purchase we flushed out the tanks at a nearby dump station (a job which hadn’t been done) and filled up with fresh water. The fresh water tank leaked. We were not far away so we went back to the yard. We were told that we had over-filled the tank and the safety pressure valve had released the excess water. We believed what we were told. It was not true. The tank needs to be repaired or replaced.
We were told the vehicle had been pressure tested and had no leaks. We now find 3 window seals have major leaks.
The company advertises that all their vehicles are checked before sale; that everything that should work does work. This is not true and moreover when the company is told of various failings our experience is that you get no response: emails are not replied to; phones are not answered. The company also advertises that ‘We do not buy these RV's from auctions! We take our time with the owner and ask very specific questions about the RV.’ The autocheck report on our vehicle, which we were given after conclusion of sale, shows no owner since being traded at auction.
There a similar post on rv.net (now closed) about this company, when they were known as Lakeside Auto Sales.
We realise some will say we were naïve and too trusting. We will certainly never do business with Petite RV and Auto Sales again. If readers decide to do so we suggest they thoroughly test what they buy before parting with any cash because, based on our experience, you will be smoothly sold a lemon but you will get absolutely no after sales service whatsoever.
We were told and shown that the air conditioner worked. It doesn’t. We realise now the cab air con was on full during the demonstration. This does work and therefore it was cooling the van whilst the air con proper was just circulating air.
We were told a generator switch needed replacing. We were told that the company would locate the necessary switch and post it on to us. This didn’t happen. On calling they said they had posted it and had the package returned. The address we gave was a valid one and no parcel or parcel notification was ever received. It now also turns out that the labor involved in this replacement is likely to be high.
The water tank leaks. After purchase we flushed out the tanks at a nearby dump station (a job which hadn’t been done) and filled up with fresh water. The fresh water tank leaked. We were not far away so we went back to the yard. We were told that we had over-filled the tank and the safety pressure valve had released the excess water. We believed what we were told. It was not true. The tank needs to be repaired or replaced.
We were told the vehicle had been pressure tested and had no leaks. We now find 3 window seals have major leaks.
The company advertises that all their vehicles are checked before sale; that everything that should work does work. This is not true and moreover when the company is told of various failings our experience is that you get no response: emails are not replied to; phones are not answered. The company also advertises that ‘We do not buy these RV's from auctions! We take our time with the owner and ask very specific questions about the RV.’ The autocheck report on our vehicle, which we were given after conclusion of sale, shows no owner since being traded at auction.
There a similar post on rv.net (now closed) about this company, when they were known as Lakeside Auto Sales.
We realise some will say we were naïve and too trusting. We will certainly never do business with Petite RV and Auto Sales again. If readers decide to do so we suggest they thoroughly test what they buy before parting with any cash because, based on our experience, you will be smoothly sold a lemon but you will get absolutely no after sales service whatsoever.
