Camping world thief
Looking for a little advice. Had to leave my RV at Camping World in Albuquerque for some repairs (big slide wouldn't extend). Was told it was going to take a while to get the parts. We are full time w...
Forum Discussion
Posting a sign stating they are not liable for theft or damage does not stop them from being liable. Here's my experience:
A long time ago I bought a new Chevy 4X4 3/T truck. That particular run of trucks had defective transfer cases in them. As you were driving down the road it would pop into neutral. The only way to get it back into gear was to put it in 4L and work it back up to 2H. I called up Alaska Sales in Service, the local Chevy dealer and they said it's all covered under warranty, bring it on in.
While it was there, someone broke out the driver's window and started to steal the stereo. It looked like they got interrupted because the screws were on the floorboard and the knobs were gone, but that's as far as they got.
So Alaska Sales calls me and tells me the truck is ready - no mention of the window. I go into the shop, get the keys and sign for the truck - no mention of the window. I know the theft happened before the transfer case was worked on because they put the seat protector over the broken glass, the same with the floor protector. They couldn't say they didn't know about it.
I go out to the truck and see the broken window before I get it. After checking it out, I of course go back inside and ask them what's going on. I can understand something getting broken into, but they just put the seat protector over the glass on the seat and there was such a lack of customer care that they didn't bother to take time to clean up the glass.
When I asked why they hadn't fixed the glass, they pointed the sign and said they weren't liable. Of course that didn't go down very well. I had been taking some law courses at the university from a very old and experienced law professor who didn't just teach law but had a very busy practice also. She got a good laugh out of it and explained that yes they were liable for loss and theft because they held themselves out to the community as being an upstanding business with no problems. If they had big signs posted that said they have break-ins all of the time and that your vehicle wasn't safe there - bring it in at your own risk, then I would have been on my own. She said to go down to the court house to get the paperwork to take them to small claims court. There is a way a business can get the claim taken out of small claims court to a higher court. She said if they tried that, to tell them she would be representing me at no cost.
So after getting the paperwork, I go back to the Alaska Sales transmission shop and ask the guy at the counter for his name. He asks why and I tell him I need it for the paperwork because I'm taking him to court. He turns white and sends me upstairs to see his boss. I explain it all to him and says that it's no big deal, he knows they're responsible for the window and they'll replace it. He said the sign is good for bluffing out 98% of the people.
They have their own body shop so I left the truck. The next day they call and say the window is replaced and the truck is ready. When I show up, the wind is replaced, but the broken glass is still all over, the screws are still out of the stereo and the knobs are still missing.
So I go over to the main showroom to see his boss up on the second floor. By the time I get there and parked the transmission shop has called him. He tells me I'm lucky to have gotten the window replaced and not to expect anything more. Of course I'm getting more pi$$ed all of the time. I tell him "alright, watch this". His office is up on the balcony overlooking the show room and my truck is parked out front right in front of the show room. I go downstairs to one of the new trucks on the floor, pull off the stereo knobs, go out to my truck, install them, scoop up a handful of broken glass off of the floor, go back inside and throw it towards him. Then I flipped him the bird and drove off.
Never heard a word from them. The full name of the business is Alaska Sales and Service. Most people call them Alaska Sales and NO Service.
Bill
A long time ago I bought a new Chevy 4X4 3/T truck. That particular run of trucks had defective transfer cases in them. As you were driving down the road it would pop into neutral. The only way to get it back into gear was to put it in 4L and work it back up to 2H. I called up Alaska Sales in Service, the local Chevy dealer and they said it's all covered under warranty, bring it on in.
While it was there, someone broke out the driver's window and started to steal the stereo. It looked like they got interrupted because the screws were on the floorboard and the knobs were gone, but that's as far as they got.
So Alaska Sales calls me and tells me the truck is ready - no mention of the window. I go into the shop, get the keys and sign for the truck - no mention of the window. I know the theft happened before the transfer case was worked on because they put the seat protector over the broken glass, the same with the floor protector. They couldn't say they didn't know about it.
I go out to the truck and see the broken window before I get it. After checking it out, I of course go back inside and ask them what's going on. I can understand something getting broken into, but they just put the seat protector over the glass on the seat and there was such a lack of customer care that they didn't bother to take time to clean up the glass.
When I asked why they hadn't fixed the glass, they pointed the sign and said they weren't liable. Of course that didn't go down very well. I had been taking some law courses at the university from a very old and experienced law professor who didn't just teach law but had a very busy practice also. She got a good laugh out of it and explained that yes they were liable for loss and theft because they held themselves out to the community as being an upstanding business with no problems. If they had big signs posted that said they have break-ins all of the time and that your vehicle wasn't safe there - bring it in at your own risk, then I would have been on my own. She said to go down to the court house to get the paperwork to take them to small claims court. There is a way a business can get the claim taken out of small claims court to a higher court. She said if they tried that, to tell them she would be representing me at no cost.
So after getting the paperwork, I go back to the Alaska Sales transmission shop and ask the guy at the counter for his name. He asks why and I tell him I need it for the paperwork because I'm taking him to court. He turns white and sends me upstairs to see his boss. I explain it all to him and says that it's no big deal, he knows they're responsible for the window and they'll replace it. He said the sign is good for bluffing out 98% of the people.
They have their own body shop so I left the truck. The next day they call and say the window is replaced and the truck is ready. When I show up, the wind is replaced, but the broken glass is still all over, the screws are still out of the stereo and the knobs are still missing.
So I go over to the main showroom to see his boss up on the second floor. By the time I get there and parked the transmission shop has called him. He tells me I'm lucky to have gotten the window replaced and not to expect anything more. Of course I'm getting more pi$$ed all of the time. I tell him "alright, watch this". His office is up on the balcony overlooking the show room and my truck is parked out front right in front of the show room. I go downstairs to one of the new trucks on the floor, pull off the stereo knobs, go out to my truck, install them, scoop up a handful of broken glass off of the floor, go back inside and throw it towards him. Then I flipped him the bird and drove off.
Never heard a word from them. The full name of the business is Alaska Sales and Service. Most people call them Alaska Sales and NO Service.
Bill
