Just wondering if my experiences are the exception or the rule. Twice now when I've needed to buy parts for my Travel Trailer, I've contacted the dealer where I bought it new in November of 2013. A small dealership. Not one that is found Nationwide. Because I live an hour away from the dealer, I have called to see if they have what I need in stock before making the trip. Both times, I've dealt with poor customer service. The first time, I needed a piece of trim and they had to order it. When I hadn't heard anything for two months, I called and they had no idea what I was talking about and never placed the order. Fortunately, I found it online and had it within a week. Over the past weekend, I noticed that the seals around my slideout were ripped in a couple of different places so I've decided to replace it all. I called the dealer this morning as soon as they opened and the woman that answered the phone didn't know what slideout D seals were and I was told she would have someone call me back in a few minutes. Two hours later, no one had called me so I called them back. The same woman answered and was very rude to me on the phone. She said they were busy and someone would call me back later today or tomorrow. I said, that's why I called as soon as they opened because I just needed to know if they had the D seal in stock. If they did, I would drive there and buy it. It would have taken only a minute to tell me that. So by now I was irritated and I said to forget it. I found it on Amazon and bought it. I'm sure I paid more for it than I would have at the dealer though. I feel like after they sold me the travel trailer they could care less about anything further I may need or want. In reality, all they have done is made it easy for me not to buy our next travel trailer from them. I guess it doesn't matter to them because they sell so many RV's. Are my experiences the exception or the rule? What have your experiences been?

Based on my experience, every dealer I've ever dealt with has the same crabby and inept people working for them. I never buy parts from them unless it truly is a part I can't get anywhere else. And I do all my own maintenance and repairs. The less I have to deal with these clowns, the better.Jim

I totally agree with you Jim! The less I have to take it anywhere to have something fixed the better. Even when people have suggested top notch places I have had issues.A three foot long deep scratch down to bare metal the last time I had the coach in. Of course they said they didn't do it. Of course I have a pristine 2001 Beaver Coach, I guess if it was already there I must have overlooked it. hAHA...They did repaint the area, but had the RV for two extra weeks.

We have an excellent dealer that will do anything we might need, friendly, and good, well-trained and efficient service people. And locally, we have a RV service shop, with a well trained experienced service tech(who also owns the place). We would recommend either to anyone passing this way.

We are fortunate that the small, family owned dealer we purchased our current rig is very responsive. Selling many classes and brands of RVs they rarely had the model specific parts in stock we needed, but they always ordered them quickly with a phone call a few days later saying they were in. They are nearly the same distance away and they realize it's a long trip, they do their best to get it right. We would buy another rig from them if they have what we are looking for next time we are in the market.

I have been very blessed with 3 absolutely suburb RV dealerships that is withing an acceptable radius of where I live. And I'll mention their names:Anderson, Indiana (Modern Trailer Sales)New Castle, Indiana (Walnut Ridge RV Sales)Mt. Comfort, Indiana (Mt. Comfort RV sales)I purchased my last trailer from Walnut Ridge. They even go so far as to schedule you a 3 month (after purchase) and a 12 month inspection of your RV to fix anything on the unit. They want all of their units exiting the 12 month warranty period working 100% to the customer's satisfaction. And they are excellent in follow-up after that initial year. They've gone to battle for me against Keystone, even when the warranty period was over. And Keystone paid.Modern Trailer is closest to my home, and I use them for ordering parts mostly. But they have done some really weird stuff for me, like order new wheels for my Barker Blue Tote, I get my propane from them, and any odd-ball item I may want or need, they go on the hunt and find it! They've never made me wait, and when they say they are going to do something, they do!So you know, there are some good one's out there! I've only done this myself on a couple occasions in my 62 years on this planet, but you can always register a complaint with the BBB (Better Business Bureau). When companies start getting that feedback, they either straighten up, or go out of business eventually.

Poor RV Dealer Customer Service | Good Sam Community

22 Replies

MetalGator
Nomad
Apr 19, 2017
I remember one time my dad sent me to a local Chrysler dealership to get an oil pan plug. Somehow he had lost the plug when changing the oil.

I went to the parts department and told the man what I needed. He came out and gave me the plug and said have a nice day. I asked him home much I owed him and he smiled and said the plug cost so little it wasn't worth the paperwork. I never forgot that. Twenty years later I purchased two new Jeeps from that dealership. I didn't even shop around because I remembered the good customer service. I'm not sure if I got the absolute best deal on the Jeeps but every time I go to the dealership I am treated great.

Here in the Tampa bay area of Florida there are a bunch of RV dealerships on the I4 corridor so there is a lot of competition. Oh course price is important but there are a couple of dealerships that I wouldn't take a free RV from because of their customer service and horrible attitudes.

Burch
monkey44
Nomad II
Apr 19, 2017
The fifteen minutes lost employee time makes no sense on a "No sale" when an owner believes it's a waste of time ... a customer that buys a $10 part or two or three at a loss to the dealer may later buy a $20,000 travel trailer, or a $100,000 coach.

The dealers that try to make profit off every part can't win that one - a happy customer returns for more expensive items ... even if not all buy one. It takes only one RV buyer in make up profit for hundreds of "lost parts dollars" ...
NJRVer
Explorer
Apr 19, 2017
westernrvparkowner wrote:
Time is seldom of the essence when you are dealing with RV parts.

Apparently you never had something break when camping.
delwhjr
Explorer
Apr 18, 2017
westernrvparkowner wrote:
delwhjr wrote:
westernrvparkowner wrote:
It is bad form and bad customer service to treat customers like the OP has been treated, but in all fairness it is probably the logical conclusion to our wired internet age.
This is the likely scenario to play out on the OPs request for the availability of a slide seal. The dealer will consult their parts manuals to find the actual part number. They will confirm that part with the customer. Then they will tell the customer the price. Then armed with that information, the customer will order it off the internet (cheaper price and no two hour round trip to pick it up. The savings in gas will more than make up for the internet suppliers overnight shipping charge). The dealer will have spent 15 minutes of an employee's time for no return. Multiply that by 10 or 20 calls a day and you basically have an employee doing nothing productive.

Unless the dealer specifically runs a dedicated parts department, they see customer requests for parts as a loss position as far as profit goes. They fail to realize that they maybe creating a new customer if they would only treat them right. They only see the now and not the future.
That line of reasoning comes from the "the customer is always right" mindset. That, unfortunately, is not true. At some point, businesses have to make decisions that are based on profit. They can't always lose money and time because there is a chance, and only a chance, that they will somehow make money off the customer somewhere down the road. The internet has changed customer service, that is a fact. We all do it. We shop around, see something we want or need, and if we can buy it for less from an internet supplier than we can locally, that's where we buy.
Someone mentioned the OP might have bought from the dealer instead of ordering because he could have it in an hour instead of the next day. Really? It's a seal for a slide, not a life saving dose of snake anti-venom and the guy hadn't just been bitten by a Black Mamba. Time is seldom of the essence when you are dealing with RV parts.

The customer is NOT always right. True a business has to measure most things by profit/loss but not all things can be measured in a direct profit/loss equation. Some intangibles can affect the bottom line more than dollars and cents. Customer goodwill is an actual accounting line in a business net worth balance sheet. No, you can't spend it but if the goodwill is high then it will translate to increase in sales/profit. If the goodwill goes too low it will result in lower sales/profit. This is business economics 101. Not everything a business does makes money now but can in the future.

The customer is not always right but the customer is always the customer and without the customer the business will fail.
mgirardo
Explorer
Apr 18, 2017
The three dealerships we purchased our campers from all had great service, before and after the sale (Driftwood RV in Clermont, NJ, Hitch RV in Turnersville, NJ and White Horse Leisure RV in Williamstown, NJ). The local dealership here is very small (Newcastle RV). They rarely have more than a couple RVs on the lot and their parts department stocks very little, but they are nice, knowledgeable and have been helpful the few times I've been there.

The only dealership that I was less than thrilled with as far as customer service is Ocean Grove RV in St. Augustine, FL. I called about making an appointment for some warranty work in July. The guy who answered the phone told me it was their busy season (really, the middle of July in Florida) and that it would probably be 2 weeks before they could look at it. I called the next nearest Jayco dealer in North Charleston, SC. They told me to bring it right in and they had it back to me in less than a week.

-Michael
RobWNY
Explorer
Apr 18, 2017
I would have bought from the dealer. They do have a parts department and I have bought parts from them in the past. Like I said, they are a small dealer and they know who I am and they also know I've sent many people there looking to buy an RV. I don't understand their reasoning.
westernrvparkow
Explorer
Apr 18, 2017
delwhjr wrote:
westernrvparkowner wrote:
It is bad form and bad customer service to treat customers like the OP has been treated, but in all fairness it is probably the logical conclusion to our wired internet age.
This is the likely scenario to play out on the OPs request for the availability of a slide seal. The dealer will consult their parts manuals to find the actual part number. They will confirm that part with the customer. Then they will tell the customer the price. Then armed with that information, the customer will order it off the internet (cheaper price and no two hour round trip to pick it up. The savings in gas will more than make up for the internet suppliers overnight shipping charge). The dealer will have spent 15 minutes of an employee's time for no return. Multiply that by 10 or 20 calls a day and you basically have an employee doing nothing productive.

Unless the dealer specifically runs a dedicated parts department, they see customer requests for parts as a loss position as far as profit goes. They fail to realize that they maybe creating a new customer if they would only treat them right. They only see the now and not the future.
That line of reasoning comes from the "the customer is always right" mindset. That, unfortunately, is not true. At some point, businesses have to make decisions that are based on profit. They can't always lose money and time because there is a chance, and only a chance, that they will somehow make money off the customer somewhere down the road. The internet has changed customer service, that is a fact. We all do it. We shop around, see something we want or need, and if we can buy it for less from an internet supplier than we can locally, that's where we buy.
Someone mentioned the OP might have bought from the dealer instead of ordering because he could have it in an hour instead of the next day. Really? It's a seal for a slide, not a life saving dose of snake anti-venom and the guy hadn't just been bitten by a Black Mamba. Time is seldom of the essence when you are dealing with RV parts.
jnharley
Explorer
Apr 18, 2017
Here is a shout out to Kansas RV Center. They morphed from the NuWa HitchHiker factory to an RV dealership. They kept their service center open and honored all warranty claims after they shut down the manufacturing park of the business. Make an appointment, show up on the appointed day and time, go over your punch list, and a team is assigned to work on your unit. If possible, if ongoing work takes more than one day, they return your unit to you and you can park at the nearby city campground where the first two nights are free. You can come in and check on the work they are doing any time. They are an outstanding organization.
NJRVer
Explorer
Apr 18, 2017
westernrvparkowner wrote:
It is bad form and bad customer service to treat customers like the OP has been treated, but in all fairness it is probably the logical conclusion to our wired internet age.
This is the likely scenario to play out on the OPs request for the availability of a slide seal. The dealer will consult their parts manuals to find the actual part number. They will confirm that part with the customer. Then they will tell the customer the price. Then armed with that information, the customer will order it off the internet (cheaper price and no two hour round trip to pick it up. The savings in gas will more than make up for the internet suppliers overnight shipping charge). The dealer will have spent 15 minutes of an employee's time for no return. Multiply that by 10 or 20 calls a day and you basically have an employee doing nothing productive.

Except when the dealer has it, then OP has it in an hour.
I don't think internet ships that fast.
Terryallan
Explorer II
Apr 18, 2017
I like others have had GREAT dealers. When we bought our NEw popup from Bumgarner's Camping Center in Hudson NC. they could not do enough to please us. Anything we wanted they were happy to help with. Because of out experience. Several of our friends bought Tt from them. They just didn't have what we wanted when we downgraded to a TT from a pup.

Then when we bought our Pioneer from tom Johnson Marion. It was the same thing. Even to the point of helping adjust the brake controller on a TV we bought MUCH later. Just came out and did it, no questions asked.

And then when we bought the current TT, at Bob Ledford's RV Adventure. they made a special trip, and opened the dealership special for us. Had people come in so that while we did the paper work. The WDH was installed, and the TT checked over for travel. Spent hours showing us how everything worked. Then when at the end of the season, We had a few minor things to be taken care of. No questions. Just did it, Called us when ready, and even replaced things we didn't see.

So. I would only suggest y'all do a little home work before picking the dealer you buy from. all of ours have been great.