Looking at buying a TT at Gillette in Michigan. Local dealer is nowhere near the price, so its worth it financially.Will i have issues getting service locally? Its a Shadow Cruiser, so my choices are limited nearby. The local dealer is 1.2mi from my house, but next one is 200mi.

We just picked up a new Denali 4 weeks ago from a dealer about 120 miles away. There is a dealer only 25 miles away and we would have liked to do business with them but their financing options are very limited (IMHO). While de-winterizing the TT, it was discovered that the sewage lines were installed wrong at the factory. I brought it to the closer dealer to have the work done as a warranty repair after speaking with the factory. If you buy a Camper from a distant dealer but have one closer, they will most likely be more than happy to do any repairs.....if under warranty, they will get paid by the factory, and if it's not a warranty repair, they will get paid by you. Their service depts are in business to make money so they won't turn away the business. The only issue may be that if they are very busy, a customer who bought a trailer at that dealership will most likely get in ahead of you.

Given that most factory warranties are a year, sometimes two, the likelyhood of needing a serious repair in that time doesn't really make it a consideration for me. I bought ours over an hour away in MD and only had it down there twice in two years. After that, it's your baby and you can take it anywhere you please because you'll likey be paying out of pocket. That's why so many of us learn to do our own repairs/mods.

This discussion comes up every so often on this board and I don't recall ever seeing someone say they were not able to get warranty work done anywhere but at the place where they bought the RV.I just recently purchased a new TT from a dealer 80 miles from home but I plan on using a dealer much closer to home in the event I need warranty work done. Some of you may live in areas where your choices may be very limited and local dealers use it to their advantage. However, in places like So Cal, there are a ton of dealers and independent shops that are willing to do the work.

YES there have been issues with folks getting warranty work done at a dealer that they didn't buy from.Dealer will do it....but YOU are not a priority to themPriority:Those that bought from themThose that have prior business with themThose that pay cashThen those that bought elsewhere.I haven't had that issue.........we left area where we bought. Used factory for one repair and mobile techs for others that I wasn't able to do.BUT I have read posts on here about folks having issues getting warranty work done at dealerships (factory authorized ones) that they didn't purchase from. Even have read posts where dealer won't do the warranty work.RV dealerships/warranty....not the same as with autos.But it can vary.....some dealerships have better business practices.If you can find one :B

Service issues if buying long distance? | Good Sam Community

18 Replies

RobertRyan
Explorer
May 03, 2014
mark_be wrote:
goducks10 wrote:
mark_be wrote:
I bought in Wisconsin and live in Belgium. Does that count as long distance? :)

I think you won.

Not sure because there are also Germans here, which is even a bit further away. And Australians? Or do they buy Aussie RV brands?

Just saw this, the answer is a definite yes.
VinCee
Explorer
Apr 30, 2014
Lets see, local dealer doesn't have the best price and won't meet the lower price achieved elsewhere. Local guy gives you the runaround on why he can't get you in to do warranty work, regardless of the amount paid by the manufacturer as earlier posted. Local guy is the only dealer of a particular brand within a 100 plus miles and doesn't care of the world wide web on shopping brand, price, service. Why the heck would anybody buy anything from a local jerk like that. Sooner or later business practices like this catch up to most businesses.
bikendan
Explorer
Apr 30, 2014
we bought our HTT from a dealer 2000 miles away from us.
before we picked it up, i contacted the manufacturer's warranty dept., who gave a number of local dealers that were more than willing to do the warranty work.

only thing is that i accepted the fact that i wouldn't be first in line and that was fine with me.
had most of the work done during the winter, so i got free storage.

never had any issues with warranty work.
B_O__Plenty
Explorer II
Apr 29, 2014
I bought mine from a dealer in my State maybe 75 miles away. The one and only time I went there for service I ended up taking it back when it was 1/2 done after 6 weeks, and doing the repairs myself. My manufacturer was happy to send me the necessary parts. I will never set foot on that dealers property again..Moral of the story: Buy where you get the best price, worry about repairs when and if you need to. You will always find a way to get it done. The manufacturer will work with you.

B.O.
janstey58
Explorer
Apr 29, 2014
Interestingly, distance has nothing to do with this. I purchased my MH at CW in my area, and when I went to another local dealer (starts with an "L" in CoBluffs,IA) I get the treatment that old-Biscuit describes:

Dealer will do it....but YOU are not a priority to them
Priority:
Those that bought from them
Those that have prior business with them
Those that pay cash
Then those that bought elsewhere.

AND, I have been a former customer of dealer "L" twice! Still got snubbed and fell into those that bought elsewhere catagory. I found a local serviceman to do my work elsewhere.
Mich_F
Explorer
Apr 29, 2014
JEBar wrote:
its a misconception that dealers make the same money on warranty repairs that they do on nonwarranty repairs .... manufactures set the payment based on the time they will allot for a given repair, not on the actual time it takes the dealer to actually complete the repair .... in addition, most provide parts so that the dealer doesn't make much, if any, profit on the parts used .... when a dealer sells a unit they make some money which helps offset smaller warranty payments from the manufacture .... I do find it interesting the folks choose to purchase from someone other than the local dealer and then expect the local dealer to take care of the problems .... when an item is bought on the cheap, should it come as a surprise when you get what you pay for

Jim

I answered a similar thread started a few days ago, saying the same thing, although my response was no where near as comprehensive as yours. :B
mark_be
Explorer
Apr 29, 2014
goducks10 wrote:
mark_be wrote:
I bought in Wisconsin and live in Belgium. Does that count as long distance? :)

I think you won.

Not sure because there are also Germans here, which is even a bit further away. And Australians? Or do they buy Aussie RV brands?
goducks10
Explorer
Apr 29, 2014
mark_be wrote:
I bought in Wisconsin and live in Belgium. Does that count as long distance? :)

I think you won.
mark_be
Explorer
Apr 29, 2014
I bought in Wisconsin and live in Belgium. Does that count as long distance? :)
Ron3rd
Explorer III
Apr 29, 2014
mosseater wrote:
Given that most factory warranties are a year, sometimes two, the likelyhood of needing a serious repair in that time doesn't really make it a consideration for me. I bought ours over an hour away in MD and only had it down there twice in two years. After that, it's your baby and you can take it anywhere you please because you'll likey be paying out of pocket. That's why so many of us learn to do our own repairs/mods.

IMO this is the best answer so far. And yes, this topic pops up from time to time and there's no hard and fast rule; it depends on the dealer in your area.