The buy local fallacy

We've honestly been pretty lucky with repairs on our rig, but I have found that most repairs fit into one of four categories for our travel trailer (I admit it would look very different for MH owners!):

1) The vast majority of repairs are things a reasonably adept person can replace/repair on their own.

2) Some repairs require techs, but can be done on-site by mobile techs who can address things much more readily than a shop.

3) A few repairs actually require a true RV center, but can wait until the off-season (for those of us who have an off-season).

4) A small number of issues need to be done in a shop and NOW (this would mostly center on the chassis and/or other major failures).

In 7+ years with our current rig, we've only run into a #4 once, and we hustled around to get that addressed. Everything else has been workable in other ways, and the vast majority I was able to do myself. Never had a warranty claim, as it was easier to just fix it. If I weren't ready and able to do such things, I wouldn't want to own an RV!

Times are changing .... fast!

We have 2 local dealerships near us.

Now really, when you REALLY think about it, isn't ALL RV dealerships "local?" I don't know of any nation wide chain of dealerships except "Camping Word" that has dealerships in several states and multiple locations. Everything else is ... well ... "local" ... right? How many other "dealerships" have multiple, nation wide locations?

So, with that in mind, "local" dealerships is really just a point of reference to wherever you live. And the fact is, some dealerships have better customer service reputations than others.

But as stated above, times are-a changin'.

(My) local dealerships have now fallen into the same problem than others have been complaining about for years. You use to be able to make an appointment and within a week had everything solved. Now, you are lucky if you can get an appointment within anything less than 3 months out! And that appointment is ONLY to estimate the repair. It might take another 3 months to get the actual repair.

I use to really brag about both of my "par-excellence" RV dealerships and service shops, but no more. In the last 2 years they've fallen into the same problem as all the other (big name) shops.

One dealership near us built a new facility where they could work on, more than double, the amount of RV's, have more bays, and a more and better technology and tools to better serve their increased volume of service.

The problem is, they didn't hire any more employees or service techs. What good is building a new, bigger, and fancier facility if the same number of people are still working the same number of repairs. That's one problem.

The second problem is, new RV's being spit-out from the manufacturers are coming out of the factory with inferior quality. So when the buyer uses them, and then they start falling apart, they go back to the dealership for warranty or service. The volume of returned RV's seems to be ridiculous.

Add to the mix the number of RV sales skyrocketed over the last 5 years, which means more and more being spit out by he manufacturer with less and less quality ... well ....

Add the 3 items together, more returns for service and the same number of service techs and it doesn't take very long for a back-log to happen... REAL FAST.

It's not just the Big Name, Nation Wide dealerships and service companies that is now in deep, it's also the "local" dealerships and shops that overwhelmed and over flooded with service needs.

I see two solutions to the problem, and probably neither will happen. 1) Hire more service techs so the turn-over can happen faster and they might actually get caught up with demand. But that means more wages and that cuts into the company's profits! Yea! That's the real "bottom line." 2) Manufacturers need to tighten up on their quality when the RV units leave the factory.

My last Fiver was purchased over 3 hrs from my house... that is the closest dealer of Redwood with the next being in Massachusetts.

The experience has been great, I have had a few items that were in need or replacement/repair and all I did was send pictures and the parts came directly to my house.

Heck, even Keystone ( Who I was terrified to deal with after hearing stories) has been fantastic.... I had 2 instances that they helped me out and the issue was resolved with little or no aggravation.

I made an appointment after the season was over to get a few larger things handled, told the dealer they would get the trailer on a Saturday and I would be there the next Saturday ti pick it up,.,, Got a call on Wednesday stating it was all done...

SO . . . The dealer can make or break any experience.

Looked at 5th wheels at the Hershey show which happens to be local for me. Found what we wanted with a fairly local (1.5 hour drive) dealer. Looked online for that model and found one in Indiana for $10,000 less. Bought it based on the photo's they provided and they delivered it to me foe $285. That was in 2010. About a year later we had an issue with the roof leaking down the back wall. I towed it back to the factory in Shipshewana, Indiana. They repaired it and returned it to the house for free. I also had some minor warranty work done at an independent RV repair place locally. Just got the work pre-approved.

It really depends on how much money you can save by buying elsewhere. The $10,000 I saved can pay for quite a few trips to the factory to get work done. For $1,000 I might be less likely to travel that far for a unit.

I bought my used MH in northern Indiana 3 hours from home in march of this year. Great deal and honest. I'm still waiting to hear from General RV a half hour away. And Camping World a half hour away said I wouldn't find what I was looking for at he price I was willing to pay. So much for buying locally!

x2 if your rv is in the for more than two weeks go get it.

I made my last new purchase 250 miles from home. I never returned for warranty work, but dealer did send several warranty items, that I replaced myself. The dealer just asked for picture proof to send to manufacturer, which they also have to do for various replacement items, to get warranty coverage. I did contact the manufacturer, about my worthless omni antenna. The fellow I spoke with was a bit defensive and not very friendly, but agreed to send a new Batwing, and would pay a local shop (non-dealer) to install it.

I know others experiences differ, and seems you may have had a bad experience with manufacturer. I would not let my FW sit at a dealership for a long time, if I could make the repair myself.

Jerry