Service appointments

[ncfd410]

Why does it take over two weeks to schedule an appointment to get service work done? I need to get the hydraulic jacks serviced. I had a retract failure alarm and a loss of hydraulic fluid. I am attempting to schedule an appointment to get it fixed and two weeks is the earliest I can get. Does this seem normal or am I lost?

[vegasfoodguy]

Bird Freak wrote:

ncfd410 wrote:
The one I called who can get me in in 19 days said "our goal is to look at your vehicle within 3 days of it arriving and it usually takes two weeks to get parts.'
I understand the parts, but if it take two plus weeks to get an appointment why does it take three extra days to look at it? And if three days is their goal, how often do they not make the goal? And this is a Camping World facility. Or am I just that naive?

You answered your own question. Camping World facility. Most good rv shops will have a back log this time of year. I have the same problem with my business. Everyone wants their rv or hot rod fixed now, not back in the winter when it would make more sense.

You really needed 23 different opinions, to answer this question?

[charles]

What's worse is you will most likely have to go back again to have it repaired correctly. When we bought a new Winnebago in 2011, there were rows of units with stickers on the saying either service or parts and some of them were dated over a month earlier. I told my wife, this is not a good sign. I was lucky, only had to go back once and it was just one night.

Nick

[hipower]

I have found that dealer appointments are a moving target. When I need to get in and get something fixed quickly, my local dealer will do whatever it takes to make that happen.

The opposite side of that is when I need something done that has no deadline I will call and schedule an appointment as far in advance as possible, often 6-8 weeks. PA state inspection is one example. When I call, as I did earlier this week for an appointment and the service writer asked what I needed done, I told her an appointment early next month would be good. She laughed and said thank you, we don't get enough people who are not asking for immediate appointments. My reply was simple, this is a two way deal, when I need help quickly you accomodate me, when things can be scheduled further out I do so. It's good for all of us. Again she thanked me for making her job easier.

A good dealer relationship is priceless when needed and can be screwed up easily by either party.

[dougrainer]

wolfe10 wrote:
Doug,

Agree automobile and RV service are different, but perhaps not as different as one might expect.

Look at the number of after-market service agreements available on automobiles(many call them extended warranties, but they are not). Just as with RV's most require prior approval. I do not know the time difference between prior approval on RV vs automobile. And, particularly on used cars, parts are NOT in stock for the perfusion of makes and models sold-- meaning similar order processes.

I am quite certain there are some well-run RV service/parts departments as well as poorly run ones. Same goes for the automobile business (and most other businesses for that matter).

You missed the point. REGULAR warranty requires prior approval on all most all RV manufacturers and suppliers. This is how far DOWN the RV industry has gone in the past 10 years. My fantasy is to run a Mercedes/Lexus dealership in Elkhart, Indiana, and when those RV execs bring their New Auto's in for warranty work, I give them the same BS they give THEIR RV customers, about prior approval and having to wait on parts direct from the OEM. THEY would not put up with 1 to 2 weeks to get THEIR Auto's repaired under warranty. Doug

[J-Rooster]

This is why I go to a local mechanic shop for my small repairs!

[wolfe10]

Doug,

Agree automobile and RV service are different, but perhaps not as different as one might expect.

Look at the number of after-market service agreements available on automobiles(many call them extended warranties, but they are not). Just as with RV's most require prior approval. I do not know the time difference between prior approval on RV vs automobile. And, particularly on used cars, parts are NOT in stock for the perfusion of makes and models sold-- meaning similar order processes.

I am quite certain there are some well-run RV service/parts departments as well as poorly run ones. Same goes for the automobile business (and most other businesses for that matter).

[Skid_Row_Joe]

dougrainer wrote:

ncfd410 wrote:
Since I have already had a warranty repair on these levelers I am hoping they will consider this another warranty problem. I guess I have to wait and see what the tech says about the issue when I finally get to take it in. I was just confused about how when you wait two weeks plus for an appointment, they then tell you their goal is to get to look at it within three days of arrival. Makes no sense to me.

1. They are booked, so the NEXT available apt is 2 weeks out. WHY bring your RV in and have it sit for 2 weeks and besides they do NOT have the room.
2. 3 days---We tell our customers the same. Once arrived it MAY take up to 3 days to look/Fix/ or diagnois and get parts ordered if needed.
3. Remember, YOU are NOT the only customer, there are hundreds of customers and NOT ALL repairs can be done quickly and parts ordered and installed the same day or even week. SO, repairs get backed up as previous appt's run longer or repairs take longer and then the shop workload backs up.
4. Sorry Brett, Using a Auto type service center is comparing apples to oranges. RV repair is a different animal. Used to be we fixed items(warranty) and then billed the appropriate supplier. NOW, almost ALL repairs require prior approval from almost everyone and that delay's the timely service. NON warranty and it goes smoothly and quickly. Unless you have to special order parts
5. Special order parts can take 3 to 10 business days. Some OEM's require that THEY send warranty parts even tho the Service center may have the identical part in stock.
6. There are ALWAYS emergency's that require a customer to come in in front of other appt's and get him on the road for his vacation. That puts the rest of the work behind schedule also. Doug

Doug is correct. RVs are not automobiles. There are any number of delays when a facility is working on any RV. There's no way to have all the parts necessary for every RV made on premises. It can take days and weeks to wind up all the repairs necessary on any given RV.

My coach manufacturer has a minimum of 2 months lead time to even get an appointment - and many times when they're working on your RV, they end up breaking something else on it. -Ask me how I know!? No, RVs are not cars - that's for certain.

[klm]

Call a mobile tech. You can also go to the HWH website and find an authorized repair center near you. I would not go to CW, but that's just me.

[dougrainer]

ncfd410 wrote:
Since I have already had a warranty repair on these levelers I am hoping they will consider this another warranty problem. I guess I have to wait and see what the tech says about the issue when I finally get to take it in. I was just confused about how when you wait two weeks plus for an appointment, they then tell you their goal is to get to look at it within three days of arrival. Makes no sense to me.

1. They are booked, so the NEXT available apt is 2 weeks out. WHY bring your RV in and have it sit for 2 weeks and besides they do NOT have the room.
2. 3 days---We tell our customers the same. Once arrived it MAY take up to 3 days to look/Fix/ or diagnois and get parts ordered if needed.
3. Remember, YOU are NOT the only customer, there are hundreds of customers and NOT ALL repairs can be done quickly and parts ordered and installed the same day or even week. SO, repairs get backed up as previous appt's run longer or repairs take longer and then the shop workload backs up.
4. Sorry Brett, Using a Auto type service center is comparing apples to oranges. RV repair is a different animal. Used to be we fixed items(warranty) and then billed the appropriate supplier. NOW, almost ALL repairs require prior approval from almost everyone and that delay's the timely service. NON warranty and it goes smoothly and quickly. Unless you have to special order parts
5. Special order parts can take 3 to 10 business days. Some OEM's require that THEY send warranty parts even tho the Service center may have the identical part in stock.
6. There are ALWAYS emergency's that require a customer to come in in front of other appt's and get him on the road for his vacation. That puts the rest of the work behind schedule also. Doug

[kalynzoo]

I use a mobile tech for all my service, emergency and routine. Call a local campground and get a number for the person they recommend.

[camper19709]

I feel that being a regular repeat customer makes a big difference in how soon you get an appointment. I have a local dealer that I use almost exclusively for my motorhome work. When I call with a problem they frequently will ask ME when I want to bring it in. Usually I get an appointment within a week and sometimes it is in the next day or two. And they are a busy shop.

[ncfd410]

Since I have already had a warranty repair on these levelers I am hoping they will consider this another warranty problem. I guess I have to wait and see what the tech says about the issue when I finally get to take it in. I was just confused about how when you wait two weeks plus for an appointment, they then tell you their goal is to get to look at it within three days of arrival. Makes no sense to me.

[chuckftboy]

Why not take it to a local hydraulic shop. Seems they would have the parts and equipment to make the repairs faster and it may cost less.

[Executive45]

Well put, Brett.....Dennis