What your opinion of buying a MV from camping World?

willald wrote:
Some folks were talking previously about Tom Johnson Camping in NC, and how they are now owned by Camping World, and how they've gone downhill as a result: I have to chime in on that.

We have known Tom Johnson for years, we live not far from there. Yes, they HAD a great reputation, and we loved doing business with them. Service, parts was always great, and we almost bought an RV from them a few times.

But, we too, have personally witnessed how they went downhill fast after CW took them over. Just a few weeks ago, I had to replace the motor on my A&E power awning on our RV. Called them up, gave them the information about the awning, asked if they could get the replacement motor for me. They get the info, get my # and say they'll research and call me back. I get a call 10 minutes later, and their parts person tells me that my awning, and its motor, are OBSOLETE, and can not be purchased ANYWHERE, anymore!! A&E quit making them, I'm just out of luck and have to buy an entire new awning, can't get just the motor assembly!

I told her, Ummmmm....You do know this is the exact same awning that A&E is STILL making and putting on brand new RVs, and you have a whole lot full of RVs with the exact same awning on it, right? And, that I can name off a half dozen other RV parts retailers that I've already talked to that have this motor, right? And, I've also already talked to A&E, and they have this motor, too, and are willing to sell me one also, right? Are you still going to sit there and tell me the part is obsolete, or would you like to go back and actually research it this time instead of taking the lazy way out?

Well, she stuck to her line of total bull. I told her, that I think its a crying shame what CW has done to your dealership, and ended that call. Ordered the motor from another RV parts retailer (Bill's RV appliance out of Indiana), had it at our doorstep in a few days.

We are sooooooo done with that place, CW has ruined them like they have so many other RV dealers. And I won't even get into the horrible experience my brother in law had a few years ago when he made the mistake of buying his 5th wheel RV from another CW location.

Similar experience on ours. The Dealership used be a K&C RV and we loved their massive parts department, and they were a reputable Dealer. Now that CW has taken over, I think some of the salesman are still around, but the parts department and service bays have been taken over by the rental RV side of CW and CW came in with their own parts system based on their traditional accessories store.

One of our ceiling fans did not come on when we purchased, and that was on the hit list to fix. I got a call that said the fan is obsolete (ours is a 2013) and they can't get them anymore and that we will need to install a new Fantastic Fan instead. I thought it odd, but told them to go ahead. I got a new fan with a remote - great, but I also have a switch that doesn't do anything now and they installed the fan but put lap sealant around the maxicover instead of the fan! Fortunately I replaced the fan covers shortly after we bought it and noticed the mess they made, and then I find out the factory fans are available through the Winnebago store - on Amazon even. I would have much preferred the factory fan rather than the retrofit mess they did.

One of the many issues I had with them, and for this one I felt I was really handed a line of bull, because it's easier for them to fill the role as CW accessory store than to be a real manufacturer rep they should be.