We sold our old trailer in early June and immediately put money down and ordered a new Keystone Cougar trailer from Camping World in Harrisburg,Pa.We told our sales rep that we had a friend coming in September from Arizona to have a memorial service for his wife who died in June. We always told him they could stay in our trailer if they ever came back to Pa,but we sold our old one right before his wife died.We were told by our sales rep we should have the trailer by the end of August.A few weeks later we were told that the off line date was September 5th but they were trying to switch the date so we could still have it by the end of August.End of August comes and I e-mail sales rep and he says it looks like it isn't gonna be here.Off line date is still September 5th.So I e-mail him after September 5th and he says it's done and it's labeled a " hot ship". Well now it's 12 days after the off line date and still no word on the trailer other than it's on a truck some where.It only takes 12 hours to get from Indiana to Pa so I don't understand how a so called " hot ship" isn't here by now.When the sales man told me it wouldn't be here by the end of August,I posted in the "Ask Marcus" forum thinking I might get a little help but nothing. My friend and his dog have been living in our basement for the past 2 weeks and will be leaving on Monday.If we were told we wouldn't have the trailer until October that would be one thing.But being told it will be here by end of August and then the "hot ship" and still no trailer leaves us very frustrated.

Good point to bring up: timely delivery. I wonder if a clause can be inserted into the sales contract stipulating a financial penalty to the seller if delivery in not made on time? I do much the same to general contractors when they do work. Hearing your tale I'll definitely look into it ahead of time:(.

You have more patience than me. I would already have a new trailer from somewhere else. Good luck.

Have you contacted Keystone??? That’s who I would have called when the original date couldn’t be met…If its done it might be sitting on a transporters lot somewhere…Missing delivery dates isn’t uncommon in the industry, often by much more than you are experiencing so far… generally the dealer doesn’t have any control over the manufacturing process and times promised… yes its frustrating but you’re dealing with an industry that places CS somewhere near the bottom of the priority list… still I prefer to deal with the headaches of ordering and get what I want, than to buy off the lot…

Cancel the order and shop elsewhere and MAYBE for a different brand.The dealer counts on you falling in love with the unit so you will not cancel.Demand your money back or a price reduction for your troubles

I don't get it. They can build these trailers in hours and build dozens ever day. So why does it take weeks to get one?Of corse I have never special order anything either.

Frustration with CW | Good Sam Community

RGar974417
Explorer
Sep 24, 2014
Manager got back to me and said the unit is coming from Oregon,not Indiana.The salesman told me it was finished on September 5th and it was a hot ship. A week later when I asked him when it would get here,he told me as soon as the truck driver gets here.The truth is,it was never scheduled for delivery.It was sitting on the lot all this time.I am now told it will be here October 29th.I should have talked to the manager sooner.
RGar974417
Explorer
Sep 22, 2014
I'm the OP. Was told unit done September 5th and it was a "hot" ship.Called last Thursday to talk to the manager.He wasn't in but I left a message.He called me back at 6pm that night and said he would have an answer the next day.Guess what? Today's Monday and he still didn't call me back.Trailer was done over 3 weeks ago and I can't get an answer as to where it is or when it will get here.That's what is so frustrating.
PastorCharlie
Explorer
Sep 20, 2014
The truck is on the road and the check is in the mail; the American way. :B
monkey44
Nomad II
Sep 20, 2014
Delivery date for a unit might not be valid and in the dealer control. But, SIGNING a contract including a delivery date is in his control. If you can't deliver, then don't make the promise.
NYCgrrl
Explorer
Sep 20, 2014
Lauren wrote:
Having spent 32 years on corporate marketing I perhaps have some insight into this.

The Middle Man - whether it was me or it is Camping World - is at the mercy of the factory they represent. Simple as that.

Camping World really cannot force anything that Keystone - or anyone else - is negligent on. And, guess what? The manufacturer is at the mercy of HIS suppliers. What if the refer guy or the axle guy has an issue? Lots of variables into something like this.

I used to pad delivery dates some when I sold a product from one of my plants that I knew always ran late; just enuf so that I would still get the order though!

Penalty clause for late. Double edged sword. If they are early, you pay a premium. At least in construction things.

And I have been on the receiving end as well on this over my years. I have learned to have some leeway in things....sure makes life easier.

Agreed that padding delivery dates are the norm whether factory to dealer or dealer to end user. Takes care of weather and transportation issues.

Never heard of a premium for finishing a job early, LOL. Don't know if that's an anomaly of your marketplace or if you mean factory to dealer. Certainly in my area contractors finishing early doesn't happen much but we've been in a building boom for some time. Most of my industry dealings are with gut rehabs/remodeling as opposed to new construction though.
NJRVer
Explorer
Sep 20, 2014
Lauren wrote:
Try and order a unit without giving them any money! :-)

In that you buy off the lot, that really is not relevant to this issue.

The point here is that CW caught the brunt here and it, from what has been said, was out of their hands. And it goes back also with the them ordering (buying) the unit. What if Dexter axle had an issue for example. Or their steel people went on strike so they could not get raw material? Then the trailer would be late and that is supposed to be Camping World's fault?

I'm otta here.

I believe OP stated the issue was that the unit was done and sitting at the factory waiting to be delivered.

If that is the case then it is a CW issue.
It wasn't that long ago there used to be a side banner ad that ran on this site from CW looking for RV drivers to hire to deliver RV's for CW.
Bumpyroad
Explorer
Sep 20, 2014
Lauren wrote:
Water-bug. And how many dealers do you think you would ever find that would agree to that?

yep, x2
I didn't think about the manufacturers suppliers being unable to fulfill raw material needs.
bumpy
Us_out_West
Explorer
Sep 20, 2014
Actually once a dealer has made his volume order any re-orders qualify for the volume discount.
Water-Bug
Explorer II
Sep 20, 2014
Actually, the dealer gets a better deal from the manufacturer on a volume buy that he uses to populate his lot, than he gets on a onesey order. Some of those units in the volume buy could sell at a small mark-up, just to get them off of the lot. They are bought buy the dealer to reach a minimum order quantity and the dealer just ordered them get a discount price on what they really wanted.
Us_out_West
Explorer
Sep 20, 2014
Lauren wrote:
Try and order a unit without giving them any money! :-)

The point here is that CW caught the brunt here and it, from what has been said, was out of their hands. And it goes back also with the them ordering (buying) the unit. What if Dexter axle had an issue for example. Or their steel people went on strike so they could not get raw material? Then the trailer would be late and that is supposed to be Camping World's fault

.

Good post Lauren.

Some people are afraid of their own shadow and forget about common sense.

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