In the last couple of weeks, I have met and chatted with a couple of new motorhome owners. After so many years on the road, I am always happy to share some of the things I have learned over the years, so I decided to put these suggestions down in case anyone else is interested. First, you need to know that RVs are not made like cars on an assembly line that makes hundreds of almost identical cars every day according to strict quality processes. (I spent a lot of years visiting factories and writing training materials in the auto industry, and I made a point to visit RV manufacturing plants before i bought my rig. The RV industry is at least 20-30 years behind modern manufacturing techniques. Most important to know is that in most RV factories, each RV is made by a team of assemblers, not one person doing a single task with hundreds of vehicles each day. The result is that your vehicle will not be exactly like the one next to it while it was made!)
Ask around to people who have bought multiple RVs and I think you will find that they will support this. Onward!!!
- First, know that you are likely to not have 100% positive experiences getting your warranty items fixed. Unfortunately, dealers have learned that most people buy only one or two RVs in their lifetimes, so they are not concerned with your coming back in a very few years as a repeat customer. Once you are out the door, your dealer will not be as friendly and helpful he/she was before you handed over that big check. SO, DOCUMENT EVERY WARRANTY ISSUE WITH DATED PHOTOGRAPHS AND KEEP NOTES IN A NOTEBOOK OF SOME SORT. write down what happened and when, and what the response was when you brought the issue to your dealer. My dealer refused to fix most of the issues I had with my brand new motorhome because they said the problems were my fault as I had caused things to break. For example, the drawer under my refrigerator flew open as I was driving on the third day I owned it and bashed a hole in the paneling around the stove because I had overloaded it. I called the factory customer service people to ask what the weight limits were for all of the cupboards and drawers in my rig and was told there was no such thing. Ditto for other problems like the trim piece that fell off when I hit a bump and the side door which would not stay shut even when locked. I ended up getting everything fixed at the factory several months later in Indiana.
- Before you go on your first trip outside of your local area, try to get an electrical schematic from the dealer or from the factory that made your vehicle. I was originally told that none existed, but managed to get one several years later from a friendlier dealer. This would have helped when a dealer who did not have such a document had to have its service people search for three hours to find the fuse for my slides. They ended up having to trace wires and remove inside paneling. Where was the fuse??? Not with all the other fuses in the fuse box, of course. It was hidden inside a wooden box under my bed that enclosed the rear furnace motor and the converter. Who would have thought??
- If you have problems with something while you are traveling and don't know what to do, don't hesitate to find someone in your campground who has a motorhome or trailer similar to yours. Most RV owners LOVE to share horror stories and help you find solutions to your problem. If you pull out a tool box and open your hood around dinner time, you are likely to attract a crowd, which may be just what you need!
- Know that most auto insurance companies like AAA and State Farm may not have the skills or contacts to find an appropriate wrecker that can actually lift your rig and change a tire or tow it to a repair facility. Many people, including me, have had EXCELLENT service from a company called CoachNet that specializes in big motorhomes and trailers. They will send someone who has a big enough jack and knows where to attach it and how to safely lift your rig without it falling or causing damage! It may take a couple of hours, but hopefully you will be in a safe place and can turn on your generator and AC, and fix yourself a meal while you are waiting. CoachNet can also give you technical advice over the phone so you can possibly fix it yourself, or they can send a mobile technician that can fix whatever it is on the spot. (There are mobile technicians that can assess or even fix engines or the "truck" part of your RVs, and there are also mobile RV technicians that can assess or even fix the RV part, like manually getting a stuck slide in or removing a torn and flapping awning that is preventing you from driving your rig.) CoachNet will pay for the technicians to come out, but you will still have to pay for any repairs that they do, but that is still a lot better than being towed to a garage or RV dealers.)
To Be Continued
