Post by laknox on Aug 17, 2020 15:38:50 GMT -5
...when they screw up. Posting this as a general BOLO for new RV buyers regarding dealers. I'm relating an issue that a neighbor had/has with his selling dealer that came to light on a recent campout they joined us on.
Their rig is a '20 Thor Gemini Class B+ on a Benz Sprinter chassis with diesel engine. Dealer is in Mesa, AZ. When they went to look at it, the coach battery was totally flat and they had to get a jump box to even be able to put the slide in so they could see what it looked like closed up. They liked it and it's of a size that SHE was very comfortable driving it. They specifically asked that the battery be replaced before they took delivery. When they picked it up, dealer said that the battery was "fine" and there had been an issue with the monitor touch screen not reading correctly, so they replaced it. They had one full hook up camp under their belt before they joined us for 3 days' dry camping. They had run the gennie a couple times while they set up the afternoon they got there. The neighbors also had brought another couple with them and the husband has to use a CPAP to sleep.
The first evening, they noticed that the battery was going down very fast with just a few lights on and charging 2-3 phones. When they went to bed, the genny would kick on about every 15 minutes, which =we= barely heard in our FW, but our kids, in a pop-up next to us, heard all night long (about 100' away from the Gemini). Kept our daughter up pretty much all night. Not a happy camper. :-) So, the next day, they kept an eye on things, and just having a single phone charger plugged in, would trip the genny to run (auto-start at a set voltage) in about 20-25 minutes. Ended up pulling the battery, making a 38 mile one-way trip into Cottonwood from our campsite (why they didn't go to Flagstaff, I don't know), went to an RV dealer (why an RV dealer instead of a Walmart or BatteriesPlus or other auto shop, I also don't know), got a new and slightly larger battery and put it in. The next night, the genny never kicked on once. They did run it the next morning for a while to make coffee and nuke some rolls, or something.
I had the same issue with my KZ when I looked at it, and I asked that the battery be replaced. They refused saying that the price that I bought at was so low that they felt I could replace it myself if I felt it needed replacing. Since I was planning on going to 2 6v batteries anyway, I didn't make a stink about it. Went on a couple trips and killed the battery when the converter blew and I didn't know it so it never charged while plugged in at the campground.
Haven't talked to the neighbors since we got back, just waved as we pass each other, so I don't know if they've spoken to the dealer about the situation. I know that she was going to ask for written proof that they actually changed the monitor panel out, or was just blowing smoke up their nether regions. As a 22 year Army vet, retiring as a CWO, not a person you want to mess with even if she's all of about 5'2". :-)
Anyway, this is just meant as a cautionary tale of the type of crap that dealers will pull, so all you newbs out there, read the fine print and make your dealer stick to their side of the deal!
Lyle
Their rig is a '20 Thor Gemini Class B+ on a Benz Sprinter chassis with diesel engine. Dealer is in Mesa, AZ. When they went to look at it, the coach battery was totally flat and they had to get a jump box to even be able to put the slide in so they could see what it looked like closed up. They liked it and it's of a size that SHE was very comfortable driving it. They specifically asked that the battery be replaced before they took delivery. When they picked it up, dealer said that the battery was "fine" and there had been an issue with the monitor touch screen not reading correctly, so they replaced it. They had one full hook up camp under their belt before they joined us for 3 days' dry camping. They had run the gennie a couple times while they set up the afternoon they got there. The neighbors also had brought another couple with them and the husband has to use a CPAP to sleep.
The first evening, they noticed that the battery was going down very fast with just a few lights on and charging 2-3 phones. When they went to bed, the genny would kick on about every 15 minutes, which =we= barely heard in our FW, but our kids, in a pop-up next to us, heard all night long (about 100' away from the Gemini). Kept our daughter up pretty much all night. Not a happy camper. :-) So, the next day, they kept an eye on things, and just having a single phone charger plugged in, would trip the genny to run (auto-start at a set voltage) in about 20-25 minutes. Ended up pulling the battery, making a 38 mile one-way trip into Cottonwood from our campsite (why they didn't go to Flagstaff, I don't know), went to an RV dealer (why an RV dealer instead of a Walmart or BatteriesPlus or other auto shop, I also don't know), got a new and slightly larger battery and put it in. The next night, the genny never kicked on once. They did run it the next morning for a while to make coffee and nuke some rolls, or something.
I had the same issue with my KZ when I looked at it, and I asked that the battery be replaced. They refused saying that the price that I bought at was so low that they felt I could replace it myself if I felt it needed replacing. Since I was planning on going to 2 6v batteries anyway, I didn't make a stink about it. Went on a couple trips and killed the battery when the converter blew and I didn't know it so it never charged while plugged in at the campground.
Haven't talked to the neighbors since we got back, just waved as we pass each other, so I don't know if they've spoken to the dealer about the situation. I know that she was going to ask for written proof that they actually changed the monitor panel out, or was just blowing smoke up their nether regions. As a 22 year Army vet, retiring as a CWO, not a person you want to mess with even if she's all of about 5'2". :-)
Anyway, this is just meant as a cautionary tale of the type of crap that dealers will pull, so all you newbs out there, read the fine print and make your dealer stick to their side of the deal!
Lyle
