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  1. #1
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    Exclamation Rv maintanence/repairs - why so long?

    I'm confused and a little frustrated with the time frame that RV Maintenance or Repairs take. I need a little insight from our GD family.

    First a little background on me. Both of my sons are heavy duty mechanics (my oldest owns his own shop) and while going to college I worked summers as a mechanic and service writer. So I'm much more familiar with autos than RV's. It seems to me that taking your RV in for any minor maintenance or repair is a guaranteed 6 weeks. This happened on our original Jayco and GD so I'm not singling out any one dealer or manufacturer.

    Here's my opinion. If I take my vehicle into the shop for an oil change, general checkup, check/replace the brakes this is the way it works on the vehicle side. A tech pulls the car in and does the inspection. If he finds that the air filter needs to be replaced it's done then. If a belt needs to be replaced it's done then followed by the oil change. For discussion let's say that upon inspection we find that the breaks need to be replaced plus the rotors and we don't have them in stock. The tech orders the rotors and brake pads and then takes the car out of the bay while waiting for the parts. Parts arrive car placed back in the bay and the brakes/rotors done. Test drive and we're done. Notice all the minor stuff was done first then the ordered parts replaced.

    It seems to me that this is not the case in the RV world and if not why not? I took my Grand Design Reflection in on March 17th to have a 50 point inspection, axles repacked and brakes checked. During the initial inspection they found that I needed a new roof. My insurance company was notified, contacted dealer and new roof authorized. Since we have supply chain issues I understand that the roof may be on back order and the service advisor told me. Fast forward to early April and they say they have the roof in but are having trouble with the old roof removal. No problem (even in the auto industry some times getting the old part off takes longer than expected). Easter Week I get a call saying the roof is done and they want to let it dry a couple of days. Now last week they call and tell me that the pressure relief valve on the hot water heater needs to be replaced and they have ordered it. They'll wait for it to come in before the check the axles and brakes.

    They've had the 5th wheel for 5 weeks now and are just now doing the 50 point and axle repacking and just now ordered parts.

    I'm sorry but I just don't understand. The week of April 11th the roof was done. Why wasn't the relief valve ordered earlier and why wasn't the axles and brakes already done? In talking with them today they said they hoped it would be ready the first week of May.

    In the auto industry I would lose a customer and have a really mad shop manager for taking up a service space for 6-8 weeks. I know many of you are going to say "that's why I do all my own maintenance" and I do as much as possible but this time I was unable to do it.

    Your thoughts will be appreciated especially if you are in the RV industry.
    Last edited by AustexGP; 04-27-2022 at 12:08 PM. Reason: missing word
    Les and Sharon Bevil
    Austin, Tx

    Reflection 311BHS purchased March 2017
    Jayco 32BHDS sold March 2017
    2012 Chevrolet 2500HD 6.6 Diesel (until May 2018)
    2015 Chevrolet 3500HD 6.6 Diesel

  2. #2
    Commercial Member huntr70's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by AustexGP View Post
    I'm confused and a little frustrated with the time frame that RV Maintenance or Repairs take. I need a little insight from our GD family.

    First a little background on me. Both of my sons are heavy duty mechanics (my oldest owns his own shop) and while going to college I worked summers as a mechanic and service writer. So I'm much more familiar with autos than RV's. It seems to me that taking your RV in for any minor maintenance or repair is a guaranteed 6 weeks. This happened on our original Jayco and GD so I'm not singling out any one dealer or manufacturer.

    Here's my opinion. If I take my vehicle into the shop for an oil change, general checkup, check/replace the brakes this is the way it works on the vehicle side. A tech pulls the car in and does the inspection. If he finds that the air filter needs to be replaced it's done then. If a belt needs to be replaced it's done then followed by the oil change. For discussion let's say that upon inspection we find that the breaks need to be replaced plus the rotors and we don't have them in stock. The tech orders the rotors and brake pads and then takes the car out of the bay while waiting for the parts. Parts arrive car placed back in the bay and the brakes/rotors done. Test drive and we're done. Notice all the minor stuff was done first then the ordered parts replaced.

    It seems to me that this is not the case in the RV world and if not why not? I took my Grand Design Reflection in on March 17th to have a 50 point inspection, axles repacked and brakes checked. During the initial inspection they found that I needed a new roof. My insurance company was notified, contacted dealer and new roof authorized. Since we have supply chain issues I understand that the roof may be on back order and the service advisor told me. Fast forward to early April and they say they have the roof in but are having trouble with the old roof removal. No problem (even in the auto industry some times getting the old part off takes longer than expected). Easter Week I get a call saying the roof is done and they want to let it dry a couple of days. Now last week they call and tell me that the pressure relief valve on the hot water heater needs to be replaced and they have ordered it. They'll wait for it to come in before the check the axles and brakes.

    They've had the 5th wheel for 5 weeks now and are just now doing the 50 point and axle repacking and just now ordered parts.

    I'm sorry but I just don't understand. The week of April 11th the roof was done. Why wasn't the relief valve ordered earlier and why wasn't the axles and brakes already done? In talking with them today they said they hoped it would be ready the first week of May.

    In the auto industry I would lose a customer and have a really mad shop manager for taking up a service space for 6-8 weeks. I know many of you are going to say "that's why I do all my own maintenance" and I do as much as possible but this time I was unable to do it.

    Your thoughts will be appreciated especially if you are in the RV industry.
    A lot of that sounds like you should be asking your dealer why......

    Right now, parts are the hold up for us. We get the unit in for whatever it was scheduled for, order parts, wait several weeks for the parts, then get the unit back in to replace parts.

    All of the service should be done at the initial appointment.
    Steve- Inventory Manager at Tom Schaeffer's RV, Shoemakersville, PA www.tomschaeffers.com
    [email protected]
    2011 RAM 3500 SRW Outdoorsman Edition 4X4, 6.7 Cummins--TWEAKED!
    2021 Reflection 310RLS

  3. #3
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    The process has always been painfully slow. Now, struggles to find workers and delays in shipping have the effect of both a real delay and a readily available excuse for slow response.

    Whenever anybody asks me about buying an RV, I always say that if you can’t or don’t want to do your own repairs, you might find RV ownership too stressful. I grew up somewhat poor and have farmed much of my life, so repairing things myself has generally been the only option I had.
    John & Kathy
    2014 F250 Lariat FX4 6.2L SBCC
    2014 Reflection 303RLS
    SW Indiana

  4. #4
    Site Sponsor sande005's Avatar
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    I'll find out tomorrow if my past experiences with two different dealers holds true. With the prior Jayco dealer, and the current GD one, there were/are long lead times to get an appointment. But prior to that all parts anticipated were preordered. If I had stopped by with the trailer to make the appointment, they did a minor inspection to verify the part needs, if there was a question. On the day of, work was completed while I waited, even some that I thought was fairly time consuming - but wasn't for them. Whenever possible, they worked hard to maximize my ability to use the unit. Including pulling parts off of their personally owned trailers while waiting for the new to arrive, or other temporary repairs. If there were times I was willing, I was allowed to bring it in early - like a month or two, and they would get to it as time available, but a guarantee to have it all done by my scheduled time. They both have always had it done far in advance of that date in those cases.
    But, I have not yet needed them to find something that was previously unknown, a big job (like a roof), and have to wait. I do know that in any event, all the other items would be done by the service date, with only the outlier causing a wait/revisit time.

    FYI - Hilltop Trailer in Minneapolis for the prior Jayco, Pleasureland RV in St. Cloud, MN for the Grand Design.
    2017 Imagine 2670MK
    2012 F-150 SCrew, Eco, 4x4 6.5 box
    Max. Tow, HD Payload, Airbags, ProPride hitch
    (Previous: Jayco 26.5RLS Fifth, Revolution Pinbox)

  5. #5
    Site Team traveldawg's Avatar
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    I'll take a stab at this.....

    1. Dealers don't have to bother to figure out how to service more rigs faster; they already have more than they can handle. And any new rig being sold will get attention before any other rig.
    2. Parts delays... as opposed to automobiles there are too many parts to stock and dealers are basically one-off shops that can't afford to (or won't) stock parts, not even basic parts. (although I find this to be different at Airstream Dealers).
    3. This is kind of like #1 ... the wheel/axle tech (or bay) is tied up so why bother trying to get yours fixed while waiting for parts when they have others lined up that they can work on while yours sits.
    4. I don't think a lot of dealers are smart enough to figure out how to schedule all the various activities/fixes/troubleshooting things except in a one-at-a-time following a single critical path - fix this first, then schedule that for fixing type of method.

    The whole idea of putting off repacking bearings while the roof dries or they get a water heater part is really beyond my comprehension (too low a thought process for me to get down to I think).

    Short/long story....
    ...took my motorhome to Tiffin years ago for 1) recall on floor; 2) generator issue; 3) crack in side wall. They would only fix one thing at a time and regardless of how long it took whether waiting for the right bay to open, parts, or whatever they would not work on any other item.

    While waiting on a floor I went to the generator bay and asked about my issue - they said they had to wait for the floor to be fixed before that department would release my work order for the next item. Fortunately the generator bay guys had free time so they came over to my rig and after reviewing the auto start/stop settings fix things - actually they pointed out that it works different than the instruction manual said - so much for me bothering to read the manual and do things that way!

    They got so frustrated with their own processes and with me hassling them every day for a few weeks they finally sent me to a local body shop and I got my crack fixed in one day. Oh - after complaining to senior management they made a replacement slide out floor in one day and installed in other day.

    hence - my feeling that the most manufacturer's/dealer's repair facilities can't quite figure out how to streamline things - or they won't bother - which brings us all the way back to my first point - why bother, they have all the work they need.

    I do, however, thing independent shops are a bit smarter and know how to schedule and move things along more efficiently.

    sorry - long post/rant......
    Larry KE4DMG
    2022 F-350 KRU SRW LB - Airlift 5000+, ForScan, 37 RDS Aux Tank,
    2019 310GK-R - Sailuns; MorRyde IS; Disc Brakes; 20K Reese Goosebox
    Search kalakamods for my mods


  6. #6
    Will Not Be Dictated To
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    I believe the comparison between automotive repair and RV repair cannot be made. Automobile manufacturers have parts warehouses and distribution centers all around the country, based on regions, to support the far greater number of vehicles they need to support. Thus shipping from those to the dealer/repair facility is prompt and timely. I do not know for a fact, but am willing to bet, that GD or any other RV manufacturer does not have or do the same. Once built an RV manufacturer expects the dealer/repair facility to order the needed repair part directly from the RV manufacturer or more likely from the multitude of companies that make the parts and pieces that make up an RV. This is simply a matter of numbers. Additionally though an automobile manufacturer may not actually make all the parts they build an automobile from, repair facilities and or users cannot order directly from say the seat manufacturer etc...I have not done the comparison, but there are a far greater number of automobiles of all shapes, brands and sizes than their are RV's. It is simply a matter of cost benefit, not enough RV's mean it is not cost effective to mirror the automotive industries parts networks.

    Of course I may be wrong, just ask my wife!
    I left the Forum due to dictatorial administration

  7. #7
    Site Team Ynot4me2's Avatar
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    No disrespect @huntr70 but I'm done with dealers. I know they are not all the same and that there's some good ones out there, somewhere, just not around me. The 2 that are closest I will never go back to unless to buy a new rig. I just had my first experience with a mobile tech and love it. Everything on the list got done and properly. Dispatch charge was $120 as oppose to 2 hrs each way gor the dealer.

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    Steph & Lise
    2019 F150 Lariat 2.7 EB
    2020 Imagine XLS 22MLE

  8. #8
    Rolling Along
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    Pretty much agree. I have had similar experience with long strung out work at the dealership. Ordering waiting and fixing then ordering waiting and fixing. Weeks and weeks. I’m now attending the you tube / forum university and taking on bigger and bigger repairs. The learning is fun, I have more confidence in the quality. And if I can’t do it, I’ll go the mobile tech route in a heartbeat.


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    2021 Reflection 312 BHTS, Silverado 2500 Duramax

  9. #9
    Seasoned Camper
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    I contacted GD and my dealer about my refrigerator failing last September. GD was no help at all, even though the camper was still under warranty. They told me to call Norcold. My dealer said to send pictures to them so they could get the warranty process started (yellow powder was all over the back of the refrigerator. Obviously shot). Earliest appointment was December 3rd or so. Brought it in and was told that GD required them to plug in the fridge for 12 hours to confirm the failure. New unit had not been authorized and ordered. Was told it could be 3-4 months for a new unit. Fortunately, they found a replacement cooling unit in two weeks. I get that the supply chain issues are real, but customer service is very disappointing. I know people here swear that GD is known for customer service, but they failed with me. Then again, it’s hard to even get a glass of water refilled in a restaurant these days.
    Mike & Linda
    303RLS
    2013 F250 Turbo Diesel Crew Cab

  10. #10
    Seasoned Camper Rivercityjeff's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by traveldawg View Post
    I do, however, thing independent shops are a bit smarter and know how to schedule and move things along more efficiently.
    Covid or not, we find most mobile techs are more responsive than the local GD dealer and they break fewer items in the process of repair. Makes me question the value of a GD warranty except for major items?
    Last edited by Rivercityjeff; 04-28-2022 at 12:17 PM.
    Jeff and Mary
    2017 2600RB
    2022 F250 Lariat CC 6.7 w/ Max Tow
    Round Rock, (Donut Capital of Texas) <><

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