Have you had problems getting your RV repaired while under factory warranty

[fox4newsreporter]

I'm a reporter with a local Fox station in Kansas City. We've had a viewer contact us who can't get repair work done on his RV even though it's still under factory warranty. He says the authorized dealers here won't work on the RV because he bought it from a dealer in Michigan. Has anyone had a similar issue? I didn't think dealers were allowed to refuse work when it was part of a factory warranty?? By the way, it's a Keystone Cougar. You can respond on this forum or email me direct at linda.wagar@wdaftv4.com Thanks for any help provided.

 

[krsmitty]

They aren't. Owner should be able to take it to any authorized dealer for repairs. It may take weeks, months to get the RV in for repair, but they can not refuse to do service. Owner needs to contact Keystone.

 

[Cindy Hendricks]

Just an FYI... I did talk to Linda this morning and advised her to post on our RV Talk forum. I've heard this issue many times from RVers and thought it would be good to get your input.

Cindy

 

[C Nash]

They are not supposed to turn a rv warranty away because it was not purchased there. It happens. As the previous poster stated a call to Keystone is needed. A lot that we don't know. Why was the rv purchased from other than your local dealer? Better price, traveling or just didn't like the local dealer. If I didn't like the dealer I would not ask them to do warranty work. Did they talk to the dealer and explain why they bought the unit elsewhere? Even if they agree to work on it it will be behind sold units more than likely. AJMO

 

[fox4newsreporter]

Thanks for the input. Keystone hasn't been much help for this RV owner. He's tried to contact them multiple times. At one point, Keystone told him it had tracked down a local dealer willing to work on his Cougar, but then he never heard anything and calls to both the local dealer and Keystone have gone unanswered. Our guy bought the trailer in Michigan because he got a better price. In hindsight, it would have been better for him to have bought local. However, Keystone's own warranty states that you can take it to "any authorized dealer" for warranty work. The good news is that I did track down an authorized dealer in Kansas who was willing to tackle the job.

 

[C Nash]

Thanks for the update. What kind of problem does the rv have?

 

[fox4newsreporter]

The interior ceiling trim fell off the wall, the bed detached from the wall, a kitchen cabinet door is cracked, but the biggest issue is the outside trim around the bottom portion of the RV. The bolts flew off on side during its first time out and it started flapping in the wind. The area around the bolts looks likes it's rusting away.

 

[brodavid]

that is bad, hope it works out

 

[C Nash]

Wow!! We had a Cougar when they first came out and it was a good unit. Only kept it for 2yrs. Just playing the devil here. Did the owner abuse it? Where do they camp? Lot of rough roads? Sounds like they got one made on Monday or Friday I would be buring the phone and emails to Keystone. What year is the Cougar and model? Will the owner get on here with more info? Maybe need to post the dealer name that refuses to work on it. Might help if some of us start emailing or calling them and ask why they will not honor the warramty.

 

[Grandview Trailer Sa]

Actually folks, we can refuse service to anyone, even our own customers. We own our businesses, we don't work for the factories. I will tell you if someone is passing thru on vacation, I will help them all I can. BUT if someone lives a few miles from me, goes somewhere else to buy a trailer and then wants me to do warranty work on it...it will take me a LONG time to get to it..... The sad fact is when we do warranty work, we usually loose money. The factories do not pay enough to make it profitable.

I was talking to a warranty rep today, and he was gonna give me .2 hours to change a cabinet door.....that is 12 mins. It cannot be done....it takes 12 mins to get the trailer in the shop, but they don't pay for that. It will take another 12 to run the slide out and gather the screwdriver. Then you take the door off and you have to remove the handle because that is not on the new one. You mount the new door, drill the hole for the handle and put it on. NOW we have to pull it out of the shop and park it again.... In a great day, we will have at least 30-40 mins changing that door, and get paid 12, because that is flat rate. We do this all the time.......

I have almost never refused to work on any unit that comes up the driveway, but they are out there. There are 2 sides to every story, I would like to hear Keystone's version of this one...

 

[H2H1]

why not try ACTION LINE and see if they can help. I read all the time where they are having great success when they get involved.

 

[Guest]

ken i agree on what u said ,, i have delt with a few like that ,, on warranty issues ,, it is the same in the flat rate manual of auto repair ,, u have regular time ,, and warranty time ,, and guess what ,, the warranty time is no where close to the actual time to do the job ,, but good luck on what the Original poster comes up with ,,

 

[krsmitty]

Thanks Ken...Good to hear a owners point of view. I was always under the assumption that was part of the deal of being a dealer for a certain manufacturer; honoring their warranty.

 

[Cruzincat]

Have to rethink travelling to Bedford, VA now to buy my first RV.

Have to consider how the other dealer's local to me would deal with warranty issues.

 

[H2H1]

You should not rethink about going to see Ken, you will get a better deal and all his products are first class. He does not sell junk.

 

[fox4newsreporter]

Everything we saw that this guy owns is in pristine condition. It started falling apart the first time he took it out, on the first day. He was driving it from Missouri to South Dakota...and hadn't even made it past Kansas when he started having problems. It's a 2011 Cougar.

 

[Cruzincat]

You should not rethink about going to see Ken, you will get a better deal and all his products are first class. He does not sell junk.

Almost did last Thursday, but I passed through at 7 AM, coming back from Roanoke for work. Didn't think anyone would be there. Came around the curve and saw the lot before I could even slow down!

 

[TexasClodhopper]

What the ...

Did you not read what Ken (Grandview Trailer Sales) wrote?

He wrote that he supports the customers that he sells to first, then as there is time he might even support those that purchase at "... other dealer's local ..." to them. (Presumably because those local dealers won't even support their own customers!)

Dealer's are businesses. They operate on the profit model. There is no free lunch. Warranties aren't FREE. The cost is just shifted somewhere else.

Everyone pays for warranties, just like everyone pays for taxes. It just gets built into the cost of the product and passed along to the next guy that buys something.

Have to rethink travelling to Bedford, VA now to buy my first RV.

Have to consider how the other dealer's local to me would deal with warranty issues.

 

[Cruzincat]

I was not casting any negative feelings toward Ken. I was only making comment on the situation with the way manufacturers pay for warranty work as indicated by Ken. I would still consider paying a visit if I was interested in the brand(s) and types of RVs he sells. Chances are I wouldn't have any issues anyway.

I was also considering the fact that I live about 4.5 to 5 hours away from Ken's place. If I did have a warranty issue and couldn't get a local rep to take care of it, that would be a long trip.

 

[Steve H]

An understandable but unfortunate situation. I read all the time about dealers not wanting to service units they do not sell. My personal experience has proved otherwise. Fortunately we have had no major issues (knock on wood) with our Heartland but a small slide seal was approved to be repaired at a local Artic Fox dealer and they were happy to do it. Many people travel miles from their home dealers and need assistance during their vacation trips etc. I would find it difficult to believe that a reputable dealer would not service that warranty claim in a reasonable fashion.