Waiting for Repairs at the Dealer

[Hula Lula]

I just want to find out if this is the norm. We have a 2015 Winnebago and have it in to the dealer for warranty repair. They have had it for over 6weeks! One complication is parts they ordered and received were the incorrect parts so they reordered them. Still should it take two or three weeks to get the parts from Winnebago? Help! Please let me know if I'm whining or should I be whining to the dealer!

[ArmandV]

It really depends upon the part(s). I had a minor warranty repair and Winnebago got the parts to the repairer in 2 weeks.

What kind of repairs and parts are involved?

[Gordon Dewald]

Our dealer is Lichtsinn. We have been there several times for work. Normally we stay overnight, give the coach to service in the morning, get the coach in the afternoon, stay overnight again and leave the next day.

We once had it in for a week while they diagnosed and repaired the leveling jacks. Even then we were able to stay in the coach at night with power. The coach holding tanks were dumped and the fresh water tank filled with water while there.

Parts from Winnebago were the next day. We were a mile from the factory so that may have made a difference. When the jacks were diagnosed as defective the parts were not in stock in the parts department so Winnebago took new jacks from production.

On the road the next day. Thanks Winnebago and Lichtsinn.

[Cooperhawk]

Depends on the part and the dealer. I usually can get parts in one or two days from Mobility RV which is just a few miles from the factory. Of course some parts probably have to come from the vendor.


Winnebago Parts, Online Ordering Ordering Available

[oakcreekeric]

Well... not sure what your situation is.. but two things could be at work here..

1. Your dealer is taking advantage of you.. I call this the "fireman's" approach.. Basically, the dealership is taking care of the hottest customer first.. if you haven't gone to the dealership to raise holy hell.. my guess is he'll get to it, when he gets to it..
2. It could be a parts issue.. not sure if they're using that as an excuse or not.. typically, I'd like to give the dealership the benefit of the doubt..

I think the only way to figure things out is to call WBGO direct and get involved.. Typically, they're going to be fairly honest with you and give you a time-line on when parts were shipped..


Just a heads up.. it doesn't appear to be "interrupting" a trip.. but if you go out to WBGO website.. they do offer "Tripsaver Emergency Parts" shipping.. basically, they'll ship parts within 24 hours of your service call..


Servicing Your Winnebago or Itasca Motorhome | RV Service


Hope this helps !!

[TnT612]

We don't own a Winnebago, however, we have had issues with our leveling jacks and the "parts aren't in yet" has been the go to answer for the dealer each time. The first time from start to finish was about a month. The second time (currently waiting on parts) has been a month today. I understand that not all parts are shelved; what I don't understand is why the supplier states delivery in 7-10 days, if they don't have the parts.
I'm getting a bit nervous, since we are flying (1st time snowbirding) in two weeks from today....ugh!
[Hula Lula]...I emailed the parts supplier with my concern and they responded with; your dealer can call us with the purchase order number and we can update them with the status. This may be an avenue for you to explore....I plan to give the a couple more days and then I will throw that at them; maybe face to face.
It's frustrating, but we are at their mercy and I agree with the "Fireman's approach" mentioned by OAKCREEKERIC.
Maybe we need to start a fire under our dealers?
Good Luck and safe travels.

[tmoore2]

Dropped our motorhome off at the dealer to get about 6 warranty items taken care of on 09/12/2015 picked it up on 11/12/2015. They said it took 4 weeks just to get the parts from the manufacturer.

[bobder41]

Your not alone, took 3 weeks to get a sealant from the factory.
Read this post and still waiting on repairs.

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f101/2015...ap-265229.html

[Belladog]

Our 2015 has issues. FIRST trip out we had to cut short for a warrantee problem. It sat at the dealer for 2 weeks waiting for parts / repair. Then we took it for a 5 week trip and came home with a ( punch ) list of about 10 warrantee issues that needed repairs. Took it back to the dealer where it sat for 6 weeks. Just got it back and went out for the past weekend.....still have a few problems..... but I refuse to bring it back to the dealer.....I plan on fixing them myself. Overall I'm beginning to feel sorry I purchased our new coach.

[TomandGloria]

I stopped using my dealer after 2 visits. I asked the service writer if they put my coach back into inventory. There was always an excuse about how busy they are and can't get to it.

I found an RV Service center that does excellent work, but now they also are becoming increasingly harder to get into. Not sure what the solution is, but I attempt to do as much as I can myself before heading to the repair center to wait.

[Deny]

I had my View into a MB dealer last month-same story-

All these places , even though they charge us a lot- pay their help as little as they can. They do not have good or loyal help, so they should not expect good or loyal customers.

Yes, the only 2 decent shops I know of are in Forest City Iowa.

[Hit_the_Rhod]

Maybe you should introduce the Service Manager to your Mother in Law and tell them that she will be staying in the coach until fixed, and will be spending all day, every day in the "Lounge" telling every employee her life's story until they get it fixed! Heck after a few days, maybe the Service Manager will DRIVE to the factory to pick up the parts!

I had a Ford F-350 in for repair at a Ford Dealership in North Carolina a few years back. There was a hold up in getting parts from Ford, seems they needed a new transmission "casing" and they were back ordered, and the insurance company wouldn't pay for a new transmission. Finally got the State Insurance Commissioner involved and got it fixed, but that's another story . . . .Anyway, when I finally went to pick up my truck, they had added on a daily "storage fee" for the two plus months it sat at the shop awaiting parts . . . Nope, I didn't pay it, but they tried . . . .

Maybe that's a tactic that needs to be considered if someone needs storage for their RV over the winter. Take it to a shop for something really difficult, say a replacement light bulb, or an extra drink holder installed next to the couch . . . ask them to put it in. If you don't pester them to get the work completed ASAP, you can probably get 3 or 4 months of free storage out of it before they get to it.

Just saying!

[Peteyboy]

From day one, where we purchased our coach brand new, I sensed that these people were very rude jerks, and could not be trusted. The reason I bought from them is a whole other story. But, since then I have had 3 significant problems, that I have been able to repair myself. Any catastrophic failures that may occur will definitely be taken care of by the factory, as I am "only" about 800 miles away. I have heard too many of these horror tales of dealer service that just makes me sick to my stomach. Oh,,, and don't even THINK of taking it to a dealer for warranty service if you did not buy it there. Buy new or used, you better have some mechanical knowledge if you want to own one of these things.

[AFChap]

Originally Posted by Hula Lula

. One complication is parts they ordered and received were the incorrect parts so they reordered them. Still should it take two or three weeks to get the parts from Winnebago? Help! Please let me know if I'm whining or should I be whining to the dealer!

Depends on the parts, model, & year. Had estimate of 6 weeks to receive a window. It was here in 5 weeks. But I drove the coach while waiting.

[Gordon Dewald]

Part of the issue is the JIT model that most folks have gone to. Past are the days when dealers, etc maintained massive parts inventories.

Theoretically (and practically) it is a cost saving however the manufacturer of the parts likely only produces the part when there are sufficient orders to do a run. Thus everything can back up.

[azpete]

just remember the squeaking wheel gets the grease. politely inquire every day about your coach, to the service manager, not the service writer. he has little influence.
offer to pay next day shipping. i offer that option to any customer when i have to order a part. it often takes 7 full days just to get a part to my location.
maybe that part has to be made up by its manufacturer. that is often takes three weeks or longer.
ask what is the problem. be polite. nothing slows a repair like a obnoxious complainer. theres a way to be polite and firm at the same time.
if you are still unhappy, take your coach somewhere else. thats always an option.
no good business likes to lose a customer.

[Camper Ken]

My 2016 Winnebago/Itasca Navion purchased in late July needed a the entire in-dash radio/GPS unit and a rear LED brake light fixture replaced. No problem with the dealer getting warranty authorization. It took 3 weeks for the radio to arrive from the distributor River Park and 4 weeks for the brake light fixture from Winnebago. Fortunately neither issue prevented us form using the motorhome while waiting for the parts to arrive.

I worked at this same dealer as a service advisor a few years back and 2 to 3 weeks seemed about normal for many parts, sometimes longer depending.

Factor in shipping time. In my case from Iowa to my dealer on the west coast makes at about a week in-transit shipping time.

[RTegarini]

Originally Posted by Hula Lula

Please let me know if I'm whining or should I be whining to the dealer!

There's a reason why Winnebago, or any RV manufacturer, does not sell a line of automobiles. Due to the typical quality control at the RV manufacturing process, the car line wouldn't be around for more than a year. People expect, and demand, far more from their car, suv or pick-up truck. Motorhomes, for whatever reason, not so much. Just look at Winnebago and the rusted windshield frames and leaks over a ten-year model run as an example.

[Sue46]

We blew a 125a fuse on our new Winnie, took us several hours with Winnie help to even locate where the fuse was. Why don't they put it in the same location on every coach? That would save time. Called the dealer, they had the fuse, bring the coach in and leave it. For a fuse????? They had the fuse, we knew where it was located, 15 minute job. There should be a tech available each day to just do the small things like this.

All said and done, they did replace the fuse while we waited(2 hours). We bought an extra fuse, found out it was NAPA fuse(on box). Dealer charged us $14, if we had known could have bought it from NAPA for $3-$4.

While we were having a solar panel and a propane line installed for a catalytic heater it was discovered our regulator was bad and spewing propane. We had thought we were using a lot of propane but didn't know if the tank had really been full etc. etc.
Called Winnie, told us we had to take it to a dealer an hour away. We refused, who would drive with a propane leak that they knew about, not us. Ended up we paid to have the regulator replaced and will send everything to Winnie to see if they will reimburse us. I just don't understand why everything needs to go back to the dealer. If the dealers had time to do servicing in a timely manner, no problem, but the dealers don't have the time or inclination. I will go to an independent repair company any day over a dealer unless it is something major that only a dealer can do.

[rapid rick]

Originally Posted by azpete

just remember the squeaking wheel gets the grease. politely inquire every day about your coach, to the service manager, not the service writer. he has little influence.
offer to pay next day shipping. i offer that option to any customer when i have to order a part. it often takes 7 full days just to get a part to my location.
maybe that part has to be made up by its manufacturer. that is often takes three weeks or longer.
ask what is the problem. be polite. nothing slows a repair like a obnoxious complainer. theres a way to be polite and firm at the same time.
if you are still unhappy, take your coach somewhere else. thats always an option.
no good business likes to lose a customer.

Iagree 100% with azpete, after being self employed for 26 years, polite IS the key word,I would bend over backwards for anyone to make them happy,thus a returning customer.Obnoxious wheels always were greased........with KY. Now I do have to say, dealing with these rv dealers. from everything I have read on this forum,I myself,am not sure if these rules apply.It does seem to me (most) of these dealers don't care if your happy or not, after the sale,they have a fist full of your dollars,they are officially done with you.These so called business owners IMHO could use the scourge of constant nasty customers to maybe make them step up,show a smidgen of integrity,(boy,this is a dream)and make the customer happy.
It is hard enough to run a good business,and keep everyone happy,never mind trying to run one while lacking honesty,integrity,and basic human decency.I am thankful that since buying our coach in nov 2012,and repairing 68 items,some big, some small,that they were all fixed by me,on my dime.I'M ok with that,much better than than dealing with these so called rv dealers service dept. Sorry,this reply kinda turned into a rant.