Crying in our beer
Joe & I ,spent much time in Floridia for 3 months crying in our beer with a
"Heartache" over all of the problems with our dealers and our 5th wheel RVs. We both talked about getting back home, having our units repaired, getting on with our old lifes of being "Happy Campers" like it was with our old units. But promises where made to be patient, and it will be taken care of, sounds good but has yet to happen. After 6 weeks at Heartbreak Service, "o", I met to say Heartland, I was told everything was fixed. But, I have since found things left unrepaired that where listed at the Dealer (of course the dealer has no record of this and I magicially came up with this form & of course everyone involved with my sale have bee since fired by the dealer) during my delivery inspection and prior to service. I tell David that things where missed, and they write or call me that they have no record of that ever being a problem. and try to make me into a lair.
After finsihing 2 weeks of repairs, with some up dates(will discuss on later forums,
some are real safety issues), we where able to go camping for the second time in our unit (Rally doen't count)
and actually had no problems and did not have to repair anything (even our pillows are in good shape).None
During the 2 weeks of repairs, I needed more roof caulk, a skylight, & a light fixture, called David Parton for parts, and a light fixture.
I am happy to say the next day I went to the parts center and they where setting there ready. I noticed that the wrong light was waiting for me, got correct light and went home to find that I was given
Black Caulk instead of White. The first time I had caulk sent to me by Randy, it took 3 weeks too get to me becaused it was sent to Clarence Helzerman, Milan, Mi 48160, no street address.
And many of you with good units wonder why
We are ****ed off (Sorry JP). At times its seems Heartland goes out of its way to upset us victums & rub more salt in our wounds. We did not get what we paid for or the repairs we where promised, and then they can't even get us the right parts to do our own repairs. Of course Heartland loves to have us do our own repairs becasue it saves them hassel, and $80.00+ per hour. Hey really do love me!
It was yesterday that a nosey owner annouced on the forum that the factory never installed a dirt cover on the wheel hub to protect the wheel bearing, that was hidden under the hub cap, at lease the factory installed the cotter pin. This is a very bad thing, oh manybe that person should not have announced the problem and made Heartland look good. How many of you can trust your dealer or Heartland to find serious problems like that? Oh, but some of you still lead the
Cheers hoping that Heartland will find these serious problems for you, before you break down on the road or you trailer burns up along the road.
I think the big Problem with Heartland, is they are too busy developing new models, pushing production #'s, making promises that they can't keep, and running in circles
putting out fires in the units, without Quantity Control. David and Randy are so busy putting out fires, they can't keep up with the new ones.
A common reply to problems, is
"call David Parton at Service".
Will, I beleive that we need more fire fighters for now that are compident to get through this mess of fires, until Heartland decides that Qualtity is Job #1, output second. The only QC inpectors that Heartland needs are people from outside the local RV industry, who are gaven the authority to shut the lines down and get things done right, not good old boys that will let things slide to met production schedules, and do business a usual the good old Elkart RV Way. Heartland should build only the #'s that they can build right, and we will getting units that live up to their advertishing. I know, exactly what is going on at Heartland because I too was once stuck in the middle, at a new company putting out fires at the end of the line building 8 Modular Homes a day in the earily 70's.
Lets see if Heartland is up to the Challange or only focuses its fire exstingers on this post and putting out fires, many of which flair up later.