I recently purchased a 2014 Big Country TS which is a real nice floor plan. I left my 2009 Bighorn 3580 on consignment to be sold by Great Lakes Rv however today august 4th 2014 I was told I had to pick up my bighorn because they were closing shop. If they knew a month ago there was a possibility they would be closing they should have never sold me a new camper. Biggest mistake I ever made. I hope no one else got screwed like I did
New Heartland Dealers in Elkhart, Indiana
- Thread starter ctuna0203
- Start date
jassson007
Founding Louisiana Chapter Leaders-Retired
Re: Great Lakes Rv
How are you getting screwed by them other than them not keeping your used unit on consignment?? Just curious. I dealt with them on my BC 3450 TS last year and was happy all the way around after Scott (service manager) took care of some issues.
Btw I looked at their website and Facebook and don't see anything about them closing.
How are you getting screwed by them other than them not keeping your used unit on consignment?? Just curious. I dealt with them on my BC 3450 TS last year and was happy all the way around after Scott (service manager) took care of some issues.
Btw I looked at their website and Facebook and don't see anything about them closing.
jassson007
Founding Louisiana Chapter Leaders-Retired
Re: Great Lakes Rv
Wow. Wonder what happened as they were at one time a high volume heartland dealer.
Wow. Wonder what happened as they were at one time a high volume heartland dealer.
porthole
Retired
Re: Great Lakes Rv
Heartland's first dealer as well.
Would like to know what happened, maybe too much expansion too fast. We got our Cyclone there and was very satisfied with the whole process. And, have already contacted them about the next trailer. This will put a crimp on things.
Heartland's first dealer as well.
Would like to know what happened, maybe too much expansion too fast. We got our Cyclone there and was very satisfied with the whole process. And, have already contacted them about the next trailer. This will put a crimp on things.
jassson007
Founding Louisiana Chapter Leaders-Retired
Re: Great Lakes Rv
Not sure but I thought the owner was not very old. Late 40's to early 50's.
Not sure but I thought the owner was not very old. Late 40's to early 50's.
Hey all,
I updated the title of this thread so we can focus on the future of Elkhart area dealerships.
I spoke to Coley Brady, VP of Sales for Heartland today and he confirmed that Great Lakes is going out of business. I don't have any details on why but I'm sure Rob will resurface within the industry in some capacity. Before he started Great Lakes RV, he worked with Heartland's founding president, Brian Brady when Brian ran RV manufacturer Damon Corp.
As to the status of Heartland dealers in Elkhart County, here's what I know so far:
Landmark and Sundance will be sold by Tiara RV. They're located on S.R. 19 on the north side of the I-80 toll-road.
We're in contract talks with another local dealer to possibly take on Bighorn. I'll announce this when it's a done deal.
All other brands - no word from Corp just yet.
I updated the title of this thread so we can focus on the future of Elkhart area dealerships.
I spoke to Coley Brady, VP of Sales for Heartland today and he confirmed that Great Lakes is going out of business. I don't have any details on why but I'm sure Rob will resurface within the industry in some capacity. Before he started Great Lakes RV, he worked with Heartland's founding president, Brian Brady when Brian ran RV manufacturer Damon Corp.
As to the status of Heartland dealers in Elkhart County, here's what I know so far:
Landmark and Sundance will be sold by Tiara RV. They're located on S.R. 19 on the north side of the I-80 toll-road.
We're in contract talks with another local dealer to possibly take on Bighorn. I'll announce this when it's a done deal.
All other brands - no word from Corp just yet.
jassson007
Founding Louisiana Chapter Leaders-Retired
Well good luck to the new guys. Guess when we are ready to upgrade again we will start all over with our search for a dealer.
Good luck to Rob as well in whatever the future holds for him.
Good luck to Rob as well in whatever the future holds for him.
porthole
Retired
Re: Great Lakes Rv
When I was in the new car field I saw more then one dealer fail and close.
For the most part they remained as "business as normal" right up until the locks went on the doors.
Customers and well as employees were left out in the cold.
Not surprised what happened to you, but at least you don't lose your trailer.
A good heads up for the rest of us that may be contemplating a new rig.
And why was the title changed
When I was in the new car field I saw more then one dealer fail and close.
For the most part they remained as "business as normal" right up until the locks went on the doors.
Customers and well as employees were left out in the cold.
Not surprised what happened to you, but at least you don't lose your trailer.
A good heads up for the rest of us that may be contemplating a new rig.
And why was the title changed
JohnD
Moved on to the next thing...
Sad news for Elkhart . . .
I used to live near Elkhart (Bristol, Indiana) back in the late 70's and have many relatives who live and work in the RV industry in that area.
I haven't visited Elkhart (or any of my relatives there) in about 20 years . . . I think maybe next summer will be the chance for that!
Hope this isn't some kind of premonition of things to come for that region of the country.
I'm originally from southern Michigan . . . and we all know what the auto industry did to that part of the country (that is what chased me out for relocation to Colorado).
I used to live near Elkhart (Bristol, Indiana) back in the late 70's and have many relatives who live and work in the RV industry in that area.
I haven't visited Elkhart (or any of my relatives there) in about 20 years . . . I think maybe next summer will be the chance for that!
Hope this isn't some kind of premonition of things to come for that region of the country.
I'm originally from southern Michigan . . . and we all know what the auto industry did to that part of the country (that is what chased me out for relocation to Colorado).
JohnD
Moved on to the next thing...
Re: Great Lakes Rv
Yup!
I used to work for a large national company that filed Chapter 11 twice (we called it 'Chapter 22)!
I left after the first filing . . .
Many of my friends, who chose to remain there, regretted staying as they were led to believe that all was good.
Up until the day of the second Chapter 11 filing, where they all lost everything . . . including their 401K's!
I warned them to move on . . . to get out while the gettin' was good!
But they wouldn't listen . . .
They all said that I was going over to "the dark side" . . .
Now, I lost my 401K . . . but at least I got out and found a new job in the industry before the job market was flooded with new prospects looking for jobs!
What is kind of ironic, however, is that a few of them, who once were my superiors, are now below me in the seniority pool!
And those same people called me crazy when I left . . .
Yup!
I used to work for a large national company that filed Chapter 11 twice (we called it 'Chapter 22)!
I left after the first filing . . .
Many of my friends, who chose to remain there, regretted staying as they were led to believe that all was good.
Up until the day of the second Chapter 11 filing, where they all lost everything . . . including their 401K's!
I warned them to move on . . . to get out while the gettin' was good!
But they wouldn't listen . . .
They all said that I was going over to "the dark side" . . .
Now, I lost my 401K . . . but at least I got out and found a new job in the industry before the job market was flooded with new prospects looking for jobs!
What is kind of ironic, however, is that a few of them, who once were my superiors, are now below me in the seniority pool!
And those same people called me crazy when I left . . .
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