About to pull the trigger....newbie questions

[jbeletti]

So, after two days on the road with the MPG 182, we had a substantial leak in the pantry. Found a heartland dealer in San antonio that checked it out and re-sealed the seams in the shower. However, they said they found some hairline cracks in the pan after removing the toilet and recommended having it replaced when we get home. Now that we are back in nashville, I am having a terrible time finding anyone to do the warranty repair. Heartland says to find any rv repair center (doesn't have to be a heartland dealer) and have them fax an estimate and they will approve it but almost every dealer I've talked to have been very leary, saying we've never done anything like that before and you have to pay us and get reimbursed by heartland. There are a couple of heartland dealers in the middle tenn area but one basically told me to get lost and the other won't even respond to my inquiry. I wish I'd realized that RV dealers acted liked 13 year old girls you didn't ask to the prom. I went out of the area to buy an MPG because there was only one within 250 miles and it was not the year and model we wanted. Is there any other solution to getting this warranty work done? I sent jbeletti (director of owner interests) a PM (he's in Tenn) and haven't heard back from him.
Heartland might have my back but not sure has my front here....

Thanks for any help
Brad
Nashville

Hi Brad,

I am sorry but I cannot offer you anymore advice than Heartland Customer Service has given you. You state that "almost" every dealer was leary of doing work and submitting for payment after they obtained approval. Does these mean that you have in fact found at least one that will do it? If so, please get on with it and get your work taken care of.

It's unfortunate, but the RV dealer is always in the driver's seat in manufacturer/dealer relationships. They decide if they will carry a brand and when they will give it up. They create their own service policies. They are truly independent businesses. On our end, we can terminate our relationship with a dealer but it can be difficult to compel them to do things at times.

"For the most part", there is little trouble with product owners getting service work at any dealer that carries the Heartland line. From time to time, as you and others have found, there are dealers that are only interested in serving their own customers. Then there are dealers who will service customers of the lines they carry, but their sold customers come first.

Again, I apologize for the situation you find yourself in. I can only suggest that you seek out the nearest Heartland dealer that you want to service your unit, then call Heartland Customer Service to ask them to contact the dealer's service department manager to grease the wheels to ensure they will take your call and schedule an appointment.

Jim

PS: Sorry for the unreturned recent PM you sent me. PMs are clunky for me, that's why I leave my email on and available - way easier to respond. I usually have PMs turned off but left it on recently.

 

[tennbrad]

The only shop I've found that would even consider doing the work is cullum/maxey in nashville. They are not a heartland dealer. Their conditions were 1).They must be able to get parts from heartland and 2)I must pay for the repair and get reimbursed. I plan to call heartland and confirm this is ok with them before I take the unit and leave it today. "If so, please get on with it and get your work taken care of." This seems like a kurt statement out of character with the rest of your email. I don't appreciate it.
However, thanks for the info.

We have thoroughly enjoyed our MPG when it was not leaking.

Bc

Thanks for the

Hi Brad,

I am sorry but I cannot offer you anymore advice than Heartland Customer Service has given you. You state that "almost" every dealer was leary of doing work and submitting for payment after they obtained approval. Does these mean that you have in fact found at least one that will do it? If so, please get on with it and get your work taken care of.

It's unfortunate, but the RV dealer is always in the driver's seat in manufacturer/dealer relationships. They decide if they will carry a brand and when they will give it up. They create their own service policies. They are truly independent businesses. On our end, we can terminate our relationship with a dealer but it can be difficult to compel them to do things at times.

"For the most part", there is little trouble with product owners getting service work at any dealer that carries the Heartland line. From time to time, as you and others have found, there are dealers that are only interested in serving their own customers. Then there are dealers who will service customers of the lines they carry, but their sold customers come first.

Again, I apologize for the situation you find yourself in. I can only suggest that you seek out the nearest Heartland dealer that you want to service your unit, then call Heartland Customer Service to ask them to contact the dealer's service department manager to grease the wheels to ensure they will take your call and schedule an appointment.

Jim

PS: Sorry for the unreturned recent PM you sent me. PMs are clunky for me, that's why I leave my email on and available - way easier to respond. I usually have PMs turned off but left it on recently.

 

[jbeletti]

Brad,

Didn't mean to come off curt. I felt I read that you did had a viable option and was encouraging you to make the most of it. Hope everything turns out well for you.

Jim