Damaged Camper and Landing Gear-- Repaired--
- Thread starter Bones
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For20hunter
Pacific Region Directors-Retired
Re: Damaged Camper and Landing Gear
Westcraft RV in Fife WA is a repair shop only and has top of the line quality work!!
Westcraft RV in Fife WA is a repair shop only and has top of the line quality work!!
Bones
Well-known member
Re: Damaged Camper and Landing Gear
I'm in MD and the rig is 3 and a half hours away south of me
Re: Damaged Camper and Landing Gear
I can empathize. We live in Alaska, and were on our way outside to live in our rig for the winter when our accident happened. Had to hire somebody to Jack up the trailer so we could put it on the truck. 2,000 miles later we got it to a repair facility. Of course we were now homeless, so we purchased a utility trailer, cleaned out the Brighton (in case it was totalled) and drove back to Alaska. March 1 we will be headed back down to pick up the trailer. I had to fly down to look at it during the repair process.
When you are not readily available, it is even more important to have it in a shop you trust.
I can empathize. We live in Alaska, and were on our way outside to live in our rig for the winter when our accident happened. Had to hire somebody to Jack up the trailer so we could put it on the truck. 2,000 miles later we got it to a repair facility. Of course we were now homeless, so we purchased a utility trailer, cleaned out the Brighton (in case it was totalled) and drove back to Alaska. March 1 we will be headed back down to pick up the trailer. I had to fly down to look at it during the repair process.
When you are not readily available, it is even more important to have it in a shop you trust.
Bones
Well-known member
Re: Damaged Camper and Landing Gear
Thanks good luck to you as well. It sounds like yours suffered more damage than ours did. I have to give some time as insurance is currently not involved at the moment.
Re: Damaged Camper and Landing Gear
Except that Heartland won't do the repair when it was caused by an accident and insurance is involved.
Except that Heartland won't do the repair when it was caused by an accident and insurance is involved.
Bones
Well-known member
Re: Damaged Camper and Landing Gear
Update:
Well The decision I had made was to not argue trying to have the camper replaced but to have the camper improved. I sent a letter to the dealership asking that they replace the current landing gear system with a new and improved landing gear upgrade to the new Ground control 3.0 system. I saw this on another post. I had also requested to have JT Strong Arms installed to keep swaying down since that area of the camper was damage and asked for an extended warranty.
Received word today that the camper will be put back to OEM and nothing extra. They will not extend the warranty and will only do repairs to the camper until January 2016. 1 year and then I would have to prove that anything that comes up would have to be directly attributable to the landing gear.
Update:
Well The decision I had made was to not argue trying to have the camper replaced but to have the camper improved. I sent a letter to the dealership asking that they replace the current landing gear system with a new and improved landing gear upgrade to the new Ground control 3.0 system. I saw this on another post. I had also requested to have JT Strong Arms installed to keep swaying down since that area of the camper was damage and asked for an extended warranty.
Received word today that the camper will be put back to OEM and nothing extra. They will not extend the warranty and will only do repairs to the camper until January 2016. 1 year and then I would have to prove that anything that comes up would have to be directly attributable to the landing gear.
Jim.Allison
Well-known member
Re: Damaged Camper and Landing Gear
Bones, I really gotta ask you why you have not taken this rig to a specialist to assess the real damage to it. Get that assessment, turn it into your insurance for payment, either get the rig repaired or totaled, by people that are in the business of inspecting and fixing damage of this magnitude. Your insurance will cover your expenses and THEY will send a bill to the dealer that caused the damage. When the dealer gets the bill from your insurance company they will turn the bill over to their own insurance company. They will fight it out, you will not be out a dime, and will have a nice rig. You have a 2015 rig, I know that your insurance company insured the rig for way more than you paid for it or at least what you paid for it. You already filed a claim, get some paper to put in that claim folder and get this rig fixed by professionals and get ready for a nice season.
Bones, I really gotta ask you why you have not taken this rig to a specialist to assess the real damage to it. Get that assessment, turn it into your insurance for payment, either get the rig repaired or totaled, by people that are in the business of inspecting and fixing damage of this magnitude. Your insurance will cover your expenses and THEY will send a bill to the dealer that caused the damage. When the dealer gets the bill from your insurance company they will turn the bill over to their own insurance company. They will fight it out, you will not be out a dime, and will have a nice rig. You have a 2015 rig, I know that your insurance company insured the rig for way more than you paid for it or at least what you paid for it. You already filed a claim, get some paper to put in that claim folder and get this rig fixed by professionals and get ready for a nice season.
Bones
Well-known member
Re: Damaged Camper and Landing Gear
I Will have to pay 1k out of pocket and no hopes of recovering the money. The insurance company already told me that I will have to take the rig to a dealer or repair shop to have it repaired. The dealership it currently sits at is what you may say is suppose to be on of the better ones around "NOT"
. When I have it removed I will have to put out the money to have it repaired then hope to get it recovered. I looked in the local area of the dealership and didn't see much. It is very easy to jump the gun as they say and that is what I am trying not to do. Even if things get bad I can still show up at the door and remove the unit myself and repair it my self as long as I can get a hold of a mig welder. We have already lost money just trying to mitigate the amount of money we are going to loose.
I have already consulted the Frame manufacture and in order to do a complete inspection things need to be removed. To do that will cost money. I looked at my photos and none of the welds appear to be broken. This is a tough decision and a difficult one to keep everyone happy here "wife". There is enough stress to go around and I don't need to add more by not keeping my head. Tough job there
I am going to look around here in Maryland to see if there are reputable shops that can do repairs and not have an ulterior motive.
I Will have to pay 1k out of pocket and no hopes of recovering the money. The insurance company already told me that I will have to take the rig to a dealer or repair shop to have it repaired. The dealership it currently sits at is what you may say is suppose to be on of the better ones around "NOT"
. When I have it removed I will have to put out the money to have it repaired then hope to get it recovered. I looked in the local area of the dealership and didn't see much. It is very easy to jump the gun as they say and that is what I am trying not to do. Even if things get bad I can still show up at the door and remove the unit myself and repair it my self as long as I can get a hold of a mig welder. We have already lost money just trying to mitigate the amount of money we are going to loose.I have already consulted the Frame manufacture and in order to do a complete inspection things need to be removed. To do that will cost money. I looked at my photos and none of the welds appear to be broken. This is a tough decision and a difficult one to keep everyone happy here "wife". There is enough stress to go around and I don't need to add more by not keeping my head. Tough job there
I am going to look around here in Maryland to see if there are reputable shops that can do repairs and not have an ulterior motive.
Tundra2084
Well-known member
Re: Damaged Camper and Landing Gear
You do know that when the time comes and you want to sell the unit your going to take a major loss on it due to the fact this trailer has now been in an accident and YOU COULD be held responsible for any damage it may have IF you did not disclose this to prospective buyers. If the unit is indeed totalled and you sell it, who do you think they will be going after if something happens? Won't be the dealership who dropped it that is responsible, it's you because you accepted it without inspecting it for internal or structural damage. Just saying!
You do know that when the time comes and you want to sell the unit your going to take a major loss on it due to the fact this trailer has now been in an accident and YOU COULD be held responsible for any damage it may have IF you did not disclose this to prospective buyers. If the unit is indeed totalled and you sell it, who do you think they will be going after if something happens? Won't be the dealership who dropped it that is responsible, it's you because you accepted it without inspecting it for internal or structural damage. Just saying!
2psnapod2
Texas-South Chapter Leaders-Retired
Re: Damaged Camper and Landing Gear
Your Insurance company should be able to make the dealer that DAMAGED your trailer, pay your deductible. You need to get your insurance company involved. If you continue to work with that dealer, you are the one that is going to be the that ends up paying for it in the long run. Please go to your insurance company and stop trying to be Mr. Nice Guy. You will be better off in the long run. JMHO.....
Your Insurance company should be able to make the dealer that DAMAGED your trailer, pay your deductible. You need to get your insurance company involved. If you continue to work with that dealer, you are the one that is going to be the that ends up paying for it in the long run. Please go to your insurance company and stop trying to be Mr. Nice Guy. You will be better off in the long run. JMHO.....
Jim.Allison
Well-known member
Re: Damaged Camper and Landing Gear
Holy moly, I can't help but think you are mismanaging the whole thing.
I know that not everyone has not had the benefit of negotiating in business. It is an acquired art. But I have a business that is insurance intensive. I know how these deals are done.
I don't want to insult you, but the way it should go is that the reputable repair shop; gives a written estimate for you to give to your insurance company, it will list the obvious, and probably the bulk of the damage, the professionals will know where to look and it will be thorough.
They will tell you that the estimate is 300 or 400 or 100 whatever they tell you. but that is not in addition to your final bill. They will credit your final bill the amount of the estimate. If they find more damage than expected they will go to your insurance and ask them to open the purse because they found something else.
IF for some reason you don't let the estimating company do the repair work, they want to be paid for the estimate. If they get the work, they will credit your bill for the estimate. There will not be any out of pocket as long as you leave your rig there for the repair. But if you do decide to take it from their lot they will want the amount of the labor for the estimate.
But lets say that they get a $1000 for doing the estimate, and you get an estimate for $15,000 to repair for a total bill of $16,000.......In this case your total bill is $16000 and that is what your insurance company is going to reimburse. But more likely, it will be;
Estimate $ 1000
Damage Repair $ 15000
Sub Total $ 16000
Estimate Credit $ -1000
Total $ 15000
Like I said, I don't mean to offend, but you are walking headlong into difficulties that you are creating for yourself. You have filed a claim, your insurance company is waiting for the paperwork and you are not giving it to them. BTW you already opened a claim, they will not close it, so if you think that you keeping your rates from going up by not acting, your wrong, the claim has been made already.
What you need to do is take that rig to a REPUTABLE REPAIR FACILITY that works on Lippert Chassis. Give them your insurance company name and your claim number. Tell them to work it out with the insurance company and you will be back to pick it up when it is done.
You will either get reassurance from the repair facility that everything is OK, or you will get a list of damages to submit to your insurance company. OR they will "Total" the rig.
If you pick a reputable capable repair facility, they already know what to expect, you rig is not the first one that they have worked on with damage from being dropped or damaged in some other similar way.
I encourage you to take positive steps to have this machine repaired properly or totaled if needed.
When your insurance company sends the liable party the bill for your damages, and collects (and they will) your insurance will reimburse you for 100% of your damages other damages such as deductible and transportation expense.
Holy moly, I can't help but think you are mismanaging the whole thing.
I know that not everyone has not had the benefit of negotiating in business. It is an acquired art. But I have a business that is insurance intensive. I know how these deals are done.
I don't want to insult you, but the way it should go is that the reputable repair shop; gives a written estimate for you to give to your insurance company, it will list the obvious, and probably the bulk of the damage, the professionals will know where to look and it will be thorough.
They will tell you that the estimate is 300 or 400 or 100 whatever they tell you. but that is not in addition to your final bill. They will credit your final bill the amount of the estimate. If they find more damage than expected they will go to your insurance and ask them to open the purse because they found something else.
IF for some reason you don't let the estimating company do the repair work, they want to be paid for the estimate. If they get the work, they will credit your bill for the estimate. There will not be any out of pocket as long as you leave your rig there for the repair. But if you do decide to take it from their lot they will want the amount of the labor for the estimate.
But lets say that they get a $1000 for doing the estimate, and you get an estimate for $15,000 to repair for a total bill of $16,000.......In this case your total bill is $16000 and that is what your insurance company is going to reimburse. But more likely, it will be;
Estimate $ 1000
Damage Repair $ 15000
Sub Total $ 16000
Estimate Credit $ -1000
Total $ 15000
Like I said, I don't mean to offend, but you are walking headlong into difficulties that you are creating for yourself. You have filed a claim, your insurance company is waiting for the paperwork and you are not giving it to them. BTW you already opened a claim, they will not close it, so if you think that you keeping your rates from going up by not acting, your wrong, the claim has been made already.
What you need to do is take that rig to a REPUTABLE REPAIR FACILITY that works on Lippert Chassis. Give them your insurance company name and your claim number. Tell them to work it out with the insurance company and you will be back to pick it up when it is done.
You will either get reassurance from the repair facility that everything is OK, or you will get a list of damages to submit to your insurance company. OR they will "Total" the rig.
If you pick a reputable capable repair facility, they already know what to expect, you rig is not the first one that they have worked on with damage from being dropped or damaged in some other similar way.
I encourage you to take positive steps to have this machine repaired properly or totaled if needed.
When your insurance company sends the liable party the bill for your damages, and collects (and they will) your insurance will reimburse you for 100% of your damages other damages such as deductible and transportation expense.
Last edited:
AAdams
Well-known member
Re: Damaged Camper and Landing Gear
Let me say that I have never had something like this happen to me. I am rather passive person, but I think I would go ballistic if something like this happened to me. So, let me commend you on keeping your head and trying to think things through. Let me offer you another perspective if you choose to take the unit from the dealer at any point. The dealer will have insurance, and since you have a statement saying that they dropped it, ask for their insurance information and file a claim directly against it. The dealer will not want their insurance to even know about this. It is just a thought and may give you another avenue to follow.
Let me say that I have never had something like this happen to me. I am rather passive person, but I think I would go ballistic if something like this happened to me. So, let me commend you on keeping your head and trying to think things through. Let me offer you another perspective if you choose to take the unit from the dealer at any point. The dealer will have insurance, and since you have a statement saying that they dropped it, ask for their insurance information and file a claim directly against it. The dealer will not want their insurance to even know about this. It is just a thought and may give you another avenue to follow.
Bob&Patty
Founders of SoCal Chapter
Re: Damaged Camper and Landing Gear
Bones, you are letting the people that damaged your trailer dictate what they will and wont do. Ain't no way I would let that happen. I would send them another letter (registered) stating that you are demanding an independent inspection of your trailer damage on THEIR DIME..not yours. If they wont do it then you need to firmly tell them you will take other measures to hold your position. Get the picture and reading between the lines?? The main thing in my mind is...why is the floor buckled. That area of the frame needs to be inspected. If the frame is bent and needs to be straightened....how are they going to repair that?? Will the frame still be OK or not....in writing. When an "I" beam is bent..it stretches and buckles the metal and is NOT easy to repair and will make it weak at that point.
Bones, you are letting the people that damaged your trailer dictate what they will and wont do. Ain't no way I would let that happen. I would send them another letter (registered) stating that you are demanding an independent inspection of your trailer damage on THEIR DIME..not yours. If they wont do it then you need to firmly tell them you will take other measures to hold your position. Get the picture and reading between the lines?? The main thing in my mind is...why is the floor buckled. That area of the frame needs to be inspected. If the frame is bent and needs to be straightened....how are they going to repair that?? Will the frame still be OK or not....in writing. When an "I" beam is bent..it stretches and buckles the metal and is NOT easy to repair and will make it weak at that point.
Bones
Well-known member
Re: Damaged Camper and Landing Gear
Finally made a little headway. the dealership is suppose to have Lippert come out and inspect the frame of the coach. This is a good thing as they should provide an unbiased review of any damage. They will provide a report of some type and I should be able to get the results. Hoping for the best. I'll keep everyone posted as to the status.
Finally made a little headway. the dealership is suppose to have Lippert come out and inspect the frame of the coach. This is a good thing as they should provide an unbiased review of any damage. They will provide a report of some type and I should be able to get the results. Hoping for the best.
I'll keep everyone posted as to the status.
2psnapod2
Texas-South Chapter Leaders-Retired
Re: Damaged Camper and Landing Gear
Sounds like great info. I would contact Lippert personally, to see if they have actually been contacted. It would not be hard for the dealer to "Have lippert come and inspect it". The dealer lied to you before, make sure he does not continue too.
Sounds like great info. I would contact Lippert personally, to see if they have actually been contacted. It would not be hard for the dealer to "Have lippert come and inspect it". The dealer lied to you before, make sure he does not continue too.
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