Factory Repairs Reply

[out the car window]

Hi
To those of you who responded to my previous post
//heartlandowners.org/showthread.php?t=13279
thank-you

I am sorry I did not respond sooner - truth is I went back in to look and when I could not find the thread assumed it had been removed. Shows I am no computer wiz!

To answer your comments:
The RV was taken back to the factory at Heartlands request as it had major Flexing issues. You can see in my pictures the extent of the problems
http://picasaweb.google.com/janeway9/RVFlexingIssuesAndCrackedSlide#
there are heaps of pictures re all the problems in that Photo area....
but I guess the big crack on the side pretty much answers most of the comments about the extent of the problems
http://picasaweb.google.com/janeway9/RVProblemsSept12009# see the crack shots and also the problems with the front and main slide, as well as the delamination on the front and rear and rear panels.

I am guessing you will find two hundred pictures in my album just of problems we have had with the rv over the past 12 months.
http://picasaweb.google.com/janeway9

So - why did I accept it back? I did not see it pre shipping. Jim and I had an agreement that he would send me photo's before it was shipped - I can show you the 7 pages of repairs and the release doc he signed.

But sadly he did not - so I went to pick it up and it was a mess. The dealer would not do anything on it - so this is what I am left with.

Jim sent a letter saying the repairs were acceptable when I sent an email outlining my concerns - which is when I posted the pictures here to have some other people's feedback. Since then he has said I have to find people to fix it..... I guess that is my main issue. I am never near the dealer that I picked it up from so have to rely on others. I live in it fulltime so we travel. No one ever wants to touch it.....

The morning after I first picked it up, just under a year ago, I went to fill the tank only to find the hose was not connected so had a belly full of water... and it has been issues ever since.

I have always wanted to be an active member of the community but have only come in occasssionally and read others comments as I feel I could not in all honesty say good things about an RV that for 12 months I have been trying to get fixed. So I have heeded my mums advise "if you don't have something good to say - don't say it".

But this is all too much now. I have a massive mess and it has cost me a lot of money - and no doubt is about to cost a whole lot more.

I am not asking for sympathy - I am merely stating facts and have nearly 100 emails to Chris and Jim to back up everything that is said here. It is not that either Jim or Chris have been rude - they are nice people that I have spoken to many times.

But - here is my RV today and I am so very tired of this mess. Jim has today agreed to "fix" some of the issues that I have posted - which he had said previously where acceptable - so that is good news.

The bad news is that I have to find people to do this - I am sure if you have tried to get work done you will find it is always hard to get people to do that - and besides - this RV has just come back from the factory - if they could not do it right - who is going to?

Why are we, the buyers, responsible to try and find people to fix the problems caused by the factory. It is my opinion (and maybe not just my opinion) that good customer service would be for the factory to ring, find a dealer to do it - handle the paperwork and costs and we simply drop it off and pick it up - finished and perfectly done.... but that is far from reality.

So - the thread is closed - which is how I found all your comments.
For the doubters - If it had not happened to me, I would never have believed it. I hope you never buy an RV that is a lemon like this one.
For the supportive comments - thanks - heartfelt thanks....
I do hope and want to believe at some point Heartland will do the right thing.

You are welcome to contact me if you have a specific questions. My name is Le and my email is le at outthecarwindow.com and I have a Big Country 3550 tsl that came off production line in Nov last year - in fact I have pictures of it when i went to see it on the factory production line - I was so proud of my new RV....

Here are pictures of it sitting in the Heartland Factory yard waiting for the rear window to be installed - pre shipping to the dealer.
http://picasaweb.google.com/janeway9/CamperAtHeartland# It was such a good looking RV

All the best guys.
Le

PS - I am sure this thread will be closed - which is fine.. so thanks now for any well wishes.

 

[Bob&Patty]

Le, we are all in shock about this. Are you sure that your BC was at the factory?? Did you take it there? If not, how did it get there?? Did you go through a dealer 1st and they handled it??

Well anyway Jim Beletti and Jim Fenner are looking into this as stated at the end of the other thread. Stay in touch with us on the forum. We all want to know how it ends. Bob

 

[SilverRhino]

Thanks for Responding

Le;

Sure am glad that you responded to original post. All I can say is WOW!

I will be watching the progress on this........as will a number of others! Our BC has not had anywhere near the types of issues that you have suffered.......all of our issues have been quickly and professionally taken care of by HL.

I'm sure that the Jims will get to the bottom of this and that HL will step up and make it right with you.

Hang in there......granted this is a big hassle.....but in the overall scheme of things....it is just an RV.....Try to keep that in mind.

Best of luck!

 

[DMitch]

Lee, good luck getting this mess resolved to your satisdfaction. I feel for you, I went thru a very similar mess with another brand. It certainly isn't easy when you have so much money invested. We all hope for more when we make such a large purchase.

All the best,

 

[out the car window]

I have been dealing directly with Chris... now Jim

Hi
I have been dealing directly with Chris and more recently with Jim Fenner since Jan of this year. Today Jim Beletti emailed me to say the thread was being closed.

I believe it was taken to the factory. Jim spoke to me several times while it was at the factory and said that I would be very happy with what they were doing so I have no reason to think that it was done elsewhere.

A driver picked it up and then it was dropped back for me to pick up from a local dealer who I had never had dealings with - and I picked it up from there. The dealer did not want to get involved - he just wanted to sell me a new RV.... hmmm.

I can post an update as able. I understand if they close this again but on the "up side" - it did prompt Jim Fenner to agree to "fix up" some of the repairs that the factory had done - so I am ever hopeful - tired but hopeful.
best wishes, Le

 

[ncrebel8]

All I can say is I am sorry you are going through this. Your pictures show that you definatly had some structural problems. My biggest hope is that the repairs that cant be seen are done much better than the things we can see. Good luck getting all of this taken care of. Hopefully Heartland will make it right. I can tell you now that of all the things I can see on there, the Wavy, uneven, spray can looking paint wold really make me mad. You are right, in the shape its in, you lost alot of the resale value.

 

[newbie]

Wow! Good luck getting this straightened out! Keep your chin up. Many, many people are waiting to see how this plays out for you on here.

 

[John T Bettencourt]

Lee, I wish you all the luck in the world getting this mess fixed. This type of thing should ot happen to anyone. Take care and God Bless.

 

[geeksrus]

out the car window

Sorry to hear about your problems... glad you are back to fill in some more details... I hope you can get the problems worked out.

I think that there are a few respondents on your previous discussion that owe you an apology for implying that you were not forthright.

Good Luck Eh!

 

[lwmcguir]

Good luck as well

 

[biggziff]

Le:

You certainly seem to have been more than reasonable with your expectations and time allowances with Heartland repairing what appears to be a very serious, structural defect. Your posts have been polite and courteous. I think if I were you, I'd be looking at other methods of remedy on this unit. You certainly have the documentation to allow for a third party to become involved. Perhaps that is what it will take for you to get resolution on this.

PM me for some other suggestions.

I wish you much success with this. Although I have tried very hard to keep a positive viewpoint on the Heartland product, after reading post after post of the same issues coming up year after year, I have removed Heartland products from our list of consideration. I cannot afford to spend $45,000 on something that may or may not be what I expect it to be.

Have a great Thanksgiving. Regardless of this situation I can tell that you have much to be thankful for and know what is truly valuable in this life.

Best wishes.

 

[JohnDar]

It appears the thread was closed to try to end all the speculation and arm chair juris prudence about the situation until the true players could sort it out. Not to sweep it under the rug. Hopefully, we will all get a full accounting of how this situation is rectified for Le.

 

[jmgratz]

thanks for the further explaination. Keep a positive attitude and work with Heartland to get the issue resolved. It will take some time but will be worth it in the end. Remember that every company will have "issues" with their products from time to time it is just unfortunate for the individuals who happen to be the ones that have to deal with those issues. Good luck in your resolution and keep us posted.

 

[cookie]

It seems that under carriage rust is not all that uncommom. Here is a link to others with simmilar problems. And some of their fixes. CLICKY HERE

Peace
Dave

 

[biggziff]

It seems that under carriage rust is not all that uncommom. Here is a link to others with simmilar problems. And some of their fixes. CLICKY HERE

Peace
Dave

That's a link to the default page....

 

[cookie]

Hmm, well I don't know why, but I cant post the correct link here. So go to the main page link and then click on "Fifth-Wheels", then go to page 3. Scroll down a bit and the post is "Rust Underneath Fiver"...............Sorry.

Peace
Dave

 

[jbeletti]

Linking does not seem to work well on the Good Sam forum portal. Works better on the RV.net portal. Is this the thread Dave?

Jim

 

[SJH]

WOW...this is a real eye-opener!

I am a very new member to your forum and joined because we are planning a 3355RL purchase after the first of the year. From all my research thus far, this just doesn't add up to what I read about Heartland (the product and the company) Although I am not inclined to believe everything I read on the internet, I can't help but be a little more concerned/hesitant after reading this (and the original) thread!

I too am interested in what transpires with these issues!

My best wishes!

 

[FennerJ]

I will not try to make any excuses for the work that was not completed correctly here at Heartland. I performed the inspection of the job list several times and simply missed the items in question. This is not the normal standard of quality that leaves our facility as proven many times in the past. I have been in constant communication with the customer to correct the issues that are still present with the unit and will continue to do so until these issues are repaired.

Jim Fenner

 

[newbie]

out the car window


...I think that there are a few respondents on your previous discussion that owe you an apology for implying that you were not forthright.

Good Luck Eh!

I agree. I'm pretty sure that's why Jim closed the thread as some of the comments were getting out of hand.