I used to champion Heartland Service... now having doubts

[AAdams]

This is a rant because I need to vent.

Our unit that we bought on 5/4/15 has had several problems;

Leaking kitchen strainers, I repaired and supplied parts for to replace the cheap strainers they used

Leaking Ice maker line, I repaired

Dometic bathroom fan came apart, Heartland supplied parts for I supplied labor

Shocks came apart on the off door side if the unit because they were not installed properly, Heartland supplied parts for, I did labor

Water leak in lower seal on slide that caused water to run behind wall and in to pass through storage on rear bedroom slide, I notified Heartland and repaired with my parts and labor

NOW,

I have a problem I can not fix that happened on 4/21/16 before the warranty was up. I notified Heartland on 4/21/16 and sent pictures. The problem??

Apparently it is standard practice to repair the fiberglass that a) gets damaged by them or b) is delaminated from the manufacturing process ( their words not mine ). Well my rig was one of those that they repaired and the repair cracked through the fiberglass. Now I have had appointments with the dealer to get it fixed and they are dragging their feet. First, even though I sent detailed pictures to Heartland on the 4/21. When I got to the dealer Heartland needed more pictures outside, then they needed more pictures showing the inside, then more of the outside. The problem is they are allowing only 60 days to get the repair done after the warranty ended and I can not get a decision if they will even cover the repair. Now they need more detailed breakdown from the dealer, which he read me 2 days ago.

This rant is because I was supposed to have a decision yesterday morning, and I called yesterday afternoon, they NEVER returned the call, I had to call again and still no decision....

What can I do but sit, wait, till they can see if they can negotiate with the dealer to save themselves a 1/4 hour here or there. My thoughts, I've saved you that more in labor than this job bills for, so fix it!

Thank you for listening, but I needed to vent so I don't have anymore strokes.

Alan

 

[Bones]

Sometimes it feels good to vent

 

[GOTTOYS]

It's posts like these that are driving me to look at others' products. Not saying they are any better, but I still have to look. Don

 

[JohnD]

Is it your dealer who is dragging their feet . . . or Heartland?

We were having issues trying to get our dealer to get our Prowler in for warranty service and they kept dragging their feet.

Solution . . . I wrote my issues on their Facebook page and 10 minutes later they called me and we had an appointment made.

 

[codycarver]

I'm still a defender of Heartland customer service. Recently I had a question on pre-wiring done on our 5 year old Bighorn. After several phone calls, emails, photos, and trips to engineering by my customer service rep. Jamie Justis (little shout out) the wires were found. Not where we thought they should be but found none the less. Jamie would not give up. He would call or e-mail to let me know he would call or e-mail as soon as he found out anything. I couldn't have asked for better service.

A better job can always be done during assembly, dealer PDI, and owner PDI's too. But for us as long as Heartland continues the exemplary service we have received over the years we'll be Heartland owners.

 

[kowAlski631]

Are you hearing all this from your dealer or from Heartland? Also, sounds like you chose to do the other fixes rather than take it to a repair facility.

 

[AAdams]

I have been in contact with both on a daily basis. And yes I choose to do most work myself because of this type of stuff, the back and forth of who will pay how much for what? There are nada guide lines for what each job should cost, so the dealer submits a bid, the rv companies reject it and the customer is left stranded while they bicker back and forth..... Heartland will allow us to take up to them in July and fix it. But while they are repairing it we can not stay in the coach since it will have to stay in their service bay, so we would have hotel expenses for up to 5 days ( 4 nights ) , along with fuel, nightly stays etc...

I am at a loss, apparently Heartland has closed for the weekend... And I had to cancel my appointment once again at the dealer.

 

[Abear79]

I had a lot of problems the first year with mine. If it was not for the help and support of the HL service department I would have lost my mind. I would blame the dealer before HL. They should have done a better inspection when the unit came in and after you bought it. Trust me HL will make this right. When we went pick ours up from the dealer all the counter and tables were scratched deep. Rear a/c had a issue, I went through 4 hydraulic lines, and 2 towmax blowouts that caused damage. But I would not want another brand or model. HL made it right. Plus sometimes the first year is the worst then it starts smoothing out.

 

[kowAlski631]

We had a few things fixed under warranty and we paid nothing. We told the dealer that under warranty meant that the items would paid for by the manufacturer. The dealer whined about not enough time being allowed for the repair, but we explained that perhaps they needed to hire more competent service persons. We also told them that we were receiving a copy of everything that was requested and approved for repairs by Heartland along with time allowed. It's frustrating, no doubt about that, but in the end it's your trailer and you're the only person who can get it moved along.

Martha

 

[AAdams]

This is the job

To explain the picture, the vertical line on the left is about where the problems in the clear coat stop it does to the left some. The horizontal line is where there are cracks in the clear coat. The two vertical lines above the other tape on the right is where there are 2 bumps. The last pieces of tape on the the lower right are cracks through the bondo repair and fiberglass on the left of the tape and you can see imperfections forming ovals in that area. The original time approved to repair the fiberglass and paint 3 - 4 colors and 2 coats of clear coat ( from window to awning arm ), and cut and buff was 7.4 hours, to include taking out the dining room window and the awning arm so there will be no lines that can be seen. Heartland has now allowed 10 hours... Dealers has come down to I believe 15 or 16... I could take it to Heartland in Elkhart. But once I got there I could not stay in the unit once they started the body work. They would have the unit for a week to do the work. So I would pay $800 in fuel (round trip), hotel expense, misc travel expense and I believe would end up with the same **** poor repair.

So to Heartland I say this.... After owning a Landmark, a Road Warrior and this Big Horn, this is my last Heartland / Thor product I will buy. Now that I am seeing the work in progress, the time will be at least the 16 hours requested to give me a coach that look like it has the $10,074 paint job I paid for.

 

[John T Bettencourt]

To me Forest River Cedar Creek is looking better and better all the time.

 

[carl.swoyer]

Call Heartland and get Jim Fenner involved. He is a man of his word. He also is the man in charge. He listens

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[kowAlski631]

To me Forest River Cedar Creek is looking better and better all the time.

Not according to a couple we met a few days ago. New Cedar Creek, problems galore, and lots of pushback. Every manufacturer has problems.

 

[Bones]

I know two people very well who are disgusted with their high end trailer and it is a forest river product. I also have two other friends who have another forest river product and they are happy. They only had a minor issue. I'm just saying that I don't know if the grass is greener on the other side but if it is it may have a lot of brown spots up close.

 

[dlw930]

Talked to a guy in the campground who was on his 3rd Heartland product and 2nd Bighorn. His first Bighorn had so many manufacturing defects, e.g. awning installed too low they couldn't open door all the way, rear window frame missing multiple screws, that I was shaking my head. Dealer solved many, but not all, issues. He traded in on new Bighorn that he had now and is happy with. I asked why he bought 2nd Bighorn if 1st had so many issues. His answer, he liked his dealer and the competition's quality didn't compare favorably to Heartland's.


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[carl.swoyer]

I had an 07 cedar Creek. My insurance company totaled it at 4.5 years because the frame was bent,twisted and cracked.
However we did like the cedar Creek. And with my landmark I spent my first 9 months in a service bay. While living in the service bay I came to this conclusion. No matter what you buy from any manufacturer Heartland,Forest River,Tiffin,Prevost...the list goes on. They are all produced on an assembly line, landmark 12 per day. With what I saw they all equally share the same problems. I choose to get mine fixed and heartland did fix it. Now I have a great looking rig and it is now care and upkeep. I did buy the cornerstone extended warranty for $1700.00 the payout is over $8000.00. and now they are going to replace my wonderful top of the line Norcold ROLOL!.

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[carl.swoyer]

Not according to a couple we met a few days ago. New Cedar Creek, problems galore, and lots of pushback. Every manufacturer has problems.

I did see some cedar Creeks. One the AC caught fire( wired wrong) several others the exterior surface of the side wall were buckling, you could push the wall panels in with your fingers let go and the wall would pop out again

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[Nabo]

Yes - all rv companies have problems because the assembly lines are under a daily quota, some lower than others but quotas none the less.

 

[John T Bettencourt]

I don't understand way people put up with these problems in new RV. You would not put up with it in your new vehicles

 

[kowAlski631]

I don't understand way people put up with these problems in new RV. You would not put up with it in your new vehicles

We don't put up with it in our RV - we fix whatever the issue is and keep enjoying life. As we said before, every RV manufacturer has problems with units. If there were no problems, there would be no need for warranties.

But we're having too much fun traveling to dwell on issues that can be or have been fixed.

Martha