taylormadeduff
Member
Greetings All,
We have been looking for a Heartland Gateway 3750PT for around 8 months. It was the perfect floorplan for our family. And low and behold we found one on March 7th. To say we were excited is an understatement. I will attach what my wife put together as a timeline for our interactions with the dealer as our dream became a nightmare. I apologize for the long post but if you are also looking for this unit, I would stay away from this dealership.
San Antonio RV’s Purchase Experience- 5th wheel Heartland Gateway 3750PT
For the past eight months, our family has spent a significant amount of time researching RV units with a
dream of providing our daughter the best quality of life given her medical situation. At four years old,
she is battling two rare conditions that impact her ability to live a normal life. As an immune-
compromised preschooler, we homeschool to make sure she is not exposed to the constant illnesses of
a classroom environment. While she has a great attitude about life and is an amazing young girl, she
essentially is in a constant state of quarantine to keep her healthy. Bug bites, excessive direct sunlight,
being around people who are sick- it can result in her body attacking her kidneys in a very short time
frame. Knowing all of this, we wanted to let her quarantine-like home be mobile so she could still get to
experience adventure and the outdoors- to an extent.
We spent hours upon hours researching weights to make sure we were in the manufacturer’s guidelines
for towing. We looked for a unit that had a patio which we could convert into a covered outdoor space
for her under an awning and protected from mosquitos. The unit we were able to find was a Heartland
Gateway 3750 PT. It had a bunkroom. It had a second bed that her “Gigi” could stay in when she visited.
It had a full bath with a tub and a half bath. For us, it was the perfect floorplan and did not require the
weight of a toy hauler
On 7 March 2019 we finally found one and immediately Contacted San Antonio RV’s to place deposit of
$500.00. We asked four questions: Any signs of smoking in the unit (odors/staining)? Any signs of pets
(hair, dander, odor)? Any signs of mold or mildew? Any leaks? The answer we received to all four
questions was “No.” These four questions were our deal-breaker questions. Being that this was the only
Heartland Gateway 3750 PT for sale in the entire U.S., we were excited and placed a $500 deposit and
discussed timeline for completion of repairs (damaged couch to be replaced by theatre seating, bed
motor repair, patio floor repair). We were assured the work would only take a couple of days.
San Antonio RV’s requested we contact the RV inspector to come out and list the items that needed
repair. The inspector was also notified of the need to ensure there were no signs of smoke, pets,
mold/mildew or water damage. We received the inspection report and verbal confirmation that the unit
was free from these, except for an issue with the water heater in the under-carriage that needed repair.
On 18 March 2019 we discussed areas of concern from the inspection report with San Antonio RV’s. We
were provided a statement that all repair work would be completed by 22 March 2019. Work schedule
requirements allowed for pickup during the first week of April, and San Antonio RV’s stated the repair
work would definitely be completed by that time.
Repair work was said to have been completed on the patio deck flooring and statements were made
that photos of repair work would be sent via text. No text was received. A text requesting photos of
patio repair work was sent on 23 March - no photos. On 26 March, a second request was made for
repair photos. The morning of 26 March, photos were obtained in the morning hours showing the
damaged patio being taken off the unit. The evening of 26 March, photos were obtained with a patio
deck that had a new surface on it. There was no evidence of the patio deck foam being replaced.
On 27 March 2019 a Cashier’s check cut for $34,936.92 payable to San Antonio RV’s with notification to
San Antonio RV’s that pick-up was scheduled for following week. On 1 April 2019 we arrival at San
Antonio RV’s to drop off kingpin adapter and backup camera for install. The unit was scheduled for PDI 2
April 2019 with an understanding of scheduled departure with the unit at 10 am on 3 April 2019 to avoid
poor weather in the area.
On 2 April 2019 a PDI was attempted and requested to be delayed until repair work was complete. The
bed motor not functional and a part still needed to be obtained. A member of San Antonio RV’s stepped
onto the patio deck floor which immediately sank to the level of the exterior door. The damaged couch
was located just outside the steps of the 5 th wheel , with no theatre seating or console in 5 th wheel. The
unit was unclean and with minimal vacuuming, the vacuum needed to be emptied three times full of pet
hair and dander. Notified San Antonio RV’s team of concerns and provided with choice of having the
unit delivered to our home or receiving reimbursement for hotel costs incurred for delayed completion.
On 3 April 2019 the patio door was removed and repair work started. Adhesive needed to be ordered to
complete the patio repair. Bed motor installed, additional work required. Discussed completion deadline
no later than Friday morning, 5 April 2019 to get home in time for daughter’s medication.
On 4 April 2019, provided general manager with concerns over purchase timeline and experience to
date. Management stated they would do whatever it takes to make it better. Realized unit would not
meet deadline and had daughter’s medication shipped to Seguin, TX. Discussed generator prep and
ordering generator for later delivery/install when unit is back in Arkansas. Management understood the
need for a generator and no statement was provided that this would be an additional charge. Discussed
needed to replace the bedding in the unit as the existing bedding had pet hair/dander throughout.
Bedding ordered after primary account salesman attempted to “half the cost” of the bedding. This was
the same salesman that assured us there was no sign of pets in the unit. Requested carpets
professionally cleaned. Request granted. Theatre seating installed with no evidence that “new” theatre
seating was actually purchased by dealership. Requested tags, owner’s manual or some proof that
seating was new- none provided. On the afternoon of 4 April 2019, when speaking with another
member of the team at San Antonio RV’s it was brought to our attention the generator prep and
generator would cost “at least 7,000” and they simply could not do that. When provided notification
that the deal was off, the manager was contacted and we were told he was on his way back to the
dealership to discuss. We left the dealership and provided our phone number, then made a call to the
inspector to discuss the condition of the unit as having visible signs of pet hair/dander though that
information was never provided in the report. San Antonio RV’s management made a phone call to state
that he felt we were trying to shove a square peg in a round hole and the unit may not be the right one
for us. He offered to cover our fuel cost for the drive. We requested to discuss in the morning before
making any more decisions.
Several attempts were made to work with management, sales and the entire team at San Antonio RV’s
to “make it right.” Unfortunately, our perception of the purchase timeline, the lack of transparency, the
sales tactics, procrastination of work completion and materials ordering, and the overall business
practices were not above board. Some people have had wonderful experiences at San Antonio RV’s and
we hoped we would as well. We thought we had done our research and we were reassured by management that we did everything we could have done to avoid this situation. Yet, here we are. We sincerely hope you do not find yourself in the same situation.
We have been looking for a Heartland Gateway 3750PT for around 8 months. It was the perfect floorplan for our family. And low and behold we found one on March 7th. To say we were excited is an understatement. I will attach what my wife put together as a timeline for our interactions with the dealer as our dream became a nightmare. I apologize for the long post but if you are also looking for this unit, I would stay away from this dealership.
San Antonio RV’s Purchase Experience- 5th wheel Heartland Gateway 3750PT
For the past eight months, our family has spent a significant amount of time researching RV units with a
dream of providing our daughter the best quality of life given her medical situation. At four years old,
she is battling two rare conditions that impact her ability to live a normal life. As an immune-
compromised preschooler, we homeschool to make sure she is not exposed to the constant illnesses of
a classroom environment. While she has a great attitude about life and is an amazing young girl, she
essentially is in a constant state of quarantine to keep her healthy. Bug bites, excessive direct sunlight,
being around people who are sick- it can result in her body attacking her kidneys in a very short time
frame. Knowing all of this, we wanted to let her quarantine-like home be mobile so she could still get to
experience adventure and the outdoors- to an extent.
We spent hours upon hours researching weights to make sure we were in the manufacturer’s guidelines
for towing. We looked for a unit that had a patio which we could convert into a covered outdoor space
for her under an awning and protected from mosquitos. The unit we were able to find was a Heartland
Gateway 3750 PT. It had a bunkroom. It had a second bed that her “Gigi” could stay in when she visited.
It had a full bath with a tub and a half bath. For us, it was the perfect floorplan and did not require the
weight of a toy hauler
On 7 March 2019 we finally found one and immediately Contacted San Antonio RV’s to place deposit of
$500.00. We asked four questions: Any signs of smoking in the unit (odors/staining)? Any signs of pets
(hair, dander, odor)? Any signs of mold or mildew? Any leaks? The answer we received to all four
questions was “No.” These four questions were our deal-breaker questions. Being that this was the only
Heartland Gateway 3750 PT for sale in the entire U.S., we were excited and placed a $500 deposit and
discussed timeline for completion of repairs (damaged couch to be replaced by theatre seating, bed
motor repair, patio floor repair). We were assured the work would only take a couple of days.
San Antonio RV’s requested we contact the RV inspector to come out and list the items that needed
repair. The inspector was also notified of the need to ensure there were no signs of smoke, pets,
mold/mildew or water damage. We received the inspection report and verbal confirmation that the unit
was free from these, except for an issue with the water heater in the under-carriage that needed repair.
On 18 March 2019 we discussed areas of concern from the inspection report with San Antonio RV’s. We
were provided a statement that all repair work would be completed by 22 March 2019. Work schedule
requirements allowed for pickup during the first week of April, and San Antonio RV’s stated the repair
work would definitely be completed by that time.
Repair work was said to have been completed on the patio deck flooring and statements were made
that photos of repair work would be sent via text. No text was received. A text requesting photos of
patio repair work was sent on 23 March - no photos. On 26 March, a second request was made for
repair photos. The morning of 26 March, photos were obtained in the morning hours showing the
damaged patio being taken off the unit. The evening of 26 March, photos were obtained with a patio
deck that had a new surface on it. There was no evidence of the patio deck foam being replaced.
On 27 March 2019 a Cashier’s check cut for $34,936.92 payable to San Antonio RV’s with notification to
San Antonio RV’s that pick-up was scheduled for following week. On 1 April 2019 we arrival at San
Antonio RV’s to drop off kingpin adapter and backup camera for install. The unit was scheduled for PDI 2
April 2019 with an understanding of scheduled departure with the unit at 10 am on 3 April 2019 to avoid
poor weather in the area.
On 2 April 2019 a PDI was attempted and requested to be delayed until repair work was complete. The
bed motor not functional and a part still needed to be obtained. A member of San Antonio RV’s stepped
onto the patio deck floor which immediately sank to the level of the exterior door. The damaged couch
was located just outside the steps of the 5 th wheel , with no theatre seating or console in 5 th wheel. The
unit was unclean and with minimal vacuuming, the vacuum needed to be emptied three times full of pet
hair and dander. Notified San Antonio RV’s team of concerns and provided with choice of having the
unit delivered to our home or receiving reimbursement for hotel costs incurred for delayed completion.
On 3 April 2019 the patio door was removed and repair work started. Adhesive needed to be ordered to
complete the patio repair. Bed motor installed, additional work required. Discussed completion deadline
no later than Friday morning, 5 April 2019 to get home in time for daughter’s medication.
On 4 April 2019, provided general manager with concerns over purchase timeline and experience to
date. Management stated they would do whatever it takes to make it better. Realized unit would not
meet deadline and had daughter’s medication shipped to Seguin, TX. Discussed generator prep and
ordering generator for later delivery/install when unit is back in Arkansas. Management understood the
need for a generator and no statement was provided that this would be an additional charge. Discussed
needed to replace the bedding in the unit as the existing bedding had pet hair/dander throughout.
Bedding ordered after primary account salesman attempted to “half the cost” of the bedding. This was
the same salesman that assured us there was no sign of pets in the unit. Requested carpets
professionally cleaned. Request granted. Theatre seating installed with no evidence that “new” theatre
seating was actually purchased by dealership. Requested tags, owner’s manual or some proof that
seating was new- none provided. On the afternoon of 4 April 2019, when speaking with another
member of the team at San Antonio RV’s it was brought to our attention the generator prep and
generator would cost “at least 7,000” and they simply could not do that. When provided notification
that the deal was off, the manager was contacted and we were told he was on his way back to the
dealership to discuss. We left the dealership and provided our phone number, then made a call to the
inspector to discuss the condition of the unit as having visible signs of pet hair/dander though that
information was never provided in the report. San Antonio RV’s management made a phone call to state
that he felt we were trying to shove a square peg in a round hole and the unit may not be the right one
for us. He offered to cover our fuel cost for the drive. We requested to discuss in the morning before
making any more decisions.
Several attempts were made to work with management, sales and the entire team at San Antonio RV’s
to “make it right.” Unfortunately, our perception of the purchase timeline, the lack of transparency, the
sales tactics, procrastination of work completion and materials ordering, and the overall business
practices were not above board. Some people have had wonderful experiences at San Antonio RV’s and
we hoped we would as well. We thought we had done our research and we were reassured by management that we did everything we could have done to avoid this situation. Yet, here we are. We sincerely hope you do not find yourself in the same situation.