"Did not know they were an option." We talked with a couple of people at the Rally this summer who had new rigs on order or in production who didn't know about some of the options that were available to them. No one seemed to know if the dealers didn't mention them, if the dealers didn't know about them, or what the reason for the lack of communication was. The general consensus was that if you want something, ask! If the dealer doesn't know, call Heartland. The gentleman leading the tour I was on made it very clear that they want to hear from the owners, and that they will do their best to build what the customer wants.
The other side of that last phrase, though, is that those of us who own Heartland products are not the factory's customers. The dealers are their only customers, and we are the dealers' customers. The dealers may want the factory to keep the costs down so that the prices we pay the dealers are somewhat lower. Back when Henry Ford said "You can have any color you want as long as you want black" made for a less expensive product, but at the cost of individuality. Heartland explained, this summer, that all of their trailers now have the same vinyl flooring material because it is cheaper for them to have only one roll of the stuff than two rolls of two different kinds. Of course, there were those who said they wished that all of the trailers would have the other kind of flooring because that's what they like.
As for what I'd like to have in our next rig, I'd like to see a signed inspection list attached to every trailer, from the cheapest mpg to the most expensive Landmark, with what was inspected and whether or not it passed inspection. Anything that fails would have the repairman's signature by the failure mark, saying that it has now been fixed. I'm guessing that something like that is already done, but that it stays within the factory. I'd like to see the original paper go with the trailer.
The other side of that last phrase, though, is that those of us who own Heartland products are not the factory's customers. The dealers are their only customers, and we are the dealers' customers. The dealers may want the factory to keep the costs down so that the prices we pay the dealers are somewhat lower. Back when Henry Ford said "You can have any color you want as long as you want black" made for a less expensive product, but at the cost of individuality. Heartland explained, this summer, that all of their trailers now have the same vinyl flooring material because it is cheaper for them to have only one roll of the stuff than two rolls of two different kinds. Of course, there were those who said they wished that all of the trailers would have the other kind of flooring because that's what they like.
As for what I'd like to have in our next rig, I'd like to see a signed inspection list attached to every trailer, from the cheapest mpg to the most expensive Landmark, with what was inspected and whether or not it passed inspection. Anything that fails would have the repairman's signature by the failure mark, saying that it has now been fixed. I'm guessing that something like that is already done, but that it stays within the factory. I'd like to see the original paper go with the trailer.
