New Landmark Purchase

[wrayj1]

We posted our request for input on Landmark owners satisfaction or dissatisfaction with their Landmark and received primarily positive statement. However, one owner suggested checking out our local dealer prior to purchase as a good, reliable dealer can make or break owner satisfaction. Our question now is how does one obtain honest information on a dealer?

 

[jimtoo]

You have almost ask the ultimate question about dealers. Whom do you trust? Me, other members, dealers, manufactures, rv.net members, some blog site or your own intuition about the dealer and manufacture and other web sites??

This is a question no one can answer, except you, just do your checking and go by what you think is best.

We try here to be honest. Some exaggerate problems, others do not. But in the end Heartland does what they deem is necessary. It is not always in the best interest of the consumer, but is usually fair, considering the situation.

IMHO

Jim M

 

[Ray LeTourneau]

wrayj1, Welcome to the Heartland Forum. You might try asking our forum members if any has had experience or exposure to the dealer you are considering. Tell us the area you live in and maybe one of our members can recommend a good dealer. I would look for a dealer with a nice clean organized accessories display, a clean shop and professionally dressed, uniformed technicians. That certainly is no guarantee it's a good shop but professional public appeal should mean something. Salesmen should be polite and not pushy. Those are my nickels.

 

[mjatwalker]

I agree with Ray, first impressions are mostly right.


Mike

 

[mrcomer]

There are those unfortunate instances in which you will not find out how good or bad a dealer is until after the sale. Hopefully someone here will be able to lead you down the right path. If you end up travelling a ways to purchase your unit then there are a few good dealer I could recommend, one based on experience and the other based purely on what we have read on this forum.

Good luck,
Mark

 

[jmgratz]

FYI - There are many dealers who will only service what they sell...they won't service your rig if you did not buy it from them. To counter this Heartland will authorize non-Heartland dealers to do warranty service on their units. I would ask a dealer what their turnaround time is on repairs. Some dealers may take 3 months for a simple repair. Other dealers will service a rig if it was not purchased there but put that rig behind other rigs that were purchased their. Good luck in your search.

 

[beardedone]

A couple of things you can do:
-check with the better business bureau
- ask the operator's of area campgrounds
- google them and see what comes up
- check RV.net also (always with a grain of salt)

 

[plug2]

I did all of the above. my dealer was out of business in 9 months aftaer purchase. the Heartland safty net of dealers have taken care of me three times. it does make me feelsafe as i travel many miles as home is where i park it.

 

[rvdogs]

Bought our 2009 Landmark Cape Cod from the Camping world dealer in Katy, Texas. A rush job for the pre-delivery review at best. Had to attempt to slow them down in order for us to ask every necessary question.

One of the things missed was that I should have told them to connect the water system and pressurize it to test for leaks. We didn't do that and sure enough...leaks.

Moral: Test every single system before driving away. Make them hook up and pressurize the water system...don't get in a hurry or let them rush you through the inspection.

 

[Delaine and Lindy]

Dealerships !!!!!!!!

Thats the quesition you see very often on most RV forums. What is the best dealership. We have only bought one 5th wheel close to our home. We owned it less than 30 days. All the others have been between 200 and 550 miles from our home base. Very few dealerships will be able to fix anything but very minor problems, while you wait. They will want you to drop it off, and then there comes the wait. Some cases weeks to months. Keep in mind the hitch to bumper is only one year! And believe me it goes by fast. And we have found that most things happen in the first few weeks or months. And after the years warranty is out, you will have to deal with component manufactor, and what few problems we have had with the component manufactors is very easy to deal with but it takes patience. They know what negative comment cause. I firmly believe the dealership is as important as the manufactor is. If you have a good manufactor thats the key. And use the owners forum for help and advice, there is a lot of experience from the owners forums, and most everyone is willing to help. The reseach is the key to owning a RV, that will determine what you want in a RV. As I have said my hair color was dark when I bought our first RV and its now gray/white but I do still have hair. Good Luck with your choice. In the end it will still be your decision. Be happy, life is short. GBY.....

 

[wrayj1]

Considering Landmark purchase

Thanks to all who replied to my question on how to determine if a dealer is reputible. We live south of Portland, Oregon and the dealer we are talking with is Funtime RV,Tualatin, Or. Has anyone had experience with this dealer?