Our Bighorn is not a lemon

[Joy & Jeff]

Is there a lemon law for Rvs like the one for cars? Our 2012 Bighorn has been a lemon since the day we picked it up in Indiana last August. It has spent significantly more time in the shop than it has spent with us. I don't think we've taken it anywhere without something going wrong or breaking.

I loved it when we picked it out but now I wish we'd never made the purchase.

Please let us know if there is any recourse available or are we just screwed.

Please don't think we are anti Heartland because we are not. We traded a Big Country for this Big Horn and we NEVER had a problem. We just wanted bigger and better.

So far, warranty has paid for most repairs but the years almost up and we can't relax and enjoy our rig because of the myriad of problems.

Please advise.

 

[GOTTOYS]

Re: Our Bighorn is a lemon

Sorry you're having problems. To my knowledge there is no Lemon Law in any State for a non-motorized vehicle. Where the Lemon Law does apply it they don't make it easy. In Minnesota you must give the dealer 3 chances to fix a known problem within so many days. If they still fail then you can start proceedings but it's pretty complicated and doesn't happen overnight. If they do take a car or truck back, you are given fair market value, not necessarily a brand new car or truck again. Unfortunately most people don't really come out ahead..If you haven't already done so I would contact heartland Customer Service and voice your concerns. A fifth wheel is not a real complicated beast and it should be able to be repaired properly. JMHO...Don

 

[cookie]

Re: Our Bighorn is a lemon

I am sorry to hear about your BH. Are you problems dealer service related?
I would suggest that you call Heartland and discuss any issues that you are having.
Hopefully they can help you get things resolved and allow you to enjoy your Bighorn.

Peace
Dave

 

[Joy & Jeff]

Re: Our Bighorn is a lemon

Thank you to everyone for your responses. I guess I just needed to vent.

Everything that has gone wrong has been fixed and the service guys are doing the best they can. Maybe we are just destined to have everything go at once to get it over with and done. Who knows.

Other than a dinning room chair falling apart for the second time, everything has been a different issue and repaired as quickly as possible.

We had a water line come off the water heater which caused the inverter to go out and now the water pump is out and our welcome home light. I never realize how much I like that light before it went out!

I will say the key pad entry has managed to eat 2 batteries in less than a year which is strange since I've only replaced the one's in my house keypad once in 10 years!

Thanks for letting me vent and for your suggestions. I DO love my Bighorn and can't wait for it to come out of the shop so we can take it out again. We'll get all the bugs worked out and it will be perfect. (this is what we get for not having any problems at all with the first one).

It is a good thing we hadn't planned on going to the National Rally this year! We'd be broke down somewhere between Missouri and Wyoming.

Thanks again.

Joy

 

[jimtoo]

Re: Our Bighorn is a lemon

Joy,,, since you wanted to vent a little ,, I changed the name a little.
Thanks for letting us know things are getting better.
Jim M

 

[Joy & Jeff]

Re: Our Bighorn is a lemon

Thanks Jim.

Again, I apologize for ranting.

I'd also like to give some props to the service department at Happy Trails RV, Phillipsburg, MO. They have got to be sick of us by now.

Joy

 

[wdk450]

Re: Our Bighorn is a lemon

I talked to the Lippert rep at the Gillette rally this morning about the keyless entry system (they are selling it here as an add-on). He said that earlier production of this system had problems with short battery life, and they were sending out new locks with improved circuit boards upon request.

 

[Joy & Jeff]

Re: Our Bighorn is a lemon

Thanks for that I formation. We will contact Lippert tomorrow. They need to tell the service reps around the country about the new locks too. It would save a lot of frustration for both owners and service providers.

Joy

 

[Joy & Jeff]

Re: Our Bighorn is a lemon

I just thought I'd let everyone know that David from Heartland Customer Service called yesterday and spoke to my darling husband and then called the dealer that provides our warranty service.

There isn't really anything they can do, but it was nice that they cared enough to call.

Should have the BH back on Saturday. Planning a week long excursion the end of the month. Wish us luck!

Joy

 

[Joy & Jeff]

Re: Our Bighorn is a lemon

Update on our RV issues

Yippee! We just spent 7 glorious days and nights in our Big Horn with NO issues. Everything worked perfectly (except the welcome home light but we are waiting for the relay to come in and be installed).

We used every appliance in the RV multiple times without issues and no water leaks either.

By golly, I think all the bugs are finally worked out.

We had a fantastic time and we highly recommend that if you are in Missouri looking for place to escape, got to Outlet Park Campground. It's a Corps of Engineers park on the river side of Pomme de Terre Dam but the sites are big, flat and all have a view/walk down to the river. The park is small so no over crowding with water and 50 amp hook ups. The fish were biting and the bugs weren't and yummy ice cream at the Carson's Corner Store every day!!

Joy

 

[Ray LeTourneau]

Joy, Thanks for the update. It's good to hear all is well. Time to enjoy it now.

 

[hogwaii]

Re: Our Bighorn is a lemon

You are not alone. It doesn't matter the manufacture, when new, they ALL come back for multiple reasons. We have a 2011 Cyclone HD 3950 and I called it our "red-headed step-child" for the first year. A year and a half later, the bugs have been pretty much worked out. As I type, it is currently in the shop for a new A/C. We love the lil' problem child and with proper care and direction, she is coming around. TLC and a good service center, (Giant RV), is the answer.