Well here we go with our NEW 2013 300C!!! Been an owner all of 2 weeks now & have a long list of problems that started even before our 1st trip a week ago. Lets see just how good Heartland warranty handles all the issues. Our local Service Dept is running 4 weeks out and from what I understand Heartland is a tough one to deal with when it comes to warranty issues, when supposively they are suppose to service oriented! We will see! Future posts to come!
Problems with my new CY 300C
- Thread starter 2picketts
- Start date
danemayer
Well-known member
Re: 300C problems
Welcome to the Heartland Family and to the Heartland Owners Forum. There's lots of useful information here along with a great bunch of friendly and helpful people.
I'm sorry you've got a list of problems and even sorrier that your dealer is telling you that he can't look at it for a month. You might want to remind them that your rig is 2 weeks old. You may want to discuss with them whether they could have caught some of these problems before you took delivery. Maybe they'll improve the time frame.
If the dealer is telling you that Heartland is difficult about warranty, it goes against the experience of many, many people on this forum. He might be just saying that to set your expectations for poor turnaround time. I'd suggest the following:
It's not unusual to have shakedown problems. And it's not unusual for dealers to take longer than anyone wants. But what they're telling you is a signal that you're going to have be more involved than you might have thought necessary in order to keep things moving along.
Hi 2picketts,
Welcome to the Heartland Family and to the Heartland Owners Forum. There's lots of useful information here along with a great bunch of friendly and helpful people.
I'm sorry you've got a list of problems and even sorrier that your dealer is telling you that he can't look at it for a month. You might want to remind them that your rig is 2 weeks old. You may want to discuss with them whether they could have caught some of these problems before you took delivery. Maybe they'll improve the time frame.
If the dealer is telling you that Heartland is difficult about warranty, it goes against the experience of many, many people on this forum. He might be just saying that to set your expectations for poor turnaround time. I'd suggest the following:
- Write down a list of what needs to be fixed.
- Write a brief explanation of each item.
- Ask to speak with the tech who will do/supervise the work to explain each item so there's no communications gap.
- If any of the repair items require parts, ask whether they'll be ordered from Heartland, or directly from the supplier, or taken from local inventory.
- Some parts, like cabinetry and counters have longer delivery times because they are custom made. If you have any of those, you might consider getting everything else fixed first, get those parts on order, and bring the trailer back when they arrive.
- Follow up by calling each week to get a status update. Once they tell you that parts are on order from Heartland, you can also call Heartland Customer Service to confirm that they are in fact on order.
It's not unusual to have shakedown problems. And it's not unusual for dealers to take longer than anyone wants. But what they're telling you is a signal that you're going to have be more involved than you might have thought necessary in order to keep things moving along.
mattpopp
Trouble Maker
Re: 300C problems
It may seem bad that your dealer has a 4 week back log but be very grateful they disclosed that up front. Not gonna name a particular dealer but Camping World in Katy, Tx don't usually let the customer know this before dropping off a unit. This happened with me is it pixxxxd me off royally. I was under the impression that it was going to be looked at within the week when it turned out to be three weeks later. I explained to them that it needs to be made clear to us on when you will put hands on the RV. If I know going forward it will be 4 weeks I can handle that.
They are busy and usually they are backed up for a month at a time. The usual culprit is getting parts.
My personal experience with Heartland warranty is amazingly better then any other warranty department that I have ever dealt with. The HL rep that was the POC for the service writer at CW would even call me to give me updates. No manufacturer Rep has ever done that for me.
If you are going to start your new ownership with a negative attitude your entire experience is not going to be good. New trailers have issues and it is hard to find every problem during the PDI. This is why it is recommended to camp somewhat local one or two times to work all of the bugs out. If you want a turn key trailer with zero to very few issues a person should buy a used trailer. Cause you will be lucky to find that in any brand of new trailers.
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It may seem bad that your dealer has a 4 week back log but be very grateful they disclosed that up front. Not gonna name a particular dealer but Camping World in Katy, Tx don't usually let the customer know this before dropping off a unit. This happened with me is it pixxxxd me off royally. I was under the impression that it was going to be looked at within the week when it turned out to be three weeks later. I explained to them that it needs to be made clear to us on when you will put hands on the RV. If I know going forward it will be 4 weeks I can handle that.
They are busy and usually they are backed up for a month at a time. The usual culprit is getting parts.
My personal experience with Heartland warranty is amazingly better then any other warranty department that I have ever dealt with. The HL rep that was the POC for the service writer at CW would even call me to give me updates. No manufacturer Rep has ever done that for me.
If you are going to start your new ownership with a negative attitude your entire experience is not going to be good. New trailers have issues and it is hard to find every problem during the PDI. This is why it is recommended to camp somewhat local one or two times to work all of the bugs out. If you want a turn key trailer with zero to very few issues a person should buy a used trailer. Cause you will be lucky to find that in any brand of new trailers.
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Re: 300C problems
Thanks for the input!
Our first mistake was getting our new trailer from out of state (Kentucky) instead of the local dealer. Live & Learn. Trailer goes in for service 1st week in April at authorized warranty service dealer. I'm thinking possitive that everything will get taken care of, so we will be happy Heartland Owners in the future.
Thanks for the input!
Our first mistake was getting our new trailer from out of state (Kentucky) instead of the local dealer. Live & Learn. Trailer goes in for service 1st week in April at authorized warranty service dealer. I'm thinking possitive that everything will get taken care of, so we will be happy Heartland Owners in the future.BarneyFife
Well-known member
Re: 300C problems
I am still surprised at how many people try to come to the rescue of a poorly constructed $50,000 BRAND NEW camper. If this was your new home or a new truck, would you honestly tell yourself not to start off with a bad attitude or say its not unusual to have "shakedown problems"?
"You may want to discuss with them whether they could have caught some of these problems before you took delivery. Maybe they'll improve the time frame." Or he may want to discuss why Heartland couldn't have caught these problems before it rolled the camper out the factory doors. I thought they supposedly have quality control people.
Let's face it. The 370C and 300C have many threads here and on the other RV forums with numerous large problems the first year of ownership. Whether it is the construction or the components used to build the units, there are a lot of problems with many of these new campers. Between that and how Heartland has handled the issues is why many have also vowed to never buy another Heartland product again. Say what you will. But Heartland is to blame for that.
I feel for the OP. Because I know first hand how he/she feels.
I am still surprised at how many people try to come to the rescue of a poorly constructed $50,000 BRAND NEW camper. If this was your new home or a new truck, would you honestly tell yourself not to start off with a bad attitude or say its not unusual to have "shakedown problems"?
"You may want to discuss with them whether they could have caught some of these problems before you took delivery. Maybe they'll improve the time frame." Or he may want to discuss why Heartland couldn't have caught these problems before it rolled the camper out the factory doors. I thought they supposedly have quality control people.
Let's face it. The 370C and 300C have many threads here and on the other RV forums with numerous large problems the first year of ownership. Whether it is the construction or the components used to build the units, there are a lot of problems with many of these new campers. Between that and how Heartland has handled the issues is why many have also vowed to never buy another Heartland product again. Say what you will. But Heartland is to blame for that.
I feel for the OP. Because I know first hand how he/she feels.
danemayer
Well-known member
Re: 300C problems
I did a quick search on the old adage, "catch more flies with honey than with vinegar." This column turned up. By Charlie Maffei, aka Charlie the Matchmaker.
"Many of you have probably heard of the old adage, "You can catch more flies with honey than vinegar." This was one of the first rules of life that my mother taught me, and you'd better believe I have perfected it. I learned at a very young age that life was just easier if you put a smile on your face instead of a scowl when approaching the world. Along with this lesson I learned to let the little things go. If someone did something that could be perceived as rude, I would just flash them a smile and carry on.
Someone emailed me recently with the same sentiment, saying, "Being nice to nice people is great, but being nice to those who are not nice to you is how the world becomes better. We should not want to defeat or humiliate those we don't agree with but to win their friendship and understanding."
More and more lately in my matchmaking business I've been encountering negative, angry people who cannot understand why they cannot find happiness. I try to work with them to explain that happiness is a choice that they have to make for themselves. Yes, you can control your own outlook on life! You can wake up every day and be a grump or put on a smile and look at life with a cheery perspective.
Now, don't get me wrong: I am not saying that I never get angry, but as I get older I am learning more and more to envelope myself with positive energy instead of a anger. I have friends and acquaintances who state adamantly, "I am a happy, positive person, too!" My question today is simply, "Are you?" "
I did a quick search on the old adage, "catch more flies with honey than with vinegar." This column turned up. By Charlie Maffei, aka Charlie the Matchmaker.
"Many of you have probably heard of the old adage, "You can catch more flies with honey than vinegar." This was one of the first rules of life that my mother taught me, and you'd better believe I have perfected it. I learned at a very young age that life was just easier if you put a smile on your face instead of a scowl when approaching the world. Along with this lesson I learned to let the little things go. If someone did something that could be perceived as rude, I would just flash them a smile and carry on.
Someone emailed me recently with the same sentiment, saying, "Being nice to nice people is great, but being nice to those who are not nice to you is how the world becomes better. We should not want to defeat or humiliate those we don't agree with but to win their friendship and understanding."
More and more lately in my matchmaking business I've been encountering negative, angry people who cannot understand why they cannot find happiness. I try to work with them to explain that happiness is a choice that they have to make for themselves. Yes, you can control your own outlook on life! You can wake up every day and be a grump or put on a smile and look at life with a cheery perspective.
Now, don't get me wrong: I am not saying that I never get angry, but as I get older I am learning more and more to envelope myself with positive energy instead of a anger. I have friends and acquaintances who state adamantly, "I am a happy, positive person, too!" My question today is simply, "Are you?" "
TravelTiger
Founding Texas-West Chapter Leaders-Retired
We just got back from Elkhart and seeing the factory tour. You would understand how items might get missed, overlooked or rushed, once you see the factory. Lots and lots of things being installed at once. The tours start at 3pm, which is quitting time, so we don't really get to see it "in action", but we walked all over and up and down between each "station". I'm not making excuses. Just telling you what we saw, and even as lots of folks were leaving, there were a few stations cleaning up and prepping for the next day, and it was quite impressive. We were told they do quality checks at each station and at the end of the line, and randomly pull coaches out for a detailed audit. They do fill tanks and test for leaks. They do weigh each coach just before it rolls out of the plant.
I would say before passing judgement that HL can do more, see in person what they do already.
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I would say before passing judgement that HL can do more, see in person what they do already.
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BarneyFife
Well-known member
Re: 300C problems
I have two jobs. I'm a full-time firefighter and I own my own lawn maintenance/landscaping business. I've been doing this for over ten years and have built the lawn care business up with my own two hands to a very strong, profitable business. Even in this economy, we continue to stay strong. I have quite a few customers. Every customer is on a year-round contract and I keep in contact with everyone of them often. Its sort of like a "customer/friend" relationship. I've never advertised but through my "customer/friends", word of mouth has kept me growing to a strong six-figure business with just my wife, two sons, and me. This is while I'm still working ten days per month at the fire department.
A few years ago, we were growing at a huge rate. I was pretty much taking on more work than I could handle. No matter how late in the day I would work, I was making promises I couldn't keep. I found myself taking "short cuts" just so I'd be able to finish my day before it grew dark. I assumed nobody would notice except me and "I'd get it next week". Well, that only went so long before it started to catch up with me. I had built my business on my own reputation for quality work and accountability but I was sacrificing both at the reality of not telling people "no" and just "make more money".
I tried hiring part-time people twice. But with my odd schedule, no matter how much I trained them, their quality of work just wasn't holding up to my expectations that I knew my customers were used to. So that idea had to end.
I quickly realized I could do one of two things.
1. I could go the typical big-company route and just take on all the customers I could get. Yes, I knew I would never be able to keep them all happy and I would lose customers. But if I could keep bringing on new customers, the trend has been to just replace dissatisfied customers with more new customers. I could maybe advertise to keep them coming in since I knew "word of mouth" wouldn't cut it anymore.
2. I could do as I had been doing for ten years. I stopped taking on customers who just wanted an occasional "whatever". I stopped taking on customers who were too far away for me to make it practical. I told people "no" when I knew I wouldn't be able to keep a promise they wanted me to make. I basically went back to the concept of keeping my present customers happy by giving them my 100% commitment to them when I was working their property. I wanted to make sure they were 100% happy and if not, I would immediately make it right. In other words, I would do what had grown my business to what it is today and continue to perfect on that even more. That's what kept me growing.
My business is now stronger than ever. Yes, I've had to turn some new customers down recently. That's still a tough thing to do. But until I know I can handle any new customers 100% without sacrificing existing customers, I'm not going to take them on. Its a disservice to them, my existing customers, and myself.
My reputation is what has made my business what it is today. It took me several years to get it to that point and at one time, I almost lost it by getting too greedy and just looking at pennies in the moment and not dollars in the future. If I lose my reputation as a lawn maintenance provider who goes the extra mile for his customers, who knows how long or if I will even be able to earn that reputation back?
One last note. There is no way in this world, as a business owner, that I would ever call a customer who I had given poor service to, as being unhappy or having a negative attitude. I would look at myself and say "what have I done to make this customer dissatisfied with my service?". The fact that those of us with extremely poor performing brand new campers are being accused of these attributes just reinforces my thoughts on future camper purchases.
I have two jobs. I'm a full-time firefighter and I own my own lawn maintenance/landscaping business. I've been doing this for over ten years and have built the lawn care business up with my own two hands to a very strong, profitable business. Even in this economy, we continue to stay strong. I have quite a few customers. Every customer is on a year-round contract and I keep in contact with everyone of them often. Its sort of like a "customer/friend" relationship. I've never advertised but through my "customer/friends", word of mouth has kept me growing to a strong six-figure business with just my wife, two sons, and me. This is while I'm still working ten days per month at the fire department.
A few years ago, we were growing at a huge rate. I was pretty much taking on more work than I could handle. No matter how late in the day I would work, I was making promises I couldn't keep. I found myself taking "short cuts" just so I'd be able to finish my day before it grew dark. I assumed nobody would notice except me and "I'd get it next week". Well, that only went so long before it started to catch up with me. I had built my business on my own reputation for quality work and accountability but I was sacrificing both at the reality of not telling people "no" and just "make more money".
I tried hiring part-time people twice. But with my odd schedule, no matter how much I trained them, their quality of work just wasn't holding up to my expectations that I knew my customers were used to. So that idea had to end.
I quickly realized I could do one of two things.
1. I could go the typical big-company route and just take on all the customers I could get. Yes, I knew I would never be able to keep them all happy and I would lose customers. But if I could keep bringing on new customers, the trend has been to just replace dissatisfied customers with more new customers. I could maybe advertise to keep them coming in since I knew "word of mouth" wouldn't cut it anymore.
2. I could do as I had been doing for ten years. I stopped taking on customers who just wanted an occasional "whatever". I stopped taking on customers who were too far away for me to make it practical. I told people "no" when I knew I wouldn't be able to keep a promise they wanted me to make. I basically went back to the concept of keeping my present customers happy by giving them my 100% commitment to them when I was working their property. I wanted to make sure they were 100% happy and if not, I would immediately make it right. In other words, I would do what had grown my business to what it is today and continue to perfect on that even more. That's what kept me growing.
My business is now stronger than ever. Yes, I've had to turn some new customers down recently. That's still a tough thing to do. But until I know I can handle any new customers 100% without sacrificing existing customers, I'm not going to take them on. Its a disservice to them, my existing customers, and myself.
My reputation is what has made my business what it is today. It took me several years to get it to that point and at one time, I almost lost it by getting too greedy and just looking at pennies in the moment and not dollars in the future. If I lose my reputation as a lawn maintenance provider who goes the extra mile for his customers, who knows how long or if I will even be able to earn that reputation back?
One last note. There is no way in this world, as a business owner, that I would ever call a customer who I had given poor service to, as being unhappy or having a negative attitude. I would look at myself and say "what have I done to make this customer dissatisfied with my service?". The fact that those of us with extremely poor performing brand new campers are being accused of these attributes just reinforces my thoughts on future camper purchases.
TravelTiger
Founding Texas-West Chapter Leaders-Retired
I hope I wasn't accusing you of anything. I was trying to make the point to anyone that there are a "gazillion" moving parts to this assembly-line home built on wheels. It's easy for us to arm-chair quarterback, but seeing the process in person gives a whole new perspective. I respect the workers, managers, and yes, even the bean-counters at HL a lot more now than before. They might build 5-6 of each flooplan in a row, then switch to a new floorplan. There may be 3 bighorns, then a landmark, then 2 big countries. The amount of knowledge they must have to keep everything straight?!? Wow.
While at the factory, I talked to those in the know, and they said the day-to-day operation is still run by people who care. And I could easily see that.
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While at the factory, I talked to those in the know, and they said the day-to-day operation is still run by people who care. And I could easily see that.
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oscar
Well-known member
Re: 300C problems
Some people can not be pleased...... Don't beat yourself over the head trying to make everyone happy.
Some people can not be pleased...... Don't beat yourself over the head trying to make everyone happy.
