Service After Sale At a Different Dealer?

[kakampers]

david,

good luck on your journey.

x2...

 

[jfrench]

Let me clear a few things up.

1[SUP]st[/SUP]) off Heartland “NO DEALER IS LEGALLY REQUIRED TO SERVICE PRODUCTS PURCHASED FROM OTHER DEALERS." This is because by law they can’t make the dealer. This is the same for any brand out there. If you are not going to buy a Heartland because of this then you are not going to buy any RV.

2[SUP]nd[/SUP]) The Houston Landmark dealer WILL do warranty work for people who do not buy from them but there are a few rules that it has to fall in. First off it can’t be a customer that lives in there market that decides to travel out of the market to save a little money. This is a common rule that is been put in place at most dealerships now because so many Internet dealerships who have no cost of a building or service department have been selling units online for $500 over cost. A dealership that has a building and has service can’t keep the doors open by selling units over $500 cost. $500 does not even cover a dealer’s interest on the floorplan. This is also become a stander rule for most dealerships because the dealership does not make money off warranty. Manufacturer do not pay the normal labor rate or the mark up on parts so Its understandable that a dealerships does not want to do warranty work for someone who leaves the market area to save a little bit and then be willing to lose money for them after making no many. If you move to the Houston area and already own a Landmark then they will do warranty work for you or if you are traveling in the Houston area and have a major problem they will get you back on the road.

3[SUP]rd[/SUP]) keep in mind warranty work and Service work is different things. The Local Houston landmark dealership will do Service work (Customer pay) for anyone one on any brand as long as there not behind on their customer. The people who buy from them always come first. The rules above only apply to Warranty work.

 

[Gaffer]

Talk to the service manager. Not someone in sales.

 

[jbeletti]

...Heartland Reps if you read this and are TRULY CUSTOMER ORIENTED require all dealers to service all Heartland products. David

David,

Heartland cannot require / force dealers to do this. This is not specific to Heartland - sadly, it's the way this industry works.

While all of this may be a revelation to you, most Heartland product owners have always found a dealership or independent servicer to take care of their service needs. I'm not saying this shouldn't be something for you to be concerned with - I'm saying that for most product owners, this has largely not a problem. This said, each must make their own risk assessment.

 

[For20hunter]

David,

Good luck on your journey.

X3

Rod Ditrich

 

[priorguy]

I'm on my fourth RV and done plenty of research, been to dealerships and shows. I brought home dozens if not a hundred brochures and every single one of them had the same disclaimer encouraging you to shop local. It's not like auto dealers who have cars on the lot for free until purchased and can lose their franchise if warranty issues for non customers aren't handled. RV dealers purchase the units they expect to sell and most likely make interest payments until sold. And Keystone has the same parent company as Heartland. Thor Industries. So their legal disclaimers would likely be identical.


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[donr827]

I have always had good service from independent mobile service companies. Their lively hood comes from good service and not from selling a rv. Sometimes I have to pay the bill but get reimbursed from the rv manufacturer quickly.Don

 

[MTPockets]

Great Lakes RV in Elkhart wanted $125 from me before they would even look at my rig when we were in Indiana last year. We ordered from a Florida dealer. Needless to say, I'll never consider these guys for any future business. Not a Heartland issue at all. I just can't understand why dealers turn off customers this way.

 

[dave10a]

I see many are quote laws-- I would like to see some source material to back up those legal claims. Also many states have different laws for warranty and lemons. I have no complaints with Heartland's warranty commitment, but I don't think they are any better than many other trailer manufacturers. However, the best customer support I have experience is from Tiffin who only builds only motor homes. They are best because they are a family run private business whose owner, Bob Tiffin, keeps things right to the customer. Heartland and other RV manufacturers can learn from Tiffin's business model. Heartland is a large conglomerate that gets lost in its own bureaucracy with people who have little flexibility to help customers.
While my unit is now out of warranty, I have noticed a shift in responsiveness to my requests-- . I wonder why that is???

 

[danemayer]

However, the best customer support I have experience is from Tiffin who only builds only motor homes. They are best because they are a family run private business whose owner, Bob Tiffin, keeps things right to the customer.

Dave,

RVIA shows that Class A sales last year were around 20,000 units. RV Business puts Tiffin share at about 16% which would be about 3,200 Tiffin units in 2013. Class A coaches have much higher price points than 5th wheels, which includes a much larger price component to pay for their warranty coverage.

If Heartland adopted the Tiffin business model as you suggest, they could shutter most of the factory buildings and focus on building and supporting a handful of very expensive fifth wheels with high profit margins. Instead the business model is based on offering competitive feature, function and appearance and a very competitive price. The higher volumes in the Heartland business model are an integral part of their competitiveness.

The vast majority of Heartland owners attest to receiving excellent support. Unfortunately, there are a few owners who are not satisfied. I have no doubt that Tiffin also has a few owners who are not satisfied.

 

[sjs731]

I have had warranty issues handled by a dealer I didn't purchase from and since then I have had excellent service work done by non Heartland dealers. I think there are dealers who know service work = money in their pocket regardless of purchase location. I was asked if I bought the unit from them and I'm sure that just makes sure that people who did buy get their service done more timely I'm sure.


Steve and Carrie

HOC# 2252

2007 GMC 2500HD Duramax

B&W Companion Hitch

2012 Sundance 3300CK

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[jimtoo]

Dave,

The vast majority of Heartland owners attest to receiving excellent support. Unfortunately, there are a few owners who are not satisfied. I have no doubt that Tiffin also has a few owners who are not satisfied.

I fit the Tiffin group. Very dissatisfied.

Jim M

 

[WhyNot]

Steve I fully agree, a dealer who has a loyal customer with a service problem would be way higher in the order than a unit that they did not secure a substantial financial deal with. My only real shock in all this was that a dealer would put in writing that they would not service a unit not purchased there, if I was a manufacturer personally thinking about it I would have a major problem with that issue.

Again you hit the nail solidly.

 

[dave10a]

Dave,

RVIA shows that Class A sales last year were around 20,000 units. RV Business puts Tiffin share at about 16% which would be about 3,200 Tiffin units in 2013. Class A coaches have much higher price points than 5th wheels, which includes a much larger price component to pay for their warranty coverage.

If Heartland adopted the Tiffin business model as you suggest, they could shutter most of the factory buildings and focus on building and supporting a handful of very expensive fifth wheels with high profit margins. Instead the business model is based on offering competitive feature, function and appearance and a very competitive price. The higher volumes in the Heartland business model are an integral part of their competitiveness.

The vast majority of Heartland owners attest to receiving excellent support. Unfortunately, there are a few owners who are not satisfied. I have no doubt that Tiffin also has a few owners who are not satisfied.

I have no doubt that Heartland has many satisfied customers, but I doubt they have any higher percentage than many other manufacturers. My experience with Heartland is about the same as Winnebago and not up to par of Tiffin. Albeit I have had less issues with my Winnebago and Tiffin RV's though. Now that my warrenty has expired I find Heartlands responce a little of the mark from the past. Maybe I am not one of the "pritty people" However Bob Tiffin took care of my fogged up windows when the unit was a year out of warranty. He gave the two windows and I paid to have them install. Show me where Heartland has provided expensive parts, or for that matter any part to a customer that was more than a year out of warranty. BTY it has little to do with the difference between a motor home and 5th wheel.
I guess I am not the kind of person who is "dyed in the wool" customer for any particular brand. I look at things a little more objectively while making a decision-- or at least try to

 

[TandT]

dave10a,
Everything is relative.
HL makes a great bang for the buck product and I for one have been very happy with my BH and with HL's customer service.

With Tiffin you are in a different ball game and in my opinion you simply prepaid for any service after the sale. JMHO.Trace

 

[clay994]

I Love our 2014 Heartland North Trail Elite Caliber 31HBDD. We have had problems with a few things. Our dealership in Sanford, FL has been very good and getting our issues fixed. I would not have any problems buying another Heartland. Just a few things I wish they would improve on. Thanks for a nice travel trailer. A lot of room.

 

[boatto5er]

Show me where Heartland has provided expensive parts, or for that matter any part to a customer that was more than a year out of warranty.

There are dozens of Heartland owners who had gray paint repairs when they were more than a year out of warranty. There also many who had structural flexing from broken welds repaired at the factory who were more than a year out of warranty.


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[dave10a]

There are dozens of Heartland owners who had gray paint repairs when they were more than a year out of warranty. There also many who had structural flexing from broken welds repaired at the factory who were more than a year out of warranty.


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... and Winnebago, Keystone, Mobile Suites, Lifestyle, Tiffin and many, many many other RV mfg' do similar things--- so I should phrased my comment to what does Heartland do that is any different than other responsible manufacturer? If you look at other manufacturers web site you will see that those owners hold their manufacturers in high praise-- mostly thru brand loyalty; and they do not want to do anything to depreciate their selection because of ego, fear of public rejection and other things that manufacturers exploit. It is called marketing I like Tiffin business model the best because it is more flexible-- because they don't have a monster bureaucracy to deal with. For example how many Heartland owners ever know who the CEO is or ever met the upper management-- or for that matter feel like they can communicate or call them at any time??

 

[kakampers]

So why don't you still own a Tiffin??

 

[Kbvols]

I met the president of Heartland at an RV show. He was showing the gateway when it came out. In fact he has emailed me a couple of times since then. Seems to be a great guy. I would not have any problems emailing him if needed.