warranty work and ordered parts

[et2]

We took our new 3665re in for service 1 week ago today. Finally today I was told that some parts needed to be ordered.The service manager indicated it would take another week to 10 days to get the parts and do the repairs ( which at the most might take 2 hours to do ). I asked why so long and he indicated Keystone was slow in shipping this time of year. They will have our camper almost 3 weeks when done.

Anyone experience this?

[HamRad]

Et2,

I'm afraid you're the victim of "It's not our fault it's Keystone's". Of course Keystone says they ship things out very quickly. Charles Wade (the West Coast Keystone Representative) was just at our Rally in 7 Feathers and he said if you end up with this type of excuse from a dealer you can get in touch with Keystone and they can give you a printout of when the dealer actually ordered parts.

Apparently more often than not the dealer is the one that has dropped the ball. What else would you expect? But if they can actually show you when the parts were ordered it lends a little bit of credence to their statement.

Just keep on top of the dealer and if you think it might help don't hesitate to get in touch with Keystone to followup on things.

Good luck.

HamRad

[Art-n-Marge]

I had a worse problem with a refrigerator two months after I picked up my rig. The refrigerator died while we were set up on an outing. Our icemaker was on 24/7 to turn our fridge into a cooler. When we got back I dropped it off at the dealer and it took 7 weeks to get it repaired and that was with calling the dealer service department several times a week. They blamed Dometic for not having the parts to send. Then I found out that if a component fails within 6 months I could have requested a complete replacement, but you know they forgot to mention that possibility to me and I didn't find that out until I picked up the rig. I just wanted to smack the guy, but my freedom was more important at the time.

[HamRad]

Art-n-Marge,
You do know that a Dometic plant burned to the ground a few months back. That might have had something to do with the delay in you getting your parts. But could just be someone not doing their job!

HamRad

[richfaa]

we have toured the service center many times. The ordering and shipping dept is in the same building. We watched the process as the order came in from the dealer and how keystone processed it. Understand that Keystone does not stock every part for every unit that Keystone makes. The Usual process is Dealer to Keystone, Keystone to vendor, vendor to Keystone, Keystone to Dealer. IF the dealer sends the order in and it is done online. Keystone gets the order to the proper vendor, etc in short order. I will always ask the dealer for a hard copy of the order invoice. Also in most cases I will deal directly with the vendor, Ex: Apollo, Fantastc fan, day night shades, Burlington Graphics, Etc. Sort of cuts out the middle man (keystone) and most vendors are very good to work with. However some will only take orders from the dealer.I agree wih Hamrad, From what we have observed once Keystone gets the order they process it quickly.The dealer may be a bit slow. There may still be a long wait but it is good to know IF the parts were orderd by the dealer.

[Wayne and Carolyn Mathews]

et2: Please go to the Announcements from our Members thread and read my new post under my original topic "Our Monty is Home, Finally." It might have info that saves you time and aggravation!
Carolyn

[et2]

quote:Originally posted by Wayne and Carolyn Mathews

et2: Please go to the Announcements from our Members thread and read my new post under my original topic "Our Monty is Home, Finally." It might have info that saves you time and aggravation!
Carolyn

Thanks for all the responses. Carolyn you are correct. Actually after 5 days I did call the service dept to check on the "ordered parts". I was told that they had not received them from Montana yet. My next question was... couldn't somebody make a phone call and find out where they are. The service guy said he would and will call me back in 15 minutes. 45 minutes went by without a response from him. So I called Montana's customer service and informed them I had my rig in for warranty work at this dealer. Was there a way to see if parts were ordered for my rig. He asked for the last 6 digits of the vin. He checked ... no parts were ever ordered.He said he would call the dealer to see if he could help and would call me back.

Montana called back in 20 minutes. He said the dealer service guy seemed overworked and that the service guy informed me he said he would call me back. I told the Montana service rep that they won't give me any straight answers ... obviously since they have not ordered them. Montana's customer service was very helpfull.Zero complaints about Montana, they were great.

Well the service guy from the dealer calls me 4 hours later to inform me that one part was obsolete and a new kit needed to be ordered, it would be 2-3 days for them to get the parts in. NEVER ORDERED THEM!! They held our rig up for another week because they are understaffed.That is not my problem. I bought the unit from them with the assumption I would get good service. We have not even used our new trailer since we bought it.

I was repeatedly told by the service guy how backed up they are,because of layoff's. Well IMHO that is not my problem. You should have told me that when I purchased from you. Being lied to and jerked around is not building any credability or respect with anyone. They will have our rig for 3 weeks before we get it back. I even had a appointment. It took them 5 days to even look at it. The ironic thing is, not all the parts will be in, some will take 30 days to get. I'm set to move my trailer up north for the whole summer. 6 hours from them. Do they really believe I'm going to waste 12 hours round trip worth of gas to bring it back for them to fix it?

I know we will be looking for another dealer to service it next time. This is unacceptable.

[tuckerfolk]

et, whose your dealer? Being from Michigan is it A & S in Auburn Hills? My monty is there now a week and being told parts are on order.

[et2]

quote:Originally posted by tuckerfolk

et, whose your dealer? Being from Michigan is it A & S in Auburn Hills? My monty is there now a week and being told parts are on order.

Tuckerfolk .. they are in Chelsea.I have been staying in touch with Montana customer service. The parts were shipped from them on Monday and should have been recieved today 6/23. I was told the parts were ordered on 6/17 ...one week after the dealer told me they ordered them.

They caused us to put off a camping trip because they failed to order parts and repair our trailer.I plan to contact the dealer and demand our trailer be repaired for pickup on Thursday 6/25. They should not have any excuses this time as I have verifiction they have the parts.

As Carolynn mentioned these dealers are in bad times.Many have laid off a lot of service people and what is left are running around like chickens with their heads cut off. I don't know how yours is ... but ours out right lied to us. Delivery of your parts if in stock should be no more than two days when shipped.

[tuckerfolk]

Just got off the phone with my dealer who has had my unit since 6/15. I first called Keystone to find out why they are taking so long with warranty parts and the TV. Denise at Keystone stated only trim was ordered (no TV) on the 17th of June and it was shipped on the 24th. she also stated my unit is still listed as "unsold" and said I should have my dealer register my unit. so I called my dealer (A&S) and asked for Paul the service mgr. He claimed the part was just received 7/9! and stated that keystone is no help with "electrical parts and microwaves". He said Keystone buys clearance TV's and when they don't work, he has to "shop around" for a replacement TV that fits the opening. Why am I getting that "sick" feeling? Anyway, he said he would personnally go thru the warranty repairs with me tomorrow. I'll let you know what happens!

[Tom S.]

quote:Originally posted by HamRad

Art-n-Marge,
You do know that a Dometic plant burned to the ground a few months back. That might have had something to do with the delay in you getting your parts. But could just be someone not doing their job!

HamRad

Yo're not suggesting Art had anything to do with that are you?

[Art-n-Marge]

Tom S., don't give me ANY ideas. My Dometic story was from June 2006, the Dometic plant burned down way after that. I have an alibi. What date do I need to put on it? Bad joke, bad joke.

I was able to confirm the service guy was not doing his job as well as he should have and this was before the economy tanked. They have all the excuses don't they.

[HamRad]

Tom S.,

Well......... No Tom I do not believe Art had anything to do with the plant burning down. Of course I do not have any evidence that he didn't!

I see he has already defended himself. I wonder if he is going into politics?

HamRad

[Tom S.]

HamRad, if Art does go into politics, he's got my vote. After all, he was smart enough to buy a Montana!

[tuckerfolk]

Took my 2009 Monty 3400, purchased in September, 2008 into the dealer for Warranty repairs on 6/15 and today, 7/11/09, I returned from my dealer without my Monty… Here’s why.

The 32” TV was in-operative. The dealer never contacted Keystone and went out to buy a replacement on his own. He claims Keystone buys clearance TV’s and when they break under warranty, its up to the dealers to find one that fits. Here’s the problem, the one he found was a 32” Insignia brand (original was a Sylvania) and sure it fits with a 1.5 inch gap on the left, right and top, and a 5 inch gap on the bottom! It looks like I bought the trailer w/o a TV and installed an aftermarket one. He then told me that’s all Keystone will authorize and I would have to call Keystone.

The rear brake light was burned out. He replaced the bulb for $.96 and Labor for $42.00. He never told me it wasn’t covered under warranty. If he would have told be that’s not a warranty item, I know how to use a screw driver, I would have fixed my own bulb!

The black water tank never reads empty even after I flushed it several times. I then asked him to check out why. He stated he flushed tank several times also and it still read 1/3 full. He charged me $105.00 labor and $12.40 in disposal and shop supplies and sold me a $19.00 chemical and told me to rinse my tank myself.

My landing gear kept blowing fuses, I even called Keystone and talked about the various discussions in these blogs, they told me to take it in and have my Dealer call Keystone for help. My dealer claimed I was using the wrong fuse!? I replaced it with a small green 30 amp plastic fuse. The Service manager said I needed a “slow burn” fuse and he said he would give me some extras. When I got here, he handed me some glass tube type fuses, and when I said that’s not the fuse, he gave me this story….. He stated by battery was low in voltage and needed water. I picked this unit up in September, took it on one weekend shakedown trip and stored it for the winter with the battery red disconnect pulled all winter. In the spring, I reconnected the red switch, and plugged it into 110v for a few weeks before our trip to Colorado Springs. All the time the battery gage in the trailer said the battery was fully charged. The dealer claims that since the battery was low, when I operated the landing gear I was pulling too many amps and would blow the fuse. I also told him that I was always plugged into the shore power, so how can I be pulling too many amps. He said it doesn’t matter, the landing gears operates solely on the battery? Also, asked him how could my battery be low on water in just 10months in service. He said because I had it plugged in so much I cooked away the water. Does any of this make sense? Anyway, according to my dealer, the reason I blew fuses was my battery was low in volts and water. So much for the battery gage in the trailer!

I blew my top when he presented me the bill for $218.22! He asked me to go see the owner who offered to split the bill. I still had to pay $100 plus $17.00 for the chemical to clean my tank. I left the trailer and said I wanted a “custom fit” TV just like the one I purchased 10 months ago. He told me to call Keystone on Monday. Does any of this make sense? My wife and I love our trailer, but we sure are getting a bitter taste on how we are being treated…

[bigmurf]

Find a new dealer.

[HamRad]

Your dealer sounds like he may be trying to gouge you a little but there are many items on the Monty that are the owners responsibility. Light bulbs are usually owner responsibility. If you bought the rig from this dealer you'd think he'd make even those types of things "good". Especially if he wanted good word of mouth advertisement or for you to buy as a repeat customer. He may be making a big mistake.

If you've ever read any of the posts here on the MOC you'd know that the gauges do NOT work or work only sometimes. Most of us have learned when the tanks are full or nearing full. It is no big deal. If you really want gauges that work you will need to install some that work from the outside of the tanks. They work well but are very expensive. Most manufacturers all install the same type of gauges. Again the dealer seems to be making a mistake by charging you for dealing with this issue. Either he should have told you up front what he was going to do and charge you. You could then have taken care of it yourself.

Unless you have a "sealed" battery ten months is way too long to go with it plugged in and NOT refilled with water. I believe he may be mistaken about the landing gear operating only on the battery. I believe they will work directly from the converter. But the battery is an owner item. Here yet again the dealer is selling himself short by not "serving" you well. He could have simply replaced the battery at his expense in the name of good customer relations. But the battery IS your responsibility. The battery should be checked at least monthly if plugged in to shore power. More often if very hot climate or heavy electrical usage. You may very likely need a new battery.

Check the search function to find out about battery process. There are many discussions.

You do not need any chemical for the tank. It will not clean the tank and even if it did the same thing would happen again very soon. We started off using the chemicals but soon stopped. They do not work. They are expensive. To keep your black tank clean you should always keep the valve shut, even if hooked up to sewer, and use more water. It is not possible to put too much water in the black tank. When you dump you should dump the black tank first then follow up with the galley and or gray tank. Then use the flush function. I close the black tank valve and let the flush fill the tank about half full or so. I keep doing this until the water runs clear. If you don't have one of the clear elbows then invest in one as soon as you can. They are great! When the water is clear then close the valve and put in a few gallons of water. This will get you started good for the next round. Take the chemical back and save your money.

I'd take the offer of about $100 bucks to get out of the current situation. Next time you will be in a much better position since you will have so much more info at your finger tips.

Good luck and keep us informed.

HamRad

[tuckerfolk]

Thanks HamRad,

I'll take back the chemicals since that's exactly how I empty the black water tank. The clear elbow was on my never ending list of things to buy. I should have one tomorrow. finally, I didn't know about the checking of water level every month. I guess that must be every fulltimers things-to-do. a point of clearification, the trailer was plugged in only a month or two while getting ready for our colorado springs trip and the actual trip. All winter it was unplugged and stored with red plug pulled and no battery drain. Thanks again, we'll see how the battle wages and I'll get my $17 back for chemicals.

[HamRad]

Tuckerfolks,

If the battery was unplugged for an extended period of time then it probably drained most of the energy out of it. Unless you remove the battery or at least disconnect it you will still have a small residual drain. There are things in the Monty that work all the time. If it were me I'd check the condition of the battery. It would not surprise me that it was dead or at least had some serious damage done to it.

As I said you may want to do a search here about battery care and types. Lots of good info.

Good luck,

HamRad

[Wayne and Carolyn Mathews]

You need to read my post under Help! Am I getting BS from my dealer? (MOC on MARS forum) I was having a smooth evening until I read the original post there, and within minutes my blood pressure shot up dangerously.

Why won't adults be adults and admit the truth--that someone screwed up? Why is is always "Keystone's fault"? Read my post. Then call Keystone.

Carolyn