Well, I have expected for some time that the local dealer of Montanas was pretty haphazard on service, but today confirms it for me.
First, I think some of you know that I did not buy the Monty from them, but from a private individual who did. His wife, especially, did not think too highly of them.
Here is what happened…
Two weeks ago, I decided to remove the SuperGlide that [name withheld to protect the guilty] installed for me. Talk about a nightmare! Marsha and I spent 45 minutes fighting with one of the pins that connect the hitch to the rails, which we finally coerced loose with WD-40 and a hammer. Upon closer inspection, I discovered that the holes in the rail in which the pin had been inserted did not align correctly and the pin was basically binding in them. I fail to see how the person who installed it ever managed to get it in there in the first place. Sooooo, I called and spoke to someone in the service department who said bring it in, which I did on Saturday two weeks ago, but only after he asked me what I wanted them to do. It seemed a pretty inane question, so I informed him I wanted it fixed.
Upon arriving, the actual service manager looked at it and said, yes, there is a problem, and he would be glad to drill one of the holes larger to make it fit. I said no way; I did not want some half way job—I wanted new rails. He said he understood considering the price I had paid, but they would have to order the rails. Now the best time for me to take it is on the weekend, so I told him that it would have to be two weeks later—today—before I could bring the truck back in as we were going last weekend to the mountains to see Lance Armstrong in the Tour de Georgia AND meet our own Steve and Vicki Reigle, both of which are much better tales. He said that is fine and put me on the schedule board to bring the truck in today and pick it up tomorrow. A red flag went up when it looked like the dry erase board they use for a schedule covered only one week, but I thought I would wait and see, though I was suspicious that they would bungle everything.
I called two days ago because of my suspicions and talked to someone who sounded as if he had no clue what was going on, but who said, sure, bring the truck in and they can take a look at it, upon which I recounted the above story. I was growing truly doubtful about the professionalism of this service department now.
Well, I arrive at the store this afternoon and the service manager is not there and I have to wait for a salesperson to fetch someone to come up from the service department. While waiting, I make a point to look at the dry erase schedule board, and sure enough—you probably have already guessed it—my name and rails replacement are not there. Some service guy slides up and wants to know if he can help me, upon which I have to recount the story once again, so we go out to the truck. He says, well you know you have a good hitch, but it is hard to get to the cotter pins that secure the pin. I shake my head and inform him that is not the problem. He suggests that they could drill the hole wider, and I informed him that was unacceptable and that the new rails should be inside. He says that there are a pair in there and that PERHAPS he can get someone to fix it tomorrow!
Well, that went down like a swallow of Listerene, but I pushed the bile down, and told him that was not going to happen. I think he realized I was losing my patience and he recanted a bit and said he thought he could get it done tomorrow. I finally left a very unhappy camper.
You know, I try to teach me students and my son to be conscientious to avoid situations like this. Sadly, the world overflows with people who do not take pride in what they do, and the RV industry appears to have more than its fair share of this sort. I should add this is not the first time I have experienced scheduling problems with this dealer; trying to get the SuperGlide plate on the 3295RK was a nightmare in itself.
Keep me in your thoughts that tomorrow goes well and I do not lose my religion! Oh, and if you have a good service department with your Montana dealer, be sure to give him a big hug or at least a firm hand shake and thank you the next time you see him. Like the commercial says, such people are priceless!