Local Jayco Dealer Won't Service Our Jayco Camper

LongIslandCamper · 10-03-2011, 03:33 PM

We went to our local dealer during the summer to browse campers. We really liked a Jayco hybrid but we didn't pull the trigger. Last month we drove 4 hours to the Pennsylvania RV show and came home with the same trailer we were interested at our local dealer. It was 5K less at the show. This is our first experience with an RV.

We took it out for the maiden voyage this weekend. All was well until the last day when the shower flooded a little. I'm guessing the gray tank was full but the gauge showed it being empty. We looked under the unit and it looks like some wires are not connected. These wires appear to be going to the water tanks. Some wires are just dangling free in the air with loose ends.

We just got off the phone with the local Jayco dealer and they won't work on the camper because we didn't buy from them. How can that be?

RedHorse1 · 10-03-2011, 04:07 PM

Contact Jayco. I'll bet they have a different opinion. Keep us posted. If they truly won't service your TT, I'd like to know the dealer - just to make sure I never do any business with them ande all my friends know.

LongIslandCamper · 10-03-2011, 04:10 PM

We were also interested in getting another vehicle hitched and a brake controller. Possibly storing the unit on their lot too.

If they refuse to look at a few wires then why would I even bother with them, even if Jayco says we can bring the unit to them?

Topflight · 10-03-2011, 04:29 PM

One of the questions on the Questionare that Jayco sends out 1 year after purchasing a new Jayco, is: Were you denied service on your Jayco because you didn't buy it there. and If so, who denied the service.

I took that to mean that they want to know which dealers are denying service.

**Crabman** · 10-03-2011, 04:57 PM

Unfortunately this seems to happen more often then one might think in the RV business. Some dealers will not do warranty work on units not purchased from them, or will put you off by giving you an appointment many weeks or months away. They probably will do non warranty work where they can charge you THEIR rates and not have to wait for authorization or reimbursement. It seems to be very different from the auto industry where any dealer will work on your car. The next question is even if Jayco makes them work on your trailer, and they have this kind of negative attitude and mindset,do you really want them to? It seems they try to "punish" someone for not buying from them when in fact they may earn a future customer by treating you right. And no doubt you will not recommend them to anyone else so they are only hurting themselves IMO.

CityFarmer · 10-03-2011, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedHorse1

Contact Jayco. I'll bet they have a different opinion. Keep us posted. If they truly won't service your TT, I'd like to know the dealer - just to make sure I never do any business with them ande all my friends know.

X2

LongIslandCamper · 10-03-2011, 07:06 PM

We noticed some loose wires under trailer before we took it out for the first time but didn't think anyhting of it because everything seemed to work. It's only after the shower flooded that it clicked that the loose wires were probably connected to the water tank gauges. The tanks were reading empty even though the thing was flooding.

This dealer knew we were interested in having another vehcile hooked up with a hitch and brake controller as possibly storing the unit there. Surely they could have worked with us on the matter.

The problem could very easily be the wires are not connected which could take all of 5 minutes to fix. 5 minutes of their time they didn't spend and they end up losing a few thousand on future vehicle setups, RV storage and accessories.

clutch · 10-03-2011, 07:24 PM

The dealers are well paid by Jayco for warranty work. The selling dealer here in Az sucks so we take ours to a dealer in Idaho 250 miles from where we live. The dealer we go to (Bish's RV) treats us very well. We will buy from them next when the time comes for a new RV.

Rustic Eagle · 10-03-2011, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by clutch

The dealers are well paid by Jayco for warranty work.....snip

My understanding was that Jayco was one of the few manufactures that paid the established hourly rate of the Jayco dealership in question, but I'm sure a set time frame for a particular warranty repair was established.

Bob

clutch · 10-03-2011, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rustic Eagle

My understanding was that Jayco was one of the few manufactures that paid the established hourly rate of the Jayco dealership in question, but I'm sure a set time frame for a particular warranty repair was established.

Bob

I believe it is that way in the auto industry also.

Parcany · 10-03-2011, 09:20 PM

In the auto industry it used to be called Book Time, could be the same. If book time says it should take 2 hours to repack wheel bearing and they charge 100.00 per hour they most likely will charge you 200.00 for the repack. It may only take the mechanic 1 hour to do but you will pay for 2 hours. If he takes longer than 2 hours some places will charge you more money, even though book time says 2 hours. yet some places will eat the extra time. Ernie

Seann45 · 10-04-2011, 07:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by clutch

I believe it is that way in the auto industry also.

Its called the flat rate book... most mechanics love it... it may say a tire rotation takes an hour.. he does it in 45 min and gets paid for the hour.. the shop charges you for the hour.. I know a few mechanics that "work" 15 hours a day this way...

3'senough · 10-04-2011, 07:22 AM

I bought mine from one dealer and just had warranty work done locally at another without issues or attitude. I am not going to lay out names but it was a pleasant experience.
As mentioned above even if the dealer is forced to do the work do you really want them doing it? Maybe Jayco can help with another dealer in your area for agreed book time rates? That's also assuming there is another dealer close enough by.

If however you have component issues like ovens, fridge or A/C you can go to any authorized service location servicing that brand product. i.e. Coleman A/C's or norcold fridge. Your situation though is specific to the trailer manufacturer.

RedHorse1 · 10-04-2011, 07:55 AM

3's,
I don't want to start an argument over this but I'd say good and bad dealers deserve mention. I'm in the Houston area and would love to hear "good" local dealer stories (and the other kind).

CampingGirl · 10-04-2011, 06:16 PM

I do not think any dealer has to service any other Jayco if you did not buy it there. It isn't like the auto industry, where you can pull into any Ford dealer, etc and expect the work to be performed.

They all might not even be authorized to perform work on campers that they did not sell. It can be tough to get warranty authorization for any other unit bought from other dealers.

Also seems extremely unfair that you took your business to buy it elsewhere, and this other dealer has to do your warranty work. There is not a big profit in warranty repairs.

jbwjbw · 10-04-2011, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CampingGirl

I do not think any dealer has to service any other Jayco if you did not buy it there. It isn't like the auto industry, where you can pull into any Ford dealer, etc and expect the work to be performed.

They all might not even be authorized to perform work on campers that they did not sell. It can be tough to get warranty authorization for any other unit bought from other dealers.

Also seems extremely unfair that you took your business to buy it elsewhere, and this other dealer has to do your warranty work. There is not a big profit in warranty repairs.

Why is it not not like the auto industry? The warranty is with Jayco not with a dealer. The dealer is going to make money on warranty work.

By your explanation, if someone buys a Jayco and then moves to a new state, they are screwed because they did not buy the camper in the area before they moved there. I'm sorry, I don't think Jayco is going to agree with your line of thought.

CampingGirl · 10-04-2011, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbwjbw

Why is it not not like the auto industry? The warranty is with Jayco not with a dealer. The dealer is going to make money on warranty work.

By your explanation, if someone buys a Jayco and then moves to a new state, they are screwed because they did not buy the camper in the area before they moved there. I'm sorry, I don't think Jayco is going to agree with your line of thought.

It just isn't. Ask anyone who has dealt with RV dealerships. It is not the same as the auto industry. This is not a slam to the RV industry - they just have different protocol in some instances.

It is customary when you buy ANYTHING under warranty to call the manufacturer first, and ask them for a list of their local authorized dealers. It seems the mistake the OP made was not calling Jayco first, so they could advise him/her of how to get this warranty work taken care since the dealer he bought it from is out of state. If the dealer in question is on the authorized list, Jayco will inform them of that, and if the dealer refuses after confirmation they are authorized, then get mad at the dealer. But call Jayco first.

What I cannot understand is why he is posting this on the Jayco forum, but still does not seem to have contacted Jayco yet. Jayco stands behind their product and will advise him accordingly. If the dealer is guilty of wrongdoing by turning him away, they will tell him. They need to tell him, not us. He needs to call. And if they did do the wrong thing (the dealer) the phone call also serves as notifying Jayco of the issue.

RedHorse1 · 10-04-2011, 07:33 PM

I think the question is "is this a Jayco authorized service center or not". What i heard was "did you buy it here? If not, go away."
I agree Jayco needs to be asked about this.
I wonder how this dealer might treat an "out of towner" with a problem. "Hi, I'm from out of town so I know you won't do any warranty work on my TT but I'd like to buy about $150 in some odds and ins before I go looking for an authorized dealer willing to help me out.". NOT!
Waiting to see how this turns out.........
Do any dealers sell Jayco but do not perform any warranty work?

CampingGirl · 10-04-2011, 07:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedHorse1

I think the question is "is this a Jayco authorized service center or not". What i heard was "did you buy it here? If not, go away."
I agree Jayco needs to be asked about this.
I wonder how this dealer might treat an "out of towner" with a problem. "Hi, I'm from out of town so I know you won't do any warranty work on my TT but I'd like to buy about $150 in some odds and ins before I go looking for an authorized dealer willing to help me out.". NOT!
Waiting to see how this turns out.........
Do any dealers sell Jayco but do not perform any warranty work?

I absolutely never said if you did not buy it there go away. I said that not all dealers of a particular mfg are authorized to service all units bought elsewhere.

And yes,sometimes an out of towner will be turned away if said dealer is not authorized. For any mfg.

This is so easily solved if the OP calls Jayco. WHich for some reason he didn't call them first before creating a thread. Odd.

**Crabman** · 10-04-2011, 07:54 PM

[QUOTE][We went to our local dealer during the summer to browse campers. We really liked a Jayco hybrid but we didn't pull the trigger. Last month we drove 4 hours to the Pennsylvania RV show and came home with the same trailer we were interested at our local dealer. It was 5K less at the show. This is our first experience with an RV./QUOTE]

If you read the OP`s quote, they went to this dealer first, saw a Jayco hybrid but did not buy it. So it IS a Jayco dealer, and they are correct in assuming the dealer would service the unit without calling Jayco first. If it was not a Jayco dealer and they wished to have work done then a call to Jayco first would be in order IMO. They had no way of knowing that a Jayco dealer would deny them service.

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