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11-21-2016, 09:07 PM
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#1
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Member
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Slidell
Posts: 52
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Question about not buying local
I am just starting to look for a TT, and it seems that RVDirect will be about $8K cheaper than the 2 dealers I have local. To me, that is an easy decision to travel about 800 miles (I live in NE Texas) to save that much money.
My question is concerning getting service. I have heard stories about how the local dealer will not provide warranty service unless you buy from them. I would like to hear from people that have bought non-local, and what your actual results were trying to get local service.
Thanks
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11-21-2016, 09:32 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: FL
Posts: 11,281
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I bought my TT from Indiana RV Connection. I would have preferred to buy locally (that means within AZ or Las Vegas), but had no reasonable discussions with any local salesperson. It was worth the 3,600 mile round trip, 6 days on the road, and 6 nights in motels.
All my warranty work and other service work has been happily performed by Affinity RV in Prescott Valley, AZ (I haven't tried their service facility in Prescott). The work and the scheduling have been top notch.
I couldn't happier with my purchase or my dealer. Not everyone on this forum has been as happy. So, as they say, YMMV.
__________________
Sherm & Terry w/rescue Eydie (min Schnauzer) & Charley (std Poodle)
SOLD:2015 Jay Flight 27RLS, GY Endurance (E), Days: 102 '15, 90 '16, 80 '17, 161 '18, 365+ '20
SOLD: 2006 Ford F350 PSD, 4WD, CC, LB, SRW, Camper pkg., 375,000mi
Full timing: Some will think you're crazy, some will be envious, just enjoy the freedom!
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11-21-2016, 11:40 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Albany, OR
Posts: 692
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There has been reports on these forums of dealers either refusing service or putting people at the bottom of the list, if they bought elsewhere. It seems to depend on the dealer.
Have you tried getting your local dealer to price match? I did this with my local, relatively small, dealer. He could not match the price but he did get close enough that it was not worth it to me to drive and have to pick up the trailer from far away.
__________________
2015 Jayco 27RLS
2015 Ford F250 6.7PSD
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11-21-2016, 11:43 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Dunnellon
Posts: 241
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Tim, I looked at online prices too when we bought our 5'er but was warned heavily that RV dealer support is not like a standard Chevy/Ford dealer. I did however use the quote from RV direct for bargaining power and got the best price I could find in all of Texas (yes we drove to everyone in our hunt). If you are buying in Texas, I would tell you to give Randy a call at Jerry's Campers in Abilene. While he was higher than online, as expected; he beat every other dealer by almost $5k. Customer service was always amazing and same day fast. Good luck and happy hunting, Mike
Full timers but still active duty AF, anxiously awaiting retirement travels where I have been told everyday is a Saturday
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2018 Jayco Pinnacle SPQS & 2008 Chevy Duramax Dually
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11-22-2016, 12:05 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: SW Washington
Posts: 1,024
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What your going to find here is that some have had issues getting service and others have not... but at the end of the day it gets down to the specific dealer.
I also agree that an 8000$ price difference is significant but I would try to strike a local deal that both parties would be happy with using that as a negotiation tool.
I am very fortunate in that I have a smaller local dealer who understands his market and prices his rigs competitively while at the same time providing top notch service to his customer base. If you were travelling through the area and had a true emergency such as a slide that would not go in, I do believe he would work you in to get you back on the road.... however if you showed up with your air conditioning not working and a gripe list a mile long about loose trim pieces, a door askew, or some other non-emergency I'm certain you would be told that your rig isn't a priority and it will be dealt with as they have time...
It's the nature of the business, most of these guys don't have twenty mechanics and ten bays to work in... most of the smaller guys have a small staff and the ability to work on a few rigs at a time, and the same staff is prepping the new stuff for their customers.
So really i think the best thing you can do is find out what the policies of the dealers your likely to use will be and see how it plays out.... most of the answer will depend on how you ask the question so be prepared for that.
Honestly, if your somewhat handy, have an 8th grade education, or a desire to learn, there is very little on a travel trailer you cannot take care of yourself short of a major system failure that truly need dealer authorization to warranty. With all the rigs I've owned the only time I truly needed dealer intervention was with a cracked heat exchanger on my Arctic Fox, everything else has been pretty trivial and I've done most all of it on my own.
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2009 F350 CC LB 4WD
2017 Jayco 355MBQS
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11-22-2016, 03:38 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Maplesville - Home Base
Posts: 3,059
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DanNJanice
There has been reports on these forums of dealers either refusing service or putting people at the bottom of the list, if they bought elsewhere. It seems to depend on the dealer.
Have you tried getting your local dealer to price match? I did this with my local, relatively small, dealer. He could not match the price but he did get close enough that it was not worth it to me to drive and have to pick up the trailer from far away.
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Exactly what I did. Their deal was close enough that I bought locally, but definitely price shop to have a target price.
__________________
Ed
KM4STL
2006 GMC 2500HD CCSB 4x4 Duramax/Allison, Titan 52 gallon fuel tank, Prodigy Controller, B&W Companion Hitch
2010 Jayco Designer 35RLTS, Cummins/Onan RV QG 5500 EVAP, Progressive Industries EMS-PT50X, TST Systems 507 TPMS, RV Flex Armor Roof
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11-22-2016, 04:40 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Milan
Posts: 219
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We bought our Pinnacle from Colerain in Ohio. Beat our local dealers by way more than $8000. Haven't had any warranty problems other than a collapsed awning which they worked with Carefree and had another shipped to me. Since buying last July, there's a couple TSBs that have come out and at first I had a bit of a problem with the local dealer, but a call to Jayco seemed to solve that. No problems since.
__________________
Kevin and Beth Todd
Milan, TN
2016 Pinnacle 38FLSA
2002 Dodge 2500
2019 Ram 3500
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12-10-2016, 07:41 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Kennewick
Posts: 320
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We bought our 5er on line from a Tucson AZ dealer. We have had warranty work done at other dealers than where we bought it and have had no problems getting service in a timely manner.
__________________
2014 Eagle Premier 361REQS
Mor-ride pin box
SuperSprings
2013 GMC Sierra 2500 CC SB 4x4 Duramax
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12-11-2016, 08:01 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Dale Hollow Lake Tn/Ky
Posts: 2,525
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Shop local dealers and ask them for their best price. Let them know you are shopping several dealers. I would not threaten them with an online price and then show up 6 months later with the RV you bought online.
I bought online and have had my W Hawk serviced at one of the dealers that I shopped before buying. Having not made a scene with them, I doubt they remembered me a year later. Service was good and timely.
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12-11-2016, 12:31 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: NW AR (God's Country)
Posts: 2,051
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I bought from a dealer 500 miles away, mostly because he had in stock what I wanted. I had no problems with getting warranty service in my area. Now that the warranty has run its course, I do most of the service myself and take it to a non-rv-selling mechanic for items that are too large for me to handle.
__________________
Skip
2012 Eagle Super Lite HT 26.5RKS
2005 GMC 2500 SLT HD D/A
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12-11-2016, 04:24 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Orlando
Posts: 516
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I travelled 2600 miles to save $3,500 & it was worth the trip but than again I am retired so I have plenty of time. Pro's : saved $$, got to test it out for a couple of days 1 mile away from dealer/ Jayco plant, & got comfortable with towing it home by myself, Con: local Jayco dealer said I would be on the bottom of list for warranty work as "We serve our local customers first" but than again they were a scummy dealership & I wouldn't have bought from them anyway( that is another story). I found camping world will do warranty work for me without any of those BS statements.
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12-11-2016, 05:32 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: culleoka
Posts: 225
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I bought online , 400 miles away from home . first repair I had to have called jayco they gave me a list of dealers in my area . I called the closest one to me had no problems getting it fixed. a dealer gets paid from jayco to fix your rv. it is hard to turn down $80.00 a hour.
__________________
Don, Sandy and our girls Ruffie & Patches
2018 337rls open range roomer
2001 GMC 8.1 373 B&W 16k patroit
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12-12-2016, 09:32 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Orlando
Posts: 516
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My local Jayco dealer is a POS...
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12-12-2016, 02:48 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Roanoke
Posts: 152
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I did not buy local but the local dealer has been excellent doing work for me. I also had an issue while on a trip and a camping world that was the dealer worked me right in. There is also a local RV repair shop that has been such a resource and when I had a forest river unit, they allowed warranty work through him. Jayco has been excellent with warranty work and has been readily accessible through phone calls when needed.
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12-12-2016, 02:52 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Milan
Posts: 219
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I don't think we made a scene...had the invoice from the dealer we bought from, but I did not present it to the salesman. I told him where we needed to be cost wise, and he was not interested in pursuing any further.
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Kevin and Beth Todd
Milan, TN
2016 Pinnacle 38FLSA
2002 Dodge 2500
2019 Ram 3500
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12-14-2016, 09:41 PM
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#16
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Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Suffield
Posts: 6
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We just picked up our new Jay Feather 7 from our local CT dealer on Tuesday and were able to save almost $10k off msrp by showing them the ad from a dealer in PA. I emailed it to the local guy and said "save me a trip to PA". They called me within a couple hours and got me within $500 of the PA dealer's price. I figured between gas, hotel and time to get down there I would have spent almost the $500.
__________________
Paco
2017 Jay Feather 7 17XFD
2012 Acura MDX
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01-02-2017, 02:07 PM
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#17
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Member
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Las Vegas
Posts: 61
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Yep, I am looking at a new 31V, and the local dealer is about $10K more than a dealer 300 miles away has the same exact RV listed for on RV Trader online.
Called my local dealer's service department this morning and asked about warranty work if I bought it someplace else. He said they are not taking on any warranty work for RV's not purchased from them, been this way about a year.
I really want a new Jayco, but if this is the case, I am going to have to look at other brands.
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01-02-2017, 02:59 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: .
Posts: 580
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Quote:
Originally Posted by OutCole'd
Yep, I am looking at a new 31V, and the local dealer is about $10K more than a dealer 300 miles away has the same exact RV listed for on RV Trader online.
Called my local dealer's service department this morning and asked about warranty work if I bought it someplace else. He said they are not taking on any warranty work for RV's not purchased from them, been this way about a year.
I really want a new Jayco, but if this is the case, I am going to have to look at other brands.
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I'm sure you could get Jayco involved and "force" the dealer to perform the warranty work, but the reality is that your unit would be perpetually at the back of the line, and it would probably sit on the dealer's lot for weeks and months before any work was performed.
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01-02-2017, 03:14 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Way down here........FL
Posts: 2,097
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I don't think it matters where you buy.......
I bought from a dealer 100 miles away from me, had to wait 3 weeks to get an appointment. My fifth wheel sat there couple of days shy of exactly a month & they did 1 repair out of about 15. They could not even get a price for slide toppers for me in a months time.........
I went and picked it up and WILL NOT be going there again. I have found a local dealer that does NOT sell Jaycos that said they will do warranty work for me. I will be going g to them when I need warranty work.
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01-02-2017, 03:42 PM
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#20
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Site Team
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Virginia`s Eastern Shore
Posts: 17,091
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10 Grand will buy a whole lot of warranty work! But seriously not being able to get warranty work done in a timely fashion is becoming the most complained about issue on RV forums, even for many that bought from the dealer. They just cannot keep up with the work especially now during this RV sales boom. This is not unique to Jayco or Thor. Go on the Forest River forum or others and read away.........
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