Camping World Katy Texas

mbell5263 · 10-11-2019, 08:55 AM

I thought I might mention something that occured about a month ago at Camping World of Katy Texas.

I was off work on a Friday and decided to do some shopping around for a new travel trailer. Camping World in Katy Texas, a suburb of Houston, had 2 or 3 that I wanted to check out. I had already viewed the floorplans online, but wanted to check the construction and see the units in person.
I found a Heartland that I liked fairly well, it wasn't as nice as the Jayco Eagle, but it was advertised several thousand dollars cheaper.

My wife wasn't with me, but had we come to agreement on a price and trade amount, she could have been there within an hour. The unit came with 1 a/c, I wanted a 2nd one added, and no TV, though there were stickers showing where a TV mount would go in the living room and bedroom. I gave the salesman a list of things I wanted to add before taking delivery, if we decided to purchase that unit, and it included a new weight distribution/equalizer hitch.

When he returned, he showed my the buyer's order with the items I had requested. They listed the hitch on the BO for $1995.00! There was also a charge of $795.00 some sort of deluxe or customer care item. He said that for that price they check everything out before delivery. They plug it in and make sure the ac is cooling, the water heater working, all other appliances are working, and there were no noticeable problems. There were a few other charges listed that, by the time everything was totalled up, the unit was as much, or more, than the Jayco.

When I questioned the price of the hitch, he explained that it included installation! For those who may not know, you can purchase the hitch anywhere for less than $600 and about a $50 charge to install, I bought the exact same hitch for my Jayco for $625 installed. Also, every RV I've purchased, and my recent one makes 4, they ALWAYS set it up and test everything prior to the walk through...and they do it for the purchase price of the unit.

I quickly decided not to do business with them, though when I left I didn't not tell them that. Strangely, I never heard from them afterwards despite letting them know that I was ready to buy and would be putting at least $20K down. After leaving there, I went to the Lone Star RV North location. They had just received the unit I really wanted to see, the Jayco Eagle 332cbok. My wife met me there an hour later, and I signed the paperwork before I left.

My only point regarding this is to beware. There are sketchy dealers out there. Some of the prices at Camping World were not handwritten on the buyer's order, they were pre-printed and included in EVERY deal. The owner of that company is not a person I care to do business with, but had they offered a unit we really wanted and not tried to rip me off I would have bought from them anyway.

Take this for what it's worth if you decide to shop in the Houston area.

**JFlightRisk** · 10-11-2019, 09:06 AM

I get e-mails ads from CW almost daily, and the CEO has an e-mail address and phone number for his office. His words are, "If you're not happy, I'm not happy". Maybe he'd like to know that you're not happy!

SloPoke · 10-11-2019, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JFlightRisk

I get e-mails ads from CW almost daily, and the CEO has an e-mail address and phone number for his office. His words are, "If you're not happy, I'm not happy". Maybe he'd like to know that you're not happy!

Thanks for the Good Laugh!

We bought our Seneca from CW... We get the same e-mail advertisements and I have e-mailed and called the number for his office. He has never responded!

I did get a call returned about 4 weeks later from a "marketing intern" about my contact with the CEO. She was asking if the issue was ever resolved? I told her that the only person to respond was her.

So the saying goes - If the top boss in a company does not care about the customer... then the employees that work for the top boss won't care about the customer either.

mbell5263 · 10-11-2019, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SloPoke

Thanks for the Good Laugh!

We bought our Seneca from CW... We get the same e-mail advertisements and I have e-mailed and called the number for his office. He has never responded!

I did get a call returned about 4 weeks later from a "marketing intern" about my contact with the CEO. She was asking if the issue was ever resolved? I told her that the only person to respond was her.

So the saying goes - If the top boss in a company does not care about the customer... then the employees that work for the top boss won't care about the customer either.

Haha...I got an email from him prior to my visit. I replied to it, though I'm sure no one read it, reminding him that he told people like me that he didn't want us to buy from him...I didn't.

**JFlightRisk** · 10-11-2019, 09:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SloPoke

Thanks for the Good Laugh!

We bought our Seneca from CW... We get the same e-mail advertisements and I have e-mailed and called the number for his office. He has never responded!

I did get a call returned about 4 weeks later from a "marketing intern" about my contact with the CEO. She was asking if the issue was ever resolved? I told her that the only person to respond was her.

So the saying goes - If the top boss in a company does not care about the customer... then the employees that work for the top boss won't care about the customer either.

I've wondered if anyone ever got a response from him, and what it was like. Thanks. (And glad I could give you a laugh, today!).

wags999 · 10-11-2019, 12:03 PM

You were lucky, not many have anything good to say about CW, especially after purchase service. Yes I get almost daily EMails from them, they really are desperate for $$, company is struggling.

Camper_bob · 10-11-2019, 12:16 PM

We bought our Greyhawk from that very dealership. They had it on the lot and it was exactly what we wanted. I went around and around with them on price and ended up with a fair deal in my estimation.

The problem was they monkeyed with the numbers on the final contract. My out of pocket $$ was what I needed it to be, but the numbers on the paper were all over the place. It didn't sit well with me at all. Plus the "salesman" tried all kinds of hokey crap like trying to get me to sign a blank piece of paper with a hand-written number on it. I squared up to him and told him in no uncertain terms that if he tried anything like that again, we'd walk out the door never to return. That got him in line. The finance guy acted like he had something better to do, so he didn't push very hard on the "add-ons".

I've never been back for service because I have no interest in ever setting foot there again. I'm one who would rather fix it myself anyway, and when we left after delivery and PDI (which was fine) I knew it was HIGHLY unlikely I'd ever be back.

ifallsguy · 10-11-2019, 03:27 PM

The CEO of CW has copied the playbook of Sear's run it into the ground CEO Eddy Lampert.

Chet & Marie · 10-11-2019, 06:13 PM

We have a CW opening here in the old Gander Mt store. We have 3 great JAYCO dealers in the area that sell at a bit higher price but offer excellent service and customer care. I wonder how the Gander Rv opening is going to affect them?

Trapper2020 · 10-11-2019, 07:29 PM

I go to the CW at Katy to take a dump. Dumping is free with my good Sams card. About all they are good for.

Enjoy the journey

che57vy · 10-11-2019, 07:37 PM

I bought from CW once got a fair deal and like others never would mess with them again they tried shady things and I called them out on it. and the CEO could care less never answers emails

Murff · 10-11-2019, 08:06 PM

I will be another who would never buy an RV from CW based on the salesman we had at their store in Burlington WA the same day we bought our White Hawk

This guy told me what I could tow with my then Ford Explorer Sport Trac. Now, I have been towing trailers since back in 1983 and I know a little bit about what my TV can pull. As he showed us a 30 foot trailer that had a CVW of 8000 lbs, I asked, "you really think my Sport Trac can pull this?"

"Sure, plenty of power", was his reply. I calmly told him if he would put that in writing, and it's a\you guarantee it's safe combination, we may make a deal. The look on his face was priceless.

I told him that there was no way on God's green earth that it would be safe. And, since you just lied about that, what else are you gonnna tell me!

Murff

Irie · 10-23-2019, 01:00 PM

My cousin is shopping right now and the CW person is trying to sell them an extended warranty for $8k! It’s a 24’ Class C. ��

Jim Davis · 10-23-2019, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JFlightRisk

I've wondered if anyone ever got a response from him, and what it was like. Thanks. (And glad I could give you a laugh, today!).

Actually did. I had just renewed my GS and they only sent one card. I asked about it and got a response that it is one per family. Then an email from Marcus "I'm not happy......" So I emailed his address and told him about the previous thread. Got a positive response and two days later another card.

As to CW and Gander ads, both every day and the delete as fast. I will admit to using CW when traveling and need something on a yesterday priority, but.

BanjoBob · 10-23-2019, 01:41 PM

I stopped there for the first time recently just because I had never been and had some time. I was impressed at the inventory of parts they had, but I could see real fast that parts in an emergency would be the only thing I might buy there. Had salesmen all over me and I wasn't looking for a camper, I just walked through a couple in the showroom. One even came back after I told him I just bought mine in May and tried get me to upgrade, it was just annoying.

dennis b · 10-23-2019, 01:48 PM

CW? "Run Forest Run" lol

kblast523 · 10-23-2019, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Camper_bob

...I went around and around with them on price and ended up with a fair deal in my estimation.

The problem was they monkeyed with the numbers on the final contract. ...the numbers on the paper were all over the place. It didn't sit well with me at all. Plus the "salesman" tried all kinds of hokey crap like trying to get me to sign a blank piece of paper with a hand-written number on it. I squared up to 'the gang' and told them in no uncertain terms that if they tried anything like that again, I'd walk out the door never to return. That got 'em in line. The finance guy acted like he had something better to do, so he didn't push very hard on the "add-ons".

I've never been back for service because I have no interest in ever setting foot there again. I'm one who would rather fix it myself anyway, and when we left after delivery and PDI (which was fine) I knew it was HIGHLY unlikely I'd ever be back.

I bought from CW OKC, got the same treatment. Never been back, and I RUN THE OTHER DIRECTION when someone says Camping World. I can get the same product CW sells without all the BS at an independent AND at a reasonable price WITH SUPPORT. Yeah, I have to drive 110 miles to get to Pharr's RV in Lubbock, but I'd MUCH rather do business with a family owned business, than drive 215 miles to get 'ripped off' by con artists. And there is a CW (Jack Sisemore Travel Land) 65 miles from me who has made it ABUNDANTLY CLEAR they don't want my business.

Finrol · 10-23-2019, 11:12 PM

I recently used that email. Response was within two days. Went back and forth twice and my issue was resolved. It too was about membership cards and coupons.

DocBrown · 10-24-2019, 09:42 AM

There are fair number of RV dealers in the Milwaukee area, and many more within an hour's drive, including CW. Our dealer is 15 minutes away. CW would not even make my short list if we were looking right now.

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