Frustrating, Unreliable Service - Skeeter_Pants
After having a mostly positive experience purchasing my first travel trailer at Camping World of Bridgeport (CWB), I have experienced 1 1/2 years of disappointment and frustration with their service department.
Side note about their FINANCE DEPARTMENT:
* They will try to up-sell you on elaborate and expensive extended warranties and UV protection treatments.
* They tuck the cost of these add-ons into the monthly payment to hide the true expense. (In fairness, this is a common practice.)
* I went for the minimum extended warranty because I know that things go wrong even in new RVs.
* LESSON LEARNED: I’m out of pocket hundreds of dollars for repairs; I will never purchase an extended warranty again.
Here’s what I’ve learned about the CWB SERVICE DEPARTMENT in the last (17) months:
* Your minimum lead time for scheduling a service appointment is about (6) weeks. (This is typical for RV service places.)
* It usually takes (3) phone calls to the service department before you speak to a person to schedule the appointment. Don’t bother leaving a voicemail. It won’t be returned.
* When you arrive to drop off your RV, bring something to pass the time. You will wait at the service desk for around (20) minutes. The service personnel will be typing at their computers and making phone calls in front of you during this time. They will not acknowledge your presence until the wait time is up—this will happen even if you’re the only customer, you show up on time for your scheduled appointment, and you’re physically standing three feet away from them.
* The service rep is usually pretty good about doing a walk-through with you so you can show them what needs to be repaired.
* When you pick up your RV after the repair, walk through the rig again with the service rep. They will report that they have completed everything you'd requested. In my experience, THEY FOLLOW THROUGH WITH REPAIRS 25% OF THE TIME. They did repair on their first try a leaking, mis-threaded black-tank-flush connector. They failed to repair my slide-out the first time. (It was repaired during a second visit a couple months later.) They failed to repair a roof leak that is causing mold to grow behind the wallpaper. (Still not repaired.) They failed to perform the multipoint inspection as requested. (A free annual multipoint inspection is one of the few perks of the extended warranty.)
If you grow tired of the CWB service department’s lack of follow through, email their CORPORATE OFFICE: CSTeam@campingworld.com.
* I contacted corporate after watching the mold continue to grow on my trailer’s wall a month after CWB collected hundreds of dollars from me in payment for the leak repair. (A moisture meter has confirmed that the leak is still active.)
* My email to corporate generated an immediate response from the Camping World Customer Engagement Center and a quick phone call and email from CWB general manager, Tom. He left a voicemail since I couldn't pick up when he’d called. Tom didn't answer when I called back at the time he’d suggested—my call went to voicemail. He didn’t respond when I replied to his email. I got through to Tom when I called back again hours later.
* Tom was unapologetic and asked what I wanted. When I explained that I wanted the leak to be carefully assessed and thoroughly repaired at no charge, he agreed (after first suggesting the he comp me for labor only).
* I explained that I needed to see this agreement in writing, and Tom said he’d have the director of the service department email me the agreement the next day. No email ever arrived.
I WILL NOT BE TAKING MY RV BACK TO CWB, nor will I buy from them again.
I regret that it took me so long to decide this. I've discovered another RV repair facility near Philadelphia that has proven to be much more responsive.
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