(Eugene, OR) We were really hoping they’d finish fixing the RV early this week so we could move on. I tend not to name names and discuss when people do us wrong. But in this case I want to save others from the experience we’ve had these past two weeks.
Our RV is a Beaver (that’s the band name). We have been extremely pleased with our coach. We would highly recommend this brand to anyone and if we ever buy another RV we would not hesitate for a second to buy another Beaver. Beaver is owned by Monaco, who also owns many other brands. We’ve only had very minor things go wrong with our RV - it has been extremely reliable. In the past when we've needed service we’ve gone to the Bend Service Center – since we bought our coach there. The service has always been very good.
But Bend is on the eastside of Oregon and so it takes much longer to get there. So this year we decided to go to the Monaco Factory Service Center located just off I-5 near Eugene. You would think this would be the best place to go since this is where the coaches are built. Not so. If you ever buy a Monaco coach (any brand) DO NOT GO TO THE FACTORY SERVICE CENTER IN OREGON.
Their repair work is horrible (we have more wrong now than when we went in) and their customer service is atrocious – all the way up the ladder.
We went in with an extremely small list of repair items – most of which were just required maintenance items. Based on our experience in Bend, we figured it should take two or possibly three days to get the entire list taken care of. But two long frustrating weeks later they still hadn’t even started on some of the items.
Here's what Wazzu thought about all this waiting:
While there are MANY examples of what went wrong I’ll just share two to give you an idea of what we went through.
We made our appointment in early December 2006. At that time, we gave them our list of items that needed attention. Four times between December and July I called to reconfirm our appointment and to go over the list and make sure all was set. Each time I was told their list matched mine and all was set.
When Mike first arrived he went over the list with our service writer. One item on the list they checked first thing to see if they could see the problem. Right away they told Mike a lock had broken so when the slide would go in and out the out of place the lock would tear the slide seal. The seal would need to be replaced and the lock fixed. Okay, fine.
Finally on Tuesday of the second week they got around to fixing that problem. They got the slide out and fixed the lock and then went to replace with slide seal. Oh, the slide seal must be ordered as they don’t keep those in stock. That will take four business days! That means it won’t be in until next week! Now wouldn’t you think if they noticed on our first day there that we needed a new slide seal and they don’t stock those that they might order the part that first day. I guess that never dawned on them! How can you not figure that out! This is their business that they do every day – how can they not think to order the needed parts.
After I have a very polite discussion with the service manager they decide that I did have a good point. (Duh!) So they decide to put a “rush” on the part. But it will still take a couple days.
Another item we needed was some paint touch up. This had been on the list the entire time as well. Each time we called to go over our list they indeed showed that was on the list. So the first day when Mike arrived he asked about the paint touch up. He was told that was done at the plant down the street when they were finished with the rest of our repairs. We checked on this every day as we never could get an exact answer on how this would work. Each time we asked we were told they check on it and then get back to us. Mike would wait a couple hours for the guy to come back. Finally all the people behind the desk just packed up went home for the day. No one ever gave him any information at all.
So finally when we find out they won’t be doing anything with us for a couple days until the slide seal comes in, we think that this would be a good time to go down the road to get the paint job done. We once again ask about this. So they tell us we first have to get the paint people to come look at the rig and give us an estimate. What?! Why didn’t they tell us this the first day. But okay, we’ll play along. We call the paint department and they come out and give us an estimate and tell us it will take about three days. Okay, we can live with that. But wait…..they are all booked up and can’t fit us in until the end of October. Are you kidding me?! Turns out you have to make an appointment in advance. No one ever told us this even though we probably inquired a minimum of seven times!
Needless to say, we weren’t happy to begin with and now we’re really irritated. Unfortunately, neither Mike or I are big presences and neither of us are very good at confrontation. But since I’m the better of the two it was up to me to try to work this out. It took me a couple of hours to get the nerve up to call the service manager. Normally face to face discussions are better but I just figured I wouldn’t be taken very seriously if I went in and laid down on the floor. So I called on the phone.
When I spoke with the service manager the first time we had an extremely civil discussion. I explained how they had really dropped the ball on our visit. After I described all the things that had gone wrong the service manager was very apologetic and agreed that they had really messed up in every area of our case. He said he’d talk to all the appropriate people so that this wouldn’t happen again.
But this time when I called about the paint fiasco he suddenly turned into a hot head. He couldn’t seem to agree that there was a communication problem. He looked at all our original paperwork and agreed the paint issue had been on our list the entire time. But he said they had noted beside it that they would sub-contract that portion out. Well they never told us that – and doesn’t sub-contract mean that THEY will have someone else do it - not that I’LL have to find someone. After quite a lengthy, and not nearly as polite discussion on his end, he said in a very loud and aggravated voice that Monaco would not be painting our vehicle. The only resolution he had was that he’d give me the names of some other places in the area that I could contact to make arrangements to get the work done. Notice I said “in the area” – and remember I’m now in Eugene, Oregon. He gave me four names: one is in Idaho, one is in California, one is in Washington, and one is in Oregon. To me in the area means somewhere around Eugene!
We had wanted to get this work done in Oregon as it is going to be expensive and we didn’t want to have to pay tax. So we called the one in Oregon and they can’t get us in until September – but we’re off on our U.S. journey by then.
So now it’s two days later and the slide seal that they put a rush on was supposed to be here. But it was nowhere to be found. We can’t wait any longer as we have an agility trial way up on the Washington peninsula this weekend. So we go in to inform them that we can’t wait as we need to leave.
Then we’re informed that since this is on our extended warranty we won’t be able to get this done anywhere else as they’ve already put in a claim to cover the work. It’s like they are trying to hold us hostage! So we’ll have a huge mess to deal with now to get this fixed elsewhere but it will be worth the hassle and expense to not ever have to deal with these folks again!!
The first couple days of our second week here, when we couldn’t be in the RV at all during the day, we went to a park in Eugene. It was in the high 90’s and low 100’s so it was hot. But there is a river that runs through Eugene with nice walking trails next to it. Neither Slugger nor I can walk very far so in the morning we’d all go on a short walk and the dogs would swim in the river to cool down.
We came across a Great Blue Herron as we were walking next to the river.
And we came upon a pond that had many ducks swimming around. They would swim back and forth following us.
The trail was really beautiful with flower beds and benches along the way.
A bit later we came across some pretty geese.
Here Mike, Sparkie, and Slugger try to get some relief from the heat by sitting in the shade of a tree.
Then Slugger and I would go back and lay in the car the rest of the day while Mike and the girls would take a long hike. Mike would find a nice flat place in the shade to leave us while they did their afternoon walks. Slugger was such a good boy. I did a lot of reading to pass the time.
Wazzu enjoyed the walks but really perked up when she’d see a squirrel in the trees.
Slugger’s highlight was when he found a bullfrog along the waters edge and got to chase it way out into the water. If you look closely you can see he also got to swim with some baby ducks.
He also enjoyed swimming with Wazzu.
And Sparkie, well she enjoyed every bit of it. Sticks, squirrels, frogs…..it’s all good.
To get over all our frustration with Monaco, all we have to do is look at our three well behaved (compared to all the very unruly dogs at the Monaco Service Center and other RV parks) wonderful dogs. Then we remember what’s important in life. All you have to do is give each of the dogs a hug and you can’t help but feel more relaxed.
I'll leave you with a couple pictures of Wazzu and I passing time in a field of the neighboring farm.
Debbie
7/9-12/07
