# Hopping Mad!! - Issue Resolved



## mountainlady56 (Feb 13, 2006)

I recently moved up to a THOR ACE motorhome. First, when I was towing my Honda CRV home, I noticed the Honda was kinda "pushing" the motorhome, when I braked. I had not had this problem with my Class C. Both have a 5000# towing capacity. Honda CRV weighs 3430, and I had not been advised, or seemed to need a separate braking system towing it. 
Started reading the owner's manual, and, guess what?? THIS motorhome requires that anything towed over 1000# have a special braking system, as it is "unsafe" and can "cause loss of control" of the motorhome!! GEE!! The RV dealership HOOKED MY CAR UP....do you think they knew I was going to TOW IT??
Second, the title on the motorhome says "WHITE"! There is not one spot of white on it (unless a bird happens to poop on it!).
Third, I called Thor Motor Coach, because the interior decor was not as listed on the invoice. During this call, I found out that instead of "graphite full body PAINT" (which was $8K more), they indicate that VIN# has "graphite full body GRAPHICS"!! BIG DIFFERENCE!! Went out, this afternoon, and the dealership had waxed the devil out of the lower part of the coach, and it FELT like paint. BUT, the detail guy must have gotten tired, because about 5' up, NO WAX, and can feel decal edges!!
I am so upset, that, FIRST (and foremost), the dealership cares only about making a sale, NOT OUR SAFETY; second, the invoice and the manufacturer's info doesn't match up!
Of course, this is financed. I've made my first payment, but it has not been used. 
ANY ADVICE?? I'm kinda at a loss as to where to start!!
Darlene


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## Patty (Mar 4, 2010)

Sounds hinky! Talk to the dealer. Take it back. Sounds like it isn't what you want. If you have problems and have Good Sam Club, they have a consumer protection column where you can get help.


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## mountainlady56 (Feb 13, 2006)

Patty said:


> Sounds hinky! Talk to the dealer. Take it back. Sounds like it isn't what you want. If you have problems and have Good Sam Club, they have a consumer protection column where you can get help.


Thanks, Patty!! It isn't what I PAID for, for one thing, obviously, and there's the safety issue involved. Thanks for the info about Good Sam Club. I got a free membership when I bought it!!







Wasn't that thoughtful of them to give me this helpful service? LOL
Darlene


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## Y-Guy (Jan 30, 2004)

Your Honda should have had aux brake on your old rig too as per the GA laws, "If towed vehicle weight exceeds 3,000 pounds, brake hook-ups required as well as breakaway system." Towing World Consider that if the CRV broke away, what's going to stop it? I've read a number of stories of this happening, IMHO towing a car without brakes and a breakaway system is asking for trouble. Dealership should know the laws, but often they want to make a sale and if you knew you had to drop another $1000 on breaking they might have lost the sale.

As far as advice; call and ask for a meeting with the owner. Not the sales manager, not the sales person, ask for the owner if the others want to sit in that's fine but get the owner at the table from the start. Write down your concerns in a professional letter and sit down with the owner and go over your concerns, ask him or her what they are going to do to correct the situation. You can ask for everything, IMHO in the end I think you'll need to pay for the brake system, I doubt they will cover it - it is the owners responsibility to know the laws. As for the paint vs. graphics you might have some leverage here if they verbally or in writing misrepresented the unit, this might let you get the brake system swapped out. As the buyer you should have asked for an invoice to review before buying it, if they lied and sold it to you as full body paint you might have some legal resource, but if you had seen the invoice it would be harder to prove they had lied. As for the wax, yes they should finish waxing the whole coach not just partial sides. If you have a fiberglass roof then it should also be waxed.

If after meeting with the owner you don't get satisfaction then I'd put a call into Thor's owner relations and talk to them, it doesn't hurt but I wouldn't go in expecting them to do much. They might put some pressure on the dealer.


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## mountainlady56 (Feb 13, 2006)

Hi, Andy and all.
Issue is resolved. First, the coach IS full-body paint...the rep at the factory told me wrong. The problem came in where the detailer, at the dealer, did NOT completely wax my coach, as part of the deal, and the residue from the paint guidelines is still on it, in places. I can take it back in and get it done, and I bought the body/fabric/windshield protection plan.
Second, I found a law in FLA (not GA), where over 3K # requires the braking system. When I called the dealership and told him what I found in the owner's manual, he said that he would work with me on the braking system, as, he too, was not aware of this, and feels safety is important.
So, all is well. I'm satisfied, and we plan to have a lot of nice trips in our new motorhome. I have a gift card, and can get the exhaust pipe extension for the generator, if needed.
Now, my nerves and blood pressure are fine, and I'm not "hopping" anymore!
Darlene


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## duggy (Mar 17, 2010)

Glad to hear everything worked out!


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## mountainlady56 (Feb 13, 2006)

Andy,
I definitely stand corrected. You were right about the law, in GA, too. I found the chart you were referring to. 
I'm being quoted a price of around $2K for product and installation. 
Several other things have come to light, and I'm "hopping mad" again!! I'm contacting Camping World's home office (finally got the number!) and the BBB to start. 
It really makes me SO MAD that they have no regard for mine and Jimmy's personal safety, more than anything. 
Called and asked who the owner was, and the receptionist didn't know, and everyone else was conveniently "gone for the day" that might have that knowledge.
Darlene


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## Traveling Tek (Oct 15, 2010)

eww... Doesn't sound like fun and I am sorry. I have never liked Camping World. Been treated poorly by service, and their stuff is over priced. I hope you get it resolved.


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## Y-Guy (Jan 30, 2004)

The CEO for Camping World is Marcus Lemonis. He actually has replied to some posts on RV.net in the past (disclosure RV.net is owned by Affinity, the same company as CW and I am a moderator for RV.net). I do not think you are going to get through to him on the phone, but I could be wrong. Written or fax correspondence would be best. He also has a Facebook account.

IMHO the BBB doesn't have any real teeth. Check with your State Attorney General if you feels you've been deceived. Since you didn't state what the problem was that has you hoping mad now I don't know which to recommend.


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## Carey (Mar 6, 2012)

You should be able to feel a crisp edge where the graphics have been taped. To make the graphics feel inlaid it would take many coats of clear. This would only be found in show car type paint work or maybe a motorhome like a Prevost.

The cost of the braking system sounds pretty on par. This is an old law, not new. Prolly 10 years old. Many states require a braking system on a towed car. Even if your Class C was fine without it, the law states you still needed this back then. A dealer is there to sell units, not enforce or suggest you have to abide by the law.

There are a good bunch of customers who refuse to use a braking system on the towed car. A dealer cant enforce a law on a customer so dealerships take on a mumm's the word on all laws having to do with towing, etc. The customer should know the law or be concerned and want to fix the problem once they find the law. Sounds like your dealer recognizes your concerns. To force there people to install stuff for free or sell products at cost is something no successful dealer should do. Its not there business to make you follow the law. That ones on you. They are there to help you abide by the law if youd like to do so. Yes they are going to profit. Thats why they are in business, to make money.

Carey


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## mountainlady56 (Feb 13, 2006)

Thanks for all the replies/responses, etc. I talked with the GM/Sales Mgr., at CW, today, and we came to an agreement about the brake situation. They are giving me a nice discount, and that, along with a gift card I received from them, upon purchase, I will have very little, if any, out of pocket, as an end result.
As to the "mum's the word", I'm sorry, but I think that they OWE IT to their customers to educate them, as well as sell them products. In the end, it's the customer's decision, but if it's the LAW, I think they have the responsibility to educate them, especially when they installed towing equipment on the vehicle!!
As far as CW prices, I don't ever pay list price on anything. I negotiate, and I have done my homework, before I go in. I came out several thousand ahead, on my trade-in, and am about "spot on" for the actual purchase price of my new unit. I used to feel the same about CW, but, I had tried to deal with another dealership that I had always dealt with, and came out about the same/better, with CW. In this economy, they're pretty negotiable to make a sale. Of course, you NEVER win, when you buy a new unit, supposedly, but I did, on the one I traded in.
I was so frustrated, I was almost to the point of defaulting on the unit, and cutting my losses, and TOLD the sales mgr. that! I don't really need credit, other than what I have, for the near future, so hurting my credit score wasn't a priority with me, and I let him know THAT, as well.
But, I'm glad things are worked out. I had a LOT of unexpected expenses hit me at once, and then the unexpected taxes (never forget the 59-day-rule when purchasing a new vehicle......it cost me $700+ in ad valorem taxes I wouldn't have had to pay, if I had waited THREE DAYS to sign the papers!!) and the brake work, just put me over the top, emotionally and financially!! 
But, having it worked out, I'm looking to some memory-making trips with Jimmy, my son, during the rest of the summer, and then some "me trips" on a lake, during the fall, when he's in school. (He can stay with a family we're friends with, occasionally, to give me a break.) Then, we can enjoy it on weekends at the many state parks in our area, and I plan to leave it at some commutable-distance campgrounds, as well, that we can just drive to, in the car.
SO, THANK GOD, no hotel rooms for our future!! I've grown to hate them, over the years, except on rare occasions.
Thanks for all your input. Once this is all over, I plan to address the issues of safety, etc., with Camping World executives, and, possibly our local senator/state rep. 
RV dealerships should be held accountable for informing buyers of the legal/recommended issues for safety, and that's THAT!
There's no excuse, except greed.








Darlene


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