# Anyone Have Problems With A Local Dealer Providing Service If You Buy Elsewhere?



## NDKoze (Jan 5, 2011)

I am curious to hear from those who bought from Lakeshore or Holman's if they have had any problems with local dealers providing service/warranty work on your campers since you did not buy from them?

I have a local dealer here in Fargo (Outlook Recreation) and would like to buy from them, but we are a ways off in price yet. I have been quoted up to $3,400 less from Lakeshore and wouldn't mind making the 1,000 mile trip (would turn it into a family vacation), but my lingering question is whether the local dealer will give me any guff if I don't buy from them? Based on my liberal mileage calculations, it would cost me $400-$600 in gas for the drive. Well worth it to save thousands of dollars. If we are only talking about $1,000 or less, I won't bother.

Buying from them is not necessarily out of the question, but I haven't really pushed the negotiations yet as they don't have a 210RS in stock yet. They are expecting one in the next couple of weeks. So I will be getting more serious once they get the unit in.

Any feedback or personal experiences would be appreciated.


----------



## hautevue (Mar 8, 2009)

I bought from Holman and they are 500 miles west of Baltimore. I saved over $5000 and spent about $500 driving from "Bawlmer, Murlin" to Cincinnati and back including gas, motel on the way out and campground on the way back. I have had minimal problems with service here.

On the first visit, the local Keystone dealer started with the "We'll get to it as soon as we can but priority goes to the folks who bought their TT here." I smiled and said that was fine and I'd give them a call later to see when I could bring it in.

I then went 15 miles to another dealer and they were delighted to sell me service.

For warranty work at a dealer who does not sell Keystone or Outbacks, there is a little paperwork hassle--gotta get the work pre-approved by Keystone (one phone call) and I have to pay for it and send Keystone the paid invoice. They reimburse me at their rates.

Very fortunately, I have had only one warranty issue (the deco panel on the reefer door fell off). No sweat getting reimbursed, especially with the three photos I included in the envelope to document the problem. The cost was $75 and Keystone reimbursed me $55. I wasn't about to argue over $20.

And remember that the warranty runs only one year and trust me, that year goes quickly!









So now my pay-cash work is done by the second (non-Keystone) shop and they are happy to take my money.

I'll bet you can find a decent service shop in your area if the non-selling dealer gives you a hassle. Fargo is not that small! [grin!].


----------



## outback loft (Sep 22, 2008)

Well I bought my trailer from a somewhat local dealer (which I have never been a fan of) and for the refrigerator recall (that was supposed to be taken care of) I went to a former dealer that is closer to me and they did it right away. Fortunately I have a local dealer who got out of sales when everything went downhill and he is strictly doing service now and is very busy doing so.


----------



## FLYakman (Jan 26, 2006)

I bought from Holman in May 2009. My local Keystone (but not Outback) dealer is Lazy Days RV o/s Tampa. Recently had an opportunity to speak with them on an issue. Maybe it's because they are not an Outback dealer but they said they didn't care where I bought it from,just bring it in-and this included warranty work. Any Outback dealer that would say they would only service a rig you bought from them would never see me when I purchase again weather it be an Outback or other brand.Scare tactics don't work.


----------



## ED_RN (Jun 25, 2006)

Unfortunately the truth is an Outback dealer is under no obligation to do any warranty work if they didn't sell you the TT. It isn't like buying from GM and pulling into any dealer and they take care of it. The dealer 5 minutes from my house wouldn't negotiate on the price. We ending up buying the TT from a dealer about 60 miles away. When I needed warranty work the local dealer they didn't say we will get to it when we can they asked where I bought it and then simply said they wouldn't touch it. They are now out of buisness. A local shop had a service contract with Keystone but wouldn't touch it either because since he wasn't a dealer Keystone made him pay up front for parts. Charged exorbitent shipping fees and then would only reimburse him for the price of the parts. He basically said he would love to do the work but couldn't becuase he lost money every time he did.


----------



## luverofpeanuts (Mar 9, 2010)

LIke others have said... that one year of factory warranty really goes quick. After that, any dealer you trust should be happy to earn your business.

That being said.. I've disqualified some local dealers that I've been a customer of for years because of their attitude.

I bought from Holman's which was around 700 miles away. I had a relatively minor warranty issue in the first couple of months after our purchase.

See here for the details.
http://www.outbackers.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=29791

Obviously the further away you buy, the more you have to save to make it worth it... but when you're talking several thousand dollars...it was easy for me to justify.


----------



## luverofpeanuts (Mar 9, 2010)

btw...

Have you checked Pleasureland RV in St. Cloud? Much closer than Lakeshore, and if they realize you are willing to drive to Michigan, they may just be able to work something out. In that case, if you do have a warranty issue...and are refused service by local dealers... you'd just have to get down to St. Cloud. They have an excellent service center, based on my own warranty experience with them.


----------



## NDKoze (Jan 5, 2011)

luverofpeanuts said:


> btw...
> 
> Have you checked Pleasureland RV in St. Cloud? Much closer than Lakeshore, and if they realize you are willing to drive to Michigan, they may just be able to work something out. In that case, if you do have a warranty issue...and are refused service by local dealers... you'd just have to get down to St. Cloud. They have an excellent service center, based on my own warranty experience with them.


I have not checked with Pleasureland in St Cloud yet, but I do plan too. Since the guy that runs Outlook Rec in Fargo left Pleasureland Fargo to start his own place, my guess is that if I can get a good deal from them, he won't want to lose to his old employer.

I am keeping all options open right now. Still trying to decide on 210RS verses 250RS.

I do have another dealer here in town that sells other Keystone products (McLaughlins) and they are the ones that I bought my current camper from. They have actually been fairly good to work with and may service my outback if Outlook doesn't want to.

Thanks for the help.

Gregg


----------



## bbwb (Apr 4, 2008)

Hi NDKOZE:

I went through the same debate when we were looking prior to getting our camper (lucked out and won a camper and traded it in on an Outback, so I could not shop it much), but like the earlier posts, the 1 year warranty goes by fast. Even if you have to fix something out of pocket, you still have some latitude in your savings. If you purchase from Lakeshore or Holman, do a thorough pre-delivery inspection and you should be good to go. If you have a problem, you can contact them and perhaps have the parts sent out etc...and do the work yourself. Also, check out some of the neighboring dealers like suggested, you might get close on price. This weekend is the Camper show in Minneapolis, you might want to check that out for show specials.

Go Bison! (NDSU grad)

bbwb


----------

