Opinions on Camping World

[glsponchos]

My wife and I are brand new to RV'ing, as owners anyway.  We actually pick up our RV tomorrow for maiden overnight trip.  We have owned large boats before, and camped for years in truck campers.  I love this site and appreciate all the experience that is being conveyed in the forums.  I need to have some work done to my coach to support my towable, 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland.  I understand I need to add auxiliary brakes and am considering the Air Force One system.  My question is, what do folks think of service (Maintenance and Installation) performed by Camping World?  Specifically the store in Indy.  I've heard some negative, but my parents were RV'ers and I remember them using them all the time.

[lmsooter]

Welcome to the forum and RVing.

I am sure you will get many opinions about Camping World.  We shop there when we want to look at an item before purchase, if it happens to be something only CW handles or if the price is competitive with other suppliers.  They do handle some good quality merchandise.

As far as service, I have heard too many horror stories to trust them.  I did call once about oil & filter change and lube - they were almost twice the price of the place I now use.  Possibly someone on the forum can tell you about store in Indy - it may be a well run, reliable shop.

 

[RodgerS]

To reduce the risk of a bad experience anywhere you take your RV, first reconsider these are complex units to work on.You have a lifestyle dream that depends on the unit being road ready when you want to use it. Regardless of who you take the unit to, there are things you can do to improve your odds of a good outcome:

1) When you call in to make the appointment, have a well thought out list of the things you want done ready. When you arrive for your appointment, don't start remembering more things you want done. The service writer is tasked with fitting you into their calendar based on the amount of time it will take to obtain the parts and to do the job.

2) Adding more parts needed may delay getting the work done and adding service time may mean adding more time slots to work on your unit. 

3) Focus on describing clearly what doesn't work. Don't take talk about RVing or your favorite movie, restaurant, or music. Stay focused. Write down a clear description of the problems and fax/email it to the service writer for inclusion into your work order. 

4) Ask to discuss the work order with the service leader or the tech that will be working on your coach. 

Note: most forum complaints about service don't provide the service department the opportunity to respond. Sometimes the attitude, behavior, and demands of the owner contributed to the poor service experience. Service writers have long memories. Their being willing to make their best efforts on your behalf is important to you, and will likely be affected by their current and past experiences with you.

Rodger S. 

 

 

[akadeadeye]

Service at any RV shop is only as good as the techs who are there.  And, RV techs (who know their stuff) are in short supply.  Thus, long waiting periods in many cases.  That said, I have not had any personal experience with Camping World other than the retail store but I have two motorhome owner friends who have.  Neither of them has had anything good to say about the RV repair service at Camping World, at least at the one in New Braunfels, Texas.  The one in Indy may be fine.  The hourly rates in my neck of the woods range from $95 to $105 for coach work and $125 for chassis work.

I take my MH to an independent RV service center where I know the techs are very experienced.  I have also found that learning to do some simple repairs and routine maintenance myself is worthwhile, not just in dollars, but in time, since good RV repair centers are usually very busy, and I don't like leaving our RV there for a week or more.

Have fun.

Don

[elkhartjim]

Simply Google "camping world service reviews" or do a search on any RV forum for Camping World and you will get more information than you may want. I suggest Googling camping world Indianapolis to see if anything pops up. Personally, I wouldn't let them touch much less work on my motorhome. True, a location may be good this week and next week goes to pot because of their high employee turnover.

[jc21014]

6 hours ago, glsponchos said:

My wife and I are brand new to RV'ing, as owners anyway.  We actually pick up our RV tomorrow for maiden overnight trip.  We have owned large boats before, and camped for years in truck campers.  I love this site and appreciate all the experience that is being conveyed in the forums.  I need to have some work done to my coach to support my towable, 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland.  I understand I need to add auxiliary brakes and am considering the Air Force One system.  My question is, what do folks think of service (Maintenance and Installation) performed by Camping World?  Specifically the store in Indy.  I've heard some negative, but my parents were RV'ers and I remember them using them all the time.

Absolutely and unequivocally NO on buying/or having anything done at "any" Camping World" location.  To much valuable equipment at stake to take a chance. 

[manholt]

glspanchose.  Welcome to the Forum!

Prior to the Marcos Lemonis take over off CW, I had very little problem with them and from 1973 until 2012, CW was my go to if I was in the area of one.  Now, no way!  Had too many bad, silly mistakes and gave them up. Now, I will buy parts from them and have it installed somewhere else.  In Texas we also have PPL, parts and service is great. 

In the area you live, I would recommend that you Google the items you want to tow your toad with, get the best price, have it shipped to you and then if you don't want to, or can't install it your self, take it to any good garage. 

Carl

[brocki]

I just had a personal experience at CW.  I had a new Satellite antennae along with the receivers installed at the CW in Boise ID.  This was done against my judgement but sometimes we just have to do things and hope.  This store did exactly what the said they would do.  They did it right the first time and in the time they said they would do it and for the price they they quoted.  I can't say anything but good about this store.

BUT, I also believe each store is different.  Check reviews on the specific store you are looking at.

[BillAdams]

You are going to get a lot of bad reviews of Camping World.  That's not because CW is a bad place to have your RV service but rather because CW does so many RV services that those who didn't like something are going to post everywhere they can (I have done the same thing myself, just not about CW).  CW is the 800# Gorilla in the room and they do so much more service than anyone else they are bound to make some customers unhappy.  It doesn't mean they did anything wrong, it just means that what they did and what the customer expected were not the same.  As with any dealer, big or small, sometimes things are actually NOT done correctly.  Unfortunately, this cannot be helped.  Stuff happens and no matter where you take your RV there is a slight chance that things will go wonky.  CW just happens to service about 1000 times more RVs than anyone else so there "oops" are posted everywhere on social media.

[gulya]

Manholt is correct in his assessment. CW used to be great so was Good Sam but now they both seem to have lost something. I only take my unit to them for oil changes, and that only because it's a Ford Chasis. I have my coach work done by a group called Camping Connection, unfortunately they are only here in Myrtle Beach and Kissimmee. I think they are now affiliated with Campers Inn. 

[wayne77590]

Another problem is that we always remember the bad things but don't remember the good things.  Most that post regarding CW are mad at them and post the negatives.  Those that have positive things to say usually do not post.

I used CW once back in 2008 and the experience was very good.  I don't live close to a CW so I use other local RV repair services.

[glsponchos]

My thanks to everyone who shared their experiences.

[manholt]

Wayne.  In 08' CW was good.  I bought a Southwind from CW and had it serviced by them, no problem!  Last time, I went to CW was in 14', my step was stuck in up position and I tried everything that was suggested on this Forum.  CW told me I needed a new motor, the Tech took the number of the motor and had one ordered, a week later, I was informed that they got the wrong motor.  I asked, are you sure the tech wrote the correct info of motor?  He did, but parts person who did the ordering, did not.  I told them to put the old motor back in, it worked...huh!  Have had no further problems since! 

Bill A. You also are correct...I just wish there was a list of good/bad...and pigs will fly!

Carl

[RodgerS]

Carl, for next time, I don't know the mfg of your step, but Kwikee steps, for example, has a troubleshooting process written both in the step instructions and on their website. Following their troubleshooting procedure with a separate fully charged battery, in my experience, works well to pinpoint the problem for a Kwikee step. 

My experience with the service technicians at the rental company was that none of them ever did any troubleshooting for anything. They all worked by guess, and by plug and play.  

If a technician told me a motor was bad, my first question would be to ask them how they know that to be true. My next question would be to have them explain the troubleshooting process they went through. 

Note: several RV service technicians working at various dealerships, and two of my service instructors, all confirmed and lamented the common lack of troubleshooting skills among their fellow technicians. 

Rodger S. 

[wayne77590]

I had a Kwikee step motor go bad.  Winnebago wanted over $200 for the motor. I found the exact same motor on-line for $79.  I don't have that information with me but if anyone is interested then when we get home I'll get the information. 

[hermanmullins]

PPL RV in Houston Texas has the Kwikee motor in stock. Last year they shipped mine for about $130.00. They are a good place for lit of RV components.

Herman 

[jleamont]

CW...well I buy TP from them, usually since we run low on the road and I know I can get in and out of without disconnecting the toad. I have found that PPL pricing is equal to CW for parts even after you factor in shipping. The staff at PPL are professionals in my opinion. Over the last two coaches when I needed something odd I called, described it and they figured it out.

My last CW part purchasing experience was pretty sad, just a simple Safe T Plus bracket and they couldn't figure it out. FYI the safety plus product listing for a Roadmaster chassis is incorrect. 

I will say that Internet searches often do pull only the bad in a business, real world experience from a forum or a friend will get you the best results.

 

[manholt]

Mine is a Kwikee.  My OP was in 2013, June I think.  Rich is actually the one who came closest to solving the puzzle of why a step will stick in up/down position!  The motor is not the reason, most of the time, it's the armature that needs to be reset.  Last year, it stuck half out and I took my trusty rubber head hammer and gently hit the motor assembly, that caused the armature to move and step came out, shut door and in it went.  The easiest way to mess up the in/out is to step on the step, before it comes all the way out! 

[wayne77590]

I have also had the teeth of the watchamacallit break (not the motor teeth) - don't know how - and had to have that replaced. More than one thing can go wrong with the step(s). I stlll think I got the better of the price world at $79 for the motor.

We have a 3 step and when the site is level and the jacks are just used as stabilizer the bottom step is about 4 inches off the ground. Makes for an easy access.

[rreiner]

I have tried to give Camping World benefits of doubts many times and many times they have disappointed us. Recently I gave them the business for a HD Satellite installation. They totally messed it up causing my cable tv and air tv to not work. Several times returned and overtime said it was fixed when it wasn't. I finally had to take it to a stereo store to get it right. I will never take my coach again to Camping World. There are better independent shops out there that appreciate your business more then Camping World shows their customers.

[tilldee]

On 8/19/2016 at 0:36 AM, rreiner said:

I have tried to give Camping World benefits of doubts many times and many times they have disappointed us. Recently I gave them the business for a HD Satellite installation. They totally messed it up causing my cable tv and air tv to not work. Several times returned and overtime said it was fixed when it wasn't. I finally had to take it to a stereo store to get it right. I will never take my coach again to Camping World. There are better independent shops out there that appreciate your business more then Camping World shows their customers.

Our friends have the same issue with CW, OTA and Cable does not work once Satellite was installed.  And they (CW) found other issues wrong with their coach and wanted to fix for outlandish prices.  Like a strip of caulk on the outside of the coach about 12 feet long ended up costing them $3,000.   Never will we take anything to them for service.  May purchase something out of the store if I can't find it cheaper anywhere else, but not usually.  

 

On 8/18/2016 at 7:28 PM, jleamont said:

CW...well I buy TP from them, usually since we run low on the road and I know I can get in and out of without disconnecting the toad. I have found that PPL pricing is equal to CW for parts even after you factor in shipping. The staff at PPL are professionals in my opinion. Over the last two coaches when I needed something odd I called, described it and they figured it out.

My last CW part purchasing experience was pretty sad, just a simple Safe T Plus bracket and they couldn't figure it out. FYI the safety plus product listing for a Roadmaster chassis is incorrect. 

I will say that Internet searches often do pull only the bad in a business, real world experience from a forum or a friend will get you the best results.

 

We only purchase our TP from WM.  Scott brand is the best and softest, not like that sandpaper on all the other brands.  

[manholt]

Now, if we could only use "Charmin Ultra", heaven on earth in a RV!

[kaypsmith]

Actually Carl, have camped near another camper who uses Charmin exclusively, her secret, places a small garbage can that auto closes after use, large sign over the John, "NO TISSUE IN COMMODE" with an arrow pointing to the G-can. Claims she never has had any problem? Mr. Wipple calling.

[manholt]

Kay, there are something's that I'd rather not know, this is one!

I figured out a long time ago, that if you really wanted to be a con man or woman. become an environmentalist !    

 

[wildebill308]

I have used Charmin ultra strong since we got this coach and never had a problem. Please remember it is a holding tank not a septic tank. I have never had a problem emptying the tank. There is anecdotal knowledge (when a campground system backed up) that the paper breaks down pretty completely.

Bill