Here’s my story of our recent Campingworld experience buying and RV:

06/22/2013 Saturday

Purchased RV at the show in Corning. Dealt with salesman Frank and Jamie (from Churchville). Walked around the unit and went over things that needed to be done. We were told by Frank that everything would be gone through, unit would be cleaned, all services would be done, all systems checked. Part of the deal was to include two NEW coach batteries, not a battery check. Storage for two years in Churchville,  we could take the unit when we wanted and park it there when we wanted (as long as they were open) for two years. We would also get a couple hundred dollars in credit at the Camping World store.

 We wanted a low interest rate (we have perfect credit) and was told that we would have to put more down. We said that wasn’t a problem but didn’t have the check book with us but could bring it over to Churchville on Monday. Frank was very anxious to close the sale that day so either Frank or Jamie came up with the idea that we could put our car as a trade in and buy it back for $1. That would get the loan to the point that we would get the lowest interest rate possible. We didn’t have a problem doing it either way, so agreed. Then we said we’d have to call our insurance company (Geico) and get insurance. We could do that Monday or online Sunday. Jamie said that he could get competitively priced insurance, about $780 a year, through them and we said that sound good, we’ll do that.

 We, both being in sales, mentioned that we had spent a good amount of time with Mark in Churchville and because he was the one that sold us on Camping World, we wanted him as part of the sale. We were told by Frank and Jamie that he would be “taken care of”.

 My wife asked if we could have it by a week from Tuesday (July 2nd) and was told it shouldn’t be a problem.

 06/26/2013 Wednesday

Didn’t hear anything from anyone at Camping World so I called the Churchville store. Asked for Jamie and was told he wasn’t available, sent to his voice mail. I left a message – my name, number and that I hadn’t heard anything, would he please call me.

 06/27/2013 Thursday

Didn’t hear from Jamie. Called again, I said I hadn’t heard from Jamie and wanted to talk to someone else. They sent me to Diane’s phone. She didn’t answer so I left another message – what I was calling about, my name and my number.

06/27/2013 Thursday

Didn’t hear back from Diane so I went to Churchville Camping World. Walked to the desk and asked for Jamie – the person pointed out that he was coming down the hallway. I went over to talk with him. I said I hadn’t gotten any calls about the unit and was concerned and wanted to know what was going on “when would it be ready by Tuesday”? He said – “Oh, didn’t anyone call you ? it will be hear Tuesday at 1 pm. You can pick it up then.” I thanked him and again said I was concerned because I just spent $100,000 and didn’t even get a phone call or email about it being ready.

 07/02/2013 Tuesday

Thought it would be wise to check to make sure it would be ready at 1 pm. Barbara was taking a half day off of work to go and pick this up with me. Also figured they would need the car that was part of the deal to get numbers or something off of it. I started to call and got a call from someone name Jeff from Camping World in Bath. He wanted to know how long I was going to store the RV at Bath. I told him that we were picking the unit up in Churchville in 2 hours, at 1 pm. He said he’d call me right back.

 He called back a few minutes later and said there was a “snag”. The unit was still in Bath. I reiterated that we were to pick it up in Churchville, was told it wouldn’t be a problem to have it ready today and delivered to Churchville. In fact, Jamie said, day of sale, that he would most likely be the one driving it to Churchville the next day. Obviously that didn’t happen.

 Frank asked if we could get it Wednesday at 3:30 pm. I said my daughter’s family came in from Boston and was planning to stay in the unit that night and we were all going camping the next day. He said he’d call right back. He did and said the unit would be in Churchville by 3-3:30.

 I called my wife and told her not to take the half day off – we couldn’t get the unit till later in the day.

 We went over to Churchville just before 4 pm. We waited around for a while, about 45 minutes. Someone then took us out to the unit and one of the service people walked around the unit and pointed out where everything was. It was getting late (the service department was closing) and we hadn’t yet done any paperwork. The decision was made wait another day and get the unit tomorrow. We went back into Camping World to get the paperwork done. There were new plates on the unit. So seeing that I assumed that all the needed DMV paperwork must be completed.

 My Wife also notices that the blind on the door that she pointed out in Bath because it was tearing had been Scotch Taped instead of being replaced like we were told it would be. We pointed that out and was told one would be ordered and installed.

 We sat with Diane and proceed to go through the paperwork and explain our frustration with the distinct lack of communication with us and what seemed to be within the Camping World organization.

 She did explain that there was some confusion because we bought it from Bath but picked it up in Churchville. I said that we brought that up at during the sale – we live a few miles from the Churchville store so why don’t we just buy it there. We were told that it didn’t make a difference “everything would be handled by Churchville” in fact Jamie made it a point of telling us that Churchville was the store he worked out of. 

We signed some of the papers and Diane said we were All Set. We then asked “Didn’t you need our registration or information about the car?” She said “What car?” We explained the lower interest rate situation and she went upstairs to get look for “Other” paperwork. Came back down and said she didn’t realize that was involved and would call us to bring the car in so they could get the mileage off of it.

That would have been two weeks ago, haven’t heard yet.

07/03/2013

So Wednesday we go to Churchville. We bought some items in the store while we were waiting to get the keys – about an hour. They finally are ready and give me the key to the unit and some papers and also Diane gave us a $500 credit to the store.

We take the unit home, load our things in it.

07/04/2013

We head for our first night in our new to us motor home, about 80 miles from our house.

On the site I pull out the electrical cord (50 amp service) and go to plug it in the box at the campground. There’s a big flash, sparks and boom. And the fuses all blow out. I unplug the unit. Fortunately I am electrically knowledgeable and had packed various tools. I take apart the plug and can see that two of the wires were NEVER screwed in, ever. Which means nobody even looked at this cord.

So I plug it back in after I fixed it and it worked.

Then my Grandson and I hook the fresh water up to fill the tank. It fills to about 1/3 full and starts running out the bottom of the unit. I look and the bypass valve can’t be moved i’s stuck and won’t close. So we work with a 1/3 tank and turn the supply on and off through our stay.

07/05/2013

We had to leave on Friday because of other commitments. So we flush the black and gray water tanks – fortunately without problems,  except that while the water supply is turned on the water keeps pouring out the bottom of the unit.

 Then I go to pull the slider in and it doesn’t seem to go real smooth but finally does come in. Then I push the button to lift the levelers. They come up and I hear them but only see 3 of the 4 lights come on that say they are up. I put the unit in gear and the alarm goes off. I take it out of gear and push the button again. Same thing. I lower the levelers and bring them up again. Same thing. I go out and look and all the levelers are in the up position. I try the button’s again and get the same thing. So I can’t drive it 80 miles like this so I disconnect the alarm after verifying that the levelers are indeed in the up position.

 We get home OK. We go to put the slider out and it doesn’t go. No slider. And the drawers in the bedroom can’t be opened to get the wet swim suits out nor can we get my daughters families clothes that they brought.

 07/08/2013

We bring the unit to Churchville Camping World. I tell them what happened and we get sent to the service desk. I explain to Jim all the various things that happened and says OK, they will get on it and he’ll call me when it’s ready.

 07/15/2013

I go to Churchville to get some of the things out the camper & some food items, clothes and paperwork.

 07/17/2013

Jim (from service) calls and tells me everything is done except the slider and one other item and asks where we bought the unit from. I explained it was at the Camping World show in Corning we dealt with Frank from somewhere and Jamie from Churchville. He says we must have purchased it from the Bath store. I asked why and he said that it needed a new slider motor and that was $1000. I figured he was trying to decide who was paying for it. He said the unit would be ready the beginning of next week – should be 07/22 – 07/23?

 07/18/2013

I get a call from Amanda from the Bath store. She wants to know my insurance number and company. I said we got insurance from Camping World so they should already have it. She says they have no record of any insurance. I explain that there MUST BE there were plates on the unit and they gave us the keys and told we were “ALL SET”.

She does some checking and says that “No, we don’t have insurance with them.”

I said I’ll call you back. I called Geico and in 10 minutes have insurance on the unit.

I called her back and told her.

But do you know what this means? 

You let me and my family take an “All set” unit with NY Plates on it and no $#(*$ucking insurance. DO YOU realize the jeopardy you put ME and my family in? Would you have taken your family or even yourself out under these circumstances? I don’t think so.

I would think that on the first time out with an almost 20,000 lb vehicle, 34′ long, on my first time driving it and I have NO INSURANCE has got to be the most ridiculous thing I have heard off.

 Are you KIDDING ME? That there was this much confusion and lack of communication amazes me?

 And after it was pointed out over and over again the same damn thing keeps happening.

 I bought that unit over 4 WEEKS ago and there have been nothing but screw-ups on your end. Really? 

Then Frank calls and says – HI, the is Frank. I just wanted to check and see how you’re enjoying you new RV? So I tell him and of course I could tell this isn’t the crap he wanted to hear. Also I tell him how almost everyone said it was his fault. So he says I should get a call from Randy Roy or something like that, didn’t catch the last name. He says he needs to hear about this.

 Still waiting for that call.

 I’ve had possession of the unit 4 days out of over 4 weeks.

 From what I know, and everyone else in NY State, you cannot put plates on a vehicle without insurance. You act as an arm of the DMV and plates where put on this thing without any. I am wondering if I should report this to the DMV if this is how things work there. Can you even imagine the chaos and problems this could cause someone if there was an accident? In addition to the emotional stress this could have caused it could have meant financial ruin for us.

I am so disappointed in Camping World.

I did everything I was asked about. You have not met one goal. 

Whomever reads this at Camping World should be appalled that even half of this happened.