Newmar Factory Pickup (FPU/CPU) and Dealer Deliveries

[RKins]

@Jabber Jaw I understand your perceived value but you paid for it. Tech training for a few days and maybe the Newgle intro - worth a few grand - agreed? Finding problems with the coach and you're paying for the time is absurd - should have been found in QC. I can't imagine the condition that the coaches are in when they arrive at the dealer.

 

[Jabber Jaw]

@Jabber Jaw I understand your perceived value but you paid for it. Tech training for a few days and maybe the Newgle intro - worth a few grand - agreed? Finding problems with the coach and you're paying for the time is absurd - should have been found in QC. I can't imagine the condition that the coaches are in when they arrive at the dealer.

Dealers are paid to perform "PDI" on each coach and find and fix any issues! If they did, there would be many fewer issues for the "buyer"! Most fill out the forms, submit for payment, and do little or nothing! So the "buyer" suffers and the nightmare stories begin. I totally agree the issues should be caught in "QC" at production. Real world, they don't! Car, truck, RV, boat, even houses are plagued by lack of follow up and fixing!
So, in my case, I used the "COU" to help eliminate the issues.
If I can avoid the Dealership for any work, I will, as most are woefully inefficient! Sad, but true!

 

[Neal]

I had a "significant to me" issue at FPU and it probably would have taken months in a dealership to figure out and the frustration probably would have ruined my desire to own an RV. While at FPU the coach wouldn't cool, things would load shed, the heatpump wouldn't heat properly, lights were flickering. Long story short the coach was only seeing 30A when plugged in to 50A. Now we go "yeah, you're only getting one leg" but I didn't know that and it took two days for Newmar to realize that. Then it was some electrical fix somewhere and all was well. To me I would have been camping and being pissed that things didn't work well and hated the experience. FPU saved my RV future! Another situation was my tech noticed something not sounding right in a furnace fan in the half bath. To me I thought "it works, good enough for me" but wasn't for him and no I didn't say that. He heard vibration and sure enough a blade in the fan was broken. The furnace assembly was replaced. That's invaluable to me, yeah, I'm paying for my own QA but it is worth it so I can enjoy my coach in the end. My dealer at home doesn't answer the phone nor call back unless you're talking to sales. They are the worst! (McGeorge's in Ashland, VA).

 

[Jabber Jaw]

I had a slide ramp issue! Newmar "tech's", 3 of them got together and came up with a fix. The "ramp plate was removed and the approach angle had to be adjusted, actually 3 times to get it correct. No way would the local dealer get it figured out, much less know how to fix it!
And like Neal said, I'd probably have a ruined RV experience. Knowing my temperament, I'd go off if being neglected by a Dealer! So, I guess I saved my blood pressure & coronary issues, and maybe a couple days in the local "slammer"!?

 

[AbdRahim]

Merry Christmas to all.

JabberJaw, Since you metioned showering and making coffee, Were you able to sanitize the water FW system at Newmar?

Also, how do you get your old coach back to the dealer?

 

[Jabber Jaw]

Merry Christmas to all.

JabberJaw, Since you metioned showering and making coffee, Were you able to sanitize the water FW system at Newmar?

Also, how do you get your old coach back to the dealer?

Newmar does all of that in preparation for delivery!
So no, I didn't, as it was already done!

 

[AbdRahim]

Do they drive your old coach to the dealer after you are moved out?

 

[Jabber Jaw]

Do they drive your old coach to the dealer after you are moved out?

I had no coach with me. But. it is the owner's responsibility to move/remove their other coach. That's my opinion, others may know better than me.

 

[Akdare]

I will have sold my coach before going to Nappanee. Unpacking it now, and will put everything into our Jeep Gladiator to drive to Indiana. We don’t full-time, so we’ve got a garage to store stuff in before we go.

 

[Joe Hogan]

We opted for a factory delivery. The RV had been gone through by the assigned tech. We found a few items that were addressed and received a significant education on the proper operation of systems. (not a salesman quick elevator speech). Also we customized some items to our liking, no extra charge.

The most valuable time was at the Factory Service department annual service for warranty work. After tha RV has been used for a year many items that are covered show up. These items show only after some use and would not exist at time of delivery.
We spent a week in Napanee as the Newmar Craftsman repaired, refined and improved upon the CanyonStar design. One item, very specific to my model, was a door motor mount for the ramp door needed to have its mounting surface reinforced. The fix was to disassemble the door frame and install a proper reinforcement as they might do on the factory assembly floor then reassemble the door and frame. This took the better part of a full work day. No charge to me. No dealer would touch this type of repair or, in the vast majority of cases, be competent to do it correctly.
This is a demonstration of why I purchased a Newmar and the value of the Factory Service center. BTW the doors works fine today.

Is this an expensive option, yes. In my opinion, as a new RV owner, it is worth the money, yes.