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Topic: Factory Service (Read 2355 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: Factory Service

Reply #20 –
Very similar to when we had the front cap on our 2003 U320 replaced. Took a little less than a year and ran about $84K. Fun times.

Re: Factory Service

Reply #21 –
I had talked to someone that said it took almost a year to get his new coach from the time he placed the order with the dealer.

I am going to bet they are short handed.

I know on their front banner they have a help wanted sign.  Just like every other business these days.

In our business we are short about 6 service people.  We have ads everywhere.  If one comes in to fill out an application most do not have any experience in what we do.  When one comes in with some experience we offer them what they are asking. They say  they will take the job and when the day comes for them to show up, they don't.  My wife yesterday said she remembered the day when we use to put  an ad in the new paper and had ton's of applicants.

Re: Factory Service

Reply #22 –
Spent a week at the factory at the ladies driving school a few years ago,mostly hung around the shops most of the time,no way they make a coach every 5 days,it's a moot point but it's a longer time frame.

Re: Factory Service

Reply #23 –
For what it's worth last fall I talked with a truck driver who was delivering Spartan chassis to the FOT factory. He told me he was delivering 4 to 6 chassis a week. Production must be high as I don't believe they would be stockpiling all those chassis.
I also talked to a couple who just took delivery on a new Realm. They said the lead time from placing their order was almost a year. Obviously business is good.

Re: Factory Service

Reply #24 –
Now another month has passed and my coach which was to be in the Fiberglass shop is still there. Next is paint that they have billed and been paid for 80 hours of work. After that its back to the service shop for finishing work. The service adviser said that it might be July before they call me to come and get it. Unbelievable. I think they use the squeaky wheel theory there knowing that I live 1550 miles away from their location. I think they are risking their supposedly great reputation by not supplementing the repair shops with factory workers until they get the backlog taken care of. HANGING IN HERE. My prayers are for the people of Uvalde.

Re: Factory Service

Reply #25 –
Think some of the problem is finding people who want to work and can.

Re: Factory Service

Reply #26 –
Well folks. Here is an update. My coach finally made it out of paint and is now back at service having all things installed. Tomorrow is Labor Day. I may be able to get it in October. If so then the coach will have been at the factory for one year. The total of the accident  Will have cost my insurance co just about $100k. The accident was my fault for not pulling off the road sooner. I would have to have blocked one lane of I81 to have stopped on the road and I thought I could get to the exit. Wrong. We were not physically injured. Many blessings can be counted but it sure has been a long year without the coach. Hopefully the repair is first rate. Nearly 330 hours of labor billed but a year to complete? I have questions that they cannot answer. Covid , lack of workers, backlog of work, parts ordered but long delivery times. Surely the owners of the company do not suffer when a customer has to wait. In the meantime sales are better than ever. I was in the human service industry for 50 years and never forgot that the customer needed prompt service. Takeaway from this. If you have a big wreck you may want to sell the wreck and purchase another coach. We can earn more money but we cannot replace lost time. But most of all don't have a wreck. Lol

Re: Factory Service

Reply #27 –
Quote from: bpperk –
Well folks. Here is an update. My coach finally made it out of paint and is now back at service having all things installed. Tomorrow is Labor Day. I may be able to get it in October. If so then the coach will have been at the factory for one year. The total of the accident  Will have cost my insurance co just about $100k. The accident was my fault for not pulling off the road sooner. I would have to have blocked one lane of I81 to have stopped on the road and I thought I could get to the exit. Wrong. We were not physically injured. Many blessings can be counted but it sure has been a long year without the coach. Hopefully the repair is first rate. Nearly 330 hours of labor billed but a year to complete? I have questions that they cannot answer. Covid , lack of workers, backlog of work, parts ordered but long delivery times. Surely the owners of the company do not suffer when a customer has to wait. In the meantime sales are better than ever. I was in the human service industry for 50 years and never forgot that the customer needed prompt service. Takeaway from this. If you have a big wreck you may want to sell the wreck and purchase another coach. We can earn more money but we cannot replace lost time. But most of all don't have a wreck. Lol
Ill be in Nacogdoches tomorrow if you want me to check on your coach or send you some pictures.
 

Re: Factory Service

Reply #28 –
He
Quote from: bpperk –
If you have a big wreck you may want to sell the wreck and purchase another coach. We can earn more money but we cannot replace lost time. But most of all don't have a wreck. Lol
It sounds like a horror story. Thanks for sharing. The liability is always in the back of my mind, kinda takes the wind out of the sails. I will follow your advice. Ive never owned anything that was so needy yet so rewarding and I guess I should say fragile. Most importantly no one was hurt and coaches can be repaired or replaced. So true time slips by.
Scott