# Why do people put up with it?



## Annsman (Nov 8, 2007)

After reading some threads and topics on this and other forums, not to mention magazines about motorhoming, I end up wondering why do some people put up with shoddy service from dealers, vans which are plainly not fit for purpose or have several minor defects? Virtually to a man, or person, they all end up feeling sorry for the dealers, or say it's "not the dealers fault, but...."

We actually spent an hour one day last year on a CL site, explaining how a motorhome works to someone who'd driven away from the dealers in a brand new van and not had a hand over. The salesman had told them that because there were many layouts of motorhomes and he wasn't familiar with theirs it would be best if they just asked someone on a site about it, and they'd talk them through things! He'd also not bothered to tell them there was no gas cylinder in the locker either! Yet the guy and his wife, when I said how disgraceful this was, both made excuses that the salesman did have a point and he was busy because he had three other people picking up vans that morning!

People have problems with vans not reversing, rain getting in, stuff not working, bits missing, internal fittings hanging off, equipment ordered not being fitted and all manner of defects and their first point of call seems to be a forum site or magazine to ask, "What should I do about.....?

It's not a criticism of anyone in particular just a question about human gulability/tolerance and what we'll put up with before facing up a salesman.


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## tonyt (May 25, 2005)

Because we're British and don't like to make a fuss.

Or, put another way - because we're stupid.


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## BillCreer (Jan 23, 2010)

More than forty years ago I worked in a garage where the Head Salesman told me something that surprised me. 
He said that when the majority of punters come in to buy a car they only want the Salesman to tell good things about the car as they have already sold it to themselves and only someone to reinforce their excellent choice. They were quit often offended when small defects were pointed out.
If you extend that logic then the same punters, at a later date, will be reluctant to see any fault in their purchase.
We might not like it but most of us a capable of that sort of twisted thinking.
Ted was a nice bloke with a fantstic sense of humor.


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## 100127 (Jul 20, 2006)

Breaking News................The word gullible has been removed from the dictionary to protect new motorhomers.


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Vans*

Hi

I am not sure sometimes what to think.

I have a very good handover from Paul @ Richard Baldwin with the first van a few years ago, and again from Cleveland with the next one.

I have looked in the last couple of months at offerings from Swift, Autotrail and Dethleffs, and I would be happy to simply drive away and use the thing. A lot of that comes with experience etc.

I also wonder how many customers though close their ears on handover, keen to just getaway and get on the road.

Russell


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## RichardnGill (Aug 31, 2006)

We have had 2 new vans now,

the first one had a lot of jobs that needed doing which should have been done on the PDI, but I doubt one was even done.

The second van was almost perfect.

I would rather get the money the dealer get for a PDI and do it myself.


Richard...


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## Alanvm (Jan 6, 2009)

Hi

When we picked up our Motorhome from West Country Motorhomes at their Swindon branch, every thing was explained to us, and checked to make sure every thing operated correct, also all the paper work checked through. this was our first Motorhome.

The handover lasted well over 2 hours, I thought this was a standard procedure, but after reading some of the threads on the forum I can see this is not the case.

Alan


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

well a point of call is the forum

the 1st is the dealer

our van is going back to the dealer to sort out all the problems now the holidays are over

I think we are all gullible to some extent, we live and learn and that applies to ALL of us We are not new motor homers but have never bought a new van before 

but I'll know more when it comes out the second time

I suppose that's what disappoints me, there is nothing major wrong with the van and all things could have been identified and dealt with
prior to our arranged pickup.

Perhaps they had forgotten that we were picking up the van hence nothing done,we certainly had to hang around a long time.


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## tonyt (May 25, 2005)

Now don't assume all dealers do a PDI!

The last, and only, new mh I bought some years ago from a dealer who, when asked why they hadn't picked up several major issues at PDI, stated "We (Cranham) don't do PDIs - it's done at Autosleepers"

.......... and gullible me just took it in!

Never new again, NEVER anything from Cranham and just a tad more reactive when given such a pathetic excuse.


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

its the good old British attitude of " Now dont make a fuss dear" that dealerships rely on a lot of the time. 

Its probably a lot cheaper to do nothing to any vehicles and then put right the few problems that people bother to return with than it is to go over each vehicle with a fine tooth comb. 

A lot of people will travel hundreds of miles to buy a MH, it then becomes uneconomical to return to the dealership with a few niggling faults isnt it?? End result, dealer wins, knowing full well its unlikely that you will be returning for your next purchase. and you lose out either way!! Either it costs you a fortune in fuel and time to return to get the fault(s) sorted OR you pay someone closer to do the work !!!


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Mrplodd,

probably true

but we bought local, got that bit right! :lol: :lol: :lol:

aldra


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Van has been back to dealer and things put right apart from a couple of things that need to be ordered from adria-- missing corner cap on bed and led light in kitchen

thats the advantage of local
Aldra


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Same thinking*

Same thinking can be applied to a lot of things in life.

Just as well some of us don't get too grumpy about every single glitch in life.

Do you get a full tutoring of how to use the operating system when you go away from the shop with your new PC?. No, you learn as you go along.

TM


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

Since I retired no one 'gets away' with it now. I have the time and patience to wear down the opposition.  

To some I may appear as a daft old pensioner, but to others I'm a Crusader fighting for my, and their, rights. :lol: 

A Citroen garage in Winchester even has me down on their mailing list as 'Mr Paine' :lol: :lol:


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

tonyt said:


> The last, and only, new mh I bought some years ago from a dealer who, when asked why they hadn't picked up several major issues at PDI, stated "We (Cranham) don't do PDIs - it's done at Autosleepers"
> 
> .......... and gullible me just took it in!


You may well be gullible Tony, but that occasion the dealer was saying the truth! :lol:

For quite a while the PDI was indeed done by Autosleepers.

I'm generally very pleased with Autosleepers and their products, but the quality of their PDIs did not represent their finest hour, I have to say! 8O 8O

Dave


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Part of it*



Spacerunner said:


> Since I retired no one 'gets away' with it now. I have the time and patience to wear down the opposition.
> 
> To some I may appear as a daft old pensioner, but to others I'm a Crusader fighting for my, and their, rights. :lol:
> 
> A Citroen garage in Winchester even has me down on their mailing list as 'Mr Paine' :lol: :lol:


Think you have hit the nail on the head there. Having the time is a big part of complaining or dealing with them.

I think rogue companies relay on the fact that a lot of people will simply give up chasing or following up after complaints. I do believe that is what Volkswagen Customer Service and their Franchisees are actually trained to do.

TM


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## rangitira (Feb 17, 2011)

Alanvm said:


> Hi
> 
> When we picked up our Motorhome from West Country Motorhomes at their Swindon branch, every thing was explained to us, and checked to make sure every thing operated correct, also all the paper work checked through. this was our first Motorhome.
> 
> ...


Same thing happened to us, another dealer tho, we thought it was never going to end!


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## stewartwebr (May 27, 2005)

Unfortunately, most of us put up with it because we have no other choice. We have parted with our hard earned cash by the time we find the defect.

I must agree with Russ, having owned quite a few motorhomes, when it comes to handover I always seem to feel I know more about the van than the salesman doing the handover.

Perhaps this is because I'm a bit of a geek and love to read up on the van and all it's functions before I collect it. It adds to the excitment of a new van.

Im currently studying the manual for my new Burstner Elegance i821

Stewart


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## IanA (Oct 30, 2010)

We picked our MH up from the dealers - Stewart Mouland - and had a complete explanation of everything - they told us it would take between 1-2 hours and they were right, it did. We also have the paperwork which is extremely daunting, but the handover was excellent.


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## Techno100 (May 8, 2010)

After almost a year of owning our first privately bought motorhome and an MHF member for over a year now. I would strongly advise anyone who is buying to take someone with you who knows a thing or two if you are the least bit not sure about what you're actually buying.
This can reinforce any questions you need to ask and be a prompt for anything that's not been explained that ought to have been.
It's a jungle out there and if you work as a team the lions wont get you :wink:


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

My tuppence worth.

There are good dealers and bad dealers. 

The good dealers make an effort to ensure that their customers are satisfied. The bad dealers don't really care as it's a growing market and they don't have to depend on repeat business.

Good or bad most dealers will say pretty much anything to close a sale or get a problem to go away.

Most dealers are somewhere in the middle, let's say mediocre. 

Most of the vans they sell come from factories where quality control is not a high priority, in fact in may cases I wonder whether there is any because we see known problems crop up again and again.

Generally the industry is amateurish but that is not restricted to motorhomes, boats are probably worse.

That's the way it is and it won't change unless the customer drives the change. That is unlikely to happen as most of us don't really want to be difficult. Most dealers who encounter a customer who expects everything to work and to perform it's function adequately will consider that customer to be a moaner, Alan.


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## kaacee (Nov 29, 2008)

Alanvm said:


> Hi
> 
> When we picked up our Motorhome from West Country Motorhomes at their Swindon branch, every thing was explained to us, and checked to make sure every thing operated correct, also all the paper work checked through. this was our first Motorhome.
> 
> ...


I would concur with this, we picked up our first motorhome from Westcountry Motor Homes at Brent Knoll, and Simon explained everything to us over a period of about 2 hours, even then we forgot some of things he told us, but a quick phone call and he went through it again to make sure we were ok.

First class service.

Keith


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## Losos (Oct 28, 2009)

Annsman said:


> After reading some threads and topics on this and other forums, not to mention magazines about motorhoming, I end up wondering why do some people put up with shoddy service from dealers, vans which are plainly not fit for purpose or have several minor defects?


I agree, *the UK motorhome industry is a nightmare*, the only reason I drove away was because the firm doing my conversion (They are in Yeovil but of course I'm not allowed to mention their name) had delayed and delayed, it was six months after they should have finished and my wife was ill and I needed to get the 700 miles back to her.

I have been gradualy ripping out most of what they did and the other muppets (Just outside Taunton) who made such a mess of my electrics. *I have vowed to only go to German or French motorhome dealers from now on*, I believe that because the UK motorhome industry is so totally unregulated *they can get away with anything.*

People who are unhappy could write a letter to all the banks in the area saying that the bank should *not* lend them any money or extend their overdraft, I have done this with the crooks in Yeovil and Taunton, five banks so far and will be writing more as time goes on, as the recession bites *I hope that they will eventually go into liquidation*.


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## Losos (Oct 28, 2009)

erneboy said:


> Generally the industry is amateurish but that is not restricted to motorhomes, boats are probably worse.


OMG are you serious :?: if you are I'm glad I never got into boats :lol: but you are right, the indistry is unregulated, and training is non existant. The guy now running the firm in Yeovil had never seen a MH before June of last year and tried to tell me a three ring gas hob was the same as a two ring one :roll:


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