RV action line

Manufacturer product support after a sale is critical in maintaining good customer rapport. This attitude also attracts future clients, as well as bringing former satisfied buyers back again and again. Following are three letters concerning what ultimately turned out to be a rewarding experience for one reader Unfortunately, it did not begin that way, as reflected in his original complaint letter to "RV Action Line." He wrote:

In August 1996, I purchased a 1997 Alpenlite fifth-wheel trailer that came equipped with a roof rack and ladder assembW manufactured by Topline. At the same time, I bought a bicycle rack, also made by Topline, which was designed to attach to the ladder at the rear of the trailer

En route to a weekend campout in August 1997, the ladder's side rails failed and caused the rung connection to shear away where the bike rack was attached. As a result, two-thirds of the bottom portion of the ladder disintegrated, which also caused the bicycles and rack to fall to the highway.

I made several calls and finally ended up talking to Tom Graffy, CEO of Topline. After much discussion and debate, Mr Graffy agreed to send me a check for $291, which was the cost for a new ladder the bike rack and shipping charges to return the failed product. I agreed to bear the replacement costs of the bicycles, which seemed to be a fair deal.

Unfortunately, I later received a letter from Mr. Graffy stating that he was not going to honor the settlement that he had previously agreed to. I am disappointed in his change of decision and even more so that a company like Topline would not stand behind their product. As an added insult, I have also been stuck with $38 in shipping charges for returning the defective ladder mieces. which he reauested.

MICHAEL B. FISHER

HoUSToN, TEXAS

Topline's letter of response to Fisher:

In our previous conversation, I finally agreed to send you a check for $291, not as a Business decision, but in the interest of good customer relations. Before sending the money, however, I was forced to run the issue by our corporate attorneys.

Their response was an immediate "no way." They explained that sending this check would be a tacit admission that our product was defective. They also reminded me that all past demands, when investigated, proved to be caused by prior damage or misuse of our products.

I know you will be disappointed, but I must follow our corporate counsel's decision, which I must implement. Therefore, I cannot compensate you for your loss.

THoMAS E GRAFFY

PRESIDENT/CEO

TOPLINE MANUFACTURING INC.

PARAMOUNT, CALIFORNIA

Graffy's comments written in a letter to Fisher are quite interesting and pose new questions about the company, its products and philosophy of customer support. Question: Did Graffy's corporate legal wizards caution him that he had entered into a verbal contract with Fisher to reimburse him $291, which was further validated by Graffy's letter documenting said agreement? Question: Is it a 'tacit' indicator of Topline's product integrity and quality control when their ladder falls apart and rains shrapnel all over the highway? Just wondering.

As to the happy ending, which was promised earlier, the reader wrote a follow-up letter detailing a very generous gesture on the part of Alpenlite's president. It is probably also the reason that Alpenlite enjoys one of the best records of customer support and product popularity in the industry. Fisher's follow-up letter:

I am happy to inform you that Western RV, the manufacturer of my trailer responded to my concerns by sending me a check to cover the loss of the ladder, the bicycle rack and partial, but fair, compensation for my damaged bicycles. The company responded in a very timely and professional manner.

I am very pleased with my Alpenlite trailer and the excellent service I have experienced from Western RV and their local dealership here in Houston. They should be commended.

MRF

WEIGHT WATCHING

Overloading an RV can often result in negative repercussions that manifest themselves in many different ways. These consequences don't usually appear immediately, but have a way of cropping up later at the most inopportune moments and places imaginable. Overloading is also one of the biggest mistakes an RVer can make, and deserves continued discussion, such as the one that follows, so readers may learn from others' miscalculations.

I own a 1995 Dodge 2500HD 4WD pickup with automatic transmission and V-10 engine. It has a gross vehicle weight rating (gvwr) of 8,800 pounds and a curb weight of approximately 6,200 pounds.

I purchased a Veri-Lite truck camper with the understanding that it weighed 2,820 pounds. The first inclination that I had a problem was on a trip to Alaska in the mountains near Skagway. The right rear tire developed a large crack near the wheel rim. After replacing the tire, we proceeded on to Whitefish, Montana, where the other rear tire displayed the same problem. I have since replaced both tires with the highest load-rated tires I could find.

A dealer I spoke with said the original tires should have handled the weight of the truck and camper and suggested that maybe the unit weighed more than I thought it did. At that point, I weighed the camper and discovered it was 4,200 pounds, which also includes 475 pounds of extras such as an air conditioner, storm windows, awning, electric jacks and a roof pod.

Calculating the pounds I added aftermarket, this leaves the original weight of the camper at 3, 725 pounds, which is 32 percent above the information given in Veri-Lite's literature. My situation now is that I have a camper that is too heavy for me to safely use with my current truck. Because the camper was not represented correctly in the company's literature, If eel Veri-Lite has some obligation to help me solve my problem.

DAVID E. RUSCH

SPARTA, MISSOURI

We referred Rusch's complaint to Forest River Inc., the builders of his camper. Their version of the story is somewhat different, as reflected in their response:

We are sorry for Mr. Rusch's problems. However he made an independent decision to purchase his Dodge pickup with a gvwr of 8,800 pounds, a curb weight of 6,200 pounds and a net payload of approximately 2,600 pounds. Mr Rusch purchased a VeriLite Model 1160, which had a published base weight (without options added) of 2,820 pounds. This exceeded his truck's payload from the start by 220 pounds.

Installed in the camper, but not part of its base weight, were a large number of accessories as stated in Rusch's letter. Furthermore, he added even more pounds with aftermarket items such as a roof pod and large PVC storage cylinder.

Our company had the opportunity to weigh Mr. Rusch's camper when he visited our factory. However we were not allowed to remove or unload the substantial amount of camping gear, clothes, refrigerator items and other things stored throughout the coach. We also observed numerous items, including hand tools, chains and turnbuckles. Additionally, none of the fluidholding tanks had been emptied.

Based on our weighing of the camper we determined it to be 4,150 pounds, 855 pounds above the camper's rated dry weight with options of 3,295 pounds.

Veri-Lite publishes its product specifications as a guide that consumers should use in making decisions relevant to their camping lifestyles. It is the user's prerogative to add accessories and other options to enhance their camping enjoyment. However they must also consider the trade-offs associated with these decisions. Furthermore, campers can be equipped to weigh more than their published base weight with the addition of options and other accessories.

Regrettably, we at our factory have no control over decisions made by customers in which weight standards or manufacturer recommendations are exceeded by their own volition. Furthermore, we cannot accept responsibility for the impact these decisions may have on the performance of our vroducts.

MICHAEL L. MARTIN

GENERAL MANAGER, VERI-LITE DIVISION

FOREST RIVER INC.

GOSHEN, INDIANA

PRICEY ACCESS

Having difficulty obtaining a refund on a previously reserved campsite, a reader wrote "RV Action Line" with the following request:

Back in November 1997, my wife and I made reservations to stay at the Queen Valley RV Resort in Arizona. Amenities offered at the park included a computer club, which was especially appealing. We sent the required deposit of $250 and shortly received a confirmation with a space number I then contacted U.S. West Communications to make arrangements for a phone hookup.

After we checked in, I contacted an Internet provider but was informed they had no local access number. Furthermore, I was advised that I was going to have to pay long-distance charges of 10 cents per minute every time I dialed the company's nearest number

We then went to the park office to discuss our problem. The girl there told us that if we decided to leave, they would charge us for the one night we stayed and mail a refund for the remainder of our unused deposit. I realize it is not their fault that Internet service is not available, but having a computer club usually implies this fact.

I have sent both a letter and an e-mail to the park to see when they plan on returning our deposit. However it has been more than three months and they have not yet responded. To date, we are out more than $200 to Queen Valley RV Resort and $63 to U.S. Communications for only a one-day stay.

DEXTER FITZGERALD

AGUANGA, CALIFORNIA

Although it would have been nice if Queen Valley RV Resort would have made a goodwill compromise, Fitzgerald probably summed up the situation best when he indicated it was not the park's fault that they didn't have Internet access. Actually this access was available, just not at a price Fitzgerald was comfortable in paying. Be that as it may, we sent a letter to the resort for one last try on Fitzgerald's behalf. They replied:

In regard to your recent letter, it is the policy of our resort to only refund deposits when cancellation is due to an emergency or illness. Otherwise, we believe we have kept the requested lot vacant in good faith when we could have otherwise rented it.

SALLY K PHILLIPs

MANAGER

QUEEN VALLEY RV RESORT

QUEEN VALLEY ARIZONA TL

RV Action Line is a forum for resolution of conflicts between our readers and providers of goods and services. After you have exhausted all other resources without success, contact RV Action Line, by mail only, at 2575 Vista Del Mar, Ventura, California 93001. Please include copies of bills and correspondence, as well as a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

Copyright T L Enterprises, Inc. Aug 1998
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