Forest River, Glenn Gregory, Andy Farmer Refused to pay 5200.00 invoice for authorized warranty work, ripped off small business that repaired their substandard trailer. Elkhart Indiana
On 5/29/12 Ellis Latalois brought his Forest River Continental Cargo trailer into my shop, Good Shepherd RV Repair, in Breaux Bridge, LA. The trailer was still under warranty. Let me add that we are an authorized warranty service center because based on my excellent reputation and having many customer that own Forest River campers, Forest River contacted me and asked me to become one. I was contacted by Alex Ortiz, Forest River Waco Texas, who asked me for to prepare an estimate to remove and replace 8 panels and informed me the customary labor per panel charge was 2 hours. I inspected the trailer and prepared an estimate for 1608.26. Alex told me that if the labor took longer than two hours, we would reevaluate.
Over the course of the trailer repair, I had many conversations with Alex Ortiz. During one such conversation, I told him that I would need to take two sheets to a machine shop to have four corners bent and hvae light holes cut out. Alex agreedt o the cost of the machine work of 346.00. Alex had the 8 sheets of replacement metal sent to me in July and I began working on it. A couple fo weeks later I called to speak with Alex and was told he no longer worked there and that Glenn Gregory would be handeling the warranty work in the future.
I told Glenn that I had found 6 more damaged panels with peeling powder coat, that would only leave two panels on the trailer that we hadn't changed. He told me to just go ahead and change them all. He sent 8 more panels and we changed them all.
While changing the remaining panels, I found rot around the door and Glenn to me to repair it. He also sent me sealant for the outside panels. We spoke on numerous occasions about the work that had been done on this trailer and the amount of the work left to do. Glenn never mentioned the initial estimate, which he had, the machine work or the cost of the work he was authorizing.
When the work was completed, Glenn told me he was waiting on my final invoice so that he could get me paid.....his words. I faxed him an invoice and Glenn told me to release the trailer to the customer and he would put a check in the mail. I let the customer take the trailer>>>HUGE mistake.
Forest River never sent payment for any of the work I did on that trailer. They ripped me off!!! I am still shocked. I completely rebuilt the shoddy trailer the manufactured and they didn't pay a dime for it. The customer has what they thought they had purchased initially and Forest River ripped me off over 5K.
When I sent them a demand for payment letter, they called my customer who had authorized warranty work in my shop and told them to take their campers somewhere else. One of my customers was standing next to me in my shop when they called him. They refuse to send me parts and are trying to hurt my business because I stood up to them and refuse to let them run over me just because I'm a small business
2 Updates & Rebuttals
Bellard
Breaux Bridge,Louisiana,
Forest River Update
#3Author of original report
Mon, January 05, 2015
To update my earlier post, after obtaining an attorney, Forest River did pay the $5286.00 outstanding invoice plus my attorney fees. The outline of the situation I posted on this site, was accurate and I can assure you that Forest River would not have paid the invoice or attorney fees had they not been forced to do so. As far as this rebuttel regarding Glen Gregory, at no time did I say he was responsible for the invoice not being paid. I did state that Glen approved the final invoice total for payment and told me to release the trailer to the customer. Glenn was a pleasure to deal with and I am sure he is over-worked and under supported. It is my opinion that the decision to not pay came from higher up and Glenn got stuck in the middle. But the facts remain the same. I submitted an estimate on this job at Forest River's request. I documented and submitted pictures of the additional damage and rot I found after removing the exterior panels and on three seperate occasions they shipped replacement panels and approved the additional labor required to do the work. There is nothing "fishy" regarding the issue. Forest River paid the invoice and attorney fees because the situation was exactly as I had stated in my previous post and after much back and forth between my attorney and theirs, they knew I had all the necessary documentation to win in court. I am glad that you have such an excellent working relationship with Forest River but I do resent your implication that I am not telling the truth about my experience or that I am leaving something out. I have been in business almost ten years and my business, Good Shepherd RV, is the prefferred repair facility in the Lafayette Louisiana area for most major insurance companies. I also do extensive work for all major Extended Warranty Companies, am an authorized warranty repair facility for Norcold, Dometic, Coleman, Surburban and Tiffin to name a few. I have a solid reputation due to my integrity, the quality of work performed at my facility and my ten years in business. I have never been sued and this is the only occasion I have found it necessary to pursue legal action against anyone.
Tailgate Captain
Elgin,Texas,
Glen Gregory
#3Consumer Comment
Mon, January 05, 2015
On this report of "Ripoff" by Forest River in regards to a shop doing work and being not being paid, I have input that I believe is pertenant to the issue. I am a "customizer" of cargo trailers for recreational uses. I have been dealing with Forest River for well over a year now. I have had some issue with the "Sales" department, not returning calls despite driving to Waco and requesting the Sales Person to inquire from management on my company's behalf and telling me they would be in touch. I drove back to get my answer, not the one I wanted, but had to drive back to get any kind of one. So, I understand not getting in contact there with some staff members. However, I see Glen Gregory's name here and basically being attacked and labeled as some kind of con-man. I can say, without a doubt, that Glen Gregory is an excellent Parts and Service Manager, and if there is a ball being dropped, I sincerely doubt it has anything to do with Glen Gregory. In EVERY situation I have dealt with Glen, he has been both prompt and extremely helpful, more than willing to go above and beyond in helping me to solve my issue, whatever it is. He is one man doing a very big job and I have been there and seen him working, so it is understandable he doesn't sit at a desk all day and answer phone calls. Maybe he should be given more help, maybe the management is keeping cost down and asking him to hussle more than he would like, but he does it.
I can honestly say after reading this report, having MY experience with Forest River, Waco, that I definitely know that if this is true, Glen Gregory is the last person that should be pointed out as "ripping anyone off". If Glen said he would get you a check out, he did what he had to do I can assure you to see that it happened. And in my experience, both in business and with Forest River specifically, I have to doubt this Rip Off Report on Forest River is accurate. I can believe there is an issue here, and I'm willing to believe the shop may not have been paid. But the "why" is suspect to me. I have had complete ease working with Glen Gregory and Service at Forest River. I know that with me, they have stood behind everything I needed them to, and then some! I'm very confident in doing business with Forest River, even though I may not always get the answers I "want", Service is absolutely no problem. I have to believe there is more to this story than what is being stated. I just can't see, based on what I know and have experienced, that Forest River would not pay a shop if they said they would. If they haven't, there is an issue we are not being told about. I can say to me, $5,200.00 seems high for a trailer "rebuild", but we don't know all the facts, just what is being told on this one side. I will be asking Glen next time we talk about this, and may have an update to the story at that time. For now, something is fishy if ask me. Thanks.