Complaint Review: Lazy Days RV Super Center

On June 20, 2005 my wife and I entered the Lazy Days Super RV Center. We were greeted by the receptionist who promptly called up a salesman out of the bin next to her reception area.

His name is Harold Harmon. He took us into his office and go a feel for what we may be looking for.

We told him we wanted to look at a used unit becasue we did not want to buy our FIRST rv new and have the value drop as soon as we left the parking lot. He agreed and out we went through the 'free food kitchen dining hall' area and up the ramp to the waiting 100 or so golf carts.

We proceed to go across several parking lots to the used units. We wanted to look at two types, Class C and Class A. Harmon stated to us that a class C was more difficult to see the scenery versus a Class A. We talked about it and decided to take a look at the A's.

He drove us around and we went in and out of several units.

We went into a 36 foot 1999 Class A Monaco Lapalma.

Now the temperature outside was about 89' and humid. In fact, someone came around and offered water to all the folks looking at motor homes that day. The heat factor was very high.

As we entered this coach, I did smell something not very appealing. Harmon opened the windows and said the black water tanks had not been dumped. Other than that, as newbies to the motorhome industry, the unit looked, repeat looked clean. It had 28,000 miles on it and it was a one owner coach.

We took it out for a drive around the area, highway, back road and back to the lot. Harmon could not understand why the unit was in the lot. The tanks at least were supposed to be emptied. As we drove it the back windows and ceiling vents were opened to lessen the affect re: the smell.

When we came back and parked the unit we brought it to the salesmans attention there were a lot of ants in the cowel area; that the wrap around curtain showed signs of being wet on the drivers side; that the rug by the drivers side was soiled like it had been rained on.

From the rear wheels to the back bumper under the unit there were long areas of rust coming off the unit. I requested that Lazydays (LD) take a good look at this area and if it poised a safety issue I would not buy the unit. If not then I wanted it undercoated. Harmon said that could be done without any problem.

By the way the Harmon told us about the 180 point or 150 point preparation program that the company service personnel go through before you pick up the unit. Any issues will be taken cared of immediately.

We were convinced by the salesman that this was 'an unusual situation.' Three words we kept hearing through out our tenue with this outfit.

When we sat down to negotiate the price we made an offer which I thought was what I could handle and Harmon went to his salesmanager at that time and without any haggling, they agreed to the deal. I now know it was too easy.

We were led to one slaughter pen, the financial and insurance area. We waited a long time, in fact went to a free lunch I can't remember if we signed the deal before or after lunch, but LD gives everyone a free breakfast and free lunch.

One other thing, which I now feel is a big come on, is every employee seems tooooo friendly, like they all go to revival meetings under the 'Your important to us' banner.

We are now in the financial area signing papers to set financing. We purchased the Mechanical Protection Plan $ 3150.00; Tire Guard $400.00 and Gap waiver $495.00 in addition to the cost of the unit including sales tax.

That process took over two hours.

They said they could have the unit ready by July 15 there abouts and I said I could not pick up the unit until August 8. I work and could not get the time off until then. Everyone said that would be ok. Your unit will be ready to sleep in for one or two nights on site to get the bugs out, walk around and list any issues they may have missed in the 150-180 point prep. program.

We live in Massachusetts. I have waited over twenty years to buy a motorhome. With all the literature out there it seems that LD was the best place to pick up a unit. They represent a lot of major brands and they have a lot of bays to take care of just about every situation. HA>>>>

One week before picking up the unit, I called Harmon on his cell phone and he said he would check to make sure the unit would be ready. He was going away for a week or so at a dealer training thing the week I was picking up the unit. I called him 7 days ahead of time and he said for me to call him Friday August 5. I called him on Aug 5 and he said everything was fine, the unit was prepped and ready to go. Come on down.

Prior to picking up the unit we purchased a new mattress and other items to be shipped to the customer service tech to hold for us. His name was David Bailey. I was in touch with him a few times to coordinate the arrival of the items.

Now it begins....We arrive August 8, 2005, a Monday. We came right from the airport. The cab fair came to about $50.00 LD paid us for that cab fare. Harmon told us they would. We went to the reception area and waited, and waited and waited. Over one hour later a young service adviser came over to us and said they could not find the unit. Repeat, they could not find the unit....

She apologized and said she would come back shortly....After some time she came back and said that the unit was out being undercoated and that it was not listed in the computer as leaving the SUPER CENTER....

We met with Ken Schielka, Service Manager and the sales Manager I've forgotten his name, I think the last name was Agee.

Needless to say I was upset...Schielka said the unit is expected back on Wed. I said that wasn't good enough becasue we had plans to travel north to do some things other than sitting in the lot for three days. They had to give us a couple more days to sleep in the unit and list any issues etc. We would not leave until Friday...That was unacceptable I said.

I then stated I want to get my money back or look at another unit. They both said ok. They then gave me to Joe Coupas, I nice guy, who started to look through the 'large inventory' and we began talking about a few units when the sales manager came in and said they could not give us our money back or work out a deal regarding a different unit. My wife and I talked about it and decided to see how long this whole thing would take.

They did not have answers but said they would pay for a rental car, pay for the hotel and to come back in the am to talk to Dave Bailey. He will be back from vacation then.

The next day we came back did some things took the driver training program and after that we waited and waited and waited. We went next door to Camping World...those prices are high even with the discount....

On Wednesday, the unit was back in the pm and we went to it...I immediately went to the rear of the unit and guess what folks, the undercoating was not done.

I went back to see Bailey and he could not believe it. The company is one mile down the street. The owner has worked woth LD for many years and as the 'story' goes his sone was in charge while the owner was on vacation for a week and I guess nothing got done.

It is now Thursday and the unit comes back. Well the undercoating covering was very thin, like someone took a spray can to it...I let it go...

The unit was sprayed with Armoral on the tires and yes folks on the steps leading into the unit. Well have you ever seen armoral on rugs.... The curtain was still soiled so wasn't the rug.

As we began to settle in a mechanic came and said the circuit breaker on the generator needs to be replaced; The tv antenna unit was jammed; Both awnings did not close properly; The propane was not filled; there were not convection racks and no filter over the stove.

We reported these items to Bailey along with many other items even before we had our first nights sleep.

It's now Friday the 12th of August and we have a walk around by some so called expert who insist on telling us to look up any issues in the manual that came with the motorhome. He went through the unit so fast we could hardly take notes...He was lousy...

We complained to Bailey and another gentelman came by and went much slower and answered most of our questions.

We awake and take advantage of the 'free' breakfast and go to see Bailey first thing to tell him what else is wrong with the unit.

We said the water pump 'still' goes on automatically 1-3 times per hour.

I went to turn on the directionals and they did not work....Right then and there I felt this outfit did not do their 150-18- prep check.. If they did they would have found out all these things especially the burnt bulb in the directionals.

In addition, the flashers were going very slow...which tells me the batteries may be low....

Bailey had the unit brought over to the bay...The anaimal who drove it over must have been upset because all our things went flying all over the place...I could see some of them leaving the couch area but the closets that had items in them being secured as they were were tossed all about...

Anyway I asked Bailey to make sure the flasher worked, that the air pressure in all the tires were up to the 80 lb level..

I even went to the bay to talk to the service guy, which was ok to do by Bailey, and he said he checked the tires, replaced the buld and rplaced the ripped windshield wipers,,,I gues the guy chekcing out the unit must have missed the windshield blades....both were ripped apart....

August 13, 2005 we finally leave 6 days after we were scheduled to pick up the unit.

We are on our way...twenty long years coming to fruition....ha...we get 163.5 miles up rte 95 and two, ya 2, inside rear tires blow...I have the pictures.

It's 90' with a heat factor of 104 and we pull off the highway and call LD and Joe Coupas said he could not do anything for us, but after working things out with Good Sam, WE DID NOT HAVE EMergency service by Good Sam, just the regular membership, they assisted us in getting someone out to change the tires.

The company who changed the tires gave us two size 240's instead of 245's,,,which I learned about much later when you read the rest of the story.

The cost to my credit card including labor $797.00 there abouts.

We headed north and I received a call from Ken Schielka once a gave a call the the President of the company Don Wallace. Ken said they would pay for the tires and they did once I got home...I alos made them pay for the motel we stayed at up the road...We were both exhausted...heat and all..

We get home 1545 miles later...I thought about it and decided to take the unit to another RV dealer Marty's RV Center in Berkley Mass where it sits today...

I had them go right through the unit and here is what they found:

Over $8000.00 worth of damages and/or issues:

The steering box leaks in two places Pictures taken

It needs shocks all around

The front rotors are shredding

There are chekc valve issues, shut off valve issues, water strainer issues

roof needs to be resealed,,,remember the wet curtain and rug...guess what....

both house batteries should be replaced there are two different batteries in the unit...wires to the batteries need to be replaced...they are corroded...also issue with breaker and battery disconnect

awning spring assembly needs to be worked on.

2 hub assy chassis issues that alone is and $1105.00 job

Front end alignment should be done after steering box is installed.

The generator, remember that issue at LD, well it had to be repaired

Lastly remember the two tires that blew on me and were replaced,,,wellllll the replacements were the wrong size...by right all tires should be the same size and inflated to the tire pressure the manufacturer recommends...

The long and short of this is that Lazydays, Becky Noake, Don Wallaces spokesperson, says that Lazydays will agree to $2579.00 of the above issues...HOWEVER, get this since it is being done by another dealer they will only pay 50% of the $2579.00 = $1289.87.

I have sent a survey card to Wallace along with a lengthy lette similar to this one and I received a call from Ms. Noake that Mr. Wallace will on ly pay $1289.87.

I've done some research and have found from others that this is a common issue with buyers at Lazydays.

There is no question in my mind that there is no prep program and LD...

I wish I had the ability to talk to anyone buying a motorhome for the first time especially from lazydays....I think the industry is not really regulated and I am trying to find a way to help others so they will be able to reduce their risk from the beginning...Every dog has its day.........



Richard
Dracut, Massachusetts
U.S.A.