Bypassing dealer and going to manufacturer for help.

[VXman]

Brand new Burstner bought in March has a number of problems - some minor others more major. The dealer is tardy. It's a pain constantly ringing him and I don't think they are doing much about it. Been back a few times (120 mile round trip) and a couple of minor things been fixed but 3 major ones just rumble on. (Waiting for parts/needs a Therford specialist to look at fridge and they aren't responding are typical responses)

Is it worth going directly to Burstner? Can they give the dealer a kick up the backside or even transfer me to a nearer better dealer? Anyone had experience of this?

 

[Ianj55]

From experience having bought a Carthago from New, which developed a multitude of faults it was the dealer who sorted out Carthago. Having written to Carthago direct in Germany, the response from the customer service department was : "you have to speak to the dealer as we do not deal direct with the customer" !
my response to the manufacturer was "why are you in a job"
Try and find someone in the dealership who is able to help, if no joy try speaking to another dealer.
Good luck

 

[nicholsong]

I can only speak about my manufacturer, Niesmann&Bischoff. They will undertake work at the factory, when you can get a slot and are willing to pay their rates, but it will be done well. I do not know about warranty work.

Maybe that is why manufacturers want dealers so that it does not clog up their own workshops.

Geoff

 

[MalcMc]

A topic that comes up a lot, dealers are happy to sell units, back up poor, we bought from Solent in Poole, I have lost any faith in them being able to resolve issues, our Fridge only works on gas (parts on order 6 months), our heating / hot water only works on gas (no fault they say) Truma offered to fix if I go direct, a down light has not worked from new been on order three years, yes all on their to do list, after sales non existent, once out of warranty will never return.

 

[SpeedyDux]

I would expect all dealership franchise contracts between the dealer and manufacturer to include a clause to the effect that the dealer must honour the manufacturer's warranty and carry out repairs promptly. It may be wide enough to oblige the dealer to do this even if the MH owner bought it from a different dealer. I used to write this stuff into distribution / franchise contracts for the leisure industry.

Whether the manufacturer can be bothered to enforce such a clause is a separate question. Especially when they are overseas and the UK is a tiny add-on part of their overall business. Some of them sell as few as 5 or 10 RHD motorhomes a year in the UK, or used to before Covid.

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[Bleau’s]

Had problems with my Burstner and had to go to head of customer services at head office to get it sorted was more concerned how I had got his details than anything else.

 

[Flairy]

At 20 years old niessmann are still more than helpfull ,previously Hymer were equally helpfull not only sorting problems with then hymer uk ex madison but finding faults we didn’t know about.when you’ve tried everything with a dealer ,ring the manufacturer and ask for help it’s always worked for me . They always have somebody who speaks English.

 

[VXman]

Bleau’s Care to share the contact details in case I need them?

 

[Bleau’s]

If you get no success send me a pm and I will look for it but do not want to put it on a open forum

 

[nicholsong]

I think that there a lot of dealers where the sales volume does not enable they to establish a viable workshop, which sufficient employees, skills e.g including butane qualifications, and spares for all the marques they sell.

I wonder whether the MH market would not be better advised to split off the maintenabce/warranty technical support from the sales side, by setting up regional service centres serving multiple manufacturers, employing specialist staff and also avoiding owners travelling many miles for correcting a small fault.

Slightly different point - I do no understand, except under warranty, people taking a base vehicle problem to a dealer. There are losts of well qualified and experienced commercial vehicle garages that are better equipped to deal with the problem. I have one here in Poland, recommended by a friend who ran several vans for years and I have used it for 10 years and cannot be more pleased. These garages are usually cheaper than dealers as the small businesses they serve will not accept the higher labour rate charged by dealers.

Just for discussion.

Geoff

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[VXman]

I think that there a lot of dealers where the sales volume does not enable they to establish a viable workshop, which sufficient employees, skills e.g including butane qualifications, and spares for all the marques they sell.

I wonder whether the MH market would not be better advised to split off the maintenabce/warranty technical support from the sales side, by setting up regional service centres serving multiple manufacturers, employing specialist staff and also avoiding owners travelling many miles for correcting a small fault.

Slightly different point - I do no understand, except under warranty, people taking a base vehicle problem to a dealer. There are losts of well qualified and experienced commercial vehicle garages that are better equipped to deal with the problem. I have one here in Poland, recommended by a friend who ran several vans for years and I have used it for 10 years and cannot be more pleased. These garages are usually cheaper than dealers as the small businesses they serve will not accept the higher labour rate charged by dealers.

Just for discussion.

Geoff

I agree. Pretty much like car workshops. You wouldn't only be able to take your Ford Focus back to where you purchased it. However, the problem is the numbers of MH of any particular marque is fairly small in comparison.