With all the problems posted on this site regarding failed components,damp etc etc is it not time to feel sorry for the dealers who are having to take the brunt of our frustration over the failings of the manufacturers to build caravans up to sataisfactory standard, it appears to me that water and damp problems have actually got worse over the last few years, despite so called improvememts in technology. try and get hold of a senior member of management at the manufacturers and it is near impossible. If it was cars that were leaking all the time there would be uproar, but us caravanners just seem suckers for punishment and continue to go back and buy shoddy product that is dressed up to look good. Dealers get all the stick but what can they do?
Should we feel sorry for the dealers?
- Thread starter AndrewWimborne
- Start date
I know just what you mean....I used to work for a Skoda dealership in the 1980's before VW got involved.
Hello Andrew,
I am not sure if damp problems have increased or not. What we do have is a simpler method of broadcasting our disenchantment using the Internet, but the reporting is probably biased, so a problem may appear disproportionably big. Having said that, manufactures should by now have developed a foolproof method of manufacture to prevent damp ingress.
I agree that dealers can have a difficult job, often being piggy in the middle between end users and the caravan manufacture, but that is common knowledge, and is part of being a dealer. They take a substantial cut of the selling price, and they get paid to do warranty work, so that is their compensation for handling problems when they do arise. Feel sorry - no.
Dealers could do more in getting manufactures to respond to problems like damp. Just as end users have a right to receive defect free products, so do dealers, and if they were to enforce their legal rights, then the manufactures would have to smarten up.
I do not support the status quo, I believe that some of the trading arrangements are not consumer friendly, and do not respond to customer concerns when problems arise. Manufactures put fashion above practicality, fail to use optimum designs for reliability and durability, use production techniques that put quantity above quality.
I am not sure if damp problems have increased or not. What we do have is a simpler method of broadcasting our disenchantment using the Internet, but the reporting is probably biased, so a problem may appear disproportionably big. Having said that, manufactures should by now have developed a foolproof method of manufacture to prevent damp ingress.
I agree that dealers can have a difficult job, often being piggy in the middle between end users and the caravan manufacture, but that is common knowledge, and is part of being a dealer. They take a substantial cut of the selling price, and they get paid to do warranty work, so that is their compensation for handling problems when they do arise. Feel sorry - no.
Dealers could do more in getting manufactures to respond to problems like damp. Just as end users have a right to receive defect free products, so do dealers, and if they were to enforce their legal rights, then the manufactures would have to smarten up.
I do not support the status quo, I believe that some of the trading arrangements are not consumer friendly, and do not respond to customer concerns when problems arise. Manufactures put fashion above practicality, fail to use optimum designs for reliability and durability, use production techniques that put quantity above quality.
Andrew
Nice try but as with my experience under Dealer/Caravans, with the way in which I have been dealt with, Sorry would not be my comment.
Some are Customer frindly and others are just interested in the money, and going home .It is a shame but reality, they just want your money.
Nice try but as with my experience under Dealer/Caravans, with the way in which I have been dealt with, Sorry would not be my comment.
Some are Customer frindly and others are just interested in the money, and going home .It is a shame but reality, they just want your money.
Iv'e said it loads of times, this day and age damp or water ingress on modern caravans should be a thing of the past.
The technology shuld be there in manufacturing to prevent this.
Like Andrew says if say Nissan cars had a common fault or design problem do you think they wou;d just sit back on there laurels..........not likely, the sales figures would MAKE them do something!!!
...and relax
John
The technology shuld be there in manufacturing to prevent this.
Like Andrew says if say Nissan cars had a common fault or design problem do you think they wou;d just sit back on there laurels..........not likely, the sales figures would MAKE them do something!!!
...and relax
John
Dealers must take the brunt of any customer complaint. The contract is between the dealer and the customer - there is no contract between the purchaser and the manufacturer. If dealers were to actually carry out a PDI on both new and second hand sales prior to delivery it would be half the battle. Many dealers nowadays do not do this, they sell the van and then wait for the buyer to complain about found faults and fix them. It is an easier option for them to work this way.
Many dealers do not carry the service staff to undertake this work - it is subbed out to a service firm. This again is yet another link in the chain where shoddy serviceing/repairs are carried out. Your local Ford/Vauxhall/etc. dealer employ their own service staff and the work is done on the premises under supervision. Caravan dealers should adopt the same approach so that the problem could be sorted out without too many parties being involved and agruing who is responsible.
Many dealers do not carry the service staff to undertake this work - it is subbed out to a service firm. This again is yet another link in the chain where shoddy serviceing/repairs are carried out. Your local Ford/Vauxhall/etc. dealer employ their own service staff and the work is done on the premises under supervision. Caravan dealers should adopt the same approach so that the problem could be sorted out without too many parties being involved and agruing who is responsible.
Do I feel sorry for the dealers - NO in business you reap what you sow,
As a Business Owner myself and in five years of trading, I have had no complaints (hand on heart) - I base my business on customer / client care, honesty and fare pricing - yes I have lost a few deals to competitors and then won the business back after my competitors failed - but I still have clients that I dealt with five years ago - still giving me business today.
As a whole the Caravan Industry needs to wake up and get with the times;
1) The Manufactures should be doing all in their powers to remove historic problems and move the industry forward making the most of modern materials and technology.
2) The Dealers should place more emphasis on Customers Care whilst still making a reasonable profit, and the dealer needs to work with the manufacturer in resolving customer complaints rather than passing the buck.
Happy customers means good recommendations and organic business growth = More Profit
In my case the dealer that I am having problems with, I had to give them information concerning my legal rights under the Sales of Goods etc - makes you wonder how firms can go into business without knowing the law that governs them (or were they just playing dumb - who knows)
But in defence of the dealers most probably like the motor industry, they do have sales targets set by the manufacturer - in order to keep dealerships and discounts etc so is the manufacturer pulling their strings...
But the ultimate power is with the consumer - if no-one brought caravans there would be no industry.. Best do your research and spend accordingly.
As a Business Owner myself and in five years of trading, I have had no complaints (hand on heart) - I base my business on customer / client care, honesty and fare pricing - yes I have lost a few deals to competitors and then won the business back after my competitors failed - but I still have clients that I dealt with five years ago - still giving me business today.
As a whole the Caravan Industry needs to wake up and get with the times;
1) The Manufactures should be doing all in their powers to remove historic problems and move the industry forward making the most of modern materials and technology.
2) The Dealers should place more emphasis on Customers Care whilst still making a reasonable profit, and the dealer needs to work with the manufacturer in resolving customer complaints rather than passing the buck.
Happy customers means good recommendations and organic business growth = More Profit
In my case the dealer that I am having problems with, I had to give them information concerning my legal rights under the Sales of Goods etc - makes you wonder how firms can go into business without knowing the law that governs them (or were they just playing dumb - who knows)
But in defence of the dealers most probably like the motor industry, they do have sales targets set by the manufacturer - in order to keep dealerships and discounts etc so is the manufacturer pulling their strings...
But the ultimate power is with the consumer - if no-one brought caravans there would be no industry.. Best do your research and spend accordingly.
Regarding your comments which i agree with, however we ,after6 motor caravans have turned to caravanning after 42 years, have found .out that less problems have been found with motorcaravans than caravans bearing in mind that the manufactures made both .The only one which had a serious damp fault was our Hymer 544 which had to have windows out to get to the problem.As to the rest i cannot recall any issues of alarm .However our 2001 Coachman 460/2 has had water come through the kitchen roof vent and the waste pipes i have changed to domestic sizes as they were pitiful plus in the front locker the ply floor has delaminated on the edges because of water coming through the lid.As said by Forum members we do hear more about the "gripes" this way than other.
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