Carefree of Colorado. Priceless

[Wrknrvr]

 I operate a registered RV repair business in Montana.

 

 So I am doing some service work on a new 2018 Newel coach. This coach cost about 2,000,000 bucks. The owner has a second Newel coach that I have worked also over time.

 I talk with the manufacturer to get approval or info on what needs done.

 Now the customer gets back from a trip to Alaska in late August and does some trips around the northwest.

 So there are a few things that need done. Just little stuff.

 

 But the two drivers side window awnings are not operating properly. They are on the same switch and should work the same going in and out as a pair..

 So instead of calling Newel, I call Carefree of Colorado. Just thinking they would be better at helping with the situation.  Get to tech service, 

 A tech answers the phone, I explain what is happening.

 

 Get this. The tech person disconnects the conversation.

 

 I call Newel and talking with there tech about the awnings. He gives great info and the problem is solved.

 

 So I tell him about Cafefree of Colorado. That did not supprise him.

 

 

 I really try not to get bothered by something like this, but I just had to tell about there service.

 

 Three weeks till the season is over for my work.

 

 Maybe throw the phone into Flathead lake.

 

 Have a great weekend,    Vern

  

[Pat & Pete]

Sounds like maybe the Carefree tech should just call it a season and then spend the Fall and Winter trying to find your phone in Flathead Lake .  

[chirakawa]

24 minutes ago, Wrknrvr said:

 

 

 A tech answers the phone, I explain what is happening.

 

 Get this. The tech person disconnects the conversation.

 

 

Not doubting your word at all, but surely something else happened between these two sentences.  One thing I've learned, there's always at least two sides to every story.

[Pat & Pete]

3 hours ago, chirakawa said:

Not doubting your word at all, but surely something else happened between these two sentences.  One thing I've learned, there's always at least two sides to every story.

Maybe only if you add the second side . LOL

[Wrknrvr]

 When you call for tech service at Carefree of Colorado you need to give them your Carefree of Colorado dealer number.

 So I do not have a dealer number for them. The person on the other end mot likely could not find a dealer number for me. As I had given that person my business name.

  When I do talk to a tech on a phone line I always have the phone on speaker so the customer can listen, but do not say anything. So they can see what is going on.

 After the phone conversation on there side went quiet, the customer said to me, did they hang up. I said yes they did .

 

 If you call Carefree of Colorado and can get to the operator. She can connect you to a tech person. This not the first time they have done that to me.

 

 I guess there name says it all ???

        Carefree of Colorado

 

 have good weekend,    Vern

 

[chirakawa]

33 minutes ago, Wrknrvr said:

 When you call for tech service at Carefree of Colorado you need to give them your Carefree of Colorado dealer number.

 After the phone conversation on there side went quiet, the customer said to me, did they hang up. I said yes they did .

 If you call Carefree of Colorado and can get to the operator. She can connect you to a tech person. This not the first time they have done that to me.

 

Okay, this post makes the situation more clear.  First, it appears that they only support their own dealers and not just any RV tech who calls in.  Since you say this has happened before, it appears you already knew that.  I don't necessarily agree with their policy, but it is theirs to decide.

Second, you say there was a conversation going on.  You didn't mention this conversation in the first post, just that they answered, you explained the problem, and they hung up.  What was the conversation?  Were they trying to explain that they couldn't help you unless you had a dealer number?  Did you ignore them and continue to describe the problem?  Was their arrogant refusal to help you matched by your own arrogant insistence that they do?

Third, if I was in a telephone conversation with someone and the phone went dead, I would call back on the chance that the hangup was accidental.

I've only dealt with Carefree once.  They were easy to contact and I was connected to a technician who helped me immediately.  I described the problem with my seven year old awning.  The technician fully understood my explanation and sent out a new motor assembly that afternoon via overnight shipping.  They paid for the parts and shipping, my only responsibility was for installation, which I did myself.  My overall experience was wonderful, especially considering that the awning was several years out of warranty.  I'm sorry you didn't have a similar experience.

[noteven]

Not taking any sides whatsoever - 

I take the stance any dropped phone connection is accidental and call back. 

Here in Canada's flyover country the only thing that is completely reliable with mobile phone service is the bill arrives for the full amount, monthly. 

[Pat & Pete]

44 minutes ago, noteven said:

Not taking any sides whatsoever - 

I take the stance any dropped phone connection is accidental and call back. 

Here in Canada's flyover country the only thing that is completely reliable with mobile phone service is the bill arrives for the full amount, monthly. 

That's a sure bet , even down here in the land of the FREE . LOL

[Wrknrvr]

 Sorry for posting my situation. It mostly has been taken wrong.  

 

 So I will refrain form giving my experience from now on.

 

 

 Have a nice day ,.  Vern

[Darryl&Rita]

I know where you're coming from, Vern. They're fine with talking to an owner, but let it slip that you're receiving money for services rendered, and the phone gets quiet. Don't be surprised to find your phone number added to their "Ignore" list. Mine has been. Get the customer to call in for me.

[bigjim]

So let me understand. Is Carefree the manufacturer or are they just a dealer/installer?  On the one hand I see your frustration but I can understand to a degree if they are tying up a tech or someone of that ilk and not getting anything out of it.  Not really good on either hand as you are working for the customer who is also their customer. 

I had to look it up as I did not know who Carefree of Colorado was or what they did.

[Kirk W]

7 hours ago, bigjim said:

So let me understand. Is Carefree the manufacturer or are they just a dealer/installer? 

The company he is discussing is Carefree of Colorado, a manufacturer of awnings for RVs and homes. Some manufacturers do this in order to protect the business of their "authorized" dealer/service companies. 

[bobsallyh]

Vern, please don't refrain from future posts.

[jpcoll01]

20 hours ago, Wrknrvr said:

 Sorry for posting my situation. It mostly has been taken wrong.  

 

 So I will refrain form giving my experience from now on.

 

 

 Have a nice day ,.  Vern

Some of these folks will take the opposite of whatever position you take, don’t take it personally. I just try to think of it as my childhood neighbor telling me to get off his lawn. 

[Kirk W]

3 hours ago, bobsallyh said:

Vern, please don't refrain from future posts.

Every forum seems to have a few of them, but agree strongly with this view! If you stop posting, they win.

[Pat & Pete]

21 hours ago, Wrknrvr said:

 Sorry for posting my situation. It mostly has been taken wrong.  

 

 So I will refrain form giving my experience from now on.

 

 

 Have a nice day ,.  Vern

That would be bad for you and us . 

How are you suppose to light another candle if you don't let it close enough ?

That^ from " A candle looses nothing by lighting another candle ." By James Keller

[chirakawa]

2 hours ago, jpcoll01 said:

Some of these folks will take the opposite of whatever position you take, don’t take it personally. I just try to think of it as my childhood neighbor telling me to get off his lawn. 

 

1 hour ago, Kirk Wood said:

Every forum seems to have a few of them, but agree strongly with this view! If you stop posting, they win.

You know, I feel like these two posts are directed toward me since I questioned the OP.

First of all, when a professional RV tech comes on a public bulletin board and starts a thread bashing an RV related company, he's got to expect people to at least respond to his post.  This is especially true when the OP only gives his side of the conversation.

Secondly, I'm not taking sides with Carefree nor against the OP.  However, since Carefree isn't a member or participant on this website and can't speak for themselves, I thought someone ought to at least ask to hear their side of the story.

Thirdly, the OP readily admits that Carefree told him that they don't support independent RV techs.  They had even behaved the same way in the past.  And, there's no reason they should be required to provide training for non-dealer type repair persons.  I feel confident that if the OP had done his own diagnosis of the problem and called to order parts, Carefree would have been glad to sell him those parts.

Lastly, whether the OP posts again is his choice, but if he's going to come here and bash a company and then get his feelings hurt when others question him, perhaps he shouldn't post. 

As far as "every forum seems to have a few of them", I would certainly hope that every forum has a few who refuse to accept every post as gospel.  In fact, Kirk, if you'll go back and read a few thousand of your posts you'll find that you've been one of the skeptical ones on occasion.

How bout them Packers?

[Pat & Pete]

1 hour ago, chirakawa said:

 

How bout them Packers?

They suck . 

"3 Packers sit in protest during national anthem as others lock arms"

http://www.packersnews.com/story/sports/nfl/packers/2017/09/24/3-packers-sit-protest-during-national-anthem-others-lock-arms/698257001/

[bigjim]

boom, from discussion to political in zero to 60

[jamtracy]

Dam I'm late to this party.

Chirakawa You make some very good points.

But the Packers do Suck.

 

[Gannet]

Good to know. I went and reviewed their website. It appears that you can only buy a Carefree of Colorado awning through an Authorized Dealer/Installer. Also, that if I were to be on the road and have trouble, I would be SOL taking it to the closest tech. I would be required to take it to the nearest Authorized Dealer/Installer to get any support.

Right. Good to know. I am considering a new awning, but I won't be buying it from them.

[Pat & Pete]

...

[Phil Saran]

I've dealt with Carefree of Colorado also, summer of 2016 I had the 17 foot awning on the drivers side balloon out after it was hit with a 35 mph wind in Wyoming (first day of a 5 week trip in our Class A) I got out my ladder got up there and cut off the awning cover so we could proceed with our trip.

On the way home I called Carefree which is in Broomfield CO and they gave me the name and # of my authorized dealer.I stopped by the authorized dealer and did the paperwork so order a new slide out cover.  Went home, they called me when the new cover came in (had to pay $75 for shipping 15 miles to shop) I bring MH back in to install, it is too short by a couple of feet.

They would not let us will call the cover (had to be shipped) all in all it took about 7 months for Carefree to get this right.

[ms60ocb]

On 10/4/2017 at 9:41 PM, Gannet said:

 Good to know. I am considering a new awning, but I won't be buying it from them.

I support that decision based on my experience,

Clay  DRV 2016 MS 38PS3

[Pappy Yokum]

On 9/24/2017 at 6:59 PM, bigjim said:

boom, from discussion to political in zero to 60

Kinda like the street sign in MX -  - Un Sentido.

 

*******************************************************************************

 

Colorado Carefree ......."perks" ???

As for the awning tech (or?) - -  maybe it was time for (or he just returned from) his *smoke*  break, with a "special" brownie.

BTW - read the history of Coors - at one time when the brewery was still in the family, the drinking fountains dispensed their product!

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