Happy With HWH And With Repair Service
Dear Editor:
In December 2005 we bought a 40-foot Newmar diesel pusher with four slideouts. We love the coach. We, however, like most people, had the experience of minor repairs and adjustments. One such problem was with the HWH jacks not retracting fully. I have had HWH jacks on several motorhomes and this was the first problem I ever had.
I called Newmar and was assisted by a tech support associate named Jeff. He got Randy from HWH on the phone. Together they agreed on the problem and the needed fix. Here is the best part. Randy at HWH agreed to send the parts to Independence RV in Winter Garden, Florida, where I had an appointment for April 19. And guess what? The parts were there as promised.
Now for the rest of the story. When I arrived at Independence RV for my appointment, Andy, the service coordinator, had everything worked out and was ready to start my repairs as scheduled. This man is the heart and soul of the service department and is friendly, caring, and the most even-tempered individual I have ever met in the service industry. Then there is Jim the RV specialist; I can say without equivocation that he is the best I have ever encountered. He made the necessary repairs in record time, and from past experience, it is done right the first time.
I didn’t know about Independence RV when I bought my motorhome but was treated as if I was one of their best customers. If you are in Florida and looking for a new RV or in need of a five-star repair facility, take a good look at Independence RV in Winter Garden, Florida (877-281-8452).
Joel & Georgianne Lowney, F44436S
Punta Gorda, Florida
Search For Stolen Motorhome
Dear Editor:
On July 23 of this year our 35-foot 1999 Dutch Star motorhome was stolen from a secured storage facility. It was locked and deadbolted, so we don’t know how they managed to steal it. The security camera picked up three men loading the back of a dark-colored Dodge Dakota truck with tires and other items. They left the area, and someone followed driving our motorhome.
Our Newmar club number 4971 was on the front and back. We had a plaque on the front that read “Bob and Del, Warren, Ohio.” We think they replaced our South Carolina license plate with a North Carolina plate, which they stole from another vehicle. Our FMCA number is F18437. I am sure all these identifying marks are long gone, and maybe our motorhome is just trashed. This letter is a shot in the dark, but we had to try. Please contact us if you spot our vehicle.
Thank you.
Bob Herlinger & Delphine Shakley Herlinger, F18437
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
(843) 650-6251
Illinois Tolls
Dear Editor:
We recently found it necessary to travel from Door County, Wisconsin, to Elkhart, Indiana. As we entered Illinois on Interstate 94, it became a toll road. The cost for the entire 78-mile trip in our motorhome, towing a car, was $23.50, or more than 30 cents per mile. A passenger car on the same route pays $4.70, but we paid $9.40 for our car because it was in tow. In addition, we spent a total of 68 minutes waiting in the “cash” line at the five toll booths.
Based on our experience, Illinois is definitely not RV-friendly.
Jim Weaver, F312384
Livingston, Texas
Minnesota’s Small-Town Generosity
Dear Editor:
We were just passersby on Interstate 94 west near Alexandria, Minnesota, when our motorhome, trailer, and motorcycles caught on fire on the side of the road, and we found ourselves stranded and homeless.
The Alexandria fire department, sheriff’s department, and the Minnesota state patrol were quick to respond. They worked very diligently to put out the blazes. We appreciated their efforts.
Jon Steinbring of Steinbring Motorhome Sales and the crew from his dealership were absolutely incredible. They helped us solve many problems we encountered during the ordeal. Jon’s generosity helped make a tragic situation a lot less stressful. He even invited us to his house to watch holiday fireworks that weekend. Dean from Alexandria Adjusting Co. stopped by personally to check on us throughout the entire week to make sure we were okay. He even invited us to the lake to spend the day on his boat. Tom and the crew at Apol’s Harley-Davidson Inc. helped us with our motorcycles and listened to our stories of woe. He also offered us his personal Harley-Davidson to ride. Stephanie at the Holiday Inn did an amazing job making us feel at home with special accommodations. It was also a pleasure to get together with fellow Rotarians for lunch. Dennis, the owner of Service Master, came out to the site right before a long holiday weekend. His busy professional staff has been extremely helpful with sorting through the remains. (Sadly, our motorhome, trailer, and two motorcycles had to be totaled.)
Thanks even goes out to the hostess at Doolittles American Grill, who brought a smile to our faces those first couple of long and stressful days.
We would like to thank everyone for everything they did to help. The friendliness of all the people we encountered made us feel truly welcome. Alexandria is such an amazing small town. All who live there should be proud of their community. Never in my wildest dreams would I have ever imagined that such a wonderful place, with such wonderful people, still exists in the United States. We feel blessed we got to visit this great little town. What a terrific place to celebrate the Fourth of July.
Murray & Nancy Richman, F302954
Silver Spring, Maryland
Thanks, Blue Ox
Dear Editor:
We’ve been motorhome owners for 16 years. We’ve towed cars, trailers, and a dolly with various toys to make RVing more fun. On a recent trip we made a stop in Pender, Nebraska, at the Blue Ox factory to buy some maintenance parts for our Aladdin Blue Ox tow bar. Not only did they fix us up in less than one hour, but they hosted us in their very nice Blue Ox campground.
They are great people with a fine product. Just thought you should know that good experiences with your advertisers do happen.
Paul & Inge Dobbin, F151311
St. Petersburg, Florida
Coach-Net Finds Repair Shop And Assistance
Dear Editor:
Many thanks go to Coach-Net, FMCA’s Emergency Road Service. During last summer’s heat wave on the East Coast, I had a brake failure on my Roadtrek. Fortunately, I was able to avoid an accident and pull into a safe area. It was the weekend, so there were no service shops open. The good people at the Coach-Net desk found me a campground nearby. The driver for the tow company was a big help in taking care of my vehicle, and the campground folks had a spot for me and were most helpful in my dilemma.
On Monday, which is always a busy day for all, Coach-Net found a repair shop to take me in, and I was most happy to see the same truck and driver pick me up. It took most of Monday to find and install the right part to repair the brakes. I paid a fair price for the fix and no fee for the towing.
This bad experience had a good ending. Nobody expects to break down, but having good people at Coach-Net is like having a health insurance policy — nobody wants to use it, but when you do, having it available is a big relief.
Bill Adams Sr., F240069
Catonsville, Maryland