Monday. This Blog carries a ‘GRUMP WARNING’. It is a moan about poor service, so readers may probably ignore this blog, but I need to make a record of it. Now there are one or two small plot threads to our vacation this year that I have not thought merited the attention of any reader, however things have now (almost) come to fruition, so it may be worth mentioning them. Last year we lost a small seal from under our trailer (no not the fish eating kind), it protects the corner of the slide out and prevents water from splashing up into the trailer. We needed to repair this, which I did using Wal-Mart plastic bags and duck tape, with only marginal success. However in the long term we knew that we would have to buy a replacement part. Here the logic of logistics meets the incompetence of companies.
To obtain a new part we would have to:
- Describe the missing part accurately, not just the model and serial number, but provide photographs for the manufacturer to be able to decide what it was.
- Find a retailer who handles Starcraft.
- Know where we will be when the part is delivered.
- Which means we need to know when the part will be delivered.
Well, we figured the best thing to do would be to get it delivered to Jim and Connie, as we were seeing them when we left the trailer, and when we were returning.
We also wished to fit an extra door on to the cabinet in our bedroom (they only put three across where four would fit, so you constantly had to grope round a corner to find clothes). So we photographed and measured the door we wanted.
We found a dealer who would order the parts, but they suggested we wait until we knew when we were coming back and they would order them to arrive when we did. They suggested that three weeks would be enough time. HA!
Middle of August (we were coming back the end of September - 6 weeks) we duly got hold of Ashley at Leisuretime RV and she assured us that she would order the parts that day.
A week later, checked up. She could not order parts unless they were paid for.
She would find out how much they would be. Two weeks later (Starcraft do not seem to be in any hurry!) she gets a price and we pay for the parts (only $70, but $40 carriage). So she will order them.
A week before we leave for U.S. she tells us that she has ordered the parts and they will arrive soon.
Just before we leave they have not shown up.
When we arrive we call and she says that Starcraft have located the cupboard door and are checking the schematics for the seal.
We plan to be with Connie and Jim for a week. (5th October). No way.
Ashley then tells us that yes they have located all the parts and they will ship on 11th October (ground delivery is 3-5 working days). We cannot wait that long, as we are going to visit Jim and Kathy in North Florida for a few days, so we decide to get the parts shipped direct to Jim and Kathy and wait for them there.
We got to Jim and Kathy, who are wonderful people and were prepared to settle for a long wait. However, Jim and Kathy said they would like to come along with us to New Orleans.
There is no point hanging around for a package, so we decided to get going and Jim and Kathy would forward the parts to us when they got back. We had a great time in New Orleans and Jim and Kathy duly returned home, via a bike weekend in Destin. Two packages awaited them, which they shipped on to us at Chico State Park. We actually got them on Thursday 28th October, more than two months after ordering them!
But wait, two packages, when opened, became a cabinet door and the glass insert to the door. NO SEAL! A phone call to Leisuretime RV back in Florida (we are now in Louisiana) verified that the third part (which Leisuretime RV had not realised was coming to them, as they had changed the delivery address to Jim and Kathy) had arrived there and they had just, literally just, shipped it to Jim and Kathy, without any reference to me. So this part has now arrived at Jim and Kathy’s and they have now forwarded it to us at Chicot State Park. We are now waiting for the last part to arrive.
On a more positive note, I have now remodelled the bedroom overhead cabinet to have four doors instead of three and it looks excellent.
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