Fleetwood Factory Service Center

 Monday afternoon we arrived at the Fleetwood Factory Service Center for a nights stay at their campground, for our 6:00am appointment Tuesday. The camping area is just a gravel lot with elec hookups only next to the center. The first thing that struck us was all the brand new high dollar motorhomes that were here for service. Well, we got all checked in, our spot assigned and the procedure for Tuesday explained. Nothing else to do but hang out and wait for morning.

 5:00am wake up time sure came early, but we were up and at the center at 06:00 as instructed. We met our technicians and off to the rig we went and explained our leaking slideout problem. We also asked about a couple other issues and there was no problem getting them addressed also. The rig was moved over to the shop area where they told us we could hang out or go get some breakfast if we liked, we choose breakfast. We returned about an hour later and they had already finished sealing the bedroom slideout and just needed to wait for the adhesive and caulking to set up so they could leak test it. In the mean time, they installed a new outside grab handle and addressed a leak at the back of the refrigerator. Most everything was done by around 1:30 and we were released back to the campground. We were still waiting on a switch to come in from the warehouse along with a part for the icemaker.  Around 3:00 the techs showed up at the campground and installed the water pump switch but the icemaker part had still not arrived, would prob have to wait till tomorrow. Ok, another night in the campground on their dime, no big deal. Wed we waited and waited and waited, no techs showed, So 11:30 rolled around and the service super said our techs were working on something else and it would be another couple hours before they could get back to us, not a happy camper!!! Ok, so the 2 hours go by still no techs, back up to the office where again it'll be another hour or so, arrrrrrrrrr. If we didn't want our ice maker fixed so bad we would have just left. The techs finally show up at 2:30, install the part and found out that it was not the problem, Ends up the icemaker itself went out, ok we can just pick one up later. Nothing like waiting 8 hours for a 5 minute job!!! Not the techs fault, they just do what they are assigned for the day and apparently we were not a priority. 3:00pm, a lighter checking account and we were off and running again.

An extra note on our earlier observation. After talking with a few folks and the techs, seems that parking lot full of 1/4 to 3/4 million dollar motorhomes were all brand new recently purchased, and all had major issues fresh out of the factory, are you kidding!!! Our rig is 14 years old and you would expect problems to creep up, but to spend that kind of money for that kind of quality, boy would I be pissed and many of the owners were!!! Makes our happy little home seem so much better.

Like I said, we hit the road around 3:00 and made it to another really nice campground just south of South Bend. Off topic, but this campground has the softest grass Sheryl and I have ever experienced, it was just amazing!!! If you happened to be stressed out from a hard day of driving, just plant your tootsies in this grass and all your troubles would melt away....yes it's that soft ahhhhhhhhh.

Tomorrow we are off to our final destination for a week or so in Two Rivers WI to visit one of Sheryl's nieces. But fist we are taking a side trip into South Bend to visit my childhood home. Yes 53 years later it's still there. I lived there until we moved to Florida when I was 3 years old. We figured it would be interesting to stop by to see it and hope the owners don't call the cops on the two strangers staring at their home....lol We'll let you know how all that goes, but for now it's off to bed, it's been a couple of long days. Take Care and we'll see ya back here next time.