Hi Articman,
Welcome. I'm sorry to hear that your initial experience is not good. Unfortunately, what you're experiencing seems to be the norm in the industry. That doesn't make it right & I wish I knew what it is a symptom of.
I have warned new owners about these "quickie" PDIs (orientation). I learned the hard way also. The dealership wants to rush you off the lot as fast as possible. They have your money, now "git outta' here!" The employee who showed me how to operate my equipment didn't know what that switch with the red light was for. Later, I found out not to ever turn it on unless you KNOW there is water in the hot water tank.... Of course, he also didn't know there was a circuit breaker in the external control / gas chamber to prevent burn-outs. Mine was turned off - yours apparently was turned on. sigh.
Too late for you (& me) but a new new owner should arrive early in the day for delivery. He should make the tech operate EVERY function inside & outside, followed by the new owner performing the same operation. Example, when I got home, I thought the sofa bed was broke. NOWHERE was the hidden release latch ever mentioned. I never figured I would have to be shown how to open a fold-out bed, let alone do it myself in a training program.
I also understand your frustration over the 200 mile trip & the expenses associated. I don't have a solution, and I had to make way too many 200 mile round trips for the same reason with the same cold attitude. I learned to tow my car because they would discover after I arrived, they had the wrong part, the mechanic didn't show up, they didn't get factory authorization, etc. "You'll have to come back next week." At least with your car, you can leave your unit at the shop. My unit spent more time in the dealers lot than it did at my house during the first year.
Notice that most of your issues are with the independant dealer, not the manufacturer. I'm not holding them blameless, but your shoddy, uncaring, unconcerned treatment is from the dealership (as was mine).
Now comes the black-eye part on the manufacturer. At the factory, they have & you can see it in action on the tour, a fully functioning QC program, with all sorts of tests & checkouts. It mystifies most of us how so many defects get out the door. It also mystifies me why the dealership waits for you to tell them that something is wrong rather than correcting it before you get there.
You would like to contact the factory when things aren't going so well? Some members have had excellent experiences obtaining human contact. Some, like myself, have horror stories. Mine turned out excellent however, because I initially "tricked" a vice president into talking to me... After that, I was treated like a king & did get superb repairs & treatment right at the factory. I think it is more the norm that your phone calls & email messages will go unacknowledged/unanswered. Contact me via PM if the need arises to find out ways to "get inside".
And the big complaint (which is improving every day) is the lack of any meaningfull documentation on your coach. You certainly got the big pouch of component manufacturers literature. The Gulf Stream manual was pathetic however. Twenty pages of warning/caution protect-their-butt & 4 pages of real instruction, most of which was gibberish. No diagrams, routing, or parts list. Not even the paint codes! As I say, that is really improving. Gulfstream is making great strides in this area.
Sorry that I went on & on. This subject is the single biggest reason this forum came into existence. Thanks for your ear. Keep us informed of your successes (& not-so successes)
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