All,
After 2 days of traveling & visiting the coach for what I called the
"Pre - Pre Delivery Inspection)", my wife are fully exhausted. I don't know if I was wrong or right, but will simply lay out the facts in sequence they occurred and hope to learn something.
10/3 Over phone, we select place deposit on brand new 2019 Windsport coach
10/3 We target delivery pickup for 10/18
10/4 I get docusign sales agreement, but inform we will travel to see coach and sign in person
10/4 I get a cashier's check from my bank to pay in full less deposit
10/4 I provide copy of cashier's check
10/5 Using the
Universal Rx Acceptance Pre - Delivery Inspection checklist from
Tom Boles modified by retired Air Force
Colonel Ed Ferker, I can honestly say we completed about 70% of checklist. Noted items we did not check were the functioning of any of the tanks, engine fluid levels, and anything upon the roof. I went up the ladder but it was kind of wobbly and went I got to the top, I said I can do this later
10/5 We identified 71 defects, issues, & concerns. We provided a report to the salesman.
10/5 The salesman came by to see the critical items and didn't see any issues with item listed. He stated that they could be fixed.
10/5 We go to Finance and I sign the Sales Agreement. I then signed my credit card transaction slip that had been processed online earlier
10/5 Then Finance Manager hands me a new form to sign that was clearly indicating the deposit was non refundable. I asked what if the items cannot be satisfactorily resolved? Sales Manager was summoned in and basically said "the coaches are not perfect, they don't make them, but try to fix what they can under warranty". But the moment they start fixing anything the deposit is non refundable.
10/5 I advised Sales Manager I did not feel comfortable signing that document to accept responsibility given the number of issues that may or may not be resolved. In my view, I was paying the dealer to fix defects that they may or not fix?
10/5 Sales Manager tells Finance Manager to give me a refund and relist the coach. He then proceeded to tell me about the process, the industry and his concern that a customer may change their mind. I countered that I had no problem paying a non refundable deposit if I changed my mind. The unknown of what could or would be corrected was my concern. I reminded him that if coach was in acceptable condition, I could have bought and took delivery today.
10/5 I asked if they could line by line let us know what they would fix as part of the written agreement; so if later during the real PDI if one of those items were not fixed I would not be liable. He stated they would review; so I sent the list to Sales & Finance Managers
10/5 Depleted... my wife and I depart to head home
10/5 Later tonight we get an email from our salesman, that his management stated
"after reviewing the list it doesn’t look like we can meet all of your needs. Unfortunately these units aren’t perfect."
There was no line by line explanation, but a few of the items we had on our list are noted for reference.
1. Side molding on rear of coach had buckled on both sides where rear and side transition
2. Radio did not work at all, could not check any sound, navigation camera etc.
3. Walls had protruded nails and/or staples in multiple places. In most areas it was if someone had tried to sand the area to clean and it had large patches of spots that were very visible. This was prevalent in bedroom Kitchen & bath areas. We had not seen that on any other coach
4. Refrigerator was mounted in wall case but crooked, trimming on top was broken. Inside of freezer backwall was rusted, and the shelving coating had already separated in few areas to expose even more rust.
5. Kitchen sink was leaking water in below cabinet and into 3 of the 4 drawers to the side
6. Vents in both bath & bedroom missing parts to open / close and missing cover screens if opened.
7. The privacy curtains white inner liner material had begun to dry rot, it was literally flaking off, I assume from exposure to sun. Also, curtain stop missing so driver side curtain would easily come out off track
8. Kitchen main cabinet door did not have a latch; so as we were driving it kept banging
9. The rubber seal around front windshield was loose in several spots. During test drive the top part and about 20" of it came completely out and was banging upon the roof.
10. Signs of leakage around the hydraulic pump
11. The rear ladder was wobbly. All of the screws were rusted and some excess sealant around where glued to wall. Looks like it has required a repair previously thus the odd rusted screws? It did not look new anyway
I could go on, but wanted to give an idea of some of the things we found. Granted some were minor, but one would think that minor would not be an issue for a dealer on brand new coach?
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