Imagine if you will …
Tooling down a country gravel road.
Windows down, motor purring, singing along to your favorite band.
It’s another beautiful summer day.
Not a care in the world.
When out of the corner of your eye you catch a brief glimpse of something shiny.
Just a quick flash of something familiar.
A brief instant shrouded by decaying and weathered barn doors.
Doors that haven’t been open in years…
Theres something tucked inside that barn.
Something that brought someone hours of joy.
Something worth saving…
Has your curiosity suddenly awakened?
Could it be a classic car, old tractor or better yet a Vintage RV.
Could it be that Vintage RV you’ve been dreaming of finding…
The internet is littered with tales of Barn Finds.
Glorious stories of getting vintage vehicles out of storage and onto the roads once again.
And it appears so common and so simple.
Shoot some air into the tires, toss a battery under the hood, dump in old new fuel, squirt some lube where needed, twist the key and scoot on down the highway.
Just for good measure swing by the nearest RV Dealer for a quick tune up.
Like a proud new parent you saunter into the service department and with a smile share the good news … You are the proud new owner of a Vintage RV!
And when the whistles of approval finally die down.
You express your desire to bring this sweet machine back to new.
No wait … better than new!
Yep, no sweat I seen it on TV.
And yet there’s a soft murmur of despair.
A sigh …
Then there’s the change of expression on the service managers face.
The type of look that stops optimism in its tracks.
Then it hits like a ton of bricks.
Gentle yet pointed the words have a distinct edge of certainty.
“Theres an age limit and we don’t work on Vintage RVs.”
If you’re lucky they soften the blow with a simple statement like “we only service our brand of RVs.”
No problem you say … Who will work on my sweet baby of freedom?
The sad truth is that in all likely hood there’s no RV dealer that’s willing to work on your Vintage RV.
But why?
Vintage RV owners are FRUGAL, NEEDY and ask to many QUESTIONS!
Frugal is different than cheap.
Frugal people spend money for things they want.
Problem is frugal owners ask lots and lots of questions.
Questions like where do I get the owners manual?
Whats the cheapest tires to get?
Who can show me how to work everything?
All great questions.
But answering these questions take time.
And the service managers time is valuable.
Sadly, many service managers may not know the answers.
Or want to risk offering hope.
No problem just ask the service technician directly.
They’re smart and there’s gotta be 1 or 2 available.
And again, the service technicians time is valuable.
It’s the service managers job to keep the techs working and generating income for the business.
Answering a slew of questions steals time from the tech.
Time scheduled for paying customers.
Vintage RV owners are DIY types
We are in a time when many people rely on trained and dedicated specialists.
I can think of several instances where specialization is preferred.
The human body is complex and a dedicated heart, brain or back surgeon are my first choice should the need arise.
But in the world of RVs there are few people dedicated to specific components or brands.
There are some like FORDS Refrigeration Service, AQUA HOT Heating Systems and HWH Leveling Systems.
For the most part the service technicians working at dealerships are generalists.
When a Vintage RV owner makes inquiries the motivation is to complete the work thereby saving money.
The rv owner walks away with the knowledge needed to complete the work at home.
And the dealer losses money.
RV Dealers make little profit from Vintage RV owners
Service departments make money on the labor.
Along with price markup for parts.
Problem is some parts are damn near impossible to find.
Locating parts often falls on the service manager.
Compounding the risk is the chance that the RV may be unable to move while waiting for parts.
Potentially filling a service bay for days, weeks or months.
Space that costs the dealers money to heat, insure and maintain.
And likely the most costly is the fact that Vintage RVs are out of warranty.
Warranty repair work that is guaranteed payment at book rate.
The potential losses are high for the dealers.
RV Dealers ONLY care about PROFIT
Many Vintage RV builders are gone, no longer in business.
Which translates to no factory support.
And when the parts are custom made, like slide out seals, they may be impossible to find.
Often times dealer techs need to rely on the specialists at the factory.
When these specialists are gone they need to find alternative solutions.
What Everyone Ought to Know about owning a Vintage RV
Another risk with lost time and increased costs.
Perhaps the biggest risk is that Vintage RVs have often received questionable repairs.
Sometimes from work performed by questionable dealers.
Commonly from work attempted by frugal owners.
Either way there’s the chance of opening Pandoras Box.
Theres a chance that repairs made today may cause a ripple effect.
The boogered electrical work hidden behind the walls.
Hidden until full power is sent coursing thru the wires causing them to melt, smolder and burn.
The dealers insurance providers are in the business of selling promises, not giving away money.
With every RV on the lot, service RVs included there are costs to the dealer.
In some instances the cost of repairs exceed the value of an RV.
Which often presents a moral challenge to the owners.
Abandon it or continue to sink time and money into it.
An abandoned RV saddles the dealer with the costs of repairs and storage.
It’s a no-win situation.
When you consider the risks for the dealer its easy to see why they refuse to work on older RVs.
What can an RV owner do for help?
Begin by establishing a relationship with the dealership.
Consider buying parts from the dealer.
Establish a relationship with the parts department.
My experience has been that questions posed to the parts department will be bounced off the service manager.
Questions presented from the parts department are often better received by the service department.
A simple question that may open the door.
Tip: Keep your initial questions to a single topic and respect their time.
Followup inquires have a better chance of a warm reception.
REMEMBER: The dealers depend on income to cover costs and support their employees and their families.
Will you let fear determine your future … or will you accept the challenge and embrace the adventure …
The Vintage RV
