I know you can save us!

[Christinme]

This is my very first post. And it’s a doozy! After many many dollars and more broken things than fixed, we paid the ransom and just took our ‘95 Excella back from Camping World bruised, battered, broken, with wires dangling, no overhead lights, no single outlet working and a ruined custom mattress from a vent cover broken off and left open for six months of an especially rainy Spring. AND $300 to turn our wobbly stairs into totally inoperable stairs, Etc. Etc.
So, who can we trust in or near Tulsa, OK to fix our wiring which was working until CW installed TVs? Who can we trust to fix our steps? (We had a new Dometic air system installed by a marina co. After -I think- CW burned it up using inadequate shore power. This same boat repair company replaced the vent cover and fixed the jack that strangely went haywire under CW’s care…but they aren’t up to the electrical issues, though they tried.)
After reading this Forum, I know there are some extraordinary troubleshooters out there. Please help. We took two fabulous trips before handing our rig over to CW. They insisted it took so long to “fix” because they couldn’t get rivets… rivets which I researched, purchased, and delivered to them in a week. At Thanksgiving it will be a year of horrors and not a trip to be had thanks to this debacle. Help, please. (I’d post pics, but they might make you cry.)

[uncle_bob]

Hi

Rebuilding a 25+ year old trailer is not a simple task. It is way beyond what the typical RV repair shop can handle. You have more than adequate evidence of that. The most often made recommendation here is to do the work yourself. Find a barn and devote a big chunk of your (free) time to the process.

Is this a full rebuild? Maybe not. It sounds a lot closer to a rebuild than to fixing a couple of items. I would expect that issues get found as the process goes along.

Choice number two is to find an outfit that does rebuilds. You want one that does a good job at rebuilds, not just somebody who's done some work in the past and mostly gotten it right. One place to go is to head back to the factory and let them do it. Without a lot of data, I'd guess that is the most expensive option. Yes it's a ways from Tulsa. Most of the other full rebuild outfits I'm aware of are further ....

Even with a good shop, there's no easy way to get in quick. The people who do good work are booked up. Some are booked up over a year in advance. That's not ideal in your case. It may be how it works out ....

First step, take some pictures of what's what. Make a full list of everything that needs to be checked and everything that (so far) needs to be done. Accept that some things may only be known after whoever you use dives into the project. I'd send the stuff off to JC and see what they say. At least then you have a benchmark to go from.

Bob

[Gibson3798]

All I can offer are my sympathies and encouragement to not let it spoil your joy.

[CBWELL]

This is not a rebuild, just a matter of replacing lights, making sure the wiring is correct, checking the breakers, both 120 and 12 volt, checking the converter, and if old style replacing it. I don't know your area, but I know that someone from Tulsa will have a good shop to take it to. If you are handy it's not a big job, with some basic electrical knowledge, a test meter and time you can get everything back running. I would be addressing the mess caused by CW with someone higher up or a lawyer. Good luck and it will all work out.

[Belegedhel]

Welcome to the Forums!

So, what were the issues you took the trailer to CW for in the first place? I am a bit confused, as it sounds like it was fixing stairs and installing TVs, but turned into a complete mess. I don't understand what they needed rivets for...

Anyway, it sounds like the lion's share of your problems are with your 120 v AC power system. If you can't find a mobile RV technician with reputable credentials, I would say it is pretty similar to the system you would find in a house, in which case I would suggest finding a residential electrician and asking them to check it out.

The stairs might be a different story--take some pics and post them, and we may have better advice.

good luck!

[Lily&Me]

Years ago, our very first RV…which was 25 years old at that point…needed rewiring, the vent fan replaced and some other things done to make it roadworthy.

Peterbilt did the work, and did a good job.

I don’t know how my husband found them, but maybe like I would do he started making phone calls and got recommendations.

I recently had some electrical work done locally by a place that works on electrical issues on cars, referred to by the shop that does regular service for me.

Sounds like a mess, and I wish you all the best in getting everything taken care of.

Maggie

[mikextr]

I had a good experience with Wade's RV service in Glenpool. They fixed some of the wiring mistakes I made on my 67 Overlander and got the brakes and towing lights all working correctly. They are busy and expensive (145/hr) but near Tulsa and worth a try. Nice people working there, too.

[Gene]

You have good reason to be upset. CW has a long and poor reputation when dealing with Airstreams.

Your immediate need is to find a good shop or mobile repair. Check local reviews, ask around and see if anyone here can help you. Contrary to what another post said, it doesn't sound like a rebuild. There are three main issues—
1. Electrical. There are lots of mechanics who are bad at auto and RV electrical repairs, so you have to find someone who is good at it. When you find someone ask if they have a mechanics with lots of experience with RV electrical work. You will need documentation to show the A/C burned out because of inadequate voltage. Perhaps they used a too long extension cord and that caused voltage drop.
2. Ruined mattress can be replaced.
3. Steps—you my need a new step adapted to your unit.

I am a bit confused about your other issues and whether some things have been fixed. This all sounds so overwhelming that I can understand you are befuddled, angry, confused and frustrated. Who wouldn't be?

Has CW reimbursed you for damages? You can go to small claims court. Lawyers aren't allowed so you will make a manager from CW appear and he won't like that. Save all documentation, messages, etc. Wait until you have all the repairs made so you know your total damages, send a "demand letter" to CW's main office and add in your time and any expense you can think of. Tell them you will sue them if they don't pay for their damages and see what they do. You can do this now with what you know and tell them you will follow up when you have the rest of the damages. If they give an unsatisfactory answer, then go to small claims court. If they have to hire a lawyer, it will cost them more if this drags on and they will have to transfer the case to county or city court (states have different variations of small claims and how to transfer cases, but usually you can get info from the local courts how to pursue a small claims case).

Nobody should be treated this way. There seems to be a shortage of RV mechanics and that has been true before Covid-19 showed up. Bad repairs, long waits for repairs and such have been problems for several years. I wish I had a better answer on your primary questions—where to take it. Check out nearby cities if nothing is available in Tulsa. It may work better for you. Maybe you have neighbors with an RV who can recommend someone and you may make new friends. There are lots of review sites—I would Google "RV repairs Tulsa" and see what you find as a starter. You can also inform CW that will take your problems to a local TV station—some of them have a consumer affairs reporter or are looking for stories about ripped off customers. Does Okla. have an office in the state attorney general's office for consumer problems. I met the former AG (Edmunson) several years ago and he seemed to be someone who would have such an office. His sister is a long time friend and the are a good family.

CW is owned by a conglomerate that includes Good Sam and several travel publications. We have the Good Sam insurance for travel related problems and that part of the company does a good job. The rest, not so good.

[psgtanks24]

If you are willing to drive a bit, P&S Trailer Service in Helena, OH did a great job with my 97 Excella. They were reasonably priced, easy to work with, great communicators. I would not hesitate to take my trailer there again should it ever need work.

[Foiled Again]

You have just described the best reason to join WBCCI. Airstream Club International. It is full of people who have been there, done that, and have the T-shirt. Many can and do help newbies avoid incompetent repair shops, find good help and learn how to do repair jobs that they mistakenly think are beyond their capabilities.