Service at the mother ship?

[kingfisher24]

this post is not meant to be heresy by any means....i am not disparaging the service department.......i am just reflecting upon my experience.

they are busy....all day every day....they have 12 bays......overall they do a good job


I am still wondering about....they say they perform a 25 point inspection...i inquired about it when i signed in and they gave me a check list form....

it was fairly extensive...and said it would be performed and compled by the tech and review with you.....I never saw a completed checklist or was advised of it....the technicians are...thorough....but hurried....

@ $104.00 per hour...they are not that hurried.

i inquired at the price of a captians chair...the ones that are in the classic model and options in others...i want to remodel my safari.....$1432.00 each...installed or you pick them up and go??????????

other items seem reasonable....new 16' wheels and michelins....$438 each

stock 15" tires...$138.00 each

they repacked my wheel bearings....replaced 4 magnets on braking system...adjusted gas pressure for water heater...replaced standard toilet...replaced sewer flusher.....

8 hours...labor $ 832.00...parts....$425.00

[Schu]

I want to apologize for the lack of attention to your needs while at the Service Center.We do not want to be uncaring to our customers no matter what our schedule might be. Please let me know what questions you may have or what I can do for you.

Dave Schumann,Airstream Support Group dschumann@airstream.com

[klattu]

$104 an hour... obviously no illeagals working there.

[kingfisher24]

I was merely relating my experience...on a 10 scale system....you rate a 9.5

Taking the entire day at the service center, as a fultiming airstreamer, not getting finished until after 4pm, your closing time....and me leaving the next morning, and you full of next day appointments....and the 25 point inspection as one of your advertised points.....

your technicians are great, and helpful....

thank you

[Wayne&Sam]

Originally Posted by kingfisher24

I was merely relating my experience...on a 10 scale system....you rate a 9.5

I think Dave is saying they want to rate 10. You should email him to correct that .5.

My experience is that's what they want- a 10.

[fmr.capt.evi]

If you ask me, not only do you get your money's worth at the service center, but with their experience and resources, a typical issue that would be a virtual "moon shot" at your dealer's, is handled quickly, quietly and efficiently there.

[Wingeezer]

I know that Kingfisher was not being negative with respect to JC, in fact he rated his experience quite highly.

I would like to add comment about my recent experience with JC.

Last February, my wife and I left Ontario for a 6 week trip to Arizona.

Before even reaching the US border at Port Huron, we somehow managed to damage our Airstream in Ontario due to (I think!) high snow banks, hidden obstructions, limited turning space, all combined with my stupidity at a highway service centre in Ontario!

We didn't even discover the damage until we were at a rest stop in Lansing Michigan, so I'm not 100% sure where it happened, but I'm pretty sure it could only have been at the service centre when I managed to get stuck in snow on a ninety degree turn and had to use 4wd to bull my way out! I knew that the trailer was very close to contacting a snow bank but was more concerned watching a stop sign that I though might contact the side of the trailer as I went around.

In summary, I damaged the steps, the curbside front stabilizer, squashed two propane lines flat. ripped two of the lower gray painted panels and damaged our curb side rock guard.

Being a bit of a perfectionist (!) I was so p*ssed off that I was about ready to turn around and head home and forego our winter trip!

I knew I could get the propane lines fixed at almost any RV dealer, maybe even fix it myself en route, but just would not have been at all happy living with all the other damage for 6 weeks! It would have really spoiled the trip for me!

We stopped, took our time, and thought more realistically about our options!

My always calm and logical wife (must be why I married her) had the brilliant idea that it wouldn't be much of a detour for us to head east to JC and see what they could do for us. This was on a Sunday afternoon.

What I great I idea I thought! Why didn't I think of that! If anyone could repair it to my satisfaction, it should be JC, but would they be able to fit us in without appointment - who knew?

It certainly seemed worth a try, so off we went to JC, arriving at about 6pm in the snow on Sunday (JC is not a great place to find restaurants or buy groceries at 6pm on Sunday in winter but we had tins and some home made wine!)

Terraport had its roads /sites ploughed and when I checked, I found that the 110v was live, so there we stopped right at JC for the night - the only trailer in the campground!

Bright and early at 7 am on Monday morning, we were in the office speaking with Chris in the service centre to explain our dilemma. I could barely get back to the trailer to unhook it from the truck before he had the tractor there ready to pull the trailer into the shop!

Chris told us it would likely be Tuesday before our trailer would be ready, and he offered to pull the trailer back out on Monday night so we could sleep in it again, but we opted instead for a motel a little ways down the interstate, a good dinner, and a hot shower ( and a couple of G&T's to calm my nerves down!)

On Tuesday, we picked up our trailer as good as new (I had them install new tires as welk which I had planned to take a day to do in Tucson anyway) and we were on our way again, happy as clams!

No, it wasn't cheap, but the repairs were done right, the cost was very much in line with what I expected tp have to pay, all the folks we met at JC were great to deal with, and as a bonus we met a few other congenial AS owners in the lounge as well - one couple happened to be heading for the same RV resort we were going to in Tucson so we met up with them again once we got to Tucson!


Brian - a happy JC customer - will return, but hopefully with more planning next time!

[GREENovaters]

I love JC... it offers what most AS owners want - professional, timely, experienced and a "familial" environment. I've been there 4 times in the past year or so with a trailer that was a disaster... now that I have my moho I hope to take it there and have them go over it and address some issues for me! I highly recommend all AS owners to take a trip there at least once in the first year they buy an AS.

[Kosm1o]

I am glad I only live about two hours away, should I need service. It is nice to know of their expertise.

[Silver Otter]

I must add our praise to this thread. We had a list of items fixed at JC just a few weeks ago. Everyone there is highly professional, courteous, and just plain nice. Everything we needed fixed was done, and Paul made sound suggestions for solutions on things I should have thought of, but didn't. We will be going back in the winter for more cosmetic work.

[RamblinManGa]

Hi from Ga. . .I went to the Mothership to get a new ultra-leather sofa for my 05 Safari 25.(cause that's what SHE wanted). They also spotted a couple of issues I had not even noticed (cracked skylt cover, hole in a/c shroud.) and checked bearings & brakes, which supposedly had been done last year. (they said they were fine) It was a 1250 mile round trip & I'm glad I did. Everyone we encountered was great and the work done seems top notch to me. It WAS very expensive but would we have saved anything but the gas money locally ? I doubt it, and I have yet to hear of a place around ATL I'd trust to pack wheel bearings. We hope to return again next year for more work and stuff. Regards, Craig

[Lily&Me]

Originally Posted by Wayne&Sam

I think Dave is saying they want to rate 10. You should email him to correct that .5.

My experience is that's what they want- a 10.

I agree, Dave is wanting to insure customer needs are met. If they offer a 25 point inspection, state they have performed it and charged you for it, you should have a copy for your records.

We had some rooftop installation issues with our Interstate, resolved in part by us and in part by Jackson Center. Quality control at the factory seems to have improved since 05-06 when this occurred.

Our only complaint with JC at this time is the installation of AS-unique items such as lights, and the cost of replacement parts.


Maggie

[thecatsandi]

They have rebuilt my trailer TWICE after two major accidents. They did a great job. I have been there several other times for maintanence and removal of microwave and installation of an oven. Always professional, always reasonable.

[TROUTD]

Chris and everyone in Jackson Center have gone above and beyond the type of service you typically receive today in my experience. They helped me resolve a sink issue with Moen under a serious time crunch. It involved Moen warranties and shipping parts. They always keptme in the loop and were patient with my persistent calls. When my wife discovered a problem with the shower door just as we were about to pull away, a technician came over and fixed it on the spot. They have taken good care of me and my Airstream. I am lucky to live close enough to them to have my trailer worked on at the source.

[AirsDream]

Yup, they're not cheap - and neither is an Airstream.

Only had mine to the mother ship for repairs once - last spring, and they did what they said they'd do when they said they'd do it, for the price (actulaly, a little less than quoted) they said they'd do it for. Professional all the way around. They really know what they're doing, in my estimation.

Now, anyone can repack a wheel bearing (even yours truly!), but when it gets into the deeper mysteries, I lke the idea of having the pros do it. There are probably cheaper places out there, and there are probably techs who are just as good somewhere, but I'm personally not sure where, and it's a good feeling towing away knowing the job was done right. To me, the peace of mind is worth the extra few $. I think they're as close to a "10" as you can find.

[AirHog]

My wife and I were at JC this past week. We purchased a vast number of parts and other stuff at the store/parts department. The flag pole holder being one. When asked the proper way to install it, the lady at the sales counter had one of the service managers up front in minutes. Not only he advised us how to do it, he also gave us screws and large head rivets(no charge) to complete the job. Overall they were very very helpful with all the questions we had (and there were lots of them).
I would give the retail store and the service area a 10 out of 10. If we ever need to fix something on the trailer we can not do it ourselves, we will do the 850 miles drive.

Titu

[greatlakes]

We normally stop/stay there twice a year on our way up from FL or down from MI. Their service, both in person and on the phone, has been excellent. Service parts for any equipment be it for cars, trucks, RVs are always "overpriced" and that's part of the business and a planned profit maker. We can either take or leave it, but one cannot question the Airstream JC folks' desire to satisfy their customer.

[Aviator]

FWIW, the $104 rate is in line with what the Alabama Airstream dealer charged me. The quality of which causes me to not be a repeat customer.

[klattu]

Stopped at Camping W just to see whats on sell...after looking in store, went out to showroom to look at campers, Airstreams and SOBs.
Good to be able to see together and back and forth.
The Airstreams sure look and feel better than the SOBS.
I did notice the rivet spacing is very large, about 10" between rivets on the outside., maybe less, but much more than mine at about 3".

Lots of ideas and directions to do to mine in future.