Camper Clinic II, Buda Tx.?

[Bambi_Bandit]

Camper Clinic has been discussed in prior years too:

Travel and Service Update - Airstream Forums

I myself had part of my hitch stolen from them in order for them to make a sale and "deliver" a unit on a weekend... 'nuf said.

[DKB_SATX]

Originally Posted by extiger

My recent experience with the CC2 sales process was IMHO less than stellar, but I also may not understand the typical RV/AS sales process.

Recently my wife and I took a day off work to drive over 3 hours to look at a late model used AS. We spent over 3 hours at CC2 negotiating with "The Great OZ" via our "friend" the salesman. Being mere mortals a glimpse of "The Great OZ" did not occur. It was make an offer and cool your heals while waiting for "The Great OZ" to consider and counter. Never once were we offered a cool drinkg while cooling our heals in the Texas heat.

Ultimately a deal was not struck. Unlike other posters, we must be chopped liver as we did not receive the thank you for coming follow up email.

We found the process to be very consumer unfriendly and left us with the impression that the dealership is "cheap." The process of working through our "friend" the salesman was a real turn off and time waster for us.

I have no experience with them, but I have a suspicion about the case you're describing. It sounds like they had too much in the used unit, at least "on the books" and were unwilling to admit to losing any money on it. Horse traders who get hung up on the numbers may, for example, write up a transaction that's heavy on the trade-in and light on the new-sale part, then on the books it looks like they really paid X for that trade-in, when in reality they were just giving a bigger concession on the new sale where they have lots of margin to work with. Later, though, they're looking at X on the books as what they "paid" for the used unit and may end up holding that unit for a long time, ignoring the carrying cost because they're hung up on getting X+ for the unit.

[TX_Argosy]

Originally Posted by Bambi_Bandit

Camper Clinic has been discussed in prior years too:

I myself had part of my hitch stolen from them ...

Ummm wow. I read the response from Don. As you admitted, there are three sides to every story, and negative feedback travels much faster and wider than positive. Who, in the Cen-Tex region, do you suggest for repairs?

[Bambi_Bandit]

Originally Posted by TX_Argosy

Ummm wow. I read the response from Don. As you admitted, there are three sides to every story, and negative feedback travels much faster and wider than positive. Who, in the Cen-Tex region, do you suggest for repairs?

Depends on what you define as "repairs". Are we talking frame off work or troubleshooting tank sensors or appliance replacements / new floors, etc?

Eric Stoltz of texas vintage trailer is in New Braufels is well known. Some have posted issues with his response time or lack of response, but I've both been to his place and had recent phone / e-mail conversations with him no problem.

Deago (not sure of his spelling) used to work for Eric and now runs his own small shop in South Austin. He has done lots of work for folks with both campers and vending trailers here in town.

Paul Mayeux up in the DFW area works both out of his home and will cover some warranty work under Roger Williams. He specializes in trailer restorations and is the VAC TX/OK region 9 rep.

Pat McDowell out of Wimberly TX does some things, but not sure what he's up to lately. He'd be a good resource to ask the same question to.

I'm sure there are others, and many folks on the forum that can give you pointers on what to do (or not do) or who or where to go if you can't get it done yourself.

[SRW]

Most recently I have had wheel bearings repacked by Todd at Tom Kominsky's TKRV, in Lockhart, and a new converter installed by Paul Mayeux at Roger William's in Weatherford, Texas. I also had the power jack head repaired (a new switch) at Camper Clinic II.

Camper Clinic's parts manager, Bill Janus, runs a great department, and cannot be beaten for Airstream parts in central Texas.

[HCR]

My posititive experiences in dealing W/CC II continue.

Two weeks I was ago I was by and told Bill Janus in Parts about a leak I had discovered.

He had me describe it to a tech named Les and Les invited me to get in a golf cart and go look at a repair in progress they had on the lot. Les explained what needed to be done and said "do it yourself or bring it in." I have not needed to bring trailer to them for repairs, so can't comment on the quality of their work, but parts service and the free advice have been great.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by Top

In September of this year I was driving back to Ft. Hood from San Antonio and I saw all the glorious shining Airstreams on the lot of Camper Clinic II. I stopped and looked at a 2008 25' International. The salesman was a nice fellow. (Jon) He was new to the RV sales job. He knew his product fairly well. I went back with the family and we looked at all the trailers on the lot I think! We didn't buy an Airstream from them. Jon's sales manager was offended at the offer I made them for the trailer and was sent a "Nice to know you. Good luck!" email. I wasn't happy with the sales department manager.
Today I stopped in to buy some parts for Abby, our '72 Ambassador. The parts department people were very helpful and courteous. I have been to a few RV service locations along I-35 and a few places I will never return. I can say that from the moment I walked in to CCII I was greeted promptly and treated with the utmost of care and respect. I purchased three parts totaling $11.67. I looked up the same parts on Inland RV when I got home and they totaled $15.75 (no taxes or shipping). I would recommend their parts department to everyone.

Any documentations?

Andy

[Bluto]

Originally Posted by SRW

Most recently I have had wheel bearings repacked by Todd at Tom Kominsky's TKRV, in Lockhart, and a new converter installed by Paul Mayeux at Roger William's in Weatherford, Texas. I also had the power jack head repaired (a new switch) at Camper Clinic II.

Camper Clinic's parts manager, Bill Janus, runs a great department, and cannot be beaten for Airstream parts in central Texas.

Interesting about Rodger Williams, I thought they were out of the Airstream business. Did they start repairing Airstreams again?
I know that when I called them a year ago they said they don't even have any parts in stock nor will they work on any streams.
It would be great if they are starting to work on them again. This area of Texas needs a good Airstream shop.

[SRW]

Originally Posted by HCR

My posititive experiences in dealing W/CC II continue.

Two weeks I was ago I was by and told Bill Janus in Parts about a leak I had discovered.

He had me describe it to a tech named Les and Les invited me to get in a golf cart and go look at a repair in progress they had on the lot. Les explained what needed to be done and said "do it yourself or bring it in." I have not needed to bring trailer to them for repairs, so can't comment on the quality of their work, but parts service and the free advice have been great.

Les Dogden is the Service Manager and is a part owner in CCII.

[Snaken49]

If you need great service or top of the line (aircraft quality) sheet metal work I suggest you call Randy at North Dallas RV, (972) 242-0404.

http://www.northdallasrv.com/

[Lance M]

Originally Posted by Inland RV Center, In

Any documentations?

Andy

Andy,

In my post above, my intention was not to say anything derogatory about Inland RV, but to show that I got great service and a good deal from the parts department at Camper Clinic II and I recommend them (the parts department) to everyone in Central Texas. Since I used your name in my comment above I'll tell you what parts they were and what I paid for them. I won't ever quote Inland RV by name here or anywhere else again.

Latch, Plastic Main Door

CC II price $5.30 IRV $6.25

Housing, Main Door

CC II price $3.59 IRV $6.25

Striker, Main Door

CC II price $1.99 IRV $3.25

I never installed these parts on my Ambassador. I found the original black slider from a different source. I took them back to CC II for a full refund.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by Top

Andy,

In my post above, my intention was not to say anything derogatory about Inland RV, but to show that I got great service and a good deal from the parts department at Camper Clinic II and I recommend them (the parts department) to everyone in Central Texas. Since I used your name in my comment above I'll tell you what parts they were and what I paid for them. I won't ever quote Inland RV by name here or anywhere else again.

Latch, Plastic Main Door

CC II price $5.30 IRV $6.25

Housing, Main Door

CC II price $3.59 IRV $6.25

Striker, Main Door

CC II price $1.99 IRV $3.25

I never installed these parts on my Ambassador. I found the original black slider from a different source. I took them back to CC II for a full refund.

Thank you for your concerns.

Since we do not sell Airstream coaches, we cannot offer loss leaders.

Each business must do as they see fit, for many reasons, especially state taxes.

California, is on the top of the pile.

Andy

[Melody Ranch]

Thing is....Andy (or Greg) will answer you right up front. Help you out with a myriad of questions/answers and most likely has what you need. I give him grief sometimes but he is always there when I need help and I won't hesitate to recommend the Company. However, I will not pay California State Taxes under any conditions...they deserve to pay their own.

[extiger]

It started with a phone call; no I don’t need an appointment, just show up said Camper Clinic II’s Melanie very pleasantly. You see I had a list of 6 minor warranty items and a request for quotes on 3 other items. A short email informed me that CC was the recommended AS place for warranty work in the Houston area, a mere 3 ½ hour drive away.
Panic set in Saturday morning as I realized at 11am that the service dept. closed at 1pm on Saturday, another phone call and I was reassured that it was ok to drop the trailer after 1pm, people do it all the time and the sales force was accustomed to it.
Upon arrival and entering the office my request of “what to do” was met with stark bewilderment. Just put it anywhere, do you want my keys, my name? I was left with the impression that I was the first person to ever drop a trailer with the sales manager or receptionist.
Monday morning Melanie and I went over the list and a couple of days later received quotes on the requested items, opting for two and receiving updates on the warranty work, which was mostly finished. Requests and discussions were handled very professionally and pleasantly.
A couple of weeks later, I called on a Thursday to say that I would be over on Saturday to pick up the trailer and Melanie said no problem it will be ready to go. I asked that they top off a propane tank that was about ½ full and again “no problem.”
It was up early on Saturday and off for Buda, arriving mid – morning. We settled the bill and I was told my trailer was “up on the hill” by Lucinda. Up the hill we go only to find Silvy hub deep in mud with a dead battery. We backed the truck close enough to plug in the umbilical so we could power the jack and managed to hitch up. Slowly pulling, and then resorting to 4 wheel drive, she was pulled out of the mud. Upon opening the door to inspect the insides we were met by a dirty and wet floor. Seems that they ran the gray water tank a little full and water sloshed out of the shower as we pulled her out of the mud. As I checked the propane tank I discovered that it had not been filled and the add on item I paid for was not present. In checking the bill I also discovered that my 10% discount on parts had not been applied. So back down the hill. Service Manager Lucinda didn’t care to discuss this with me and passed me off to Les. I insisted Les walk up the hill to look for himself at the condition that was causing my consternation. Les refused to go inside the trailer and went into a long explanation essentially saying that the normal procedure for trailer pickup had not been followed in my case.
No explanation for all the water was offered, and the gray water was taken care of before the trailer was moved. One of the items was checking the gray water monitor to make sure it was correctly calibrated, but that is no excuse for leaving water in the shower. I think I was lucky to be the one to pull the trailer, instead of the CC folks. They wouldn’t have stopped on dry land but would have brought it down the hill, slopping water all the way.
Les did offer to bring the trailer to our house Wednesday after making sure everything was taken care of. We declined this offer as we were heading out that Thursday, and we felt we would be more thorough than them in cleaning up the insides. Les did hose down the tires and filled the propane and made sure we received our 10% discount. He did comp our ½ tank of propane. He took my bill to search for the missing part and later when I was on the road discovered he still had the bill. So Monday a call was placed and the work order mailed to me.
The warranty items were all addressed and taken care of, but the gray water was disconcerting. I was also disappointed that the propane wasn’t filled and the part I purchased not in the trailer. Les said normal procedures were not followed on their part, but Lucinda sent me on my way to get my trailer, knowing there might be a problem, which makes me think she didn’t care or that was their normal procedure. There seemed to be a lot of throwing others under the bus so self preservation must be a high priority item in the service department.
My expectation was the work would be done, the bill correct, the interior reasonably clean and the trailer ready to hook up and go. Since none of those expectations were met, it is up to you, the reader to decide if my experience was a fluke or the norm.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Warranty work, sometimes takes difficult turns.

Some dealers that sell cheap, put off warranty work. Then typically, the coach is taken to another dealer for the warranty work. That dealer then knows who sold the coach and then might also choose to be difficult with the warranty repairs.

Best method, is to buy from a dealer you can trust, that has a decent service department, AND lives up to their promises.

Buying on the cheap, is not necessarily going to save money, in the long run, not including inconveniences and many headaches, that typically go along with the cheap price.

We had a customer, several years ago, that showed up without an appointment, with a 30 page typewriten warranty punch list, that also said, "I WANT IT ALL FIXED NOW".

Needless to say, he was sent on his way, as he was also a "WAITER". Unless it's an emergency, warranty repairs should be done by appointments, within reason. Many times, some parts may have to be ordered from the factory, who will only ship them via "ground", which takes time. If a customer wants the parts shipped "expedited", they are obligated to pay that freight charge, as per Airstream.

As always, if the coach owner feels that they were taken advantage of, they certainly are free to inform the wheels at Airstream.

There are 3 basic things to remember, when purchasing an expensive anything.

1. You get in the long run, what you pay for.
2. What is the reputation of the dealer?
3. Give the dealer adequate time to properly service the coach. Then they have no excuse.

Have faith, as there are still some very good dealers around, but perhaps not very close to the customer.

Andy

[JazzDad]

I've been to that dealer. We checked them out on the 'Net before we went. The positive to negative ratio was inconclusive, so we paid them a visit. We did not wind up buying from them.

[Antique Pedaler]

Several years ago I was in Texas, a thousand miles from my purchasing dealer with a warrantee furnace problem. A call to Airstream customer resulted in them making an appointment for me at CC as I was leary of an unknown dealer who did not sell me the trailer. I arrived at the appointed time and was immediately taken care of. No problem.

[excella99]

HCR....I've dealt with CC II...less than impressed...I had a friend that used Bayer RV in Dublin, TX...he was impressed with their service...you have several seasoned Airstreamers that live in Livingston, TX...they would be able to help you more than a dealer..put an ad in the paper...local airstreamer needs help with hitch...please contact ....etc..and I am sure one would contact you with the help you need...

[bspelce]

Like Excella99's friend, I have had outstanding results and service from Beyer RV in Dublin, TX -- an Airstream dealer. It's a little bit farther from Round Rock to Dublin (2 to 3 hours) than Round Rock to Buda (1 to 1.5 hours), but it's a nicer drive than I-35 through Austin!

[PamCheshire]

We have been trying to deal with them on a new Airstream and so far they never call back when they say they will. They told my husband that they won't come a dime off stick price...yeah right *rolls eyes* and they short changed us nearly 3 thousand dollars on what the value of our current Airstream camper is according to the researched values. So....those issues combined with the poor reviews on them here makes me think we will be traveling out of Texas to pick up a new Airstream else where.