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westernjeep401 · 09-25-2014, 08:19 PM

Ok, so, it wasn't going to be much of anything since I'd just gotten the rig home from the dealer, who had just done the new unit PDI. But I smelled something....

....and heard a hissing sound coming from a coupling just aft the right front corner of the coach. Gas line. No problem, after a inspecting for damage and retorque, no leak. Since I was under it now I started soaking-up what I could see. The one thing that irked me (and trust me, after 26 years in the auto/medium/heavy truck service world I'm not an automotive hypochondriac) were the screws that secured the lower corners of the wheel well trim to the wheel lip. Man, there were like two screws on one end, pan head, then three at the other end, flush-type interior trim screws. Two had missed the wheel lip altogether.

Just a couple of other small things, like the head door handle screws were loose and the after fantastic fan gasket stuck to the lid then fell off-center the opening, but nothing major. Those wheel well screws...lol, maybe I need to lighten-up. After the 9th 6.0 Powerstroke complete engine replacement I worked some years ago, you get kind-of numb to the small stuff.

AWCHIEF · 09-25-2014, 08:45 PM

Sounds like you are well on your way to a lengthy punch list for your first visit to the dealer. It might be a good excuse to visit the mother ship.

westernjeep401 · 09-27-2014, 06:20 AM

Hi Chief,

Maybe, and I will be candid here.

In the last 10 years, I've pretty-much contracted all service and repair maintenance back to me and my own shop. This includes new stuff under any sort of warranty. Reason? I can no longer trust a benchmark of quality work from service departments, ranging from Firestone to VW to Cummins to Tecumseh. In the forensic and root failure business, I suppose I'm just a little neurotic, but I tell ya, seems like sloppy workmanship is the new normal.

Did some advanced engine performance instructing several years ago...couldn't keep the ADULT LEARNERS, not the kids so much, off the iDevice. Go in the lab, and they were lost on how to perform simple circuit analysis testing for load, voltage drop, and/or communications. Like they had checked-out. Such is the case with this coach, I vouch. So like the puller, the coach will only see my hands for service, large or small. In mechanic-speak (and you might be surprised how many pro-techs ignore the warranty), "work on your own junk, because in the other guys eyes, it is junk".

Vitaminsea · 09-30-2014, 11:11 PM

Welcome and great to have you here. Enjoy you're new member to the family. We have the 28 as well and like the floor plan for us.
Totally get it with workmanship and doing it yourself verses the dealer. I definitely had some issues initially. But also enjoy being under warranty when things come up that you would rather let them fix. You paid for it. Still we all at some point modify and/or change our rigs to make it our own.
Welcome again and save travels.

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Bruce B · 10-01-2014, 03:57 AM

I do all the maintenance and repairs on our now 2.5 year old Bambi. I also have performed 99% of the warranty repairs to the unit. Controlling the outcome is the goal and my automotive background makes it easy.

My one quick stop at a very competent dealer for a warranty replacement of a black water tank sensor resulted in an incomplete covering of a hole opened for the repair, a mouse got in and guess who had to clean everything up and finish things up properly? I should have known better....

For better or worse this lack of attention to detail is simply a given, both at the factory level and at the often at the dealer level. I am not complaining, I am simply being realistic here.

We love our Airstream! I would do it again in an instant...

Bruce