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Lemon Law Book » Chapter 2: Page 6
Chapter 2: A Motor Home Lemon Story
Date: 5/30
Mileage = 5,330
Days in shop = 3
Total Days in Shop = 3
They drove to the closer facility in Abilene. They gave the mechanic their extensive list of problems, and he put them on a repair order. Two days later, the mechanic told them their motor home was ready. Mr. and Mrs. Rodriguez were surprised that it had taken such a short time to fix all of their problems. They asked the mechanic about the water leak, and he told them that he had just caulked the area of the leak.
This is a house on wheels. Successful repairs need a wide spectrum of skills that may go beyond that of most ordinary mechanics.
As Mr. and Mrs. Rodriguez drove away, they thought of it as a wasted visit. The mechanic had ignored the possibility that the water leak was the result of a structural defect. They felt that the repairs hadn’t really fixed anything but were like slapping a bandage on an open, infected wound.
Second Repair Attempt
Motor home repair facilities can’t stock every part needed. They must be sent for, and this takes time, often a long time.
The leaks and other problems showed up again, forcing Mr. and Mrs. Rodriguez to drive the extra distance to the authorized dealership in Dallas, Texas. They gave the service writer their list of problems, and he put them on a repair order.
Date: 6/30
Mileage = 5,510
Days in Shop = 27
Total Days in Shop = 30
The service writer told them it was going to take a while, which proved to be quite an understatement. The motor home was at the dealership for 27 days. During this time, Mr. and Mrs. Rodriguez saw America from a motel in an industrial part of the city. They also had to rent a car.
The Pitfalls of Multiple Warranties
The dealer told Mr. and Mrs. Rodriguez that the handling problem was a chassis issue, and they would have to go to the chassis manufacturer to get it fixed. They called the chassis manufacturer, whose facilities were in another state, and described the problem. The representative said it wasn’t their problem; it was the fault of the engine manufacturer.