I wish I had thought to look at the Yelp rating for Open Road RV before I purchased a 2019 Raptor 353TS fifth wheel from them. My experience echoes that of several others who took time to provide feedback.
Unfortunately, I am now left with the last resort option to pursue resolution through a lawsuit against Open Road RV.
Summary of unresolved issues:
- When we purchased, we were charged $2,500 to cover Open Road RV service to perform their 'Product Delivery Inspection' (PDI). When I inquired about a couple of details I had questions/concerns over, I was insured by my salesman (Jason Murphy) that their service team would inspect every system to ensure functional operation. I was told this $2,500 charge was not optional or negotiable. My salesman did a good job of easing my mind that I could count on the results of this service.
- Open Road RV demonstrated GROSS NEGLIGENCE that PUT THE LIFE OF MY FAMILY AND OTHERS ON THE ROAD AT RISK. The fifth wheel hitch was installed with THREE MAJOR ISSUES. 1) The system installed does not allow attachment of the safety chains to connect the RV to the vehicle in the event the hitch connection fails. 2) The mechanism used to lock the hitch pin does not clear the tailgate when vehicle is not on level ground. This could result in being stranded, failure of the RV/Vehicle connection, and damage to my vehicle. (see picture) 3) The technician attached the safety brake trigger cable to the fifth wheel side of the hitch connection at delivery. Had the connection failed during my first trip, that system would not have worked, putting my life and the life of others at risk.
- Open Road RV did not successfully test the AC units. Two of the three AC units do not work. So far I've logged 110 minutes of extremely frustrating phone calls that have finally resulted in an offensive offer by Open Road RV that does not result in full resolution.
- Open Road RV did not successfully identify a severe water leak in the shower plumbing. Any qualified technician would have noticed the obvious signs of this leak. This has resulted in damage to items in the storage area and inconvenience to have to be sure the bucket is in place to catch the water until we can get this fixed. (see picture)
Summary of my service experience:
- On the day I had scheduled to pick up the RV, I called ahead to ask if I could come early. The answer was a very firm 'no' and I got the sense that they had not even started the PDI service yet on that morning.
- Poor and inefficient communication - nearly every time I call (see call log), I am told the service manager (Jim) is 'in the yard' and that a 'note will be left on his desk', or 'please try calling back later'. Delays in communication are measured in days, not hours. Would be so much better if the service manager would proactively manage the issues to ensure timely resolution. There is nothing proactive coming from Open Road RV to date.
- Open Road RV stated that I need to find a qualified service technician to certify that the AC units require replacement before they are willing to reimburse me. Finding available service technicians is extremely difficult, especially while traveling (actually trying to use the RV as intended). I finally found someone who was available. They provided the quote. I provided this to Open Road RV anticipating they would honor their verbal statement that they would cover the replacement by a qualified service technician. In the spirit of trust, I paid the deposit (about $3,300) and committed to another $700 so that the technician could receive the parts and complete the repair with minimal impact to my travel plans. Open Road RV objected to the cost and offered to cover only $2,000, and further delayed resolution and impact my travel plans for what is now an additional ten days. They also offered that I could bring the RV back to WA and they would replace the AC units. I am now 600 miles away and this would cost me about $913 in fuel alone to return to WA. This is such an offensive suggestion and so far from a 'customer focused' resolution!
- I documented all open issues, offering to resolve the hitch issue on my own if they simply pay for the invoice from the local technician to replace two AC units and repair the plumbing leak. Alternatively I stated my intention to pursue resolution through legal matters, and this includes action to cover all dealer negligence, financial, time, and emotional damages. Upon expiration of the time allowed for their response, I am now initiating this legal case. I thought I'd share my experience here on Yelp in the meantime in the hopes that future customers will at least be aware if they choose to initiate business with Open Road RV. I truly wish I could give Open Road RV 5 stars. I did everything I possibly could for as long as I could in my attempt to reach a fair resolution, but my patience and trust with Open Road RV is now completely depleted. read more