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Camping World or
Camping World or
an independent shop?
Camping World is a national RV dealership chain with its own service centers. An independent shop like ours only does service. Both can fix an RV. Which one fits depends on warranty, the kind of repair, and how long you can go without the rig. Here is how to decide.
01 · Start with the warranty
Warranty first.
Warranty first.
Then everything else.
- Under manufacturer warranty or open recallGo through the dealer network. Warranty and recall work is paid by the manufacturer when it is done through their channel. Paying an independent shop for covered work is paying twice.
- Extended service contractRead the contract. Many let you choose the shop, some do not. Call the contract company before you book anywhere.
- Out of warranty, or a denied claimThis is where an independent shop usually makes sense. You are paying either way, so compare turnaround, estimate practice and the technician, not the sign on the building.
02 · How the two are built
Service plus sales,
Service plus sales,
or service only.
- A dealership service centerShares the building with a sales floor. Bay space and technician hours are split between customer repairs, units being prepped for sale, and warranty claims that pay on the manufacturer's schedule.
- An independent shopHas one queue and one customer, the person who owns the RV. There is no sales floor competing for the bays.
- What that means for youAsk any shop two questions: when can you look at it, and when will it be done. A fast appointment does not help if the RV then waits for a bay.
03 · What to ask either one
Five questions
Five questions
on the phone.
- When can you look at it, and when would it be doneTwo different numbers. Get both.
- What is your labor rate, and do I get a written estimate firstOurs is $198 an hour, and every job gets a written estimate before work starts. We cannot quote a job without seeing the RV.
- Who works on it, and what certifications do they holdOurs: RVIA Master Certified, plus Victron, Dometic and Lippert.
- What do you not work onA straight answer is a good sign. Ours is below.
- What is the warranty on the workOurs is 60 days on parts and labor. Get it on the estimate.
04 · Where we fit
What we do,
What we do,
and what we send elsewhere.
- What we takeElectrical, solar and lithium, plumbing and leaks, heating and air, appliances, slide-outs, awnings, roof repair and replacement on rubber roofs and Airstreams, hail and metal body work, trailer brakes, bearings and axles. Airstream is our specialty.
- Our measured numbersMost appointments are booked within 7 days. The average job runs about 6.3 days from intake to completion. Backordered parts are the usual reason a job runs longer, and when that happens we tell you.
- What we turn downWarranty and recall work, engines, transmissions and chassis, fiberglass of any kind, RVs over 40 feet or older than 20 years, and mobile service.
Related: RV dealership vs independent shop · How long RV repair takes in Denver · How to choose an RV repair shop
Out of warranty? Call us first.
Tell us what the RV is doing. If it belongs at a dealer, we will tell you that instead of booking you.