🚐 The Dirty Secrets of RV Service: What You Need to Know
If you're an RV owner, you know that getting your vehicle serviced can be a frustrating and expensive experience. As a certified RV technician who has worked both independently and in shops, I'm here to tell you some of the dirty secrets about RV service that no service manager would want me to reveal. In this article, I'll explain why RV service can be such a headache, and I'll give you my three tips on how you can get a better RV service experience.
🛠️ Dirty Secret #1: Anyone Can Be a Technician
The first dirty secret of RV service is that most people working on RVs, even at major dealerships, are not certified and don't have any real experience in the field. Unfortunately, the RV industry is experiencing a massive labor shortage, and the trades are particularly unattractive. As a result, many technicians have zero experience with RVs or anything mechanical. This is a big reason why the common story of the mobile technician is some fly-by-night drug addict who shows up and rips people off.
🔍 Dirty Secret #2: RV Certification Means Little
The second dirty secret is that RV certification means pretty much nothing compared to what it means to be a licensed electrician or plumber, for example. RV industry certification doesn't actually require any work experience. You can do hands-on training with them or you can do the study-at-home program where you simply have to pass the test. Being a really good RV technician is actually a very difficult thing to master because it's not just learning one trade like being an electrician. It's learning to be an electrician and a plumber and a mechanic and roofing and siding and HVAC. All of these are independent trades that take years to master.
💰 Dirty Secret #3: There's Not Much Money in RV Service
Believe it or not, some dealerships run their service center at a loss because they need to provide this service under warranty for the units that they're selling. They charge $150-$190 an hour for RV work, and they're paying their technicians chump change like $16 to $20 an hour. All the other money is going to overhead. The real estate you need to run a large RV service center is like acres, and you need lots of employees. The electric and gas heating bills are like off the charts.
🏆 Three Tips for a Better RV Service Experience
Now that you know some of the dirty secrets of RV service, here are my three best tips for how to avoid a situation where incompetent technicians are actively breaking your already broken RV.
🤝 Tip #1: Find Your Technician Through Referrals
Find your technician through referrals, not just a Google review. Those sometimes are loaded with fictitious reviews. Go search on forums or word of mouth. People you know that have had a good experience with a technician or a shop in general.
🗣️ Tip #2: The Squeaky Wheel Gets the Grease
The more annoying you are, the faster you'll get service. I'm advocating being annoying only when you know you're getting the runaround. There's a big difference between "it's going to take three months to get the parts and get it fixed" and "they give you a deadline and then that doesn't happen, and three months turns into six months and six months turns into more and more excuses."
🛠️ Tip #3: Avoid the Shop Altogether
In my experience as a technician, at least a quarter of the repairs I end up doing are completely preventable. That's why I made my tool-free RV maintenance course, which is 15 tool-free tips that you can do that will save you up to fifty thousand dollars in repair and just keep you out of the shop and out camping more. You can avoid so many repairs and save so much money by doing this course.
🌟 Highlights
- RV service is plagued by a massive labor shortage and a lack of experienced technicians.
- RV certification means little compared to other trades like plumbing and electrical work.
- Some dealerships run their service centers at a loss.
- To get better RV service, find your technician through referrals, be persistent, and avoid the shop altogether by doing preventive maintenance.
❓ FAQ
Q: How can I find a good RV technician?
A: Look for referrals from people you know or search on forums for recommendations.
Q: Why is there a labor shortage in the RV industry?
A: The trades are particularly unattractive, and many technicians have zero experience with RVs or anything mechanical.
Q: How can I avoid incompetent technicians?
A: Be persistent and annoying when you know you're getting the runaround, and consider doing preventive maintenance to avoid repairs altogether.
Q: What is the tool-free RV maintenance course?
A: It's a course that teaches you 15 tool-free tips to save you up to fifty thousand dollars in repair and keep you out of the shop and out camping more.
