DON-B2
WAYLAND, MICHIGAN
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Joined: 02/07/2005
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just a couple questions to class c'ers on regularly scheduled maintenance. seems to me, and correct me if i'm wrong, it would be alot easier to get maintenance such as oil changes, plugs, transmission, and the such, done on class c's since they are either ford or chevy chassis done at a local ford or chevy dealer wherever you may be than it would be on a class a that has a workhorse or a diesel that needs to go to a freightliner, cat, service center, it also seems it would be alot less expensive too. what have been your experiences with this subject and am i not too far from the trueth??? obvioulsy things with the inside or body would have to go to a rv dealer to fix.
DON ROBERTS
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Horseplay
NC
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Joined: 01/03/2004
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Well, I see an occasional one at my Ford dealers. I think it maybe more if they have the lifts or not.
Many ambulance have the Fords too.
A pit garage is good to use for oil changes, etc.
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Mandalay Parr
Phoenix, AZ
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Joined: 07/09/2004
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Many places besides the ones you mentioned can service class A's. Many can do the inside stuff too.
I certainly would not base my decision on the maintanance factor.
Jerry Parr
Full-time
2005 Mandalay 40B
Cat C7 350, 4 Slides
Blue Ox, Brake Buddy
2004 CR-V Toad
602-321-8141
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tonyandkaren
pennsylvania
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Our class C is unusual because it's built on Dodge 3500 truck chassis. Dodge dealers do not have the facilities to work on something this big. It's only 25' but too heavy for their lifts. We've had work done at Ford truck shops who have no problem working on motorhomes. We've also had warranty work done at other truck shops but that was a hassle with getting it approved from Dodge. We're short enough to fit into a lot of quick oil change places so we use them. We also go to Les Schwab to get work done.
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MNtundraRet
Bloomington, MN
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Joined: 12/06/2007
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The type of work done is based on whether the Ford dealer has a lift big enough for your motor-home. My motor-home had the cruise-control recalls done at a local Ford dealer wihout large lift, but the work was done out in the parking lot.
Mark
Mark & Jan "Old age & treachery win over youth & enthusiasm"
2003 Fleetwood Jamboree 29
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Diggin
Wherever I may wander
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Joined: 10/26/2005
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I had two Ford chassis motorhomes, I did not find any "normal" dealers that would work on it. Even the Ford Truck Center wouldn't take it. They all claimed it was too large. I find that it is just as easy - if not easier - to find service centers for my diesel now, as now I can use Cummins service centers, truck centers, etc.
--kevin
Kev's Blog: When the Geek Hits the Road | NüRVers - The Next Wave
2006 Monaco Knight 40PLQ
2008 Jeep Wrangler Sahara Unlimited 4x4 w/Blue Ox Baseplate and Aventa LX Tow Bar
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RetiredbutWorking
Central Texas
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Not a fulltimer yet, but I have had more luck getting maintenance items performed at a 'fleet' type repair shop then at a Ford dealer. The Ford dealers in my area will do the simple little recall type stuff, but anything else they say there bay is not big enough or their lift can't handle it.
RBW
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janstey
Glenwood, IA
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Ford service departments will charge $80-100 per hour labor irregardless of what you need. For an oil change that can equate to over $80 + parts and oil. I would never go to a dealer for anything but recall issues with the chassis. I have a small town Firestone shop that will change my oil for $35 and charge me $40/hour for any other maintenance.
JeffA and KimA
2003 Four Winds Chateau 31S Class C/Ford V10/with slide
2003 Jeep Liberty toad, all 4 down w/brake buddy
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TomW2
Southwest Washington State USA
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Joined: 05/23/2005
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janstey wrote:Ford service departments will charge $80-100 per hour labor irregardless of what you need. For an oil change that can equate to over $80 + parts and oil.
Maybe that is your experience but at my local Ford service department it costs me less than $50 for everything. Actually, I've paid more to Jiffy Lube to do my car. At least they are fast and only delay my trip home by less than 10 minutes.
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Kirk
Livingston, Texas.
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Joined: 06/17/2001
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I have a class A on a Ford chassis. In our eight years full-time and two previous to that I have had mine serviced at several different Ford truck dealers, and two of those were also Ford auto dealers but not most. I have also had it serviced in truck shops and in one case at an RV service shop. Ford maintains a morothome chassis hot line which you can call for either a class A or a class C and tell them what you have and they will give you the names of several authorized service centers in the area where you are located. To date, I have never been referred to one that was more than 30 miles away.
Good travelin! ........Kirk
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www.adventure.1tree.net
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