Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 11-27-2008, 09:57 AM   #11
Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Ocala, FL
Posts: 31
Quote:
Originally Posted by jage
Imagine if you were 8 hours drive from SMB- how would that color each time you've had an issue?
We should be so lucky! We're seventeen hours' drive from SMB Austin.

Quote:
Originally Posted by jage
I don't think they did a bad job, per se, but I also don't think they bothered to test the house battery they were adding to, they skipped the battery temp monitor (which gives me no end to faults), and there are some other gremlins- all of which I have yet to bother with.
C.S. Lewis asked an interesting question: if a soldier is loyal 90% of the time, is he still considered loyal? I'd have to agree SMB did 90% of a great job putting our rig together, but I'm not sure that still qualifies as "great."

Ethereal is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-28-2008, 01:01 PM   #12
Senior Member
 
Greg In Austin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Austin, Texas
Posts: 1,543
Send a message via AIM to Greg In Austin Send a message via Yahoo to Greg In Austin
Quote:
Originally Posted by jage
Hey Greg, keep in mind too that for those of us over 100 miles away the policy of "just bring it back" is hardly palitable. Imagine if you were 8 hours drive from SMB- how would that color each time you've had an issue?
I agree that distance can make it very difficult to drop by and have things fixed, but I did not get the impression from the OP that the SMB response was to bring it in. It sounded more like, "Oh, too bad, good luck with that".
__________________
Greg in Austin
2008 Ford 6.0PSD EB/E-PH SMB 4X4 Aluminess f/r bumpers (13.5mpg avg, 15mpg hwy) 52k miles [Texas McBeast]
2006 Toyota Prius (48 to 68 mpg) 120k miles [Penelope]
2013 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon (15 to 18 mpg) [Johnnie]
2012 Mitsubishi MiEV (no gas required) ($.50/day in electricity) [Evie]
https://badge.facebook.com/badge/1232...3.32047100.png
Greg In Austin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-28-2008, 01:03 PM   #13
Senior Member
 
Greg In Austin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Austin, Texas
Posts: 1,543
Send a message via AIM to Greg In Austin Send a message via Yahoo to Greg In Austin
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ethereal
You bought a chainsaw with a four-stroke cycle engine?
Nope, it was not four-stroke, but the oil reservoir was filled and the chain lubed..... ...just add gas and go.
__________________
Greg in Austin
2008 Ford 6.0PSD EB/E-PH SMB 4X4 Aluminess f/r bumpers (13.5mpg avg, 15mpg hwy) 52k miles [Texas McBeast]
2006 Toyota Prius (48 to 68 mpg) 120k miles [Penelope]
2013 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon (15 to 18 mpg) [Johnnie]
2012 Mitsubishi MiEV (no gas required) ($.50/day in electricity) [Evie]
https://badge.facebook.com/badge/1232...3.32047100.png
Greg In Austin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-29-2008, 10:17 AM   #14
Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Ocala, FL
Posts: 31
Quote:
Originally Posted by Greg In Austin
I agree that distance can make it very difficult to drop by and have things fixed, but I did not get the impression from the OP that the SMB response was to bring it in. It sounded more like, "Oh, too bad, good luck with that".
Exactly. Their SOP.
Ethereal is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-29-2008, 10:49 AM   #15
Senior Member
 
Greg In Austin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Austin, Texas
Posts: 1,543
Send a message via AIM to Greg In Austin Send a message via Yahoo to Greg In Austin
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ethereal
Exactly. Their SOP.
Sorry, but I have to disagree there. When I was talking to folks at SMB CA they were great and helpful on the phone and via email. When I have talked to SMB TX it has been the same thing.

I have had no opportunity to talk to the other site.

I have seen SMB TX drop everything more times than I can count to help customers in person and on the phone.

....so I do not think that their SOP is to leave someone high and dry.
__________________
Greg in Austin
2008 Ford 6.0PSD EB/E-PH SMB 4X4 Aluminess f/r bumpers (13.5mpg avg, 15mpg hwy) 52k miles [Texas McBeast]
2006 Toyota Prius (48 to 68 mpg) 120k miles [Penelope]
2013 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon (15 to 18 mpg) [Johnnie]
2012 Mitsubishi MiEV (no gas required) ($.50/day in electricity) [Evie]
https://badge.facebook.com/badge/1232...3.32047100.png
Greg In Austin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-29-2008, 12:53 PM   #16
Senior Member
 
jage's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Parker, CO
Posts: 7,643
Well, you know an argument can be made if they paid a little more attention up front they wouldn't have to drop everything so much!

Just the fact that you've been back there enough, and their volume of problems (admittedly mixed with customer service) is enough that you've personally been able to observe them dropping everything they are doing to help, more times than you can count, says something.

The problem for me, personally, is that SMB runs hot and cold. They are either really helpful, or they manage to treat me like an ungrateful pariah. Sometimes on the heels of one another.
__________________
it was good to be back
jage is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-30-2008, 09:17 AM   #17
Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Ocala, FL
Posts: 31
Quote:
Originally Posted by Greg In Austin
I do not think that their SOP is to leave someone high and dry. (emphasis added)
Well, I guess that must just mean we are "nobodies."

It also speaks volumes about SMB's (in)attention to detail that this forum is overflowing with "bug reports" and worse arising from SMB's shade-tree mechanic level of workmanship, and owners helping one another because SMB can't or won't.
Ethereal is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-30-2008, 09:40 AM   #18
Senior Member
 
Greg In Austin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Austin, Texas
Posts: 1,543
Send a message via AIM to Greg In Austin Send a message via Yahoo to Greg In Austin
Any forum of this sort will be full of issues and problems and questions.... that is part of what draws us into a group. A place where we can voice concerns, vent and complain.

I am part of a number of forums and the moderator for another, all concerning one of the most reliable vehicles manufactured since 2004. Guess what? those forums are full of issues and problems and questions. The vehicle still is the most reliable and has the lowest cost of ownership out there.

This SMB forum is also full of lots of great stories about how the SMB does great work and provides great fun. THAT is what tells a story; that folks are enjoying and using these vehciles enough to take the time to share their good and fun experiences. That is truly unusual.

We always hope that everything we buy will be trouble-free. This is a partially hand built vehicle with many specialized system as part of the whole. There will be problems.

Do you know for certain that this problem was the fault of SMB?

What problem has this caused?

Was the oil outside of spec?

What would you have had SMB do differently?
__________________
Greg in Austin
2008 Ford 6.0PSD EB/E-PH SMB 4X4 Aluminess f/r bumpers (13.5mpg avg, 15mpg hwy) 52k miles [Texas McBeast]
2006 Toyota Prius (48 to 68 mpg) 120k miles [Penelope]
2013 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon (15 to 18 mpg) [Johnnie]
2012 Mitsubishi MiEV (no gas required) ($.50/day in electricity) [Evie]
https://badge.facebook.com/badge/1232...3.32047100.png
Greg In Austin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-30-2008, 10:16 AM   #19
Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Ocala, FL
Posts: 31
Quote:
Originally Posted by Greg In Austin
The vehicle still is the most reliable and has the lowest cost of ownership out there.
Compared to WHAT?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Greg In Austin
Do you know for certain that this problem was the fault of SMB?
No, I guess nothing is ever anyone's "fault" anymore. They built the van, it half-works, and I guess all of the things wrong with it are the fault of this imperfect universe in which we live. If I poison your soup, and you die, is that my "fault?"
Quote:
Originally Posted by Greg In Austin
What problem has this caused?
We cut short our vacation in West Virginia since our only options were to freeze to death or run the main engine, at five times the fuel usage, to keep warm.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Greg In Austin
Was the oil outside of spec?
Not for the southern 20% of the United States, 50% of the year, no.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Greg In Austin
What would you have had SMB do differently?
Listen carefully, as I've already said this twice: I would have had them take two extra minutes' time and a few dollars' expense ($3 at Wal-Mart) to fill the generator with 10W-30, which would have been just as appropriate for hot weather, as well as appropriate for cold.
Ethereal is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-30-2008, 10:35 AM   #20
Senior Member
 
Greg In Austin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Austin, Texas
Posts: 1,543
Send a message via AIM to Greg In Austin Send a message via Yahoo to Greg In Austin
[quote=Ethereal]
Quote:
Originally Posted by Greg In Austin
The vehicle still is the most reliable and has the lowest cost of ownership out there.
Compared to WHAT?
Quote:
Originally Posted by "Greg In Austin":t7ah5y8b
Do you know for certain that this problem was the fault of SMB?
No, I guess nothing is ever anyone's "fault" anymore. They built the van, it half-works, and I guess all of the things wrong with it are the fault of this imperfect universe in which we live. If I poison your soup, and you die, is that my "fault?"
Quote:
Originally Posted by Greg In Austin
What problem has this caused?
We cut short our vacation in West Virginia since our only options were to freeze to death or run the main engine, at five times the fuel usage, to keep warm.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Greg In Austin
Was the oil outside of spec?
Not for the southern 20% of the United States, 50% of the year, no.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Greg In Austin
What would you have had SMB do differently?
Listen carefully, as I've already said this twice: I would have had them take two extra minutes' time and a few dollars' expense ($3 at Wal-Mart) to fill the generator with 10W-30, which would have been just as appropriate for hot weather, as well as appropriate for cold.[/quote:t7ah5y8b]

E,

The vehicle I was refering to is the Prius, and compared to all other passenger cars.... There are always discussions going on about battery failures, and yet it is fewer than 3 in every 100k vehicles that has a failure, and only a handful of owners have EVER had to replace a battery at their cost..... but it does not keep folks from complaining and questioning and discussing....

This problem, the oil viscosity in your generator, do you know that it is the fault of SMB? Do you know that it was SMB that filled the gen with oil?

What other problems are you having with the SMB to say that it "half-works" ??

Agreed, it is cheap to grab some oil and fill it. But how would they know that it did not have the viscosity of oil that you would prefer?

If they did not fill it, and I suspect that they did not, (my gen came filled with oil) then they would have to pull a sample and test it to determine it was not what you wanted. ....and somehow they would have to know that you wanted a different in-spec viscosity oil...

If you are this passionate about this issue, I would find out if the manufacturer of the gen ships the gens with oil, and then if that oil is always the same viscosity.
__________________
Greg in Austin
2008 Ford 6.0PSD EB/E-PH SMB 4X4 Aluminess f/r bumpers (13.5mpg avg, 15mpg hwy) 52k miles [Texas McBeast]
2006 Toyota Prius (48 to 68 mpg) 120k miles [Penelope]
2013 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon (15 to 18 mpg) [Johnnie]
2012 Mitsubishi MiEV (no gas required) ($.50/day in electricity) [Evie]
https://badge.facebook.com/badge/1232...3.32047100.png
Greg In Austin is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off

» Sportsmobile Registry

Agnes

ranchero

Testing

Tech Admin
Add your Sportsmobile
» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Sportsmobile SIP or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 04:12 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.