Overall, I was very disappointed in Apalachee RV. I went to Apalachee because a representative at a seminar was very convincing. I was new to RVing, and thus was completely reliant on Apalachee's honesty and good work. When I bought my 10-year-old Monaco Safari Cheetah, which had a bit over 33,000 miles, I drove it more than 1,000 miles from Fargo, North Dakota to Atlanta. I took it right to Apalachee for the fixing of 8 items, hoping to later have them do more, depending on the cost to fix these intial items. I asked them to fix 7 items, but they didn't. The items were (1) fix "loose"/wandering steering, (2) fix leveling jacks, (3) fix sticking entry door, (4) fix fridge, which was not working, (5) fix storage latches, that do not stay shut, (6) check roof for leaks (what the representative at the seminar described as a "pressure test" to prevent the disaster of roof leakage), (7) provide estimate for washer/dryer installation (at the seminar the Apalachee representative had said this could be done).
1. The steering was to be fixed with a drag link to be shipped within one week. That didn't happen. It still had not arrived about six weeks later. After many requests for updates and status reports, I finally asked for a refund, only to be met with the assertion that I might have to pay "restocking fees" for the way-overdue part. Eventually I got my $2317 back for this. The steering improved with a Safety Steer, but Apalachee cautioned me not to use the Safety Steer without the drag-link fix first. But then nthey put on the Safety Steer anyway, and now I worry.
2. The leveling system worked, maybe a dozen times. It does not work now, eight weeks later. $180 down the tubes.
3. The entry door still stuck the day I picked up the RV. But I had to drive 1,000 miles for my son's Air Force graduation ceremony, and did not complain that day. The problem worsened. Later I found the problem: the bottom latch strike, the cylindrical thing that screws into the door frame, wiggles loose. I got five-dollars of Loc-Tite, put one drop on the threads, and the problem is solved. Apalachee charged me $180, and their work did not solve the problem, even for one day. I asked for a refund, which was denied.
4. Refrigerator. I was told that the fridge cannot be fixed, must be replaced, and that will also require removal of the window (a one-piece window in a Monaco). Estimate: $5993, not counting the roughly $2000 window (thus total would be about $8000!). Another RV place in Belton Texas since told me that's crazy, that the fridge parts are available, and fridge can be fixed for $2000, and without removing the windshield.
5. Storage door-work. I was told I would need 3 new door latches, and they'd be black, not matching unless I pay extra for painting, and that the latches and 3 hours' labor would be $648.36. When I arrived, no door-latch work was a apparent, the three that needed replacement were not replaced. I was told that the guts of one were swapped out--but I see no evidence of that. They still did not work; no evidence of them having been worked on. I watched, then worked with a couple guys to silicone the latches. Now they work fine--it's a silicone-and-use issue--nothing needed replacement. We negotiated down the price of this because they had not installed the $300 of parts they had said were necessary.
6. "Sealtech Test, $240," for 2 hours' labor. I paid for the test. The first night out, it rained, and we had Niagra Falls through our front TV, destroying it, and through our skylight in the rear. We had traveled 35.4 miles, from Apalachee RV to Commerce, GA. I had been told that the roof was "tight as a drum," (exact quote), but that the roof could have all its sealants and seams removed and replaced for an additional $1200. I said that it made no sense to remove seals and sealants tested and proved tight to be replaced with something that would be untested. Having had many boats, I know about sealing against water instrusion. Because the roof leaked like a sieve the first night out, clearly not "tight as a drum," and because the next morning I saw waht appeared obvious water-entry points, I asked for a refund. Refund denied. I was told that because things wiggle loose, and because they had recommended a new sealing job (that I declined because they had shown it to be tight), they'd give nothing back, not even partial credit. The slide seals, by the way, were terrible, rusted/rotted at several corners, such the the rain poured right in onto the floor, carpet, and floor tiles. All three of the four slide seals needed total replacement--Apalachee missed this--apparently didn't test for it. Also, two of the four slide toppers were ripped, and three of them were separated at the roof sid of the RV, such that water flowed from roof, onto slides, and onto topper inward into the RV, and onto the floor. Did Apalachee test for this as part of the sealtech test? What exactly DID A read more
