Goodby camping world??

[gumpy]

Interesting afternoon.

I want to put in a remote start panel for the Onan Quiet Diesel I put in last summer. There's a plug hanging out of the unit to which you can connect a harness, and they make a pretty nice panel which has gauges for oil pressure, water temp, and volts, along with an hour meter and the start switch. Of course, I can't buy this stuff directly from Onan, so I decided to try to
get one through Camping World. After the last time I had them order something for me from Onan, I knew it was highly unlikely I was going to be able to afford the panel, but I was hopeful
they wouldn't rape me too bad on the harness pigtail.

So while I'm waiting to be helped, I hear a teleconference in progress. Seems the company president or CEO was holding a teleconference with all 27 stores. It was 3:00 in the afternoon, and the employees were busy, so in order to listen to the conference, they had the phone on the service desk on speaker. So I'm sitting here listening to the president of Camping World telling all his stores about how their sales were only off 13% in the first 3 months compared to 60%-70% for the rest of the industry, but that they had just been given an extension on their debt for 9 months, and if that hadn't happened they would have been in default and all kinds of bad things would have happened. It was just so much BS that I've heard over and over again from the higher ups to try to rally everyone to sell more, do more, give more to the company so I can continue to take my huge salary and bonus. He emphasized that if they took care of their customers and worked diligently with their suppliers they would be successful. Blah! Blah! Blah!

Meanwhile the lady is trying to figure out how to call Onan to see if they have the parts I want. I had already done the legwork and written down the Onan part numbers. She finally got through, and I noted the numbers she was writing down for each part. After she got off the phone, she struggled for several minutes with the computer trying to print me a quote for the parts. I guess she couldn't just tell me how much they were, like I asked.

So finally, she presents me with a piece of paper. As I suspected, the parts had been marked up 100%. The panel was over $190, and the pigtail was over $20.  The funny thing is they would have been drop shipped directly to me from Onan. All CW would have to do was make a phone call. I knew this was probably going to happen, as it's the same as happened last year on some other items I had to get for the generator. I figured the panel would be too expensive, but was hoping I could get the pigtail for a somewhat reasonable price, but it just wasn't to be.

I thanked her nicely for her time, and let her know that the extreme markup meant I wouldn't be ordering any of the parts. As I left, I was thinking to myself that I'm glad I'm not employed by Camping World. There's obviously some problems going on in the corporation with cash flow and credit, and my take on the president's speech was that they are heading into some major trouble if they can't turn it around. My thoughts were that they just lost another sale because of their greedy pricing policies.

In the end, I'll spend about $10 for a set of 7 prong trailer connectors, modify the pigtail on the generator, and build my own remote panel with off the shelf gauges and switches. Oh, I can get an hour meter for about $3 at the surplus store. They wanted $35 for the Onan one. 

It's not looking real good for Camping World. I suspect within 6 months they will be closing some of their stores. There were maybe 6 people in the store today. Some were having work done on their RV. I don't think anyone bought anything in the half hour or so that I was there.

On a side note, they had some LP leak detectors which include the shutoff solenoid on clearance for about half of what I paid for mine.  I almost bought the two on the shelf to offer them to other bus nuts who might need them. I guess if anyone needs one, I might be convinced to go back over there. It's only about 10 miles away.

[JohnEd]

Gumpy,

I'll take one of those but I don't want to take you out of your way by 20 miles.  Or is that a gallon of gas for you?  Thank you for your offer and I hope it can be worked out.

Thanks,

John

[Sean]

I will shed no tears when Affinity goes under.  Good Sam inundated us with so much junk mail, it took us five years to "quit" -- sort of like a cult.

I doubt Steve Adams will be holding a tin cup on a Hollywood street corner; this is really reaping what he sowed.  JMO, FWIW, etc.

-Sean
http://ourodyssey.blogspot.com

[JackConrad]

Hmmm, interesting?   The Camping World in Ft. Myers has purchased a large RV dealership just down the interstate (same exit, other side of I-75).  We rarely go to Camping World, but have noticed much fewer cars in their parking lot.  Jack

[bobofthenorth]

Bigger is not always better and the pendulum always swings.  I look for Ace Hardwares - on Monday I walked into the one in Cottonwood, AZ.  Its some kind of new big box format, none of the mom & pop atmosphere that I expect from Ace and the service in this one was crap.  I stood in line for 10 minutes waiting to check out - felt like I was at WallyMart.  We used to look for Camping World stores when we travelled but now they are a last resort.  Wouldn't surprise me one little bit if they went T.U.

[Tom Y]

Gumpy, I may have one in my garage. Not sure if it is the one you are looking for. If intrested I can get a pic.  Tom Y

[Hartley]

You may want to try these people..

I have gotten good service for parts from them...

http://www.onanindiana.com/

Dave...

[Singing Land Cruiser]

It seems like the sign of the times. The big box stores act like their the only game in town. All for one and none for all. We will just have to show them they are not. All the Best, M&C

[gumpy]

Gumpy, I may have one in my garage. Not sure if it is the one you are looking for. If intrested I can get a pic.  Tom Y

Which part?  The control panel or the wiring pigtail?

craig

[jjrbus]

I keep trying to understand why profitable companys have so much debt? I belive the ansewer would be the key to a financial windfall for me!!

On the bright side, people like us are very lucky, if push comes to shove you can manufacture your own panel from bits and pieces and cobb together a new connector!  So many people out there dont have a clue.  

You could try Bobs RV surplus in FL, They may have something.  I cant find the contact info, maybe someone else will post it.  Bob died but I understand it is still open.       Jim


Googles wonderful!!!     Bob's Used RV Parts. High Springs, FL (386) 454-5733

[niles500]

Gumpster - is this what your looking for?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/RV-ONAN-Quiet-Diesel-Remote-Start-028-00008-meter_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trkparmsZ72Q3a1205Q7c66Q3a2Q7c65Q3a12Q7c39Q3a1Q7c240Q3a1318Q7c301Q3a1Q7c293Q3a1Q7c294Q3a50QQ_trksidZp3286Q2ec0Q2em14QQhashZitem160326688624QQitemZ160326688624QQptZMotorsQ5fRVQ5fTrailerQ5fCamperQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

[Airbag]

We have a local hardware store that is family owned and has a tremendous selection of hardware. I had a neighbor put up a gate for me a while back and told him to pick up the gate. He sadly said he could not find one at Lowes and Home Depot which by the way is 25 miles away. I asked if checked with the local store and he did not. Guess what they had one and it was half the cost of the big box stores. Always support the local mom and pop stores first and shop the billionaires store last regardless of cost. It's just good business and we need them to be there.

[gumpy]

Gumpster - is this what your looking for?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/RV-ONAN-Quiet-Diesel-Remote-Start-028-00008-meter_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trkparmsZ72Q3a1205Q7c66Q3a2Q7c65Q3a12Q7c39Q3a1Q7c240Q3a1318Q7c301Q3a1Q7c293Q3a1Q7c294Q3a50QQ_trksidZp3286Q2ec0Q2em14QQhashZitem160326688624QQitemZ160326688624QQptZMotorsQ5fRVQ5fTrailerQ5fCamperQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

Close. And that's a pretty good price on that one. I will consider it.

I was looking for the one that has the 3 gauges on it. The generator didn't come with any gauges, so you have to rely on it's built in sensors to protect it. I'd prefer to have the oil pressure, water temp and volts displayed somewhere.

[belfert]

We have a local hardware store that is family owned and has a tremendous selection of hardware. I had a neighbor put up a gate for me a while back and told him to pick up the gate. He sadly said he could not find one at Lowes and Home Depot which by the way is 25 miles away. I asked if checked with the local store and he did not. Guess what they had one and it was half the cost of the big box stores. Always support the local mom and pop stores first and shop the billionaires store last regardless of cost. It's just good business and we need them to be there.

I have a hardware store a mile and a half away and the big box stores within five miles or less.  The only time I go to the hardware store is if I need a nut or bolt or if I don't the time to drive the 3 1/2 miles to big box.  For probably 98% of the items the big box stores are less expensive and often dramatically so.  $15 for an abrasive blade at hardware store and $5 for the same item at the big box.

The local lumberyards for the most part treat you like a leper if you aren't a contractor.  I guess if I lived 25 miles from the big box I would go to the local guy a lot more.

[Jriddle]

Craig
I have not looked into getting a valve yet but if you decide to go back I may be interested in one. Up to you I know how these motivational speeches from the president can be I been through three of them this year myself. One today as a matter of a fact!!!

John