Winnebago Replacement Parts
I ordered a replacement sky dome for our Winnebago RV on January 11th. This the Dometic Midi-Heki model skylight that cracked when I kept the sunshade closed in the heat. As the documentation states, you are not supposed to keep sunshades closed in the sunlight. So it is my fault for being silly.
I ordered the replacement glazed dome part from Lichtsinn Motors in Iowa, near the Winnebago factory. They promptly took our order and I just received our part, directly from Winnebago Industries, about 90 minutes ago here on the 16th. So all the service was great until I opened the box. As usual the FedEx Ground driver was already back in the truck as got the box. The box came with two black straps. One tight and one loose. I slipped it off one end and as there was no tape on it, the box end opened easily. And I immediately saw the crack. The Fedex truck was gone and I stopped from touching the box any further. I called Lichtsinn Motors, who in turn talked with Winnebago Industries. They are shipping another one out to me. Lichtsinn Motors said they told Winnebago to make a note and package it better. If they ship it like this again, it won't make it, so my confidence is rather low.
But I have to wonder out loud here. Watch the video below and let us know, would you ship a delicate $371 item in this manner? The box touches the fragile edges on all sides. There is no packing other than misfitting styrofoam on the corners of this very fragile item. I wouldn't drive with it this way in my own car let alone ship it.
We'll keep you updated on the results of our quest to get the item here safe and sound. If I were a gambler, I'd bet we get another cracked one. What do you think?
UPDATE: We received a second skydome replacement unit from Winnebago. This one was cracked worse than the first. It came in three pieces instead of just being cracked in certain places.
UPDATE #2: The third try was a charm (nearly three weeks and one canceled trip later). Lichtsinn Motors got involved further so we wound up getting the Winnebago shipping manager to pack the item himself and ship it out in -20 F degree weather. It arrived safely and was packed the way I would expect it to be packed. Double boxed and with protection around all sides. So now we have three damaged skydomes and one good one in our possession. Anyone want to start a discount broken skydome store? We have some really cheap inventory here.
I ordered the replacement glazed dome part from Lichtsinn Motors in Iowa, near the Winnebago factory. They promptly took our order and I just received our part, directly from Winnebago Industries, about 90 minutes ago here on the 16th. So all the service was great until I opened the box. As usual the FedEx Ground driver was already back in the truck as got the box. The box came with two black straps. One tight and one loose. I slipped it off one end and as there was no tape on it, the box end opened easily. And I immediately saw the crack. The Fedex truck was gone and I stopped from touching the box any further. I called Lichtsinn Motors, who in turn talked with Winnebago Industries. They are shipping another one out to me. Lichtsinn Motors said they told Winnebago to make a note and package it better. If they ship it like this again, it won't make it, so my confidence is rather low.
But I have to wonder out loud here. Watch the video below and let us know, would you ship a delicate $371 item in this manner? The box touches the fragile edges on all sides. There is no packing other than misfitting styrofoam on the corners of this very fragile item. I wouldn't drive with it this way in my own car let alone ship it.
We'll keep you updated on the results of our quest to get the item here safe and sound. If I were a gambler, I'd bet we get another cracked one. What do you think?
UPDATE: We received a second skydome replacement unit from Winnebago. This one was cracked worse than the first. It came in three pieces instead of just being cracked in certain places.
UPDATE #2: The third try was a charm (nearly three weeks and one canceled trip later). Lichtsinn Motors got involved further so we wound up getting the Winnebago shipping manager to pack the item himself and ship it out in -20 F degree weather. It arrived safely and was packed the way I would expect it to be packed. Double boxed and with protection around all sides. So now we have three damaged skydomes and one good one in our possession. Anyone want to start a discount broken skydome store? We have some really cheap inventory here.
Labels: camping
posted by - A at
1:28 PM
2 Comments:
Why did you accept a cartoon in that conditon?? Anyway, be positive - hope 2nd try is a charm (one intact piece).
I didn't "accept" it. It is just left at the door. Nowadays, these companies like Fedex and UPS just drop it and run. I don't know if that is the policy to try to avoid things like this. Half the time, they don't ring the doorbell and I'm tripping over stuff I didn't know was there. Even though I ran to the door, I could still not catch the delivery guy who was already racing off in his truck.
But in this case, I don't think it's Fedex fault. It would be hard to set this down anywhere without putting pressure on the dome inside and causing cracks. It was two partial boxes not even taped together or taped close. When you move the box, the skydome is trying to come out the ends only held in by the black plastic straps. No bubble wrap or plastic coating on it either. And actually the guy on the phone asked me out a plastic film that should have been on it and there isn't any. Maybe Winnebago was passing off a used or damaged one to me and will just collect money from Fedex. It just stinks. Nobody should have thought that was good to ship like that.
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