gander rv texas Archives - Camping World Sucks

Karma Awaits!

Senior Scammed at Camping World in Missouri

I purchased 2017 toy hauler in June of 2021 in Missouri. Camping World cleaned it up to look nice. They were asked to check it over thoroughly before delivery. You would think that they would disclose any previous problems. They did not.

I am a senior citizen, but they didn’t care. Take the money and run! After four short trips, the roof started to fall in. Their answer was, “IT’S YOUR TRAILER NOW!” My insurance company did a background check and found that this trailer had previous extensive damage and therefore refused to pay for any damage.

Camping World said, “TO BAD!” I wrote several letters to Markus Lemonus and NEVER received a reply.

Months of Frustration

Finally, my insurance company put it in writing that this unit had previous damage and refused to pay for it. The bank refused to get involved, and the Missouri Attorney General, Eric Schmitt, also refused to get involved. So, the only thing that saved me was the letter from my insurance company.

After eight months of arguing with Camping World, they finally said they would repair the trailer at their cost. Four months and several letters later to Lemonus, all unanswered, I got my trailer back.

The value on my trailer went way down as the decals could not be retrieved anywhere. First, this trailer never should have been resold. Second, the work to put this unit back to its original condition was SHODDY at best.

Lemonus doesn’t care who he cheats. He just makes the sale. He doesn’t care about who he is selling to or how they make their payments. Just make the sale!

CW has a bad reputation. You would think they would be trying to fix it but no. Apparently, they don’t care because misinformed people keep buying from them. I personally will NEVER buy ANYTHING from them again. If I needed a box of matches I would not get them there.

SPREAD THE WORD!

Camping world sucks. Mr. Lemonus is not a man of his word and he refuses to talk to the people who buys his product. Karma awaits!!

CampingWorldSucks.com Contributions

CampingWorldSucks.net welcomes contributors, click here. In addition, we recommend the Facebook group Camping World: The Awful Experience to share your experiences. Our goal is to warn consumers to avoid this company, by any name.

An option for complaints is Camping World corporate headquarters. Please report how that works out for you.

CampingWorldSucks.net is an informational website only. We do not allow advertising; no profit is received.

KeystoneRVSucks.net

In addition, check out KeystoneRVsucks.net. Camping World (aka Gander Mountain) is the largest retailer of Keystone RV. Along with Camping World, Keystone has built a reputation for terrible workmanship and equally awful customer service. Consequently, our experience is available to read at keystonervsucks.net. In addition, share your own experiences with Keystone products and/or service click here to submit.

If your complaint involves a Keystone unit, by all means, e-mail customer service here. Please report your results. Positive experiences are unfortunately few and far between.

Keystone’s parent company is Thor; customer support form and phone number, (877) 855-2867.

Camping World Used RVs

Buying a Camping World Used RV

I bought a Camping World used RV after seeing convincing commercials. The advertisements airing now are fake. The ads claim Camping World/Gander RV provides a new mattress for their used RVs. They also claim to clean the unit before delivery when you buy a used RV.

In February of 2022, I bought a 2017 Class C. The salesperson and the Finance person both assured me that everything in the unit would be working before I was scheduled to pick it up. During the walk-through, many items were not functioning, including:

The backup Camera was not working
The propane for the refrigerator was not operating
The interior was dirty, the floor and the counters
The mattress was stained, it needed to be replaced
The outside compartment, containing the refrigerator and the water heater, was packed with dirt

*Image is only for visual effect. Not the mattress referred to in the Camping World Used RV post.*

Camping World (aka, Gander RV) sucks!

CampingWorldSucks.com Contributions

An option for complaints is Camping World corporate headquarters. Please report how that works out for you.

CampingWorldSucks.net is an informational website only. We do not allow advertising; no profit is received.

KeystoneRVSucks.net

If your complaint involves a Keystone unit, by all means, e-mail customer service here. Please report your results. Positive experiences are unfortunately few and far between.

Keystone’s parent company is Thor; customer support form and phone number, (877) 855-2867.

Camping World Service: Money Down the Toilet

Our Camping World Service Experiences

We lost my Mom so Dad decided he wanted to buy an RV. We had no idea how this would lead us to Camping World Service Departments. My Dad wanted to get out of the house, a reminder of Mom. Well don’t you know, he found…

A GREAT DEAL FROM CAMPING WORLD… NOT!!!!

First Camping World Experience

The unit he bought was in the shop within a week. Did not even get to camp in it and IT WAS IN THE SHOP. Camping World had it for months. We finally get it back and it is raining outside. Of course, it is leaking water to the point we have to get a mop.

If you drive an RV you know it isn’t always fun driving on the Interstate. You know, the road where drivers were able to get a driver’s license in a cereal box. Rolling along and all of a sudden we hear a horrible noise. We were ducking for cover.

THEN, THE BED ABOVE THE DRIVERS SEAT/PASSANGER SEAT COLLAPSES!!!!

We called Camping World. We could instantly tell in their voices THEY DIDN’T CARE. Back to Camping World Service. The unit had so many problems. It wasn’t safe and now had water damage we couldn’t see.

Camping World tells us we are driving a house with an earthquake under us. Exact words:

GET OVER IT AND THAT IS RV LIFE. —Camping World

Second Unit

Dad had enough. He wasn’t getting anywhere with them so he took a $30,000 loss! Unfortunately, he decided to give another Camping World, two hours away, a try.

This time, he had the new unit for a month BEFORE IT WAS CAMPING IN THEIR SHOP! Months went by. Yes months, five months to be exact. They found that the generator would NOT work although it had never been used. Camping World told us it was our fault and was due to OUR lack of maintenance. Told us that we needed to use it at least two hours each month and by the way you owe us $750!!!

The generator, along with everything else, was NOT covered under the warranty. So why provide a warranty if nothing is covered?

Another Invoice

We finally got it back. The first trip we take which required a generator, we were dry camping. It fires up but provides no power. We had to travel two hours out of our way to the closest Camping World. We live in Florida but were in Texas when this happened.

That CW tells us bring it in and they believe it is the transfer switch. We had to wait three hours, SITTING ON A CURB, and it is finally ready. We were told that the technician that “fixed” the generator forgot to adjust some screw. So Dad being nice like he is hands the guy a $20 tip.

THE GUY HANDS DAD A BILL FOR $162!

Another item not covered under the warranty. We considered it their fault since they forgot to adjust the screw after we gave them $750! Or the other payment of $162!

We were afraid to think of what would be next. Driving away, as soon as we shut the door we hear this grinding noise. WTF is that? The automatic stairs were not retracting. That was the noise.

My Father is 72-years-old and now he had to use a step stool to get in and out. Must be something with Interstates and above cabin beds since we were familiar with the sound and ducked since we were prepared for what was coming. THE BED FELL DOWN ONCE AGAIN. HELLO, SECOND RV!

All Camping World Locations Suck

It’s been a year now. The RV is the one that goes camping AT THE SHOP. We didn’t know that Camping World considered their service center some type of campground. RVs are purchased to go camping in…we thought. The plan was to get away. The only thing getting away WAS THE RV.

Again, I just picked it up today after something they “fixed” had to be “fixed” again. The service counter have a sign that reads:

OUR WORK IS WARRANTED FOR LIFE. NOT TRUE!

They charged me again. Unfortunately, instead of arguing with them, I paid to get it back. Got to love when the invoice reads that the technician repaired the dinette that collapses.

Camping World Breeds Liars

The technician said it was fixed and safe. He actually seemed to have tested it himself according to the invoice. He said he jumped up and down on the seat without a problem. I responded that was NOT TRUE. I assured them that the technician would not be at work if he’d done that.

HE WOULD BE OUT ON WORKER’S COMP BELIEVE ME.

Getting the Word Out

Long story short, I promise I’ve left a lot out, CAMPING WORLD SUCKS IS PUTTING IT LIGHTLY. In fact, I made shirts to wear so when others read my shirt they will see CAMPING WORLD SCREWED ME.

The t-shirt depicts money down the toilet. The back shows two people kissing. THE WORD “MY” AND A PICTURE OF A DONKEY finished with the words CAMPING WORLD!

CampingWorldSucks.net does not benefit from the sale of these t-shirts. CampingWorldSucks.net does not profit in any way.

— Guest Contributor

Camping World hides under the name Gander RV in an attempt to cover their disgusting reputation. Our interaction with Camping World at two locations: Monticello, Minnesota, and Bartow, Florida, gave us nightmares. If nothing else, don’t buy the extended warranty! They will attempt to shove it down your throat. Do the math and buy your own warranty!

An option for complaints is Camping World corporate headquarters. Please report how that works out for you.

CampingWorldSucks.net is an informational website only. We do not allow advertising; no profit received.

KeystoneRVSucks.net

Similarly, check out KeystoneRVsucks.net. Camping World (aka Gander Mountain) is the largest retailer of Keystone RV. Just like Camping World, Keystone has built a reputation for terrible workmanship and equally awful customer service. You can read why we despise this company at keystonervsucks.net. To share experiences with Keystone RVs click to submit.

If your complaint involves a Keystone unit, e-mail customer service here. Please report your results. Positive experiences are unfortunately few and far between.

Keystone’s parent company is Thor; customer support form and phone number, (877) 855-2867.

Camping World of San Antonio in New Braunfels, TX

My name is Lowell Unruh and I am a recovering Sales Consultant for Camping World of San Antonio located in New Braunfels Texas. I was discharged Wednesday, January 22, 2020. Ergo, I have a lot to say about whether I would recommend this dealership to friends, family, and acquaintances.

Not Just a Disgruntled Employee

Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! sign

To begin, I’ll give you a little insight into the attitude you should expect from the top down at Camping World of San Antonio. I had the privilege of attending a training session led by Mr. William Heinrich, the dealership’s General Manager. The entire sales staff learned from Mr. Heinrich that
“RV OWNERS ARE STUPID!”

Mr. Heinrich is the person who has been charged with increasing RV sales for Camping World in New Braunfels. Therefore, his sales staff is basically taught that anyone walking through the front door – you and your family for instance – should be considered stupid and treated as such. Further proof that you may want to reconsider doing business with Camping World.

Recommend Camping World of San Antonio to friends, family, or acquaintances? Not likely!

Deposit Sham

Late Sunday afternoon, January the 19th, Robin and Nancy drove in from Waco to look at a specific travel trailer they found on the Camping World of San Antonio website. They fell in love with the rig, but the Sales Manager wanted to leave. We were technically closed, it was 5:05 p.m. They simply did not have the time to complete any paperwork to hold the unit.

pen on contract

However, by Tuesday the 21st they had everything in order. They offered less than the published price over the phone but then decided the asking price of $7,599 was a fair number. They provided their credit card info and approval to use it to hold their unit. Here comes the part that is simply wrong.

The travel trailer was advertised online for four days at $7,599 + fees. The unit actually should have been priced between $9,500 and $10,000 but there it was online listed at $7,599. The General Sales Manager was not happy, but he agreed on Tuesday, January 21st, that Camping World would honor the advertised price. Ergo, he agreed to sell the travel trailer to Robin and Nancy for $7,599.

Not Held – For Sale

On Wednesday, January 22nd, my client’s travel trailer reappeared online at $9,995 + fees. By noon that day, Camping World of San Antonio’s new management team made a call to sell it to another buyer for the increased price of $9,995.

After that my client contacted me. On Wednesday afternoon I got a call asking why their credit card had not been debited. It fell upon me to explain how they had been, in my opinion, mistreated, and that the results of the general sales manager’s actions were the cause of what I will call a “screw-job.”

In addition, the client called the San Antonio store and had a conversation with the GSM, Jimmy Spurlock. He told her he didn’t know anything about her offer so he couldn’t help her. As I said, this is just WRONG!

Management Team at Camping World of San Antonio

Bill Heinrich, general manager
Jimmy Spurlock, general sales manager
Rico Pena, finance director

Another One-Star Review

one star in a five-star review of Camping World of San Antonio

On Friday, January 31, 2020, another one-star Google Review was posted from Michelle W. Michelle shared her experience of getting a call from a Camping World Sales Manager that she’d been screwed. The finance team had taken her deposit and had assured her three times they would indeed hold her unit. After that, she heard from that manager her RV had been promised to someone else.

She went on to say that, after speaking with the sales manager, she “…talked to the owner/general manager who was rude, bad, bad, bad.”

A Pattern Emerging

While once could be an aberration, twice within 10 days seems a lot more like a pattern. A pattern became prevalent approximately three months ago after the senior management team decided that Camping World of San Antonio should continue its trend of filling leadership and finance positions with folks from the car business. From my perspective, senior management would rather have you exposed to the typical car-buying experience vs. a professional approach. Experienced associates who actually know something about motorhomes, travel trailers, toy haulers, and or 5th wheels trailers are unnecessary.

Recommend Camping World of San Antonio to friends, family, and acquaintances? NOT!

My Next Steps

Next, I am thinking about updating and adding additional reasons for not endorsing this dealership. My plan is to edit and update a Google Review on a weekly basis. A few items that may be of interest and that may be addressed are:

The “sales technique” applied to a 74-year-old widow by the Director of Finance.
There is a lack of employee background checks and how it could impact your family. For instance, one former and one active salesperson was arrested for felony sexual child abuse at the New Braunfels location within the past two and a half months.
Seriously consider the value of various “products” sold to you on the back end in the Finance office. A sneak preview of this discussion: How do you know you are even getting the products that you will be paying for over the next 20 years?
Is it bank fraud for the Director of Finance to knowingly allow inflated NADA valuations of pre-owned units to be submitted to lenders? This practice results in buyers almost assured of being upside-down even before they pull their RV off of the lot.

In Closing

Above all, I am convinced that there are times when speaking out and educating the public is simply the right thing to do. It is possible that I may face some form of retribution or be threatened with legal action. Some may consider this just a case of sour grapes. Yes, it probably is to a certain degree. But, hopefully, sharing my first-hand experiences serve as a Public Service Announcement.

In conclusion, I encourage you to share this post with your friends, family, and even acquaintances. While there is no guarantee that they will get a screw-job at Camping World of San Antonio, you may just want to give them a heads-up. In other words, warn them on what they might expect from both the local and regional leadership teams of Camping World…just saying.

Camping Worlds Sucks Warning

Take time to read our other posts. Our slimy sales experience with Camping World of Monticello, Minnesota, and attempted service screw job at Camping World of Bartow, Florida. In the event you don’t have time, be sure to check out Camping World Purchase under “Badgering” before you buy an extended service plan from Camping World. It will save you THOUSANDS!

To contribute your experience to Camping World Sucks click here. Also, there is a Facebook group, Camping World: The Awful Experience to share your experiences.

In conclusion, I always offer contact information for Camping World corporate headquarters. Please share the results of your attempted contact.

This blog is informational only. No advertising is allowed. The Camping World locations in Bartow, Florida, and Monticello, Minnesota inspired this blog. In addition, visit KeystoneRVsucks.net.

Keystone RV & Camping World

Keystone’s largest retailer is Camping World (Gander Mountain). Similarly, the Keystone RV company is building a rep of poor workmanship and questionable service. We chronicle our experiences at keystonervsucks.net. Click to contact Keystone by e-mail. Let us know how that works out for you. However it ends, please share the results with CampingWorldSucks.net readers.

Another option is Keystone’s parent company, Thor. Thor offers a customer support form and phone support, (877) 855-2867.

Keystone RV experiences are welcomed at KeystoneRVsucks.net.