It was the day I had been looking forward to for two long weeks. Finally the Keystone Montana was heading home so I could start putting the pieces of our life back together in a newer camper... or so I thought....
On February 8th, 2014 I'm pretty sure it was safe to say I was at my boiling point with a certain dealership whose name out of respect I keep private. If the pictures don't make sense by looking at them, (shown below) then here's the story of how I was still being tortured...
**** I was up at 8am that morning finalizing and double checking that everything had been removed from the Coachmen into the Montana. I was so excited that today was finally the day I didn't have to stay another night in a hotel and I could return home nearly three hours away. First things first, I made sure that everything inside of the Montana was put away securely until I got home and could rearrange things to my liking. So that was a check.
Secondly, I did another double check and made sure bathroom doors/closet doors/cabinet doors were locked up and secured tightly.. check. Thirdly, I retracted the slides and each one came in without any problems.... check. Fourth, I walked around the outside of the camper and double checked to ensure my slides were all the way in and didn't have any problems closing 100%... check. Fifth, I locked up the entry door, double checked it and put the steps up... check. Sixth, I went around and double checked all compartments to ensure they were locked up... check. Seventh, I did a walk around the camper just to make sure I didn't notice anything out of the ordinary or anything sharp laying on the ground.. no problems there.. check. Finally, I checked my awning to ensure it was secured and it was... check.
Okay so I might sound a little paranoid but I'd rather be safe than sorry or so I thought. After listening to the guy who was going to be delivering the camper complain for the last half hour about me doing my checklist, he then went around and did his own while I finalized paperwork. I saw him messing with the awning and I asked him if everything was ok and he said he was just tightening it up and I told the guy that I had already double checked it. Next thing I know he's pulling off of the lot and I guess it was time to go. Ohhhh, we hit the interstate and just as my car hits the speed limit of 65mph I see an image unfolding in front of my eyes and my worst fear starts to sets in.
I see wind getting into the roller tube so I speed up and start honking my horn and flashing my high beams hoping he'll pull over so it can be fixed. He wasn't paying attention and then it happened.............................
One roller arm came straight out and thankfully traffic saw it and was able to avoid hitting it but there it was my beautiful fabric rolling out and slowly flapping in the wind. I thought okay, one arm rolled down as long as I can get it rolled back up maybe there won't be any damage but the moment I finished that sentence in my mind is when the other arm came out as well. My mouth dropped as the one arm couldn't take the wind pressure and like a tree branch it snapped off of the camper and I watched it hit the side of the camper all while thinking oh my god did it bust a window or tire? Luckily the driver finally stopped seconds before running over the roller assembly arm. I was so sick to my stomach and dizzy that I just didn't even know what to think. All I wanted to do was cry and ask "why me"?
Here we are on a major interstate my camper sitting on the side of the road, full of my personal belongings and my life history and he just wants to leave it there and have a tow truck come and get it. I most likely cursed worse than a sailor that day. My poor husband was in Kansas and I'm sure the state of NC could hear him cussing. I instantly called the dealership and had it out with them. Here comes the blame game, it was all my fault or I should have double checked it... I checked it and knew it was safe now what the other bozo did I don't know and I brought that up. Well needless to say, after pissing off this dealership for nearly two weeks they had enough of me. They sent out a crew and assessed the damage. They were able to remove the damaged awning on the side of the road.... thank god.
Now my house is going back to the dealership again and now it'll be another hour or two before the driver is back on the road because they have to replace the entire awning. Needless to say 7 hours later that afternoon my home finally arrived..... I guess the bright side of my story is knowing that when my camper finally arrived home, my neighbors were more than ready to help me set it up and get it leveled and hooked up as another winter storm was approaching. It may have started off as a good day then went to a bad day but it sure did end up with me smiling through it all.
On February 8th, 2014 I'm pretty sure it was safe to say I was at my boiling point with a certain dealership whose name out of respect I keep private. If the pictures don't make sense by looking at them, (shown below) then here's the story of how I was still being tortured...
**** I was up at 8am that morning finalizing and double checking that everything had been removed from the Coachmen into the Montana. I was so excited that today was finally the day I didn't have to stay another night in a hotel and I could return home nearly three hours away. First things first, I made sure that everything inside of the Montana was put away securely until I got home and could rearrange things to my liking. So that was a check.
Secondly, I did another double check and made sure bathroom doors/closet doors/cabinet doors were locked up and secured tightly.. check. Thirdly, I retracted the slides and each one came in without any problems.... check. Fourth, I walked around the outside of the camper and double checked to ensure my slides were all the way in and didn't have any problems closing 100%... check. Fifth, I locked up the entry door, double checked it and put the steps up... check. Sixth, I went around and double checked all compartments to ensure they were locked up... check. Seventh, I did a walk around the camper just to make sure I didn't notice anything out of the ordinary or anything sharp laying on the ground.. no problems there.. check. Finally, I checked my awning to ensure it was secured and it was... check.
Okay so I might sound a little paranoid but I'd rather be safe than sorry or so I thought. After listening to the guy who was going to be delivering the camper complain for the last half hour about me doing my checklist, he then went around and did his own while I finalized paperwork. I saw him messing with the awning and I asked him if everything was ok and he said he was just tightening it up and I told the guy that I had already double checked it. Next thing I know he's pulling off of the lot and I guess it was time to go. Ohhhh, we hit the interstate and just as my car hits the speed limit of 65mph I see an image unfolding in front of my eyes and my worst fear starts to sets in.
I see wind getting into the roller tube so I speed up and start honking my horn and flashing my high beams hoping he'll pull over so it can be fixed. He wasn't paying attention and then it happened.............................
One roller arm came straight out and thankfully traffic saw it and was able to avoid hitting it but there it was my beautiful fabric rolling out and slowly flapping in the wind. I thought okay, one arm rolled down as long as I can get it rolled back up maybe there won't be any damage but the moment I finished that sentence in my mind is when the other arm came out as well. My mouth dropped as the one arm couldn't take the wind pressure and like a tree branch it snapped off of the camper and I watched it hit the side of the camper all while thinking oh my god did it bust a window or tire? Luckily the driver finally stopped seconds before running over the roller assembly arm. I was so sick to my stomach and dizzy that I just didn't even know what to think. All I wanted to do was cry and ask "why me"?
Here we are on a major interstate my camper sitting on the side of the road, full of my personal belongings and my life history and he just wants to leave it there and have a tow truck come and get it. I most likely cursed worse than a sailor that day. My poor husband was in Kansas and I'm sure the state of NC could hear him cussing. I instantly called the dealership and had it out with them. Here comes the blame game, it was all my fault or I should have double checked it... I checked it and knew it was safe now what the other bozo did I don't know and I brought that up. Well needless to say, after pissing off this dealership for nearly two weeks they had enough of me. They sent out a crew and assessed the damage. They were able to remove the damaged awning on the side of the road.... thank god.
Now my house is going back to the dealership again and now it'll be another hour or two before the driver is back on the road because they have to replace the entire awning. Needless to say 7 hours later that afternoon my home finally arrived..... I guess the bright side of my story is knowing that when my camper finally arrived home, my neighbors were more than ready to help me set it up and get it leveled and hooked up as another winter storm was approaching. It may have started off as a good day then went to a bad day but it sure did end up with me smiling through it all.