Escape Customer Service Problem cost us over $300 :/

[DT6]

We had a similar bad experience with customer service, so you do not have to feel alone as others have also been affected by the policies of the new ownership.

We noted a few minor items that needed warranty repair and were told we could bring the trailer up when COVID travel restrictions were lifted (we live within a days drive of Chilliwack). As soon as restrictions were lifted I contacted Escape customer service and they told me that they had no record of my issues, even though I asked during previous calls that my claims were noted in the system and was told there were.

It was likely less than $50 in parts, but the money was not the point. The point was they told us one thing, then went back on their promise. As one member points out, it is important to not let it interfere with your camping fun. While this issue really bothered me, I finally had to realize that companies change hands and while I'd like to believe they keep their word, they often do not. We also have a new 21C on order (going up from a 19), but we are being very careful and are going to go over the buying contract in detail so we understand exactly what Escape is responsible for directly and what the accessory suppliers like Dometic are responsible for, and I don't care if we are there all day going over it.

I also sent an email to Karl requesting that the factory honor the commitment to install options that were deferred on the original order (e.g. undercarriage spray foam insulation) or at least provide a 6 to 12 month "last call" option for those who were told we could always bring the trailer back and have it installed (assuming it could be done after assembly). His answer was simply we have too many orders and needed to expand assembly space. He is entitled to do that if he wants, but he also dodged my question by never really answering it, so there are some of us who are not enamored with the new leadership. However, I still trust most of the employees there to do a great job as long as Karl is not substituting cheap building material to save a buck or two, they will still build a great trailer.

Your situation definitely sucks, and most companies out there would probably do something about it and it is a shame Escape is not. Time will tell if their new customer support philosophy is going to work or not. Best of luck to you.

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

It's also not clear to me from this thread whether the window has been replaced.

Complainant states "The window is in." and then goes on to state that it's the "WRONG" brand.

If it's in and obviously must have fitted the existing hole and it's black what's the problem?

Ron

[Bobbie54]

I don't see where it says the window is in, just that they were given instructions on how to rebuild the trailer wall to allow for the wrong window.

[hugh]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

Complainant states "The window is in." and then goes on to state that it's the "WRONG" brand.

If it's in and obviously must have fitted the existing hole and it's black what's the problem?

Ron

Is this a Canadian English vs American English thing?


Customer states "We got the window in and not only is it the incorrect hanging style IT'S THE WRONG BRAND."


In the US, "getting an item in" often means "the item came in" or "we received the item".

[gbaglo]

It could mean "in hand", or it could mean "installed". We don't actually know.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

It could mean "in hand", or it could mean "installed". We don't actually know.

Pretty clear to me that the window is not installed.

“Then they tried to tell my husband how to remove the entire wall, rebuild the frame, and then use the window we ordered. Our response is hell no we're not disassembling the wall and reframing the window, we are going to get the correct one.”

[AZ Wonderer]

I am really sorry to read about your recent experience with Escape. The RV industry overall is pretty bad. I've been incredibly frustrated with my current 2021 trailer and my experience with customer service to get certain nuisance issues corrected under warranty. That's a big reason I've turned to the fiberglass manufacturers b/c of their reputation for quality and level of customer service. If Escape is on the decline on that front, thenI'll need to rethink my plan. Thanks for sharing this experience.

[oldwave]

Questions ?
Did you take a picture of the existing window and note the brand on it before you contacted the company? If not you bear some responsibility for the mistake by assuming they had good records from the previous owners build . If you did all that and got the wrong window I might be more upset, if not then there’s mistakes on both sides. I assume you ordered the window . I’d return it and get the right one if I could. We all
Expect perfection, people are human and make mistakes.

[rbryan4]

There's no need to castigate the OP, or carry ETI's water, or pretend it's the same place it was when Reace was in charge. It's not.

Escape fouled this up (they admitted as much) and wouldn't make it right. It happens in plenty of companies every day. And it apparently happened here. It's not the first report of such a problem, and it certainly won't be the last.

[kavm]

OP - Sorry it happened to you. You will unfortunately not get a relief from ETI and have little choice but to suck it up.

On account for our own experience and those of others on the forum that we have read about - it is safe to say that ETI management’s commitment to customer service is not very high. So, what you got is exactly what I expect.

It is quite unfortunate that there is a strand of the forum that feels the need to argue ETI’s corner irrespective of the merits of the issue, but that’s just what it is. You need to take that in stride as well.

[Doug2000]

Sorry this happened, it's Escapes fault but no one is getting their money back and no one is getting fired. Their are just too many moving parts in a company like that.

I still think Escape is the best RV company out there. My local dealers all sell junk and wouldn't think twice about charging you 3 times for the same thing.

[Ooshkaboo]

It’s very common for things to change after leaving the hands of those whose blood and sweat started founded the business. Not only growth but changes in that line of business sometimes require changes to be made. In my business, rentals, I’m making many changes due to the new types of young people being produced. The women stare at a piece of glass (phone) in their hand most of the day while the men play video games into the night, all while reality suffers.

They don’t vote so the government is able to slide in more taxes unaware this will be causing their rents to increase. They have children who run wild while they are looking at their glass, but yet they all want more and more pets, so they can now also neglect them.

All things we choose to purchase will come with problems, including an extravagant hotel on wheels.

It was asked on a Escape video if anyone working there owned an Escape camper, answer was no, with the exception of Karl, and it’s probably a company demo.
Good ole days come and go….

[tdf-texas]

Originally Posted by SouthernCamper

A few months ago we emailed Escape to request information on how to get a replacement window for our 2018 camper. They sent us the Lippert number and told us to deal with them directly.

Your original window has the part number on a paper tag along the edge - visible once you remove the window. Yes, that's a lot of screws to remove just to be able to get the part number for the correct window to order but that's the only way you can be sure to get the correct replacement. Hint - after getting them, write down the part numbers and store them with your trailer info!

Lippert bought Hehr but should be able to supply a replacement window that matches the one you have. Contact Lippert and give them the part number that is on your Hehr window so they can do the proper cross reference to the Lippert window that will fit.

I had to replace a Hehr window with a Lippert before - by supplying the Hehr part number directly to Lippert, they sent me a window that fit.

I wouldn't rely on Escape to supply vendor information anymore. All your vendor supplied parts to the trailer have part numbers - supplying them to the vendors will insure that the replacements match what you have.

Sorry you had to go through this - it's a pain when you get the wrong stuff shipped. Just chalk it up to experience and never trust Escape to send the right part numbers again.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by Ooshkaboo

It was asked on a Escape video if anyone working there owned an Escape camper, answer was no, with the exception of Karl, and it’s probably a company demo.
Good ole days come and go….

That's unfortunate. Employees would be the perfect ones to be ambassadors for Escape and doing real-world testing and feeding it back into the product. Might help morale if they had a trailer that employees can sign up to use for weekends/vacations.

[gabeck]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

That's unfortunate. Employees would be the perfect ones to be ambassadors for Escape and doing real-world testing and feeding it back into the product. Might help morale if they had a trailer that employees can sign up to use for weekends/vacations.

Maybe they do, that could be a reason for " no ownership" ......

[DT6]

I find it odd that nobody working there currently owns one. When we picked up our trailer in 2019, there were at least two people we spoke with that had one. I assumed they were talking about owning an Escape and not some other brand. In any event employee ownership likely ebbs and flows over time.

[gbaglo]

Tammy and Reace didn't own one. Why would they?

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

Tammy and Reace didn't own one. Why would they?

I thought the 5.0 that Reace took cross-country to fix the bursting hot water lines in the new 21's was theirs? It was put up for sale on the forum at some point after they departed ETI. Tammy's parents also owned/own one.

[gbaglo]

They used Escape trailers. Mostly the latest and newest to demonstrate. Reace built himself an aluminum toy hauler/horse trailer with a small kitchen and bunks.

[KarenH]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

That's unfortunate. Employees would be the perfect ones to be ambassadors for Escape and doing real-world testing and feeding it back into the product. Might help morale if they had a trailer that employees can sign up to use for weekends/vacations.

ETI employees are undoubtedly at the lower end of the (unskilled) labor pay scale. I think it's as simple as Escape trailers are far out of their price range and not a reflection on production quality. Plus the demographics of their labor force (including age) could play a part.