LAZYDAYS RV SUPER CENTER ripped off Retired Couple Stranded in Albuquerque - Sales and Service Promises Broken SEFFNER Florida

We sold our home and purchased a 1992 Newmar Kountry Star in May 2002 from LazyDays RV Supercenter, Seffner, Fl to become Full-Timers. LazyDays provided a 5-year / 100,000 mile engine and transmission warranty to compensate us for an ADDITIONAL 39,000 MILES that mysteriously came to light after we placed our downpayment in February and returned home to Jacksonville.

We took possession in May 2002 and had a series of problems that we treked back to Lazydays for each week during the 30 day warranty period. Several of these problems were not properly repaired and we later had to have the work done by a local mechanic -- those highly praised certified techs at Lazydays couldn't or wouldn't repair our complete list. Wasted Miles and Time . . .

After driving only 4,000 miles, our 300-hp diesel motor failed on route to Alburqueque on June 4, 2003. We thankfully handed over our RV warranty to Rocky Mountain Cummins engine repair facility only to learn it was designed for a car and would not cover the towing charges ($650) or RV costs of the new or re-conditioned engine we need ($15-18,000).

Cummins techs informed us that the engine is not a 300-HP but only a 250-HP. When called LazyDays on this, Liz Adamo, VP Sales claims the previous owner and a mechanic friend souped-up the 250 motor to a 300hp in their garage and that is that. (Flashback- Bud in Father Knows Best?)

As a professional RV dealer, can a company pass off a souped-up engine as one originally installed by the factory without disclosing these facts to their buyer? I think not!

In response to our letter to Don Wallace, CEO, he sent us a handwritten note that Liz Adamo would resolve all matters. Liz Adamo retorted that didn't mean matters would be resolved in our favor.

There is no record of a 300-HP on any search through Cummis, CarFax, Newmar or Florida DMV on this coach. And, so far, LazyDays has not come up with any receipts for parts or record of the change.

It is now December 12 and Lazy Days RV Supercenter refuses to make good on their contract.

Don Wallace, CEO will not take our phone calls. Our email has been blocked and our sales team, Mary Caldwell and Ken Jacobsen cannot talk with us. We remain stranded with Rocky Mountain Cummins - those folks have been wonderful and patient.

All we want is for Don Wallace to accept responsibility for the engine bait and switch and his choice of a useless warranty, then authorize repair on our 250 /300 .

We have contacted:
Better Business Bureau of Tampa Bay - useless
Florida Dept of Financial Services - Ann Barrow (on first name basis with Don Wallace) useless
Hillsborough Consumer Protection - very helpful but no power


Liz Adamo and Don Wallace will claim that we voided the warranty because we did not change the oil and have the coach serviced every four months or 4,000 miles as called for in the warranty contract. This is true . . . We were not given the opportunity to adequately review the contract the day of closing as it was included in a maze of paperwork.

While having warranty work done in May 2002, we attended seminars including the Cummins Engine class. The Cummins representative clearly advised those attending that the oil should be changed every 6,000 miles or 12 months.

Liz Adamo and Don Wallace will claim we would not accept the $5000 they offered - the maxium amount the warranty would have covered. . . This is also true. However, even a rebuilt diesel engine costs over $15,000 and doesn't come close to the "peace of mind" warranty we had accepted to compensate for higher mileage.

If anyone would like more information or has a LazyDays story to share, please email.
We will update

Wishing you blue skies and green lights

JOE
JACKSONVILLE, Florida
U.S.A.