"Who is Responsible? the Question Continues ... "

Greetings,

Responsibility is not easy for some folks to accept.  Yet, it is vitally important that we accept some responsibility if for nothing less than taking good care of our bodies.  Science has proven that if we neglect to care for our bodies, our bodies will soon neglect us.  Now no one wants that to happen.

So it is with our RVs.  If we neglect to care for the RV, we soon find that the RV’s many components and sub-systems that we depend on become prone to failure.

Recall that the previous article discussed the flow of RVs from the Manufacturer to a Dealership and on to the ultimate Consumer.  This flow of product is not unique to the RV Industry as virtually every major Manufacturer follows a similar trail to get products to the purchasing public.

Today’s article continues that previous discussion on the subject of “Who is Responsible for Quality?  Now many RVers would probably say that the Manufacturer should be totally responsible for the Quality of their RV.  They have a good point.  Certainly there is a definite line of responsibility within the Manufacturer’s organization for the implementation of Quality.  But, the major question is how well is that responsibility enforced?

Likewise, the second level in the product tier, the RV Dealership, also shares a level of responsibility to provide the prospective RV Owner with a high quality product.  On this point I can speak from experience.  I believe that the majority of RV Dealerships try very hard to provide the prospective RV Owner with a high quality product.  When this statement is not true, that RV Dealership will soon fade out of existence.  

At the third level is the RV Owner.  When the RV Owner accepts a new RV from a Dealership, they also accept a level of responsibility to keep the quality of their vehicle up to the level that it was when it left the Dealership.

“Is that possible” you ask?  I suggest that the answer is “Yes”.   For the RV Owner, maintaining the quality of their RV is found under the title of “Preventative Maintenance” as opposed to the Manufacturer who builds-in quality and the Dealership who ensures the quality.

Now the subject of  “Preventative Maintenance”  is not new to RVers.  Let’s look at some of the objectives that the RV Owner should consider when practicing “Preventative Maintenance”.

Here are some thoughts for consideration.

• Keep the RV clean and free of road salt, dirt, and road grime.  The old saying the “Cleanliness Counts” could never be as true as when expressed on your RV.  Keeping the RV clean will counter the effects of weather deterioration that can harm an RV in a short time.  This is especially true with the parts you normally do not see such as the underneath running gear, tires, and frame.  Get a good power washer and spray down all of these parts several times each year.  It will pay off.
• Examine all of the cabinetry in the RV for loose screws, knobs, etc.  Nothing can ruin a trip faster than having a kitchen cabinet come tumbling down.
• Examine all of the RV’s subsystems (i.e. – Water Heater, Refrigerator, Furnace, etc.) for excess dirt that has accumulated.
• If your RV has a Generator, follow the instructions carefully to keep the Gen set operating at peak capacity.  Chance and/or replace the various filters, spark plugs, oil, etc. as recommended by the Manufacturer.  Performing these maintenance items will ensure that the warranty on the Gen Set will be valid.

 There are many items that the RV Owner must accept as their responsibility when it comes to caring for their RV.  Any time spent in practicing “Preventative Maintenance” is never lost.

 We will examine the responsibilities of the Dealership in a later issue.

Thanks for reading.

Respectfully,

Tech Support