TAMPA BAY, Fla — The decision to fork over $45,000 on a new RV did not come easy for Helen Watson. She envisioned traveling to camping spots around Florida and exploring the outdoors with her boyfriend.
“It's a big decision and you hope spending $45,000 you hope you are going to get a good product,” she said.
The trouble with the travel trailer began during the couple’s very first trip. When they used the slide-out for the living room the flooring material tore away from the wood underneath.
Then the kitchen slide ripped off one of the cabinet doors, Helen said.
The air conditioning in the back bedroom and the refrigerator stopped working after she bought the camper – brand new – in March 2021. She said she returned the RV to Camping World at least three times between April and October. The dealer repaired the AC and replaced the refrigerator that died.
This frustrated camper made a call for action after waiting months for the company to fix all of the other issues.
“They kept saying they were waiting for the mold or wood to come in for the drawers, the same thing with the floor,” Helen said.
The RV industry, like others, is struggling with materials and parts shortages. But Helen felt a new travel trailer should not have needed so many repairs so soon after leaving the lot.
Jackie contacted Camping World's corporate office. A spokesperson said they would exchange the problem-plagued camper with a new one. But, Camping World explained, another camper of the same model wouldn’t roll off the line until March.
It took a few weeks, but Camping World resolved Helen's issue in a confidential settlement leaving this customer a happy camper.
So where does Florida's Lemon Law fit into this case? It doesn’t. The law only covers the vehicle portion of the RV or motorhome, not the living area.
