Did we used to have a section for reports like this? If so I can't find it on the new site. Feel free to move if needed.
Quick version: I had a good experience getting service away from home at Hilbish Ford in Kannapolis, NC just off I-85 north of Charlotte. They are very much an old style Ford dealership with the space and equipment to handle larger vehicles.
Longer version: Finding a place to work on your rig while traveling can be a problem. It can be worse on a weekend, and even worse on a holiday weekend. I wasn't feeling very happy around 7pm on the Friday before Labor Day weekend when the right front brake smelled hot from slight dragging.
Everything (calipers, pads, hoses) had been replaced 2 years ago, so I had a good idea that something was just a bit sticky. Still, I needed someone to check it out.
I pulled into Hilbish Ford at 7:30am on Saturday morning and knew it was a place that could help. All of their service bays had tall doors and there were bigger vehicles like ambulances and lineman's trucks in the lot.
I explained the problem to the service advisor and he had the RV on a lift 15min later. The tech took everything apart, checked it over, and lubed the slide pins. By 9am I was back on the road with no problems found. No charge, despite my insistence they should at least charge me for an hour of shop time.
These guys saved me a ton of hassle on a holiday weekend. Their shop is just off I-85 and easily had the capacity to deal with larger vehicles. They went out of their way to help me on a Saturday morning. My experience is limited, but I'd recommend them to anyone traveling in the area.
Rich
'03 MB in NC
That's impressive, Rich. Most Ford dealers in the Charlotte area don't want to see you because they can't sell you a vehicle and their service department is there just to get you to visit the dealership. I've given up on them and go to Fleet Truck Service near I-77 and Tyvola Rd. They know what they're doing, but sometimes take days to get to your rig.
Rich, thx for sharing. They sound like the excellent providers I discovered at Merle Kelly Ford in Chanute, KS. My Labor Day experience in Rawllins, WY, was a blessing, since it was a holiday & like Sgt. Schultz on Hogan's Heros "I know nothing"...except they did charge me $75 to read/clear the codes (O2 sensor & random misfire), send me on a 20 minute drive to see if the idiot light came back on & tell me it was likely the difference in altitude from MO.
I'm thankful to have a site like this to share those good experiences & what makes us a great country. Happy travels.
Lynne
While out this trip we had the fridge fail. I went to C&S RV Service Center in Oxnard. They did me a good job, in on short notice, accurate diagnosis, fixed as promised at a fair price.