Good Experience with a Service Center in Kannapolis, NC (Hilbish Ford) September 27, 2016, 03:11:37 pm 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 2 Likes
Re: Good Experience with a Service Center in Kannapolis, NC (Hilbish Ford) Reply #1 – September 27, 2016, 04:43:43 pm 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.
Re: Good Experience with a Service Center in Kannapolis, NC (Hilbish Ford) Reply #2 – September 27, 2016, 05:33:55 pm 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
Re: Good Experience with a Service Center in Kannapolis, NC (Hilbish Ford) Reply #3 – September 27, 2016, 05:41:25 pm 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. 1 Likes