Van Problem | Plans Change | 12 Hour Drive | Customer Service
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- Опубліковано 17 жов 2024
- Van Problem | Plans Change | 12 Hour Drive | Customer Service
(EPISODE 266)
ℹ️ About this episode:
On this episode of LivinRvision, we experience a problem with one of the components on our 2024 Grech RV Strada-ion. That wasn’t the only problem we had to deal with though. With this issue, it meant that we had to hurry to our next destination instead of taking our time like we originally planned to do. We decided to make our 12 hour trip in two days.
Once we got to our final destination, the problem got worse and almost caused a serious accident. Find out what happened and how the customer service of Grech RV reacted in this weeks episode!
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@GrechRV @LaMesaRV
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We've had a few people that have not watched our videos before and have asked why we are not using a surge protector with this van. For those that have not watched our channel before, we explained this in a recent video when we left Pennsylvania. The Grech RV Strada-ion has a very high end built-in total protection/surge protector. As many of you know, when we had our Class A for 2 years and our Airstream for 1 year, we used a total protection/surge protector at the pedestal. The SurgeGuard unit that the Grech RV has saved us from low voltage earlier this year at an RV Resort and shut the power off competely to the RV. So it has proven to do it's job. Nothing can be damaged from the pedestal to the SurgeGuard because as soon as an issue is detected it shuts the power off.
It would be interesting to hear at some point what caused this issue. Transfer switch? Slow surge protection? Etc. I almost doubt that it was a surge. What are the chances that your neighbors in the park were not hit?
Very doubtful it was a surge because the SurgeGuard has already proven to do it's job for us before where our neighbors surge protector at the pedestal kept failing them and kept the power on to their RV (low voltage) while the SurgeGuard on the Strada-ion shut our power down until the voltage came back to normal. It happened over and over at this same campground while we were there and the electrician was trying to tell us there was no issue until I gave him enough proof that he finally admitted that they had a voltage drop in the row we were in. This electrician (the parks hired electrician) came out twice before I was able to finally convince him. I was getting convinced that he knew all along. Low voltage is hard on things like a refrigerator and is hard to prove what the cause is when someone has a very cheap surge protector that does not shut down power in the case of low voltage. I believe the transfer switch is the same one that was used in all the previous models of the Strada-ion. This could either be a fluke with the Xantrex Freedom XC Pro 300 (pure sine wave).
We mention these things when they happen to let others know just in case it becomes an issue for others (which it hasn't from what we have heard). Most of us know that most parts even the best will have one occasionally that has a fluke fault, but as soon as something is mentioned, there are some that like take the info and "run with it" claiming there is an issue with the inverters in these vans.
All RVs have parts made by other manufacturers and once in a while each and every part will have a factory defect (especially electronic parts). Not saying that's what this was because we don't know enough, but unless it keeps happening, then we know it was a fluke.
We have been testing these Strada-ion models for almost 2 years now and we have had very good luck with them. We have also heard of people having an issue here and there with little things once in a while that we and many others have not. That is the nature of the industry, especially when the companies they purchase parts from make negative changes.
The Grech RV Strada-ion has proven to us to be an extremely well built Class B motorhome. It's been better to us (more reliable) then our Airstream was and we talk to people all the time from campground to campground and in emails, private messages as well as in our comments, who have had quite a few problems with many different makes and models.
We take the time to post these things hoping they are helpful to others, not to gain kudos from Grech RV. They are very proud and confident about their product they build and they want us to be transparent. That's why we agreed to test their Class B motorhomes to begin with. @@mvemerson
@@LivinRVision thanks so much for your thoughtful reply. We are targeting a Grech RV Terreno ourselves. Agreed on all the common components. Xantrex is also a top tier manufacturer. There is so much to learn and I am always eager to pick up new knowledge. Thanks again.
We're targeting a Terreno-Ion too ... the Tour model -- a little pricey tho 🤑 ...but... our philosophy, "... you always get what you pay for...", right!?! ... & since 7 seatbelts are just enough w/ minimal storage available, no 'extra baggage allowed' -- only family & g'kids! 😅 😂 🤣
Out of this whole video the thing that I noticed more than anything else was your compassion for “older” people. It restores my faith in humanity when I see that kind of compassion and respect. You both are good people! God bless you both and safe travels!
🧡
We live in Stuart, FL. You passed us from LaMesa to Jupiter. We have a Road Trek Zion 21' van. You are welcome to stop by... if in the area again.
🧡
That touched my heart. Thank you for helping the gentleman that fell. I have worked with the elderly for 26 years. Finding people like you is rare. So many are forgotten and ignored. Blessings to you!
So kind of you to help that elderly couple. ❤. We need more people like you. Glad your inverter issue was solved quickly and caused no additional damage. 😮
I was debating of even keeping that in the video. Didn’t want it to look like “look what we did” sort of thing. We got in the van and I started the camera and then realized it was still on. Had to edit a lot of “nothing” from the video. Lol
I figured it was at least inspiring for others to “be kind” and look out for others even if you are traveling and in a hurry.
I was walking out of the restroom and this older gentleman was walking towards me and just collapsed. Helped him up when we was ready and waited until his wife came in. She mentioned he is on a lot of medications. Michelle came out of the restroom and we helped him to their car and made sure they were ok. She seemed concerned as she mentioned he hasn’t been having this happen but it could be the meds. They sat in their car for about 5 mins before driving off. We followed until they turned off the ramp.
Seeing the elderly struggle is so hard. Made me think of my dad as he struggled for so long with Parkinson’s and walked hunched over to his side from back issues. He would get so embarrassed when he would get stuck and couldn’t move. Then of all things, pancreatic cancer takes his life. Lung cancer took Michelle’s dad. Both great men that we miss dearly.
@@LivinRVision 🙏❤
@@LivinRVision I think it was great that you kept it in the video…. you didn’t make a big deal out of it. A touch of humanity this time of year is a good thing for us all. I am sorry about both parents. It is so difficult to go through that….sometimes life gets turned upside down; doesn’t it? Then it takes awhile to right it again. 💜
I really enjoy your channel! We have a Ford Transit 250 we converted 3 years ago and we love it and many have enjoyed our YT van build series. I am 72 and my wife is 68.53444. : ) We do trips of 2-3 weeks in length at the most and some short weekend camping. We love our 1940s house and full-time traveling as zero appeal to us.
What I really like about your videos, is that you do not do like many others and give non-stop "life coaching" advice. Some people are just determined to say that only in "van life" are you able to be "free and happy". They also act like only in van life do you learn about being flexible or patient or being a problem solver. Those same things happen at our home. Just a pet peeve of mine.
Be safe out there and keep your eye on the pie! : )
Oh dang that was an excellent "true-to-life" video that covered breakdown, repairs, emergencies, and good food. Well done you two!
Well, to change with change is a changeless state. So there you go.
As I was watching the video the thing that struck me the most,was the background music! Going thru a tough season right now, and as I was listening was struck how appropriate the music was for me right now!!! I listen to the music but not necessarily the words, I listened on this one!! God must of tapped me on the shoulder and said " Deb..listen to the words"❤❤Love you guys and thank you for the uplift! Thru your video and the music! ❤❤❤
Back in the mid 70’s camped there many times. Went claming near by, fed the squirrels by hand bite once. Watched alligators while canoeing. Most of the time it was not busy at all.
Omg. We live between the state park and la mesa. Stayed at the park many times over the years. Go in their little boat yo trapper Nelson’s. We kayak that all the time. Hope you enjoy!
Another star in the crown of Grech. Customer service sells.
We lost our travel trailer to a fire from the inverter doing the same thing. Luckily we were not in the trailer at the time. Glad you were there to stop it before it got worse
Thank God you were all safe.
Thank you
Very nice you helped out that elderly gentleman! I was surprised how quick they got you in to replace the converter! Thanks for sharing guys . 😁
You did great. I just remind you and me that life is stressful when something breaks and we have to change our plans. So, in a RV or in a apartment or house. Breath and take one step at a time. And it's OK to ask for help.😅.
Wow you were lucky you decided to shower in the morning!!
Yikes! Sorry you had to go thru this. And glad Grech continues to live up to others positive comments about great customer service. What a difference when a product is well built and the company truly stands behind it. Happy to hear you are safe and back to your travels.
Oh you poor guys! Life is great until it isn’t. My first thought was “ this is an expensive class B, this shouldn’t happen”. But I guess even the best can break. You’re so honest can you answer this question. They got you a hotel room , sent the inverter overnight and set up LaMesa to install. Did you get that treatment because of your association with them or would they do that for anyone? Did you get special treatment? Love you guys, can’t wait for your videos. Been to that state park many times and that LaMesa rv.
One thing to keep in mind is, every RV has parts that are made by a different company than the RV manufacturer and are used on most of those same other RVs. It’s the details of the total build quality that matters most between those companies. This inverter is one of those items many of them use. From our experience, every part, even when they are reliable parts, will have a few issues here and there from time to time.
Grech RV has a full three-year warranty and if the dealership that you purchased the RV from is not providing good customer service then Grech RV always stands up and takes care of the customer. We have heard this time and time again. If someone says differently, then there is more to their story. The only difference with our situation is, we did not purchase it from a dealership, so our source is going straight to Grech RV.
Hi Brian and Michelle! My hubby and I love your channel. Very informative and you both are such great people. We have an Airstream International TT that we love and we have decided to get a Grech Strada as we approach the empty-nesting years. We were looking at the AS Interstate but quickly realized that the Grech was the way to go for class B. We appreciate your insight so much!
Your FEMA saves the day again! 😊 Shuck and Jive to solve the issue at hand. #winning
😂
I always like your choice of music to accompany your videos. They augment well your good video recordings.
Hello. Glad La Mesa RV did you good. Sorry that happened, but so glad it wasn't catastrophic. Safe Travels.
So glad you were there to help the people at the rest stop! I’m also so glad you made it to Florida safe, and were able to get the part for MY van so fast 😉😁. Bush’s beans is a nice little stop, there’s a small museum, a small store and a restaurant. Oh, and……I’m still waiting on my t-shirt picture 🤨 safe travels!! 😁
Happened to us. In our case the frequency was wrong, the people who had installed it spent hours on the phone trying to resolve it. Our inverter was two weeks old.
Great video! Glad you were in the coach to prevent further damage from the inverter! We really enjoy seeing your travels when they are so close to our home, such as I-40 and I-26. Reading the exit signs brought smiles! Safe travels!
Eyeeyeeye....so glad it all worked out. Great to hear that the customer service is there to create goodwill.
Hi guys just checking in. I’m the retired firefighter with the pontoon on the St John’s river. Let us know if you need anything in Florida.😁
Hi Paul! Thanks so much. If we get back up your way we definitely will! Would be good to see you again!
Tennessee is such a beautiful state. It has to be one of my favorite. Seen the Savannah GA road sign. Lil miss Savannah was happy. Thank goodness your back to power.
We seen something else yesterday with the name Savannah and thought of her. :) (upcoming video)
Love your videos! Greetings from Canada. 🇨🇦🍁🇨🇦
😮 Glad you are safe, it's no fun with repairs & parts, glad yours went smoothly! Can't wait for the Florida video! 🐊🐬🦟💦
Another great video and we love your humor. I don’t know if it’s our age or our audio set up on our tv but we are constantly changing the volume, up when you are talking and down when the music is playing. Regardless we look forward to Saturday and your entertaining videos.
I was wondering about reliability and repairs. Glad to see you still had some functionality and that repairs were pretty straight forward. I wonder if there was an input breaker that should have been opened on the inverter.
Thank you guys for your honesty, even in difficult times!
We were at Jonathan Dickson ourselves. We spent the night of Nov 3rd.
Saturday morning the 4th, I was walking our dog thru the campground and noticed this white Grech Strada Ion. When I got back to our campsite I mentioned to my wife what I had seen. She suggested that it could be you camping at the state park.
A few minutes later, while we were drinking our tea and coffee, the Strada Ion drives by our campsite and that’s when I noticed the California license plates. I mentioned noticing the tags to my wife. We both were assuming it was y’all.
After seeing this video I’m really sure it was you two. We missed meeting you by this much…😀
That was probably us!! Sorry we missed meeting you both. Hopefully we’ll get to meet you another time.
@@LivinRVision I empathize with you on the inverter problem. Our inverter went out in November 2021. I wasn’t able to get a replacement for a year due to supply chain issues. Didn’t stop us from going camping though. I was able to rig and use external battery chargers to keep us going in the meantime. Glad to see you were able to get your problem rectified so quickly.
Good to see you on the road again... sort of! ee
I feel your pain about rv dealerships service depts! Glad you got a new inverter so quickly. Safe travels❤
Oh my, that’s right! You guys had a horrible experience. 😢
@@LivinRVision we'll have to update you with the latest screw up! Ugh!
Oh no!
We feel your pain!
What kind of work do Y'all do? What a Blessing to be able to work from anywhere.
Payroll and the channel, both full time.
Great video. Glad you were in the right place at the time to help someone. Very kind. Glad you got the inverter replaced and I’m also glad nothing bad happened to you both. ❤❤
Brian and Michelle thank you for sharing so many of your experiences. I tried to create video of our adventures, but I learned very quickly how much dedication and attention to detail it takes to do what you do. I've watched you guys for a long time. I think you were on the road 2 years prior to us. We started our full-time in Jan 2022. Anyway I just wanted to say thank you.
You are so welcome, we are glad you enjoy the videos.🧡😊🤓 We started Thanksgiving of 2018. Crazy how fast time goes by. We hope we have cross paths sometime.
@LivinRVision
O my goodness, I can't believe it has been 5 years. I love watching the video of you guys leaving your home and finally picking up your new to you RV. It's part of what made us want to try this lifestyle. Also, your catch phase, Brian " ret-ta-go," as I am a black female, qracked me up so much that your videos became my favorite channel. Also, Michelle and I share the same name. Yes, I definitely hope to cross paths with you guys someday. We are not as weird as I sound.
@michelleh2921 😂 you don’t sound weird at all! Thank you for taking the time to share this with us. Knowing we’ve been brought enjoyment to others is a gift to us, so thank you again.🧡😊🤓
We just met you at the Tampa Super Show and now you are in our neck of the woods, we love using our e -bikes at Johnathan Dickerson Park, glad LaMesa RV was able to help you out, especially since my husband works there, he would have said HI if he saw you there. Lol!
So sorry we missed you both!
Gosh guys. So sorry that happened to you but so thankful that it was taken care of quickly.
Hope that fixed the problem and u can get back to life!
Thank you for the quick response its nice to know that you are on top of things. Hope to meet you someday when were out traveling.
We hope to meet you too. :)
Welcome to La Florida ;) you guys were close to me. Thank goodness all is fixed. Hope you enjoy the weather. It’s nice now. Cooling down.
Beautiful park!
Ques. answered. Gretch sent a new inverter. I need to watch the videos till the end before I ask a question LOL.
😂that’s ok 👍🏻
Hey Brian, been a while since we chatted. We were down in Key West camping when our Truma A/C developed an issue. I went through Truma support and they sent me a link to service centers in FL. I called the exact same dealer LA Mesa RV in Port St Lucie and they would NOT help us. They said we could schedule an appointment for MARCH! I told them the unit was under Truma warranty and Truma estimated the repair to take less than an hour. They didn't budge, said March or go somewhere else! Happy to hear Grech RV backed you and arranged for the inverter/charger swap out. We have the same Xantrex model you do but, so far, have not had any issues. We are now up in the Cocoa Beach area (Patrick AFB). Hope all is well with you and Michelle. Brian & Brandelyne
Ugh! So sorry you are going through that! Did you try the La Mesa south of there in Davie, FL?
@@LivinRVision Yes, if they were listed as Truma service center, we called them. The a/c still works so we are not dead in the heat and we have an appointment back in TN for 12/20 to get the issue addressed (who needs a/c then, right?)
@AF1US glad you found a place. Yes, thankfully it’s not the AC.
OMG, we have done that route many times in our travel trailer rig from home just southeast of Daytona Beach up and back from Asheville where my brother lives hanging out in the mountains. We just got a Winnebago Ekko. I wanted a B-van, but wife wanted something roomier, so the Ekko was the compromise. We got our Ekko from La Mesa in the Orlando area, so hopefully their service folks are just as good as what you experienced.
You might want to start a UA-cam station if you want to get the good service they got. The La Mesa in Sacramento CA. has horrible service. Besides awful customer service it takes months to get an appointment.
Looks like we passed y'all a few times around the dates, on a similar path. So glad you are safe & sound and maybe on a cruise. Along our travels folks have figured out the particulars of our rig and the first question...."Are they really that nice" ? ABSOLUTELY and then some ! Hugs from Charleston SC
Sweet words by a very sweet couple! 🧡😊🤓
@@LivinRVision 😘so blessed & so grateful ! How many times does Vinnie say " I can't believe how patient & thorough they were with us" How many would take that much time to help first timers? We love y'all ~ continued safe adventures !
Recently I tried to make a service appointment with LaMesa and was told they weren't taking any more service customers. Glad they took care of you both. Safe travels.
So what was the result, you hopefully called Grech directly? Our situation is much different since we are testing the vans and did not purchase directly from a dealer.
@LivinRVision I didn't mention that my coach is Winnebago. Going back to them directly and they do good service.
Glad we asked…
I love RV content...thank you for taking the time to make all these videos
Beautiful fall colors. Don’t get that here in Ft. Myers, Florida. Miss Iowa sometimes 😊
And was the Bush’s Beans plant “cooking” when you drove through? We have friends who lived in Dandridge, and when the wind blew the wrong way, the stench was nauseating. They never did get used to it even after almost 20 years! Safe travels!
🤢 No, luckily it wasn’t cooking that day.
We're heading to Gatlinburg next year from FL and also plan to take I40 and I26, in our Sprinter chassis Class C. Looks not too bad of a drive, hopefully better choice then going through Atlanta and Knoxville. We are staying east side of Gatlinburg
It was a good drive 👍🏻😊🤓
Well, that was scary 🫣
You should look at getting a EcoFlow Delta Portable Power Station. I always carry one when traveling, very useful. I enjoy your videos.
We have had portable power stations in the past with previous RVs but when we downsized we didn’t bring it along because it was not necessary and limited room. It would not of helped us in this situation anyway because we had to get to our final destination. Everything else worked other than the outlets. We figure if we absolutely needed a power station at any point, we can easily go into a store and purchase one. But to carry a couple (which we would need two for us both working) it is not worth taking up that space when it would be sitting 99.99% of the time.
Love your videos. You guys seem like such nice people.
I’m not criticizing but why don’t you use a pedestal power surge protector, like I see most RVer’s use?
Was there a problem with the power at the campground where this happened, or was it just a problem with the inverter itself?
Great job with helping the elderly man. I’m so glad you weren’t both out of the van when the problem occurred.
We have been asked this before and as explained, the Grech RV models all have a very high end Total protection/surge protector built in and an external one is not needed. It has shut down power in the past when we had a bad ground at a pedestal, so it works. They protect from “bad” power coming in. I had asked the Engineer at Grech RV in the very beginning of we still need to use a surge protector at the pedestal and he said it is not needed because of the unit they have installed.
Also, if you notice in our older videos when we had the Class A for 2 years and the Airstream for 1 year, we used a high end total protection/surge protector then (like other RVers 😜) simply because they didn’t have the protection like this Class B has. The Class A had an internal built-in one, but it did not protect from everything. Always buy the best that has TOTAL protection as we explained in a recent video as we left Pennsylvania.
Wow. Another reason Grech may be our next RV. @@LivinRVision
Great video!! Sorry for your problems though! What’s the website for Florida state parks camping? Tia
Thank you, glad you enjoyed it!
Reserve.FloridaStateParks.org or you can just Google “Florida State Parks” and it’s the first choice that pops up. Click “Camping” from there.
Have you heard that only FL residents can make state park reservations 11 months out and out of state resident can only now reserve 10 months out? Starts January 1, 2024.
We have not heard that yet. They did not mention.
La mesa is great never had an issue with them
We are in WPB FL, we have RV setup if you need and a shop with tools. Not sure where you are truly heading. Ben
This was taken care of already as shown in the video, but thank you. This was actually about 3 weeks ago.
But if you every have a need in WPB, FL let us know.
Thank you!
We love all of your videos and I especially like the videos that touch on the technology. Have you shared your experience and insights on the air suspension and the 4-season capabilities (or not) of the Grech? Very few luxury vans seem to do be 4-season, ...or claim to be. Coachmen Galleria being the only one we know of.
We took a trip back to Iowa last year for Thanksgiving and talked about this during our travels there. We shared what we had to do. It’s just the macerator/pump that is outside in the elements, so we had to put every antifreeze in the toilet and run through just long enough so that the macerator had the antifreeze in it while we traveled. We could still use the toilet because the macerator is located after the tanks, so everything goes through the macerator only when you drain the tanks. So when it came time to drain the tanks, we just added a little even antifreeze again down the toilet and ran it quickly until the fluid once again started to come through so that we knew it had antifreeze in it. As far as the tanks, they have heaters, so we were fine there. The temps got down into the 20s in certain areas in the evenings during this trip. Had zero issues.
@@LivinRVision thanks a bunch. I now remember seeing that episode and will go back and watch it again.
Your honesty I appreciate so my question is
Do you think an everyday person calling Gretch RV would have received the same treatment that you did including LaMesa who is 3 months out of availability.
The last question does having a Gretch product carry more weight with a RV dealer that happens to sell them?
Thanks for your great videos
Here is the reality, when you buy an rv from a dealership, you are supposed to take the RV back to them for repairs while under warranty, but if the customer is having issues getting it taken care of, always go directly to the manufacturer, especially while under warranty. We have heard numerous times where a dealership has dropped the ball and Grech took care of the issue. We are much different since we did NOT buy the rv from a dealership as you know from watching our videos. We are testing these vans and reporting back to them and the public when issues arise. Therefore, we don’t have a dealership to go directly to, so our main contact is Grech. These have a 3 year full warranty and Grech will always stand behind them when a dealership fails to take care of the customer. You always take a product back to the place you purchased it before going direct to the manufacturer.
@@LivinRVision thank for information that why I love you both. 3 year warranty is fantastic getting closer to buy a Grech. I get so involved in your videos I forget you did not purchase it so of course you have to go directly to them. Thanks again great information
I guess I have to calculate stuff like this when I get my RV even if its new I didn't know things like this could happen in a new RV
Oh this is nothing. Most new RVs have to be returned for numerous manufacturers defects. This was an inverter made by another company which is a very good inverter, it just happened to be one of many that had an issue.
My wife and I currently own a Winnebago Travato 59G and have been really looking at the Grech Strada Ion Tour. We have never owned a diesel engine vehicle before and I have heard things about the emissions sometimes having issues. There is the DEF fluid but also a particulate filter. Have you had any issues with the emissions yet?
We have the Winnebago Travato 59KL and we have the same question. We do still really like our Travato. We've had it for 2 years and have never plugged it in yet because of the Lithium.
@@palomacortez7878 Yes we have also considered getting the 59KL as I like the twin beds and not having to crawl over each other to get out to use the bathroom. ;-) however, I do like the quality of the Grech brand. I have also heard they have great customer service as well when thing do happen.
There has been zero issues with the particulate filter on any of the models we have tested. We put on about 15,000 - 18,000 mi on each unit. The system regenerates itself to keep the filter clean. The control center on the dash will show you the status of the particulate filter also.
Not sure if you have watched our videos of how we keep our bed as two twins in the back? We leave the two ottomans in so that instead of creating one big bed, we have room to get up easily with crawling over each other and it also gives us more room towards the top portion. Kind of the best of both worlds. We also don’t have to remove the table every night for bed either, we just leave the table attached and easily swing it away when/where needed.
I don't know how these systems work, so excuse my ignorance. Would you have been able to just buy another inverter and hook it up?
Yes, we could have tried finding an inverter somewhere and hooked it up myself if I had the time to. But the main reason we did not is because this is not “our” rv. If you have watched our videos in the past, we are just testing these vans as brand ambassadors. So when something goes wrong, we contact Grech and they take care of it. Even for someone that purchases one of these, you’d want the warranty to cover it.
You did check the reset button on the back end of the inverter right. I know you know better but just asking.
When it started smoking, I knew it was much worse than needing a reset. :)
We have seen many RV repair sagas on UA-cam and are wondering if Grech treats all customers like they did with you. Is it better for service if you buy directly from Grech in California?
Hopefully some of the customers chime in here to answer this for you because time and time again we have heard great things from others about their customer service. If you haven’t watched our channel much, we test these units and did not purchase it. We report back to you, our viewers and Grech RV. We also belong to the Grech RV owners group on Facebook and get numerous emails and private messages from others expressing their appreciation and gratitude of how well Grech RV has stepped up with any issues that they were concerned about. There have not been many issues with these units from what we have been hearing and have been experiencing. This is unheard of with any other manufacturers. There will always be something here and there that will happen, that’s just the nature of any product, but well built products always have less issues.
We own a tech strada ion and we bought it local in Dallas. We were given a contact person with Grech to help us with questions. I have texted with him on multiple occasions asking for help with the batteries, the macerating pump, etc. he talks me through all of my problems. They have been great! I recommend Grech if it’s within the budget
It’s worth noting here that Grech RV also has a UA-cam channel to which they have created a library of helpful videos that answer many questions on different subjects with how-to videos. 👍🏻
Just wondered, did they find any other damage when they removed they the inverter ? Possibly another component that may have caused the issue. Your lucky it didn't cause a fire. Safe travels.
No other damage. It was just the inverter but I am in contact with the Grech Engineer to keep an eye on things and report back to make sure there isn’t a setting that may have caused this issue, just to make sure it doesn’t happen to anyone else since it is so new. Nothing like this has happened to us in the previous models. We’ve had very good luck which is very rare with a new rv. This doesn’t seem to be a recurring issue.
I hope Gretch provides a post mortem analysis. Thx.
So far it seems to be a rare incident, so nothing more may be needed to explain
Whew…we just purchased the 2024 Strada-Ion, I’m sure we will have our issues as well. We are so happy with the Grech customer service so far, I don’t see that changing.
Thanks for all the tips on packing and setting up, so very helpful.
Safe travels ~ Juls~
I would think Gretch service could arrange mobile service for inverter swap within days. Maybe diy.
Absolutely. If we didn’t have to get to our next destination, that would have happened. As mentioned in the video, they arranged that to happen at La Mesa RV in Port St. Lucie.
Do you use a surge protector with/low power/reverse polarity/etc?
Yes, it is built into the unit Grech provides. Not your cheaper ones, it gives total protection.
Is the bed comfortable?
It’s surprising comfortable. If you ever go to an RV show, put the sofa/bed down and lay on it. Then go compare to others at the show.
You use a surge protector?
We responded to this same question earlier. We have been asked this before and as explained, the Grech RV models all have a very high end Total protection/surge protector built in and an external one is not needed. It has shut down power in the past when we had a bad ground at a pedestal, so it works. They protect from “bad” power coming in. I had asked the Engineer at Grech RV in the very beginning if we still need to use a surge protector at the pedestal and he said it is not needed because of the unit they have installed.
Also, if you notice in our older videos when we had the Class A for 2 years and the Airstream for 1 year, we used a high end total protection/surge protector then (like other RVers 😜) simply because they didn’t have the protection like this Class B has. The Class A had an internal built-in one, but it did not protect from everything. Always buy the best that has TOTAL protection as we explained in a recent video as we left Pennsylvania.
Yeah, should of used a surge protector
That really worked out well for you guys ...but... was that realistic w/ La Mesa getting you in & out in 'record time'? Since you mentioned Exec A. J. (Thurber) and you have an arrangement/relationship w/ Grech, was that an unrealistic scenario ...just sayin'...!?! 💯 Heard nothing but GREAT things about Grech ... will be even greater if an 'average everyday buyer' can get similar service results (heard many horror stories about RV/Van service nightmares in general, so setting the right expectation is extremely IMPORTANT -- wouldn't you agree?) 🤔 ... & if so... w/ qualty BUILD along w/ industry-leading Grech service (thru dealers/mobile techs, HQ, others) they'll be ...for sure... the Class B 'Luxe' Dominator w/ their full line of QUALITY Turismos, Terrenos & Stradas (like your 2023) -- 'good for you' having such an AWESOME & !!!...QUICK...!!! service experience. 👍🏽🤜🏽🤛🏽l
It is absolutely important as we explained to a very similar comment below…we did not purchase the Strada-ion from a dealer, we are testing these units and our only contact IS Grech and they handled setting up the repair. Much different. But this video was not about “how quickly we got serviced by La Mesa”. When you purchase a unit from a dealer, you are supposed to take the unit back to that dealer for the repairs which are completed under the Grech RV warranty. If a dealer drops the ball and not providing the service you’re happy with, you should then contact the manufacturer (Grech RV) and they will make sure you are taken care of. Again, our situation is much different as we have to go directly to Grech because if/when something goes wrong, they are who we are supposed to report to so that they know about any issues. This Strada-ion is still theirs. So yes, of course the situation is different, but Grech RV has been known to provide great customer service as mentioned and they always show the same towards us.
@@LivinRVision I fully understand ... of course A.J. (or David R) would be your 'go to' to ensure their Strada-Ion is kept in 'tip top condition' -- like car dealers do as well with demos and/or loaners ... for sure ...bottom line... it was a quickly repairable electrical component swap (in their overall well designed system) that was handled ...timely... so you guys were able to get 'back on the road' sooner rather than later ... & do believe w/ a 'quality built Grech' that can be expected -- the 'rule ...not... the exception'. 💯 ...so... we're good w/ a future decision to likely acquire a 2'24 soon!👍🏽
Yes, they have both been our direct contacts with Grech RV. AJ mostly since we don’t have many issues but Kevin is also very good. We’ve kept in close contact throughout the past 2 years with AJ. They make a great product.
@@LivinRVision ABSOLUTELY 💯
Nice thread, we enjoy the channel, but also good to point out that most don’t have this arrangement. Most dealers will park you in the back lot and you’ll be stuck like Chuck until they work you in.
Hey Brian, I have 2 questions for you. Darn, I forgot them already!
😂🤣
Did you find out why the alternator failed?
The inverter? No. These things happen with inverters sometimes. No word of any other models having this problem as of yet nor did our previous models. Grech is noting everything in case it happens again with ours or anyone else’s. Seems like it was just a fluke.
@@LivinRVision Lol…meant inverter.
👍🏻😊🤓
How was your experience with LaMesa RV? It looks like everything went as planned once your arrived. We purchased an RV from their Sacramento location. We never had any issues with the customer service, however, I read reviews that do not reflect my experience. I look forward to your content every week. Keep up the good work.
It’s hard to say because they may have took care of us due to the pressure directly from Grech. But our experience was good and we can’t insinuate that they wouldn’t do the same for anyone else. For us it was smooth.
We had awful customer service at Sacramento. We never posted a review but we should have.
problems......solutions........
Glad you got the problem fixed as fast as you did. You are a great fixer of all things. Nice to hear that someone will take care of us old people. Now on to new adventures in Florida. 😎🥸🤓
I am under the impression that an inverter does not charge anything...it just converts one power to another. If you have solar all 12v should work. I use a cigarette lighter 12v portable inverter to run my laptop and cell phone. I boondock that way because my solar runs all 12v outlets in my rv. Portable inverters are very in expensive on Amazon. Mine are Bestek 300w power inverters. It might be good for you to have one or 2 on board! I manually turn my on board 3000w inverter off when I am plugged in to shore power! I do not trust the transfer switch.
If you have watched our videos in the past when we had the Class A and Airstream, you would see that we have used a portable power station like that. (Jackery). That is something that we knew we did not need to take with us when we were downsizing. If it was absolutely necessary, then we could easily stop somewhere to purchase one when and if needed. The choice we made just made much more sense for us to do in our situation and needing to get to our next scheduled “adventure” that we had already paid for.
A portable inverter and an inverter in this case is wired totally different.
Does your unit run on shore power with inverter turned off?
@donnac.1609 we don’t turn it off because it has a transfer switch, therefore you don’t need to. But apparently in this situation, there was an issue since the inverter was smoking and getting hot while plugged into shore power even though the inverter would not turn on and was already fried. They only replace the inverter and that took care of the issue.
@LivinRVision My rv repair guy has zero faith in transfer switches. And that is just one man's opinion! But I don't take any chances! My 2016 Sunseeker 3010DS ( only 14,000 miles) has proven to be a veritable "tinker toy" so I take every precaution!! I sure hope your van stays solid and the backing from the manufacturer appears to be top notch! A true rarity!!
Grech