First time owner 2017 Winnebago Sightseer 36Z

[gwekins]

Hello! We bought our Sightseer in 2021 and have been mostly using the dealership for service, winterizing, and de-winterizing. We work hard to keep our MH safe and running well, but we are NOT technicians. Our experience with the dealership has been mixed, so I am hoping this group can help us to learn and keep things running well.


Thanks in advance for your help!

[macnut]

Welcome to the forum! This is a great place to learn about your RV systems.

[Morich]

One of the big items when dealing with a new RV is simply FINDING the things that we know have to be there as they are mentioned in manuals???
So there is a great site here:
https://catalog3d.winnebagoind.com/menu/Parts.htm

This is an interactive site which means you get to turn the view up, down and every which way and possibly zoom in to spot details!
I will let you choose exactly which set matches as there are often different builds of the same year. It dos take a bit of experience/playing to find how to move around but it can be great for finding things like where the water heater bypass might be?
At the right, you can get a list of parts numbers if it does get down to needing new but it can also be handy to get a real name for something you spot but have no idea what to call it!

Click this to get a better view or go direct and do some playing??
Good luck and welcome. I'm open to questions if it gets you going sooner??

[creativepart]

Many newer RV owners think of getting their RV serviced at the dealer. The assumption is they are like cars and the RV dealer has the know how to get things done right. But many times, far too many times, this is the opposite of the truth. A really sharp RV tech that knows his stuff can make much more money and have much better working conditions becoming an independent tech or by starting or joining with a independent shop. So, RV dealers have a difficult time keeping good techs. And, just like the sales people in the RV dealership they really are not all that familiar with the products they service.

There are, of course, exceptions to every rule. I think all of us can name a few really good dealerships that are well run and capable service providers.

Luckily for me, I was a car nut in my teens and 20's and enjoyed working on my cars. This prepared me for home ownership to work on things around the house AND importantly make it easier for me to do much of the work on my RV. But even with that confidence I take my RV to a couple of independent shops for bigger jobs, harder jobs, messier jobs and they know me and my RV and do a great job keeping it running great.

The dealership? I went to one twice. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice. Shame on me. But like the rock band the Who famously said... "Won't get fooled again."