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Location: Dixon, IA | Bought a new Shadow Trailer in 2011, it has spent more time in the shop then on the trail due to leaks. Have dealt with the factory over and over again. Trailer went from Iowa all the way to Florida for warranty repairs and came back with most of the repairs never done. Even though we were promised by John Ryan the QA manager that he would "make it right". Looking for a new trailer . . . look AGAIN!!! Run fast from Shadow trailers!!! Question? Feel free to write me and I'll give you the scoop!! |
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        Location: NY | have you called the dealer about the face that it was not done right ? |
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| You should contact your dealer. We have never had that problem with them. |
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      Location: Rocky Mount N.C. | Originally written by jette1 on 2013-04-24 9:12 PM
Bought a new Shadow Trailer in 2011, it has spent more time in the shop then on the trail due to leaks. Have dealt with the factory over and over again. Trailer went from Iowa all the way to Florida for warranty repairs and came back with most of the repairs never done. Even though we were promised by John Ryan the QA manager that he would "make it right". Looking for a new trailer . . . look AGAIN!!! Run fast from Shadow trailers!!! Question? Feel free to write me and I'll give you the scoop!! You are the first I have heard of with a leaking Shadow trailer... |
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Member
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Location: Ocala, FL | Let's inject some facts and truth into the equation. For starters, jette1 purchased a 2008 Shadow living quarters trailer from an authorized dealer in Iowa in 2011. Several months later, she took it back to the dealer because the 19" x 53" bus windows in the horse compartment were leaking. This is a very large window and no manufacturer will warranty them against leakage. However, jette1 and her husband took the trailer back to the dealer in Iowa for repairs, at Shadow's expense, and nothing more was heard from them until 2012, when they claimed that leakage had caused extensive damage to the living quarters. The Shadow factory brought the trailer back to Ocala, FL from Iowa at its' own expense and found that the roof sealant had failed, so it was replaced by sealant from a different manufacturer, again at Shadow's expense, even though the warranty requires the sealant to be checked annually and there is no indication that jette1 ever did so. jette1 and her husband also complained about the refrigerator freezing over. Ordinarily the factory will not get involved with refrigeration issues because they are warrantied by the manufacturer, which in this case was Norcold. The customers made a number of excuses about why they had not contacted Norcold directly or taken the trailer to an RV repair facility for diagnosis and insisted on bringing it back to the factory. In an effort to appease them, the living quarters supervisor at Shadow attempted to replicate the problem but could not do so. The bottom line is that the dealer in Iowa has prevailed upon Norcold to replace the refrigerator, free of charge, even though no one has been able to replicate the problem. Shadow also replaced the entire living quarters of the trailer, including all flooring, once again free of charge. When this trailer was built in 2007, the LQ's were subcontracted out and the subflooring was particle board. (The factory now builds its' own living quarters and the subfloors are treated plywood). jette1 and her husband also insisted that a drip edge would stop the bus windows from leaking. This is debatable, but in good faith Shadow is paying for an RV repair facility in Iowa to install them and is paying an additional $200 to have the trailer tested afterward. At this juncture, Shadow has paid over $5,000 to transport jette1's trailer from Iowa to Florida for repairs and has additionally paid for repairs made in Iowa. Has jette1 been inconvenienced? I'm sure she has. But, she has a trailer with brand new living quarters and a brand new refrigerator, ALL FOR FREE!! Meanwhile, jette1 would like our customers to believe that she had numerous unpleasant interactions with the factory supervisor, when, in fact, she has never, ever, spoken with or emailed him. This is outright rubbish. Only her husband has ever communicated with him and as far as the factory knew until several days ago when jette1 began posting defamatory allegations in various public forums, he was satisfied with Shadow's efforts to address their issues. Shadow has an excellent reputation for customer satisfaction, and in this case the factory and the dealer in Iowa have gone way above and beyond what was required per the manufacturer's warranty. I don't know what jette1's agenda is, but it's obvious that in this case no good deed went unpunished. We stand behind each and every trailer we manufacture and we have stood behind hers, but this is ridiculous! |
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  Location: Ohio | While I don't doubt your claim, I am surprised you (I am assuming you are Shadow) replaced the living quarters, added aftermarket upgrades (the window drips) and transported the trailer from Iowa to Florida, to name a few of the areas you stated, if it were not required. I appreciate the desire to make a customer happy but this seems a little over the top. Having heard the first claim and your response, I suspect that reality is somewhere in between. I have no experience with Shadow but I don't know any business that would do that much out of warrantee work if there was not some type of culpability or legal requirement to do so. |
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Member
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Location: Ocala, FL | All Shadow trailers have a 7 year warranty on many major components. The customer's trailer was under warranty at the time of the issues she complained of. The factory suggested the work be done at an RV repair facility near her home, at Shadow's expense, but her husband told the factory that the RV folks were unwilling to work on it. I can understand this if they were unfamiliar with living quarters trailers. So, the factory did what it needed to do and has, in fact, performed certain repairs even though they were not required by law or pursuant to the warranty. Certainly the factory could not afford to do so if we had trailers coming back to us from across the country on a regular basis, but the issues this customer complains of are extremely rare. Perhaps this level of customer service is not the norm in the trailer industry, but this is only one of the many things that makes Shadow stand out. In fact, if you are ever in the Ocala, Florida area, you are more than welcome to take a factory tour and see for yourself the many safety and convenience features that are standard on every Shadow trailer. We make new trailers the old-fashioned way: with American ingenuity, honesty and hard work!! |
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Posts: 560
   Location: Mena, AR | I saw a new 2H GN Shadow trailer at a horse show a few weeks ago. I was very impressed with it. I don't recall what the owner said she paid for it, but it was amazingly low for the features and quality of the trailer. It did not have a LQ in it. My friend and I crawled all over that trailer looking at it. The owner was very happy with the dealer she had dealt with. The only thing we noticed was it did not have a rear rubber bumper on it. We are both very picky, so keep that in mind. |
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        Location: NY | it sounds like you are doing everything to make them happy  |
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| I don't have a horse in this race but as an outsider looking in I am not impressed with the message from the dealer. Right away I read this...." This is a very large window and no manufacturer will warranty them against leakage." so as a consumer I read this as; if you are dumb enough to buy a trailer with a very large window than don't come complaining to us if it leaks. Why would you manufacture a trailer in which you didn't have confidence? It seems to me that the customer purchased a trailer from Shadow in 2011 that was considered new regardless of when it was manufactured. By the manufactures own admission a window leaked, the roof sealant was inferior, and possibly the subfloor wasn't up to standard. To act as if you did the customer a huge favor by repairing the trailer for "FREE" seems a bit comical to me.Again I have no horse in the race, if you look at my post count you will see that I have been here a long time...I didn't just show up to complain about this or that manufacture but as someone who has owned many trailers I don't understand why a manufacture would show up on the forum and act as if they did some great deed by repairing a a year old trailer (customer bought new in 2011) that was leaking.BTW....the OP says "We" when they speak of contacting the factory supervisor not "I". |
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Extreme Veteran
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| Originally written by Goz63 on 2013-04-25 7:33 PM
While I don't doubt your claim, I am surprised you (I am assuming you are Shadow) replaced the living quarters, added aftermarket upgrades (the window drips) and transported the trailer from Iowa to Florida, to name a few of the areas you stated, if it were not required. I appreciate the desire to make a customer happy but this seems a little over the top. Having heard the first claim and your response, I suspect that reality is somewhere in between. I have no experience with Shadow but I don't know any business that would do that much out of warrantee work if there was not some type of culpability or legal requirement to do so. I agree, I would have been much more impressed if the manufacture would have said they screwed up and that 99% of the time they get it right but this time they didn't and they are trying to make it right instead of acting as if they had done some big favor for the owner. Then to try and act as if it were their fault for not checking the roof seals.I would be shocked if 10% of trailer owners actually checked the roof seals. I would also ask why the dealer didn't do an annual inspection on the roof seal prior to delivery? |
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Location: Ocala, FL | OK, folks, we all know what assumptions do. In this case, a couple of you have assumed that all bus windows leak. Go back and read what I said. I didn't say they all leak; I said windows of that size are more prone to leakage. If they all leaked, no trailer manufacturer would use them. The fact of the matter is that consumers want them because they allow better airflow but they can be closed in inclement weather. If consumers didn't want them and if they weren't better for the horses, there would be no demand for them and we wouldn't be having this discussion. Besides, we ARE talking about the horse compartment, which gets wet every time you hose it down after you haul. I don't know about any of you but my horses get wet all the time, so what's the big issue? Besides, jette1's real beef was that she wanted drip edges installed, but we all know that probably won't make any difference. Well, we're giving this upgrade to her anyway, thus increasing the value of her trailer, which, btw, we have now learned was built in 2007 and used as a demonstrator for a few years and sold, no doubt, at a much lower price than a new trailer. If it wasn't for Shadow's 7-year warranty and the factory owner's and dealer's commitment to excellent customer service, I doubt she'd have any recourse whatsoever. I guess you're suspicious about why Shadow is bending over backwards for her because no other manufacturer would do it, but that's part of the Shadow difference. As for the comments about using inferior caulk and subflooring, we already acknowledged that back in 2007 these things happened. That's no big secret. The important point is that as soon as the factory learned about it, they changed the brand of caulk they were using and began making their own LQ's. It was no small feat to add the equipment and materials and train people to do the work, but it got done and now all components are of the highest quality. No manufacturer will ever be 100% free of these types of issues (look at Toyota -- they have more than their share but their products are still some of the best made for the money, overall). What counts is how the manufacturer responds to problems. I think both overall and individually in jette1's case, Shadow has responded very well. Her trailer is worth more now, with a new LQ and refrigerator, and in better condition than when she bought it! The other issue that's being glossed over is whether customers ever read their warranty papers and whether they use common sense when purchasing a horse trailer that's obviously been sitting outside for 3 to 4 years. And, how do you know that the dealer didn't inspect the caulk annually? I can't imagine that this trailer was leaking the entire time it sat on the dealer's lot and was being used as a demo and no one noticed what jette1 claims was "extensive" damage. That just doesn't pass the smell test. You can call me biased because I am a Shadow dealer, but the flip side of the coin is that I see the good and the bad, both people-wise and trailer-wise. I won't mention any particular brands, but I see what comes in as trades and even the new-used ones can't hold a candle to an older Shadow, much less our new ones. As long as we continue to innovate and improve and stand behind what we make and sell, we are doing all we can to make our trailers the safest and easiest-hauling in the country. It's easy to be negative and say, "Well, if they are continuing to improve that means what they did before and what they're doing now can't be very good" but that attitude isn't what made America (or anything else) great. The consumer deserves nothing less. |
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| If I had a new barn built and the roof leaked I wouldn't be impressed with the builder if they told me not to worry about the horses getting wet, they get wet when you wash them. The fact remains that windows aren't supposed to leak, I have a 2001 trailer with a big window that has never leaked. No one assumed that all bus windows leaked...what you said was "Several months later, she took it back to the dealer because the 19" x 53" bus windows in the horse compartment were leaking. This is a very large window and no manufacturer will warranty them against leakage." I don't assume all large windows leak and for that reason if I bought a trailer and they did leak I would expect that it would be fixed.You say you acknowledge that there was problems with the subfloor and roof sealant, the customer experienced problems so I am not sure what your point is, there were obvious problems with the trailer that required that it be repaired. I have no idea if the dealer inspected the caulk every year but to continue to act as if this is the buyers fault is ridiculous, the LQ had to be replaced because Shadow used a caulk to seal the roof that failed....simple as that. |
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Location: Ocala, FL | @blackcows, it IS as simple as that. You're absolutely right and Shadow has done and is doing everything humanly possible to fix the problem. I beg to differ about the analogy between a barn roof and a trailer window, though. The contents of the barn are intended to remain dry at all times, while the horse compartment of a trailer is going to get a lot wetter when you wash it down than a couple of drops of rain from a window. The roof leakage into the LQ was a separate issue that was handled completely and appropriately by total renovation. We also have no information about how the trailer was used before it was sold. I don't know what "demo" means in this context -- maybe it was a loaner and gone over some very rough roads and that contributed to some of the issues. We don't know, so a new barn roof and a used trailer may not be a fair comparison under the circumstances. All I know is that consumers are quick to jump on any manufacturer, be it cars or trailers or dish detergent, that acknowledges the occasional "oopsie" and constantly strives to do better, even if they're already the best. The negative spin is part of what's bringing America down. |
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  Location: Ohio | Renee,
I still stand behind my statement that reality is probably somewhere in between on this matter. As I also stated, you are taking care of warrantee work. How big of you. As for putting the drip trays in the windows, if as you say "we all know it won't make a difference", why in the heck are you paying to "upgrade" their trailer. This does not pass the smell test either.
I am not sure why you are worrying about one person coming on a forum and complaining. If you will look, almost all trailer manufacturers will have a bad post here or their. If I made sure the trailer I bought had a 100% satisfaction rate I probably wouldn't be able to buy a one.
Cut your losses on this one. These people are obviously upset. Upgrading their trailer with the windows probably won't fix that. I don't think you are helping your cause anymore. It is starting to sound like you are whining about someone not happy. Get over it. |
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Extreme Veteran
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| Originally written by renee@shadow on 2013-04-27 1:05 PM We also have no information about how the trailer was used before it was sold. I don't know what "demo" means in this context -- maybe it was a loaner and gone over some very rough roads and that contributed to some of the issues. Well I would suggest you stick to FL for your trailer sales because I can promise you that here in Nebraska "very rough roads" are more common than sunshine...I would never purchase a trailer that was highway only. |
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Location: Ocala, FL | Goz63, I guess what you're telling me is that slander is an acceptable form of dispute resolution, although I suspect you would be the first to protest if the shoe were on the other foot. Sorry, it just offends my sense of justice and that's something I don't think anyone should ever be told is "whining" or "get over it". Do you talk to your friends and family that way, too, when you disagree with them? And blackcows, our trailers are sold all over the world, to places like Central and South America, Europe and Australia, where the roads are an absolute nightmare, and we still have very few problems. Our axles and springs are sturdier and our Goodyear tires are more durable than you will find on most trailers, just for starters. Seems to me that the regulars on this forum are more about twisting posts they disagree with and less about educating consumers, or themselves. Obviously I misunderstood the purpose of the forum. Anyone who wants to really learn about how a safe, sturdy, easy-hauling trailer is made, go to the Shadow factory website, www.shadowtrailer.com and see for yourself. Or better yet, go see one and do a head-to-head with any other trailer out there, and then message me with any constructive comments or suggestions. Safe travel and happy motoring this summer to all. |
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  Location: Ohio | As a rep for Shadow trailers I would be very careful of the accusation of slander. That indicates FALSE derogatory statements. The original post was fairly generic in its content and by your own admission, most of what he said you confirm such as leaks, trailer being sent to FL, multiple shop visits etc. I see nothing in his post that you have refuted as a "false statement". You state that there is more to the story. I don't doubt that for a minute.
BTW, yes if some one is whining and acting like someone pushed them on the playground, I do say get over it. Again, Jette1 is just one opinion this forum. Get over it!
Edited by Goz63 2013-04-28 7:49 AM
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   Location: Foothills of the Smokeys | This should fall under lemon law and trailer replaced with new trailer. |
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    Location: michigan | Tough crowd. |
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        Location: North Carolina | I've always had a problem with a new poster on this forum bashing any trailer manufacturer. First and only post to gripe about something. forum credibility is earned ...
Edited by hosspuller 2013-04-28 8:42 AM
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   Location: Central WI | Hoss, you make an interesting point about the first post being negative but this is not a new forum member. It does seem odd that they sat on the sidelines so long before deciding to come on in such a negative way. I'm a little surprised there haven't been any positive posts by happy Shadow owners. Perhaps all the negativity is keeping them away. I politely disagree with forum users who think of their post count as a badge of knowledge. It really just displays the number of times you've hit Submit. |
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| Originally written by dkhunter04 on 2013-04-28 9:27 AM
Hoss, you make an interesting point about the first post being negative but this is not a new forum member. It does seem odd that they sat on the sidelines so long before deciding to come on in such a negative way. I'm a little surprised there haven't been any positive posts by happy Shadow owners. Perhaps all the negativity is keeping them away. I politely disagree with forum users who think of their post count as a badge of knowledge. It really just displays the number of times you've hit Submit. I don't see this thread as full of negativity, I see it as full of reality. I honestly don't know much about Shadow trailers but it's obvious that the OP got a bad one, 99% of their trailers may be perfect but this one was not...the roof seal was inferior and it leaked which is not good for a LQ interior. I would have been much more impressed with the manufacture if they said this was a bad trailer, shouldn't have happened but it did, and we did everything we could to fix it...end of story. Instead the manufacture says it's bumpy roads, or the buyer's fault for not doing a proper inspection, or the windows fault because everyone knows you can't expect large windows to be guaranteed, or the forums fault because everyone is too negative.As for post counts, they certainly don't show a level of education but what the do show is a level of participation. If someone has many posts it's most likely that they participate in the forum on a regular basis rather than just bashing or pumping a certain brand of trailer. |
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    Location: michigan | I don't know Blackcows- I re-read the posts and it seems the manufacture did indeed address the issues and some of which they had no obligation to do. The fixed problems,paid expenses for hauling and did alot more than most would. A 4 yr old trailer isn't "new" so it really is hard to tell when the problems started and if it was a bad trailer or perhaps its was 4 yrs old and not taken care of? Seems to me the buyer of the trailer is hard to please.There is more to this story. |
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  Location: NM | Slander = spoken; libel = written. |
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      Location: Rocky Mount N.C. | Four years old and the mfg. takes it all the way back to plant in Florida to try and make it right... I might want to try one out.... Would like a 2+1 simular to this, maybe with an eight foot DR...
<script> window.setTimeout("watermark()", 50);
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Edited by retento 2013-04-28 4:45 PM
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Veteran
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 Location: Florida | ^^^^ off subject, but could you tell me how the ramps are constructed, as in what is inside? I have to build a new ramp for my 6 horse head to head and I'm looking for ideas other then the old aluminum one it has now.
Edit... Oops, maybe you don't own this one in the photos?
Edited by MrSteve 2013-04-28 7:49 PM
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Location: London, OHIO | Retento... Michele here from Coughlin Shadow... I sent you a PM I would be happy to work a quote for you! |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 317
   Location: Barnesville, Ga. | Caulking is something that is designed to fail. Of the 2 living quarter trailers I have owned the manufacturers used a urethane caulking that AT BEST has a 5 year adhesion warranty. It does not have an infinite life. If routine maintenance were performed the leaks could have been caught before the living quarters were ruined. |
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Location: Ocala, FL | Retento, we have several 2 + 1's on our lot - one with LQ, the other with a big DR. No need to build one! Call us, 352-629-0212. Thanks! Renee renee@shadowhorsetrailer.com |
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  Location: Shawnee, Oklahoma | I'm a Platinum dealer and I applaud the Shadow people for their attention to this issue.....I do believe they have done all they said they did....I can tell you from experience that there are some people out there that you don't want to sell a trailer to.....and no matter what the brand of trailer is, there are simply buyers who are never happy and want the cheapest price and have unreal expectations.....even when they don't operate or care for the trailer properly by winterizing, sealing, yearly maintenance, etc.....We are an authorized warranty repair facility for Norcold and we have done warranty or recall repairs on many of them...Norcold has never refused to fix one yet...so there was no reason to just give them a new refrigerator....some people get the moon and still want more.....You are right....no good deed goes unpunished.... |
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        Location: NY | I am watching and wondering were is jette1 after all the written ?? Is the trailer fixed ? |
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 Location: Florida | Originally written by loveduffy on 2013-04-29 12:38 AM
I am watching and wondering were is jette1 after all the written ?? Is the trailer fixed ?
If you google the screen name, I bet you will find it all over the net with just posting/bad mouthing the company then running off. It's a shame really, but most "horse people" know better, a lot more mature then kids bad mouthing a product then all going with that one bad review.
Myself, all this thread did was make me look up the company and see what they have... Being that I live only 50 miles away (Hernando county) I would like to go to the factory for a look see, one day I would like a new H2H trailer or a bit smaller and put this one I rebuilt in back up status. |
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    Location: Valentine, NE | Something smells here....started to look like it backfired for the orginal poster but now the manufacture has interest in selling a trailer.... I just had major warrenty work done on a top shelf trailer and IMO, it was handled perfectly, but not to the extent posted earlier.
Edited by Spin Doctor 2013-04-30 10:01 AM
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