Yahoo Message Number: 1407 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/1407)
We had a 99 Magna with the lights and in 28K miles not one bulb went out.
Currently have a 2k Affinity with BAD lights. CC has replaced every string as warranty but as soon as you leave, they start going out again. As many as 10 bulbs will fail to light at one time. When you pull the strings out and wiggle them around, you will get some bulbs to come back on but not all of them.
We can't understand why there would be a difference unless they have indeed gone to a less expensive product that does not work in a mobile environment.
Has anyone gone "up the ladder" at CC regarding this problem?
Yahoo Message Number: 1509 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/1509)
Personally, I feel CC should be involved in trouble shooting and modifying the rope light burn out problem. If any of us take it upon ourselves to correct this situation, CC will probably be off the hook. Lets all of us with this problem, send an email to the service manager and demand that they correct whatever is causing the problem of premature rope light burnout. I see that Brandy Millard is the Office Supervisor for Service and Warranty. Her email address is: bmillard@...
John and Mary Jensen - Magna #5922
Yahoo Message Number: 1510 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/1510)
Dear Brandy,
I purchased my Magna in June of 2000 with the rope light option in the window valances. It wasn't very long after I took delivery that I noticed that the rope lights were burning out, one by one. I had them listed on my one year warranty checkup at the factory to be replaced. They were replaced under warranty, however, they are burning out prematurely again. I posted this problem on the owner's website and it seems like everyone with this option is having the same problem. I spoke with a previous Magna owner who had this option in his '98 and didn't have any lights burn out, however, his more recent 2000 Affinity was having premature rope light burn out.
Some owners with this problem have advised me to install resisters to lower the current. I feel Country Coach should is the responsible party who should diagnose the problem and find a solution. Then a recall notice should be issued to all owners who are experiencing this problem for corrective action.
Respectfully --- John Jensen - Magna #5922
Yahoo Message Number: 1511 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/1511)
I don't have the rope lights but do understand electricity quite well. From the sounds of the postings, it
appears CC might have switched suppliers and the voltage and hour rating or both is not adequate. When you
have this many failures, its obviously a defective part. It will be interesting to see how CC handles this. Most manufacturers really hate recalls and replacements and generally go kicking and screaming into them. Its cheaper for them to fix the handle of complaints. Because it isnt a safety issue, there will be no Federal mandate on a recall.
Yahoo Message Number: 1518 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/1518)
On our most resent trip we had a chance to look at a new 2002 Magna.
I looked at the rope lights in the coach and they are indeed a differant type of rope light then CC has used in the past. They have a thinner plastic cover and less lights per foot then before.
I don't know if they are a differant manufacture, but they are not the same style of rope light they had been using.
My personel believe is that due to the fewer lights per foot, each bulb is using more electricity, getting hotter, and thus the early failure.
Hope CC finds a way to fix this for all you folks out there with newer coaches!!
Paul and Elzibeth
91 Affinity
Yahoo Message Number: 1520 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/1520)
With regards to rope lights:
We own a 2000 B&B Affinity with the ropelights from H___.
We have had great success getting CC to replace them under warranty. They tried the "we don't replace light bulbs" tactic, however we explained to them that there is a difference between light bulbs as in headlights, brakelights, and even interior halogen lights, and the rope lights. All but the rope lights can be easily obtained at any hardware/auto parts store. The ropelights are an intrinsic part of the coach decor and can only be obtained at CC by paying their high prices. They agreed.
We have had ALL of our rope lights replaced/repaired under warranty more than once.
That's the good news.
The bad news is that they all were working just fine until we returned from our trip to Cabo San Lucas. Now they are failing at a rapid rate. This leads me to believe that the very thin wiring used within the plastic tube simply can't stand up to much road vibration.
Granted, once ome bulb burns out, if in fact they are actuallu burning out the voltage to the remaining bulbs increases and this hastens the process, but I truly believe the ropelights are simply not designed for this application and the failure process begins with one or more bulbs becoming disconnected from the string.
murray and peggy
Yahoo Message Number: 1523 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/1523)
suppliers
and put in defective rope lights. Anyone who has these will probably go through
the same dog and pony show. My bet is because this is not a safety issue, CC will only
replace on a case by case basis and probably won't issue a recall. Im amazed that they
are foolishly replacing the inferior product with the same instead of a better product. Most of
their cost is in labor.
Yahoo Message Number: 1530 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/1530)
I have a 99 magna with rope lights and 38,000 miles, I checked this week end and the living room lights both have one bulb burned out and they are orginial lights, I think they probably have switched to a new cheaper version. I purchase them for my business thru costco and sam s clubs by the case and they are 110v lights and they do not last very long dave spain
Yahoo Message Number: 1540 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/1540)
I've been reading the posts on rope lights and wonder if there isn't a better alternative. My current coach does not have any but my next one probably will.
Isn't there an independent manufacturer who is willing to sell the lights to retail customers ?
What do the Prevost conversion owners do ? Some of those buses seem to have rope lights "everywhere".
Regards,
Jeff
(http://)
Yahoo Message Number: 57194 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/57194)
To All Country Coach Owners:
Rope lights (Various Lengths) are now available through K&M Mobile R.V. Repair LLC
Kevin Waite
K&M Mobile R.V. Repair LLC
95430 Noraton Rd.
Junction City, OR. 97448
541-998-8132 (Home)
541-953-6162 (Cell)
kvn.wt.7629@... (kvn.wt.7629@...)
Yahoo Message Number: 58383 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/58383)
To All Country Coach Owners:
Just got new shipment of rope lights in today if anyone is needing new ones.
Kevin Waite
K&M Mobile R.V. Repair LLC
95430 Noraton Rd.
Junction City, OR. 97448
541-998-8132 (Home)
541-953-6162 (Cell)
kvn.wt.7629@... (kvn.wt.7629@...)