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Zip Dee Awnings
Just called Zip Dee to see if they would fix my “Infamous” Auto Awn awining and see when I could get it done, they told me they don’t do service work anymore.
Isn’t that just great.
Told me to call one of their dealers.
I’m already an orphaned CC owner, how much more do I have to endure ??????????
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50 Replies
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Xtreme Paint and Graphics may be a good choice 3 or 4 hours from you. They can fix it and can get input on the fix from Jimmy at Zip Dee.
I had my manual awning strecher arms reversed with the Zip Dee kit. It is very easy to use and trouble free.
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What’s wrong with the awning Buddy??????
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Peter,
Buddy has the famous no workie Zip Dee Auto Awning. No wonder they don’t do any service work anymore, they run for the hills when someone shows up with the Auto Awning.
Al had his replaced with a Girard and other than a couple small stainless patches to cover up the old bolt holes, you don’t even notice it.
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Hey Peter, the wire harness going up through the arm to the motor has shorted out for the third time in 9 years.
Think I can fix it myself or I will talk to Jeff about it when I am at his “Donut Palace” next week.
Might call James Stallings and talk to him about it. Not far away and I like going down there.
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With ZipDee’s product quality and support after the sale I am surprised Prevost isn’t making them an OEM supplier.
Sorry Prevost, but so far the dumb use of the CACs that fail instead of the good one, the lousy mirrors, and poor quality belt tensioner bellows is sending a signal to owners that quality is suffering.
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After listening to the stories about the Zip Dee Auto Awning NOT work, I’ve been reluctant to open it. I watched it opened during our original bus inspection, the seller had trouble getting it to close, that was enough for me.
My wife keeps asking me to put the awning out at the track. I’ve said I won’t do it unless I’ve got a Sawzall (to cut the awning off the coach if it won’t close) and an empty trailer (to bring the thing home).
I’m finding not everyone puts out their big awning in the first place. Before buying this coach we considered a coach without a big awning (was told it opened up on the Interstate “as speed” and is in the ditch somewhere in the Dakotas). Two years ago Zip Dee quoted me $2,300 or $2,500 for a new manual awning.
I’m sure all the Zip Dee dealers would fall all over themselves to try and fix one of these things.
If Zip Dee was smart …. it would offer current owners of the Auto Awning with all the problems a deal on replacing the problem awning with one that works (like the manual one) and do the install at their factory in Illinois (near North Chicago) including removal of the old one, install of the new one, and get rid of the own one in the price.
Thinking about it, can’t the fabric of the old awning be removed and reused on the new awning?
I really hate to see a nice guy like Buddy left sitting on the side of the road over his awning.
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If ZipDee was smart they would not have created the automatic awning with arms in the first place, and then when they developed the cantilevered awnings they would not have ended up with problems with water getting into the motor.
I doubt if these were cheap awnings installed on a 26 foot tow behind trailer anybody would be complaining, but when the awnings themselves are expensive and installed on a very expensive coach the market has higher expectations.
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I guess I should be glad my b-class Liberty has a manual one… Right…
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Steve and Jon are right. And to add insult to injury … the arms aren’t even polished copper!
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Been down the Auto-Awning path on our prior coach (Foretravel). After 9 years of bitching and moaning, we replaced it with a manual Zip Dee. Best move we ever did. Now, for the president of Zip Dee.. Complete jackass. He wanted our auto awning, arms, tube, motor… James Stallings removed it all and I paid to have it shipped to Zip Dee as they were going to give me credit.. After numerous unreturned phone calls and a letter to the president, I am still waiting on my credit!
When looking for our bus, I ruled out any coach with that awning, which meant no Liberty’s for the range we were looking..
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It was no secret as our prevous 2003 XLII may be the first coach to change out the zip dee automatic awning for a manual…. Too frustrating to work through problems at campgrounds in attempts to close….. When trouble shooting issues, the design looks to be an issue and almost impossible to eliminate the moisture in these systems, that almost always, causes problems…..
I was like Dick, scared to open knowing it would be an issue to close……
Cost me almost $5k to change out but was worth the peace of mind!!! I believe Peter is on the same path now! -
Tom & Bill wrote: “He [Zip Dee president] wanted our auto awning, arms, tube, motor… James Stallings removed it all and I paid to have it shipped to Zip Dee as they were going to give me credit.”
Any insight into “why” he wanted the auto awning? What was he going to do with it? Put it on another coach?
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Well, he mentioned the “arms” can be refurbished and used again. So my thought is, yes, installing the entire POS on a different coach.
Funny thing, a friend of ours spent a week with Jimmy at Zip Dee this summer. All was good when they left Chicago. They got to their first stop, and of course, major failure. Went out and not back in. I think they are removing theirs and moving to a manual zip dee. And Zip Dee wants their parts from the autoawning..
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What did they do at Zip Dee for an entire week?
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I tell customers, I will get your auto awning to work when you leave my shop, then every time it opens with out failure drink a 6 pack….then if it goes back in drink a case…Sorry I find these to be very high maintance and high failure rate….
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