Drink the Kool-Aid, or Else!

wincrasher · 07-18-2015, 07:42 PM

Mike is threatening to close down the Roadtrekking Group on Facebook if the members don't start towing the line. Hilarious!

I've never understood the thin skins of those running groups. If you don't like the post, just delete it. It's not really a big deal, even with an active group. They have a team of moderators for Pete's sake.

Just the downside of something that is made for the purpose of marketing, and not really to help it's membership.

booster · 07-18-2015, 07:51 PM

I quit looking at it quite a while ago, just too lovie-dovie, rah rah for me. (I don't like Koolaid I guess)

I do think they made a mistake when Hammil did some personal interventions in fixing problems, in some cases by giving stuff like engine generators away. Now too many folks expect things to get handled that way through the site if they complain enough, and Hammil isn't going for it. I don't think the proprietary secrecy, trust us we're great, thing is going over as well as it used to, either.

Trying to keep the site always showing Roadtrek under the golden lights has got to be like herding cats.

gerrym51 · 07-18-2015, 07:59 PM

first off this happens periodically.

someone is frustrated with a legitimate issue-blows up-then posts a rant on the facebook site-because they know it will get Jim Hammils attention.

that is what happened with Arnold Barrett this morning.this is what happened to William walters in the past and several i did not actually see myself.

it's usually only the out and out rant posters that get locked out.

most of the people on the site haven't ranted because they have not had super bad stuff to rant about.

then Mike says this can't keep happening-but it does-because people let their emotions get ahead of them

what you gonna do

obgraham · 07-19-2015, 08:23 PM

Yes, I've found that when someone starts a panegyric (I always wanted to find a place to use that word!) on the internet, it usually gets bombed out with critics and naysayers.
You need a thicker skin to run a web chat apace. No evidence of that at the FB or at Mike's sites.

markopolo · 07-20-2015, 01:54 PM

Instead of threatening to shut it down Mike should at least consider giving it to someone else to run.

He's involved in a lot of websites: Roadtreking.com - SpyOnWeb's Report About Roadtreking.com - 90 others share the same unique Google publisher ID. I don't how many others he has but in any case he's a busy guy and understandably might get tired of a site that needs a disproportionate amount of effort.

Roadtrek needs to view complaints as their friend. They can use it as motivation to do better.

But for Mikes facebook group we wouldn't know about the CS units with the less than advertised size water tanks, the issues with the Provista solar controllers, some wind deflectors coming loose https://www.facebook.com/groups/road...4690091689975/ , the fridge resistor issue https://www.facebook.com/groups/road...7873987704919/ , etc.

What is happening about the CS units with the small water tanks? Would someone post the link to the discussion on facebook please - I can't find it.

I want to buy one of those meters to check the size of my tanks.

Is the Roadtrek wiki still active? It would be great to have all these problems and all the differences between etrek units listed somewhere for future owners buying used units.

These are RV's - they are not problem free but they are fixable!

booster · 07-20-2015, 02:14 PM

I completely agree that Roadtrek needs to hear these things, and also needs to take them for what they are. Some will constructive, some will be trolling. I think Roadtrek has had trouble separating them properly in the past, especially in going after folks that ask the difficult questions, or pointing out issues, that Roadtrek doesn't want to address. Hammil taking care of some, high profile, service issues but sending most back into the system, is probably hard of for folks to accept if they are not in the chosen group.

Roadtrek probably put too many eggs in Mike's basket(s), maybe to try to make it all look like one big happy family. If it is to be a shared adventures and places thing, like I think Mike wants, that is what it should be. Get the sales pitches and problem chasing stuff off onto other places where they can be better addressed.

wincrasher · 07-20-2015, 02:17 PM

I watched his video today on a mod they did for him in the back of his van.

What was hilarious was that youtube stuck a Pleasureway ad banner along the bottom for the entire video - no way to click it off! First I thought that he was just hungry for that sweet ad revenue, so he make it fixed. Bet he'd be PO'd to learn the ad he's making money for is the competition!

mumkin · 07-20-2015, 10:57 PM

It appears that he realized that his rant against rants was a rant and did what was needed. Get some more moderators to police it. I too think he just has too much on his plate. It is a public board and I didn't see what it was that set things off. I do think that for someone pondering a purchase, it does give the good and bad. Yes, you get the rah rah side, but you also learn about the sort of problems that can come up... and that there is help to be found on the net.

mikes47 · 07-20-2015, 11:23 PM

I don't have a RoadTrek, but I am truly impressed that their vehicles remain in service as many as 20 years after delivery to the first customer. That breadth of models years is compounded by the breadth of actual models and platforms upon which they were built. Whenever I refer someone to the RoadTrek site(s), I give them that bit of information and warn them that inevitably, there are folks asking for advice about something from every model/year. But I also think it is testimony to some pretty good products.

bikerbill · 07-21-2015, 05:31 PM

Yes, I was "kicked off" Mike W's lovey-dovey "RT Friends" page 'mostly 'cause I used CAPITAL LETTERS in my email. I was working on the road with a smartphone and all i did was copy and paste. The email I was copying was in capital letters but I was also calling down on support that I was not getting from Roadtrek even though Jim H said it would be taken care of immediately.

So because I was having problems and no one at RT was helping, of course I may have seemed to rant and rave. It was a brand-new unit, only months old and a MB dealer said they would not work on it. Many of my problems have been with MB but the invoice said I purchased a ROADTREK, so RT get behind what you're buying and selling and stick up for the end user and get involved.

One can only wonder what Mike W's tax return looks like with all the endorsements and freebies and heavy discounts. Not a bad life for a "reporter."

wincrasher · 07-21-2015, 05:46 PM

Reporter is probably the correct word to use. Certainly not journalist.

He's the guy who does the stuff at the end of the local news cast - you know, cat's stuck in trees, new shopping center opening, inmate at the retirement home turns 100, that kind of stuff.

gerrym51 · 07-21-2015, 08:17 PM

mike is several things.

About Mike Wendland | Detroit Free Press | freep.com

PC Mike's Techcast - All about apps, gadgets & gizmos with no geek speak

Motorhome Videos

sort of bio in the summary

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikewendland

Fr8rcapt · 07-22-2015, 02:19 AM

Hi again OBGraham. I'm over here as well with my 2015 ETrek issues soon to post. So glad you guided me this way. I've got a feeling I'll get some good honest input here and might even get some questions answered and misconceptions cleared up. Thanks again!

mumkin · 07-22-2015, 04:15 AM

Hey Gerrym... did you see that our little insurance discussion got deleted over on Facebook. LOL Guess they decided that it was "political." Their ball... their court...

gerrym51 · 07-22-2015, 04:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mumkin

Hey Gerrym... did you see that our little insurance discussion got deleted over on Facebook. LOL Guess they decided that it was "political." Their ball... their court...

which insurance discussion

gd540 · 07-22-2015, 08:17 PM

I don't begrudge anybody, including Mike Wendland, making an honest living. I've been following Roadtreking-The Group on Facebook almost since the beginning (and am proud to say I've been booted...and reinstated...only once). It seems very obvious the group is a Roadtrek marketing device and I have no problem with that. I am somewhat bothered by the naivete' of followers who don't see that angle (i.e., those who are obviously and joyfully chugging the kool-aid). Whatever. I'll hang around there for as long as the group provides useful info. I especially value the input of Yan Seiner, Campskunk, and Jim Hammill both there and on other forums. But I'm gone if it devolves into "What I did on my summer vacation."

Mike's group, Mike's rules, no worries.

mumkin · 07-22-2015, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gerrym51

which insurance discussion

About the $7000 health insurance premiums...

gerrym51 · 07-22-2015, 08:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mumkin

About the $7000 health insurance premiums...

i deleted that myself

mumkin · 07-22-2015, 10:36 PM

So they did mine I reckon... didn't hurt my feelings... LOL

BobB · 07-23-2015, 02:21 PM

Read the "No Whining" post on the RT Group FB page and have a question for RT owners out there.

This spring I met someone with a Winnebago trailer (not very common I understand) who went to some Winnebago RV rallies. At his first one, he was invited to attend the "tech sessions". Asking what they were about, the reply was "everyone gets together and we talk about all the things wrong with our Winnebagos and how to fix them"

So while the RT Group FB page wants no whiners, what happens at RT get-togethers? Does everyone sit around the campfire and sing happy songs? Or are there some serious technical discussions, problem solving sessions, etc. about RT's? Do RT representatives attend/help?

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