Detroit 3 pickup tow ratings: Lies, damned lies, and statistics

Several years ago we published what we headlined as "good news for buyers," of pickup trucks. The story focused on a new, industry-accepted standard for determining pickup truck towing capacities. At that time we wrote, " By the end of 2013 when RVers shop for a new tow rig, they should be able to do a side-by-side comparison of the towing abilities of competing pickups. It's comparable to looking at the EPA estimated miles-per-gallon sticker when car shopping. Imagine the EPA didn't set a standardized test, and every builder could simply write their own rules? Truck manufacturers have done this for years, and as one industry writer notes, when the competition somehow "beat" Brand X, Brand X would simply re-write the standards and edge out the competition."

Well, 2013 has come and gone, and where do we stand? This week, Automotive News ran a story that indicates Detroit's "Big 3" have declared that come the 2015 model year, the long-awaited standards will be applied to their pickups. Yes, consumers can finally compare Ford's apples to Dodge's oranges in terms of tow ratings. To quote Automotive news, "Spokesmen for Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler Group confirmed last week that they will join Toyota in using a towing standard adopted by the industry in 2009 to rate 2015-model full-sized light duty pickups. A spokesman for General Motors said it, too, will adopt the standard if its competitors do."

That big IF is what shut down the whole proceeding almost as soon as it got started. Remember that 2009 agreement said everyone would be on the same page for the 2013 model year trucks. In real terms, it meant that a lot of truck models would suddenly "look" like they could pull a lot less than they previously claimed, and that, my friends, didn't sit well with everyone who penned the agreement. Ford decided it didn't like the looks of less towing capacity, so when the 2013 figures should have come out, it reneged on the agreement – and the other two Detroit builders pulled out, too.

So what's all the fanfare now? Will we really see a bit of honesty belly up to the pickup truck buying bar? Yes and no. You probably caught it when you read the statement a couple of paragraphs ago. If you missed it, here it is again, "to rate 2015-model full-sized light duty pickups."

How many RVers use a "light duty" pickup for serious trailer or fifth wheel towing? Yes, if you regularly tow something like a Casita or a pop-up trailer, a light duty pickup is a great innovation. But if your rig puts a serious tug on the hitch, light duty pickups aren't going to cut it. So it seems the big agreement that the boys in Detroit have owned up to is not much more than press release noise, and to quote Shakespeare, "Full of sound and fury, but signifying nothing." 

RV shopping? Check out dealer reputations before you walk on the lot

A report published on rvdailyreport.com says that McMahon's RV has closed their Mesa, Arizona location. All inventory at the dealership is gone, and service and sales operations closed. The report says, "Spokesperson George Carson confirmed that the Mesa location had been closed, but he declined to give any specifics regarding the move."

We wondered about the sudden closure of this California-based firm's Arizona location. A McMahon's lot is open and running in Quartzsite, Ariz., and three more are open in California. But a look at the Better Business Bureau records for the Mesa location are revealing, and might give a hint as to the closure.

According to the BBB serving Central, Northern and Western Arizona, McMahon's of Mesa has lost it's BBB accreditation, and on a score-card of A+ to F garners a grade of D- BBB letter grade. Whys is McMahon's grade in the scuppers? It probably has something to do with the 32 customer complaints filed with the BBB. Several noted providing trade-ins to the company, with McMahon's agreeing to pay off the customer's note. Later, the customers are startled when they find the note wasn't paid off, and that they are months behind in payments, creating problems with credit histories. Only after complaints are filed with the BBB, does McMahon actually pay off the note.

Others complain they purchased an RV, but spend months waiting for the title and registration. We personally know a couple who purchased a used fifth-wheel from McMahons, and after months of complaining, finally got a title – only to find the serial number of the RV didn't match the one on the title.

Other complaints centered around financing gone awry. For example, one customer handed the company a $5,000 deposit on a new RV, with an agreement that the financing would be to agreed percentages and loan length terms. The company cashed the deposit check, and three weeks later told the customer they couldn't get the desired financing. Nearly two months after handing over their deposit money, the customer resorted to filing a complaint with the BBB – they still hadn't gotten their deposit money back.

All this points to the old maxim, BUYER BEWARE. Sad to say, not all RV dealers are candidates for an A+ rating with the BBB. Checking a dealership's BBB rating before walking onto the lot may spare you a lot of heart-ache, and even your good credit. We took a quick peek at BBB ratings for the other McMahon's locations. We found no ratings, only this statement: "This business has no rating at this time because BBB file information is being reviewed and/or updated." Draw your own conclusions.

If a BBB rating isn't available, there are other places to look for feedback.  By simply "googling" the name of a prospective RV dealer, you may find a "google review." In McMahon's case, the Westminster, California dealership has one very good review – and eight very negative ones. Overall, the company received one star out of a possible five, based on these reviews. 

RVs are costly, and money (for most of us) is dear. Be careful when you go shopping.

Six tips about how to buy an RV

RV Travel editor Chuck Woodbury offers six quick tips about how to buy an RV. Woodbury is the host of the Better Business Bureau's DVD "Buying a Recreational Vehicle."