Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/04/2025

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On August 16, 2024, I purchased a used 2012 Jayco White Hawk Ultra Lite from Trailside RV Center. The dealership disclosed the roof would be resealed, the axle replaced, and a thorough inspection completed. I was told the trailer would be road-ready. Within months, I discovered severe structural and environmental issues: collapsing floors, black mold, a warped front cap, and an infestation of odorous house ants—including hundreds of swarmers, which only form in long-term colonies. After removing the wall panel, I found soaked insulation and warped framing. Moisture levels tested high throughout. A pest control professional confirmed the infestation and advised it wasn’t worth treating due to the extent of the damage. An independent RV contractor reviewed photos and video and deemed the unit a total loss based on visible structural compromise—without even knowing the floors were also rotted. When I returned to Trailside, Business Manager **** ***** admitted on audio that over 25 hours of repairs had been done prior to sale. He read aloud from the inspection report confirming "bad seals," a known cause of water intrusion and rot—yet none of this was disclosed to me. After I delivered a formal demand letter, *** ***** cut off communication and stated the matter would go to their attorney. Trailside RV knowingly sold a structurally compromised, mold-infested, pest-ridden RV, concealed the damage, and then evaded responsibility under an “as-is” clause. Resolution Sought: Full refund of purchase price (~$13,000) Compensation for displacement and emergency housing Compensation for emotional distress and mold exposure Trailside’s conduct is misrepresentation and shows clear disregard for customer safety.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 06/09/2025

  
  To Whom It May Concern:
  
  The alleged issue has only recently been brought to our attention (i.e., June 4, 2025, at 3:25 p.m. CDT).  As such, this matter is still being investigated internally by Trailside RV Center.
  
  From our review to date, we have determined that the subject unit was brought in on trade on or about August 7, 2024, and was immediately placed in our repair facility the very next day for reconditioning, which included resealing of the roof, and all four sides of the unit as indicated in Customer Work Order ******.  Also, the hot water heater was not functioning and the air conditioner needed minor repair.  This procedure is customary on pre-owned units brought in on trade. All work was completed in professional manner and the unit was tendered to Mr. Kyser on August 16, 2024, at 2:00 p.m.  Even though this unit was approximately 12 years old, there was no evidence of wood rot or any other structural damage and nothing was revealed in spite of extensive review of the unit by our certified technicians.
  
  According to *** *****’s statement, “within months, I discovered sever structural and environmental issues”; however, Trailside RV Center was not provided with any notice of the alleged defects, nor, to date, have we ever been given the opportunity to examine and/or repair any alleged issues with the unit.  Our first post-sale contact with *** ***** was as referenced above on June 4, 2024, wherein Mr. Kyser made certain demands as indicated in the correspondence.  Even as of this date, Trailside RV Center has not been provided the opportunity to even view the unit.
  
  We have not had any notice of any alleged defect from the date of sale (i.e., August 7, 2024) through the date of *** *****’s demand letter of June 4, 2025.  We have no information as to the proper storage of the unit through the winter months, the remedial efforts (if any) taken by *** ***** to mitigate any damage which may have been present, nor the timing that such efforts may have been taken.  All we know at this point is that *** ***** has recently notified us of his concerns and has threatened Trailside RV Center with certain sanctions if his complete demands were not met - and then proceeded to implement his sanction plan on the very night of his initial notice to Trailside RV Center.  To say that Trailside has been given very limited time and information in which to respond to the allegations is quite an understatement.
  
  We categorically deny that any known defects were concealed during this transaction.  Further, all open and obvious defects were reviewed and repaired as need be.  This unit was submitted to our rigorous used unit intake review so that proper value could be assessed for the previous owner’s trade-in value.
  
  As a dealership, the management of Trailside RV Center is always willing to listen to our customers and take corrective action(s) as appropriate.  In this instance, it appears that all reasonably prudent steps were taken to review the condition of the unit and prepare the unit for sale, and that the items discovered were corrected and addressed. The customer had an ample opportunity to inspect the unit after repairs were made and, only then, execute the purchase of the unit.  We are a Missouri dealership that has been in business for four (4) decades, and we maintain a superior reputation in the business community.  We seek to maintain this reputation and look forward to obtaining a reasonable resolution to this matter...

  

  Business Response

  Date: 06/10/2025

  Complaint: ********
  BBB Dispute Resolution Team,

  I would like to address the assertion by the customer of contradictions and misconduct.

  We spend thousands of dollars on most pre-owned units before we sell them. Checking and sealing the roof is a process that we do on almost every pre-owned unit as well as some new units that have been on the lot for more than 6 months. “Check and seal” does not automatically mean there is water intrusion. It means that we recognized some separation in the sealant due to age and/or lack of maintenance. As part of that inspection, we check for any obvious soft spots in the roof and floor. This is a twelve-year-old unit.  We spent a total of 25.26 hours on reconditioning this unit. There were 9 jobs in total. The biggest job was 7.05 hours which was rebuilding all four brake assemblies including new backing plates, new brake shoes and repacking the wheel bearings. The brake overhaul would have been one of the last jobs that we would have completed. We would not have gone to the expense of rebuilding the brake system if we didn’t feel the condition of the trailer warranted it.  The second largest job was 5.0 hours for removal of old sealants (not seals) from the roof, checking for soft spots and resealing the roof. The next largest job was 4.0 hours for removal of old exterior body sealants on the sides, front and rear of the trailer. Most of the time spent on sealing jobs is the removal of the old sealant. The rest of the time was spent on six smaller repairs including, but not limited to, the water heater, AC unit, and a few cosmetic issues. At no time did we find any soft spots or other signs of water damage.
  As part of our normal pre-delivery inspection, we installed two new LP tanks to replace the “out-of-date” ones, made sure all lighting worked and installed a new battery.
  We allow our customers as much time as they need to inspect the unit, and we have a tech go through the unit with the customer to review the functionality of the equipment. I cannot specifically state how much time this customer used for the walk-through, but the average is approximately 1.5 hours.
  A technician does a thorough inspection of every unit when it is traded in to our dealership. The first items we check are the walls, roof and floor for soft spots or discoloration which would be a sign of water damage. If it has water damage and cannot be correctly repaired, we will not sell it to a Trailside RV customer.
  Our stance on this matter is the customer has had the unit since August 16th, 2024, and during that time we don’t know if it was stored properly or damaged in some other way. We were given a demand for full reimbursement of the purchase price plus compensatory damages, along with social media attacks. The only evidence we have seen is limited to a few random photographs of damage, which the customer wants us to take responsibility for many months later.
  Thank you, ***** *****

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/11/2025

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  Thank you for the opportunity to respond.
  I’d like to be clear: I’m not questioning whether Trailside RV invested time in pre-sale reconditioning. I’m stating that what was missed — or ignored — was catastrophic.
  I purchased the unit on August 16, 2024. Within months, I discovered severe hidden structural damage, including:
  A partially collapsed bedroom ceiling
  Water-damaged framing and wall rot near electrical lines
  Mold inside internal panels
  Evidence of a long-term pest infestation
  A visibly warped and structurally compromised front cap
  These issues were not disclosed prior to sale and are consistent with long-standing degradation, not post-sale neglect. I’ve lived in the unit continuously and maintained it responsibly. The level and spread of decay seen inside could not have developed in a few months under normal use — it indicates chronic water intrusion, biological growth, and structural compromise likely present long before I took possession.
  I hand-delivered a formal demand letter to Trailside with supporting photo documentation. I was met with deflection — not resolution.

  Regarding Trailside’s Response:
  Trailside claims the “check and seal” note was routine. That may be standard internally, but to a customer, that phrase reasonably implies that damage was being addressed — not simply maintained. That context was never explained to me at the time of sale.
  They cite 25.26 hours of labor, with just 5 hours for roof resealing. That does not account for how collapsed ceilings, black mold, pest evidence, and soft framing near wiring were missed entirely — especially when some issues were visible and discussed.
  In fact, during my final inspection, I pointed out soft flooring in the kitchen area. Their technician acknowledged it but dismissed it, saying:
  “That’s just how these things are made.”
  This exchange is documented in recorded audio from my return visit to Trailside when I delivered the demand letter — where I referenced the walkthrough and their employee's response verbatim. That directly contradicts ***** *****’s claim that “no soft spots” were found and supports that damage was raised but downplayed.
  Calling my documentation “a few random photographs” is disingenuous. I’ve submitted timestamped, high-resolution photos showing rot, mold, ceiling collapse, and infestation — including images taken behind trim and structural supports. This is not cosmetic degradation. This is a livability failure.

  Additional Context:
  On June 7, I received an email from ******* *****, Trailside’s Business Manager, formally requesting I remove his name and all comments related to his conduct from my Google review within 24 hours. He claimed the remarks were damaging to his reputation.
  My review contained no threats — only factual, first-hand details based on my experience. Then, on June 11, I discovered my review was no longer publicly visible — it appeared only when logged into my own Google account and was completely absent in incognito or public searches. I received no notice from Google that the review had been flagged or violated any policies.
  The timing strongly suggests that the review was flagged or reported by the business or an affiliate. This is not the first case of this pattern. I have verified that older negative reviews are now resurfacing on Trailside’s listing — one showing th company reply dated nearly a year ago.. That indicates reputation suppression tactics or manipulation of review visibility, not organic moderation.
  

  Closing:
  Trailside RV has not acknowledged the extent of the issues, contradicted documented facts, and offered no solution.
  This complaint is not about cosmetic dissatisfaction — it’s about concealed structural failures in a unit sold as safe and livable.
  I am not seeking conflict. I am seeking fairness and resolution.
  I continue to request a refund or financial compensation for the misrepresented and uninhabitable condition of the trailer at time of sale.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** *****