
We chose El Monte / Mighty Campers over Cruise America because of its reputation for offering a newer fleet and better customer service. Unfortunately, our experience was the exact opposite.
Our Mighty Class C Medium had a serious ventilation/HVAC defect from the very beginning of our trip. Whenever the engine was under load, the airflow almost disappeared from the dashboard vents, leaving the rear of the RV hot and stuffy while the driver had freezing cold air constantly blowing onto his feet. During engine braking, the airflow briefly switched back before changing again. This happened continuously throughout our 21-day journey covering more than 7,000 km (almost 5,000 miles).
This was not a minor inconvenience—it affected every single day of our trip.
To make matters worse, the shower curtain had apparently been contaminated by animal urine before we picked up the vehicle. This should have been discovered during cleaning and inspection, but it wasn't. We spent almost three weeks with an unpleasant smell in the bathroom.
When we reported the ventilation problem, we were asked to interrupt our vacation, find a service center ourselves, and spend our own holiday dealing with repairs.
We had planned a cross-country journey across the United States months in advance, with campgrounds and attractions booked along the route. We paid approximately USD 310 per day for this RV. At that price, I did not expect to become part of El Monte's service process or spend my vacation organizing repairs for their vehicle. I expected roadside assistance or a replacement RV.
The biggest disappointment came at the end.
I asked to speak with a manager, but no manager met with us. Instead, an employee repeatedly went back and forth asking management what they were willing to offer.
The final resolution was simply:
waiving the cleaning fee,
offering USD 100 as goodwill compensation.
The amount itself is not the issue.
This trip cost our family many thousands of dollars and was a once-in-a-lifetime journey from Europe. Mechanical problems can happen with any vehicle. What defines a rental company is how it treats its customers when something goes wrong.
Unfortunately, I felt that El Monte's priority was simply to close the case as quickly and as cheaply as possible rather than genuinely resolve the problem.
Based on this experience, I cannot recommend either this vehicle or El Monte RV. If I ever plan another RV trip across the USA, I will choose a different rental company.
Premium prices should come with premium customer service. Unfortunately, that was not our experience.
Qualität: 1
Preis-Leistungs-Verhältnis: 1