Phil & Stacy pointing to tiffin service sign

This is our 3rd time visiting the Tiffin Service Center, and each time has been well worth it! Wondering what a trip to Red Bay, Alabama, will cost you? Wondering why people go all the way to Alabama to have their motorhome repaired? Today, we will talk about the benefits of traveling to the Tiffin Service Center and Red Bay, Alabama, for Tiffin RV repair and maintenance.

Why Tiffin Service Center

We prefer to have our Allegro RED worked on at the Tiffin Service Center for several reasons. First, they have all the parts on hand that may be needed for the repair. Second, we don’t need an appointment. They are first-come, first-served, so we show up and put our name on the list. We never know when we will be in the area, so this is very convenient for us. Third, we know Ruby won’t be sitting on an RV repair lot for days to weeks waiting to be worked on. We live in our RV full time so dropping it off is not an option for us.

After Hours in Red Bay

Another benefit to getting repairs done at the Tiffin Service Center is all the businesses in the area that cater to Tiffin owners. Many of these businesses were started by former Tiffin trained employees. We have used a few of these businesses ourselves over the years.

Bay Diesel and Air Conditioning

We completed Ruby’s chassis maintenance over the past three years at Bay Diesel and Air Conditioning. On our first visit, we had the 15,000-mile chassis maintenance done on Ruby. Phil walked in with the Freightliner 15k mile or 12-month checklist in his hand, ready to make sure the mechanics didn’t forget anything. But when the mechanic walked over, he was holding the same checklist in his hand. They walked through the checklist and allowed Phil to ask questions, which we really appreciated. We have returned to Bay Diesel each year, and we are satisfied with their service.

This year we completed Ruby’s 45,000-mile maintenance and maintenance on our Onan generator. You can see the chassis checklist and the cost breakdown in the pictures below.

MS RV Solutions

This year we decided it was time for a few upgrades to Ruby. We scheduled an appointment with MS RV Solutions to have new vinyl flooring and carpet installed. It was the best decision ever!! We love the new flooring, and we couldn’t be happier with Daniel and Carl's work. They are both former Tiffin employees who take pride in their work and know the importance of great customer service. We highly recommend them for your new flooring! You can see our new flooring with all the details such as cost and flooring requirements in the video below.

Nichols Customs

After we upgraded our carpet, we realized how stained and worn our step covers were. They also didn’t match the new carpet, so we stopped into Nichols Customs, which you can find across the street from the Tiffin Service Center, for a set of new step covers. Although Trevor Nichols was not in, we left our name and campground information, and he came out to our campsite the next day. He brought color samples, measured our steps, and delivered the new custom step covers a few hours later. They look great!! We love them. I am hoping the dark brown hides the dirt better than our old step covers. All the details are in the video below.

Bunk House Conversion RV

We were hoping to pick up a new armrest for the captian’s chair at Bunk House Conversion RV. They have a warehouse stocked full of new and used RV furniture. Unfortunately, they did not have the color of our chair in stock. But f you are looking to change out your furniture they may have what you are looking for.

That’s not all, folks

Of course, there are many other custom shops in and around Red Bay, Alabama. You can find recommendations for custom work in the many Tiffin Facebook forums.

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Tiffin Service Center Repairs

The major reason for returning to Red Bay was for the flooring install, but we figured while we are there, we might as well take care of a few wear and tear issues with Ruby.

Punch List

Falling/stripped front window motorized shade screws
Bathroom wall moved 1-2 inches forward and the door doesn't close
Tight/sticky window track
Shower latch needs replacing
Passenger’s seat does not recline and the footrest will not engage
Screw in door jam keeps falling out
Black tank’s flush connector is leaking
Poor cable connection on forward TV
Worn seals in two bay doors

We were in the bay for about 1.5 hours on the first day and 6.5 hours on the second day. Our bill was $445! We think that was pretty reasonable for the labor and parts. For a full cost breakdown, see the pics below.

Our Latest Visit to Tiffin Service Center

Tiffin Service Center Step-by-Step

Wondering about all the procedures to the Tiffin Service Center? Our Big Changes: Tiffin Service Center Drunk Rampage will walk you step by step through the process and includes prices & links for local campgrounds.

COVID Changes

There are a few things that have changed since the blog was written thanks to the pandemic.

Only one tech per RV in the regular service bay
You can not stay in your RV while it is in the service bay
The lounge on the property is completely pet friendly
The new lounge downtown is pet free (except for qualified service dogs)
Masks must be worn on Tiffin Property with social distancing

Tiffin Service Center Step by Step (First Visit)

The Tiffin Service Center Rampage (Second Visit)

Tiffin Service Center and Red Bay Custom RV Businesses

Knowing the average costs ahead of time for work may help in the decision process. We hope this helps you as you decide where to take your Tiffin Motorhome for repairs and upgrades.

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