Entegra coaches are unusual in that they provide a two year bumper-to-bumper warranty on our coach, instead of the more customary one year. We’ve had some warranty issues fixed along the way, but we arranged our routing to allow for our final warranty work to be done at the factory, in Middlebury, Indiana as we are coming up on 2 years since our purchase.

Entegra’s service facility is bright and clean, with 8 service bays and approximately 20 coach parking spots with electrical hookup (water and sewer dump is available nearby). We arrived the afternoon before our appointment and hooked up for the night. Bright and early the next morning (6:30 am!), a service tech arrived to drive our coach back to one of the bays. A short while later, our service coordinator escorted us to our coach where we reviewed all of our requested items in detail. In addition to our list, the tech also goes through their own annual inspection checklist and evaluates all of the systems. While they set to work, we settled into the customer lounge.

The customer lounge is large and lovely, equipped with comfy sofas, TVs, work tables, free wifi, refrigerator, microwave, and free Keurig coffee. There are men’s and ladies restrooms each with a clean and beautiful shower facility. The lounge is accessible 24/7 with an entry code for off hours. It is a very comfortable way to spend the day.

The only one who did NOT like the lounge was Pumpkin! It was unsafe to leave him in the coach while the repairs were done, so we had no option other than to use the Entegra-provided pet pen in the lounge. He was NOT a happy camper!! I draped the pen with a blanket to provide him some privacy, but he still voiced his displeasure every time he saw me. As the service days went on, we had to be very intentional about blocking off his coach hidey-holes, because he knew what was coming and would attempt to avoid being stuffed in his carrier! He survived the experience – barely.

Our service experience was stellar. The technicians were knowledgeable and corrected our issues properly, the first time. They even fixed a few things that we hadn’t identified. Joyce, the service manager, walked out to the lounge a couple of times per day to make sure everyone was being taken care of properly and supply free Entegra T shirts. We met all of the key customer service players and went on a factory tour. We had the opportunity to meet other Entegra owners and compare notes. We felt welcomed and quite at home. The only downside was the early 6:30 am daily coach pickup! What was estimated to take 6 service days, actually only took 4 — and it didn’t cost us a penny.

While at Entegra, we obtained a quote to repair some scratches and dings on our exterior from Entegra’s preferred paint facility, S&S Automotive in nearby Wakarusa. After finishing up at Entegra, we headed there. S&S’s small lounge isn’t as nice as Entegra’s, but it does offer comfy lounge chairs, a TV, free wifi, and free Keurig coffee/tea. Restrooms are nearby in the shop. The lounge and restrooms were not open off hours, but the facility has several parking spots with electrical and water hookup and a dump station is on property. The half-dozen Entegra coaches parked on the lot proved that they worked on our type of rig all of the time!

The S&S technicians were artists. It took several days to prep the surface, paint, and reinstall a section of the front diamond shield coating, but at the end it looked simply perfect. They brought the coach back to us each night, so we didn’t have to stay in a hotel at any time. We also did not have to haul Pumpkin out every day since they were only working on the exterior (which he appreciated!). The work was not free, but they stuck to their estimate, and we thought the cost was fair. Everyone there was super-nice and accommodating, and did a great job.

With a couple of days to spare before our appointment with Spartan in Michigan, we simply headed back to Entegra to park for a couple of nights (with permission). We could have found a campground, but this was convenient and free!

So what did we do for two weeks while our rig was being all fixed up? We biked the Pumpkinvine trail. We browsed shops in Shipshewana and caught dinner and a show at the Blue Gate restaurant and theater. We saw the play “Simple Sanctuary” which was surprisingly professional and engaging. We ate at the famed Essenhaus restaurant in Middlebury.  We went on a half-day Newmar coach factory tour (a close competitor to Entegra, but we still like ours better). We took a day trip over to Indiana Dunes National Park – I’ll do a separate post on that. I drove to Chicago for a two day business trip. We stopped in at Amish Acres in Nappanee, but I wasn’t overly impressed (too tourist-y). We took motorcycle rides through the Amish countryside and sampled the delicious local Amish cuisine and the baked goods. It’s a good thing we aren’t staying longer because the goodies are fabulously addictive!  Maple frosted cinnamon rolls ….. pies ….. cookies …. doughnuts ….. YUM.

We even had a mini family reunion with Aunts/Uncles/cousins who live in this area. My dad is from around these parts, and still has a lot of family here. My sister drove my mom and dad up for the day and we had a lovely time catching up. Some of my cousins I hadn’t seen for over 20 years! It was a blessing to be able to reconnect.

Overall, our experience here was most pleasant and productive. All systems are working, the exterior looks pristine, and we’ve picked up a lot of new useful information about our rig. Another owner turned us on to the web page “Cummins Quick Serve” which includes all operation and service manuals, bulletins, and the latest service intervals – invaluable! We’re even looking at our route to see how we can come back through here in a year or two to have our general service work done here. It won’t be done under warranty, but if we have to pay someone, we’d prefer it be someone who knows what they’re doing!!

Later today, we’ll be heading up to Michigan, to the factory that built our chassis – Spartan Motors. I’ve heard wonderful things about their service, so we’re looking forward to it.

I’ll keep you posted!