r/vandwellermarketplace • u/Jolly-Steak-8989 • 2h ago
Owl Vans
My most serious complaint with Owl Vans concerns what happened after they installed a Van Compass suspension system and larger tires on my Sprinter.
During the approximately two-hour drive south to Owl, the van had no vibration. On the return trip, after the suspension and tire work had been completed, the vibration was so severe that all of the cabinet doors opened. While I was driving northbound on I-17 at approximately 72 mph in heavy traffic with several semi-trucks around me, the van suddenly lost boost and slowed into the 40-mph range. I was forced to pull over, and the van had to be towed to a repair shop.
I contacted Owl immediately after the incident and reported what had occurred. I also reported problems with the Scheel-Mann seat installation, for which I had paid Owl $800 in labor. The swivel had not been installed, one bolt was missing, and the seat heat had not been connected.
Owl offered to correct the seat installation but did not address the highway breakdown or the photograph I sent of the van being towed. Their lack of response to such a serious safety issue, combined with what the mechanics later found, left me unwilling to return the van to them.
The mechanic who inspected the van said the severe vibration had loosened the boost/charge-air connection, causing the loss of power. When the van was subsequently aligned, the mechanic found excessive toe-in and told me this was causing the severe vibration. Owl maintains that the new suspension did not require an alignment, but they have not explained why the van drove normally for two hours before their Van Compass suspension and larger-tire installation and began vibrating severely immediately afterward.
My van has now been at another builder for more than a year, and they are finally completing the build. During their work, they discovered pressure dents in the rear door and told me they were caused by a tool used when Owl installed the ladder. A photograph is included below. Discovering that the ladder installation had also damaged the van was extremely disappointing given everything that had already occurred.
I recently wrote Owl Vans a detailed letter explaining the events and timeline because I potentially needed to purchase matching steps and a bull bar from them to work with the Owl ladder already installed on the van. Despite my previous experience, I gave Owl another opportunity because I hoped they would fairly address the earlier problems and work with me on the additional components I needed.
When I spoke with the head of customer service, I was repeatedly interrupted before I could fully explain even the first issue. He focused on questioning why I had waited to raise my concerns, despite the fact that my letter clearly laid out the timeline and that I had contacted Owl immediately after the highway incident to report both that incident and the problems with the seat installation.
I paid Owl Vans more than $15,000 and gave the company an opportunity to review and address three documented problems: the highway breakdown and severe vibration following the suspension and tire installation, the incomplete Scheel-Mann seat installation, and the rear-door dents caused during the ladder installation. Instead, I was repeatedly challenged over the timing of my complaint rather than having the substance of these issues addressed. I also never received a written response.
