Matthews RV Repair

Matthews RV Repair is a mobile RV repair business based in Hondo, Texas. It comes to you, and all work is done at your location. It describes itself as "a Mobile Authorized Service Center," and it serves Hondo and the South Central Texas towns it lists, including Uvalde, Pleasanton, Castroville and Carrizo Springs, plus rural parts of Atascosa, Dimmit, Frio, La Salle, Medina, Uvalde and Zavala counties. Outside those areas, call 888-557-8776 and ask whether service is available.

It works on plumbing, electrical, rubber roofs, refrigerators, water heaters, furnaces, ranges, awnings, hydraulics, air conditioners, washer/dryers, satellite systems and propane systems, on travel trailers, fifth wheels, and class A, B and C motorhomes. It is an authorized service center for Carefree of Colorado, Fan-Tastic Vent, King Controls, KVH, Norcold and Suburban, among others, and it is factory trained on A&E, Atwood, Dometic Duotherm, HWH, RVP/Coleman, Splendide, Thetford and Winegard equipment. Engine, transmission and chassis problems are outside its work, and so is bodywork.

Ask about the trip fee first. Within 25 miles of Hondo, the first visit is $65.00 plus a $150.00 minimum labor fee. From 25 to 50 miles, the call is $85.00 plus the $150.00 minimum labor fee. Labor is $150.00 per hour for one tech, cash payments get 10% off labor, and a rig more than 2 miles off pavement adds $20.00 per unpaved mile. If several rigs sit in the same RV park, the service call fee may be shared among them. No diagnostic fee is published, so ask about that when you call. Parts must be pre-paid, and they cannot be returned once ordered. Inspections are priced by unit: $250.00 for travel trailers and fifth wheels, $350.00 for class B and class C, $400.00 for class A gas and $500.00 for class A diesel, not including repairs or travel time. The office is open Monday through Friday, 9am to 5pm Central Time, and calls are answered until 8:30 pm daily.

The owner, Murphy Matthews, is an RVIA Master Certified Technician and is state licensed and certified to work on RV propane systems. "He has 30 years experience in the trades." Co-owner Lisa Matthews is also named. Propane work is where a state license counts most, since a leak is not something to guess at. For a used travel trailer or motorhome, an RVIA Master Certified inspection before you buy gives you "a written report on the condition of all major RV components," which shows what needs money before the sale closes. The business also offers "a 90 Day Installation Guarantee" on top of the standard manufacturer warranty, and it will work with your insurance company on claims for damage to your RV. Google rates it 4.9 stars from 52 reviews.

This is a good fit for an owner around Hondo or the towns listed above who wants the trip fee and labor rate before the truck pulls in, or a traveler at an RV park in that area with an air conditioner, refrigerator or roof problem. It also fits an owner who wants a pre-purchase inspection on a used travel trailer or motorhome.