Newsletter 18

NL 18.

Dec. 98

Hey folks!

I know it's been awhile and a lot has happened since we last sent out a Newsletter, (NL).

Welcome to all the new folks on the list. We both hope your holidays are happy, and your families secure. We're here in the first serious ice storm in these parts in years! All the highway bridges are shut down at night and it looks like below freezing temps till Christmas day. The new storm windows we got at the last factory visit have been lifesavers-and much easier and cheaper than replacing all the windows. At 27 degrees, the little electric heater is keeping the whole rig warm! Hardly use the furnace.

So we are snug as a bug! Only thing we have to watch is to make sure the sink is always dripping, as our water supply comes in from a garden hose. Froze it up once last year and hadn't filled the fresh water tank-won't do that again! It took till the next afternoon ‘til it thawed out and we could take a shower!

We've been here for a couple of months and gotten lots of requests for this detailed info on the RV lifestyle and our experiences in it. The newer folks all requested the complete set of 17 newsletters and really read them!

I'm going to go back in the next set of NLs to the beginning and with the power of hindsight, go over some of the mistakes we feel we made and some of the things we did just right.

Although I enjoy sending these out and am told they are very useful to the newbies just starting out, it has gotten too big for our little virtual campfire. On a slow week I'm sending out 5 or 6 sets of NLs (Takes about an hour after all is said and done and the individual questions answered)and the list is getting big.

All new ones will be published on this website. And for you guys I'll be able to post pictures there as well and avoid sending large JPEGS in the NLs.

FIRST LESSON LEARNED:

Starting with a used trailer: One that was right for us! Although some may think the problems outweighed the price. We were able to pay cash and on a fixed income that was good preparation for some of the expenses on the road.

An observation. While we were at the factory, and, in talking with folks on the road with other brands of rigs, I made a startling discovery. Some of those that bought new top-line rigs had more trouble than we did! Of course it was all under warranty and they would take it back to the factory or dealer (if possible) and all would be fixed right!

But that depends on the brand as there are a lot of brands that won't really ever get it right.

That's why I keep harping on joining the RV consumers group at www.rv.org and get the books - along with the RV rating book, that shows the better rigs and manufacturers, as well as the really poor ones, (one brand is rated as a zero value!). They'll help you avoid paying 20% more than a new rig is worth too! I'm talking about the top brands too. We talked to folks who had axles break on new $80k-500k rigs, folks with leaks, shorts, dead engines, fried appliances etc.

I have to point out that the folks on their second or third new trailer took it in stride. Some of the newbies didn't. Big piece of info! All manufacturers of top rated rigs (I used the RV Consumers group guide, and boy did I find out that there were some clunkers being produced out there) do their dead level best to make sure the rig is safe and as promised.

But two things prevent 100% quality without a few adjustments. The first is the very nature of the RV. It has to travel at highway speeds in all kinds of wind and weather, and flexes, expands, contracts, takes hard bumps and emergency stops, and in some cases a backing collision or two (saw more of those than I expected). So even one wire just a few inches out of alignment can be rubbed, burned, chafed, etc and cause all kinds of problems!

The second is that the RV manufacturer depends on many parts that are made by other companies for the RV manufacturer elsewhere like axles, engines, appliances, fridges, heaters, furnaces, A/C units, stoves, ovens, and awnings.

Once all the bugs are worked out they are fine. But losing an axle, a tire, or having the A/C die in 115-degree weather, in the first 500 miles, can turn a happy newbie into a very unhappy camper. If a tow vehicle is needed (for a trailer) then just go down to the local Dodge or Ford dealership and count the new vehicles in for warranty work or safety recalls, to see what I mean. No industry can produce 100%.

All new vehicles come out as a bell curve with a few percent about perfect, a few percent that have a lot of major problems, and most falling somewhere in between. To see just how angry a new purchaser can be and some of the lawsuits in litigation over new RVs go to www.rvamerica.com/evaluations/5thwhl.htm

This is an eye opener folks, as it is a page where unhappy campers evaluate the rig they bought, and in no uncertain terms tell how they feel about the support, or lack of, they got from their manufacturer.

Just go to the main page to switch to owner evals on motorhomes, and travel trailers. Even for the non-RVrs in the crowd this is a trip. And remember that the folks talking spent between $25k - $500k. See what a difference the manufacturer makes, and how some of them fared.

A used trailer on the other hand has already been shaken down. But you MUST know how to check it out properly, and don't mind a little up front maintenance, should have a great experience, and save some money. However, some trailers that are used may have hidden leaks, with wood/floor/wood frame damage, Electrical problems, plumbing leaks, Bad reefers, A/C units, hot water heaters, leaking holding tanks, etc.

I'll address the inspection of a used 5th wheel in another NL. Take an experienced full timer with you, who does his or her own maintenance, and that owns the type of rig you are interested in (Motorhome, diesel or gas, 5th wheel, tail-wagger or tent-trailer) if your first is a used rig! Don't just run out and do it cause it was right for us.

But don't think you guarantee no headaches with a new one either! There are tradeoffs either way.

The RV rating book (www.rv.org) is a must for newbies buying a new rig for the first time, and gives you an idea of what to pay, durability, value for the money, insulation effectiveness, and safety on the road, as well as all the accurate weights.

Another reason we wanted to start used was because we really didn't know if we could live in close quarters and keep both our marriage and the RV! LOL! It turned out OK but that is a serious problem for some. It's the same with the folks who dream for years to buy a big boat, never rent for awhile to make sure, and barely survive the first voyage.

Sit at a major marina long enough and you're bound to see one pull in. You'll recognize them as they dock: the wife jumps off, suitcase in hand, before the boat even touches the dock.

Just ‘cause the dream works for most, is no indicator it will work for you. LOL!

And that's one of the reasons you see a lot of upside down financed (Owe more than high retail book value), almost new rigs, on the market (the other reason is dealers who markup the rigs way beyond any reasonable profit! Again - RV Consumers group!).

On that note, some dealers I encountered wouldn't even talk to me when they saw my checklist and RV rating book. There were many dealers where it was obvious the sales reps and the managers didn't know very much about their own products and could care less if the prices were 20% higher than the book showed as new!

The dealers that were knowledgeable, fairly priced, and had a good rep, were definitely in the minority! Many dealers were totally ignorant of safety and weight matching, or didn't care. I had a lot of them try to talk me into grossly overweight coaches for my truck (Thanks again Frank) and actually said to me "you can pull any rig on this lot with that one ton dually!" Wrong! 12,500 is the absolute max this truck will safely handle!

Sure, if you live in the flatlands and plan to stay there you might get by, if you're lucky enough to never have an emergency stop. But remember we're talking full timing here. Like Alaska, and the Rockies etc. There are a whole lot of rigs out there that have totally inadequate tow vehicles. I actually could pull any trailer on their lots. I doubt I could stop them.

I've seen trucks like mine pulling 18k pound (empty weight!) trailers!

We are now looking for a newer RV. One thing I won't buy again is the older aluminum skinned type trailer. We'll be looking for an all fiberglass/composite walled rig with a rubber roof to replace our starter rig with. The real option we want is the larger slide/s that come on the newer ones.

We could drop three feet in length and with the new slide, actually have 20-30% more floor space when parked! Our siding is beginning to loosen up and requires another trip to the factory. <sigh>

Last trip we had them adjust the slide, and they got the inner seals perfect. Trouble is the outer wiper seal then was not in contact on one corner, and caused a major leak under the slide. The floor is now damaged underneath, as we could only dry out the exposed carpet and the part under the slide trapped the moisture!

It has caused a weak spot in the floor that can only be repaired at the factory, because the whole slide must be removed. <sigh> I have an appointment in April and guess I'll have to add a day or two more before the Alaska trip.

I think this is covered by insurance and will know after the first of the year.

Meanwhile I have the slide taped up tight and have stopped all the leakage since the first 4" rain that got it. I will pass along a great price like Rodney did for me when I sell this baby.

But unlike some, it will have the last maintenance done first. But the old 90, while in almost cherry shape, is getting old enough to need to be passed on to a part timer, and will serve for many more years.

She's just getting a little old to cruise the highways every day, all year long. The trip to Alaska will probably be her final trip with us. But with what we know now we'll find another used unit to take us around with exactly the features and layout we want. HitchHiker is at the top of our list, but if the right deal comes along we might even try another. And we are in no hurry, so we might be looking for another year or 10.

The maintenance I've had to do and the repair expenses may seem like a lot, but really...how many hours have most of you spent just mowing your lawns? Not to mention caulking tubs, repairing/replacing roofs, painting the house or the inside rooms, etc. I've had none of that for the past year! LOL! And in the middle of the summer, the electric bill for running the A/C 24 hours a day, wastefully keeping it a cool 70 degrees in here, cost less than 35 bucks for the electric bill! There's always a trade off!

That's all for this one from the RV corner. I will try to get one out every week from 1 Jan on. Much more lessons learned coming. NL 19 will have the list of future topics.

Well, here's re-wishing you the best of Holidays and a happy New Year! From our family to yours!

Dg, Lynn, and Bogart the Wonder Dog!