We are not full-timers, but I like to dream about the possibilities of long-term rv'ing once retirement comes around (it's still 20+ years out - but it's never too early to dream!). This morning's dreaming raised a very practical question. How do full-timers handle major repairs? We've never experienced it, but I read stories of people who have their units in the shop for weeks, or even months, for repairs. So, it made me wonder, what do you all do when the unit is in the shop? I could see secondary housing becoming very expensive very fast.Absolutely nothing practical to me in this question at this time - just a point of curiosity! If I'm lucky...maybe it will matter in 20 years or so.

You buy the unit at least two years before you retire so that there is time to fix what the factory goofed on.

Get you a list of mobile techs together so that wherever you go you have avalibility to one

Something goes wrong, trade it in on a newer coach.(must win Powerball lottery first)

I have known two couples that have gone full-time and they bought new Class A MHs to minimize their problems. I have known a lot of people that live on boats. They become very attuned to what is happening on their vessels and many figure out how to work on everything. I lost a water pump on a TC many years ago. We checked into a large RV park that was run by the Yakima Tribe. I went to the desk and they called a mechanic who showed up and fixed it within one hour.

mobil tech, most know more about repairs than the rv mech,s in cw shops. and don,t take two months to fix it wrong.

Repairs - what do full-timers do? | Good Sam Community

pianotuna
Nomad III
Jan 25, 2018
You buy the unit at least two years before you retire so that there is time to fix what the factory goofed on.
newman_fulltime
Explorer II
Jan 25, 2018
Get you a list of mobile techs together so that wherever you go you have avalibility to one
MDKMDK
Explorer
Jan 25, 2018
Something goes wrong, trade it in on a newer coach.
(must win Powerball lottery first)
ppine
Explorer II
Jan 25, 2018
I have known two couples that have gone full-time and they bought new Class A MHs to minimize their problems. I have known a lot of people that live on boats. They become very attuned to what is happening on their vessels and many figure out how to work on everything.

I lost a water pump on a TC many years ago. We checked into a large RV park that was run by the Yakima Tribe. I went to the desk and they called a mechanic who showed up and fixed it within one hour.
midnightsadie
Explorer II
Jan 25, 2018
mobil tech, most know more about repairs than the rv mech,s in cw shops. and don,t take two months to fix it wrong.
johnhicks
Explorer
Jan 25, 2018
Use mobile repair people and mechanics to come to a CG or roadside if needed; truckdown.com is a good source, as is rvservicereviews.com . Remember, use an RV repair person for house repairs, which usually can be put off a while, and a truck shop for chassis and engine work.

Otherwise we stay in "camp parking lot," the shop's parking lot. Usually we can get power and sometimes a water hose but we've spent 12 days in camp parking lot on the generator and buckets of water.
BarbaraOK
Explorer
Jan 25, 2018
I wrote a page on How To Survive Repairs for our blog. Got take a look. I really should update the page because Mobile techs have gotten much, much better. Had our airbags not inflate one morning. Finally found a mobile tech who serviced the park we were in and did work on diesels. He pulled in next to us (we had decided to stay one more day) with his big truck and TRAILER that had enough stuff to fix just about anything. They found the leak (fitting had worked loose) and had her airing up in 30 minutes. Yes, we paid for an hour's worth of work. Not having to move = well worth the costs.

Barb
ependydad
Explorer
Jan 25, 2018
As mentioned above- I'm my first line of defense when it comes to issues (not that I'm very good, mind you).

As John Hicks mentioned, often you can hold off on repairs for a while until you get to a time that works best. Workarounds, ignoring, etc all help delay eventual fixes.

After me, we move to mobile RV techs that we try to vet through the campground or camping neighbors.

And finally, we'll go to RV Service Centers for repairs and explain that we're fulltimers. We usually will get a hotel for 1-2 nights while they work on the rig and have it back in a couple of days.
ksg5000
Explorer
Jan 25, 2018
Not a full timer but I would argue that RV side of things is of less concern that the chassis side. RV stuff can almost always be fixed by mobile mechanic. If you have break down your rigs going to be towed to shop and you may have to check into motel while the issue is diagnosed/fixed. Probably makes sense to put that in your budget.
TechWriter
Explorer
Jan 25, 2018
Mickeyfan0805 wrote:

Absolutely nothing practical to me in this question at this time - just a point of curiosity! If I'm lucky...maybe it will matter in 20 years or so.

20 years in the future? You worry too much. Jeez, in 20 years we could be using Mr Fusion in RVs.

That said . . . in the 5 years I've been full timing, we've had two breakdowns -- one minor and one major. We were able to use a mobile repair service for the minor breakdown, but needed a long tow for the major repair which we had to stay in a hotel for 10 days.

When you drive a house on the open road, you'll have to expect some down time -- even if you're using a Mr Fusion.

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Repairs - what do full-timers do?

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