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Rules for owning a motor coach.

-Gramps-
Explorer
Explorer
I feel it is necessary to post a few more of my truisms. These truisms fall under my Rules for Owning a Motor Coach: number 4.

Owning a Motor Coach is a Never-ending Learning Experience.

I have learned that a clear sewer connection is a good thing to have โ€ฆ that way, you will see the juice box the grand kids dumped in the toilet as it makes its final journey.

My wife still will not let me stop at South of the Border and buy anything.

My wife will not let me stop at JRs, either.

I have learned that I hate repairing plumbing problems โ€ฆ in the house or in the coach -- it makes no difference to me. I always end up wet and angry.

The folks at Cracker Barrel are just as friendly as they claim to be.

A motor coach parked in the driveway makes a great place for family to stay when visiting, especially when the occasion is a wedding.

A motor coach roof makes a great place to collect snow.

A snow-covered motor coach roof heat pump produces a gosh-awful smell while operating.

Did you know that snow can burn when it melts due to high heat?

A snow-covered motorhome can produce a manmade mini blizzard while traveling down the road.

Driving a motor coach on snow and ice can be a nerve-damaging experience.

During a panic stop, an agile cocker spaniel can surf the bathroom rug from the back end of the coach all the way to the dash and look good doing it.

Slideouts produce a gosh-awful sound while being retracted if the toppers have ice on them.

Slideouts do not retract all the way if they have ice on them. So a trip to the roof may become necessary.

It is a lot easier to climb onto a snow-covered motorhome roof than it is to climb off of one. So I suggest you just forget it!

Things in a motor coach tend to break when you need them the most. Like a bay heater failing during a blizzard.

My favorite place to be in January is camping at Fort Wilderness.

Carry a couple of ceramic heaters in your coach. You might just save a water pump and/or water filter from freezing to death.

A trip to Camping World can cost me at least a hundred bucks, even when I have no plans to buy anything. If I have plans to purchase something, I will end up spending ... well, you don't want to know.

Why do I need to have three different dominoes games stored in my coach?

A trip to Wal-Mart can cost me at least fifty bucks even when I am planning only to purchase a six-pack of beer.

At some point a motor coacher can own too many DVDs.

It is a lot harder to get something wrong with your coach repaired than it is to break it.

My wife says I sound like the dad from A Christmas Story working on his furnace when I am in the wet bay trying to replace a frozen water pump.

Looking out a motorhome window at snow-covered trees and frozen rivers flying by is quite a wonderful sight.

Just take a deep breath and enjoy the view.

I have learned that a motor coach will improve your life, even in the wintertime, if you let it.

You can read many more useless things like this on my travel photo blog. I am not posting a link you will have to find it yourself!


Derrick
___________________________________________
Fulltimer in 08 Holiday Rambler Vacationer 38PLT Workhorse UFO GAS Pusher Chassis
06 Saturn Vue toad, SMI Breaking sys,Blue Ox tow bar.
My Random Views Blog
31 REPLIES 31

zert800
Explorer
Explorer
Great post and oh so true are all things mentioned. But the most used and true statement is WALMART HAS EVERYTHING! Oh and yes a sense of humor is another very important tool to have.

Thank you!
go hard or go home

GENECOP
Explorer II
Explorer II
One area in life where size doesn't matter....Big or Small, Motorhomes are great....

jerseyjim
Explorer
Explorer
1 thing to add: Make sure your credit cards are active and up-to-date usuable. Tires...like any other on-the road-repair can be $$$$.

Karenys
Explorer
Explorer
Wonderful lists. We learned that when the silverware drawer flies open while traveling - a Boston Terrier can actually jump up to the ceiling and cling for a bit!

dodge_guy
Explorer II
Explorer II
-Gramps- wrote:
During a panic stop, an agile cocker spaniel can surf the bathroom rug from the back end of the coach all the way to the dash and look good doing it.


Thanks for the very funny picture in my head!!!
Wife Kim
Son Brandon 17yrs
Daughter Marissa 16yrs
Dog Bailey

12 Forest River Georgetown 350TS Hellwig sway bars, BlueOx TrueCenter stabilizer

13 Ford Explorer Roadmaster Stowmaster 5000, VIP Tow>
A bad day camping is
better than a good day at work!

-Gramps-
Explorer
Explorer
How about a few more things:


I have learned that trees and rocks are harder than fiberglass.

I have also learned, in no particular order, that:

It is easy to lose arguments with inanimate objects located at various points inside and outside of my coach.

Coach dealer mechanics are just like me -- they don't know as much as they think they do, which is why I have had to learn more for myself.

Don't wait to consult the owner's manual. Read it before you start breaking something you are trying to fix. You might find out it is supposed to work that way!

Two helping hands are better than one, especially when one of the hands is controlled by a brain other than your own.

Still, the best helping hand is the one at the end of your own arm.

Most things that break on a motor coach cost $650 to fix. Having owned two coaches I have had to:

Replace a bent jack- 650 dollars.
Replace two slideout toppers: dealer cost 650 dollars (I did it myself with some helping hands for a third of the cost).
Have a non-square slide out modified so it would actually slide all the way in: 650 dollars.

I have learned that when your rear end gets in a fight with a coach closet mirror, your rear end will win.

I have learned that when my big motorhome gets in a fight with my little mailbox, the mailbox will win.

I have learned that screws are better than staples for keeping things in their place (see above).

Having friends with the same coach really helps trying to figure out if something is really broke or not (like a hard-to-open pantry and entry door).

Wal-Mart has everything that the smart camper needs, like lots of beer.

Don't throw any small plastic or metal things rolling around in your coach away until you find out where they go and what they do. Put them in a special drawer so you can find them later.

I have learned that the tool you need to fix the problem you have is the tool that is still at the store.

When emptying your tanks, at least two people will walk over to talk to you.

I have learned that I find my self looking for the locations of the nearest Wal-Mart and Lowes no matter where my RV is parked at the time.

Own good tools, not cheap ones. Why waste your money or your CCC?

I have learned that CCC doesn't actually stand for carrying crappy cargo.

I have learned that I sometimes have way too much crap; I mean cargo, in my coach.

A 10-cubic-foot RV refrigerator is way too small when I load it.
A 10-cubic-foot RV refrigerator is huge when my wife arranges its contents.

I have learned that a cheap sewer hose and hot sand don't mix.
I have also learned that a brown sprits bath from a sewer hose with hundreds of pin holes in it may be funny to a couple of people but not to me.
.
The day after you empty your overflowing special little parts drawer, you will open a cabinet, or crawl under a seat or something and then you will say, "Oh, that's what that strange little screw was for."

Protect All really does work when used outside of its container.

Washing and waxing a coach, aside from making it look nice, is great exercise.

The day after washing and waxing my coach, I can't lift my arms above my head.

I have learned that when a rear engine right access panel is open while going down the road, it makes your right turn signal and brake lights pretty much useless.

All the above things are not so funny when you live through them, but then I think that one of my rules is about being patient. That is much easier to do if you have a well developed sense of humor. So if you don't have one of those, I suggest you learn where to get one!

Try Wal-Mart, they have everything.
___________________________________________
Fulltimer in 08 Holiday Rambler Vacationer 38PLT Workhorse UFO GAS Pusher Chassis
06 Saturn Vue toad, SMI Breaking sys,Blue Ox tow bar.
My Random Views Blog

rk911
Explorer
Explorer
-Gramps- wrote:
I feel it is necessary to post a few more of my truisms. These truisms fall under my Rules for Owning a Motor Coach: number 4.

Owning a Motor Coach is a Never-ending Learning Experience.

I have learned that a clear sewer connection is a good thing to have โ€ฆ that way, you will see the juice box the grand kids dumped in the toilet as it makes its final journey.

My wife still will not let me stop at South of the Border and buy anything.

My wife will not let me stop at JRs, either.

I have learned that I hate repairing plumbing problems โ€ฆ in the house or in the coach -- it makes no difference to me. I always end up wet and angry.

The folks at Cracker Barrel are just as friendly as they claim to be.

A motor coach parked in the driveway makes a great place for family to stay when visiting, especially when the occasion is a wedding.

A motor coach roof makes a great place to collect snow.

A snow-covered motor coach roof heat pump produces a gosh-awful smell while operating.

Did you know that snow can burn when it melts due to high heat?

A snow-covered motorhome can produce a manmade mini blizzard while traveling down the road.

Driving a motor coach on snow and ice can be a nerve-damaging experience.

During a panic stop, an agile cocker spaniel can surf the bathroom rug from the back end of the coach all the way to the dash and look good doing it.

Slideouts produce a gosh-awful sound while being retracted if the toppers have ice on them.

Slideouts do not retract all the way if they have ice on them. So a trip to the roof may become necessary.

It is a lot easier to climb onto a snow-covered motorhome roof than it is to climb off of one. So I suggest you just forget it!

Things in a motor coach tend to break when you need them the most. Like a bay heater failing during a blizzard.

My favorite place to be in January is camping at Fort Wilderness.

Carry a couple of ceramic heaters in your coach. You might just save a water pump and/or water filter from freezing to death.

A trip to Camping World can cost me at least a hundred bucks, even when I have no plans to buy anything. If I have plans to purchase something, I will end up spending ... well, you don't want to know.

Why do I need to have three different dominoes games stored in my coach?

A trip to Wal-Mart can cost me at least fifty bucks even when I am planning only to purchase a six-pack of beer.

At some point a motor coacher can own too many DVDs.

It is a lot harder to get something wrong with your coach repaired than it is to break it.

My wife says I sound like the dad from A Christmas Story working on his furnace when I am in the wet bay trying to replace a frozen water pump.

Looking out a motorhome window at snow-covered trees and frozen rivers flying by is quite a wonderful sight.

Just take a deep breath and enjoy the view.

I have learned that a motor coach will improve your life, even in the wintertime, if you let it.

You can read many more useless things like this on my travel photo blog. I am not posting a link you will have to find it yourself!


Derrick


LMAO...I loved the one about the cocker spaniel. mind if I make a slight adjustment (we have a beagle) and add that to my signature rotation?
Rich
Ham Radio, Sport Pilot, Retired 9-1-1 Call Center Administrator
_________________________________
2016 Itasca Suncruiser 38Q
'46 Willys CJ2A
'23 Jeep Wrangler JL
'10 Jeep Liberty KK

& MaggieThe Wonder Beagle

fredbon
Explorer
Explorer
Saved by the "Left Coast" we just have "In N Out"

Fred
Fred and Bonnie
Frankie & Scarlett, (The Cats)
2005 Dolphin LX 6375
2006 Saturn VUE

As I've Matured... I've learned that artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity.

jplante4
Explorer II
Explorer II
Some things on a motor home can be fixed by you twice for less than it costs to have it fixed once by a shop. The trick is to figured out what those things are before you try to fix it the first time.
Jerry & Jeanne
1996 Safari Sahara 3530 - 'White Tiger'
CAT 3126/Allison 6 speed/Magnum Chassis
2014 Equinox AWD / Blue Ox

YC_1
Nomad
Nomad
Gramps, that is the most accurate description I have ever heard. Don't know a thing about the snow but I do know about, "During a panic stop, an agile cocker spaniel can surf the bathroom rug from the back end of the coach all the way to the dash and look good doing it." We have two of them and they can hang ten with the best surfers.

I would like to post your information on my facebook page since I have lots of RV friends.
H/R Endeavor 2008
Ford F150 toad >Full Timers
Certified Senior Electronic Technician, Telecommunications Engineer, Telecommunications repair Service Center Owner, Original owner HR 2008

Cloud_Dancer
Explorer II
Explorer II
Owner/operator shall have, at all times, all his skills that apply to mind control, so that all disappointments can be turned into appointments.
Willie & Betty Sue
Miko & Sparky
2003 41 ft Dutch Star Diesel Pusher/Spartan
Floorplan 4010
Blazer toad & Ranger bassboat

fla-gypsy
Explorer
Explorer
Interesting observations that I am certain you have proven to be true
This member is not responsible for opinions that are inaccurate due to faulty information provided by the original poster. Use them at your own discretion.

09 SuperDuty Crew Cab 6.8L/4.10(The Black Pearl)
06 Keystone Hornet 29 RLS/(The Cracker Cabana)

MagillaGorilla
Explorer
Explorer
Things I've leaned:

I cant "just look" at motorhomes. I will buy one.

When just looking at smaller MH's I bought a bigger one.

If I keep it super clean the wife is always willing to use it

My wife always wants to take my kids with us.

I don't always want to take our kids with us.

My kids are 25 & 31, they should get their own MH. ๐Ÿ™‚

I will never get use to driving it in city traffic.

There is no better way to tailgate at a football game

I am pretty sure that I can fix just about anything.

Actual results would show that I cannot fix just about anything.

I dont need much in life to make me happy.

I want everything.

I will always want a bigger TV, no matter how big mine is.

I hardly ever use the TV in my MH.

My wife thinks she is my best friend.

My dog thinks she is my best friend.

They are both right.

I bring lots of things to read when we camp.

I never read when we camp.

During the winter I buy DVDs of movies I want to see and save them for summer camping.

I don't watch the DVDs when I am camping.

I often wonder why I keep buying them. Especially when in the check out like.

I clean the AC filters a few times a year.

My wife hates AC and we have never used it. Not once.

At home I am a slob.

In the MH I am a neat freak.

My wife always wants me to make friends with the people that camp near us.

I don't like people that camp near us.

I make fiends with the people that camp near us. They always end up being nice.

My wife was right.

I want to customize my MH to fit our specific needs.

I am glad the previous owner left it stock. I hate when people customize stuff.

I have an in law apartment on my house. I do not have one on my MH.

I love my MH.
Magilla

2005 Holiday Rambler Admiral 37' Gasser

2_Retired
Explorer
Explorer
Thanks Derrick. Loved them all. Did you also know that the awning of a motor home doesn't actually like wind? Nor does it enjoy heavy rain. It is very fond of being put out "off kilter" so when it must deal with the rain it doesn't also have to figure out just how much it can hold before giving up!
Two young retirees restless to GO!
Life is too short to wait too long to do all we want to do!!
Go and enjoy!!

Executive45
Explorer III
Explorer III
Truer words were never spoken !
We can do more than we think we can, but most do less than we think we do
Dennis and Debi Fourteen Years Full Timing
Monaco Executive M-45PBQ Quad Slide
525HP Cummins ISM 6 Spd Allison
2014 Chevrolet Equinox LTZ W/ ReadyBrute
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