Deb_and_Ed_M
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Joined Jun 07, 2004
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Re: Survey: impact of weather and fires
We try to be flexible in planning a trip, because yes, forest fires, tropical storms, and floods have changed our intended routes. I think it was in late summer 2016, there were so many fires between Michigan and Portland OR, that we just headed for the Pacific Coast and drove north from N California, staying upwind from the smoke....774Views0likes0CommentsRe: Rank your RV issues
LOL! ALL of our issues have been "operator error" and could have been prevented with a few simple rules: When moochdocking, look out for basketball rims Don't take an RV on dirt roads. Avoid crowned roads with NO side bike lane Watch for swing-wide collisions on sharp turns Close the entry door when moving the RV Now that camera systems are cheap - have an always-on rear view.781Views0likes0CommentsRe: New need advise
The "best" RV is one that has been carefully maintained, and preferably stored indoors. Branding isn't all that important, since they are ALL a collection of components made by other companies, and assembled at the RV factory. I agree with others - for full-time living, a trailer is the better way to go, because repairs won't leave you without transportation. Also research where you plan to park it - many places like state parks, have limits on how long you can stay - and in the winter in FL, campsites are hard to find.660Views0likes0CommentsRe: When impatience hurts!
Semi truck drivers are brilliant at judging distances - their job entails parking massive trailers with inches to spare on either side and negotiating through heavy traffic. I'm sure the semi driver realized there was not enough space for the Class C to pass and assumed that Mr Speedy RV would exercise a shred of patience and back off a bit? Many trucking companies heavily penalize drivers for having an accident - even a not-at-fault one. I really doubt the semi driver would risk that - his only fault was not realizing the stupidity/impatience of the RV driver. Also - the RV driver was super-lucky that his rig ended up sliding backside-forward when it peeled open like a sardine can and burped a kid out the front of the cabover.1.1KViews0likes0CommentsRe: New to RVing and In Need Of Advice! :)
If you are planning to stay in one place, presumably an RV park (there is no way to be "stealthy" with a full-blown RV and you WILL have to dump your holding tanks) - your best bet is to hire someone to pull your purchase to a site; then buy an economical vehicle to get around town with. Otherwise, you will be trying to drive and park a large truck all the time. If you plan to see the world (or at least North America) - a small 5th wheel would be the easiest to pull. You STILL will need to dump those tanks frequently; and a nimble trailer will make getting in and out of dump sites easier. I do agree with others, your budget implies that you will be struggling to keep your RV in one piece and your vehicle running. RVing isn't a cheap way to live; many communities have pretty strong laws about living on the street; and dumping your tanks into a storm sewer will get you some serious fines. Lastly, if you are truly desperate to have a place to live that is relatively secure - but some backpacking equipment, a cot, some storage totes, a cassette toilet, and a used work van (the Econolines and Express vans will run forever). Being able to "rustic" camp with no hookups saves you a ton of money; $10/month buys you a Planet Fitness membership where you can shower; and you are only dealing with one vehicle that can have problems, not two.1KViews0likes0CommentsRe: Buying a Former Rental Class C. How many of us out there?
maxheller wrote: Hi all, Great information on this thread. I am now also considering buying a 23A Thor Majestic from CA. I just wonder about how the pricing relates to the JD Power RV values. I understand that in this current market, CA may be able to sell their RVs for much above the average retail JD Power RV value. What I do not understand is why the 23A shows up a much lower lower value compared to a comparable Thor Four Winds unit. I understand that the two are similar. Any thoughts or ideas? Are there other sources for the RV values I should be looking at? I can't help with finding the value; but after looking at and buying a '23 Chateau 22E, my dealer explained that there are several iterations of the same thing, and in most cases, it just boils down to the options added to the unit by the ordering dealer; or little details that many buyers won't notice at first. The obvious difference between a Majestic and my Chateau (based on photos): I have wall switches for the lights - heck, I have wall switches for a dozen different things....LOL! But not running all that extra wire saves money. In a Majestic, you reach up to the ceiling to turn on lights (or into a cargo bay, assuming there's a light in there at all). I have extra storage "footlockers" and shelves in the cabover bed area. I have USB charge points and a "phone catcher net". Our very first Class C was destined to be a rental - and it served us perfectly for 10 years, so I can assure you that the rental RVs are just fine (but the little creature comforts that come in the higher-priced floorplans ARE nice!)1.1KViews0likes0CommentsRe: Class C with the chevy 6.6 gas engine
I'll just pop in - we have a '23 Thor 22E Class C (Ford chassis) that we drove to FL and back. Driving to FL, I felt that I was over-correcting the steering a bit too much; so while in FL, we took it in for re-alignment, and it was spot-on. However, the service technician who test-drove it said that the handling could be improved. We added the Safe-T-Plus steering helper, plus a Steer Safe trac bar. Now it drives like the family SUV. I suspect that the short wheelbase plus towing our Wrangler JLU just made it a bit "wander-y" in a crosswind until we added the tweaks.1.7KViews0likes0Comments
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