Intrepid_Family
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Re: Considerations for new RV purchase?
kerrlakeRoo wrote: Well for starters what brands are you looking at? How many are you planning based on (2 kids may be gone) How do you travel, what do you do? Commercial resort camps or Boondocking? You've been doing this for years, you know what are the deal killers for you, so what are the wishes, hopes and desires? Well, so far, the two college kids still go with us when we do our one 'big' trip each year, and now the oldest has a girlfriend who might well come along next summer if she's still in the picture. As of right now, we're almost 100% decided on the Sport Trek 327. It will hold everyone comfortably, even the girlfriend if she comes, and then the "kids" bedroom will become a seating area with table/mini living-room when we just have 2 with us. I'm concerned that someone here said that the mattress upgrades aren't available, I've been lead to believe that they are. Really, "our" bed in that rig is okay, we've been in and laid down on it. It's the tiny/flimsy mattresses on the bunks that we'd prefer to upgrade. In our old bunkhouse, we'd just bought those extra foam mattress toppers like you can get at WalMart and cut them to size to put under the bunk mattresses, and that worked okay - we still have those cut-outs if needed. But I'd rather have better mattresses for them to begin with. What do you do with the TV in the outdoor kitchen in the winter time? For that matter, what about the TV in the living area in the winter? We live in Iowa - it gets *cold* here and we do not have heated storage. I'm reading a lot about tires - more technical than I can follow - but we do a lot of distance-travel. From Iowa to Tennessee to see family, Orlando to go to Disney, lots of places to follow kids' activities and spare ourselves hotel expenses - Branson, Mo., Oklahoma City, etc. Would a tire upgrade be helfpul/important to add to the durability/travel-ability? This model has 3 slide-outs. When we go camping, I see lots of people with additional jacks under their slides - and lots of people without. Should we plan to buy/use these support jacks? We only boondock to sleep long enough to get safely back on the road to get to our destination. We like the luxury/convenience of full hookups, but will do with electric and water alone if necessary. I only put a small amount of fresh water in the tank so the toilet can be used while we're doing the short-term boondock, but otherwise only travel 'dry'. I already own a gray water accessory tank to empty the gray if we end up somewhere that we don't have full hookups. Our last RV purchase was a spur-of-the-moment, used vehicle. We were in the market for a Suburban, with the hopes of then buying an RV after we have the vehicle - and found a person who was selling the suburban and RV as a package deal. We've never been in a position to be able to shop for minute differences (3 way hide-a-bed sofa, jack-knife sofa, theater seating?) and now we're looking for pros/cons/input on how people made those sorts of decisions. I'm sure there are "bells and whistles" out there that we've never heard of. I don't want to miss out on an opportunity to for something that's really beneficial - and don't want to be conned into buying something that's unnecessary/worthless simply from my own ignorance.426Views0likes0CommentsRe: Towing Capacity
Here's my .02. Someone from this forum once told us, "Sure, you can pull it. Stopping is going to be the issue." We used to tow an ultralight with a half-ton z71 suburban, with the full load distribution and sway bar kit. We hit some steep hills in Branson, Mo., of all places, that had all of us chanting "I think I can, I think I can" like the little engine that could. Seriously, though, we *barely* made it up some of those hills, and we were well within the allotted "tow capacity" of that vehicle, even fully loaded. (We weighed to check). It was working HARD. Still, we live in Iowa with family outside of Nashville, TN and used this set up for over 8 years. It took us to Nashville at least 6 times over the years, to Orlando once, to Glaveston Island, Texas, to Oklahoma City, to Branson, Missouri (the hardest pull, funnily enough, due to the steep hills!), and loads of local places here in the state for 7 years. Pulling was not the problem. There were three very memorable occasions where we were "cut off" by drivers in ordinary cars that I was literally STANDING ON the brakes and praying like heck I didn't run over the idiot in front of me. Stopping fast does not happen. A year ago, we traded up our Suburban - still a 2002, but now a 3/4 ton, 8.1 liter engine with the 4.10 axle ratio. That baby tows this RV like it weighs nothing at all. It is impossible to leave "too much" room between you and the car in front of you when you are towing that close to the edge of your capacity, and impossible to control the idiots around you. We're again in the market for a new travel-trailer, and even though my manual says I can tow up to 12,000 pounds, we're staying in the "half ton towable" range in the RV's we're looking at. Towing at the upper limit of our capacity was stressful every time. Now that we've experienced the difference, we won't "push our limits" ever again. You will never be sorry to have more truck than you need.625Views0likes0CommentsConsiderations for new RV purchase?
We have had storm damage of our current RV that is going to 'total' it, which leaves us in the market for a new one. While waiting for the insurance settlement, we have been visiting numerous RV dealers, walking through RV's, etc. Our previous RV was purchased very slightly used and we've had 8 mostly trouble-free years with it. We have never purchased new before. We are looking for general advice/recommendations as to what we should consider when we finally make our selection. We have one that we especially like, with a similar floor plan in several different brands, so we're researching reliability/satisfaction ratings before making a firm brand choice. There are two obvious things that we're planning to do - slide awnings to protect the slides and upgrade of the bed mattresses for comfort. What other accessories or extras are "out there" that we should know about/consider? I'm sure there are protection/service plans that we will be offered - are these "worth it"? How much coverage should we look for if we decide to buy one? What are things you wish you'd have known/noticed/looked for when you bought your rig? Extras that you bought that you decided you didn't really need? Or things you didn't buy that now you wish you would have? Shoot some advice/suggestions our way, please! (Tow vehicle is a 2002, 3/4 ton suburban with 8.1L engine and 4.10 axle ratio. Everything we've looked at is well within the towing capacity; we will not be 'overloading'.)2.9KViews0likes10CommentsRe: RV buying comparison guides?
pyoung47 wrote: At one time, there was a company selling a buying guide for trailers that was a compilation of other buyers' experiences. I'm not sure if it is still out there. With all of the forums now-days, that is rather outdated. Remember that you should be able to get at least 25% off list for a new RV -- finding the true list might be tricky, but there are plenty of new RV listings on the internet to allow you to do that. You are in the "catbird" seat, since you are not trading a used RV. Don't forget to elicit bids from the on-line sellers, since these prices will give you a guideline for negotiations. Ah, this is interesting! I was feeling that we would be at a disadvantage by not having a trade-in. We are doing a great deal of online research regarding prices and have picked a general floor plan we prefer. At least four different companies have that floor plan or similar enough to be a wash. What we are trying to figure out now is the pros/cons of fiberglass vs aluminum and those sorts of things. We usually do one large trip every summer and lots of weekend jaunts locally. We have 4 kids and a large dog, and the RV is used often in the summer time as a "guest house" in addition to our vacationing. We really need quality/durability/something that tolerates being hauled around a lot. :D Researching for peace of mind. haha196Views0likes0CommentsRV buying comparison guides?
We have just learned that the storm damage incurred on our current travel trailer will "total" it, and so we will have to begin our search for a replacement. We got very, very lucky with this one as we were green-as-grass newbies and stumbled on it used for a price we could afford and bought it without a drop of research. It has served us well for 8 years, but this time around we would like to go into a purchase with more information. We know what we liked/didn't like/found inconvenient with this one, and while we aren't opposed to buying used, we're in a position to be able to look at new as well. Reliability, quality, durability, etc., are all factors we want to look at, of course. With trusty "Google", I have discovered that one can purchase a variety of "RV comparison guides" that claim to list detailed information regarding pros and cons of all makes/models and so on. Again, very willing to do this, but is it worth it? Are they helpful? What resources have you used in making your purchase? Can you recommend sites/references that you found useful? We won't be making our purchase for several months at least - we would like to have something by June of next year, but can go without until then, even though we'll miss our favorite camping seasons. :( What is the best time of year to get the best "deal"? I know there are great prices at the RV shows we've been to in February in our area, but I wonder if the fall would be an even better time? Any advice/insight you could offer on the broad topic of buying a new travel trailer would be very welcome!1.5KViews0likes4CommentsRe: Awning Help!! Replace or repair?
We got the R.V. back from the shop today, did NOT opt for the "can't be repaired" line, and when we unrolled it to take photos to post here, we found the tag that tells us manufacture information. (Sunsetter, Dometic,an A&E product. Manufactured May 2010) Less than 5 minutes with Google, and we found the replacement parts for less than $30 INCLUDING express shipping. Very annoyed that a dealership would try to take advantage so badly, and appreciate the links and information provided here. I didn't know where to look for that manufacture's tag! I didn't post photos with the original plea because I didn't have the RV at home and the shop is 40 minutes away. What I wanted to know from more experienced RVers was simply whether or not the "must be replaced" verdict seemed legitimate. It was shocking to go from thinking we might have $100 in parts and labor to replace the broken pieces to $2K for a whole new awning. We don't keep that kind of spare change around! :p Needless to say, we won't be using that shop again. Thanks for the help.574Views0likes0CommentsRe: Awning Help!! Replace or repair?
Lwiddis wrote: Desperation over an awning? The sky is not falling. True, but we are heading to a very hot location with very limited shade and will be there 2 weeks. An awning - or not - will make all the difference in our comfort level throughout the trip. We've had this RV for years and very much enjoy the comfort of the awning! Shade in the hot sun, protection from rain - vastly increasing our living space when 6 (or, for this upcoming trip only 5) people are eating, cooking, playing games or just hanging out for 2 weeks in a small space. This is not a 'luxury' RV on the inside. Not sure why my urgency deserves derision, but it's important to me and I'm hoping to find a solution in the tiny time-window I have. I'm also concerned about the safety of driving with the awning as it is now. I believe *most* of the weight of the awning is supported by its spring-mechanism bit, and the support arms are primarily useful when it's rolled out - but I don't *know* that. As it is right now, neither connection on the front arm of the awning is very securely affixed to the RV and we have nearly 500 miles drive to get to our destination. What do I do if the awning literally *falls off* the rig on the interstate? It is an important consideration.572Views0likes0CommentsRe: Awning Help!! Replace or repair?
sch911 wrote: Why not shop around for the needed parts and do the work yourself? That's the problem - we are told that this 'brand' of awning isn't made any more and the parts can't be found. I can't find anything on the awning that identifies its brand/make/model to look it up to search the pieces ourselves. We had thought that by taking it to a dealership, they'd have the ability to find that information/search the parts, but they tell us they can't be found. And we're back to square one. :/573Views0likes0CommentsAwning Help!! Replace or repair?
We've got broken brackets on our camper awning. Two months ago, we had a bad tire blow-out that caused a bent axle, major repairs, etc., and we wonder if the brackets cracked/broke during the bouncy ride before we realized the axle was in trouble. We haven't had the awning out since it was in the shop to be repaired. This weekend, we rolled it out to scrub/dry it, etc., in preparation for a trip we are taking in 2 weeks. The awning itself, spring mechanism, etc., is fine. The rear bracket assembly is fine, but the front one is cracked at the bottom and completely broken through at the top, so that the top support arm no longer affixes to the camper. We are in trouble. I don't want/like to camp without it. One nearby repair place can't even look at us until mid-July. We took it to a dealership further away who could look at it today - and they tell us they don't make the brackets anymore, so the only thing to do is to replace the entire awning! For $2,000!!! Is this right? It just seems very fishy to me! The awning is 26 foot with no holes or tears, and the spring mechanism is still tight and functional - we were able to pull it out and put it back up this weekend without problems. We just couldn't *lift* it because of the broken bracket. Does this sound reasonable? Even the actual support arms are undamaged. They are white metal (?aluminum?) and the brackets are a heavier gray metal - it's the gray bits that have cracked/broken. The actual arms are completely normal/functional I'm just wanting to make sure we're not being taken in out of our desperation. Would it not be possible to replace the entire support-arm set-up on the broken side? That seems like it ought to be less expensive than replacing the whole thing. Are they that brand-specific and proprietary that if one piece is broken it has to be entirely replaced? The RV is a 2007, but we had rain damage in 2010 and the entire awning was brand new at that time. If nothing else, we would like advice as to how we can "jerry rig" this for a while - maybe even get us through the summer - without having to put in a brand new awning! We're in a very serious bind because we have a trip planned in mid June that is not optional and cannot be changed or postponed. The RV is our "hotel" - we can't possibly afford to house all of us in an actual hotel. If we have to go awning-less, we will, but I'd rather find a quick and effective solution. Anyone? Please!4.8KViews0likes13Comments
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Prefer to camp in a travel trailer? You're not alone.Jan 13, 202544,029 Posts
