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Re: Buying a Former Rental Class C. How many of us out there?
WinMinnie02 wrote: Fortunately had $ to buy new, IMHO used units are someone's else problems. I know my unit and maintained them myself. No trust in rentals maintaining them, if buying used, IMHO private party is best. I'm guessing that by used you mean a non-rental unit. I'd guess your notion goes double for former rental units. If one is not familiar with the care, feeding and maintenance of a RV then yeah, new is probably better option... at least it used to be. Right now I would not buy new unit period. Since the covid crazy buying and crazy crank em out sloppy factory practices the new ones are essentially junk. As far as former rental... again, sure helps to know what you're looking at... but the folder of rig history of maintenance and repairs is pretty slick and easy to proof by looking at the work done. I've had my former CW rental unit for 7 years now with zero problems beyond the normal maintenance. I'd buy another in a heartbeat... Bottom line one must do what makes them comfy as that is the prime directive for RV ownership!!856Views0likes0CommentsRe: Buying a Former Rental Class C. How many of us out there?
SJ-Chris wrote: *** Power Surge Protection *** I hear a lot of people who encourage buying/using a surge protector when plugged in at campgrounds. Cost ~$200. I suspect that most people do NOT have/use surge protectors, but that is just based on my observations. What I hardly ever hear is people talking about damage to their electrical system due to an electrical surge. So it makes me wonder if it is really a big issue or not. Is there a single Former Rental unit Owner out there who, without using a surge protector, has had a power surge that damaged their RV's electrical system/components? Honestly, I don't even mind buying one and using one for myself. BUT, I often times let others (family/etc) use my Majestics and I know they will either forget to use it, or lose it, etc. Thoughts? -Chris Well I'll tell ya... I have the same thoughts... that said I own one, that also said... I rarely use it. I have a degree in electronics and semi-skilled in electrical and I need to put it out that the devices we are talking about are power monitors that depending on model protect or inform about many things. Surge protection is only one on the list yet the name for them has become generic sorta like Kleenex for facial tissue. Surges are really not that big of a problem out there... it happens but other things are very common. I suppose areas that are prone to electrical storms may be an exception... anyway, the most common things run along the lines of miswired or faulty systems. Open neutral, reversed hot and neutral, bad ground... to a lesser extent over and under-voltage. I carry a simple cheap circuit tester that via 3 indicator lamp combination tests for the common miswired outlets... that is what I find most often and worry about the most. But here's the thing... my ol former Camping World rental is nice but basic, no inverter, no fancy jacks or control centers... If I had one of these new fancy push button rigs out there, I'd probably want and use protection. Final thought is that I don't think power monitors are used all that much... like most things you only hear of the ones that do, and mostly of those it is the ones the power monitor saved the day. With out fail the usual response to your type question is, you gonna die without one... And I won't argue that! But yeah... beyond my simple el cheapo test for proper wiring... I probably will still rarely use my fancy one.567Views0likes0CommentsRe: Buying a Former Rental Class C. How many of us out there?
IMTank wrote: Good afternoon, we recently purchased a 2016 Thor Majestic 23A from Cruise America. One of the first things I would like to do is upgrade the battery system, including the 1. battery monitor and 2. going to a lithium battery. My former rental is from Camping World and is a Thor Freedom Elite... they are pretty much the same as you Majestic. I just upgraded to Li battery(s) last spring. It was spendy. It hurt a bit and I've yet to add the second battery. I immediately added the Victron battery monitor system which calculates what you have used and what is left based on your usage. The little light panel or even a volt meter that works ok on flooded cells is useless for Li. I did not immediately change my converter to Li capable. It charged the battery fairly well but never completely to 100%, usually stopped charging around 90% and took it's time doing it. I saved my pennies and upgraded the converter the first of summer and wow, what a difference! From 0 charge to full charge 100% in 2 hours! There is a bunch of dated and just plain bad info out there... a bunch of assumptions also... the technology is changing rapidly so be sure to contact a battery supplier directly. I went with Battleborn and they were great answering questions and making recommendations based on what I had and what I wanted. Do your own research and beware the naysayers, there are many but Li is the wave of the future IMO...540Views0likes0CommentsRe: Buying a Former Rental Class C. How many of us out there?
Well it has been 5 years since I bought my former rental. I did what some would consider the most disastrous buy ever... a trifecta of bad... it was a former rental, it was a former Camping World rental, that I bought from, (wait for it) Camping World. They were wrong... all of them in all respects. CW was getting out of the rental business and selling off the fleet of RV's... this one a 2014 Freedom Elite 26T had 46,000 miles, and looked unused. The only thing I could find wrong with it was the shiny spots that were a bit more shiny where the CW rental decals were. I was darn near born in a teardrop trailer 66 years ago and have been RVing ever since... I know RV and knew that at $54k was getting a solid deal. CW added a ladder and manual awning (which I prefer), and a $500 credit at the CW store. CW upgraded many things in their rentals like stainless steel sinks and all metal faucets, woodgrain dash and door accents in the Ford cab and Sony entertainment center. The only out and out failure was a plastic PEX elbow under the kitchen sink... PEX is great stuff but brass fittings are the only way to go. It's time for tires, the chassis battery needed replacing last year and I just went to two Lithium Ion batteries for the coach. Other than that I've been fixing up my fort as I like it a bit at a time. Just finished a major change in the bath brought on by hitting my head on the medicine cabinet while bending over the sink tooooo many times. Started out to change only that, wound up doing a major change that looks better and doubled storage. Click For Full-Size Image. Other things done: upgraded converter for Li batts added Victron battery usage meter lighter interior paint removed some interior blind surrounds LED lighting and nicer fixtures to get rid of the 'light pods from he77 installed higher quality air admittance valves under the sinks changed out leaky OEM tailights for Bargman triple LED units swapped out OEM TV with 12volt Vizio model installed extend a stay for propane tank upgraded galley exhaust hood for one that actually moves air swapped out OEM Tstat with digital home type And of course all the maintenance work these things require. I use it every month of the year, usually in the high Sierra or over in the Sonoma Coast area. No regrets and I'd buy another rental in a minute... at my age though, they may bury me in this one ;-) Click For Full-Size Image.329Views0likes0CommentsRe: Buying a Former Rental Class C. How many of us out there?
Hoerschel wrote: Update... My only question right now has to do with the necessity of keeping Tow/Haul mode constantly engaged. CA put a sticker on the gear shift that urged keeping it in this mode for better fuel economy. But I find that the gears are not shifting smoothly and race the engine to 4,000 RPMs plus before finally changing. That can't be good, especially when just starting out and the engine / transmission fluid are cold. Today, I finally disengaged the feature and it runs so much more smoothly...and much lower rpms. Appreciate any wisdom shared here. Lotsa opinions on this one... I run with it on especially when in the many hills and mountains I travel here in NorCal. Sometimes leave it off in the flat valley areas... but normally on. The Ford V10 is a screamer and high revs are not a problem beyond your ears :-) The switch just changes shift points for max power sooner (climbing) and engine compression braking sooner (downhill). Comfort is sacrificed for better performance... if you think about it compared to an empty van you are always towing/hauling all that RV mounted on the frame. Keep reading on it, do what feels good but I will tell you that you should ABSOLUTELY have it on for extended downhill runs... overheated brakes are a bummer.456Views0likes0CommentsRe: Buying a Former Rental Class C. How many of us out there?
510dogmom wrote: Anything new coming up for folks? How were your summer travels? Well... just more of the same! Starting to think I'm getting the last laugh on my 3 strike former rental. I did the absolute unthinkable: 1st strike: I bought a 2 year old former rental. 2nd strike: it was a Camping World former rental. 3rd strike: I bought it from... wait for it... Camping World! Aside from making it my 'fort' zero problems after my 3rd summer of travel, and here in NorCal summer travel is all year travel. Click For Full-Size Image.424Views0likes0CommentsRe: Buying a Former Rental Class C. How many of us out there?
I'm a bit of an odd guy out in that I bought my ex-rental from the former Camping World Rental fleet instead of Cruise AM or EMonte. CW dumped the rental business and and sold off the fleet at giveaway prices particularly toward the end of their inventory... they just wanted it DONE!! That said they did NOT dicker one bit, but they did like most others and added awning, ladder, $200 CW gift card and 3 years of GSam road ins. 26' w slide out, 2014 on a late '13 E450 chassis, 55K miles $49.9k plus tax and lic. This coming summer of '17 will be my third high season but here in CA I use it all the time. Zero problems, much fun... no rental regrets despite what soooo many predicted with a rental unit. Pic is on the lot before decal removal and Thor Freedom Elite branding added.379Views0likes0Comments
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