Tothill
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Joined 18 years ago
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Re: How much can I expect to save on a new last years model?
Not a camper purchase, but when I bought my last suv, I negotiated via text for about 3 weeks with the sales guy. The asking price was $27,000+, I said I would pay $23,000 all in (taxes and anything else they thought they could get away with.) After three weeks of negotiation the sales guy texted me $23,100 all in and I said sold. By being firm on the price I was willing to pay and walking away, I got the deal I wanted. If I had not bargained for an all in price, I would have been over $30,000 by the time all the 'extras' were added. I find that few people are willing to give an "all in" price they are willing to pay. I was told by several people who buy and sell vehicles all the time that the dealership would not go for it, but in the end they did. Yes, I risked not getting that suv, but there are lots around, I would have found another one. I was lucky too that I had neither a trade, nor did I need financing, so those were not negotiating points for the dealer. Next summer I plan to buy a small tt. I will try the same tactic.572Views0likes0CommentsFridge repairs
I had a 1989 Triple E Class C. My cousin has it now. I had not used Mobi in 2 years and when my cousin fired up the fridge it was leaking ammonia. I do not have the RV here to check the fridge brand, I do know it had been replaced before we bought it is 2007. I seem to remember several years ago someone recommending a place in the eastern states where you could buy replacement coils and compressors for RV fridges. Does anyone remember the company? Thank you.1KViews0likes4CommentsRe: Icefields Parkway Security/Safety
We have tented and Rv's in Banff and other locations in BC and AB and never had anything stolen. Keep in mind that once you are on the Ice Fields Parkway, there are very few exits. If thieves are breaking into vehicles it is easy for the police to set up road blocks. I would not compare the national statistics for property crime to that area. I certainly would not compare it to something that happened in Seattle, or Vancouver or Calgary for that matter. Thieves are usually opportunists, in Seattle the thieves were probably looking for something they could sell to buy drugs. No place for either where you are going.461Views0likes0CommentsRe: Help- need advice on visiting Vancouver Island in the winter
It really depends on what else you want to do over the winter. On Vancouver Island you can golf year round, Kayak - just dress for the weather, fish, hike, visit wineries, just about everything you can do in the summer. The days are just cooler, damper and shorter. Snow is a rare thing and because many locals cannot drive well in it, it is best to avoid the roads. My son's university in Nanaimo closes if there is snow, because the campus is built on a hillside and there are stairs running up and down. They cannot keep the clear of snow and it is a safety concern.246Views0likes0CommentsRe: Travel costs comparison
Recent trip costs. OP asked for recent trip costs for comparison. DS and I drive to Saskatchewan from Vancouver Island at the beginning of June. We drove in the Santa Fe, spent a couple nights with family and three nights at a Monastery ($180 per night 3 meals included). Other than the Monastery, we had 4 nights in motels (3 Travel Lodge, 1 Holiday Inn Suites) Hotel costs were $99.00 to $129.00 for the Travel Lodge with a free breakfast and $200.00 for the Holiday Inn. We did not prebook any of the accommodations. All were clean and comfortable. It cost between $50.00 and $60.00 per tank of gas and we got 600 km per tank. If we had taken Mobi (27 foot class C), the ferry would have cost $45.00 more each way. It costs over $100.00 to fill the fuel tank, but I only get a bit more than 300 km on a tank. So fuel costs would have been 4 times as much. One last important point. The trip we took required long days of driving. I find it more tiring to drive a motor home than the Santa Fe. My son has not yet driven the motor home and he needs local experience before driving long distances on strange roads. For this trip I think money spent was about the same. The increased fuel consumption balanced out against the hotel costs. The days at the Monastery were set and would not have changed even if we did have the motor home. It was a holiday, eating out is part of the fun of travel. We did not eat a single meal in a chain restaurant. We did travel with lots of healthy snacks, water and juice. We have done to trip to Calgary from home in the motor home several times when we had more time for our holiday.508Views0likes0CommentsTrying to make a short list Honda, Toyota, Subaru or?
I am looking to buy a new to me daily driver that I can potentially tow flat. Nothing is set in stone yet, but the top three contenders are: Honda CRV Toyota Rav4 Subaru Forester I am looking at models that are 2-3 years old with under 30,000 miles. Basically lease returns. Long term reliability is more important to me than gas mileage. I may consider a Kia or Hyundai. Anything by Ford is out, due to the terrible local dealer. Fire away with your suggestions and criticisms of my choices.4.8KViews0likes16CommentsSask Sights to see around Humbolt
We will not be camping this trip, just a road trip with my 19 year old son the first week of June. We will be mostly staying with family, so it just is not worth driving the motor home if we are only going to spend one or two nights sleeping in it. We will be traveling between Vancouver, Calgary, Humbolt SK and all the way East to Whitewood, before heading back to Vancouver. I do not need any suggestions on the route to Calgary from Vancouver, we do that trip every couple years. Ideas of places to check out between Calgary and Humbolt and Whitewood would be appreciated. We have been to Drumheller, but ds was only 2 at the time, so he may like to see it again. First Nations interpretive centres, historical sites, nice day hikes and of course great restaurants - do not have to be fancy, just good cooking all would be appreciated.1.4KViews0likes2Comments
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