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I just sold my 2005 class A rig that I lived in full time. When issues arose, I resorted to calling the mobile RV repair techs. Why? Dropping the rig off at a shop, I'd technically be homeless. Also because it's difficult to find a repair shop that isn't book up a month in advance. The reason why the repair people are booked up is due to the cheap workmanship and poor parts quality of new rigs. Even the mobile repair people are doing 6-8 calls a day. Those techs tell me that they are replacing 2 year old air conditioners and other parts way before they should fail. I'm told the Chinese parts aren't up to US specs, so they fail a lot faster.
I enjoyed my rig when I had it. Visited 34 states and saw a good part of the US and some of Canada. I will miss that sort of travel. Taking my time getting some where. Then having all of my stuff with me while I'm there. IMO air travel or car travel can't compare to rolling your house down the road.
The repair aspect is daunting because I'm not a handy guy. Sometimes I can watch youtube and get the job done but it's not intuitive to me at all.
Who are these mobile RV repair techs you speak of? I've used yourmechanic.com for the chassis part. Is there something similar for the coach issues?
Another big thing about RVing is that your four legged friends can come along. With other dogs, we sometimes found hotel rooms that will accomodate them but it's not the same. And when camping, dogs can be a safety device, alerting you to others around your site.
And the Mrs. loves loves loves having our own toilet. Hotel rooms are fine of course, but the gas stations along the way....
I just sold my 2005 class A rig that I lived in full time. When issues arose, I resorted to calling the mobile RV repair techs. Why? Dropping the rig off at a shop, I'd technically be homeless. Also because it's difficult to find a repair shop that isn't book up a month in advance. The reason why the repair people are booked up is due to the cheap workmanship and poor parts quality of new rigs. Even the mobile repair people are doing 6-8 calls a day. Those techs tell me that they are replacing 2 year old air conditioners and other parts way before they should fail. I'm told the Chinese parts aren't up to US specs, so they fail a lot faster.
I enjoyed my rig when I had it. Visited 34 states and saw a good part of the US and some of Canada. I will miss that sort of travel. Taking my time getting some where. Then having all of my stuff with me while I'm there. IMO air travel or car travel can't compare to rolling your house down the road.
We are looking forward to this. Our kids are scattered all over the country. Since we will be traveling non-stop anyway, this is a great option. Hotels are disgusting - even the ritzy ones. They all hire the cheapest possible labor to do the "cleaning" and they all cut corners. It is hard to think of something as disgusting as sleeping in a hotel room - possibly buying used underwear.
We really like the idea of bringing all of your stuff with you. Whether camping or hotelling, we always end up having things we wish we had brought along. In fact, the weight limits are one of the key reasons we decided on a class A DP over a 5th wheel. With a 500+ HP 1600 tq. engine and drivetrain, we are never going to hit the weight limits. We want to bring some unusual things (Atlatl and targets, Axe targets, rowing machine, plus bikes and kayaks on/in the toad.
When we go full time, we will buy a 2004-2008 Motorhome.(Pre-DEF Series 60 Detroit Diesel) Probably either a Monaco/Beaver/HR or a Prevost. We will upgrade, repair and customize as needed before heading out, but we will get a better drive train and suspension than all but the multi million dollar new models, better base build quality, better and more durable woodwork. We may need to update some electronics and replace the bed, toilets, pumps, possibly tires and add a solar system, but we will be buying for about $150,000 or less for what costs $700,000 or more today, but with much lower quality. If we go with Prevost, it will cost around $250,00 to $350,000 for what is today $2 million, but again we will get better quality. Even Prevost is not what it was. While the Prevost is dramtically better, we can do an awful lot of fun things with an extra $100,000.
Fortunately, I am handy and we have always lived in houses 100 - 190 years old, so we are used to having things break from time to time. Like you though we will hire mechanics for the heavy work. While I could do it, I am no longer strong. The heavy duty work just is not worth it.
Quote: It isn’t just dealers who have noticed the drop in quality. “I had one newbie who purchased what they thought was the Taj Mahal of RVs,” said one dealer. “They take their first trip with it, and they come back in with 40 different problems with it. Then, I get to tell them they have to wait weeks or even months to get it fixed because nobody can get the parts.”
They are a little bigger than a coin the size of a quarter, but tiny semiconductor chips are bringing production of vehicles across the nation to a halt.
Car dealers have barren parking lots, consumers face limited options on new vehicle purchases and buyers must wait, and wait, for their new ride to be built. Tens of thousands of new vehicles sit in parking lots awaiting semiconductor chips before they can be shipped to dealers.
I was already concerned that if we had the rig, we'd still have a time finding spaces. Other travelers tell us it's tight out there. Time for plan B, I guess.
I actually like our Forest River Rockwood Signature Ultra Light 8329SS travel trailer. Bought it new in 2016, and it's been great ever since OTHER than the tires they put on them (which is endemic to the industry). I remember back in the '90s when Rockwoods were made like crap, with cabinet doors that came split from the factory, and outside corners that didn't seal, etc. But the newer ones got much better, especially in the upper trims.
Only reason we may sell it is to get a bunkhouse model (when we bought it was just my wife and I, but now we have a couple grandkids and would like to take them camping with us as they grow). Went looking at new and used trailers and man, the prices are out of control, and as was mentioned, I'd be worried about the quality control on many of them.
My wife and I are RV newbies. We recently rented a 2014 Class B Airstream Interstate (24 foot), and we had a blast on our short, five-day adventure. It was exciting. Yesterday, out of nowhere, we were doing a walk-through on a 2018 Thor Synergy (24 foot) Class C RV and Thor Industries have good reviews
Last edited by VTsnowbird; 04-06-2022 at 05:14 PM..
And the Mrs. loves loves loves having our own toilet. Hotel rooms are fine of course, but the gas stations along the way....
I've discovered Love's and Petro stations have by far the best restrooms, kept spotlessly clean. Always stocked with paper towels, hot water, soap, hand sanitizer and you never run out of TP. I'm a fan of Love's.
I do have a bathroom in my Sprinter but somebody (me) forgot to dump the tanks before we left...
I expect that it is next to impossible to get a new RV. IN the construction industry items like generators and air handlers have up to two-year lead times. Since RV equipment comes from the same place (China), it is likely they have the same delays. This is not a covid issue. It is a supply chain issue probably related to the so called great resignation which some people still claim is related to covid.
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