RE: Trade my old Sprinter for a new one?
The newer NCV3s have more power, but they have all the awful emissions stuff to keep up with, such as having to fill up with DEF every 5000 or so miles, and if the DPF clogs, that is a $3200 repair bill.
Of course, the newer models are slightly bigger and from what I've read, smoother to drive.
If you are looking for a Sportsmobile upfit, have you considered going all diesel? It is expensive, especially the PowerTech generator, but it means only worrying about one fuel source.
RE: Trade my old Sprinter for a new one?
Only issue I can think of with the T1Ns is that the turbo resonator needs chucked. Only other issue is that at 120k miles, the transmission may need a rebuild.
Those used Sprinters sell fast, because they get such great MPG.
RE: Shopping for a High-End B+
There are lots of posts on this, including questions of a similar sort I asked last year.
For B+ rigs, you might do better in the C forum, because B+ is a market term for a C (van cab, custom built coach past it) sans the cabover.
For Bs, the Chevy and Ford chassis models are being phased out, since Ford is moving to the Transit line. Chevies are still being made, but with the two Euro-style van models coming out (The Dodge ProMaster and the Ford Transit), class B makers will be making a move to upfit those since they offer more inside space and don't need a fiberglass roof for extra space.
Right now, until the new vans hit the roads, there is pretty much one choice that B makers are focusing on, and that is the Mercedes Sprinter.
Want the best bang for the buck? JMHO, Winnebago ERA, hands down. However, it only has a 1 year warranty while RT has a four year is the only disadvantage.
Reliability? I'd say about the same on all models, be it a Ford, Chevy, Sprinter, or the new vans. Sprinters have fewer service centers than the others, but I have yet to read about a stranded Sprinter story on this forum.
RE: Picture From Last Saturday Night....
I've encountered people with inflatable movie screens and external speakers large enough to make the ones in KISS concerts look tiny. In fact, next to selling RVs bristling with flat screen televisions, it was one of the better sellers at the last RV show I went to.
RE: Stolen Diesel Fuel
I've had someone successfully boost a gas can in the bed of my pickup recently. Too bad that the container was eventually on its way to the Austin hazardous materials site because it had been sitting since 1999 in a shed.
I saw the gas can (well marked) nearby an apparently abandoned Mazda that was on the side of the road a couple hundred feet down from where my truck was parked. I'm guessing the "liberator" of the can earned the right to keep it having to pay for a tow, fuel line flush, and possibly engine repairs.
A friend of mine with an older F-150 that has two tanks did something more insidious. He moved the fuel fill for the working tank to the bed, and the tank with the fuel fill that wasn't used, he had filled up with rancid gas (so it did smell like gasoline) and water. Needless to say, there were plenty of times there was an inoperative vehicle near his truck.
RE: Lock your gas tank
I grew up in places like that where one didn't bother locking a front door, and the worst that would happen in a neighborhood would be some kids papering a tree on someone's house. However, things do change. Meth is a problem nationwide, and can cause perfectly rational people to have very poor lapses in judgement. People move in, and with a population increase come the predators and scavengers.
The trick with security is to be just one notch above everyone in the vicinity (but without going overboard, because too much security will attract the types that want in just out of spite), then if someone does succeed in theft, that is what insurance is for. Another item is unobtrusiveness. With a pickup and a bumper pull, you use a bed cap with windows so the generator can run out of sight.
RE: Lock your gas tank
That is pretty common. A gas cap lock on any and all vehicles goes without saying. It both keeps gas from coming out, and foreign substances from getting in.
Of course, the thieves are punching tanks and slicing hoses going from the gas tank, but a gas cap lock at least makes them work for the fuel they are stealing.
Another suggestion I have: If you have a pickup truck, buy a tailgate lock.
The Master lock is the beefiest, followed by the Bully (although the Bully one is very difficult to install), followed by the McGard (which is very easy to get installed, but it is the weakest.) Even a hose clamp with a spot weld on the screw is a deterrent.
I am surprised at how often I find my tailgate lid down, but thankfully still there thanks to the lock on the hinge. I don't lock the handle because it is stupidly easy for someone to break that off and move the locking rod.
RE: Laptop computer
I'd consider a "business grade" laptop, such as a Dell Inspiron as opposed to a "consumer" laptop. It costs more, but you can get a better service/support plan on it. Consumer stuff is hair-pulling at best for tech support.
Of course, the best tech support for individuals comes from Apple, and a MacBook Pro can easily run Windows, but you do pay for that.
RE: Propane Generators
Easily solved -- hit US Carb for their conversion kit, or buy their already converted generators (that still have the factory warranty.)
I would buy a three-way kit, just for the ability to use natural gas as well.
RE: Dumping holding tanks explained... Sorta.
When I dry camp and use the macerator pump to move stuff to a tote tank, or at some places, a rented 250 gallon waste tank (emptied weekly by a "stool bus"), I almost always get an audience.
RE: Refrigerator fans
I use the Valterra fridge fan that uses two D batteries. Some people have had issues with a tight fit, but it will easily last for a month if not more.
For a refrigerator, definitely. For a cooler, depends. I wouldn't bother with one that uses ice since the fan can get waterlogged, but for an electric one, yes.
RE: RV Parks w/older RV restrictions
I've found that it really doesn't matter what the rig is, versus the neighbors, especially during festivals. It is similar to cars and people who judge people solely on what they drive.
However, the 10 year is pretty real. Here in central TX, virtually all RV parks have it in print, usually with a clause saying, "10 years or newer, or with management approval". I've yet to be asked for the VIN of my rig, but I wouldn't be surprised if that happens. Plus, it doesn't really lose business -- the spot will end up being occupied by a new fifth wheel anyway, especially come busy weekends.
The only real exception I see to this are Airstream trailers. If they are in any roadable shape, they will always get a spot at a CG, regardless of vintage, from what I've seen.
The 10 year rule is why I'm looking to buy new. In some areas of the US, it isn't enforced, while others, a 2002 model year rig gets shown the road without a second glance, as "rules are rules."
RE: Reserve America magazine scam
I'd probably consider using a one time credit card number, or a throwaway card that just has enough to cover the cost of the reservation and no more. That way, if a checkbox is missed, it won't mean begging all these third party companies to cancel their subscriptions.
RE: Sunseeker 2250LE
I was considering a 2250, but due to HOA rules, it will be a "B" or nothing.
I liked the 2250, although from what I read, LE models have a rubber roof (so I'd head to a place like a Rhino dealer, rvroof.com, or somewhere similar to have a seamless epoxy coating put on... or at least do a once-over on all seams with Eternabond.) I'm not sure if the tanks have the heating pads that the 2300s and 2400s offer as well, and those can be a big help come temperatures in the 20s and 30s.
The fact the mattress was in two parts was a downside, although if I needed to pull over for some shut-eye, there would always be the cabover available.
The 2300 Chevy and Ford are good too, although if you go one foot longer, you still have the queen bed in the back quarter, but you get a slide which gives you some extra space.
RE: connect my sewer lineinto my home sewer system
Here in Austin, it is similar. A sewage clean-out is perfectly OK. In fact, it is encourage to have more than one due to oak tree roots getting into lines. However, if that access to the sewer is called a dump station, the fur will fly. Neighbors will be calling every LEO saying there is a biological contamination hazard, etc.
Calling it a clean-out and being discrete about using it (preferably having it not visible from the road) for its real purpose will go a long way.
RE: Traveling Through Fort Worth and others
I like how San Antonio handles uninsured vehicles. They scan plates, if one isn't showing insured in the DPS database, the vehicle gets pulled over, occupants booted from the vehicle, and the vehicle towed/impounded. If plates don't match a vehicle (say plates from a Chevy on a Toyota), the police will know, which keeps license plate theft to a minimum.
RE: Claiming a first come campsite
This is one reason I'm looking at a cargo trailer once I go for a "B". Drag that to a site, chock and chain the wheels down, arm an alarm, and call it done. Of course, it can be moved, but it is a lot harder (still doable though) to shove a cargo trailer onto the road than it is to toss an orange cone and some camping chairs.
RE: 12V pump on idle??
Might as well use this as an excuse to buy yourself a variable speed water pump or a fixed speed + an accumulator tank. This will provide a lot quieter use.
RE: How to use Generator
Just make sure to run the generator with some load on it (A/C, portable space heater) for a few hours monthly. This keeps the carb clear, as well as the windings working. Nothing kills generators worse than them sitting without proper storage preparation (as in fogging, draining the lines and carb of fuel, oil change, etc.)
RE: Have I plugged up my black tank drain?
I have been happy with plain old bagged ice down the commode. When I use a macerator pump, I also let the grey tank backflush into the black tank, which does a good job in dislodging any residual TP.
