RE: Fleetwood purchase
Your original factory warranty will be over before you know it - problem solved! I believe most extended warranties begin coverage only after the factory waranty has ended its term.
If your local dealer "folds", you've got far more problems - "Who ya gonna call". Frankly, being "Chicken Little" with a RV will mean you'll get no sleep for YEARS (if you let it worry you). If you're that worried, RUN away from ANY new RV - and stay home. A comfortable option is to buy a used unit in great condition - and pay for repairs as they are needed. With the expected depreciation and future lack of used RV buyers, even a great buy on a new unit will lead to huge depreciation. If it's time to retire, buy an RV and get on with it - that's what you saved for.
RE: Guess Camping World is doing well!
The President of Affinity is very young and VERY agressive as a company leader. It's HIS interest in auto racing - HIS interest in rapid expansion, and HIS hard push that's been driving CW and Affinity. I've yet to see the NASCAR fans lined up at CW and FreedomRoads - that's some EXPENSIVE advertising! Now, it's time to "pay the bills" which the expansion and his personal interests run-up - as the RV-related market shrinks. He's still pushes his personal interests while the company is in obvious distress - "race cars" over employees, "Freedon Roads" over Good Sams - stomping on earlier business relationships to achieve total market domination as quickly as possible.
WHY would anyone want to buy CW stores as a "captive" within the FreedomRoads umbrella - especially with the way this guy has treated everyone? It doesn't take a genius to see what CW's new owner would face.
The extreme write-down of CW's assesed value (as he tries to sell it) is more "telling" of the real situation. To his credit, they're closing stores and making the kind of changes other companies wouldn't force themselves to do. From a "business organization" viewpoint, it's becoming an interesting story as he floggs Affinity into his personal whipping boy.
RE: Basement lights when its freezing?
I have a 12V (manufacturer installed) light fixture in my small, enclosed water system area near the fresh water tank, and it seems to work making heat there - it's prehaps 2 cubic feet). When I'm not worried about the draw (driving or plugged-in), I turn on ALL basement lights. To supplement, I bought a clip-on work light that has a 15 foot cord (long enough to reach most power posts - and most posts have a separate 110V plug - perfect for this! The clip light with a 100 watt blub seems to be plenty for the fresh water tank area. My grey/black tank areas have a heat duct from my forward furnace which is rarely used. I have a remote sensor thermostat in each area.
Most of this has worked into the teens to 20 degree temperatures - while parked! I haven't been forced to try it at lower temps. While moving, the suction can pull heated air out of a compartment very quickly, and although the compartment doors may SEEM sealed - there are always openings and crevices in a basement where the air can be pulled out quickly. I would prefer to drive with all tanks emptied and only enough water in the pipes to keep them pressurized - pressurized water has a lower freezing point.
Poop and dirty water freeze at much lower temperatures than standing water. If I'm concerned, I dump a gallon of washer fluid into the (mostly empty) tank.
Just a thought - RV furnaces with basement ducts don't have any sort of return ducts - so without another way for forced air to escape or flow(crevices and openings to the outside) - hot air won't be blowing into the basement. Just having a duct doesn't mean hot air will be entering or circulating well within the basement. Individual basement compartments which are fully enclosed won't allow air heated air to circulate to the other compartments.
RE: north beach camp resort st augustine
Dogs - YES. It's VERY HARD to find places with beaches that allow dogs!
I LOVE North Beach. Carefully groomed roads, but not "fancy" looking - pleasant and quiet. The two sites I've had were very large - with plenty of vegetation barrier between sites. There's a private small beach at the ICW end, a public launch ramp (with the usual antic to watch), and the open ocean beach (with parking for CG people) at the other end. Downtown is not too far, but getting through the traffic to visit the other beaches can take 30 minutes on bad days. Those other beaches are ones you can drive on with any car, and it's great to park with all your stuff right on the sand. The parade of cars, jeeps and bikes is fun to watch. Even on colder days, it'd great to park facing the water and sit in the car. Typical "sprawl" with endless shopping centers is about 10 miles away. I suggest checking out North Beach CG on Google Maps to see what it looks like.
I've stayed in two other area parks, and I didn't like them at all - what a difference!
RE: Jack up or down during storage
I prefer PART jacks - part springs and tires. Remember, not all driveways can withstand the jack bases supporting the coach for a long period - pockets in the tar may form, so use LARGE blocks to spread the loads. I silicone the jack pistons and run them in and out several times before putting it up for a long period. Many people use a moisture barrier under the tires. The BEST is to drive it around the yard (or block) once a month, and exercise the generator at the same time.
RE: Another Newmar nightmare !!!!!!
"Legs", indeed! I wonder if the responses would have been so strong if the unit were a Coachman, A Damon, or another make?
To clarify -
The drop-in power window unit (NOT manufactured by NEWMAR) comes with a molded-in drain tube which is (perhaps) 1 1/2 inches long. THIS is the tube people are seeing coming INTO the hole through the floor. A casual inspection FROM ABOVE would make one think the tube ran THROUGH the floor - it doesn't! Water will spread into the subfloor particulate and fully-enclosed surrounding areas below. THIS TUBE NOT DRAINING IS NOT DUE TO LACK OF MAINTENANCE. A simple "fix" would be to slide a larger diameter tubing over the end, and run it outside "the box" of the motorhome. For those of you who HAVE a unit, pour water into the window while the weatherstripping is peeled back - and watch for fast drainage from below the coach.
ANY current response "positive" from NEWMAR is unlike the earlier responses others got when the problem was presented. The power of the Internet, and enough people hearing about the problem has brought a new attitude from NEWMAR! This is NOT the "honor-driven" response that diehard NEWMAR fans expect.
3. To all those who are so quick to wave the three year warranty period as a flag of defense: NEWMAR had seen this problem in coaches before the warranty expired, they apparently made no attempt to alert dealers or owners of affected coaches, and they stonewalled owner attempts. When a manufacturer DELIBERATELY hides a KNOW DEFECT - that brings the topic to the level of IMPLIED obligations of SERVICEABILITY and MARKETABILITY. Ill intent and devious deception (that's what Newmar's refusal of the condition was, folks!) are issues that survive hiding behind a warranty period - in the court of public opinion, if not in an actual court.
ALL of the affected NEWMARS I've seen with this problem were (or had recently been) FOR SALE. Those earlier owners may have sensed something was wrong, but repeated attempts at fixing an unfixable leak made them sell. The techs weren't able to fix them because they probably never imagined NEWMAR could make such a mistake - and NEWMAR wasn't talking!
The warranty may expire - bit it's a "NEWMAR" FOREVER! So, ACT like it, NEWMAR!
For those who insist it was "owner error" to not have discovered such a problem - it HAD to smell awful! I've seen it - I've taken one apart - I know what was there - YOU DON'T!! Until you've started ripping a coach apart, you can't know what hidden problems are there or how they manifest themselves. There was only an infrequent dampness and slight, occastional odor. That salesman's statement that it was an open window was probably believeable.
RE: Fleas - Help me please
I'm having the same problem - Frontline is useless, and I won't waste the money again! It seems the fleas aren't actually biting the cat - I think they're eating "flea dirt" (poop) and avoiding the blood-borne poison (which would explain why Frontline doesn't work). The only good thing about it is the cat doesn't seem bothered by the situation.
Bombs, cleaning, and all my efforts only seem able to reduce the cat's "resident population" to one or two a day - but the buggers persist. It's a very long-haired cat, and I'm considering having him clipped to reduce the available flea farm space. The cat has been infested for months, but those fleas don't seem interested in the dog. The fleas seem very happy in thier furry cat home, and there seem to be few defectors.
I'll read up on the tips posted here - THANKS!
RE: Trade-in or re-sale value of RV with pets
I don't think I understand the question. I've NEVER seen an RV for sale that had ever had smokers OR pets in it :)
So true! It seems most RVers have a pet, but none of the used units smell (at least where I've shopped). I think the cleaners and deodorizers are pretty effective. Most motels take pets, and there doesn't seem to be a problem with it.
Certainly, if the dog needs a home and you're willing - don't let the idea of a depreciated motorhome make the decision. You'll feel you didn't get a good price anyway!!
RE: Another Newmar nightmare !!!!!!
I've seen this exact problem - in fact, I told the poster about it when he first brought it up here. I post this information to help anyone with an affected coach and those who are shopping for used coaches of any brand - NOT solely to bash Newmar.
Understand that only POWER WINDOW optioned coaches (not too many have it at $785.) might have this problem. Only after the outside lower window weatherstipping has stopped sealing well (years!) will leakage be significant enough to show signs inside (and with enough exposure to rain and wind on that side of the coach). I doubt many service departments have had experience with this problem, and based on Newmar's responses to the issue - it's unlikely Newmar sent any bulletins about it.
I first came across the problem on a 2002 DSDP I was considering purchasing 18 months ago. Yes, I noticed a slight smell in an affected coach, but most used coaches have some sort of "smell". In fact, I viewed that coach three times over an 8 month period, and the smell was barely noticable. When the problem was discovered, that coach owner got the same treatment from Newmar - they claimed to have NO KNOWLEDGE of such a problem - "Never happened before". At that time, I found TWO previous Internet references to other Newmar DP coaches which had the same problem - the posters of those coaches apparently did get some satafaction from Newmar. The coach I was considering had been TO THE FACTORY for a long list of fixes and changes - one of which was thought to be a leaking window ABOVE the driver's side POWER WINDOW. Although I ended contact with the owner of that coach, my last communication with him was that Newmar agreed to some form of repair ONCE THEY WERE CONFRONTED with the earlier factory repair visit information AND the information on the Internet about the other coaches having had the same problem. I have no idea what happened to that 2002 DSDP, but it had an unusual interior and I'll know it if I see it again!
Since that time, I have seen TWO others (on Lazyday's "used lot") with gobs of silicone used in the misled attempt to stop a leak ABOVE the power window - each had the same signs of damage inside - slight dampness and the carpet near the wall had blackening mildew. The plastic "door skin" (just a term - there's no door!), which holds all the switches to the left of the driver, extends out from the wall - and the moisture and damage are hidden from easy view.
The bigger issue is the damage beyond the carpet. The floor framing below is a sealed "captive" area which holds the drainage. When I removed the rotted wood floor and rubber membrane below, I found a LAKE in the framing. A "full repair" would require complete removal of the flooring (possibly side-to-side) and any rusted framing below. What effect the standing water had over YEARS is unknown. It's a messy job beyond the skills of an average handyman.
I realize Newmar has no obligation under the warranty and the poster did not buy this new - but this problem is clearly (remember, I've seen it close-up!) poor manufacturing. Newmar KNOWS about it - they KNOW which coaches may be affected - they ARE NOT STEPPING UP by fixing or even advising affected coaches. The power window unit is a drop-in, complete with a molded drip tray. Newmar didn't bother to run the drip tray drain hose ANYWHERE. You'd have to see it to believe it!
Newmar's response to Ray's inquiry is that same as the one made 18 months ago - this is not a case of tough times affecting Newmar's response. Blaming a salesman for saying the first thing that popped into his sales-driven mind is foolish - it's not in writing, and no representations survive the sale - buyer beware! ONLY NEWMAR could have known of this problem developing in these power window equipped models, and we have no way of knowing how many were assembled in this way. The essential point in all this is they don't care now that the problems are evident!
RE: f-53 SUSPENSION SPECIALIST > ADVICE PLEASE !
I had a helper spring installed to address the same issue. I've seen many Fords with this same squat in the front left - and it also causes the rear right to lift a bit. I feel the helper spring was not an appropriate fix even though it made the suspension sit level at a standstill. With the significant extra springing strength on ONE CORNER, it causes more reaction at ONE CORNER of the suspension with a corresponding reaction in the opposite rear corner - leading to a "bump steer" situation with side to side and diagonal imbalance. I feel the cause of the sag is unequal front side-weight loads combined with aging springs. I now feel the springs should only be replaced as new pairs. My experience with the "professional truck spring shop" (and if you were in Maine, you'd know of them!) is they work on dump trucks, fire engines, school busses with broken springs, but they didn't understand HIGHWAY DRIVING! Don't make the same mistake of trusting THE WRONG "PROFESSIONALS" who deal mostly with OTR and heavier truck suspensions!
These gas motorhomes are somewhat unique in their suspension needs - almost always heavily loaded to capacity limits, expected to handle well by drivers who CARE how they handle, and possibly more dependent on the absolute best performance in tires, shocks, and components. Other F-53 vehicles get slammed around by workers who don't care much what's going on beneath them.
I don't understand your comment about airbags - please tell us what you've learned. I planned to raise the rear with airbags and I'm investigating that idea, so I'm very interested in what you've learned. I'd like to hear about enyone's experiences with rear airbags.
RE: Very good info here, for your safety....
When an elderly camper down the row had a "health incident", I gave her my extra key remote and parked my car at her unit. If she needed help in the night, we all would hear the car alarm. These can be installed in ANY car - go to shops that specialize in auto sound systems. Mine has a wireless range of almost 1000 feet.
RE: Sold "As-Is"
For MAINE, the attorney general's website has a complete explanation of "as-is". Since state law would be specific to each situation, check to see if your state has an explantion on-line. Also check to see if any legal protections apply to out of state buyers!
RE: Concern about Roadmaster bracket design for 09 FIT
I had the same issue with the bracket design for the 2008 Scion Box. It required throwing away ALL the crash protection 'stuff". As it happened, I *DID** have an accident with the toad I finally decided to buy - and I was VERY HAPPY that I didn't have that Scion with viturally NO crash protection!
Accidents DO happen, so protect keep your crash protection and buy something suitable!
RE: Using windshield washer antifreeze in drain traps.
The blue stuff does lose it's potency over time. I learned my lesson last year when I used an old, opened jug of it in my MH washer system - and it froze all the lines and nozzles.
I use the blue stuff in traps and for flushing when I'm drivng in freezing temps, but I wouldn't expect it to protect the traps over an entire winter.
RE: Northeast FL - Fernandina Beach area/Amelia Island
Fort Clinch is great - except for those having a dog. No dogs allowed on any FL state park beaches (or boardwalk) - and just "peeing" is difficult due to prickers anywhere there isn't pavement. For people, however, FT Clinch is lovely. The upper oceanfront park is high in the dunes and close to the beach. The lower wooded park has many larger sites with shade and playspace. Fernandina Beach has lots of shopping, a "WorldClass" laundromat, and free dog-loving beaches. The biggest drawback is getting reservations!
RE: Dyeing day/night shades
Go to SEM Coatings' website. I used ColorCoat spray to dye my stained, light colored "mauve" shades to medium metallic grey - and no one can believe they weren't original color. I've also used this to dye carpeting which had faded or spotted in small areas. Most auto parts stores which sell auto painting supplies have it, but the color you want may need to be ordered from the colorchart. Very few stores will carry all colors. SEM also has supplies for hard plastic (like door skins), and leather restoration - the website is fun for do-it-yourself types. I've used these products for my boat vinyl upholstery, and it lasted for years (and no one knew!).
http://www.semproducts.com/
Tips: Do a careful job of masking areas you don't want colored. Since mine were light grey on the "daytime" area and on the trim pieces - I masked those to keep them. The ColorCoat does fill in some of the fine holes in the material (if you have any), but using several light coats will cover fully while leaving some ventilation. The spray smells VERY "chemical", so be sure to let the blinds ventilate FOR WEEKS before using. Also, the spray may make the material stiff, so you may need to clamp the (dried and aired) blinds in a closed position to restore pleating.
I did mine three years ago, and they haven't faded or deteriorated. The metallic grey I used is very unusual, and looks "custom".
RE: Panasonic Rear View camera not working
I have the same year and system in a PA. I found an entire system (camera, wiring, and monitor) through an electronics store in Brooklyn for about $210. He was selling them on Ebay, but they weren't listed as "RV Parts" and I was only able to find it by Googling the camera or monitor parts numbers. Give that a try. He said he had "many" in stock at that time.
I also found several shops that would recondition my camera - most for much more money. Since I wasn't sure it was just the camera,the price for the whole system was less, and I'd get it faster - I choose to go with the entire system. During the installation, I found "rodents" had chewed the wires along the top indentation of the rear cap, but I was able to tape them - still working!
You're probably correct that it IS the camera, but if it's the rest of it - PM me.
