RE: Windsheild blew inside
I once saw a 2002 Dutch Star which had the driver's side popped-out at the top and leaning forward. I couldn't find evidence of WHAT had caused this, and the owner was maintaining he had never noticed it - even though there was a TON of sealant up there to keep it from leaking. (He DID, howver, say he always washed it himself. HOW could me miss seeing it?) The coach had some other issues I didn't want to own, so I passed on it without learning the cause.
I agree with Deen - a proper glass shop using the correct sealant (and properly cured) should be able to fix your problem. I've seen many improperly installed auto windows, and I suspect installers aren't always qualified to work on RVs.
RE: Towing a Jeep JK w. auto trans
I've tried all the above. As the other say, just keep trying ALL OF THAT and it will go back in (or out). I think it tends to get easier, but it may just be that I'm pulling the level with more conviction.
RE: brake buddy
The only thing the BrakeBuddy does that is a bit of s surprise is due to the "gyroscope" sensor. When going down a steep slope, the sensor interprets that downward angle as "force" and begins to activate (picture a pendulem swining toward the "on" switch). You get sudden, unexpected braking brought on by the angle of descent - not by the inertia caused by braking.
Tilting an energized BB to 45 degrees will cause it to "go off", and the brake pushrod will SHOOT out quickly. It's THAT SIMPLE an operation. I wouldn't know how much trouble it might cause in mountains, but knowing why it happens may help you.
RE: I-95 South Carolina/North Carolina Border
Pedro's has undergone a fixing-up - it looks much nicer! The prices have increased too, but they allow me to wash my rig in the space, and that saves some $$$. I've enjoyed walking around the trashy stores - but they're "across the street" and away from the RV park. The Town of Dillon is a nice little place - good to drive through. I always try to include SOB in my route.
RE: Alfa Soo Long Quality To Buy or Not
The investment of getting an Alfa to the UK and having it converted as required would leave you with a high cost of ownership despite the lowest possible US price.
The Alfa Forum on Yahoo is a good place to look for information, but I suspect the only positive Alfa comments are being made by people who want to sell one. Very few former owners are beating the Pro-Alfa drum. Even though it's a FL chassis underneath, there's been so much more to go wrong with Alfas. As the former RV dealer suggests - try calling any dealership and asking if they'd take "yours" in trade.
RE: interesting people at the Hershey RV Show- long :-)
CC has a video on the website showing the veranda operating. I love the part when the announcer says you can hangout with all your neighbors but "above and away" from them. I'm picturing tossing coins to the poor, little people.
RE: Buy a NEWER RV with MORE miles vs OLDER RV with FEWER miles?
I have had many Ford vans, and it was around 80K miles that my problems would start. From what I've seen, low mileage units are common in RVs - and they don't seem to sell at much higher prices. If you shop, you'll probably find "the right one", but it will probably be a private sale.
I love hearing about how all the DPs are good for 500K miles, but I rarely see one with 100K on it. People just don't use them that much - same with Class Cs.
I decided OLDER, QUALITY, and LOW MILEAGE was the best mix in a Class A. Not to say that I had a big selection to choose from, but I found what I could - and decided for that mix.
How has it worked out? Pretty well! Because I bought a unit that was (for its time) fully loaded, I got all the options one could have. I've never lusted for the add-ons I might have missed - like leveling jacks, double AC, corian counters, upgraded "stuff" - and everything has worn well. I'd say I was "moving up" each year, but most of the units I'd see didn't seem worth the money and bother of trading. Now that times are tough and used RV's are worth less, I'm still happy - and I never spent all that extra money for something to depreciate in still greater amounts. For that alone, I'm delighted.
My unit is a 1994, just over 20K miles, and still shines. I doubt it can get worth much less, so the depreciation factor is nil - and I never had all those "low miles" problems they all love to talk about. The repairs I've done are the same ones people write about in five year old units.
RE: Security & crime rates for CG and state parks?
The OP just asked some simple questions about security.
Simple questions? Sorry! While they're VERY MYSTERIOUS about the "special reasons", these fears are not stated as normal worries. If we knew what these special reasons were, we might understand. As it has been left, we have to imagine WHY they're likely to be special targets for criminals.
Short of wearing more flashy jewels that most people, advertising that you were a drug dealer with a large inventory, or you had the World's biggest collection of dirty videos onboard - WHAT makes them so worried? If you had extra security measures, would they really STOP a criminal? They might stop "some kids", but not most.
I'd suggest a nasty dog!
"Why is it the paranoid people are always worried?"
RE: using water pump & "city water" together
I always keep the water tank full when at a campground - in case the CG water system goes down (it HAS happened to me a few times). As said, using your pump will draw from your tank - and I do that occasionally (and refill the tank) to keep changing the water held in the tank. I also add a small amount of bleach to the tank to be sure it's clean.
I'm usually on well water systems, and each time I unscrew the kitchen faucet aerator, I find sand and junk beginning to clog it. My bathroom faucet (a RV model with less flow than a household model) has no way to remove the "out end", and I wonder how much junk might be trapped in there. The shower hand spray nozzle (one of the $10 ones) has been replaced a few times - with very good results each time.
You might check those faucets for flow.
RE: Brake Buddy Vantage
If you research the forum, you'll find some of us who bought the Vantage feel there's a pattern in our being ripped-off and poorly treated by BB. I assume you're referring to the Vantage SELECT - the newest model.
With the way I've been lied to by BB in an attempt to sell the original Vantage model (which was made for only a short time as they cobbled together the Select model), the "new" BB (the company was sold!) has lost ALL credibility and former good reputation with me.
It has been an expensive and unhappy purchase. The remote is poorly designed - the single battery doesn't last one day - it is totally unreliable since the "low battery indicator" blinks for only a few seconds before the unit dies (and it looks as it did while it is operating!) - BB gives no support beyond silly explanations and suggestions. Frankly, it's the lying "support" that's more troublesome than the unit itself (plus, they kept "working" me until the 30 day return period was ended) - that's why I suggest you look elsewhere.
RE: Interior wall paper is bubbling and bubbles are hard
It's "water", yes - but I think it's a form of condensate or the result of a chemical reaction in the interior wall panel due to water. Since it's only in the slide wall, I'd check with the dealer for replacement panelling to match - and remove the affected panel to see what's behind it.
RE: Intermittent Refrigerator Issues
At that age, the Dinosaur Board is a worthwhile investment. It's a significant "upgrade" from the original board, and you'll be needing it eventually. I spent months trying to figure what was wrong with mine - nothing seemed to repeat in exactly the same way. I wish someone had told me, "Just DO IT!".
I went through the same sort of guesing with my water heater - a new board finally fixed that too.
RE: Pre-purchase Inspection - Lazydays?
I don't remember ever hearing of one in the area (four winters there!).
About Lazydays - I was determined to buy "used" there because of the warranty. In the past, the "used" warranty was 100 percent coverage for 30 days. I WANTED THAT! Other dealers talk about their warranties, but they don't cover more than the appliances. On this Forum, there were many stories of heroic measures LD had gone to in fixing coaches - even long distances away. I felt secure shopping there.
This year, I found that the current warranty only covers "above the belt-line" - that means NOTHING to do with the drivetrain or chassis. ("We don't even do suspension repairs!" - really?) Tires would only be replaced if there were OBVIOUS signs of damage (usually not due to age!) - no shock absorbers - no suspension components not showing damage (and I have to ask, "WHO is looking?") - no dashboard AC. They REFUSED to give information about prior owners or vehicle history - "That's against 'Privacy Laws'", they said. ALL INFORMATION the salesman gave regarding pricing and value was false! DON'T BELIEVE ANYTHING YOU HAVEN'T VERIFIED!
Suddenly, the warranty is close to worthless, and the salesman was too. I was getting NO answers beyond what he would/could say about ANY RV. However, they DO place you in the delivery RV park after you pay, and you can run wild all over the unit to try to find anything needing to be fixed WITHIN THOSE LIMITS. No body work, no "trim" upholstery, carpet... or the things that they built their reputation. They WILL do those things if you PAY for them.
The time for pro-active action is after your offer is accepted, but before you "close". Test drive, crawl underneath - do anything you can think of - and bring anyone you can find to help. Check to see that ALL chassis warning lights "test" when you first turn the key. Be sure there are no flashing "code" lights. Take the VIN to a Ford dealer to ask if they will run it in the OASIS computer to check for prior issues (at Ford). Look for evidence of any work performed to chassis components.
I was looking for my first DP, but I'd have been more comfortable shopping for a Pace Arrow. I felt most DPs I looked at there were not ones I would consider because of model or condition (so I wasn't fretting over many units - you probably have!). The very few I liked were obviously "good", but that didn't mean they couldn't have expensive repair issues the prior owner didn't want to fix.
My comments are not made to dissuade you - if your PA looks good, it probably is! Verify everything, and don't put much faith in after-sale help.
RE: Damon's "Avanti" Trend?, Yes/No!
Avanti buyers will be "boutique" shoppers - and the price will keep it that way. Another "high-line" attempt at downsizing - and with significant innovations and imagination - was the Newmar NewAire. As the first out of the gate in this new market, Avanti gets the attention - but I'm guessing it will suffer because of the things RVers hold dear - like CCC, towing capacity, and interior space - and the price. The number of Views and Navions for sale shows us that people aren't likely to enjoy "new" and "small" too long.
Thor Bashing! It would be one thing to have a great reputation and weather this economy well (and who is?)- but for THOR to change into a quality leader (remember the price range!) AND have one of the industry's best financial performances ... it's outstanding! Thor deserves some respect!
RE: Bad Market For Class A Motorhomes
While I agree with most points made by the posters here, I disagree with some assumptions:
1. Retirees are not all "flush with cash" to buy new motorhomes for cash. SOME do still have the "pay cash for everything" ethic held by earlier generations - but modern retirees try to "balance" between investing, a fixed income, and careful borrowing. In part, that borrowing has left many trapped in big motorhomes worth less than the loan balances. Not only have they lost a great amount in "value", they have to cough-up CASH to sell - a pill many refuse to swallow. THIS generation is not one that pays CASH for everything - that was retirees of twenty years ago (and more) - and most are unlikely to buy a new 40 footer for cash.
2. Everyone is "down" about all the lenders backing out of RV financing and about obstacles the remaining lenders are adding to restrict loans to buyers and to allow dealers to stock inventory. Before villifying the lenders, consider that they reacted LONG AFTER the RV demand dried-up, reposessions began, and people began to flock out of RVs. From the lenders' viewpoint, the "house of cards" was falling some time ago, signs of industry-wide trouble are fully evident, and they're already sitting on plenty of risky loans on (now) old RVs - there's no attractive side to RV lending today - and things won't be improving for years to come. With each application coming in, lenders could probably see the "quality" of applicants falling. Bad loans made today will follow them for years - no profit and lots more risk as things deteriorate. A lender doesn't need to leave his neck in a noose, losing money for years to come, to please the public. It's noteable that the lenders who "left" didn't try to retain small profitable parts of the business - they RAN away from RVing as a whole! That said, why wouldn't the remaining lenders be very shy?
3. The RV manufacturers are an interesting lot! Even while struggling with chaos inside these companies - huge cuts, sales in free-fall, no real idea what will come - some are desperately planning for what is expected will be the "new" idea of a RV. Thor's new model - which seems like a "photo-shop" back-to-the-future, shrunken Class A - may be the first of a new wave of underpowered, slanted front, 1985-like RVs. Sorry - "less is LESS"! The significant point: the RV of "today" may seem very old-fashioned in a couple of years. If this new style takes hold, current RV owners may ALL be sitting with something no one wants. Worse, many more of us will be sitting with out-of-style motorhomes that are ORPHANS with no remaining manufacturer to call our own and a tainted brandname.
It's not all GLOOM. The recent gas price drops seem to show that people are quick to "get on the road". People may not be "touring" as they did, but it seems most people DID "vacation" this year. Banks have very short memories, and they'll be back! All this may not save the companies, the jobs, and time lost - but "We'll be back!".
RE: Best place to finance used RV
I've lost two purchases of RVs because the owners had financed through distant, uncaring lenders. The selling owners didn't the cash to pay off the balance and get the title to transfer - and I wasn't "giving" them the money without getting the title right then (waiting for weeks to be able to register it!).
I agree - go local - if you can.
