By Brenda Odom
We are still healthy and able, but quickly tiring of changes that have come too quickly thanks to pandemics, road conditions, employment shortages, entitled behaviors, and more than a little bit of greed within the RV community. But if we were to name THE one thing that helped us make this final “Goodbye, RVing” decision, it would be the lack of knowledgeable, experienced, and available repair technicians.
We have experienced worse service over the past 18 months than we have known in our entire 30 years of camping… and we had some stories even back then. More and more shops are new entrepreneurs who believe watching YouTube equates to a manufacturer’s certification. Newly trained techs do NOT need to go into business until they have the experience to back up their education and classes in small business management. And technical colleges need to be able to provide said training within-state.
Here are just a few examples:
- We had to remove our rig from the property of one shop, leaving behind $1,000 in prepaid merchandise that was never delivered. Will likely be years, if ever, before the lien will be satisfied.
- We ordered a new automatic awning to replace the manual one. When we picked it up, it didn’t quite look right so we inquired. Turns out the worker put our awning on another rig. They took it off. We said we would expect to have it when we returned in two weeks. When we asked for the old manual one back to use at home over our patio, they told us someone had run over it with one of the tractors. P.S. Never got the new awning either.
- Another well-known shop tried three times to put Weather-Tec style flooring in the cab of our Class C before finally telling us it was costing them too much (in their own mistakes) and all they could do was install new carpet. Duh. The purpose of the replacement was to NOT have carpet up front. Of course, they threw out the original carpet.
- Still, another shop did pretty decent mechanical work and we were pleased. He also claimed he could do renovation work. It took two tries to fail at re-gluing a vinyl ceiling (the foam backing had eroded from time/heat). It drooped again within a week. So, this septuagenarian got out her portable heat press and upholstery tacks and fixed the ceiling! Not ideal, but not hanging down either. Made the owner aware of the situation. No response, no refund. Just silence.
- Oh, and then there is the one who, as we came to pick up our rig, was sitting on the floor repairing a rather large tear that he made pulling in the slide. Claimed there was a pen or something under there (that we must have dropped, of course). Apologies were all we got. At least he didn’t charge for that repair!
The bottom line
The bottom line is that we have run out of repair shops, patience, and our faith in the industry as a whole.
Crowded campgrounds aren’t a problem when your RV is in the shop for months at a time. Monthly loan and insurance payments don’t get put on hold because you don’t have use of the rig. It just isn’t making much sense anymore. Perhaps we need insurance companies who, like the satellite providers, allow us to do month-at-a-time coverage?
Goodbye, RVing
This past week we had a family emergency out of state. No sites were available, so we got an Airbnb. It was a cute little remodeled country house in the middle of farmland and trees. There were hiking trails, and it was peaceful and quiet. No set up and no payment required when not in use. If something didn’t work, we called the landlord; but… and get this… everything worked!
I think we have found our new form of recreational travel. But, hey: Thanks for the memories, RVing!
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##RVT1103
I can’t even imagine having to go through that. I’m so glad I learned a lot about that type of work over the years of experience through HVAC and construction work. I’m able to do the repairs myself.
I always did all my own maintenance and repairs including modifications to make it better. However at 80 I’m not into all that work to maintain and repair all the things that go wrong on each trip. The government needs to hold manufacturers of RVs to the same standards auto manufacturers are held too. That will never happen as long as there are crooked politicians and lobbyists.
Agree
Too many ascribers to the mindset of “Government is too big. It needs to be smaller”
Dewey, the government IS too big, and it DOES need to be smaller. There are so many overlapping departments, employees, unbridled grifting, unbelievable verifiable spending waste, projects that cost a fortune and do nothing in the end, and on and on. As the government continues to grow, efficiency and accountability continue to shrink. Our government is killing our once great country!
Well Stated, Tommy !!
Totally agree with you. Tommy said it best
As I recall, back in the early 1980s, some politician with a penchant for acting began running around convincing Americans that government was the problem and the solution lay in shrinking the government, laying off the government employees that built and maintained things and handed those jobs over to the private sector. Since then, corporations and said private sector have been lining up to feed at the federal trough. So now, instead of actually doing the work and controlling the costs and quality, the government has had to hire thousands of bureaucrats overseen by political appointees who come from the same companies feeding at said federal trough to try to minimize padding the bills, stretching out the projects and doing whatever they can to maximize profits.
Pity. Those government employees who took pride in their work, managed to conttrol cost and get the best bang for the buck from taxpayer dollars and did amazing things that made America the envy of the world are long gone… demoralized and defeated after being told by their own government what a worthless bunch they are.
“As I recall, back in the early 1980s, some politician with a penchant for acting began running around convincing Americans that government was the problem”.
You’re right, and so was that politician.
Yep a bit off topic but this place has turned a great place into a trash dump in < 3 generations. amazing. If I was 40yo today I'd move to Norway. They don't spend $$ on military and space exploration they spend it on their people.
I’m waiting to see what happens with all those millions of illegals crossing the border with our Presidents blessing, they will soon be the ones fixing your camper
That’s where we are at the moment I think.
And I hate to say it but it’s just the truth all around in my opinion.
. There is unbelievable oversight when spending money on Highways and it gets deeper each year over my 45 years of engineering and building with FHWA highway funding. On the other hand I still haven’t seen one bit of oversight or accounting for $billions headed to Ukraine, or the oil “sold” out of the Stategic Petroleum Reserve (just gave it to China perhaps). Not to mention the $billions in military equipment given to our enemies in Afghanistan. Why no oversight of our taxes on these items?
With the exception of our military, can anyone out there point to a single thing that the federal government does OBJECTIVELY well and efficiently? One thing. Small ask.
Spend money.
From what I’ve seen on the west coast, it won’t help the space problem much because it was crowded before the pandemic, and they are still grabbing spaces six months out. I can believe the poor service work because that was pretty bad before covid also. I have to plan ahead if I want a space with a view. My guess is the sloppy workers aren’t paid enough, and good ones don’t stay. Even the lazy workers get paid more if they don’t work. The community college had a curriculum for RV repair, but it didn’t last because there wasn’t enough interest. Perhaps many people are not into what I call camping; they are only interested in parking a big rolling apartment, in which case a motel works just as good. Many people don’t want a little trailer and don’t want to be outside and cook outside, but for me, that’s what camping in a campground is about.
You are right, we are not interested in camping. After retiring, we decided to see as much of this nation as we can while we are still able. I don’t like living out of a suitcase, which you have to do when staying in a hotel, so for us, a motel doesn’t work just as well. My “big rolling apartment” gives me the ability to travel in my home with my pets, with all my clothes, and cook my own food, because I also have no desire to eat every meal at a restaurant while traveling. I’m very happy that you enjoy camping while we might be next door to you in a campground, enjoying our favorite way to travel at the same time.
👍🏻
Exactly
A motel is not gonna park on a beach, and also charge you a very reasonable price IMO 🤣.
I do own a larger trailer in west coast standard. I’m the kind that need to cook inside, shower inside and watch TV on a couch when I am in the middle of nowhere. Done tent camping in my 20s, now I’m older and I also own a dog that cares about her life quality more than me🤣🤣🤣
I feel like I wouldn’t call this camping anymore, it’s more like remote working on a mobile home to me.
At my storage lot, 5 RV’s were burnt to the ground after the fire the homeless set for warmth on the other side of the fence got away from them and jumped the fence. That’s why you don’t let insurance lapse when not in “use”.
If you need to store offsite don’t purchase an RV. Live under an HOA, huh? yeah I’d live in a tent before I’d live under one of those. However I’m old school when I was born there was no such animal.
Picking a storage lot in a decent area is a pretty good idea also…
Sounds @ the same as owning real estate and lookin 4 contractors & handymen, 2 me…?
This article strikes me as whiny and entitled. It’s the same with RV ownership as with home ownership: if you can’t do the basics yourself and know someone capable of doing the rest in return for fair compensation, just rent your home and vacation in hotels.
The RV dealership monkeys are all underpaid high school dropouts who understandably don’t give a hoot about your precious baby. If you trusts them with it, you deserve to have it trashed.
Although I don’t agree with the way you said it, I do agree with what you said. Learn to do as much repairs on your own, I can install an awning and I’m a 63 year old woman.
I never go to dealerships to get repair work done (I learned that the hard way) I go to the independent rv repair shops whose reputation I’ve checked out well before going and/or the guy who comes to your rv.
If you want everyone to do your work for you then you can’t complain when they don’t do the work the way you would.
Really? Knowing how to do the work yourself is one thing, being physically able to is another. I’m happy for you that at 63 you can install an awning. When you’re 75, that will be a different story. A person may know how to fix something, but not be able to physically. That’s where repair shops and/or repairmen come in to play. As a consumer of their services, one should fully expect a competent job being done. Yes, you need to do your due diligence on who you hire to do work for you. That goes for anytime you hire a professional. But don’t berate folks who need to hire work done.
yep you can’t throw everyone under the bus just because YOU lack expertise. and that exact thing has happened to ME. at 60 I could do ANYTHING but at 80 I’m an invalid… however I can still supervise and I’ll know by just talking with someone whether they know what they’re talking about. You can’t fool an 80yo full of years of technical knowledge.
👍
I could still install an awning at 75. It was 79 that got me. lol
So if a doctor screws up and he amputates your left leg instead if your right leg? Don’t complain?
Fee for service is what America runs on. Steak not cooked right, don’t complain. Drycleaner losses your shirt, don’t complain. Mechanic puts transmission fluid in your crankcase instead of oil, oh well, don’t complain, should have done the oil change yourself. Don’t complain.
well when I tell jiffy lube to change my oil using ONLY Shell Rotella T I watch them to verify that’s exactly what they’re doing.
Mobil1. 👍
Ha! reminds me. Our local hospital did just that some time ago. Removed the wrong leg. Now they mark your part of the body with an indelible marker and a nurse, and a doctor ask you left or right before they put you out.. The poor fellow ended up with no legs but very rich. A little macabre but hey, Cancel, you started it.
At 63, I was still 35 and could run circles around 20 year olds. The next 10 years made the difference. I still have the knowledge, but I can no longer stand on my head to do the work. I’m not about to die so I have to pay someone to do what I once did. It sucks, but that is the way life goes. As to independent shops – the three that were around have been put out of business by Lazydays and Camping World and I ain’t goin’ there. I knew I would get old, but I didn’t think that everything around me would change so fast.
yep it is what it is. the Camping world that serves me out of Ft Myers is excellent, though. but Pricey.
You’re throwing ALL RV dealerships under the bus. however I do agree if you do not have extensive electrical, plumbing, construction knowledge along with basic A/C maintenance like coil cleaning & such you really should not own one of these things.
I will never bring my RV into a sale/service center again. I will only deal with mobile RV repair companies from now on. And I’m thankful that I can do most of the repairs on our 7 year old 5th wheel – and it’s needed a lot in the last year. I’ve only dealt with four RV service & repair companies, of which only one was I completely dissatisfied and that one was an RV sales and service company. The three others were mobile repair guys. They came to me to work on the 5th wheel when we were in an RV park. And they all did a spectacular job.
I do most of my own work but, if i need it, i usually only have work I need done for my RV at the factory who originally manufactured it. I live in the RV full time on north America, but i live in Airbnbs overseas. Both have their positives and negatives. I wouldn’t give up the nomad life, regardless, as being stuck in one spot is kind of my nightmare.
That’s nice being nomadic. You’re either retired or have some kinda job that doesn’t require an office. awesome!
Very well written and I agree totally with that assessment of not only the rving situations but the whole United States and corporate culture period just my 2 cents.
Well Said, Terry!
I agree. The vibe has certainly changed since I bought our first (of 3) RV in 2012.
The old magic just seems to be gone…..
This article speaks directly toward the reasons for selling our RV last November. It was great fun for many years to RV as our little buggy took us to places that are not easy to get to. We’ll not be buying another — rolling earthquakes always will need repairs.
I feel very lucky; my BIL clued me in to a good local RV shop. I have done business with them for 12 years now and always gotten good, and prompt, service. (By the way, both the service manager for the chassis work on the Sprinter and the head mechanic at the RV place are named Jason.)
Would you share the name and location of the shop? I’ll be traveling extensively thru out the states starting in June and looking to have my propane tank replaced. I have one in mind in Indiana. Which unfortunately in the middle of my trip.
My independent RV shop guy retired and could not find anyone to buy the business. Same with my independent auto shop. Same with some of my doctors. Same with my independent hardware store. Sometimes I think I am getting too old. No wonder that God has decided that once you are headed toward 100 yrs, that it is time to die. “You can’t handle what is about to come up.” Ha!
I’ve owned 3 brand new RVs since 2012. All three required constant attention and small repairs. Luckily, nothing big. But that could be because I kept a constant eagle eye on everything and read/watched a lot of RV related stuff on the net. I did all of my own repairs, maintenance and upgrades. I’m a mechanical engineer, boatbuilder and homebuilder so I’m experienced with DIY handiman stuff. Those who are not will certainly be challenged by RV ownership. All suffer from little stuff loosening up, etc. on every trip.
I agree. you need to know your stuff in electrical (both VAC and VDC), plumbing, A/C, construction fields or you better not purchase one of these things because they’re a maintenance nightmare. and don’t purchase units with slides. yeah look at Airstream I wonder why they don’t have them?? You also need to know something about what’s under the hood if it happens to have an engine. Lastly I’d stay away from fivers. those things are really heavy and suck up the diesel on anything pulling them.
We’re in an economic collapse. Peak capitalism was 20 years ago. When people can’t afford the commodities and services they provide, themselves you’re not going to get good service. People are overworked and too stressed to worry about the satisfaction you have with their work. The US citizens have been telling their service workers that they don’t deserve to be able to support themselves on their wages. This is where it leads. People told the workers that it was the corporations and banks that deserved the majority of monies generated and not the workers. The workers responded to the fact that their services weren’t valued, now they don’t value you back.
Preach!
We are still trying to get warranty work done on our brand new camper. ONLY warranty work since the chain RV dealer charges $179 an hour for their shop rate. Sadly the RV dealers have earned a reputation worse than car dealers, and I agree they only halfway do the repairs, if you can get them to do them at all.
We sold our MH in 2020 because even then it got to be too much trying to travel and enjoy ourselves. Never had an issue with maintenance because I was able to do everything myself except a new transfer switch and generator drive belt. We now travel by car with reservations being easier to make.
Par for the course! I have awesome technical, mechanical skills in ALL fields BUT I’ve aged out. never needed these people to fix anything because I was probably better than just about any of them out there or at least as good. Camping World could NOT believe the extensive renovation I did from a new RV to a permanent live in. They did not even recognize the transition as the same coach. I got a great deal on a closeout that was not engineered properly (couldn’t open the 12vdc fridge far enough to remove shelves!). Unfortunately we age out can’t do the work any longer. But at least I can oversee any work when I hire a “handyman” (such as cleaning the A/C evap coils which is a very messy job that requires both roof and inside access). Yeah these newly designed awnings are nice.. gas springs holds them out under just about all wind conditions AND they never hold water. 12vdc powered too the motor is right inside the forward portion of the roller (some engineer somewhere was smart!).
We bought ours secondhand with a third-party inspector looked over. We were advised not to buy anything after 2019 because the build quality dropped. And also we bought it in cash, we don’t finance anything that is not a house.
Since we got it, my husband installed solar on the roof and installed a mini split AC. After these two projects he pretty much figured out all the wiring in the RV. He also accidentally drilled through the gray tank and had to learned how to repair it. We’ve never send to a shop to fix anything.
Everything is great only if you are good at fixing things. We travel with our dogs and remote working from the RV. It would’ve been so much expensive with the dogs if we do hotels and Airbnb.
Sounds exactly the same as our experience. Ours was made at the end of 2019. We have never been to a repair shop, if anything comes up I fix it myself. I can’t imagine leaving it somewhere for months on end waiting on someone else to do something I can learn myself on youtube. I would rather be camping, we go almost every other weekend and travel thousands of miles per year. We also camp with 2 dogs, we used to board them prior to the RV, which costs about as much money at the rig costs.
I delivered new rvs since 2003. The quality issue started before that so whoever told you it started in 2019 is mistaken!
I agree about the issues with RVing. That said, make sure you do a deep scan for hidden cameras in those AirBnBs.
There are alternatives to a large RV or an AirBnb. We have a 13 foot trailer. There have been no serious issues. We have camped in some of the most amazing spots and are very comfortable.
We don’t need the noise of a generator — a solar panel works fine. If we are boondocking away from amenities we can easily set things up to have a hot shower or to use an electric heater. It helps to like the one you are with, but how much space do you need to enjoy travel?
After meeting relatives who have a standard RV, I would not trade places with them. They have had numerous problems with warranty repair and aren’t as flexible as we can be.
i used a local shop because they could get me in sooner (also probably worked the schedule around since Insurance pays good). they replaced my batteries which of course were really bad. but i couldnt get my fridge to work and found out that the batteries were hooked up wrong. i would say that is one thing that shouldnt ever be a problem but it was and upon tellng them about it, the response was “well it works now” hmmm. wondering if i ever take it back there.
We purchased a used R.V so no payments and have a trip planned for June out west…we just had it all checked out and it’s in good working order…Looking forward to our RV adventure. 🙂
Kim, we are on a 7-week “out west” bucket list trip right now. I hope you enjoy your trip as much as we are enjoying ours. We are privileged to live in a beautiful, diverse country.
Everytime we think we might replace our 28 year old motorhome, we read or hear a story like this and decide our old motorhome is just fine. My skill set allows me to repair both chassis and coach. If it ever gets destroyed or when I age to the point of no longer being able to repair and maintain, We will be done as RV’ers
Just fix it yourself! If you can’t you really shouldn’t be an RVer !
👍
I find that attitude a bit discomforting. As an older female RVer I can do a lot of things but I also know my limitations. I was unaware that everyone who buys a vehicle such as a car, RV, motorcycle or whatever was supposed to be their own mechanic. The DMV certainly failed to mention that to me.
I have been fortunate to have a lot of folks who were willing to help me along the way. I think the good Lord put good people in my path — and I am glad they didn’t tell me to “fix it myself.”
Virginia the two guys above don’t work on a recent model RV or truck engines. They don’t have the specialty tools, computer training or the knowledge to do the repairs. Enjoy the road.
Did you not read their article? They can’t do the repairs that they used to be able to because of age. Why shouldn’t they expect good service from a repair facility! I agree that so called “Techs” are few and far between.
Another concern to consider is this whole electric vehicle changeover coming at us in the next 5 to 10 years. For example, I don’t want to spend 200k on a trailer and rig to pull it with only to find out 5 years down the road that EVERYTHING goes electric and NOBODY wants to buy a gas or diesel truck. And the government will jack fuel prices so sky high in effort to FORCE those with like trucks to dump them and go electric but those electric trucks may not be able to pull a 16k – 20k lb. trailer. The RV industry is in for a HUGE change in the next very short coming future. I, for one don’t want to throw away 200k! I worked too hard to put that amount in my pocket!
Don’t look for all this battery powered junk to take over anytime soon. While the mainstream media reports little of the problems with battery powered everything, the reports are out there if you look for them. Unless we go to nuclear energy soon, there will be no power to recharge all these batteries.
Not saying that your experience wasn’t horrible but it sounds to me like you never did your homework before you bought your RV. Have you done that some of the stuff you would have known upfront and unfortunately you have to talk. This went up to some user buyer error as well. Good luck on your next adventure.
Agreed. They didnt take time to learn after all those years on their own. I had a house, ailearned how to repair things. Now that I am full time I will take the NRVTA course.
This is our fifth RV in over 30 years. It is not a new rig (owned it for 6 years) and we have had no prior issues. Hubby has quite a bit of knowledge, which is how we caught most of those mess-ups before we got on the road.
We are not naive; perhaps a bit too trusting…or maybe unrealistic in that we do expect to be treated fairly and get what we pay for. Ninety percent of the work noted was for optional upgrades, not necessary repairs (even the AC was an upgrade to larger unit, not a failed unit).
Surprisingly, two of the shops we had used for several years without issue. One shop was under new management of the son (dad retired), the other said they could not get good help anymore.
In the RV Travel Newsletter, there is frequently mention of the shortage of trained RV techs. It is real.
You have been very fortunate that you have not had to experience it. I hope you never do.
Safe travels.
Getting good trained help is the problem everywhere.
Sorry for your bad experiences, but almost all of them sound like you have only yourselves to blame. After all that time and the things you listed sounded like either common sense or a saavy one develops over their lives. I am 57, just started full timing and have been RVing for over 38 years. I laugh at articles like this with such pessimism due to their own misgivings.
RVers for 30 years. My husband has a wealth of knowledge and still does. That is how we knew the wrong awning was installed. That is how we knew the repairs were not done properly — and why my husband corrected some on his own.
What we no longer have is the agility to climb on top of our motorhome or the stamina to do large jobs. We are now 70 years old and have no desire to be DIYers. I would love to support new businesses instead of DIYing — I just can’t find reliable ones to do the work. And trying to DIY on an RV under warranty just voided that warranty.
You are fortunate to be so talented, but I think you may be somewhat unrealistic about others’ skills. Not everyone is mechanically inclined (I taught at a local tech college — believe me, the education alone does not make a good mechanic.)
In fact, if we were all able to research, learn and do, then there would be no need for service shops at all.
I agree. Knowing how to repair something is different from being physically able to make a repair. Age does eventually (at least you hope so) catch up to the ability to do repairs on your own.
Husband and I are 73. We laugh as we agonizingly and embarrassingly try to get off floor after gardening or some other activity. We have been amazed at how hard physical things have become since we hit our 70s. Lifting arms overhead to fix something is next to impossible. Agree with everything you have said. Just got our Ford 150 back from shop – after 2+ weeks.
Three years now full time in our Airstream. Have had minor issues all solved/repaired either by DIY, the dealership (warranty) or three great mobile rv repair services. One mobile service was in Tybee Island. Prompt and expert service. The other two were in the general Gatlinburg area. Ask around, use online reviews, talk to other rv-ers. Don’t give up the freedom of this lifestyle.
This is so sad. Unfortunately, many people don’t have the luxury and benefits of living in Los Angeles California which is a city with “abundant services”. Larger cities have the people and resources to provide “world class” service. This is what really raises my anxiety level of breaking down in a small town where the scarcity of knowledgeable people who are trained to do repairs.
Sure, there’s plenty of reasons not to like a large city, I understand that, but, when it comes to service, they are impossible to beat. Service is the name of the game.
Not everyone is capable of being a DIY. First of all, you might not have the skills or the tools. Everything is easy when you know what to do.
Wouldn’t go to California again on a bet.
OK with us.
Glad you feel that way…keeps the undesirables out of our state!
Yep, no “undesirables” in Cali!!! :-))))))
Oh Mikal there are plenty of undesirables in Ca…that’s why we don’t need more! 🙂
Speak for yourselves.
Try tent camping and get back to basics.
It’s been my experience in RVing if you’re not a handyman or can’t learn to be, you better not get into RVing. I know not everyone can learn to be a skilled mechanic as that can take years. However you must learn the basics! In todays world you may be as skilled as the tech you hire due to higher education only thinking college degrees will get you by so therefore only the the people who couldn’t pass the entrance exams are the ones dealers hire to do repair work. 30 years ago there were many young people who learned a trade and are successful, not today, today you have a bunch of people with degrees in subjects they’ll never use and still can’t learn.
My wife and I went through the same thought process as the author did. The year 2023 was, and still is (one day left) a very trying $15K plus year of repairs, waiting, finding a repair facility, and more waiting (current status on a repair). We have a Southern trip to FL and then along I10 starting in February and we’ve pulled ourselves apart trying to decide to go and enjoy, or stay home and re-group, try the rig out more locally, and if stuff continues to need fixing pack it in, sell the rig at a huge discount to divest us of it, and do as the author did, AirBnB it for traveling adventures.
Thank you, RV Travel! 🙂 Very well written article. I would quit, too, if I had endured the few shared examples of incompetence. Thankfully we have two service shops that we trust and that repeatedly re-earn our trust. Thanks again for sharing Brenda’s story! 🙂 Have a great day, safe travels, and safe stays! 🙂
My life and career gave me many physical and technical skills. 18 yrs FT has given me a great/awful education of RVs. I have yet to find an RV tech qualified to carry my toolbox. Or a shop that cares about quality/correct repairs.
RV companies couldn’t care less about quality, as long as it goes out the door. It’s the worst industry to which I’ve ever been exposed.
The U.S. education system(Government, schools, MSM, censored media) has killed the work ethic/integrity of most of the nation. Telling them they are all victims/special, deserving of being taken care of. Work, not status, produces results.
RVing is not for everyone. I don’t fault anyone for looking elsewhere.
The inescapable truth is we all come off the road at some time.
Hanging up the keys from mechanical frustrations is better than leaving RV’ing due to health reasons. Sadly, some folks don’t get to choose their last campsite.
It sounds like you were just road weary and these events gave you the excuse you needed to move on. Your reasons are consistent with why some folks choose apartments or condos over home ownership when they can no longer climb on the roof anymore, dig up pipe or rebuild the deck themselves.
TLDR: Outliving a 30 year lifestyle is a good thing. Don’t waste time treating a positive as a negative to be condemned….
This a very good story with many truths…I have experienced some of these same problems from incompetent (some well known) RV repair shops who “claim” they fix them all. They fix them alright…beyond repair. If you have reached those golden years and can’t do the work yourself perhaps it is time to go fishing with a cold adult beverage…and forget about RV’s. Myself included.
Just wanted to tune in on all these comments about no good techs or unqualified mechanics. I am a retired mechanic automobile and truck, and what most people need to remember for all shops is log hours, meaning shops make money when they know how much or time it takes to fix something. Many RV repair shops have nothing to judge most things like putting in floor mats, or a tear in your seat or ceiling, or putting in a new awning. The big things that have to do with engine or trans or most electricity and brakes, a/c, wheels, they can work a time frame cost. They will not tell you to your face that they don’t want your business, because you might need work on the stuff they can book money on.