Welcome to the Beginner’s Guide to RVing from RVtravel.com. The information we present here every Monday through Friday is for brand-new RVers – those in the market to buy their first RV and those who just purchased theirs. If you are an experienced RVer, this material may be too basic for you.
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Thursday, June 23, 2022
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DID YOU MISS reading this morning’s RV Daily Tips Newsletter? Good stuff there.
RVing Basics
I know the make and model of my RV, but my local dealer wants $1,500 more than a dealer about 200 miles away. Which should I buy from?
You’ll likely find that service issues are more easily dealt with if you buy from the dealer closer to home. While both dealers are theoretically set up to handle warranty work for the manufacturer, RVers report that when they bought an RV elsewhere, they find themselves waiting in a longer line to get service work done at the local dealer, or even denied service at all. It may not be fair, but that’s the way it is.
And when buying a new RV, you can pretty much be assured that you will encounter warranty service issues – sometimes a lot of them. You’ll need to crunch the numbers and see if your money – and time – are worth the savings associated with driving back and forth a distance to get the bugs worked out. A survey at RVtravel.com revealed that nearly 30 percent of the readers traveled 300 miles or more to buy their RV.
If I buy from an RV dealer locally and then have a problem far away on the road, will the same manufacturer’s dealer there agree to fix it?
No. Unlike car dealers, where any dealer of your make of car will agree to fix it, RV dealers have no similar policy. If you buy a Winnebago in Denver and break down in San Diego, the local Winnebago dealer there has no legal obligation to fix your RV.
Should I sign up for an RV driving school?
Some would-be RVers find driving schools can help them get over the intimidation of driving a large Class A motorhome or towing a trailer or fifth wheel. Some RV dealers provide limited driving instruction, but a driving school will cover more aspects in greater depth. Do a Google search for RV driving schools near you.
Downsizing The Family Home: What to Save, What to Let Go
Whether you’re downsizing to go full-time or for other reasons, this best-selling AARP book will guide you through the process, from opening that first closet, to sorting through a lifetime of possessions, to selling your home. The author helps you create a strategy and mindset to accomplish the task quickly and rewardingly, both practically and emotionally. Learn more or order.
Quick Tips
Check your roof
If you have not inspected your RV’s roof lately for possible leaks, do so now. Allowing water into your RV can result in large repair bills if not attended to quickly. Do not take a chance. Inspect soon or have a professional check.
Watch your step (literally) at night
For just a few bucks at your local Walmart you can by a “spotlight” style solar-charged patio light. Pound a short length of rebar into the ground near your RV and slap the spotlight over the rebar stake and you’ve got a no-batteries night light to guide your feet. Also, staked solar spotlights as well as staked solar walkway lights (cute and practical!) are available at Amazon.
How to use a basement storage door as a table
You can use a basement storage door as a table, provided you can open it to “level” and then support it. Hit the thrift shops and buy a used photo tripod – the three legs make it sturdy and you can set and lock it at nearly any desirable height.
Having trouble with a stuck-on decal?
Trying to get rid of an unwanted (or worn out) RV decal? Use a “vinyl eraser” mounted to your corded electric drill. The rubber disc erases the sticker without damaging the rig’s finish. Search for these on the internet using the keywords: vinyl eraser, arbor.
Run your RV air conditioner with only 20 amps. Yes, it’s possible!
Common Terms Used by RV Salespeople
LIAR LOAN: This is where the dealer alters the buyer’s credit application income or expense data without the customer knowing about it and then submits the falsified application data to a third party lender for loan approval; it may also include telling the lender that the vehicle being sold has optional equipment on it that it actually does not have in order to increase the appearance of the vehicle’s value as collateral for the loan.
Another one next issue. Courtesy of the Burdge Law Office.
If you could tell someone new to RVing just one thing, what would it be?
From the editors: We asked our readers this question. Here is one response:
“If you are afraid of figuring out basic problems with ‘things,’ or don’t like using hand tools, or freak out when something doesn’t work, don’t RV.” — Jim D.
Random RV Thought
An RV is the best “house” that a lot of people will ever own.
RESOURCES:
• If you buy a defective RV and are unable to get it fixed or its warranty honored, here is where to turn for help.
• If you need an RV Lemon Law Lawyer, Ron Burdge is your man.
• Why you should never finance an RV for 20 years!
Contact information
Editor: Emily Woodbury
CONTACT US
Editorial (all but news): editor@rvtravel.com
Editorial (news): chuck@rvtravel.com
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Help desk: Contact us.
Everything in this newsletter is true to the best of our knowledge. But we occasionally get something wrong. We’re just human! So don’t go spending $10,000 on something we said was good simply because we said so, or fixing something according to what we suggested (check with your own technician first). Maybe we made a mistake. Tips and/or comments in this newsletter are those of the authors and may not reflect the views of RVtravel.com or this newsletter.
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Regarding buying your RV local or 200 miles away. For me it depends on how far away you are from the manufacturer. Some at least in my case have a warranty shop and they also have a small RV park with hookups for free. I have driven the 2 days back to the factory for repairs instead of dealing with all of the issues and waiting and waiting and waiting for the dealer to make repairs and then hope upon hope that they did them correct. Don’t ask me why I hate dealer repairs, RV Travel will not give me enough of space!
I doubt Walmart (or any other parking lot owner) would appreciate you pounding rebar stakes into their asphalt so you can light your way.
I doubt that our readers would even consider pounding rebar into pavement in parking lots, Kenn. Then again, they probably shouldn’t be pounding it into campsites in an RV park, considering underground wiring. So, let’s just say that tip was for parks that don’t have electricity at the sites, or for those folks boondocking. Have a good night. 🙂 —Diane