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Page Contents
September 10, 2022
Non-Members (advertising-supported) edition
Cover story
How likely is it that your RV will be stolen? We have the stats, plus tips
By Russ and Tiña De Maris
E
very week, RVtravel.com publishes news of stolen RVs in its Sunday newsletter. The hope is, with your help, we may be able to reunite a stolen RV with its owner. It got us thinking: Just how likely is it that a given type of RV will be stolen? And where are the most likely places for an RV to be stolen?
Conflicting “experts”
Getting your hands on the hard facts of stolen RVs is practically impossible. A Google search for “stolen recreational vehicle statistics” provides no official information. There are plenty of “RV experts” who will tell you conflicting information. One site screamed, “As of 2017, RVs and similar trailers were considered the 4th most common vehicle type to be stolen and accounted for 6% of stolen vehicles.”
On the other hand, a website article from another source, updated a few days prior to this writing, said this: “RV theft is not very common. Even though it is not impossible, it certainly is not a phenomenon that most RV owners have to deal with. This explains why there is such a low percentage of RVs stolen.” The same article added, “To show just how many RVs are stolen, between 2013 and 2019, 2016 had the highest number of reported stolen RVs. Only three RVs were reported as stolen this year, which is next to nothing.”
RVs are the fourth most common stolen vehicle? “Only three RVs were reported stolen this year”? The site that would lead you to believe that RVs are a high likelihood to be stolen turns out to source their information from a database of stolen construction equipment. It’s possible the construction trailers are high on the list of stolen vehicles, but it appears that RVs would NOT be on the list. As to the latter, “only three RVs stolen this year,” sites their source of information as Recreational Vehicle Industry Association. Yes, the RVIA does have a database of stolen RVs, but it only compiles data on RVs stolen from dealerships—not the general public.
We turn to our own statistics
So much for “reliable” information from the internet. Johnny Robot strikes again. Truth is, there is no government or organization that tracks stolen RVs. So we turned to our own database. For a little less than two years, we’ve been publishing reports of stolen RVs. Some of that information we receive directly from the folks whose rigs have been purloined. Other information we glean from law enforcement or other sources. Here’s a breakdown of what we’ve found from combing through those reports.
Continue reading for this valuable information
Write for us. Gain fame and maybe even fortune someday (relatively speaking). If you have a story that needs to bust out of you and onto the pages of this website, then this is your opportunity. Just click here to find a submission form. We typically do not pay for these initial contributions and are selective in those we publish. But when we spot talent, we will take notice and invite the writer to submit more, often with very fair pay.
Photo contest
Here is today’s edition of our photo contest. Please vote for your favorite. Once you’ve voted, please submit your own photo for consideration. Winners receive a $50 Amazon gift card. Good luck!
Please note: We’ve changed the rules around a little bit. Please read the updated rules here. And don’t forget to submit a photo!
Featured article
RV Service Centers and Repairs Report: Service center repairs gone wrong; rig goes up in flames
A couple of weeks ago, we asked you to tell us about your experiences with RV service centers. You came through with hundreds of responses. This week our readers have some tips for getting repair work done, have some praise for Camping World’s repair service (yes, you read that right), and report on some repair work nightmares.
Today’s RV review…
Cedar Creek 371FL—more front living
Tony writes, “Cedar Creek has been a solid brand that I keep forgetting about, but I shouldn’t. They build their walls differently in a process where the bond strengthens over time.
“The interiors of Cedar Creek products for 2023 have really been freshened significantly. I think the design is much more modern, yet appropriate for the interior of an RV.”
Are boondocking myths limiting you to crowded campgrounds?
By Dave Helgeson
There are many boondocking myths held by both new and seasoned RVers. Most so firmly believe them that they fear even trying boondocking for one night. Sadly, this keeps many limited to camping in overcrowded campgrounds, never to experience the freedom boondocking offers. Dave debunks 10 boondocking myths here.
RV Manufacturer Warranty, Part 2:
RV repair shop owner explains, “Why I refuse to honor your warranty!”
By Dustin Simpson
In my last post, I shared multiple reasons why offering an RV manufacturer warranty would benefit my independent RV repair shop. These aren’t just thoughts and feelings. What I didn’t share is the fact that I’ve had extensive experience. I’ve done it not only within my business but also during my days of working at dealerships. Here’s why I refuse to do it.
Every RVer has a gear, gadget or accessory purchase they regret
By Gail Marsh
Maybe you’ve been there. You had good intentions. You may have talked to other RVers for advice. And read all the reviews, too. But after all is said and done, you really regret making that purchase. It may be right for some RVers. It’s just not right for you. Have you purchased something for your RV that you now regret? We have. I’ll share some of our regrettable purchases if you’ll own up to yours. (You can do so in the comments.) Continue reading.
OMG! See what happened when RVers overfilled their fresh water tank
We’re sure there have been plenty of unhappy campers who’ve forgotten to fill their fresh water tank, then run short before the trip was over. But to overfill your fresh tank—that’s a whole different story. This family learned the hard way that there’s more to “hooking up the fresh water hose” than simply turning on the tap. Check this out.
Highlights from this week’s RV Daily Tips Newsletters
- Are RV covers necessary? Are they worth the money?
- Have these RV water heater maintenance tools on hand
- Beyond the basics—Extra tips for winterizing your RV
- RV Mods: Protect your headlights!
- Leaking water heater pressure relief valve? This tool will help
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Your thoughts invited: Have Walmart ‘campers’ changed?
In this feature, we ask our RVtravel.com readers a question to see what they think about a particular issue. Today, we’re asking about Walmart. The stores have long been a favorite overnight stopping point for RVers who either found staying there in their RVs very convenient, or they just wanted to catch 8 hours of sleep and didn’t want to pay $50 or more for a campsite in an RV park where they didn’t need any of the services. In our editors’ meetings, the subject of “Houseless RVers” has come up. By that, we mean people who live in their RVs, not just travel with them for recreation. Continue reading, then please weigh in.
Remove dead bugs fast from your car, RV and windshields with Bugs Off.
The covered bridges of Madison County are a sight to behold, especially in fall
The book and subsequent movie “The Bridges of Madison County” share the same setting in a beautiful part of the Midwest—Madison County, Iowa. Located southwest of the state capital, Des Moines, are six original covered bridges that you really must see! Visitors can follow a self-guided tour, or call ahead and schedule a two-hour tour, hosted by a very knowledgeable and entertaining guide. A fall trip would be ideal because the brilliantly colored leaves provide a perfect backdrop for these famous bridges. Continue reading.
Volley your anger right out of the campground
By Gail Marsh
I like to watch volleyball. I especially enjoy a long volley, where one team hits the ball over the net and their opponent immediately returns the volley. In a good volley, this goes on and on, back and forth, over and over. The ball stays in the air. The crowd stays on their feet, and the tension mounts. The volley only ends when one team misses the ball. They fail to strike the ball back over the net. Volleyball is fun to watch and even more, fun to play. But I don’t want to talk about volleyball. I want to talk about anger. I see some similarities between the two and I’ll bet you will, too. Read more.
The long, long RV trip, Week 14: The urban RV in Baltimore and Atlantic City
By Cheri Sicard
This week I leave the Virginia countryside and turn my country camper into an urban RV. This week’s stops: Baltimore and Atlantic City. When reading about RVing we often hear about getting out in the great outdoors, going to remote places, and getting back to nature. But there’s another big benefit of RVing that nobody ever seems to talk about, and that’s city life. … In this article, I am referring to the ability to use your RV for lodging while visiting large cities as a tourist. Continue reading this as-always very fun and informative post.
Reader Poll
Do you make your bed every morning?
Please let us know. After you click your response, you’ll see how others have responded. Feel free to leave a comment.
POPULAR POLL FROM THIS PAST WEEK
We asked: Which season of the year is your favorite? Take a guess as to what the majority said and then see if you’re right.
CONTEST
Is this your RV?
Win a $25 Amazon gift certificate if today’s RV photo shows your rig
Every day we post a photo of an RV either submitted by its owner or by our editors as they move about the country.
Click here to see if your RV made it into today’s issue.
Saturday Giveaway!
How would you like to win 1080P Dash Cam?
The Byakov suction mount dash cam comes with a 170° wide angle camera, night vision, wide dynamic range (WDR) technology and loop recording. A great addition to any trip!
How to win
We’ll select a winner at random out of all entries we receive today (September 10, 2022) by 7 p.m. Pacific time. Remember, you can only enter once and after we notify you by email via RVcontests@gmail.com that you won, you have 24 hours to respond or we’ll give the prize to someone else.
Click here to enter or see last week’s winner!
Ask Dave
Dave Solberg is a leading expert in the RV industry and author of the “RV Handbook”.
We want to know: How do you enhance your RV’s suspension?
Lately, I have been receiving many questions on how to enhance the suspension of the F-53 Ford gas chassis. Having only worked on a handful of units, I did suggest a few things that I have found to work, but now I’d like to hear from you.
Continue reading and offer suggestions
This past week’s questions that Dave answered:
- How can I enhance RV’s suspension and increase engine power?
- Why did RV’s faucets leak after water pump was replaced?
- Is it OK to tow my older trailer at highway speeds?
- Can I bypass my never-used fresh water tank when winterizing RV?
- Can I keep trailer parked at home plugged into 120-volt source?
Click here to see more questions for Dave.
Visit Dave’s forum on RVtravel.com. Ask him a question or help answer one from another reader. Click here.
?? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ???
Oh, we can think of so many ways to use this. Everyone would laugh! However, if you’re a woman, you could actually use this to scare away potential intruders!
RV Gadgets and Gizmos
No gadgets here today, but don’t you dare miss yesterday’s hot-off-the-press issue of Tony’s Great RV Accessories newsletter. There are tons of new gadgets in there!
RVelectricity™
with Mike Sokol
The Jackery Explorer 1000 Solar Generator goes Pro!
It’s starting to be a whirlwind month for me. After being flat on my back from COVID for three weeks in August, I’m now able to begin testing electrical devices in my FunkWorks Lab™ once again. And boy, I have a really fun tech review this week.
Lithium portable power stations? This is a relatively new class of portable battery power stations with a really large lithium battery, 120-volt pure-sine inverter, 12-volt DC outlets, and USB connections for your smartphone and other USB chargeable devices.
Just Ask Mike (J.A.M.) Session: Should I upgrade to a 24-volt battery?
Visit Mike’s RVelectricity Forum on RVtravel.com.
Video of the day
Truck and RV catalytic converter theft prevention
Catalytic converter theft is a major problem on trucks and motorhomes. In the video below, the folks from Endless RVing show you how to prevent this expensive and hassle-filled road problem.
The video is made by a police officer who has seen the effects of catalytic converter theft firsthand.
RV Tire Safety
How to properly weigh your RV
By Roger Marble
You have heard that to know the proper tire inflation for your tires you must first know the actual weight on your tires. This post will cover the proper procedure for learning your RV’s weight.
Ask Roger anything about RV tires on his RV Tires Forum.
Operating an RV Park
Oktoberfest and House Whiskey in the house!
If I could capture the events of last weekend in pictures it would look like a tornado for three days, then a peace sign, then a zombie for two days after. We not only had our town’s Oktoberfest and Lumberjack Games, we also had our FIRST major event at our campground! We brought in the band House Whiskey from Nashville, Tennessee, to play for our guests and at Oktoberfest.
Continue reading about their “best weekend ever!”
Recipe of the Day
Touchdown Sammies
by Mary Kay Nugent from Hamilton, OH
Who doesn’t love an easy and tasty Crock Pot meal? The aroma in the Test Kitchen was intoxicating as this simmered away. We loved the robust flavor the beer and stock give the beef. Once shredded, the beef is tender and melt-in-your-mouth delicious. Have fun with the toppings. We opted for a toasted pretzel bun, melted provolone, and BBQ sauce – amazing. This will be great for a crowd when everyone is gathered to watch the big game.
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Readers’ Pet of the Day
“Here’s our Teddy, an 11-month-old Shih Tzu puppy, sitting on his favorite perch in his 23’ Globetrotter. He’s super easy peasy to travel with and loves meeting his fellow canine campers!” —Vince Bufalieri
Tongue Twister
A tutor who tooted a flute tried to tutor two tooters to toot. Said the two to their tutor, Is it harder to toot or to tutor two tutors to toot?
Trivia
John Ratzenberger, who played Cliff Clavin on the TV show “Cheers,” and who is today an active RVer, helped build the stage at Woodstock.
Laugh of the Week
Thanks, Tom Hart, for sending this to us!
Resources
Current Wildfire Report. (Includes map and details of fires!)
Current smoke and fire report for where you live or where you are traveling.
“RVs: Who Makes What” – This is a new free directory from RVtravel.com which lists every U.S. RV manufacturer and their makes and models. Learn more and/or download a free PDF copy.
RV Show Directory: See if a show is coming soon to your area.
Stolen RVs — Help us recover these stolen RVs. The more eyes we have searching for them, the better chance of getting them back to their rightful owners, and maybe putting the crooks who stole them in the slammer! See the stolen RVs.
Great websites. Check out our favorite websites of the day! We compiled a list of (almost) all the websites we’ve ever posted, and we update it weekly.
Best Club for RVers: Escapees. Click here to learn more or join. Endorsed by RVtravel.com.
Directory of RV parks with storm shelters
In case you’re on the road with your RV and the weather report is showing a tornado headed your way, have this list handy.
RV Clubs
Check out our Directory of RV Clubs and Organizations.
What does financing an RV for 20 years REALLY mean?
In case you missed this article the first time around, here it is again. Important! Click here.
Stuck with a lemon RV? Contact Ron Burdge, America’s premier RV lemon law attorney.
The Best RV Trip Planner Apps and Tools. Everything you need to help plan your trip is here.
Dustin Simpson RV Repair and Maintenance Articles: Incredibly helpful!
Facebook Groups of Interest
• Towing Behind a Motorhome
• RV Advice
• RVing Full-time
• RVing Over 60
Roadskill
Meet Earl and Burl Squirrel, from the mind of RVtravel.com friend R.L. Crabb
Did you miss last week’s RV Travel?
RVtravel.com All-Star Team
Publisher: Chuck Woodbury. Editor: Emily Woodbury. Associate editor: Diane McGovern. Senior editors: Russ and Tiña De Maris. Senior writers: Nanci Dixon, Tony Barthel, Gail Marsh. Contributors: Mike Sokol, Roger Marble, Dave Solberg, Dave Helgeson, Mike Gast, Julianne Crane, Machelle James, J.R. Montigel, Randall Brink, Karel Carnohan DVM, Cheri Sicard, Dustin and Ashley Simpson, Dale Wade, Paul Lacitinola, Jeff Clemishaw and Johnny Robot. Special projects director: Jessica Sarvis. Moderators: Gary Gilmore, Mark Gorrie. Financial affairs director: Gail Meyring. Special Reports: Bradford Geer. IT wrangler: Kim Christiansen.
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.
RVtravel.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Regardless of this potential revenue, unless stated otherwise, we only recommend products or services we believe provide value to our readers.
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This newsletter is copyright 2022 by RV Travel LLC.
I do rest stops. Never had a problem and no issues from anyone. I get a good nites sleep and on the road by 7. No wal mart for me. I am hearing too many issues and most are stopping it because of issues.
No brain teaser today?
And no response…
Re: tongue twister — that was one I loved to use with my HS theatre students as part of daily warmups; it along with a list of over 600 others. We did 8 different ones each day.
One of my all time favs: The sixth Sheik’s sixth sheep is sick.
and the classic that Lucille Ball made famous: Rubber baby buggy bumpers.
Ten slit sheets slit by Sam the Sheet Slitter 🙂
Love this, but I think I’d make it Six slit sheets slit by Sam the Sheet Slitter. LOL!!
My Dad’s favorite: Sue saw six slim slick sycamore saplings.