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Page Contents
Week of October 12 – 18, 2019
Non-Members (advertising supported) edition
New newsletter debuts tomorrow
If you are a subscriber to this newsletter, you will receive an email alert tomorrow (Sunday) for a brand-new newsletter with expanded news coverage as well as some of the features that previously appeared in this edition.
This Saturday edition no longer affords us the space to provide you with all the content that our writers create each week. And because more of you are reading on your smartphones (see chart), your newsletters are going on and on and on — simply too long, many readers report.
If you do not wish to read the Sunday newsletter, simply unsubscribe to your email alert. That will remove you from the Sunday newsletter only; you will still receive the alert for this Saturday edition.
Now, below, some great news that should ultimately increase pressure on RV manufacturers to build better RVs and, equally important, force them and their dealers to promptly fix serious defects that arise after purchase. If you don’t think this is a problem, visit our Facebook group RV Horror Stories, where readers report their frustrating experiences. This Facebook group, as well as the efforts of RVtravel.com and The RV Show USA have been a contributing factor in forcing RV manufacturers to take action to build better RVs and to damn well service them promptly, and not take weeks, even months to fix (or try to fix) problems that should have been dealt with before they were sold to unsuspecting customers.
Stories in tomorrow’s newsletter
Marcus Lemonis wins his illegal flag battle (patriotism or PR stunt?) • California bans formaldehyde as holding tank chemical • Popular RV social media and radio host Alan Warren undergoes emergency surgery • Last week’s RV recalls • Current fuel prices • Free and inexpensive campground opportunities • PLUS MAJOR NEWS HIGHLIGHTS FROM LAST WEEK
Cover story
Court ruling could be “game changer” for RVers
With Russ and Tiña De Maris
Adecision by the Illinois Supreme Court has likely frightened the daylights out of U.S. RV manufacturers. While the RV industry has been not-so-quietly touting its prowess in lobbying states to ensure RVs don’t come under Lemon Laws, the Illinois decision simply stands that work on its head.
The case ended up before the high court after Kimberly Accettura and Adam Wozniak had a run-in with a dealer, Vacationland, Inc. In 2014 the couple bought a new RV, drove it off the lot, and within two months discovered a leaky window, which the dealer offered to fix; but a month later, more leaky windows allowed water into the rig, causing extensive damage.
Vacationland inspected the RV and told the couple that it couldn’t do the repair; the unit would have to be sent back to the manufacturer. Of course, the question every buyer would have is: “How long will that take?” Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer could say how long the couple would be without their rig while repairs were done. The RV sat on the lot for an additional two weeks before it was ever shipped back for the repair work.
THREE WEEKS AFTER sending the defective rig back to Vacationland, Kimberly and Adam decided they’d had enough. They called the dealer and told them the deal was off, they were revoking their acceptance of the RV, and demanded a refund of their money.
Presumably this left Vacationland staff speechless, because some six weeks later, the couple got a phone call advising them their RV had been repaired, and that they should pick it up. Kimberly and Adam got an attorney, who fired off a letter to the dealer demanding a refund of the purchase money, and making it perfectly clear the RV was rejected. They followed up later with a suit filed in county court, asking for the purchase price and damages.
So how did this end and why was the decision so earth-shattering in the RV world? Click here to find out.
TRIVIA: As of Friday evening at 6 p.m., Pacific Time, this website had 6,288 articles and 39,475 reader comments. How about that?
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Your input wanted
One of our most popular articles in recent times was “The Surprising Uses of WD-40.” We’ll pick up on that theme beginning next week with this question: What are some unique or unusual ways you use Windex? If you have a special use you’d like to share, here’s where to do it.
Keep informed
• Current Wildfire Report.
• National Hurricane Center.
Last week’s featured stories in RV Daily Tips
• Winter RV battery maintenance.
• How to snag a campsite at popular parks.
• Controlling mold and mildew.
• Generator fumes: Send them sky high.
• Oops! The mistakes we make (and hopefully you do not!).
Most popular articles over the last six months
. . . in case you missed them the first round.
• Dealing with RV air conditioner “freeze ups.”
• Pros and cons of residential refrigerators in RVs.
• Thirty- and fifty-amp GFCIs in campgrounds are not a good idea.
• RVer dies after airborne RV crashes onto departing ferry boat.
• RV salesman spills the beans on Camping World sales tactics.
• Why one couple quit full-time RVing.
• The new American RVer is not a pretty sight.
Campground Chatter
Developments at RV parks and campgrounds across the USA
Janet Groene reports each week on developments at RV parks and campgrounds across the USA and Canada. There’s a lot of good information here that you can use to plan your travels. Read the current installment of “Campground Chatter” here.
California burns … or goes dark in fear of burning
California is on fire again. Homes are going up in flames in the south. Freeways there have been closed. In Northern California, PG&E turned off power to 600,000 people. Some of the power has been restored, some not. It seems to us that every time a disaster like this happens, the “lucky” people are those with RVs. Read more.
RV winterizing quick tips
Chris Dougherty is a certified RV technician. Here are some quick tips for winterizing he posted for RVtravel.com while he was serving as our technical editor. Learn more.
Driverless motorhome on the horizon?
The folks at Hymer have such a vehicle on their radar. There’s no steering wheel or driver controls and the living space is pretty darn cool. So just sit back with your cup of coffee and watch the world go by. Sound good (or not?). Watch a short video that shows the RV in action.
How lazy are RVers about picking up spare change?
We know something about our readers that you don’t, gleaned through three polls over a few months. What we learned will likely surprise you. We found it fascinating.
Reader Poll
Are you a “neat freak” or a slob?
Please let us know. After you click your response, you’ll see how others have responded. Feel free to leave a comment. We’ll post the final results in next week’s newsletter. CLICK HERE.
What we learned about you last week
How far did you travel to buy your present RV? Have you ever taken a self-defense class? How do your English skills compare with your math skills? Do you believe in Bigfoot? How difficult is it for you to make your monthly RV payments? Have you ever been denied service on an RV older than 10 years? All this, plus the history of Halloween and the secret of Candy Corn, right here.
Avoid hitting low obstacles with avoidance system
One of the most feared circumstances some RVers face is hitting a low bridge, roof or other obstacle. Visit YouTube and search for videos of trucks and large RVs losing their rooftop air conditioners or even their roofs when passing beneath a bridge or entering a tunnel. Ouch! The GiraffeG4 Low-Clearance Avoidance System addresses the overhead hazard problems that often face a trucker or RVer. Learn more.
Are we still “newbie” RVers?
How long is a person considered to be an RVing newbie? Is it so many camping trips or days before one graduates from this title? Is it a year? Read this post from RVtravel.com reader Betty Linneman and add what you think qualifies as a “newbie” RVer in the comments section.
Maintain those slide seals!
If you’ve heard a cracking or popping sound when extending your slides, it means its seals are sticking and/or drying out. Applying a seal conditioner about every 8-12 weeks can extend a seal’s life. We recommend using Thetford Premium RV Slide Out Rubber Seal Conditioner.
Win this drone (with camera!)
We love giving away stuff!
This highly rated drone is perfect for beginners. Control it with your smartphone. It does flips and more. Capture HD aerial photos and videos, too. You’ll love this! Enter the contest.
Congratulations to last week’s winner, John Astin of Mathias, Texas, who won the excellent guidebook RV Camping in Corps of Engineers Parks.
Popular articles from last week’s issue
• Another unsanitary RV park utility hookup.
• RV and RV-related recalls for September 2019.
• Problem: “Poop mountain” forms in black tank.
• How far did you travel to buy your present RV? (Survey with many comments.)
• That was the RV week that was, September 28 – October 4, 2019.
• New 12-volt RV fridge debuts.
• Campground Chatter with Janet Groene, October 4, 2019.
• 22 tips for choosing the best campsite.
• What we learned about you last week (September 28 – October 4).
• Top RV dealers named by industry publication.
• Will California’s diesel law affect you as an RVer?
Affordable tire tool will save you tons of trouble
What gives when you think your tires are “good to go” but down on air again the next day? Your valve stem valve probably isn’t tight enough. A loose, leaking valve stem can cause a tire failure due to low pressure under load at highway speeds. So do yourself and your vehicles a favor – pick up one of these very inexpensive tools and make sure your valve cores are snugly seated in the valve stem. Click here to order.
Resources
Our Facebook and RVillage Groups: RV Horror Stories • RV Advice • RV Electricity • RV Parks with Storm Shelters • RV Buying Advice • Northwest RV Camping • Southwest RV Camping. And please join our group on RVillage (like Facebook except just for RVers).
Where to complain about bad RVs, dealers, service, RV parks. This is an ever-expanding list of resources where you can report, share or discuss your problems with RV manufacturers or dealers.
The RV Show USA
Listen each Wednesday evening on Facebook or YouTube for the live taping of America’s only syndicated radio program about RVing.
RV Clubs
Check out our Directory of RV Clubs and Organizations.
The RV Death Spiral
Read the eight-part series of editorials by Greg Gerber that the RV industry never wanted written. Download the PDF.
Motorhomes on Fire
This is not pretty – dozens of videos of RVs burning up. But the point is to help viewers understand that RVs burn fast, and they need to practice good fire-prevention habits and practice an escape plan … just in case.
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.
Save bandwidth while watching YouTube videos
How to watch YouTube videos using very little bandwidth.
Stuck with a lemon RV? Contact Ron Burdge, America’s premier RV lemon law attorney.
Ask the RV Shrink
Co-op discombobulation: To invest or not to invest in an RV lot
Dear RV Shrink:
Perhaps you can referee a disagreement between my husband and me. I want to invest in an RV lot in a co-op park; he does not. He has all kinds of reasons, none of which makes sense to me. He calls RV and mobile home parks “God’s Waiting Room.” He says they should give you a plot when they sell you a lot. Every time I bring the subject up he just says, “Shoot me!” …
Read the rest of the question and the RV Shrink’s advice.
Ask the RV Doctor
Reader’s RV antifreeze won’t circulate; also has dead “plug-ins”
Dear Gary,
I recently purchased a 2007 R-Vision Trail-Lite RV. I live in Iowa and am trying to winterize it but when I put the RV antifreeze in, I can’t get it to circulate throughout the system. Am I doing something wrong or do you think I have a bad pump? The owner’s manual has very sparse information. I also have a couple of plug-ins that don’t have any juice. Do you happen to know where I can get an electrical diagram for this camper? Thanks! —Bill A.
Hurry! These deals won’t last! Amazon’s daily sales change by the hour! Click here to explore and save money!
RV Electricity
Space heater warning – 2019
It’s that time of year when the frost is on the pumpkin, so now is a good time to remind you about the dangers of portable electric heaters, both in your house and your RV. The Electrical Safety Foundation International says heating equipment is the second leading cause of home fires in the U.S., with more than 65,000 fires being attributed to them each year. The ESFI reports the fires result in hundreds of deaths, thousands of injuries and millions of dollars in property damage. Learn how to avoid space heater fires here.
This week’s J.A.M. (Just Ask Mike) Session:
Predator parallel generator power. A reader questions the power produced by parallel generators compared to what’s claimed in the ad.
Sign up for Mike’s popular (more than 4,000 members and growing!) and informative RV Electricity group on Facebook.
RV Tire Safety
See Roger on The RV Show USA talking RV tires and “China bombs”
This summer Roger Marble was interviewed on The RV Show USA with Alan Warren. The first video regards RV tires in general, including what causes tire failure. The second video focuses on “China bombs.” Great information! Watch the videos here.
Building an RV Park
It’s freezing, but wonderful, at the campground!
On Thursday, Machelle and AJ were preparing for their first winter freeze (17 degrees!) in their almost-finished new home. They’ve been busy with company and new friends in town, and meeting with the Heber-Overgaard Fire Chief William “Dee” McCluskey. But little has happened regarding the campground while they’re waiting to hear back from their engineers. Read more.
Grip to it!
This heavy-duty grip tape sticks to any surface and gives you traction on things like your RV steps, ladder or roof, and at home on your deck or in your basement, or even on your boat. It’s good stuff to keep around. You can find it for a good price (and in multiple size rolls) here.
The RV Kitchen
Impossible Taco Pie
Not just another “impossible” pie. Dozens of these “impossible” pie recipes have been around for a while. This one may be new to you. It makes a whole meal including salad because it’s served with heaps of shredded lettuce, sliced scallions and diced fresh tomatoes. Get the recipe.
The Digital RVer
Your navigation system should tell you more than just “Turn right here”
Most RVers are probably like Chris and Jim Guld, Geeks on Tour, and frequently travel to places they’ve never been – and need all the detail they can get to make sure they’re taking the right roads. But how do you get more detail, including street names, from your Google Maps or Waze navigation system? Easy! Chris tells you how here.
• Look at this adorable trailer-shaped sign to hang on your RV for the autumn season. We want one!
• Ladies, you absolutely need this hilarious “Witches With Hitches” T-shirt! Ha!
Facebook Groups of Interest
• RVing With Dogs Club
• How to RV for Newbies
• Extreme Low Budget RV Living
PLUS OUR OWN GROUPS: RV Horror Stories • RV Advice • RV Electricity • RV Parks with Storm Shelters • RV Buying Advice • Northwest RV Camping • Southwest RV Camping.
WiFi endoscope lets you peep where your eyes won’t go
Ever wondered what the inside of your black water tank looked like? Is that “tank blaster” really doing the job? You can’t just eyeball the inside of the tank – or can you? With a flexible endoscope, you can run a tiny camera down for a “look around,” and get an eyeful of information on your tablet or phone. It’s pretty handy to have in the RV so check it out here.
Trivia
A dog’s nose print is like the fingerprint of a person: no two are alike. The Canadian Kennel Club has been accepting dog nose prints as proof of identity since 1938. This pet identification system is patented in the U.S., although it does not appear to be available commercially.
Bumper sticker of the week
Don’t worry about what people think – they don’t do it very often.
Have you seen a funny bumper sticker? Send it to diane(at)RVtravel.com
Joke of the Week
Before I die I am going to eat a whole bag of unpopped popcorn. That should make the cremation a little more interesting.
Worth Pondering
Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer. —Anon.
Did you miss last week’s RV Travel?
RV Travel staff
CONTACT US at editor@RVtravel.com
Editor and Publisher: Chuck Woodbury. Managing editor: Diane McGovern. Senior editors: Russ and Tiña De Maris, Emily Woodbury. Contributing writers: Mike Sokol, Bob Difley, Richard Mallery, Gary Bunzer, Roger Marble, Janet Groene, Julianne Crane, Chris Guld, Sam Suva, Mike Sherman, Machelle James, J.M. Montigel and Andrew Robinson. Marketing director: Jessica Sarvis. Financial affairs director: Gail Meyring. 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.
Mail us at 9792 Edmonds Way, #265, Edmonds, WA 98020.
This newsletter is copyright 2019 by RVtravel.com
I agree, over time the newsletter has become too long and as you say, ‘are going on and on and on’. Splitting into two has not solved that issue. The two combined are now even longer!
How about more use of headlines with links to full articles readers may be interested in and less duplication. I don’t need to know what I might have missed last week and if I think I might have missed something, I can search for it rather than see it appear in successive newsletter.
How about an audio version we can listen to whilst driving?
More concise please.
What’s the latest on being able to reorder the comments oldest first, newest first, etc.?
Hi, Gary. I’ll check with Kim, our IT dude, tomorrow. He’s still adjusting some settings. I’ll let you know what he says. 😀 —Diane at RVtravel.com
Gary, Kim says that feature had been working, along with the editing option, but they both went down again over the weekend. He’s checking into it. Sorry for the inconvenience in the meantime. —Diane at RVtravel.com
The use of the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) as a remedy to a “Lemon RV” sounds somewhat novel, but effective. All states use the UCC to fal]facilitate business. The RV industry may defeat lemon laws but the UCC will prevail! Truely a victory, no matter how long this takes to resolve,
I always say when in doubt? You Tube it. I found a to die for winterize video and it got me thru it in less then 30 minutes. The first time? I had to go to the hardware store to get a hex nut to undo the water plug. After that no problems. I love you tube. Now to figure out the hot water tank.
Anything to force the RV manufacturers into producing a better quality product,instead of the sorry junk they have been putting out for years,is called Karma.They will never get my hard earned money again.