Typical week with the motorhome.

[distaff]

I planned to head over to the coast for a couple of weeks, watching the weather reports in the mountains for a window of clear weather to get over the Rockies and the Snoqualmie pass. Saw a possible window but the weather in Calgary was going to be bad running up to it - cold and snow - so I planned to get the oil changed a few days before a storm was due to blow through, after that it looked good to go.

Went to start the coach in zero F weather, got the Cat up to 70 F with the Aquahot, and no starter. A friend came by to help and he reported that there was no click at the starter, so we looked and the leads to the solenoid had corroded off - Monaco had used crimp connectors with no seal to put the ends on the wires. 2 hours under the coach in -5 F weather the next day (and snow) and we had it rewired.

Got the beast started and on the road, into Sandpoint where the steps developed a mind of their own. Haven't had the opportunity to get into them but they open and close and open and close and then eventually stay open.

Using the heat pumps (saves diesel and the weather is good enough) and the middle one started dripping water. It is from the inside of the unit, not a leak. Got up on top to make sure it was not a roof leak, but don't have time to get into it so I just turned off the middle zone.

Getting ready to move down to Portland and one of the main bay doors wouldn't close - the hinge was badly welded and the weld failed. Looking at the actual break - it is a miracle it didn't fail years ago - the weld is the size of a pin head and it has to hold the whole weight of the door. Took the door off, removed the bracket from the coach and then started to take the door apart to get inside to remove the bracket from the door. Found the door has chunks of Styrofoam shoved in for insulation and held in place by masking tape.

The more you know about RVs the less you want to own one.

Well, I own this one so I'll just keep fixing what the manufacturer didn't think was important enough to make right the first time, meaning everything.

[ARTWERKE]

It's the price you gotta pay,or else everyone would do it and there wouldn't be any room for us.

[Cobra1]

That is why I consider my RV a hobby. I am always tinkering with something to make it as it should have been done the first time. It is the entrance fee to the game.......

[Arch Hoagland]

RVing isn't for sissies...... My wife and I were just discussing this a couple weeks ago.

There's always something going on, sometimes major but usually minor.

I guess it's part of the adventure.

[Wryly Blithe]

My wife and I were playing with our RV budget, and I mentioned that there will be a lot I'll want to do to it once we finally buy one. She asked, "We don't even own one yet. How do you know it'll need anything?"

I smiled, then walked her through about a dozen random posts on this very forum. Then I logged onto modmyrv.com and showed her about a half-dozen upgrades I'll wanna do and explained why. She looked at me, smiled and said, "I think we're gonna need a bigger budget."

Yep.

Truth be told, I'm actually looking forward to "hobbying" around on an RV. It's a big part of the appeal for me... finding ways to make it our own. An RV adventure doesn't only happen on the open road

[RVingDutchman]

Originally Posted by Wryly Blithe

My wife and I were playing with our RV budget, and I mentioned that there will be a lot I'll want to do to it once we finally buy one. She asked, "We don't even own one yet. How do you know it'll need anything?"

"IF IT WILL BE USED IT WILL NEED SOMETHING"

That's just a fact of life and I totally agree with you and your wife, we will also need a bigger budget !

We also plan to have a tiny workplace/bench in our car trailer so we can repair and upgrade as we travel, which is my hobby and I love to do.
Hoping to go fulltime in 2016!

Regards,
Ed

[smlranger]

Just can't imagine anyone of really sound mind owning one of these beasts. I always tell my neighbors that tinkering with/fixing the motorhome is my hobby within the hobby and that any of us who own one is slightly insane .

[wa8yxm]

Some folks enjoy fixing stuff,, Looks like if you are among them you have the perfect RV.

[docsdock]

We moved in a year ago- I told Suzy that if I was not a retired Marine Mechanic we would be broke - May its a full time job rather than a hobbie BUT I love The RV life and would not trade for anthing ( except maybe beach in Belize)

[Sidewinder4]

I am new to the RV scene (less than a year). My two cents is: due to some minor issues I have had, I now have a better understanding and appreciation of my Coach. I am amazed daily at how many different manufacturers’ contribute components that can be combined to make our Coaches function.
I am not interested either at being in the fixing mode frequently; I want to enjoy my coach with all of its features. Like some have already stated, I want all my stuff to work within reason. I know at my age, I want to have fun and relax and have invested my future years in my choice of Coach.

[distaff]

You all have the right attitude.

I forgot one thing. The coach has a permanently connected sewer hose that passes in a channel though the bottom of the coach with a nozzle and valve on the end of it, all hidden behind a little door. I had a little leak in the grey water tank valve so some water dripped down in the hose and froze, expanding the hose and pushing the nozzle out (popped the little door open).

I couldn't drive like that for fear it would fall out on the road. I had to heat it up enough to pull the hose out and then get the ice out of the hose. I also had to cut off the end of the hose and put the nozzle back on. All this on my knees in - 5 C weather.

Last July a nice lady was visiting one of my neighbours and she came across to admire the coach and said she wished they could have one. The morning I was fixing the hose she stopped by again, and I told her to remember this (me on my knees freezing my but off) next time she felt any envy!

They don't always break when you can conveniently fix them. Alas, I'm not ready to give it up.

[jacwjames]

I am constantly doing something to the coach. I tend to be proactive and try to stay ahead of all required maintenance.

I also keep good records and in preparation of taxes I compiled all my receipts for the RV, last year the total cost was $2300, which included ~$500 to repair 3 basement doors and ~$450 to repair the EMS system, the rest of the cost was wear and tear plus maintenance costs.

Owning an older coach is not for the faint of heart or someone light in the pocket book. If I wasn't able to do the maintenance myself I probably couldn't afford this as a hobby. The fact that I enjoy RVing is just icing on the cake.

[mel s]

Originally Posted by distaff

The more you know about RVs the less you want to own one.

Well, I own this one so I'll just keep fixing what the manufacturer didn't think was important enough to make right the first time, meaning everything.

I feel your pain!
Mel
'96 Safari 136k miles (mine for 14 yrs, 105k miles)

[Red Dawg]

I look at it this way...

The more I fix, the more I learn how this thing works, the more I know about it, the more prepared I am when something else fails.

This forum has been invaluable in learning about my MH.