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Old 05-05-2017, 12:20 PM   #1
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Need to Fix vs. Perfectionist

I enjoy reading all the updates and critiques of the different makes and models of RV’s. On the one hand it is very interesting to read about all the mechanical problems that can be faced when out on the road. On the other hand it can scare the desire out of you, all the “problems” you have to be concerned about and ready to deal with.

So, the question is, how many of the mechanical problems are really problems, and how much are the problems just each rver’s want to put their own mark on their rig. (In other words - it’s my way or it’s just wrong.)
I have not purchased yet, I am narrowing the search down to Class A Diesel Fleetwood 33D (either Pace Arrow or Excursion) or Thor Palazzo 33.4 or Class A gas Thor ACE 29.4.

We will be part-timing only. First have to build our house in the great northwest, then have to make a game plan for where to go. I still have a year to decide all of this.
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Old 05-05-2017, 02:03 PM   #2
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Mechanical problems that concern safety are the biggest issues. Tires, brakes, suspension, steering.

Other problems can usually be accommodated for until a real fix can be done. I had a converter go out and i bought a battery charger at Walmart to get me by until we got home.
A/C outages in the hotter months is very inconvenient, but can be dealt with using fans.

Remember you are rolling a house down the highway and things are going to have issues.

Don't sweat the small stuff and have fun!
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Old 05-05-2017, 05:13 PM   #3
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Oftentimes, the longer you put off fixing a minor issue, the bigger and more expensive the issue becomes. Some things must be fixed, right, immediately. Some things can be fixed "temporarily" till the end of the trip. And a few things can even be ignored.
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Old 05-05-2017, 08:20 PM   #4
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A problem is a problem and needs to be repaired, but there are many of us who want things to work a certain way versus what the factory did. As an example, the hood on the front of my DP was held up by a rod when opened, like some cars have. I didn't like it and thought it was a cheesy method. I removed the rod and install pistons.

Now closer to your question, when my coach was new, they were using a cheap Frigidaire microwave that had issues with starting on it's own and was being recalled. I decided to just replace it with a Sharp like I had in my previous coach. When I was removing the Frigidaire microwave, I found that the wood panel they installed on the back wall (that supports the microwave) was too small and too thin. They were relying on running some extra screws through the top of the microwave and the back, that you wouldn't do in a home install. I reworked the back support to something that was more stout. I will say that most would never do what I did or even worry about it.

So.......your answer.....some repairs are self inflicted by finicky people, where some are actually needed to continue using the coach. For me.....if I find something I don't like, I just fix it and make it better. If I find a really good fix, I post it, sharing my repair/upgrade for others to benefit from. With that said, I know people who find a loose screw, criticize the quality of the coach and rush off to their dealer demanding a repair, versus the 30 seconds to just tighten it. Consequently, you have to take some repair rants with a grain of salt.
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Old 05-05-2017, 08:30 PM   #5
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If you own just about anything there are always things to fix and update.
As others mentioned on an RV some are a must and some can wait.
Anytime I run into something I add it to my list. The list has long term items that can wait and items that need addressed right away.
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Old 05-05-2017, 09:09 PM   #6
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Having an RV is just like owning a house. I'm always saying, "now what"? It's just part of the experience.
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Old 05-06-2017, 05:12 AM   #7
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TedPeggy-

Welcome to iRV2!

As far as this subject goes, "Dutch Star Don" and I are twins, separated at birth. Fix what's broken, make it better while you're at it and then- as desired- improve the coach, with an eye towards making it more reliable and easier to operate/maintain.

Of the 81 items completed, and 52 items planned, on my "project" list, about 30 to 35 percent are repairs (a mix of urgent and less so), 30 percent are "easy" improvements, and the rest are totally optional improvements.

It's odd, but I don't enjoy working on the house as much as I do on the RV- provided I'm not under the gun to fix a serious failure (in that case, I'm grumpy). I suspect the boat owners and other detail-obsessed folks on iRV2 may share that trait.

If you buy a used coach, you may want to buy one from me, "Dutch Star Don" or our brethren. Or not. ;-)
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Old 05-06-2017, 06:00 AM   #8
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My first priority is safety, then reliability. My 15 DP started out with the amenities we wanted, then I found many minor problems. No majors. So far 146 repairs for safety and reliabilty, then have made 86 improvements so things work right. I'm an engineer, maint mgr, mechanic, and electrician so I can fix almost anything. It is now my main hobby keeping this very expensive toy/home running right to avoid $125/hr unnecessary unqualified RV technicians away.
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Old 05-06-2017, 06:25 AM   #9
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Generally, when someone finds themselves on this forum, its because they have a problem. Probably for every one problem, there are thousands that are going on their way without any problems.

I own an old truck. (1999 Southwind on a Ford F53 Chassis). I don't use it to go up to the lake that's 20 miles away. I hit the road and go cross country. I don't want it breaking down on the road, so it must be reliable and trustworthy.

I'm fortunate that I have the skills, knowledge, and experience so I can do preventive maintenance, AND if need be, I can do a fix on the road.

I also own an old house that sits on my old truck. Its pretty much that same deal, I know most of the systems from previous experience, and the systems I don't know, I'm learning.

As for upgrades or fixing it "My Way" I see a lot of this, especially when operating a 18 year old MH. i.e. TV sets, upgrading to new technology. LED lights, etc.

A lot of the upgrades I did to the previous MHs, won't get done to this one, because we just don't use the MH that way. i.e. Solar panels, We don't do a lot of boondocking, so we don't need that energy source, the genny will fill our needs.

One of the things I noted on this "New-to-us" Southwind. This is our 3rd MH, its purchase was very well defined. i.e. We knew exactly what we wanted, because we had a lot of experience with using our previous MHs, We knew how we were going to use it, what was important, and what wasn't.

I do like things to work, i.e., Most of the compartment doors wouldn't stay open. The PO had a stick he used to hold doors open. I bought a bunch of gas springs and repaired and replaced these so the doors now open/close properly, with the gas springs.

I keep a list of stuff that needs done, and it has a number beside it. The "1" needs to be done before we hit the road. Farther down the list are things I can travel with, but should get fixed. I currently have a gray tank vent issue, a fresh tank drain issue, a squeaky furnace fan, Not show stoppers, but they need to get resolved.


From my observation, The more you know exactly how you'll use the MH, the happier your be with whatever you purchase.

As for used older MHs, If you're not mechanically inclined, an older MH will bankrupt you, OR, a lot of the things that go wrong will not get fixed.
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Old 05-06-2017, 06:25 AM   #10
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Welcome to the forum. Your question is excellent and I have to say that you may be on to something. I have noticed that some folks like to make mountains out of molehills. We have purchased our last 3 RVs new and never once returned to the dealer for fixes. Sure there were a few minor adjustments that need to be made, so I just made them. You will find folks with a 3 page punch list for the dealer. I've heard complaints that screws weren't lined up. Really?? Many things are like a house, you can't reasonably expect a 20K RV to have the same fit and finish as a 500K DP. And just like your house, every day and every mile brings up wear tear and maintenance issues.
When you choose your RV, questions other owners of similar models. Go to a couple of campgrounds and just walk around and ask folks. One thing about rvers is we all have opinions and love to share them. Ask where they purchased and if they would purchase there again. There is no perfect RV out there. But the lifestyle is close to perfect. Jump in and enjoy
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Old 05-06-2017, 07:56 AM   #11
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I have found that in general, there are a lot of people in this world that are not "happy" or "content" unless they are unhappy or upset about something. And, they love to spread that unhappiness / misery to others. And particularly once retired, they don't have the "ability" to share thier "joy" with those they work with, so they find other ways to spread thier "happiness" and finding imperfections in thier RV becomes a prime focus. Forums, are a great place to complain and kavetch.

Let's also not forget, that many will never own up to, or are completely oblivious to, the fact that they are the cause of the problem. And as noted above, many love to make mountains out of ant hills. It amazes me how complicated and challenging some make RVing. I didn't get into this to be miserable, but to get out and about and see things or enjoy things more that I didn't have the time or ability to do before.

RVs are "campers", no matter how much you spend or want to call them (other than true "motor coaches" such as Prevost based coaches, Newell, and maybe even Foretravel).

I learned when we built our first home, that perfection is the enemy of "it's as good as it's going to get, without messing it / something else up even more". I have made it very clear with our dealer and Tiffin, that if my expectations are out of line, tell me. I don't want to be "one of those owners". Example - the end panel on our kitchen cabinet is in the entry door stairwell, and had some small scratches in it - but to replace it requires removing the countertop and backsplash - that's ridiculous, so even though it would have been covered under warranty, no way was I going to have them do all that, particualy because we would end up scratching that panel over time dragging stuff in and out ourselves. You can bet, a lot of owners would jump up and down and make sure that panel was replaced........ Remember, most people get the service they deserve.

Was / has our coach been perfect, no, but we we really enjoy it and have no regrets in our choice after 17,000 miles and spending a significant amount of time traveling in a little over 2 years of RVing. And, yes, to show that I'll throw a stone at my glass house, I do have one thing that has bugged me with our coach that I recently discussed with Tiffin and who will cover it for us, that I am going to have our dealer look at again, with the hope that I'm not going to regret "leaving well enough alone".

Your happiness is to a great degree up to your own attitude.

Regards
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Old 05-06-2017, 12:13 PM   #12
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I think in terms of "upgrade".

For instance I just "upgraded" the windows and hvac in my S&B.

Looking at the rv, I ponder is this or that an upgrade?

One of my past lives as a mechanic taught me to "do not fix it if is not broken".
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Old 05-07-2017, 07:55 AM   #13
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Thank you all for the responses. I know now that many of you get it, and I am not alone in questioning some of the questions and responses. It restores my want to get out and see the country in my own comfort.

Thanks, Ted
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Old 05-07-2017, 09:02 AM   #14
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I think if you look at the poll of the average age of people on this forum you will find many here are retired or about to. Their RV is their main hobby and they love to tinker and fiddle futz with stuff. The whole discussion about putting something under the tires of your RV is a great example of this. When your working, have kids at home, and are scrambling for each buck who even thinks about putting anything under the tires of your family minivan each night? Now let 30 years of time go by, get yourself a shiny RV, have lots of time on your hands, and suddenly you begin to wonder if tires would last longer if they just sat on a cutting board. I love to buy used cars from retired guys because I know they have low miles, were washed weekly, and religiously maintained. My approach is fix what's broke, but use and enjoy the rig. I'm not retired yet but when I do I'm sure I will be more picky with my toys, I will have more spare time on my hands, and that's dangerous.😏
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