R U an RV Mutant too?

[sam60]

Originally Posted by virginiamtns

Mary flat out refuses to drive any MH. She also won't drive a car on the interstate, but I like driving and do all of it. I have also been camping solo some this year, as Mary is on call every other weekend and we had made reservations for every weekend April through October back in January. Driving bigger doesn't bother me - I'm EVOC certified for fire trucks. The CDL instructor at the local community college said he'd get me through learning what I need to know.

We would like a quieter ride, more stability and a longer coach. DPs are costly to maintain, but also last longer. I'm a year older tomorrow, so retirement is getting closer. If we set up a satellite internet system Mary could work on the road. We did do a maintenance, repairs, taxes, insurance and mortgage amount spreadsheet. All that said, though, Mary usually gets what she wants! We have an appointment next weekend with the Newmar dealer...

I will be driving the 23 year old DP motorhome into the southern tip of Death Valley on a holiday weekend soon to come. Short drive but I will check all of the fluid levels, belt condition, etc. and point it toward the campground.

We paid cash for it and it is not the best looking rig but has impeccable service records and we are the third owner. One Brother bought it new and sold it to his younger Brother, then it landed here.

Non electronic engine, no aqua hot, etc. and it could be bigger but it isn't. There are a few people here at iRV2 that like the older units....me, as I have no choice.

Sorry for the rambling. Wife and Grandson talking to me at the same time.

[PTJeep]

Well with all that Steve said, all I can say is I love my DP, its quiet and I'm riding on air, its taking care of me so I'm taking care of it. When things go wrong you get them fixed, remember it doesn't matter if it's gas or diesel there will be things other than drive train that will go wrong, wear out or simply break, that's life, and so you either fix them or sell it. I'm still significantly enamored with mine, that I don't mind fixing it, and now I can enjoy my fixes ....

Cheers !!!

[flaggship1]

Hey Sam! (Mike)
Good to hear from ya. And your coach looked good to me (pics you posted).

So to carry on with the theme - One thing sitting around Freightliner did was give us a chance to make some new "driver" friends! Numerous.

John for instance was talking about his DD. As he put it "it's a 2011 but only has 500,000 miles on it." And from there the stories just flowed. Similar and grand. Yes - they grouse because they're down time cost them money and repairs aren't cheap, but they're usually few and far between.

Have fun with the one that brung ya.

Gotta run for sure now.

[Sky_Boss]

Originally Posted by PTJeep

Well with all that Steve said, all I can say is I love my DP, its quiet and I'm riding on air, its taking care of me so I'm taking care of it. When things go wrong you get them fixed, ...

You know you love your coach when you repair the toilet seal, ball valve & black tank dump valve all in the same day. LOL

It's a dirty job but someone's got to do it.

[sam60]

Originally Posted by flaggship1

Hey Sam! (Mike)
Good to hear from ya. And your coach looked good to me (pics you posted).

So to carry on with the theme - One thing sitting around Freightliner did was give us a chance to make some new "driver" friends! Numerous.

John for instance was talking about his DD. As he put it "it's a 2011 but only has 500,000 miles on it." And from there the stories just flowed. Similar and grand. Yes - they grouse because they're down time cost them money and repairs aren't cheap, but they're usually few and far between.

Have fun with the one that brung ya.

Gotta run for sure now.

Steve, Hope you're listening for the whistle of a turbo soon...If you can hear it.

We're enjoying the bit of "The Dance" that we get to experience.

[CampDaven]

Originally Posted by sam60

Steve, Hope you're listening for the whistle of a turbo soon...If you can hear it.

We're enjoying the bit of "The Dance" that we get to experience.

I have an advantage there. Even with hearing aids I can't hear a turbo whistle. It's a gift!
We have folks with no rigs and little and all the way up, but NOBODY can challenge how nifty it is to Ride the Rainbow as an RV Mutant.


Dave and Nola, RV Mutants

[okmunky]

Originally Posted by flaggship1

You know I love ya Barb, but.... the DP isn't the problem here. It's the people working on it. I hope you never have a mechanical issue, but I will bet there are as many incompetent people working on gassers as there are diesels. In fact I met several in my 21 years of owning a Class B. In fact - it was sometimes very difficult to find someone to do mechanical work on it at all, and it was a Ford. Too tall, can't lift it, etc. Once you're out on the road - you're at the mercy of the shops near you.

And sos ya know. It's frustrating dealing with these guys, but not a nightmare. I have friends here and in Santa Fe (where were headed now for 2 nights hotelling). And fortunately I have the wherewithal to hotel it while Bonita sits on their lot. It's a little more expensive than a FHU site but nothing the budget can't handle. And we're having fun. We don't really have to be anywhere except PEI by Aug 1st...

There are only nightmares if you let them in. And afterall, the journey is the destination. All part of the journey.

LOL I guess I'm looking at being without your Rainbow rider as a nightmare because that's what it would be for me. My little family is only portable because of our RV.

This coach is monkey proof, which has not been easy and is continuously evolving. As Sena learns to bypass a safeguard, I have to invent or invest in something new to defeat her innate foraging instinct. I can't discipline that out of her without instilling great ongoing fear and no creature can thrive in such an environment. The only other way would be to cage her whenever she isn't leashed to me which is also no way to live.

If I was forced out by someone else's incompetence I would threaten that they would have us as house guests. I can guarantee that we'd be back on the road before nightfall.

Now if we added Sena to Papaw Steve's suggested group of rowdy kids and threw in some gooey, sugar-loaded snacks and drinks... I see land speed records being broken.

[CampDaven]

Son and grandson coming over for dinner.
Appetizer: Hippey's hotdogs, wrapped!



Dave and Nola, RV Mutants

[Possum]

Originally Posted by Sky_Boss

You know you love your coach when you repair the toilet seal, ball valve & black tank dump valve all in the same day. LOL

It's a dirty job but someone's got to do it.

I was pleasantly surprised at how easy that was to do on our Thetford Traveler. Ohh not counting the black tank dump valve as I didn't have to do that. I bought the kit in Quartszite and finally got around to installing it after we got back to the S&B.

[okmunky]

Ok, Mike aka Sam60 and Mel aka MPH and a few of you others -- PLEASE put your coach and toad and whatever other info you can into your signature space. It helps give clarity to what you are explaining when you post. It's not bragging to put it there or hiding if you don't. We are mutants and it doesn't matter if you have a million dollar setup or an eBay bargain find. We all mutate differently, but what is important is that we do mutate!

If you need a bit of assistance with the process you can yell HELP or PM someone who has theirs like you would like yours. I'll start you off with step 1 -- click on "User CP" on the left side in the first thick green border at the top of this page.

[sam60]

Originally Posted by CampDaven

I have an advantage there. Even with hearing aids I can't hear a turbo whistle. It's a gift!
We have folks with no rigs and little and all the way up, but NOBODY can challenge how nifty it is to Ride the Rainbow as an RV Mutant.


Dave and Nola, RV Mutants

Howdy Dave,

I love the whistle of a turbo. I've enjoyed it in my '05 Cummins pickup for 305, 000 miles so far. I can faintly hear it in the old short bus & it is music to me.

Hope to meet up with you someday.

SAM

[okmunky]

Originally Posted by CampDaven

Son and grandson coming over for dinner.
Appetizer: Hippey's hotdogs, wrapped!
Attachment 127010


Dave and Nola, RV Mutants

Could that be bacon wrapped Hippey's ??? And only the appetizer?? Feasting again tonight?

Would you believe my auto correct wanted to change feasting to beasting and beasting to blasting? Dumb auto correct is about to exceed it's usefulness.

[Sky_Boss]

Originally Posted by Possum

I was pleasantly surprised at how easy that was to do on our Thetford Traveler. Ohh not counting the black tank dump valve as I didn't have to do that. I bought the kit in Quartszite and finally got around to installing it after we got back to the S&B.

Ya, but when reinstalling the ball valve I kept saying, "Don't drop it!"

[Wayne M]

Originally Posted by virginiamtns

Someone please talk my wife down from the ledge.

We're again shopping for a DP, as missy hates the ride in our gasser. Any Tiffin or Newmar owners out there that can weigh in? Good, bad, warranty issues, etc. God help me, I'm looking at 2012-2014 and Ms. Moneybags is looking at brand spanking new.

Entegra is my favorite brand, but my last name isn't Buffet or Rockefeller.

Oh, the humanity..

My personal opinion, like rear ends - everyone has one, is to not buy new. Ask some of the mutants. Yes, under warranty but such shoddy craftsmanship on the majority of brands. A used one typically has the bugs worked out, and by new I'm think 1-2 years old. Make and model are a personal preference. We like the layout of our 40' MH, but then there are some changes I wish could have been made - and in newer models those changes have come about. Specifically, we cannot watch our main television without putting the slide out. Newer models (ours is a 2008) have the TV inside the slide out so in or out it is view-able. Makes boondocking much easier. So it is really an individual preference.

I can't recommend gas or diesel but there are many threads about the pros and cons of each. I have a diesel and as many others have stated on other threads and forums, it cost about $1 a mile to operate - give or take a few pennies.

Originally Posted by BillyandKris

OK Tim didn't tell us there was a test. We are from Arkansas.....I can't even find the test. Where is it?

We do understand. I think the questions have been answered about the test.

What is it that you don't have and don't miss, and declare that the journey is the destination. Study harder.

p.s., I do have the Good Sam Extended Service Plan and it has paid for itself every year.

p.p.s., I found a link on FMCA regarding cost of operating an MH. it is HERE Scroll down to TBUTLER's post.