How much did YOU pay for dealer RV winterize?

[bldrbob]

I wouldn't believe the sensors.Look down the toilet with a flashlight.It is possible for the tanks to freeze if you were using a space heater. The furnaces blow warm air into the tank area. With space heaters no air to the tank area.
BOB

[Meandering Retiree]

We always winterize our own coach, even the washer/dryer and the ice maker...I blow out the lines with air, especially the line to the fresh water tank, then I use a hand pump I got at Camping World to pump four or five gallons into the fresh water pump and use it to pump water throughout the coach. I run enough water into the Washer/dryer to I can see the pink inside and then run the spin/dry cycle to make certain that it gets into the drain line. I run it through all of the faucets, the shower, and the stool, and then pour extra down all of the traps to make certain that there is plenty in the gray and black tanks. I usually buy a case of pink antifreeze when the price drops right before the holidays.

[47 champ]

45.00 in Columbus Ohio, with no washer or dryer. but he didn't ask me if I had one before he told me a price, so I guess its all 45 bucks

[wa8yxm]

Originally Posted by Jim Jackson

I got back to Missouri late from a trip out west and kept a space heater going until I found the time to winterize my class c coachman. All is well except today was 48 degrees and I tried to flush my waste tanks. They both must have large grey and black popsicles aboard because they still register 3/4 full. One little adventure after the next.

Jim if the dump was "Normal" in the way it sounded and acted the sensors are showing a false level.. Very common.. Very common.. Those sensors normally work properly the first time you fill the tank.. After that you need to do some serious cleaning to get 'em to work properly.... Mine are doing fairly well now.. but I've spent the better part of a year getting them to do that . Though I can "Power wash" the black tank sensors.. That makes them work.. For one to two tankfuls.

[Jim Jackson]

Yes, the next day after my cleaning effort and disappointing sensor reading, the sensors read empty! So clearly it's unclear. How do you get to them anyway? are they a screw-in deal from the side of the tank?

[Gary RVRoamer]

Just guessing but...
The guy removed the wheel, dismounted the tire, sanded the bead on the rim, installed a "tire repair kit " (what in heavens cost $37 in that kit?) and then remounted & reinstalled the tire. Sounds like an easy $150-$175 to me - an hour labor, $20-$25 to dismount/remount and that exorbitant "kit". But why did he need a repair kit if the leak was at the bead?

Defrost a line? Bet they billed an hour for that, even if it was just setting up a heater and coming back later to remove it and see if the water flowed ok. There's another $80.

Winterizing was probably in the $100-$150 range, depending on whether you have a washer/dryer, ice maker, dish washer, etc.

Sales tax of maybe 6-7% ads another $20+. That gets you to the $450 ball park. Each and every item seems to be priced a bit steeply and I have to question if it was all really necessary, but given that you agreed to have them fix the leaky tire, defrost a line and "winterize", all vaguely defined things, you probably don't have a lot to argue about. Except the $7 charge for the antifreeze that you supplied. You kind of gave them a blank check with your instructions and they took advantage of you.

[TXiceman]

Black tank sensors are know to not read accurately.

As for winterizing, I always do it myself, when we need to down her in SE Texas. It is not hard to do. I usually drain every thing, blow the lines with a little air, pour antifreeze in the traps at the sink and shower. Don't forget the eater to the toilet, outside shower and ice maker need to be drained.

Ken

[Romeo]

Originally Posted by LindaH

There's no way we'd pay anyone to winterize our rig! It's an easy job, and other than the cost of a couple or three gallons of RV antifreeze, it costs you nothing to do it yourself.

And... if you use the "blow-out-the-lines" method, you don't even use two gallons of antifreeze.

[az bound]

Sounds to me like another good + to being a fulltimer. We dont have to do all that winterizing stuff. Just drove up to see all the pretty snow in Flagstaff and now we are going to enjoy Christmas dinner on the patio in 70 degree weather. Best of both.
Merry Christmas to all ; Harold & Linda

[Mopar1973Man]

Heck...

The dealer I bought mine from did a poor job of winterizing if the holding tank had water in them yet, the water pump was frozen solid still had water in it, but all the lines where nice and pink...

I gave up at that point bought a few fittings made my own blow out plug I hook to my air compressor. Flush the system completely out and then blew all the lines clear with air...

Then all you need is 8 ozs of pink stuff in all the drains and your done...

From here on out I'll blow my lines out over filling with anti-freeze... Being that it would take at least 2-3 gallons to load my system up. Now just adding antifreeze to the drains well that barely 24 ounces I need...

[azloafer]

Originally Posted by Mopar1973Man

Heck...

The dealer I bought mine from did a poor job of winterizing if the holding tank had water in them yet, the water pump was frozen solid still had water in it, but all the lines where nice and pink...

I gave up at that point bought a few fittings made my own blow out plug I hook to my air compressor. Flush the system completely out and then blew all the lines clear with air...

Then all you need is 8 ozs of pink stuff in all the drains and your done...

From here on out I'll blow my lines out over filling with anti-freeze... Being that it would take at least 2-3 gallons to load my system up. Now just adding antifreeze to the drains well that barely 24 ounces I need...

We are in a situation in Southern Arizona where we can have winters that are never cold enough to have to winterize and then we will have some that have 3 to 4 days of freezing weather several times during the winter. We use our coach at least two weekends of the month year round. (DW still works) The storage lot has no electric so we can't use light bulbs or heaters when it is parked. The dealer charges $175 for winterizing. Last winter didn't require winterizing, but this year we are in our first week with night temps in the 20's. We really do not have to use the ice maker because we can take ice from home so I could turn that line off. I want to learn how to make the task simple enough so that I can do it myself even though somewhat physically handicapped. Do you blow all the lines from one specific place or from several places? Any advice is appreciated. Joe

["007"]

Joe, when I blow out lines in TT's and motor homes would put blow out plug in the water fill location for your hose connection and use a tire air compressor.
Would open all faucets and low point drains, than close them, build up air pressure and go around to all locations and release the air and water into a cup or pot.
Now I just pump in Anti through the piping system from feed off water pump.

[offthewall]

$89.99 total. That also includes a guarantee that if anything freezes, they fix it. We have the dealer do it because we get the engine oil and generator oil changed and a wash at the same time before covering it up for the winter. We still work full time so spare time is at a premium. When I'm retired, I'll probably do it myself or more likely just go somewhere warm and not worry about it anymore

[Superslif]

Even with a trailer I'll drain the 2 locations for the "low point drain plugs", use my small air compressor to blow a little air in the line to flush out any remaining water, un-screw the plug for the hot water tank, switch over the "by pass", Un-screw the hose for the showerhead, unscrew the input side of the water pump, screw on a 2 foot hose to the input side and stick the other in the jug of RV anti-freeze and run till the pink comes out of all faucets. All this takes less than a hour. Even with a MH, maybe it will take longer, but when you do it yourself, you will know it's done. Total cost $5 - $10