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RE: Opnions Please on choice of RV
My kids travel well....for 50 miles...then its...i gotta pee..i'm hungry...blah blah..not to mention my extreme coffee drinking wife :) stop fill up on coffee...stop to let it out. Drives me nuts.
We don't have kids, so take my input with a large grain of salt, but the above is exactly why I would vote for a C. I tend to drive and can go a while between pit stops. I like to make good time, so I have always been a "we'll stop when we need gas" kind of person. Don't get me wrong, I know we're on vacation...I just like efficiency. :) the RV has been great for that as DH can have as many pit stops as he wants while I keep us trucking down the road. It makes us both happy.
The other factor that becomes more evident as you start traveling is how cool it is to have your house with you wherever you are. Maybe this would be more problematic with the size RV you are considering, but we were able to go small (26') and having our fridge, food, meals, warm or dry clothes, potty, etc wherever we go is just so cool. We are prepared to feed the dogs wherever we happen to be - no rushing/timing our return to camp. We stop and make our lunch whenever it works best during the day. We have our home to go back to if we want to take a break. Dry clothes after a rainy hike is such a luxury!
These reasons might not fit as well depending on your travel style. We don't drive to one place and stay for a week; that's where a trailer may be a better fit. We make large loops and are rarely in one place for more than a few days, and a C is ideal for that (IMHO). We have a toad we plan to set up if we ever do more of a destination trip. I like that flexibility: C only for touring and C+toad for destination trips.
Of course, the cost of insurance, engine/drivetrain maintenance, depreciation, etc is a very important consideration. But for our style, the C has been great! Based my childhood (my brother and I were very involved in sports and music activities that involved travel), if I had kids I think a C would also be a good fit for all day/weekend baseball/softball tourneys, band competitions, and other stuff like that.
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alliemac9
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05/07/12 11:09pm |
Beginning RVing
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RE: Optimal MH size?
The trick is finding something comfortable enough to stay inside for a couple days and not get claustrophobia if the weather is inclement...
I totally agree. One of the things we most value about our floor plan (for a short RV) is that there is a spot for each of us to stretch out if we want to relax with our own space inside. DH usually takes the couch and I take the corner bed. It's surprising how often we comment on that perk when we're traveling.
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alliemac9
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05/02/12 05:38pm |
Beginning RVing
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RE: Optimal MH size?
Obviously, there are different sizes for all different people and ways of travel. If I were you, I'd rent at least once to get a better sense of your preferences, and do lots of reading here and click on people's profiles to see if they include info about their RV if you identify with their travel style. As for me and my husband (and our two large dogs)....
For us, smaller is better. We're tall, so van-small was too small (want to be able to stand up) and we don't really care about an entertainment center, so we prefer a Class C with overhead bunk over a Class B which typically has the TV up there. We wanted a dedicated bed (and despite our height, we really like the rear corner bed) as we weren't interested in making up a bed and prefer using the overhead bunk for storage (and potential guests) rather than sleeping. Our rear corner bed does have a curtain. We've never used it as we've never had guests, but it's there if we want/need it.
Our first RV experience (rental) was the standard 24-foot rear corner bed Class C and it was a great size for traveling around CA and OR. I remember being on the cusp of being too long for certain roads in SP/NP areas in California. That further reinforced our preference for small. We came across a unique floor plan (rear corner bed, dinette AND couch) in a 25'9" coach and have never looked back. We still go to RV shows for fun, but since seeing this floor plan (first found the model in 2006) nothing compares. We eventually bought one in 2010.
We tend to tour rather than camp. We stay at campgrounds (prefer state and national parks), but our trips tend to be giant loops where we are on the move and rarely in one place for more than two nights. The short size makes it easy to do this and just take the RV where ever we want to go. But, we still have seatbelts for nine (ha! that would be a REALLY full house and likely overloaded) and room to sleep 6-8 depending on size/closeness, etc. Not saying we want to stuff our RV full, but in a pinch we have flexibility.
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alliemac9
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04/29/12 06:22pm |
Beginning RVing
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RE: New tires? Help me decide?
@ pnichols (and anyone else): I was wondering about the size, too. Obviously, the OEM tires are Load Range D. Just from reading on here, I assumed it would be beneficial to move up to E. But, again, I'm no tire expert. Is that a good idea?
I don't know about all the other measurements, so I really hadn't though of doing anything besides that. And I don't recall seeing discussion of moving to the 215/80/16R size... Interesting idea...do a lot of people do that?
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alliemac9
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04/27/12 04:44pm |
Class C Motorhomes
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RE: New tires? Help me decide?
Thanks, everyone for the input (and keep it coming!). :)
@ ron.dittmer: I appreciate your insight as your situation is similar to ours. I do have a couple of mitigating factors to throw in:
1. We purchased this 2007 RV new in Feb 2010. Therefore, it sat on the lot before we took brought it to CO and started storing it indoors. The dealership actually did store this thing inside in their showroom (it was a fairly small dealership) and represented that it had been stored inside a "lot", but I don't really know what that means, and how much of its first three years were inside. So, we could easily assume half or more of the tires life was outdoor storage (and worse yet, little to no driving for the first three years).
2. We have an old pickup that is just used for pickup needs (i.e. not a daily driver by any means, but so cheap to own that it's worth keeping for when a pickup comes in handy). Its tires are getting to the scary point. Since we think the RV tires are relatively decent (I'm no expert, but I don't see anything alarming) we plan to move four of the tires to the pickup and retire (:B) its bald tires. Since the pickup just gets used for running around town, we're not that concerned about older tires on it.
So, although I'm tempted to put off replacing the tires for another year or more (contingent on a tire place taking a look at them), the reality is that the pickup tires probably won't (and most likely shouldn't) be used for another year. It doesn't seem to make sense to purchase new tires for that vehicle (since it really is just an occasionally-used utility vehicle) and then turn around and purchase new RV tires a year later (or so).
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alliemac9
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04/27/12 04:40pm |
Class C Motorhomes
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RE: New tires? Help me decide?
Wow. Here I though I had it narrowed down, but so far everyone has recommended a third alternative I hadn't even come across!!
I don't know of a family owned tire shop that is highly regarded around here (NW side of Denver area). There may be one/some, I just don't know.
Thanks for the input so far, and I'm open to more! :)
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alliemac9
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04/27/12 09:28am |
Class C Motorhomes
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New tires? Help me decide?
I've done my research here...just looking for input, if anyone is willing!
Have a 2007 Coachmen 26' on a (2006) Chevy chassis.
OEM Tires are Uniroyal Laredo LT225/75R16 110/107S M+S Load Range D.
DOT code is 1206 so they are 5.5 years old.
So, am I at the automatic age out point? Should I replace before traveling this year? Or should I based it on what Discount Tire or Costco (or ???) says upon inspection of my tires (i.e. will they last one more season before they age out)?
If they need to be changed now, that's fine. I've been planning on doing this, just debating about when to pull the trigger. In case this matters, our RV is typically stored indoors in a temperature controlled warehouse.
I was leaning toward the Goodyear G947 based on discussions here. The Michelin XPS steel option doesn't look like a good choice for me as I'm in Colorado and even in summer I may encounter snow, so I prefer a M+S rated tire. I've also seen a lot of discussion about the Michelin LTX tires. Opinions seem very hot/cold, so I'm not certain if it's a good choice for an RV or not (it's actually the tire I put on my 4Runner a year or two ago).
I just called Discount Tire. They quoted the following:
Goodyear G947: $2569 w/install and tax
Michelin LTX MS2: $1494 w/install and tax
Costco quoted the LTX MS2 at $201/tire + $15 install/tire. So, that would be $1296 + tax. However, they guy wasn't certain if they could take the RV or not (I think they hear RV and think bus, he was surprised when I told him the tire size).
So, is the all steel tire worth $1075 more? If they last six years, that's $180 extra per year, so not super significant over the long run. Is Discount Tire a good retailer? We've used Costco and Discount Tire in past, either is fine by me but if there's a better option I'm open to it.
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alliemac9
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04/26/12 04:53pm |
Class C Motorhomes
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Dinghy Set Up Company in Denver Area?
I'm a bit behind on my to-do list so I'm sure I can't get this done in time for our spring trip, but I'd like to get the ball rolling if a viable alternative to DIY exists (since our DIY list is languishing).
Anyone know of a company you'd recommend for set up of a toad in the Denver, Colorado area? We're interested in either the Unified Tow Brake or the ReadyBrute Elite surge brake system.
Toad: '96 2-dr RAV4
Baseplate: Came with the toad, but missing pieces? Based on prior posts here, it is likely a RoadMaster (link to my post). I only have what is attached to the vehicle. So, if something other than the tow bar slides into those square brackets in the base plate, I'm missing those pieces.
Towbar: Do not own one yet.
We were going to do this ourselves. Time got away from us. I've been watching on CL for a used set up, but never saw any close enough to purchase. So, my frugalness may lead me to paying full retail + installation if I want it done quickly. Oops!
Any reputable dealers or other suggestions? I think it's light enough to tow w/o a brake (~2,600 lbs), but I was planning on being conservative and installing one.
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alliemac9
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04/25/12 05:38pm |
Dinghy Towing
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RE: umm toilet help
Based on my reading here before purchasing our RV, here are our "rules":
To ensure adequate liquid, when you go #1 flush with one bowl of water. When #2 flush with two bowls of water.
Our dealer recommended occasionally waxing the inside of the bowl with normal car wax to keep things slippery. We have a porcelain bowl (not plastic) so I don't know if that made a difference in that recommendation. I also can't remember if we've ever done this.
We use dishpans in the sink to catch dishwater. We then put this down the toilet since our gray and black tanks are the same size. This helps them fill at a more even pace, saves space in the gray tank, and provides plenty of liquid for the black.
You don't need RV TP, but people around here recommend a single ply septic safe brand. You can also do a shake test with one square in a jar of water to see if it breaks down quickly, but we've never gone to those lengths.
We prefer to dump upon arrival somewhere rather than prior to leaving. The theory being that the drive got things good and sloshed around so nothing will be settled on the bottom of the tank or stuck on sensors, etc.
We do dump at home after a trip and we LOVE it. We can use our own facilities on the drive, and it fits with the point above. We have a clean out to our sewer line in a perfect spot near our driveway, but slightly downhill. We dump just like we would at a dump station.
We use a device that supports the drain hose to try to keep a reasonably constant slope between the tank and the drain.
Always leave some water in the tank. After dumping, we hold the flush pedal down for a couple minutes to add water. This is when we add Calgon (we buy the powdered bath salts version). We don't typically add detergent, just Calgon (we end up with small amounts of dish soap as a result of dumping dishwater).
We installed a tornado flush on our black tank. We use this every few trips or whenever we feel the need. It is really nice to have. All flushing of hoses or tornado usage is done with a dedicated black/gray tank hose that is very different (and kept separate) from our drinking hose.
We also installed/hung a 6" PVC pipe under the rear of our RV with one end sealed and the other has a screw on cap (also drilled some holes in it to allow the hose to air out). This provides dedicated sewer hose storage (including the fittings) that doesn't use up an outside storage bin or potentially rust out our bumper (the fittings don't fit in a bumper anyway, so you would still need a black storage area in one of your compartments).
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alliemac9
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04/19/12 08:33am |
Beginning RVing
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RE: RV furnace issue....any suggestions?
Does the unit have to be removed from the rv to get to the ignitor?
Hmmm...you know, I'm not certain. For some reason, I assume no. It just didn't seem like that invasive of a job. That said, I wasn't there when he did the work and that was at least 18 months ago at this point, so I don't remember the details very clearly.
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alliemac9
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04/14/12 04:10pm |
Class C Motorhomes
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RE: Step one. Bought the van.
Were you able to determine if the tube was hollow, and if so, how far down did it go? It may be a breather tube for an underground facility and the array looks like a 800 mhz antenna which was used for cellular reception about 15 years ago.
A rather eccentric friend of mine purchased a former underground facility in the mountains of West Virginia in 2008. It was a nuclear proof underground facility built by AT&T to keep communications going should the U.S. take a nuclear hit.
The facility has 36" thick doors throughout and a 36,000 KW generator and is about 6000 square feet in total size. It came with about 300 acres and he is quite pleased with this rather unique purchase.
I think that would be a really cool purchase as well! You don't happen to know what it cost, do you? Just curious... :)
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alliemac9
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04/09/12 01:01pm |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: For those of you who use a memory foam topper on a mattress
I was in costco yesterday and they have a 2.5" nova foam gel memory foam topper full size for $110. I don't know if that is a good deal or not.
I have purchased a number of memory foam toppers. One was some sort of "gel" topper from Costco. I like the topper, but the gel was in the form of tiny blue orbs distributed throughout the foam. It seemed kind of gimmicky to me as I couldn't figure out what benefit they would add. Turns out they are a royal pain. The mattress is comfy, but those little blue bits fall out and get everywhere. Not a big deal once you have the bed made and the topper contained, but getting to that point (and remaking the bed) can get messy.
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alliemac9
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04/05/12 12:02am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Small C opinions
We don't have a Coachmen Freedom, but we do have a Coachmen Freelander. We love it. Mostly because we think the floor plan and length are perfect (short, but with a rear corner bed and couch). I'm no expert in the quality ranking of RVs, but Lazy Daze and Born Free are always up there. I consider Coachmen average. Our small Coachmen is probably considered entry level, but we're fine with that and appreciate the fact that it has the "entry level" feature of no carpet.
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alliemac9
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03/30/12 08:11pm |
Class C Motorhomes
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RE: Complete Newbies
I would read everything on this forum. Learn from other people's experiences, questions/answers, and mistakes. Then rent one and put what you read into practice for a vacation. Then come back and ask all your questions, read some more, and then start searching for your own RV if the concept still fits for you and your family.
I read everything I could get my hands on, and we feel we picked our last RV first and were very confident in our choice. Others still shake their heads and smile, because we intentionally bought something small and the usual rule of thumb is that people quickly find they want something bigger, and other people expect us to get the "bigger" bug sooner than later. But every show we go to (for fun) reinforces how right our choice was. So, I recommend lots of research BEFORE pulling the trigger. And I think renting at least once is part of that.
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alliemac9
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03/29/12 09:16am |
Beginning RVing
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RE: Handy Hints, Gadgets, Products & Gizmos
I interpreted as "maybe stainless steel would be more appropriate than plexiglass next to a stove" in response to:
I enjoy cooking when we are camping. And while most times we cook outside (I am a messy cook), it is not always possible. DH installed thin sheets of plexiglass on the walls next to the stove to make clean up easier. He used velcro to attach the plexi to the walls.
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alliemac9
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03/13/12 07:21pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Why do dogs bury bones??
We have one that regularly "seasons" his treats, especially rawhides. I love watching him contemplate where to bury something, dig a little hole, drop it in, then nose the dirt back on top. Then he looks around to see if anyone was watching (our other dog can't eat his fast enough and is usually still busy at this point, so if anyone sees him, it's me standing up on the deck). If he sees me, he digs it back up and starts the process over again somewhere else. Usually, he brings it back in (with a small pile of dirt) in the same session. But sometimes I wonder if we have bones in the backyard that he's lost track of. He has unearthed old ones occasionally - if it looks really knarley I take it away (and trade him for something else).
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alliemac9
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03/04/12 10:40pm |
RV Pet Stop
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RE: Toxic dog toy at Petco...
Napthalene is the chemical used by most dry cleaners, so be sure to stop taking any clothes in for cleaning if there's any chance your pets will come in contact with them.
Actually, naphthalene is commonly used in mothballs. Typical dry cleaning operations use perchloroethylene (aka tetrachloroethylene). Obviously, neither is healthy, especially if ingested...
I have no idea if a dog would be interested in mothballs or not...never owned any. Probably depends on the dog (says the owner of an apparent pica-dog).
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alliemac9
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03/04/12 10:28pm |
RV Pet Stop
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RE: Handy Hints, Gadgets, Products & Gizmos
Similar to the post above, when browsing this forum I often read about interesting places to visit, things to see, or campgrounds I'd like to check out. But, they're quickly forgotten or I can't figure out what keywords to search on to find the thread again.
I'm also a Google/Gmail user, and love to use the My Maps feature at maps.google.com. I have one Map saved for camping and create place markers with details about these locations. Then when planning a trip, I can check my map and see if there are any recommended campgrounds or things to do in the area I'm headed.
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alliemac9
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02/17/12 06:25pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: The more I research, I-70 W of Denver scares the H out of me
As long as you take the "engine breaking" advise to heart and are not in a hurry, you shouldn't have any problems. I would recommend planning your trip so you'll travel in daylight. Enjoy the views and the wildlife (bighorn sheep, usually) rather than stressing at dusk or dark (lane lines are usually tough to see out here).
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alliemac9
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02/13/12 12:06am |
Beginning RVing
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RE: Looking to Purchase 24' Class C Motorhome -- Advice Needed!
I'm kind of mixed on the advice I would give here. I've always loved road trips and camping and went for five weeks across country with my best friend when I was 19. It was awesome and driving my 35mpg car helped with our college-kid budget. If I had been a few years older with a bit of discretionary funds (that I assume you have given the RV purchase plan), it would have really opened up the options for that trip. We had a blast hopping from NP to NP, but we were so reluctant to spend money that we didn't explore anything that may have a cost.
A few years ago, age 29, my DH and I rented a 24' RV for our wedding/honeymoon (unconventional but fun). It was awesome, and while I still consider myself young enough (relative to the poster's comments above) to car/tent camp, we were surprised how fun and liberating the RV was. We could pretty much go anywhere and always had everything with us. To me, it's like open-road backpacking... You get that same sense of self-reliance, but on a whole different scale. Based on that trip, we started saving and bought our own RV.
So, I'm assuming you've thought about what will work best for you so here are my thoughts on rental vs purchase:
-If you want the theoretic benefit of someone else (the rental company) dealing with any breakdowns or issues, I would use a national company. We rented from a local company because they gave us a great deal, but they didn't deliver on their promises, the unit wasn't very clean, the batteries were not maintained, failed, and we had to replace them and get reimbursed, etc. The handling was SO bad - we are calm, laid back people and were nearly panicked whenever a semi passed us. We ended up losing a day or day and a half of our trip having the darn thing checked out to make sure it was safe enough to keep going. They company didn't care. And it's not like there was another location to switch out units for one that was running better.
-The positive side of renting is having the opportunity to see if you like RV'ing and what features/floor plan would work best for you before you purchase. However, if you can find a used unit in good shape and use it for this trip, and then resell, you may have the same outcome.
-I like popup trailers, but for being on the move, you can't beat a Class C (IMHO). Just pull off in a rest area when tired, walk in back, and get some sleep. Get caught in a downpour while hiking? No problem, your whole house and all your dry clothes are waiting for you at the trailhead (feels like SUCH a luxury!).
-I agree that RV owners who are inherently handy DIYers are probably the most satisfied owners. You have to know how to troubleshoot, regardless of renting or owning.
Good luck with your decision! You really can't go wrong when you get to travel for five weeks, so enjoy!
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alliemac9
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02/12/12 11:39pm |
Class C Motorhomes
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