| |
Subject |
Author |
Date Posted |
Forum
|
 |
RE: Captain Kirk...your new Travel Trailer just landed!
If I pay $75+k for a travel trailer, it must be one that is going to be something I can pass to my grandkids. It will have to be made out of a composite material that doesn't delaminate, well built plumbing, well insulated, heated tanks, decent appliances, etc.
Compared to an Airstream, I don't see any real advantage of the FR model. It doesn't appear to have a slide-out, so it will be living in a tube. The AS will hold its value and there are many places that can repair one.
For $70k+, what I would like to buy from FR would be a model with an aluminum shell, flat aluminum walls (like a Livin-Lite), wood used for decoration (so leaks don't mean the trailer is scrapped), multiple slides with top of the line motors and multiple seals, onboard gasoline generator and fuel tank, rooftop solar panels, rubber over fiberglass roof, and so on, all designed so that if a component like the furnace needs replaced, it is easily accessed from the outside, but yet the outside storage compartments have doors thick enough to ward off the big screwdrivers like the class As have.
Just to address one point; the wright flyer model at least, does have one slide, and it appears to be a fairly deep one at that:
http://www.coatesrvnorthdakota.com/inventory/192508/New-2012-Forest-River-RV-Aviator-Wright-Flyer.aspx
|
traccan555
|
03/27/12 11:11pm |
Travel Trailers
|
|
RE: A rant
Most campgrounds couldn't care less who takes a site-
Why would they turn down the guaranteed customer that's on the phone or already there in favor of a customer that doesn't even exist yet????
Campgrounds most likely ask about size so they can make a determination as to whether the rig will fit without knocking something over or getting stuck trying to turn around etc.
Expecting them to hold sites open just in case a 40-ft. rig "needs" it would be like a landlord refusing to rent a three-bedroom apartment to a single person because "all you really need is one bedroom".
Ridiculous, from a business point of view...
Agree with Francesca and JayWalker's points here. If you tool up at 11 pm with no reservation, it seems to me it should make no difference whether you're driving a 45' Foretravel or pulling a 15' pop-up, if you didn't reserve ahead you're stuck with luck and/or the kindness of strangers.
I've always reserved hotel rooms in advance and often a room with two beds and a pull-out sofa or even a suite will be available at a much lower rate than a room with one bed (airline and hotel prices make about as much logical sense as Michelle Bachmann after 6 martinis), and I've never been told "um, sorry, but you're being moved to a different room because this family of 11 just pulled up and they need more space than you do". Of course, if I were *asked* politely, I would have no reason not to accede to the request....
If said 45' Foretravel owner had a well-stocked bar, and was buying a round for everyone, I'm sure more than a few people would be willing to move their Bambi over a few places. Just sayin'...honey trumps vinegar, everyone has their bribe-metre, etc etc. :P
|
traccan555
|
03/27/12 05:06am |
General RVing Issues
|
|
RE: A rant
Edited, see below.
|
traccan555
|
03/27/12 05:00am |
General RVing Issues
|
|
RE: Looking for East Coast Idea
DonnaSJ,
Where is this?: "My son wants to be sure we add Frontiertown idea to our list!" Never heard of it!
I'm not sure where you are in MA, but one of the most enjoyable and unique things we did while there last summer was a canal boat tour given by the National Park Service in Lowell. It was great to get the history of the mid 19th-century cotton and textile mills, and the city seems to be undergoing a renaissance now unlike many of the other Merrimack valley towns. Also great for wildlife watching..saw turtles, a red-tailed hawk and a great white heron (early August). Inexpensive too for what you get...includes admission to the visitor center and they'll give you a walking map for you to stroll around on foot.
Another neat thing was the Main State Prison workshop in Thomaston Maine, near Camden. Amazing woodworking, all done by the inmates who also staff the shop. Not only worth seeing and buying, but seems to be a model for integrating offenders back into the work force. I was impressed.
I haven't been to Williamsburg area, but it's high on my list! Skyline Drive/Blue Ridge Parkway were amazing, but allow a lot of time. We tried to pack too much into a few days.
|
traccan555
|
03/20/12 05:26am |
Family Camping
|
|
RE: Unseasonably warm...
Golfing is good in Ohio. :B
Have you ever played a course called JE Good Park in Akron? I used to live just on the Canadian side of Detroit, and I took a quick golf/road trip around southern MI and OH a few years back.
Two 18-hole Donald Ross courses, municipally owned. Even if you play at the peak time on a Saturday mid-season you'll probably pay under 35 bucks. Great condition, lightning greens- and wait until the trees have flowered, because the unique part of the course is that they probably have every deciduous tree native to OH lining the fairways, and they're old and majestic. Very pretty place.
|
traccan555
|
03/20/12 05:10am |
RV Lifestyle
|
|
RE: Unseasonably warm...
We just got back from our second trip this year but still afraid of freezing nighttime temps and have not de-winterized.
Labs and Golding: I am sure there will still be chilly nights ahead, so I can understand your reluctance. Here the nights still drop to around the freezing mark or just above, even though the days are much warmer. Even if we get some snow or ice, keep those shovels stored haha! Just let nature take care of it, it can't last very long now.
|
traccan555
|
03/20/12 05:06am |
RV Lifestyle
|
|
RE: Unseasonably warm...
Reached 82 today in MA. Washed the RV and driveway camped. It was cooler near the beach, water is still around 45 degrees. We may beach camp this weekend, but the temps may drop toward the 50's by Saturday. It is very tempting to hit the road, but who knows how long this crazy warm weather will hold out.
We won't be as warm as you, but it's still forecast to be in the low/mid 70's away from the coast for the next several days. There's no place as pretty as New England on warm, sunny days from now til October, though IMO. You're lucky to live where you do!
And yeah, the coast here is downright chilly still. It'll be a while before you can even walk the beach without a jacket or heavy sweater!
|
traccan555
|
03/20/12 05:04am |
RV Lifestyle
|
|
Unseasonably warm...
For those in the eastern half of the country/continent, have any of you taken advantage of the unseasonably mild and sunny weather? Taken the RV to a year-round CG and gotten some fishing or golf in? For those around Minneapolis, Detroit, Chicago, Buffalo, Boston, I can't imagine resisting the temptation.
I have tee times booked for the next 3 days and I live in Nova Scotia! :h :B
|
traccan555
|
03/19/12 10:48am |
RV Lifestyle
|
|
RE: Looking for East Coast Idea
Maine and Acadia National Park,you should not miss.
Let me be the 3rd to vote for Acadia Nat'l Park and the Maine coast; also the White Mountains/North Conway area of NH, and if you make it that far coastal Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island in Canada.
|
traccan555
|
03/14/12 08:54pm |
Family Camping
|
|
RE: Air Levelling and Hydraulic
I wish you luck and a speedy sell. My folks have been trying off and on to sell their place since last winter, and it's slow going. It's not a seller's market, at least out here on the east coast. I hope it's a bit more active out in AB!
|
traccan555
|
03/12/12 08:51pm |
Class A Motorhomes
|
|
RE: Air Levelling and Hydraulic
Ooops! My mistake, correction: Just had a look through the specs again and it appears that the 10KW genny IS included when the extra roof air is optioned for in the Diplomat. Sorry for the misinformation!
|
traccan555
|
03/12/12 11:31am |
Class A Motorhomes
|
|
RE: Air Levelling and Hydraulic
Congrats Trap! I remember awhile back when we were talking about the new Ellipses and other DP's, so it's great that you have things narrowed down. I am leaning myself toward a 40 ft non-tag Diplomat/Endeavor, and getting closer to just doing it. One of the things that pushed me over the top for the Monaco/HR product is that they now come standard with a 3-stage Jacobs diamond logic engine brake, which I *cannot* find in any other product at a similar price point- the Entegra has a 2-stage true engine brake in the anthem/aspires, at least last years model- the remainder of 350K and less seem to only have exhaust brakes which everyone on here who drives a DP says is a no-no.
Another feature that I really liked was the interior cabinetry and wood trim- EVERYthing in the Diplomat is trimmed in wood even the sides of cabinet holding the convection microwave, and solid wood on all the cabinet sides and fascias as opposed to just veneer. The overall fit and finish is way, way above what I was seeing in new Monaco/HR products back in 2008-2009. The breaker box and engine access are so neatly finished with everything labelled and organized properly, same with the storage compartments and holding tanks... I looked behind everything and in every corner I could in the unit I viewed and it showed no indication of rushed/shoddy workmanship.
My only concern is whether there is enough of a power supply to run the 3-roof air's, the residential refer, the aqua hot, the washer/dryer etc with just the 8.0KW onan gen and 4 glass matt batteries. From what I can figure out the 10.0KW gen is only available as an option on the tag-axles and not on the 36 and 40 foot units. I doubt that I'll ever need to run all that stuff at once, though- I am organized enough to do the laundry on a day when it's not 90 degrees outside and I don't need the a/c running on max ;) I also expect to be boondocking less than 20% of the time.
For bigger families, though, I would urge monaco to consider making the larger generator and a 6-bank of batteries an option on any of the 40-ft and over coaches.
American Coach, Entegra, Tiffin, Winnebago etc. all had nice aspects and things that I liked too, but in terms of what the Monaco comes equipped with, I can't find anything in a new coach that beats it dollar for dollar, and also has the floorplan that works.
|
traccan555
|
03/12/12 11:16am |
Class A Motorhomes
|
|
RE: SMALL garden blower
Several of my neighbors at home have electric leaf blowers. They are extremely quiet and not bothersome. Good thing they are quiet as they use them for hours on end sometimes.
You will never convince the grumpy gramps around here that they are not bothersome. Some people are born to gripe. Probably the same group who will get angry at the sound of their neighbor's lawn mower, then get angry that the neighbor's grass is too long if they don't use it. :R
JayWalker, sounds like you live in my neighborhood! I know the type only TOO well. Of course, it would be nice if the 75 yr old retiree next to me observed the city by-laws and didn't consistently run his snowblower at 7:30 on Saturday morning to clear of 1.5 inches of snow to get to the job he.....err, wait.... :B
|
traccan555
|
03/09/12 09:37am |
General RVing Issues
|
|
RE: Did you know Newmar pays their factory workers $30+/hr
bsinmich
Yes, I concede your point regarding Newmar: I knew that about their workers, but hadn't considered them specifically when making my point- it was more a general view of the industry overall, and I think most of the other companies would have mostly non-Amish workers with the exception of cabinet-making... most of them do hire Amish or Mennonites for that part of the business. Aspiring to own a product is certainly only one reflection of overall job satisfaction, I don't mean to suggest it's the only indicator :)
|
traccan555
|
03/06/12 10:22pm |
General RVing Issues
|
|
RE: Quality Control in RV Industry?
If you read posts here much at all you see a theme of poor quality and lack of integrity by RV industry workers and parts manufacturer's. Thankfully there are rare exceptions. I had a 1958 Oasis camp trailer that was going strong when I sold it six years ago. No water damage. Beautiful interior wood work, curved cabinet wood, scallopped edges. Obvious pride. Where did that go? It's not in my current rig. better hope the Japanese never enter the RV industry. Sad but true.
Like any industry, the goal is to maximize profit. If you can make profit building an RV without detailed, quality woodworking, hiring skilled craftspeople that take time and cost considerable money, you'd probably do it, right? If people buy crap, people will continue to sell it. An older thread on here talked about the junk that Detroit was producing in the 70's and 80's and how the car industry took a hit to the Japanese and Koreans that still hasn't recovered. But the full blame, in my view, shouldn't lie with the auto or RV manufacturer who are simply doing what the free market authorizes them everyday to do: put out the least costly product that gets you the highest return. So what's the solution? There needs to be a referee in the game, and that referee used to be called the gov't (also known as 'the people'). But, turns out that the majority of reps we elect no longer have the ba "bones" to put the necessary regulation on the manufacturer to ensure quality manufacturing. The junk that was produced by GM, Ford and Chrysler for decades sure never impacted the CEO's of those companies! While customers were stuck with lemons, and factory workers lost their jobs by the thousands, the big boys were still lounging by their mansion pools living the high life. And now, if the recent primary debates are any indication, the gov't thinks the solution to our woes is *less* rather than *more* regulation ... guess that old quote about people not remembering history (or at least understanding it) means we really are condemned to repeat it. :S
|
traccan555
|
03/06/12 10:12pm |
General RVing Issues
|
|
RE: Did you know Newmar pays their factory workers $30+/hr
Tatest said:
"I've been through the Newmar plant. At the coach assembly stage, Newmar is working on a journeyman/independent craftsman model for much of the work. There are not a lot of jobs in the process for lower skill labor, but there is some, and I don't believe Newmar pays the floor-sweeping guy the same as they pay the electrician who wires the coach or the welder who puts together the steel frame."
This makes a lot of sense to me. Cabinet makers likely make more than custodians or painters because there are simply fewer people with their skills. While I agree that paying higher wages, benefits packages, streamlining the assembly process etc., will never guarantee a better worker, I do think that overall happiness and job satisfaction, and job-matching, are big indicators. I have worked jobs that paid 10$ more per hour and offer much more in the way of benefits, and yet putting in as much effort as the job that was far less per hour was like pulling teeth every second, simply because I despised what I was doing so much. One thing that I'd look for if I managed a car/RV plant is workers who genuinely enjoy RV'ing, either own one of the vehicles they make or aspire to within a short period of time, and I'd try to ensure that they earn enough to make that goal realizable.
|
traccan555
|
03/05/12 01:57pm |
General RVing Issues
|
|
RE: Did you know Newmar pays their factory workers $30+/hr
If that were the case, I'd be impressed, not turned off.
$30 an hour will buy better workers, and the manufacturer can pick & choose who they want to employ, and not have to 'settle' for anyone. Plus, it probably negates the yearn for a union to come in and botch things up.
I've often said upon seeing a dozen minimum-wage employees at a McDonald's accomplishing very little -- Hire 6 people, pay them twice as much, and watch what happens to productivity and customer relations.
Look at it through a businessman's eyes, not subscribing to the "if a salesman's lips are moving he's lying" BS.
X2- maybe if rv manufacturers offered higher average pay, or at least a comprehensive benefits package and some job stability, there wouldn't be as much overall dissatisfaction about rv industry quality on this forum. Of course, it would also likely drive the MSRP's up, and drive demand down. It's a catch 22. But there will always be people who can afford to pay more-and even a few willing to- for a better constructed product.
|
traccan555
|
03/04/12 05:24am |
General RVing Issues
|
|
RE: Let's Talk MPG and Gas Price$.
However the price of gas is out of our control. The US can drill everyplace there's oil and not significantly affect gas prices.
The only way would be to isolate US oil from global markets. That's not going to happen.
In the last debates Gingrich spoke of $2.50 gas. What a joke! He's hoping the voters are very stupid.
$2.50 gas promise
"We're still importing a huge amount of crude oil," Hamilton says, and neither he nor the U.S. government expects that will change anytime soon."
One can only conclude from the recent debates that these guys aren't getting 'sidetracked' by issues like abortion and gay marriage- they can ONLY talk about those (unsubstantial) issues, because they haven't got two sweet clues what to do about the economy, jobs, the debt and gas prices (the substantial issues that are the only ones that ought to matter to grown-ups in 2012).
|
traccan555
|
03/02/12 02:33am |
Tech Issues
|
|
RE: equate Flushable Wipes?
Depends . . . .no pun intended. I've got a chopper in my Roadtrek.
By 'chopper' do you mean a macerator?
Maybe he carries a Sigorsky helicopter back there?? I know the Roadtreks are spacious, but geez...
|
traccan555
|
02/17/12 06:29am |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
|
|
RE: FMCA Menbership
I belong to FMCA, mostly because it was necessary to become a member of the Freightliners Chassis Owners Club (FCOC). It's a nice organization, but I wish they'd get off the "Type" designation and call a DP a Class A like everyone else in the world. Does a "Class C" owner feel two levels down from a "Class A" owner? I don't think so.
Excellent Point, Meander... and I'd say the same goes for a class b vs class b+. If ever I were in the market for either, it's the first time I'd feel prouder with a B than a B+.
|
traccan555
|
01/31/12 01:29am |
Class A Motorhomes
|
|
