RV Adventure

photo credit: theslowlane

Recreational vehicles require preventative maintenance like other vehicles. A basic preventative maintenance service for higher end RVs with diesel engines can run anywhere from $200 to $400. A recent comment I read on a forum left by a RV mechanic stated their shop’s labor rate was $110 per hour due to the extra effort needed to repair problems and find RV parts.

It is a good idea to pop out your RV owners manual once in awhile and take a look at your RV parts that require regular maintenance. You want to make sure you maintain your recreational vehicles warranty by performing any routine maintenance operations. More important is that your RV will perform better and you will experience fewer breakdowns and expensive repairs.

Hear are a some the of the checks that should be made on an annual basis.

• Check all motorized units
• Change oil
• Change oil filter and fuel filters
• Coolant filter
• Check brake, differential and power steering fluids
• Visual inspection of all systems including belts and lubrication
• Propane leak test

Additionally top off all RV batteries once per month and check the owners manual for tire rotation schedule. Each year it is a good idea to follow RV appliance manufacturers recommendations and clean and service your appliances, even if you don’t use them much. Some warranties require this.

Keep a special watch out for insects and other uninvited guests like spiders, wasps and even small birds from clogging important RV parts. RV vent pipes have become homes for birds creating a potential fire hazard.

Taking proper care of your RV appliances by cleaning and adjusting them will add years to their life span and give you and your familiy peace of mind.

I found a handy search tool that lets you find RV campgrounds in all the 50 states. RVingUSA.com provides this RV search tool and it’s very fast, easy to use, a real plus in my book, and gives a good number of RV campground results to choose from. All you have to do is click on one of the states and presto magic, in what seems like a split second, there is a full page of RV campgrounds right before your very eyes. Isn’t technology a wonderful thing?

I live Indiana, the RV manufacturing capital of the world, and there are 35 RV campgrounds in Indiana to browse through.  Each of the 35 Indiana RV campground results has a link to it’s own specific campground page with details of such things as;

• Full address, phone, fax, telephone & email address
• Website
• Affiliations and Memberships
• Driving directions
• Seasons open
• Park features - very handy and thorough list of park amenities, even has the electrical hookup ratings and what credit cards are accepted.
• Attractions
• Area Events
• Other comments - such as WiFi Connetion

If you are planning a RV trip this is a great place to start penciling in your RV route.

Speaking of penciling in your RV Route, have you visited Google Maps lately? What a cool tool that is. Now at Google maps you don’t have to get stuck with whatever the computer displays when you feed in the default driving directions. If you would like to change the driving directions all you have to do is drag the blue line that designates the route the computer displayed and “vualla” the map route and corresponding text directions changes almost immediately. Pretty darn cool if you ask me!

Check out Google Maps now, it’s a hoot!

Here is an excellent article on RV Fire Safety.

In it Mark Polk talks about the fact that there are over 20,000 RV fires each year. Some of the highlights of the article you should take note of are:

• Transmissions cause a large portion of RV Fires
• 25% of RV fires caused by electrical shortages
• How to inspect your RV Fire Extinguisher
• Class definitions of RV Fire Extinguisher
• Emergency escapes

All in all this is a very informative article every RV enthusiast should read

I was watching the Fox business block this morning when one of the financial gurus brought up the price of gas and said that to fill up an RV gas tank with diesel fuel now costs $467.00. Yowdie…man can you say hydrogen powered RVs. Here is a link to the latest gas and diesel fuel prices.

Get the Right Kind of Insurance for your RVs

It is very important for vehicle owners to get insurance for themselves and their cars.

Since RVs have more features than cars, ordinary insurance cannot cover all the possible occurrences that can happen to the RVs.

To maximize the insurance plan that you will invest in, here are some things to consider in choosing them.

1.    Recreational vehicles have internal components that are not present in ordinary vehicles.

Because RVs have plumbing connections, appliances, and electrical wiring system, it must be ensured that the insurance plan you are getting must cover these parts. Check with your insurance agent about the extent of the coverage for these items. If these things fail, the owner does not end up paying for the replacement.

2.    Recreation vehicles are extreme, outdoor vehicles.

RVs must have some extent of insurance coverage for failures caused by some acts of nature like fire, storms and the like.

3.    Towing services is a priority.

Ordinary insurance plans do not cover towing services. This must not be the case for your home on the road. If this aspect is not included in the insurance plan, the owner ends up paying a large sum of money for towing services.

4.    Personal things must be given importance.

RVs are like rooms in the house; we can keep personal belongings to use while we travel. In that case, care must be given to these personal things by getting an insurance plan that covers them.

5.    Full time coverage for RVs is an advantage.

Are you the kind of person who practically spends 24 hours a day, seven days a week on the road? If you do, make sure that the insurance you will be getting is a full-time kind.

6.    The type of compensation is an important aspect as well.

Most people do not give attention to details such as depreciation of the value, or the amount that must be returned in case of total loss. The money that you invest must depreciate at the lowest percentage possible.

After all these aspects are checked, your RV will be assured of the best insurance plan.

Since recreational vehicle started to proliferate in 1910, Americans have been avid enthusiasts of camping and other outdoor recreational activities. As its popularity continues to grow, more and more people are trying to customize the total outlook of their recreational vehicles to suit their individual needs and wants.

For this reason, most of the recreational vehicles that are owned by people who love to travel are definitely custom-made or “homemade.” The design and outline of every custom-made recreational vehicles vary depending on the wishes of the owner.

Moreover, because of this growing demand for custom-made recreational vehicles, more and more trailers and campers are endowed with additional home appliances. Hence, bigger trailers are required to be able to drag larger cargoes.

The most typical size of recreational vehicles is 15 to 20 feet in length. But with custom-made recreational vehicles, there are trailers that grow up to 25 feet.

Most of the amenities that are contained in the custom-made recreational vehicles are focused on giving utmost comfort for its occupants. These custom-made recreational vehicles are specifically built to accommodate the additional features that its owner wants to include on its overall features.

Whatever the type or style of custom-made recreational vehicles, the best thing about this particular type of travel trailer is that it has the same advantage that every traveler wishes to obtain and experience. Here’s a list of some of the advantages of most popular custom-made recreational vehicles:

1. Bonding with your family

The best thing about custom-made recreational vehicles is that it can provide a comfortable venue for “reconnecting” or building lost moments with your family. Because it is custom-made, people can enjoy more with the comfort and relaxation that these types of recreational vehicles can bring.

2. Trendy for the young ones

Another good thing about custom-made recreational vehicles is that parents can easily design a vehicle that will be patterned on the particular needs of their children. For instance, if you have a bigger family with more children than the usual, you can create a custom-made recreational vehicle that will provide you with bigger and more tailor-made features for your bigger family.

Indeed, with custom-made recreational vehicles, you can easily build a more relaxed comfy traveling experience with your family with a bigger and better features because it is tailor-made just for you and your family’s needs.

I admit it I’m new to RVs and don’t know all RV lingo but who came up with the term “Diesel Pusher”? The term certainly doesn’t match very well with the beautiful Gulf Stream Crescendo Class A Diesel Luxury Motorhome.

The Crescendo is one awesome Gulf Stream RV. Hardwood cabinetry, Corian™ countertops and elegant lighting, gives taking home on the road a whole new meaning. Some models have a centrally located entertainment center making it easy for everyone to see. If you want to find out more check out the Gulf Stream Crescendo Brochure.

Also here are some used Gulf Stream RVs that won’t break into your bank to hard.

photo credit: dave_7

Class A motorhomes most often are considered the top-of -the-line in the RV world. Basically they are souped up buses and believe it or not these babies will weigh anywhere from 15,000 to 30,000 pounds and can be as long as 40 feet in length. These rolling wonders truly are a “motor home”. Class A RVs are designed with just about every practical luxury your anchored down home has.  The Chassis under 99% of the Class A Motorhomes manufactured today is a basic Frame Rail the same chassis used my buses and semi trucks. Many Class A motorhomes also feature Power Slide Out Room Extenders. With nothing but the touch of a button, a class A motorhome owner can slide out a portion of their RV’s exterior wall to increase their living space.

If you purchase a Class A motorhome expect it to be equipped with cooking facilities, a refrigerator, heating, air conditioning, a self-contained toilet, water tanks (fresh water, grey water, black water), faucets, sinks, a LP (propane) gas supply, a separate 100-125 volt electrical system, and a full array of appliances and other luxuries such as.

• Side bath
• Queen Island bed
• 75” Hide-a-Bed Sofa and Euro Recliner Chair with Ottoman in Living Room
• Antenna Tec Television Antenna w/Electronic Signal Amplifier
• A & E Patio Awning 8500 Series
• Samsung 27” CRT Color Television Living Room

Class A Motorhomes can sleep up to eight people, depending on the model and the floor plan. You can expect to dig deep into your financial reserves to afford one of these dream mobile homes. Prices of a new lower-end models cost $100,000, and the top-of-the-line models can cost as much as $500,000.

Not cheap, but what a way to get away from it all.
photo credit: akarmy

I ran across a new product called EZTowel in one of the wholesale magazines I receive. At first glance it looks like a unique product that might be of benefit where space is at a premium such as in RVs.

EZTowel works like a handy wipe that is used for babys. The product is also being marketed for campers, hunters and fisherman and I can see where they would be handy and convenient.

In its compressed form EZTowel is about the size of a 5 nickels. When water is applied to EZTowel it expands to the size of 8.5″ x 9.5″.

Check out this video of what EZTowel can do and if EZTowel might be a product to store in your RV.

I did some research on extension cords for RVs. In his article entitled Basic RV Electricity Mark Polk advises

If it’s possible you should try to avoid using an extension cord when making electrical connections at the campground. The gauges of the wire used in standard household extension cords are not suitable for RV electrical hook-ups. Eventually you will be put in a situation where you will need to use an extension cord. It’s a good idea to purchase an RV extension cord that is compatible to the electrical system of your RV. If you do purchase an extension cord somewhere else it should be 10-guage wire and always use as short of an extension cord as possible.

Here are some extension cords for RVs.