Extended Warranties: How To Protect Your Investment

Last week we looked at the cost effectiveness of extended warranties.  This week we will discuss what the vehicle owner is responsible for during such a warranty. If you elect to purchase an extended warranty on your RV, you need to protect that investment.  This requires regular maintenance at the frequency rate recommended by the manufacturer.  It also requires you to have the documents confirming the service was carried out.  So, keep all these receipts in a safe place so you can produce them if ever needed.  This maintenance file is also good to have when selling your RV down the road. Additionally, you are expected to operate the vehicle within its specifications and take the necessary steps that may be required once a failure has occurred.  For example, if on a motorized RV the oil pressure alarm sounds, you must stop the vehicle and engine immediately.  Damage caused by the engine operating any duration after the failure may not be covered by the warranty.  Say you saw a service station a mile down the highway and you decided to try to nurse it the extra mile.  If the oil pressure is low, not just a sensor failure, the crank bearings and the cylinder walls and more may be damaged. There are two ways the warranty shop can tell that the engine was run after the oil pressure ceased.  First, by inspecting the internal parts in the motor.  Secondly the ECM (Engine Control Module) records all engine events and would probably show that the oil pressure was low... Read more

Extended Warranties. Are They Worth It?

So, what exactly is an extended warranty? It is a warranty on a portion or all of a product that starts when the original manufacturer’s warranty expires.  It, as in the original, has a term, usually stated in months.  Additionally there may be other qualifying components such as a maximum mileage or operating hours.  Like the original warranty, it covers repairs or replacements of items that fail, but excludes normal wear, abuse or failure due to lack of maintenance. Extended warranties are offered now on many consumer purchases on vehicles worth hundreds of thousands of dollars to a seven dollar electronic accessory.  There are manufacturer, dealer and independent extended warranties available.   These additional warranties, however, come with a price.  Is this extra cost worth it? Well, of course there is no simple answer to this.  While there are many variables, even the same item may support such a need for one person’s application, but not for another’s.  However, making the right choice requires more than just knowing the cost.  You have to know what the service contract includes in full detail. First, who is the company that is offering this?  Generally they would fall into one of the three categories below. Manufacturer: While this is probably the best warranty package, it is generally the most expensive.  Service is usually throughout the country using their dealer network. Dealer: Normally more price competitive, but may be limited to a single point... Read more

Diesel Pushers Owners. What The Manuals Don’t Tell You.

Operation manuals are a great help in getting the most out of a product.  By studying these one can learn how to properly use the product without exceeding its specifications and causing damage.  However, there are things that are not necessarily covered and are either common sense, assumed knowledge or just plain missed.        So, let’s look at a modern class A diesel pusher.  It has air suspension and air brakes.  In most cases the manuals do not state the following.   Air Brakes: Do not exert hard pressure on the brake pedal while the park brake is applied.  Doing so may multiply the power of both the park brake spring and the air brake chamber which could cause damage to the mechanical portion of the “S” cam assembly.  Light to moderate pressure only is required while disengaging the park brake. Airing Up:  This is when you air up to ride height from a height lower than that used for travel.  Do not drive the vehicle until the suspension is fully inflated and at ride height.  This can generally be confirmed by in-dash indicators, if so equipped, or the sound of the compressor unloading.  This requirement is to avoid two possible issues.  The first is the possibility of contacting the fender with the front tires if steered to either side.  The second issue is the acute angle that the drive shaft U joints are at when aired down.  High torque at this steep angle may cause premature U joint failure.  Moving a short distance relatively straight under... Read more

Affinity Events To Host 17 RV Events During Spring 2010 Show Season

Coming off a successful fall show season, Affinity Events will host 17 consumer RV shows during the 2010 spring show season. Affinity Events and show exhibitors are combining efforts to bring the latest RV models and camping supplies to outdoor recreation enthusiasts across the country. The upcoming shows will also feature various campgrounds from across the United States, offering RVers a chance to shop and plan an exciting summer vacation. “Our fall shows helped bring RV dealers and enthusiasts together at a critical time in the RV industry,” said Tom Gaither, senior V.P. of Affinity Events. “It was a win-win show season. Our exhibiting dealers moved inventory and buyers capitalized on ‘Screamin’ Deals’ offered at the shows.” The Affinity Events fall RV shows drew strong crowds and helped participating dealers sell to first-time buyers as well as long-time RV enthusiasts. Gaither points to Affinity’s strong connections to RV enthusiasts through its many clubs, services, media outlets and events as a key differentiator for Affinity shows. “The relationships we maintain with RVers offer us an intimate understanding of the RV industry,” said Gaither. “We are proud to match RV buyers with dealers and we look forward to continued success for our show exhibitors in 2010.” Read more  Read More →

The Yearly Costs of Owning an RV (Part 2 of 2)

Last week we looked at some of the yearly costs involved in RV ownership.  (If you missed Part 1, here’s a link,  You might want to first read it   http://blog.rv.net/2009/10/the-yearly-costs-of-owning-an-rv-part-1-of-2/)  If you recall we touched on fuel, maintenance/repair, finances, insurance, licensing, taxes, and in more depth, the cost of depreciation. Today we will examine those costs and how practically and theoretically they may be able to be reduced. We will breeze through the items that we currently deal with, and are often discussed in the forums, and expand the “Wild Card,” depreciation.   Doing them in the order of last week, we will start with fuel cost. Read more  Read More →

The Yearly Costs Of Owning An RV (Part 1 of 2)

There are a number of items that must be considered when determining the yearly cost of buying a new RV. We hear so much about fuel costs, whether it is a motorized or a tow vehicle.  But, fuel really is peanuts in most cases.  Likewise, maintenance and repairs, while not necessarily cheap, are relatively small in the big picture.  The financial purchase, whether it is a cash deal or involves a finance contract, will almost certainly out weigh both fuel and repair costs.  Then of course there is insurance, licensing, and taxes, if applicable. Read more  Read More →

RV Doctor – What Do I Need To Know When Buying a Used RV?

Dear RV Doctor, We saw the RV Roadtrips show on DIY and wondered if you’d share some buying tips. I am interested in buying an older motorhome; a 1985 model. I am a novice working on mechanical projects, but want to learn. What are the most important things I need to be looking for before buying?- Gordon Griffin, (Blooming Grove, TX) Read more  Read More →

TV Choices in Today’s RV’s

Rv’s have to hold the record for the most television sets per square foot for any type of dwelling. There are many class A’s that have four, class C’s with three and even class B’s with two and possibly more. So where are all these sets in such a limited area? Generally there are up to two in the living room and kitchen area, one in the bedroom and one in an outside bay for patio viewing.  The CRT type has been replaced by lighter more compact LCD or plasma panel types.  The LCD has become the popular choice as it is available in so many sizes, is cost efficient, and seems somewhat more resilient in the mobile application. Now all of these are starting to come equipped for high definition broadcasts, requiring more sophisticated receivers, antennas and wiring. Is this new high definition a “must have” in an RV?  Perhaps not, in my opinion, though many may disagree.  Don’t get me wrong, HD (High Definition) produces a remarkable, photo like, picture.  While this is a stark difference from SD (Standard Definition), I don’t believe it adds that much to watching a movie on TV.  Viewing sports, for example, may be a little different, as the far sharper images can, in fact, make a vast improvement. So how many are too much? Most RV’s today come standard with one or two TV sets.  Generally each comes with a set in the living area with perhaps an additional one in the bedroom area.   An optional set is often available in... Read more

Coach Slides Vrs. No Slide Units

Slides started showing up in the early ’90’s, but many non-slide coaches were still being purchased.  Today, it would seem that all, or certainly the vast majority of coaches sold, are slide equipped.  There are still coaches offered that do not have slides.  Many entertainer conversions are without slides.  I recently saw a new Prevost conversion that was produced by a converter called “Outlaw” that had no slides.  It wasn’t made as an entertainer’s ride, but a normal conversion with the usual interior look.     So, what would life without slides be like?  It is surprising how roomy one feels.  I went into the “Outlaw” conversion at an RV show in RiverBend, in LaBelle, Florida.  Of course it didn’t look or feel anywhere as large as the many multi-slide rigs that are so common today, but it still felt roomy.  I guess to really appreciate its interior layout you have to realize, this is the size of the RV when camped, or on the road.  The “or on the road” is the big difference here when compared to the multi-slide. All multi-slide rigs are somewhat awkward within the interior while the slides are retracted.  Some are worse than others, but generally, the more and the deeper the slides, the more cramped they are.  The full wall slide may have a slight advantage here when compared to the double same-slide.  They only have two wall points when brought inside instead of four.  There are some advantages... Read more

VIDEO: Interested in Airstreams?

As regular viewers of The Long Long Honeymoon know, Kristy and I have an Airstream travel trailer. Airstreams have been in production longer than most of us have been alive. The company was established in 1931. Although Airstream has dabbled in motorhomes and other RVs, the company is famous for its travel trailers. What makes ‘em different? The most obvious answer is the aluminum skin. The upside of aluminum construction is longevity. It never rusts, and never goes out of fashion. The aircraft inspired construction is aerodynamic and tows like a dream. We get 12 MPG towing our 25-foot Classic, which is one of the heavier models. But Airstreams have a few quirks, also mostly related to the aluminum exterior. (Hint: When walking atop the roof, DO NOT step upon the aluminum.) And the curved roof construction that tows so well also leads to some compromises in interior space. The interior is more often described as “cozy” than “spacious.” Fortunately, most of our servicing issues have been minor ones. We’ve had the occasional leak, or the fan that stops blowing, or the door latch that fails. We’ve had tire issues. But for the most part, the thing has been reliable. The air-conditioning has always blown cold, the electricity has always come on, and the plumbing has always plumbed. Like all towables, Airstreams lack a motor — so they also lack all of those engine-related maintenance issues. From time to time, people interested in Airstreams... Read more

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