“How to Buy an Airstream” Tip

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to our E-mail Digest or RSS Feed. We will then send you the stories that are posted each day in an e-mail digest. We use a service called Feedburner for delivery of these emails. You will receive an e-mail from Feedburner after you subscribe and you must click on that email to activate your subscription. Thanks for visiting and enjoy all the information! RV.Net Blog AdminMy goal with the “How to Buy an Airstream” ebook is to arm anyone interested in buying an Airstream with the essential information needed to bring home the right silver baby. The basic principles discussed will be helpful for anyone who is going RV shopping. Even if you are buying some other brand of RV or travel trailer, you’ll find useful information in this book. Hopefully, this book will save readers a lot of time, money, and heartache. One tip I’d like to offer all used Airstream buyers: watch out for oriented strand board (OSB). OSB is an engineered wood particle board formed by layering strands (flakes) of wood in specific orientations. In other words, it’s particle board that is a cheaper alternative to plywood. Alas, OSB has been used as a subfloor material in some Airstreams over the years. While it has usually been used in entry level models, in the late 1980s it also appeared in the high end Excellas. While its presence isn’t the end of the world (and shouldn’t always necessarily be a deal killer) OSB does merit your... Read more

An RV White Knuckle Experience!

Memories of Lug_Nut. There is an expression in the sailing world that goes like this, ”Hours of boredom interrupted occasionally by minutes of shear terror!” Well, fortunately this does not, or should not, apply to the RV world. The boredom of watching gentle waves going by for hours is probably somewhat understandable. This is not the case of an RV with the constant changing scenery while travelling at nearly ten times the speed of that of a sailboat. The terror referred to may be a sudden squall or unpredicted storm that may render a pleasant sail into a fight for survival. This too is rarely ever applicable to RV travel. I’ve done many motor home miles in every state and province in North America. I’ve done the entire route 1 from Oregon to San Diego pulling a flat tow extended Escalade, somewhere around 68 feet in length. I have encountered severe weather, tough driving conditions and just plain bad conditions. While some of these certainly got my attention, I can’t say they were anything near approaching what one might call terrifying. That all was going to change one day in March of 2013. Alright, now let’s flash forward to that day! We were on route for the northwest and wished to travel California 101, an easy non-event route plan. We approach San Francisco, no problem. We want to cross the Golden Gate Bridge, (Our 6th or 7th time). The GPS, or the actual little green critter that lives within, directed us to head for the Bay Bridge into... Read more

Decreasing The Risk of RV Accidents

A Lug_Nut point of view.   Vehicle accidents are unfortunately all too common, especially minor ones, often referred to as “Fender Benders.”  These types of incidents are both costly and inconvenient, not to mention possibly dangerous.  Many insurance policies provide for a loaner, or rental car, while your vehicle gets repaired.  This certainly eases the inconvenience somewhat, but still disrupts one’s life, albeit briefly. Such a safety net does not exist for most, if not all, RV’s.  If your trailer or motor home is involved in a collision, you will inevitably be without a temporary replacement while it is fixed.   But, unlike an ordinary auto repair, the repairing of these specialized units takes a considerable period of time. Additionally, RV’s are generally larger, and some greatly so, to that of a normal automobile or light truck.  To manage the weight for these oversized vehicles, lighter body materials are often used.  These lighter materials can suffer far worst damage in an impact with an object or another vehicle.   Also, the nature of RV applications may often require maneuvering in close proximity to a host of objects while backing into a relatively small space.  All of these things increase the risks of physical damage to the unit. This can be very stressful if such an event happens just prior to, or while, on your vacation.  It can ruin your plans and spoil your entire holiday.   Unfortunately, there is no guaranteed way of avoiding these... Read more

YOUR STORIES … AND MY ‘WHAT-TO-BUY ADVICE’

By Barry Zander, Edited by Monique Zander, the Never-Bored RVers I just read your article about Enon. It gave me a chuckle. I actually live close to Enon and still am not sure where it is.   I hear people talk about it but it remains this mysterious place that only certain people know where it is located. I’ll be following your journey and hope you have a fun and safe trip. Carol Garris In the book “Then There Were None” by Agatha Christy, which was made into a movie in 1959 called, “Ten Little Indians,” the name of the omniscient host was U.N. Owen.  It was later decoded to mean “Unknown.”  Well, maybe the “Mystery of Enon” is that it’s “None” spelled backwards. In response to my request for wrong turn stories, there’s this one from Gary: Perhaps not as good a story as yours, but here goes anyway. My wife and I were traveling south from Mount Vernon, WA, on Interstate 5, talking about anything and everything when we found ourselves on Old Highway 99, the old main north/south Hwy, from Seattle, which is about 10 miles or so to the west, of I-5, without any knowledge of how we got there. We knew where we were, but how we got there remains a mystery even today. That was over 30 years ago and we still refer to that time whenever we find ourselves talking past a turn-off.     Good times.   Yes.  Thanks, Gary AND … We once spontaneously decided to tent camp with canoe, two kids, and a dog. The idea was to get to Flagstaff Lake, put gear and... Read more

The Weak Link In RV Dash Instrumentation

A Lug_Nut Thought.  Dash instrumentation has become more and more precise over the years.  Complex informative data can be displayed with near pin point accuracy.  Full “Glass Dashes” like that used in aircraft today are finding their way and showing up on some high end motor coaches.  Digital readouts have become common place in everyday automobiles over the past decade.  Engine temperatures can be observed to the single degree as can speed, engine RPM, manifold pressure, boost pressure, transmission temperature and much more.  In the average vehicle, these multitude of real time data information readings are of little value, outside of a cool looking gimmick.  In most cases “Idiot Lights” would probably suffice.   However, for large vehicles, like heavy motor homes and truck trailer combinations, this information can be vital and of great value.  Observing various data trends and digital readout behavior while travelling, can reveal issues that require attention.  That attention may necessitate an operation strategy change, or, if necessary, a physical investigation. But, there is one instrument that every vehicle has and is used daily.  It has not really evolved operationally over that available when we were born.  While some sensor changes have been made, it is still about as inaccurate as they were 30 years or more ago.  That instrument is the fuel gauge.     Every vehicle I have ever owned, or driven, seemed to have the same inaccurate tendency. ... Read more

A Popular Choice In RV’s Today

Lug_Nut, with a product class point of view.  With the economy slowly improving and banks loosening their grip on loans, RV sales are increasing in many areas.  One of the brightest stars in this recovery seems to be the Class B motor home.  These are the smaller, van like, vehicles that are manufactured by such companies as Roadtrek, Pleasure-Way, Thor and Winnebago.  Sales for these types of recreational vehicles soared to a 32% year over year increase during the first eight months of 2012.  The market share certainly belongs to Roadteck, capturing 35.8% of the Class B sales.  They are followed by Pleasure-Way at 19.9%, closely trailed by Thor at 19.3% and Winnebago securing 16%. So, why are these motorized RV’s becoming so popular?  Well let’s look at some of the advantages they may have over that of a Class C or A. Attractive price point ranging from $65K to over $100K for new. Easy to drive and park in urban areas, requiring no special license. Thrifty on fuel and available in gasoline or diesel powered. Can operate as a lone vehicle or a daily driver. Can be stored at home in the driveway in nearly any city. Can travel in locations not accessible to larger rigs.  ie: Going To The Sun Road. Much of the servicing can be done at your local repair shop. Much more energy efficient to maintain interior temperatures in all climates. Okay, but what about the home comforts and conveniences?  Well, no shortage there.  The inside seems surprisingly large given the vehicle’s... Read more

TRAVEL CHANNEL’s: MEGA RV COUNTDOWN

TRAVEL CHANNEL’S: MEGA RV COUNTDOWN High Noon Entertainment, the producers of Cake Boss, Heat Seekers, Bang for Your Buck and Food Network Challenge is thrilled to be producing a no holds barred special for Travel Channel that takes an inside peek at America’s most tricked out, pimped out and over-the-top RVs. From the converted school bus to the Boatorhome and everything in between, America’s Craziest RVS is looking for the most outrageous vehicles and the people who own and design them. Want to share your recreational vehicular creation with the rest of America? If you can drive it and sleep in it, we want to see it! All interested vans, buses, campers, trailers and their owners are welcome to apply. Please contact us at rvshow@highnoontv.com Watch as we feature your favorites voted on by viewers at http://www.travelchannel.com/ Source: High Noon Entertainment Press Release Mark Polk RV Education 101 RV Consumer RV101.TV  Read More →

“LIKE” our Facebook Page to WIN FREE STUFF!

Springtime is upon us, and that means several things. Pollen? Check. I’ve been sneezing at least fifteen times an hour. RV cleaning? Check. We recently pressure washed our Airstream and it is now shining like a gigantic loaf of silver sour dough. This time, I managed to avoid pressure washing my foot. Facebook page rebooting? Check! In the spirit of spring cleaning, we’re launching a new “Long Long Honeymoon” Facebook page. The page will feature conversation, photos, video, and FREE STUFF. You can find it here: http://Facebook.com/LongLongHoneymoon Now on Facebook! Our goal will be to engage everyone with tales of travel… to inform, educate, and entertain… and yes, to parcel out loads of free goodies that pertain to Airstream / RV camping. We will soon be ramping up several weekly contests and giveaways, including Long Long Honeymoon DVDs, t-shirts, and books. So why not head on over to Facebook and join the fun? CLICK THE PHOTO! Click the photo to be magically transported across the wild Internets!  Read More →

Let’s Talk NOOK !

Let’s Talk NOOK ! Recently I wrote an article about the Amazon Kindle (one appropriately if unimaginatively titled Let’s Talk KINDLE !). The crux of my essay was that e-readers are the best thing to hit RV’s since flush toilets. There are many e-readers available for your purchasing pleasure. One of the most popular rhymes with “book.” Why did I choose to focus on Kindle? Conspiracy theories abound. Am I biased? Have I loaded up our investment portfolio on AMZN? Or am I merely an Amazon fanboy who wears Jeff Bezos pajamas? Nah. While I may be a bit of an Amazon fanboy, I wrote about Kindle because Amazon is currently KING KONG of the e-reader world. Yes, if recent sales figures are to be believed, Amazon is now perched on a skyscraper high above E-Reader Metropolis with Fay Wray sitting on its lap. Or is that Jeff Bezos in a dress? Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos in a dress? This is wrong on many levels. Anyway, with Kindles selling faster than mouse ears at Disney World, it’s good to be King Kong. But if there’s a pesky swarm of biplanes on the horizon, it’s the Barnes & Noble NOOK. The author's book on his wife's NOOK. The Nook is a series of e-reader devices sold by everyone’s favorite brick-and-mortar bookstore behemoth. These range from inexpensive e-ink readers (Nook Simple Touch) to more robust tablets (Nook Color & Nook Tablet). You can buy Nooks online, in 90,000-square-foot bookstores, in shady back alleys,... Read more

The RVs We Drive – Woodall’s Bloggers Discuss their Personal RV Choices

The RVs We Drive | This Week Only at Woodall’s Campgrounds, RV Blog and Family Camping Blog! This week in the Woodall’s Blog – The RVs WE Drive! Read our expert bloggers as they share the pros and cons of various camping units – from their own personal experience. These posts are about their favorite RVs! What is your RV of choice, and why do you choose that vehicle for your camping trips? Tell us by submitting a guest blog about it at http://blog.woodalls.com/authors/guest-blogger-submission/ . Here’s what one blogger had to say: Looking for Fun with the Fun-Finder How did we select our current RV? Well, I’d like to report that we had unlimited funds and time to select nothing but the very best that satisfied our every whim and need. I’d like to tell you that, but it wouldn’t be true. Instead, I’ll tell you what is probably a common story. We had camped for ma… READ MORE  Read More →

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