RV Service: A View From The Other Side

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 AdminAll the RV forums and discussions relating to service issues are always from the point of view of the RV owner.  Not that there is anything wrong with that as they are the customer and did pay the big bucks.  But, what would it be like from the view on the other side of the service window? Not surprisingly, there are a small percentage of totally unreasonable owners.  Those customers that come in screaming, wanting everything for nothing, insisting on replacing with new in lieu of repair, never happy with anything, and so on.   Unfortunately, as small as the percent may be, these people take a toll on dealers’ service personnel.   This never-happy group erodes service employee’s attitude, ultimately affecting their performance, thus affecting many others.  Those others are people, perhaps like you and me. This really is nothing new.  A small minority spoiling it for everyone.  We see rules in other avenues of our lives that seem unreasonably restrictive, all put in place because of a minority of people that will not act responsibly nor be accountable.... Read more

Carbon Monoxide Reminder

Every year, around this time, I like to remind people about the dangers of carbon monoxide gas. Whether in your home or your RV, when you fire up the furnace and bring out the portable heaters to help stay warm, there is the threat of carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide gas is invisible, odorless, and deadly! It is produced by the partial combustion of solid, liquid and gaseous fuels. This includes gasoline, propane, natural gas, oil, wood, & coal. It is extremely serious when combustion by-products are not vented outside. Carbon Monoxide is the number one cause of poisoning deaths each year. Let’s take a look at what we can do to prevent the danger of carbon monoxide poisoning.   Read more  Read More →

Geotag your photos with Picasa 3.5

Maps and photos.  I can’t think of two things more near and dear to a traveler’s heart than maps and photos.  Being able to combine the two is the ultimate.  But, being able to do it *easily*??  Well, that’s not possible is it? It is now. Picasa (the free-from-Google digital photo management program) released a new version last month.  And one of the major improvements is in the ‘Geotagging’ feature.  Instead of requiring that you use Google Earth, they have embedded a full Google Maps ‘Places’ pane right into Picasa.  Placing a photo at a place on the map is as simple as clicking on the photo and clicking at the place on the map.  I show you how to do this in the video below. Note: You can make it play in full-screen by clicking the icon in the lower right of the playback window that looks like an X . If you’re new to Picasa, or want to learn more, I’m excited to announce that I’ll be co-hosting a webinar (seminar delivered over the web) with Google on November 13.  Register for the free Picasa Webinar here. Geotagging Video: by Chris Guld of Geeks on Tour  Read More →

Go Leaf Peeping Now, Before It’s Too Late

Ahhh, wonderful fall. The waning warmth from the sun brings a welcome chill from summer heat, migrating birds start heading to their southern range, and deciduous hardwoods begin turning red, orange, and yellow heralding the leaf peeping season. Sugar maples give up the green for eye-popping reds, orange and brown tones come to the stately oaks, and white-barked aspens put on a display of vivid yellows and golds. But if its aspens that trigger your camera finger, take your pictures now, as aspens from Arizona to Colorado to Idaho are falling by the tens of thousands. Read more  Read More →

A Halloween Camp Fire Tale

With a change in pace, and in honor of Halloween, this week’s read will be a little different.  One of the things that many campers do, from tenters to million dollar coaches, is share a camp fire in the darkness of night.  Around the dancing flames many tales are told.   This camp fire story will take you to a lonely highway on a rain soaked night.  So sit back and enjoy this Halloween tale.     The music of the Warsaw Concerto echoed through the car as I drove south from Sudbury on a dark rainy night.  The frequent flashes of lightning seemed to eerily coincide with the music that cloaked the sound of the driving rain.  A shiny ribbon of black road surface twisting through the rolling hills was revealed with each flash.  The storm appeared to be worsening or perhaps I was getting closer to the center of it.  I slowed down as the visibility reduced in a heavy downfall.  The wipers were slapping wildly yet unable to move the water fast enough to provide adequate forward vision.  After about five minutes the rain eased somewhat, again allowing a glimpse of the harsh landscape during each lightning flash.  As I rounded a left hand curve I was startled by a dark rain soaked figure that was silhouetted in a distant flash.  The car lights soon caught the view of a rain drenched shadow.  It was a man in a dark coat.  He appeared in need of help, perhaps a ride.  I lightly applied the brakes on the slick surface of the highway and managed to come to a stop some... Read more

Making Modifications to Your RV

I get asked these questions alot: “Is it safe to modify my RV? What about my warranty? Will it be voided?” There is a lot of misinformation floating around about what constitutes a safe mod and what will void your warranty if you do certain kinds of mods. Many RV owners tend to be the “do-it-your-self” types and enjoy “doing the mod”. If you fall in to this group, you should carefully consider the implications of certain mods. You know that really expensive extended warranty that covers your RV “bumper-to-tongue” after the factory warranty runs out that you added when you purchased your new RV? It won’t help one bit if you do a mod that causes a failure on a covered part. So let’s look at what mods are safe to do and what just might cause you some grief down the road if you are not aware of your warranty conditions of coverage. Read more  Read More →

Innovative Class B+ Models Gaining in Popularity

Phoenix USA RV has emerged as one of the most popular manufacturers in recent months, as the RV market shifts toward smaller and more efficient models. The company’s Class B+ models are slightly larger than Class B campers, but include the major amenities typically only found in larger rigs, such as a slideout and a full dry bath with shower. The result is a lightweight, easy-to-maneuver motorhome with a surprisingly spacious interior. “Our advantage is that we have built this unit from the ground up to be a B-plus motorhome,” said Stuart Bailey, national sales manager. “The only thing that we are offering less than a Class C is the sleeping position in the cabover. My B-plus has everything that a 45-footer offers, just smaller.” Model lengths range from 21 ft. to 31 ft. in several floor plans, ensuring a match for virtually every lifestyle and interior preference. Whether you’re looking to downsize or upgrade, the Phoenix lineup is worth a close look. Find Phoenix RV models at rvSearch.com. The Phoenix Cruiser 2551 has an improved floor plan that packs plenty of features into its 26’5” length. Inside you’ll find two twin beds and a full bath in the back. Up in the cab, the passenger seat swivels around to provide additional seating in the living area. The galley is equipped with solid-surface countertops and an oversize sink. The 2551 model is powered by a 6.8 L V10 engine with 5-speed automatic transmission, built on the Ford E-450 chassis. The coach also features... Read more

What’s your RV Emergency Escape Plan?

When we plan a trip in our RV we tend to think about all of the good aspects of the upcoming adventure. Where we are going, what we’ll do when we get there, and all of the things we will see and experience along the way. What we don’t really think about is what if something happens during the trip and everybody needs to exit the RV in a hurry. What if there is a fire? What if the entry door is blocked and you can’t get out. What’s the plan? Is there a plan? Read more  Read More →

Are We the Anchor to Mainstreaming Electric Vehicles?

Axeon electric vehicle By Bob Difley On Wednesday, 18 scientific organizations wrote Congress to reaffirm that there was a consensus among scientists on the validity of global warming. They cited melting ice caps and the world’s oceans this past summer hitting their highest monthly recorded temperatures. On Thursday the Pew Research center for the People & the Press released a poll of 1,500 adults that found that 57% believe there is strong scientific evidence that the Earth is warming up, and has been over the past few decades. But that majority figure was not seen as a positive moment to global warming believers. Why? The reason is that the percentage of people—according to the poll–believing in global warming has dropped from 77% just since 2006. That’s a 20-point drop in believers. “The priority that people give to pollution and environmental concerns and a whole host of other issues is down because of the economy and because of the focus on other things,” said Andrew Kohut, the director of the research center, which conducted the poll from Sept. 30 to Oct. 4. “When the focus is on other things, people forget and see these issues as less grave.” However, half of all the respondents said they supported establishing limits on the emission of greenhouse gasses—even if it meant higher energy prices. Three-quarters of Democrats believe the evidence of a warming planet is solid, and nearly half believe the problem is serious. But, far fewer... Read more

The RV Trivia Challenge 7

The Lug_Nut RV Trivia Challenge 7 is a mixed bag of RV trivia. Some may have no idea as to the answer, but remember, it is RV trivia.  So, let’s see how you can handle a diversified topic field.   Get a pencil and paper so that you can record your answers as you go through it.  You will then be able to check your answers against those displayed at the very bottom.  Be sure to share your score and any other comments you may have in the comments section following the answers. Read more  Read More →

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