RV Home Yet?

Avoiding lemons - Pissed Consumer

The RV Consumer Group is one place I recommend when you are considering purchasing a new or used RV. Their reports give useful information on specific brands. At one time, they had a court of public opinion where owners who had trouble with RVs could post about their situation. It not only let other potential buyers know, but put pressure on the RV manufacturers to correct the  issue. It was shut down. George and I are pretty sure it was the constant lawsuits from the manufacturers that drove this decision. It's too bad; it was a useful resource.

I came across another consumer site that has postings about defective and problem RVs. It's called PissedConsumer.com. My alerts showed postings - complaints and reviews - about Coachmen and Keystone. There may be other manufacturers reviewed.

I would add this to your list of places to check when in the market for an RV. And, I'd take the postings with a grain of salt. It certainly gives you a direction to research, to see if this is indeed a regular problem and also gives you a clue about a company's customer service and followup care.

Let's hope this consumer site is not shut down. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Another day at the Minneapolis/St Paul RV Show

I went back and looked more closely at the fish/ice houses. They do have round openings with a lid so you can open them for fishing through the ice. Maybe some other northern RV shows have similar units, but this is the first time I've seen one. George, who grew up in northern Minnesota, did ice fishing but in tents or makeshift shelters. They froze their you-know-whats off! Here is an up-close look at the holes plus a look in the back of a camouflage unit that has chairs to sit in while you fish.

Someone at one of my presentations had mentioned a TV that flipped around so you could watch it in the living area or in the bedroom. Pretty nifty. And this trailer has an unusual front. I thought it was a park model at first, but it is a trailer.

It has been interesting to see what vendors choose to exhibit at these shows. In Minneapolis there were very few Class A motorhomes and a lot of trailers. Someone suggested that's because a lot of Minnesotans take a trailer out to a lake during the summer. A trailer surely makes sense for that. Other shows had more toy hauler trailers too. Different RV lifestyles for different folks. That's why there are so many choices!

The next show is back in Denver and is the 56th Annual Colorado RV, Sports, Boat and Travel Show. See the website for discount tickets and information. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Accessible motorhome

Another manufacturer is making a unit that is handicapped accessible. Newmar Canyon Star gas unit 3911 has accessible options. It includes a remote-controlled 4-foot lift and a roll-in shower. You can see a floor plan with the options at the Newmar website. You can also watch a short video of an aspiring professional golfer, Dennis Walter, who suffered an accident and is now a paraplegic. He spends more than 200 days a year in his Canyon Star.

Now RVers have another option when they need an accessible unit in addition to the Harbor View trailer we recently blogged about. This opens up the RV lifestyle to even more people who desire to travel. Thanks, Newmar! Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Accessible mobility travel trailers

It's very exciting to know that there is now a trailer being manufactured that is totally accessible. Harbor View is the manufacturer. While you can modify units made by other manufacturers to make them more accessible, such as lifts or ramps, this one is designed to be accessible from the get-go. It can be customized if necessary.

From their website:

All floor plans anticipate your mobility needs, with roll-in showers, accessible cabinetry, sleeping accomodations and overall functionality for your convenience and enjoyment. Units can be custom designed and engineered to meet your special requirements.

One of their units will be on display this weekend at the Springfield RV and Camping Show in Springfield, IL. If you are in the area and interested in seeing what they have done, stop by. If something happens- illness or accident or just plain aging- it's good to know that this option could allow you to extend your travels. Go Harbor View! Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

 

Must have? Scooter-powered caravan

Ed Greenberg sent me a link to a tiny caravan - or trailer, as we call them - touted to be perfect for seeing the royal wedding. Well, we're too late for that but if seeing the Rose Parade is on your bucket list, you'll have plenty of time to save up for one!

An elderly person can park this on the sidewalk and then lie down to view the goings-ons. And, with the big-screen TV, they can also monitor the event at the same time.

While I doubt this was a hot seller for the royal wedding - at £5,500 it's a bit pricey - someone had fun coming up with the idea and drawing. Thanks for sharing, Ed! Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Get a load of an RV deck!

Last week as we wandered the grounds near the big tent where the RV show had been held, we spotted something white sticking above the other RVs. It was a trailer with a room on top of the roof.

Getting closer, we saw it was the Outback, by Keystone. The model is the Outback Loft.

The Outback has been redesigned to be lighter. This looks like it would good for infield parking at races or out at the sand dunes. The bonus room or loft has a 20" flat screen TV, couch seating and screen windows. It goes up and down at the touch of a button. The rear is both toy hauler and master bedroom, with a bed that folds down from the wall.

Pretty nifty! The Outback Loft was voted "Best of Show" for 2008 by RV Business Magazine. It could be lots of fun for a family who likes to ride ATVs or dirt bikes. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak