Setting the record straight on RV parking tickets -- and more

Setting the record straight for a Wyoming Court

In our October 30, 2015 newsletter, we published a story based on information we picked up from a local media source. Here's what we printed:

"What's a "recreational vehicle"? That's a bone of contention in Wheatland, Wyo., where the town code limits parking of "recreational vehicles" on residential streets to no more than 72 hours. After a local judge tossed out parking tickets written against motorhome owners because the term "recreational vehicle" wasn't defined, police stopped writing citations. A definition of "recreational vehicle" was proposed: "Trailers, motor homes, buses, detached camper units, boats, utility trailers, horse trailers, oversized vehicles, golf carts, mud bogging vehicles, race cars, snowmobiles, snowcats, or similar vehicles, trailers or equipment," but never made it into law — lawmakers found it too dicey. For now, park away."

Ah, the editor's life, such a merry affair. But eating crow, we submit, is easier with a little ketchup. It didn't take long for a retired municipal court judge from Wheatland to get back to us with his view of the story. Here's what Judge Mark McDonald had to say – and we're grateful to his honor for helping us set the record straight:

Having been the Wheatland Municipal Judge for nine and a half years(retired now) and having researched Court records going back to 1985, I can say that no citation has been issued by the police for parking a RV on the street for more than 72 hours and no Judge has dismissed (thrown out) citations for RVs being parked on the street longer than 72 hours.  Our Town Attorney (been with the town since the early 80s) agrees.

This law is simply one the police do not wish to enforce (should be repealed if it is not going to be enforced in my opinion) and the false excuse (citations being thrown out by a judge) for non-enforcement is trotted out every time someone complains.

Bottom line: No citations issued, no citations dismissed for parking an RV on the street longer than 72 hours.

Most street parked RVs are well maintained and pose no safety hazard where parked(wide streets).  A few  RVs are eye sores(water damage, rust, dirty) and do pose a hazard with a slide extended, power cord in the gutter, etc. hence the almost annual complaint concerning non-enforcement.


Weak cellular phone service

In our RV Daily Tips segment, we included a piece on sketchy cellular phone service (Issue 738), and how calls might be improved by making them late in the day. Sharp-eyed reader, Jim Piper, adds his two-bits of technical expertise:

Mr. Helgeson's tip is a tad inaccurate regarding cell phone signals being affected by solar electromagnetic interference. Albeit it true for signals in the lower portions of the radio spectrum ("High Frequency" from AM broadcast band up through 30MHz), a phenomenon that Ham radio operators are very familiar, it has little to do with the frequency bands in which cellular phone service operates. 

Mr. Helgeson's experiences are likely more related to immediate atmospheric conditions, notably a condition known as "ducting," a condition exploited by Hams to talk long distances on frequencies that otherwise would carry only over much shorter ranges. To depend on a cell phone to "...place that needed call..." when boondocking could be considered foolish at best. Better to get an Amateur Radio license and use Ham communications as a backup. 


Soap on your RV carpet?

In a video we ran in RV Daily Tips (Issue 736) it was suggested users not put soap in carpet cleaning machines, but rather, apply the soap solution by hand.

Carl Bradford had this to say about the suggestion:

The advice today on carpet cleaning is wrong. It is fine, and a lot easier, to use cleaning solution in the carpet machine, suck that up, then fill the machine with plain water to do the final cleaning. This technique is recommended in the carpet cleaner's instructions. His advice gave me a good laugh though, so thanks for that. So much extra work! 


Selling on Craigslist

Our RV Daily Tips (Issue 734) provided a "heads up" on how NOT to sell your RV. This drew plenty of comments on market price in the real world.

Little known factoid:  NADA RV prices are mere estimates of value based on a depreciation formula from new price.  They ARE NOT actual prices paid by buyers in recent transactions.  I am a great admirer of the pre 1996 Holiday Rambler trailers and have owned and sold 4 of them.  The NADA prices were in the sub $2000 range while the actual sold prices were about 4 to 5 times, depending on upgrades and new parts.  Plus, I never waited more than one week for a sale to a very happy buyer.

For sure, if you offer a decent trailer for the NADA price on Craigslist, you're likely to sell it quickly.  However, you're also likely to see the buyer re-list it and flip it for a lot more.

If you have information to the contrary, please let me know.  I was very surprised when I learned about NADA's depreciation formula from a respected loan officer familiar with RVs.
--Alex


The depreciation curve for an RV is not linear; I would say that the first eight years or so is steep, but then it levels off, and the difference between a 13-year old coach and a 17 –year old coach is difficult to estimate; condition becomes more important then.

I bought my current coach in 2011, at age 10, with OEM tires and 9,000 miles on it. It still had the OEM plastic sheeting on the carpet! As far as I could tell, the original owner had parked a lot in the desert over 10 years, but hadn’t really “used” the coach. I had a lot of catch-up maintenance to do, but wear on major mechanical systems was only slight (not counting six new tires)

The thing about Craigslist is that an ad doesn’t cost anything, and renewing it is a simple few clicks. You can put something up there at a high price, keep renewing it, and wait for somebody to come along. (Maybe the whole listing is just a sham to keep the wife happy; of course I’m trying to sell it honey!) On the other hand, a high listing might attract some jerk who offers 60 percent of what you ask, and then maybe that’s pretty much what you will accept.

Buyer & seller psychology becomes a hobby with some people.
--Ed Price

Thanks to all our readers for their observations. If you have a beef or a backpat, send them all to Russ at rvtravel dot com. 

From composting RV toilets, to chickens in the RV -- our readers have plenty to say

Nearly every week we hear from our readers on a variety of published topics. We appreciate the opportunity to share viewpoints -- here's a compilation of some recent comments. Please direct your views to Russ at rvtravel dot com.

Composting Toilets

Just read your RV Tip of the Day by Chris Noble (RV Daily Tips Issue 716. September 28, 2015). I found this article is misleading because it leads people to believe that they can safely abandon their black tanks and keep on going by composting their waste. Not so.

I have had an Airhead composting toilet on my sailboat for a couple of years and the problems I have encountered there will show-up in an RV just the same. The problem is the urine bottle. It fills up very quickly and then what do you do with it? Stop by the road side to dump it? You cannot dump it into the toilet for obvious reasons. Depending upon where you are on the water, you have to make a personal choice. You cannot do this on the road.

I removed the Airhead composting toilet because I encountered a problem that could not be fixed. Namely, depending on what tack you are on when sailing (i.e. to which side the boat is leaning), you will at times be unable to control the flow of urine. By force of circumstance, it will go into the composter and then you ruined it. While I do believe in the principle of composting toilets and actually liked the Airhead very much, I removed it from the boat.

I would not even suggest to put one into an RV. It will cause problems that will be messy to deal with.

-- Ronald Hiemann


I have been thinking about putting a Nature's Head in my trailer for a while. I have been holding back on  a composting toilet because all composting toilets, in order to function, need to be maintained at a temp of 68 degrees F or above. People need to consider this parameter very carefully when considering a composting toilet. Below 68 F bacterial activity ceases or slows down a lot. It won't start again until proper temp is reestablished. This can be a big problem unless temps are kept in mind.

I'm no expert, so you should verify the above info for yourself before accepting it as correct.

--Tim (timsworld42)


Gas v Diesel

I believe Steve in his article (RV Daily Tips Issue 723. October 7, 2015) has missed a very important point in his assessment concerning CCC [acronym for Cargo Carrying Capacity]. Diesels do give you thousands of pounds for cargo plus. But there is something called safety in a higher number.

There are way too many gas models available with the CCC under 1000 pounds, maybe a little more, but since most first time buyers go with gas, they don't realize that they must include in this calculation their body weight. We know an overweight RV leads to many problems down the road. (pun meant)

--Dan Pankiewicz

One thing you did not mention, that I always hear in such discussions, is the quiet and leg room in the driver’s cab for diesel. In addition, though you mention power, pulling a toad uphill is supposed to be much better with a diesel. And basement space, with the engine in the rear, is better with a pusher. Finally, the CCC in too many gas models that I have looked at is very small, allowing only a few hundred pounds in shorter gas models like the Tiffin 31SA.

We are about to make a purchase after several years of planning and research. We are looking at about 33-36 feet in length to get the features we need. We will travel in the mountains pulling a toad. We want good basement space. What do you think?

-- Steven M. Jenkins 


Chicken Coop RV

Yesterday, in the news column ("Latest RV News," RV Travel Newsletter: Oct. 3-9. Issue 710) was a discussion of RV parking laws compared to chicken coop parking. You asked if an RV could become a chicken coop.

Way back in 1980s, just out of college and setting up on 20 acres, my wife and I hand built a  2x4 frame camper for our flatbed truck. This allowed us to stay in town near our employment on winter weeks if snow got over four feet deep on our one and a half mile walk-in to the mountain land. It had full frame insulation, stainless sink and counter, standard RV propane heat, skylight, couch/bed, lighting, and the door disguised to look like a cargo box truck so we could park anywhere.

Now, since it was always on jacks near the house and never used, we gave it to a new homesteader family to help them get started. Before we knew it, they had converted it to a chicken coop

--Steve Willey


On buying parts from RV dealers

I read Steve Savage's article (RV Daily Tips Issue 679, August 6, 2015), "Looking for RV parts? It's difficult if you're 'locked out' by the manufacturer."

Please convey my compliments to him on such a well thought out piece of writing. I've not had a lot of experience in the subject but I have listened to the stories of fellow travelers thru the years. No doubt my time is a'coming. Gulp.

Thank you for the work you do. It greatly supports 'us' out here.

--Austin J. Crehan, Jr.


I have had great success from online dealers either at Amazon or EBay.  I have an 2006 40' Gearbox Toyhauler and we are active fulltimers. I do a lot of maintenance. Brick and Motor dealers are my last resort, especially Camping World.

--Steve and Fran Rosenlund


All letters published subject to editing for clarity, brevity, and editorial standards. 
"Writers Room" photo: Shannon Clark on flickr.com

RV quality control and construction methods baffle some

In early September we published a story by Steve Savage, an RV repair technician in Tennessee. Steve questioned some of the construction and quality control methods used by the RV industry today. It didn't take long for our readers to respond. Here's a sampling.

Boy, did [Steve's] article today in RVTravel.com hit the nail on the head! A few weeks ago, I attended the FROG (Forest River Owners Group) Rally in Goshen, Indiana. Over 700 owners of Forest River products showed up. One reason so many attended, is that during the rally, Forest River technicians would fix up to five problems per RV for free (some limitations). Many people had more than five issues and many RVs were less than one year old and still under warranty. Quality control is obviously NOT a priority at the factories.

I have to agree about just gaining access to effect repairs. One of my five repairs was a replaced water pump. The water flow when using the pump was poor. Once technicians replaced the pump, the flow was still poor. It seems that someone at the factory had installed the power panel in such a way, that the hose running from the fresh water tank to the water pump had been crimped. It took two technicians about an hour to find and correct an issue that should not have happened in the first place. 

Before buying my current Super C motorhome, I gave serious consideration to a $400,000 Itasca Ellipse Class A motorhome. The build quality on drawers in the kitchen pull out island was very poor. If the factory couldn't get a simple issue like building a drawer right, how badly would they handle the more complicated issues found in a modern, high end rig?

After the FROG Rally, I drove to ProCustom Inc; a repair and customizing shop in Elkhart, Indiana. The bed, couch, and dinette have all been replaced. The original furniture was beautiful "eye candy" but sadly, once you sat or lay down for more than 20 minutes, was not at all comfortable. It seems that appearance is far more important at the factory than usability. I guess the people who design RVs, don't actually use the products they design. People new to RVing are taken in by the eye candy and, don't realize how uncomfortable the OEM equipment is until they've actually lived in it for a while. 

While at ProCustom Inc, I've spoken with several full timers who are here to get upgrades to their old motorhomes. They ALL told me that they looked at new RVs but, were not impressed with any new RVs currently made. It made more sense to them to spend $50,000 to $150,000 (or more) in doing major upgrades instead of buying a new RV with poor build quality. 

The first manufacturer that realizes that quality MUST go in at the factory will have buyers beating a path to their door (and their dealers). This is a serious problem that RV builders want to ignore.  Please continue to shine a light on it. Thank you!

John Koenig

***************

I would be one of the first in line for quality rather than glitter.

Irma Smith

***************

I read the article three times. What a true train of thought and clarity of reasoning the man delivers.

I recently retired from a wonderful life of aircraft design: I clearly understand design for manufacture-ability, quality and repair-ability. Be it far from me to even attempt to walk in Steve's shoes, but I will glad and stridently agree with his reasoning and declarations.

I studied RV forums for years before I bought my 5th wheel. One year ago I purchased the 5th wheel. I've studied the 'design' of RVs and truly wondered who in the world is on first, because clearly no one is on second, and no one is on third and surely no one is at home plate.

Yeah, I own one. But my chagrin is deeply rooted to think the manufacturers feel we, the buyers, are such idiots.

Austin Crehan

***************

I'm in the transportation security industry, and I own a travel trailer.  

I think Steve is off-base with this rant. Everything about an RV is a compromise. It's not a house, and it's not a cargo trailer....it's in between. Certainly, manufacturers can build a stronger, tighter, more robust unit.....but, it will be heavier and costlier.

The bottom line is that to build a bullet-proof RV of any sort would increase the costs to the point where very few can afford it.

Most manufacturers have done a decent job of offering a variety of models at various levels of that compromise. Personally, I think that if folks perform normal maintenance, they'll find MOST RV's hold up pretty good, especially considering what we put them through. 

Blake Williams

***************

Bravo!  New standards that include easy access for service must be implemented!

Stephen M. Jenkins

***************

Kudos to Steve for writing this, and to you for publishing it! My husband retired from a major automotive dealer, and from the moment we bought our first RV we were FLOORED at the lousy quality. And we'd bought a brand that was, at the time, touted to be one of the best on the market. Our slide-out broke our first trip -- no manual means to put it in -- a disaster. 

Steve's points were right on, especially when he says car buyers wouldn't put up with half the stuff we RV owners are asked to simply accept as part of the RV experience. Where's the motorcoach owner's association in all this? Why aren't we hearing the voices of the other owners' groups? Why aren't we hearing from the Escapees and other general RV membership groups??

Thanks for letting me rant -- inspired by Steve's insightful argument. Thanks again for publishing it!

Ellen Behrens

***************

All letters published are subject to editing for clarity, suitability, and length. Got a "rant" or a mild observation of your own? Write us -- Russ at rvtravel dot com. 

Base photo courtesy - bashireios-1 on deviantart.com

Watch out for flashers, and covering an RV with a tarp

Repeat Offender Flashers

Dear Editor,

You have probably run something on this in the past, but I felt I had to say it again.

While sitting behind a trailer, leaving a station in Deming, New Mexico, I observed a family, in a blue caravan with Washington plates, approach with their signal light indicating a right turn. Since the street we were sitting in was the only right turn for about a two hundred yards either side of the truck stop, I expected the van to turn.

In my usual style, I made my comment, "He has been signaling for a block, pull out." Just then the trailer pulled out and started its left turn. The van seemed to slow and then suddenly swerved to the right nearly taking off the front of my rig. Looking horrified at the trailer, the driver of the van and his wife looked back as if to say, "You idiot, we were right there." The children in the caravan were thrown around, but luckily an accident was avoided.

Shortly after, driving on I-10 toward Tucson, an 18 wheeler, with his right signal flashing approached a pull off. A driver waiting to pull onto the roadway proceeded to pull out and the 18 wheeler nearly sideswiped the other rig.

We often see drivers, impervious to everything around them on the road and the added, "forgotten," flashing turn signal light only adds to the danger. Be sure to check your turn signals. After changing lanes is one of the easiest times to "forget" to turn it off and who knows, you might just save a life.

Richard Hughes
Tucson, AZ

Reader seeks advice about covering his RV

Dear Editor,

I have a 35'  2004 Winnebago Sightseer that when not being used, sits under
trees. I really can't afford a custom cover and I have been trying to rig
some tarps over it, but I need some tips as how to tie the tarps down along
the sides. I'm using 20x10 foot tarps that will be laced together with about
4 foot or so hanging over the sides. It's there that I can't figure out how
to secure the tarps from wind.

Thanks,
Norm Daudelin

Editor's response: 
Most RV technicians do not advise covering an RV with a blue (or other color) tarp. They can cause damage. Here's a short video on the topic.
 

Stories on smoke, RV inspection generate a little fire of their own

Where There's Smoke . . . (RV Travel Newsletter, July 11, 2015)

Yes, we all love campfires. I just wish you would have included some campfire etiquette in your article. How many times has a camping neighbor enjoyed an evening fire, but every one else around him has been smoked out. Why is it, on a hot summer day even before the sun sets, some people have to start a campfire? All around him, people have to close their windows to keep the smoke out. So instead of enjoying a cooling breeze, they have to put up with his smoke. Everyone should have a little consideration for the neighbors.

—Jerry Gilbert

Read more comments from readers about smoke from campfires.


. . . Count on Fire (RV Daily Tips Newsletter, Issue 657)

I have to say, this article - and especially its heading ["If you're not willing to do these two things, you probably shouldn't own an RV] - is insulting and patronizing to thousands of RV owners who have neither the inclination, the aptitude or the physical ability to climb under and atop an RV while shopping for one.  Does this smart aleck tech think everyone who does not do so to be a fool, and incapable of selecting and owning an RV?

That's the sense that I get from his little article that should otherwise be written as a pair of 'suggestions' rather than a scolding that if you're not holding the view of this certified mechanic, that you are unworthy of being able to spend your money however you want, then hire a tech to fix things that  may go bad.  If I were an RV manufacturer, I would react even more harshly to Mr. Savage's sweeping and boorish generalities.

--A. W. Walker, Long time owner of RVs


You are spot on. When my wife and I were looking to replace our coachman trailer, I learned alot about the true construction inside an RV. So when I found a 30 ft Jayco the we liked, I climbed all over the trailer inside and out. I crawled underneath and walked on top. I opened all the cabinets to see the unseen construction. I had seen many many example of how some manufacturers simply cut some strips of plywood to support the drawer slides. if you have ever cut plywood you know how it can splinter. While I was doing all this intense looking, the sales person was outside watching along with my wife. He asked her what I was doing. She just told him I was checking the construction of the unit. Which turned out to be very good.

BTW: We did buy that trailer.

--Mike Haider


Generating a Conversation (RV Daily Tips Newsletter, Issue 561 -- Quick Tip)

Your tip on tightening generator bolts (issue 561) brought back some memories of owning Volvos years ago.

Their alternator bolts were threaded into the cast metal that was the housing, and of course being soft metal, the screw threads would distort.
That meant that the bolt could not be tensioned properly, the belt would loosen off, and prematurely wear out.

For the first 20,000 miles, I replaced two fan belts.

Working for Premier Fasteners at that time, I knew what the problem was, and how to fix it. The adjusting bolt was a 5/16", so I drilled out the threaded hole with a letter "P" (clearance) drill, and used a 5/16 'Supertanium' bolt, nut and washers to hold it together. (A grade 8 fastener assembly would work fine.) Once I torqued the bolt down, I never needed to adjust it again; and still had that fan belt when I traded the car at 200,000 miles.

--Mel Goddard

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We appreciate all of our readers' comments. Direct them to Russ@rvtravel.com)

Vintage RVs and misleading campground adverts -- you definitely let us know what you think

Perhaps one of the more interesting aspects of working with rvtravel.com is the interaction we have with our readers. We do get mail – sometimes a lot of it – and it's a never ending source of juice for our mental faculties.

While we don't specifically aim to stir up controversy amongst our readers, sometimes "it happens." Take for instance, a couple of stories we've run lately, both of which were penned by Steve Savage. Not only is Steve a professional RV repair technician, he's also an avid RVer, which gives him a rather unique perspective. If you've read his work, you'll probably agree that he's not shy about speaking his mind.

One of Steve's recent stories shed what some felt was a disparaging opinion about a developing trend amongst some RVers – resurrecting "vintage" RVs and putting them back to rights and back on the road.

Writing from the perspective of an RV technician whose been asked to estimate costs of restoring old RVs, Steve wrote: "If you are considering the purchase of one of these "vintage" RVs often advertised in need of "TLC," approach this buy with extreme caution. In my opinion, you are likely to dramatically underestimate what it takes to bring an old trailer up to usable standards, and there are dozens of stripped-out shells now taking up space on Craigslist and eBay. These all started out as the dream for someone else who quickly discovered that stripping out a trailer is a simple task — putting it back together is quite another project. I routinely tell folks if you want me to do the work, it will take several thousand dollars and a great deal of time. And when I am done, you will have put more money into your project than you will ever realize on the resale."

Readers were quick to respond:

Writes Ginger, the proud owner of revamped rig named Birdie: "You are so wrong about 'vintage' trailers… I had to hold my tongue as I read your take on this subject.  Apparently you have not gone camping or to a rally in a true restored vintage trailer.  I have.  I have a vintage Airstream.  I have traveled over 6,000 miles last summer and hope to travel even more this summer.

"With pride I roll this shining bullet down the road and receive many honks and waves.  At the campground strangers walk slowly by and some asked to peek-in to check 'Birdie' out.  With pride I oblige. YOU see… I bought the junked trailer and spent a year fixing her up. I know where every water line, wire and rivet is.  What is she worth? To me, a lot. Her style and flare is all mine.  She is decked-out with teal paint, tiled backsplash, chandeliers, lace curtains and plush rugs.

"There is something to be said about restoring something from the past.  They just don’t make them like that anymore.  We have become a society of throwaway.  It hurts to see something that must have been someone’s pride and joy be crushed and thrown away. I say pull these trailers out of the weed and barns.  Fix them up and let’sshow our children what real camping was like."

Pat, another reader, brought up another aspect of 'the oldie but goody' side of the equation. Pat writes: "I think Mr. Savage missed at least one reason to buy a vintage RV: Quality. We bought an RV a little over a year ago and wish passionately we had not. We bought in the same market tier, not the same manufacturer as the old one [and] we were horribly disappointed. The original maker of our first RV had been sold and the new owner had obviously raped the name.  So, our new RV is a big disappointment, but we have so much time, effort, creativity and money in the thing that we are—unfortunately—committed to it.

"With a song in our hearts and a prayer on our lips, and after great effort to repair problems yet again (as well as to check that the current set of repair work has held up) this couple of optimists is planning another long, country-wide trip."

It was with a little trepidation that we published Steve's most recent observations – this time on how campground and RV park owners represent – or perhaps – misrepresent the state of their camp sites. Indeed, the post was a bit of a rant, describing some rather negative experiences that Steve and his wife have encountered on RV road trips.

Summarizing the post was this: "To cut to the chase, when I go to a website, I want to see a readable map with spaces labeled. When I reserve a spot, I want to know what spot I just reserved. A generic description is not adequate. If I am paying as much as everyone else, I don’t want us or anyone else to be camped next to a row of dumpsters or the storage building. It is about time we RVers put an end to the 'bait and switch' which seems to be endemic among some campground owners. There are some really great campgrounds out there that deserve our business. Some are little more than glorified parking lots and some are simply shanty towns that do little other than serve as an embarrassment to the campground industry."

Before we published this 'shot across the bow' I had to promise the office staff that I would take the e-mail backlash from unhappy readers, including my e-mail address at the end of the piece. Well, the "backlash" has arrived, and here is a sampling of the voice of the readers.

Thomas and his wife spend a lot of time on the road. Because of health issues, the couple truly needs a level spot to camp. He writes, "We ask for a site that's level and they will give us a site where the gravel pad is level, but the surrounding grass is sloped! When we say a "level site" we mean the ENTIRE site, not just the RV pad. This has resulted in some very uncomfortable situations for us.

"The worst is if you call an 800-number for reservations. Those people make all kinds of promises, but the campsite is anything but what you ask for. In the meantime a vacant-all-week site that would be perfect remains empty. One chain of 'resorts' [Encore] has their campground offices closed on weekends, so arriving on a Saturday means two days of hell before the office opens at 9 AM.  By then we've learned to adapt. To waste what, at this point, is a full day of packing everything away, hooking up, moving, and setting up again just isn't worth it for time remaining. We're there to go sightseeing; we're not there to waste a day moving around to a different site.

"The managers say, 'Well, the site is open and you could have parked there instead' and I reply, 'How do I know that someone else isn't coming in for that site isn't arriving later?' We've found that it's best to simply avoid places where we can't talk to someone at the RV Park and that their offices are open weekends, too, in case we have a problem with the site. On-line photos of each site would certainly make the selection process much easier."

Finally, Carol writes us, "I have just spent the last two days pulling out my hair trying to navigate the ReserveAmerica national site for making camping reservations. Not only is the site very slow, it is almost impossible to print a map of the campground so get a clear overview of what you are booking. The time is takes to research out each site for your equipment specifications, location, and amenities is discouraging. Maybe that is what this site is hoping for. You'd think when you type in your time and equipment requirements, the map would show which sites meet those requirements. It's no wonder we rarely bother visiting this site much less trying to use it. What a joke!"

As editor, I want to thank all who've taken time to write us about their perceptions of our stories. Keep those e-mails coming. Send 'em on down to me, Russ at rvtravel dot com.

And check out the De Maris' weekly podcasts at YourRVPodcast.com

Sounding off on sloppy RV salesmanship

Here is my response to the story regarding purchasing a toy hauler that was too heavy for the tow vehicle.

I believe that  the dealer  has a big liability issue in not clarifying the tow vehicle capacity.  They should in all  cases sit down with the customer and ask  questions of what  type and year is the tow vehicle.  That information should be looked up in the latest stat book that lists all tow vehicles and their capacity to confirm the trailer will be a safe match.

I believe that the dealer should be responsible and liable for any accidents that should occur due to a mismatch of weight.   There are too many liars out there who will say “Oh yeah, this will work for your truck.  No problem.”  I know from attending  these Mega RV shows that misinformation happens all the time.   I have had so many sales people tell me that the trailer I was looking at would be perfect for me.   I know that was wrong information and told them so, but they just shook their head and walked over to another sucker who would believe what ever they say.  That, to me, is serious liability!

Yes, there are many ignorant buyers out there. Protection for both the buyer and the seller is needed for a safe sale.   Many buyers buy from the heart and not from their intellect.  Sales people sell for the numbers and not for the safety.  There should be a mandatory document signed by both buyer and seller stating that both buyer and seller have agreed that by the  tow information provided for the tow vehicle to be used it is suitable for towing the specific trailer for purchase.

In this case, obviously, the buyers were not thinking and were overwhelmed with the features of the trailer completely forgetting the primary details of what they can safely tow.  The salesman should have guided them through the safety questions   and confirmed this trailer and truck would be a good marriage.

As far as I am concerned the laws are not strict enough.  So many innocent people have been directed wrongly just for a  sale.  Many have been hurt if not killed by incompatible towing abilities.

Oh yeah, another thorn to my article I’d like to mention. I can't believe that anyone can buy and drive off with one of those mega thousand Class A motorhomes without having a commercial drivers license.  There is not even a mini course needed in how to drive those motorhomes.   I am sure that the dealers would love to have me beheaded for that statement.   But, after what I see here in Miami, Florida in the boating industry I am a firm believer that any boat over 14 feet needs a license and a Coast Guard course in safety on how to operate a boat.  I am confirmed that any Class A motorhomes drivers needs a license to say they are educated in how to drive those rigs,


That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

Sharon Baron
A daily reader of RVTravel.com