I get a lot of e-mails from folks asking about the RV lifestyle, a lot of them asking for advice on what kind of rig I would recommend for them. There’s really no way I can answer a question like that, because as I’ve said many times before, there is no one size fits all. What works for Terry and me might not meet your needs at all.
But there are times when you are RV shopping that I can tell you it’s time to beat feet for the nearest exit. And that’s exactly what I told a couple from Oregon yesterday.
They are shopping for their first RV and found a used motorhome that they really like. They contacted me a couple of days ago to ask me how somebody without much technical knowledge can know what to look for in a used RV to avoid trouble down the road. I urged them to pay to have an independent inspection done, and sent them the names of a couple of reliable businesses to contact from our Guide to RV Good Guys.
They wrote back yesterday to say that they contacted one of the places I recommended, but when they told the dealer they wanted to have it inspected he hit the roof and told them no way! He said every RV on his lot was inspected by his own techs and that once they owned it they could have anybody they wanted in the world look at it, but that no outsiders were coming into his place to tear through one of his rigs. That’s when I told them to walk away from the deal very fast.
You might think that this is just one shady dealer, but I’ve run into a couple just like that myself, and heard of quite a few others. I don’t understand it. If you’re selling a decent product in good condition, what do you have to hide?
Terry spent yesterday with her parents at a follow up doctor’s appointment after her Dad’s surgery a couple of weeks ago. While she was gone I got a lot of writing done, which is pretty much what I’ve been doing the last couple of days. I got about 3,000 more words done in my new book, which made me very happy. I’m almost halfway done and it’s flowing very well.
I also posted a new Bad Nick blog titled Mind Your Own Business. Check it out and leave a comment.
Like most of the country, I had the television on, watching the news story developing out of Waterford, Massachusetts. Or at least I did until I got tired of the talking heads saying the same things for the hundredth time. Or breaking in with a news flash, only to say it wasn’t correct ten minutes later. Then I switched to a music channel. I applaud the fast action by lawmen on the Federal, state, and local level to bring the terrorists to justice. But at the same time, I couldn’t help thinking that two young men had managed to shut down one of the biggest cities in America. Yeah, we got them, but for a little while there, the terrorists were winning. I fear what would happen if they unleash an army of them on us all at once.
Before I close today, I want to wish a very happy birthday to my two favorite cousins, friends, and favorite people in the world, Beverly McKiddy and Berni Frees. I love you both, and I hope you have a wonderful day.
Thought For The Day – Anybody who goes to bed the same day they get up is a quitter.
Nick Russell
World-Famous, New York Times Best Selling Author, and All-Around Nice Guy!
Looks like you’ve been hacked. Lots of pay day loan crap in your post.
Hmmmm, only when I read it on Feedly, through Google Reader. Looks like maybe one of them has been hacked. Damn hackers.
RE: Beat Feet. Agree 100%. Any seller that tries to use intimidation should be left talking to themselves. And I can just hear that dealer 3 weeks after the sale was closed and the new owners have a problem. No doubt the answer would be: “It was working when we inspected it. Nothing lasts forever. But we can get you a new one and have you out the door the same day.”
Agreed totally, sold RV parts for a couple years. I can tell you for sure there are few dealers I would truct for advise much less reliable work on their own equipment much less mine or what I would like to buy. In my past experience with boating, I know banks will not loan, insurers will not cover without an independent survey (appraisal). The RV Business needs a similar structure. There are too many fly by night dealers out there, Best solution is always to DIY if you can.