Ok, one final post to put this thread to bed. After spending two very restful days at our second favorite campground -- Mama Gertie's Hideaway near Asheville, NC -- we left for home yesterday morning. We stopped at our favorite breakfast place in Black Mountain -- Morning Glory Cafe -- and I had the Mountain Man Breakfast (two scrambled, bacon, biscuits and sausage gravy, and fresh-squeezed OJ) while DW had a Mediterranean Chicken Salad Wrap (weird b'fast IMO!). Best part, you can dine on the patio with your pups so we had a nice leisurely breakfast rather than hurrying to finish. We drove a couple of hours back to our new-found RV mechanic in Mocksville and had the genset tuned up, and a few other issues looked at.
Our punch list of things to have repaired at home (since they would have taken too long to do while on the road):
- Right rear is leaking brake fluid, accounting for the always-on brake light and soft pedal
- Front shocks need replacing (probably the springs too, given the list toward the driver's side)
- We need an alignment
- We need new front tires due to balding from bad alignment
- Our rears are the wrong aspect tires which allows the dually sidewalls to touch when even slightly under inflated. I'll probably move them up front and get some 235-75-16's for here.
- Charging module of the converter is shot (so manual recharging will be a way of life until the rest of the converter goes)
- Roof air is underperforming and is ready for replacement (@$500)
- Cruise control mainboard is flaking out and a replacement is $700
I don't really post this for folks to feel sorry for me, but mainly to answer some of the questions about whether one should consider buying an older motorhome. They can be a real money pit. We got this one for a song, $5600, but it's like the upfront money was the down-payment and we are still paying for it in installments. We have had it for 6 years now and have put over $8,000 into it in repair in that time, some big and some small. Right after getting it home I put all new tires on, quality tires, for about $1500. I have replaced the transmission and differential, big bucks. I had to replace the radiator: custom job, big bucks. Rear brakes totally overhauled, bucks. And tons of small stuff like fuel pumps, starter, alternators, and more punctures and blowouts than I care to recall. After the first several grand it adds up to real money
Just a cautionary tale for you other would-be cheapskates!
Anyway, after a longer stay at the shop than I was expecting (and a smaller bill
) we got back on the road and set out face like flint for home. We arrived safe and sound about 6 last night. I was too tired to even check the DIS (and you know that means TIRED!). One final thanks to all you Fiends for your prayers and moral support through all of this... you understand my trials so much better than my non-RVing friends!
