Our Full Timing Nightmare

The end of Oct we decided to hit the road after selling our house and become full time rvers. So we went to the nearest Camping World and bought a splendide all in one. They screwed up our installation something dearly. Ok thats minor we will get it fixed along the way.
Five days later we are enroute to Branson, Missouri and our change oil light comes on. Oh what fun. We get to Camping World near Springfield, Mo, and they changed the oil, properly installed the Splendide and tell us that our front tires need to be replaced due to dry rot. So we set an appt for getting that done. Day before we get it done my computer crashed and so did my router. So now we are buying a new laptop, router, and two tires. To the tune of around 2000 dollars for the four.
Ok we leave Mo and head to Louisiana from Camping World.
Get to Louisiana and the exhaust falls off our car. A week later our Moto Sat satellite dish on the roof is wiped out in a storm and the roof on the rv leaks in the same storm.
We get the car fixed, satellite repaired, and roof sealed. Another 500 dollars out the window.
The next week furnace goes out, fridge starts to bubble and grey tank sensor goes bonkers. We get the furnace fixed and sensor ordered and told my Norcold that until fridge rusts or peels this is normal. Good grief. Im now out another 250 dollars.
The next week another storm and the slideout leaks and floods the bedroom, I go to the car and its got two inches of water in it, from where we have no idea. I run to walmart and buy a shampooer to clean up the water and hit a water puddle in the road on the way home and knock out the coil, rotor, and cap on the car.
Monday it goes to the shop and they repair it to the tune of about 500 dollars.
Ok we have been full timing now for two and a half months and we are out around 3300 dollars for repairs on our car and rv.
What a way to start off fulltime rving. I am keeping a positive outlook that this will be our only problems for a long time to come and that unlike those who get them over time we are getting all of ours from the start and be done with them.

utmtman said:

...What a way to start off fulltime rving. I am keeping a positive outlook that this will be our only problems for a long time to come and that unlike those who get them over time we are getting all of ours from the start and be done with them.

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There ya go!  That's a good attitude.  Hopefully, it will be smooth sailing from here on out!

When you say "our Moto Sat satellite dish on the roof is wiped out in a storm" do you mean lightning damage or literally wiped off the roof?

Geez Louise, Lee! What a start! With that story, you're likely to take over the crown from Joe Lacey! ;D ;D ;D

Not laughing at you, but in another year or two, just think of the stories you'll have to tell around the campfire!

I'm in LA myself at Fontainbleau State Park (Mandeville). If you're anywhere near, let me know where, and I'll meet you with a bottle of my finest single malt. I'll drive to you; don't want you taking any chances! :

It'll be good to meet you. (just keep your distance!)

Karl

Wow what a story.  Sounds like you got the right attitude and hopefully all will go better from now on.

Well, it's good that all the problems are happening now, instead of later when you are not so well prepared.

I must say I had my share if fun the first major trip too. SAT tv antenna that did not work right, Lost a pin in the tow system, and a few other disasters and such.

Lots of fun, a bit cheaper than your first time out though

When you've been around for a while and things go wrong, it's frustrating.  But when you're just getting started it can be overwhelming.  Glad you haven't lost your perspective and still want to be out and about.  Things WILL improve!

May your travails be short and your good memories long.

ArdraF

I'm in LA myself at Fontainbleau State Park (Mandeville).
Karl:

You're in Fontainbleau State Park!  One of our favorite stops over the years.  How did the park survive Katrina?  We worried about people in that area because Mandeville was featured prominently in the news reports after the hurricane.  There was a shrimp shop in Mandeville -- hope they survived -- we bought and froze many pounds of shrimp to take along with us.  There's a farmers market down the road which we frequented, also.  And a really good Mexican restaurant in an old house  .. oh, I hope they made it, tool  Such good food.  Such good memories. 

Margi

Dang Lee, man, get it all out of the way up front!  Yikes!  Well, I suppose if you made a list of things that could go wrong, you should be just about through it now!  Good luck from here on, and happy(ier) trails!

Kodiak, not sure what happened we hit the store button and it layed down to the south side of our home instead of its cradle facing east.  They thought it was the azmuth motor so they replaced it and it still did not work.  After four hours of fiddling with it, they figured out the upper circuit board was shot and mind you this is a six month old unit.  Dont know if ligthning hit it or wind blown rain soaked it or what caused it to fail.
Karl, I am in Baton Rouge at the Night RV Park on the edge of Baton Rouge, just off Florida Blvd, west of Oneal Lane, and a hop skip and jump from Denham Springs.

Rain all night last night and found bedroom flooded again this morning.  Rubber is out but its not keeping it out at the bottom corners.  I put some dicor in the corner this morning to try and build up a small dam to keep the water out. 

We too are on our first trip; attempting the winter Texan thing.  Prior to leaving KC I repaired roof leaks, bought tires, replaced batteries, had the wheel bearings packed, filled the LP tank, etc., etc., etc.  Assuming all was fine we left KC on Dec 27th.  The first night out we boondocked at a WalMart in Purcell, OK.  Tried to crank up the generator, but it would only run for a very short time and then quit.  Not being discouraged we got by quite fine on DC power.

The next morning I noticed an LP oder outside.  So we hunted up a CampingWorld but learned that they didn't have a service dept. but they sent us across the street to an RV service center to fix the LP leak.  These guys ran a test and determined that the leak was in the fill valve of the LP tank but could not replace it as long as there was LP gas in the tank, and the only way to get rid of the gas was to burn it off.  Cost for this $49.

We then went to Austin, TX and spent a few days there burning LP.  One afternoon I was outside while my wife was inside washing dishes I noticed water dripping.  Upon investigating this I discovered that the drain pipe from the kitchen sink had been "sawed" in two in a very tight space between the closet and the shower.  A trip to Home Depot and $7 later that was fixed. 

We then found a CampingWorld with a service shop and had them check the generator.  I never did find out what repair action they took, but they ran the generator for one hour without a load and 1/4 hour with a load.......... $149.

Then i noticed that while filling the gasoline tank gas drips on the ground.  So, I visited the next RV repair store.  $149.  And the next time I got gas, it still leaked, and it still does.

Next we spent a few days a Lazy L&L Campgrounds.  When we got ready to leave the RV wouldn't start.  Having a bit of mechanic experience from childhood I discovered the choke stuck (yes we have a carburetor), and we were soon on our way.  $0

Finally at Laredo we exhausted the LP and I was able to get a local LP company to replace the fill valve.  $39

Weslaco, TX; After running the air conditioner one night we discovered a wet spot on the bedroom carpet, and assumed it was condensation.  A few days later it was still wet and the air hadn't been on for days.  I was sure this was the sky light over the shower leaking, but finally found another sawed kitchen drain pipe.  I fixed that yesterday.  $13

Next..........................................

Dont you just hate that Drake, hope you get all the bugs out of that thing soon.
We went to Dixie RV in Hammond LA yesterday to have the repairs done on our rv again and the sensors they ordered came in as the wrong ones so that had to be reordered and will be in in a few days.  They fixed our slideout leak supposedly the lower seal had slipped we shall see come the next storm  Also had them  repair the leak around one of our vent pipes on the roof.  Will check that also with the next storm. 
Taking our car into shop  tomorrow for exhaust problem.  Good grief it never ends.  LOL told wife this is last time we ever come to LA for the winter.  Will be heading out  between the 9 and 19th of Feb.

Will check that also with the next storm.

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Let's see... That would be tonight, right? :

Supposed to be one tonight.  Actually it started earlier today but its been so light it has not left enough water to be of any testing help.  Maybe later.

One thing on those drain pipes.... There is a tape, butyl rubber I believe, sold under assorted names, Coax Seal, Kool Seal and such, if it's a clean cut you can wrap some of this tape around the pipe and let it cure for a short time and it will seal it very tight.

And try to find out who sawed the pipes and saw them a bit.

Gad, Carbs on engines.... That was MY TIME under the hood too

Here is hoping the rest of the adventure is not so adventurous

We ended up staying in Weslaco till early March.  No more troubles.  We traveled up the east coast of Texas then turned north through LA and Arkansas arriving home in KC on March 28th.  The only other problem we had was from a turkey who over filled our LP tank.

  Glad you had no further problems Drake.  And glad you made it home as well.  Going up your way summer of next year.  Gotta go see an uncle in Albany. 

  Well we made it back to Utah without a hitch with the idea of being here for two weeks.  That was a month and a half ago.  We both come down with the flu and got stuck sick in bed for three weeks.  Once over that we had to rearrange for the appts we originally came home for.  I am now in Draper, Utah getting ready to take the rv back into the shop again and see if we can get the outside stereo replaced(it never worked since we bought the rig and took two years to get a new one) and have them look at that slideout to see if they can figure the problem with the leak.

Lee,

I feel for you and I'm certainly glad you have a positive attitude.


However, I have to be honest and said I couldn't help but to chuckle at your story. Perhaps it was the way it was written, but it reminded me of slap stick comedy. What are the odds for you to have all that happen in such close proximity. Perhaps it's some nasty karma, did you by chance run over a bunny or something?

  And the story continues.  I had an appt for Mon 31 Mar to replace a stereo that has never worked in the two years we have owned our rig.  Took two years for them to get it from where ever they get their parts.  Anyway I asked them if they could look at our freezer that flooded us.  And our slideout that leaks and lastly install a brake switch for my dolly to help brake the toad.  Well the tech came to work late and left early.  He got all of the stereo replaced and that was it.  They told me if I want to make another appt for a later date they would try to look at it.    Good  grief that was a good 300 to 500 dollars worth of work I am sure if they had wanted it but it seemed they didnt.  Figured I would get it fixed down the road in my travels.  Maybe after I get up to Washington in May.  We shall see. 

A lot of that kind of thing gets done for Free (or low cost) at the annual Quartsite Rally.. And at other rallys around the country (FMCA for example) thought the year

Lee,
That kind of 'service' you can very well do without.

Anyway I asked them if they could look at our freezer that flooded us.

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What exactly do you mean by that? Did it quit working and defrost everything? Was the drain plugged up? Did the ice maker overflow? Some of those things are easily repaired by you.