CAMPGROUND AND OLDER VEHICLES.

It's going  to get interesting when some of the new Winnebago's start showing up  at their doors. They look to be mid fifties units. It escapes my understanding why anyone would pay real money for these, but there are a bunch of them on Winnebago's lot.

On the other hand, I doubt most people could recognize even a 15 year old rig unless it's been very poorly maintained. And that's probably the point. If it looks like something the cat dragged in (figuratively), I wouldn't want it parked next to the lot I was trying to sell for $100k either.

Ernie

Um . . . I have a new rig, but I'm not a snob  :-\  I'm a retired barrel racer/educator/executive assistant/name-it-I've-probably-done-it kind of person.  My hubby is a railroad man.  We saved our money and like nice things, but that doesn't make us snobs.  We have been in a mobile home/RV park for 10 months and really like our neighbors.  Construction workers, landscapers, Walmart employees, retirees, veterans, and many more.  Just sayin' - you shouldn't lump us all together.

I agree with Gina, live in harmony and be good neighbors. We're not rich by any means but we have more than some in our neighborhood and we have worked hard and saved for what we have. But I grew up poor and never forget what street I came from, I respect everyone and try to help whoever I can. Regarding pets, some breeds like the American Pit Bull Terrier have a bad rap from bad owners. Aggressive genetics can be managed by responsible owners pretty easily. We have two dogs, a Yorkshire Terrier and an English pointer both will lick a burglar to death if they thought they were getting a treat!

However, on a recent trip to Maine we were out for coffee and gas and a young fella noticed me sitting in my truck holding my Yorkie, he came over to say hello and mentioned he was a small dog owner as well. I invited him to say hi to the pointer in the back seat, she stuck her head out the window and within a split second clamped on to the guys arm! Thank goodness he was only bruised, I was in shock as she has never so much as growled at anyone in the 14 years we have had her. I just think being in the confined space of the truck she was in protection mode and she did her job. The gentleman agreed he might have approached her to fast and kindly let us off the hook s far as pursuing any damages.

My point is, pit bull or poodle or any other breed could easily bite someone under the right circumstances to protect their family, that doesn't make them a bad dog or me a bad owner. Bad owners teach their animals to be aggressive hence the discrimination of some breeds.

The whole reason most RV parks discriminate against older vehicles is because once a person moves into an RV park they can be a huge problem to evict if the person is a dead beat. The odds are a guy in a new DP is not a dead beat but the odds are in favor of a 1985 Southwind held together by duct tape is a dead beat. And the more duct taped RVs in you park the harder it is to rent to more desirable people. You all would have a vastly different opinion if you were standing on the other side of the counter.

chrysypoo said:

I wish that were true Gary. I had a reservation with a park in Florida that was not at all fancy, but was a destination for me. I had even emailed pics of my rig to them. They took one look at my older, but good looking and well maintained RV and said no way, too old. They kept my $200 deposit and left me high and dry. I went to 2 other parks and they too said no, too old. After a few nights at Walmart, I finally found one and stayed for months. I must say that I had driven in snow and rain and my vehicle was a bit road dirty, but so would have a new one looked dirty. A quick rainstorm cured that after I was there. I had driven over 500 miles to winter there, and the desperation to park somewhere, anywhere, left a bad taste in my mouth, as well as a bad memory.

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I am sorry that you lost your deposit.  That is just not right.

A campground asking me to e-mail pictures of my rig would be a big red flag and a stop sign telling me to avoid that place.

It would be fun to mess with them, and send them a picture of a new Prevost.

Any time a deposit is required, it behooves the buyer to learn if the deposit is refundable and under what circumstances. It's a caveat emptor thing.

Gary RV Roamer said:

If what were true?  I didn't say the 10 year policy doesn't exist or that you wouldn't be denied an exception to the policy. Especially in a popular destination like Florida (in the winter?), where they can easily fill the site with another customer.

Personally I would not gamble a $200 non-refundable deposit on the hope that an exception would be granted. If they would not agree to make the deposit refundable after seeing the photos, I'd keep on looking. And if they would not agree to accept you on the basis of the photos,  their appearance standards were probably higher than you thought and that alone would set off warning bells for me.

By the way, my own coach is 10 years old this year.  I'll probably hit this situation myself sooner or later.

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Did you put the $200 deposit on a credit card?  If so, you have charge back rights and your bank will dispute the charge especially if they changed their minds.  Do you have the email or documentation where they agreed to your set up?  You will get every penny back.

Good Luck

Big Bad Allis said:

Did you put the $200 deposit on a credit card?  If so, you have charge back rights and your bank will dispute the charge especially if they changed their minds.  Do you have the email or documentation where they agreed to your set up?  You will get every penny back.

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Doesn't matter if it was a debit card or a credit card, the bank will get your money back for you. I just went through it with two different debit cards at two different banks. No problem.

Not always, I lost a deposit on a credit card because the bank sided with the parks policy on their website. I have been on the other side of the fence on this one having worked in property management primarily low income federally subsidized units. I also experienced a couple of neighbors feuding for the last couple of years that kept the entire neighborhood on edge constantly. What if the nicest family in the world is poor and thats all they can afford, it is a form of discrimination in my opinion and I personally would avoid any such park. However, I have seen parks that look disgusting and that I would say is due to both clientele and management, they just don't care.

We were in a park this winter in Florida and there was mostly class a and 5th wheels, some tow units and one of the oldest tow units I have ever seen! It wasn't cared for in a vintage way but the site was clean and the folks were polite and quiet they fit in with everyone else nicely. I like this forum, always lots of good info and help!

chrysypoo said:

I wish that were true Gary. I had a reservation with a park in Florida that was not at all fancy, but was a destination for me. I had even emailed pics of my rig to them. They took one look at my older, but good looking and well maintained RV and said no way, too old. They kept my $200 deposit and left me high and dry. I went to 2 other parks and they too said no, too old. After a few nights at Walmart, I finally found one and stayed for months. I must say that I had driven in snow and rain and my vehicle was a bit road dirty, but so would have a new one looked dirty. A quick rainstorm cured that after I was there. I had driven over 500 miles to winter there, and the desperation to park somewhere, anywhere, left a bad taste in my mouth, as well as a bad memory.

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Question!?? If you actually Gave them the year of the rig and photos of the rig and they accepted your reservation based on this information and charged you a deposit  by way of your CC of $200 and when you got there they said no way? Based on what? .Like what did they say that changed from the time you showed up in person  and your verbal or written exchange regarding year and condition +photos etc . you should have received a full refund and definitely the CC card company should be able to do a chargeback because your CC was over the phone and you never singed a thing. IS this all correct or is there a different slant to the story than we see here?

Gary nailed the cause of this whole dilemma in one tidy paragraph.....we've become so sensitive and litigious that a private business has to find creative ways to implement the old "we reserve the right to refuse service to anyone" clause.....or face massive defense costs and a possible judgement against them. 

Want all this nonsense to stop?  Call your representatives and push for some serious tort reform.

And as a couple have pointed out here it is the long term stay RVs that are many parks' concern. Show up for a night in a clean rig and many will let if ride but askfor a week, month, or more and the rules become enforced.

Want all this nonsense to stop?  Call your representatives and push for some serious tort reform.

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There isn't going to be any tort reform because our representatives on both sides of the aisle are ever-expending our "rights" with new laws to disallow that which some constituents find objectionable. Each new protection granted to a group creates a new opportunity to prosecute or sue someone for an imagined offense. We are all guilty - we want our rights "protected" but the other guys rights curtailed so he can't sue us or interfere with our desires.

Crap! I shouldn't have even started this reply. It's too depressing and highly argumentative anyway. 

check out the fine reviews:  http://www.rvparkreviews.com/regions/Alberta/Balzac.html#CGID6971

ayGary RV Roamer said:

Crap! I shouldn't have even started this reply. It's too depressing and highly argumentative anyway. 

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Gary it's a beautiful day. Go out and enjoy the sunshine. 8)

He's still in the staff meeting  ;D

I like this forum, always lots of good info and help!

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Agreed. Even bitch sessions are fun, and just like camp grounds, if you don't like them, don't go there. None of the campgrounds I go to would refuse me, or anyone else, to camp there. Only poor behavior would get you tossed.

I never call ahead for reservations and I'd never, never give anyone a deposit until I actually see the campground. As the OP found out, WalMart can provide a place and the time to gain local information on where the most suitable-for-you campground in an area is. If it was me, I'd be after the return of that $200.

Gary it's a beautiful day. Go out and enjoy the sunshine

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Good advice, Jeff. I did that. Applied some liquid tranquillizer as well. Much better now. 

Gary RV Roamer said:

Good advice, Jeff. I did that. Applied some liquid tranquillizer as well. Much better now. 

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Never heard Geritol called liquid tranquillizer before!!  ;D ;D ;D

Gary RV Roamer said:

Crap! I shouldn't have even started this reply. It's too depressing and highly argumentative anyway. 

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Yeah...and sometimes being right sucks more than anything.  And remember, the first 100 years are always the hardest.