It was time!
The motorhome has been parked for seven years with only one break, the 2019 trip to the Okanagan. Before now it has never had a "real" service, just repairs as needed through our travels. It was running beautifully when it was parked It has had an oil change at least every year, more than required along with whatever inspections they do with oil changes. It also has a transmission service many years ago as a result of a disastrous / comical oil change in southern Mexico. Nothing ever caused any concern. It has 78.000 miles (128,500 kilometres) on it. I put new rear brakes on it the last time I parked it.
Yesterday I took it into Seymour Services, a highly recommend local independent garage. I explained everything to the service manager and told him to pretend it was his own vehicle and do what was required. I knew it was going to be expensive (and it was). I left it in his hands with instructions to call me for authorization on anything extraordinary, and he did so three times.
I picked it up this afternoon and they had done: Lube & oil, parking brake service, Transmission service (without fluid change - it was still good), new front brakes, brake fluid flush, replace fuel filter, replace air filter, exhaust service (some loose manifold bolts), replace differential oil, installed new wiper blades and carefully inspected everything else. The bill was $3,400 CAN or $2,500 US). Not bad considering all the services it has missed over the years.
I left there and drove to the Onan generator place and made an appointment for service. I was on my way home and on a whim I stopped at the local auto detailing shop. I was going to clean it myself but one side was covered in moss/mold from being parked up against a tall hedge for seven years and it would have been a tough job. They offered to do it properly for $200 less a $25 coupon I found in Norma's papers. While the detail shop manager was inspecting the rig we talked a bit about it and he indicated he was looking for a motorhome! Well! I was looking for a buyer and he said he would take it for a test drive when it goes in tomorrow! I have become 95% sure I want to sell it, The price of gas and the cost of RV parks and travel medical insurance makes the type of travel we loved so much farther out of reach every year. I will be 80 next year so it is probably time to hang up the keys, I will see what he offers and sleep on it. The price of RV's skyrocketed during Covid and is still up there. It is a 2005 that I bought "new" in 2007 in Texas when the Canadian dollar was at par and when I checked what it was worth now, I was shocked! With luck I will not lose all that much for the 17 years I have owned it,
Update(s) to follow.
Well, I hope things go as you would like. We donated our trailer last year because, like you mention, it wasn't all that cheap travel for us any more. Of course I miss it; I think a lot about a class B but it's 105F most days out here and a nice a/c motel room sounds pretty good!
ReplyDeleteBoth Norma and I spent so much of our working careers living in hotels and eating in restaurants that by the time we retired we were sick of both! That was the main reason we bought an RV, our own bed and kitchen wherever we went!
DeleteI have been thinking about a teardrop trailer I can tow behind my new SUV. Part of what pushed me into my decision was the fact that I cannot tow the AWD SUV on a dolly or all-wheels-down. It requires a full trailer.
ReplyDeleteA small towable makes sense Croft. We downsized to a micro Jayco 166fbs for the same reasons. A number of functional micros (or a mini) with different features are made.
DeleteLinda and I did hybrid travel when we first retired. We would rent a house or condo in a warm winter location and then use rental cars and bus service to tour. The last year we went, ( before grandkids) we did a bus tour, just first class buses to resort areas and ruins. We did Yucatan, Belize and Guatemala over a three month period. We took places for a week or two at a time, rent a car for a few days and then on to the next stop. It was not as good as a three month rental but we saw a lot of country.
ReplyDeleteThe possible sale did not work. The detail shop manager thought it over and decided to hold out for his first love, an older diesel pusher.
ReplyDelete