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04-14-2018, 05:14 PM
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#1
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Member
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Howell
Posts: 31
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One thing you wish you knew?
I know this forum is full of awesome wisdom, but what is one thing you wish you knew when you first started RVing? Our TT will be parked so I am not so worried about towing as I am learning about operating, repairing, or maintaining the camper itself. It will be a Laredo 331BH TT. Thanks!
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04-14-2018, 05:42 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Commerce Twp, Mi
Posts: 1,002
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That after a couple of years, we would want a bigger one..
__________________
TOM
2011 Chevy Silverado
1500, HD Tow Package
2017 Keystone Hideout 177LHS Carlisle Radial HDs
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04-14-2018, 06:27 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Dandridge TN
Posts: 260
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6 years, 3 trailers. All bigger than the last one. First one was a good learning unit, 24 ft. and no slides. Next was 30 ft. 1 slide and a bit more comfortable than the first. #3 is 37 ft. long, 3 slides and we think we have found our perfect trailer for us, a Laredo 334 RE.
No pass time or hobby is "cheap" so be prepared to pay as you go for what you want.
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04-14-2018, 07:40 PM
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#4
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Site Team
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Modesto
Posts: 20,350
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I wish I knew that once I bought my first fiver, I couldn’t imagine life without one.
__________________
2012 Copper Canyon 273FWRET being towed by a 1994 Ford F350 CC,LB,Dually diesel.
Airlift 5000 bags, Prodigy brake control, 5 gauges on the pillar.Used to tow a '97 Jayco 323RKS.
Now an RVIA registered tech. Retired from Law enforcement in 2008 after 25+ yrs.
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04-15-2018, 02:23 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Germantown, TN
Posts: 6,333
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There exists a veritable myriad of things which would have made life easier had we known about them on the front end. Probably the first would be knowing how bad trailer tires can be and the dangers behind them. Geico also wishes I had known about the tires. Geico also wishes I had a better perspective on low hanging cables in RV parks. Just a little Sunday humor....
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Jim in Memphis, Wife of 51 years is Brenda
2019 F450 6.7 Powerstroke
2018 Mobile Suites 40RSSA
2021 40' Jayco Eagle
2001 Road king w/matching Harley sidecar
2021 Yamaha X2 Wolverine 1000
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04-15-2018, 02:24 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Brighton
Posts: 102
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Bigger is better
Quote:
Originally Posted by CrazyCain
That after a couple of years, we would want a bigger one..
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Didn’t take us that long. Started with a 28’ TT. Very next year moved up to a 38’ 5er. I could live in the 5er full time but DW loves our house. 😉
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04-15-2018, 03:33 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Near Saratoga Springs,
Posts: 1,131
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It took us 2 TT, a slide in truck camper and three 5ers to decide what we wanted when we finally 'got there'. Even this current 5er has had literally thousands of dollars of changes so will be around for a while longer. But with that said these are the main 'gotchas', all of which have been corrected by that money noted below:
- I wish I knew that China bomb tires were so bad($600)
- I wish I knew that the miserable magnet brakes were the same as the 30' 1974 5er($1500 + the suspension upgrade below)
- I wish I knew that this 5er had 5200 axles ($250)
- I wish I knew that a blow up sofa bed was so uncomfortable ($1000)
- I wish I knew that the recliners were so uncomfortable ($1100)
- I wish I knew that a 38 foot 5er needed a second a/c ($750)
plus many other upgrades, additions and comfort items
- I DID know that the supplied bed was so uncomfortabe
The joys of owning an RV is accepting that a pretty face really doesn't give you a clue as to the real identity of your new BFF but that you can make changes
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04-15-2018, 04:23 AM
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#8
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Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: central,Pa
Posts: 52
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I wish I knew how much fun we were going to have. I would have started years sooner
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Steve 2023 Ram 3500 6.7 Cummins (aka towing beast)
2022 Keystone Sprinter 32BH
B&W Companion
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04-15-2018, 06:01 AM
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#9
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Site Team
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Gaylord
Posts: 26,997
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I wish I had known how easy "one thing leads to another".....
Buy a trailer, then buy a cover to keep it safe.
Realize the cover doesn't work, build a pole barn.
Realize the pole barn isn't big enough for the next trailer, build another pole barn
Realize the trailer for the new pole barn isn't the one DW wants, buy a bigger trailer and
Realize it's too big for the pole barn, so enlarge the pole barn.
Realize there's not enough room for the new "toys" to drag behind the trailer, so build another addition onto the pole barn (strictly for the toys, mind you)....
I shoulda listened to the contractor the first time and built the biggest pole barn my property would allow. Can you spell "sports arena" ?????
Yeah, a bit of exaggeration, but not much......
__________________
John
2015 F250 6.7l 4x4
2014 Cougar X Lite 27RKS
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04-15-2018, 08:10 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Boise
Posts: 221
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As with others, theres far more than one thing looking back. A few of the big ones though would be....
1) Learning all the correct order, procedure, tips and trick for blackwater. It can be a really painless simple chore...until you screw up. Then it becomes a gross task.
2)Command strips. Walked by them in the hardware store for years. They are all over our rig now. This forum turned me onto them.
3) I always retract my awning when not in camp. Weather changes quickly sometimes and I have seen awnings forcibly removed. Seems like it always happens when you out riding your bike or fishing on the other side of the lake.
Congrats on the new trailer. Hanging around here will save from learning the hard way on some stuff. Other times its just going to hapoen and you will learn. Have fun.
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97 F250 7.3L
06 Springdale 269RLLS
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04-16-2018, 07:13 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Berkley
Posts: 751
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I wish I knew how expensive it would be to get (or keep) the truck I want as a tow vehicle. lol
__________________
2022 Ford F150 3.5 Ecoboost SCrew 4x4 MaxTow
2020 Salem Hemisphere Hyper-Lyte 25RBHL
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04-16-2018, 07:18 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: radium hot springs bc
Posts: 2,007
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I wish I would have known I was going to live this long. Would have taken better care of myself and my money.
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2018 Ram 3500 6.4 Harvest Edition
2018 Cougar 27RESWE
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04-16-2018, 08:28 AM
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#13
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Member
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Burtonsvlle
Posts: 83
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I wish I knew a way me and the wife could retire early, travel more, and full time it.
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04-16-2018, 11:49 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Essexville, MI
Posts: 262
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Wish I knew that after relaxing for a week I had to put everything back in and go home and clean it.
__________________
2014 Passport Elite 31RE
2017 2500HD Crew Cab
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04-16-2018, 11:59 AM
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#15
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Site Team
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Joppa, MD
Posts: 11,757
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Wish I knew the winning Lottery numbers, sure would help help with the "need a bigger (insert your choice - boat, RV, truck, house, dog, television, computer, diamonds on the DW's jewelry...) syndrome I have suffered lo these many years.
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Marshall
2012 Laredo 303 TG
2010 F250 LT Super Cab, long bed, 4X4, 6.4 Turbo Diesel
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04-16-2018, 12:15 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Germantown, TN
Posts: 6,333
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Quote:
Originally Posted by flybouy
Wish I knew the winning Lottery numbers, sure would help help with the "need a bigger (insert your choice - boat, RV, truck, house, dog, television, computer, diamonds on the DW's jewelry...) syndrome I have suffered lo these many years.
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Flybouy, you couldn't stand to have that many friends and relatives.
__________________
Jim in Memphis, Wife of 51 years is Brenda
2019 F450 6.7 Powerstroke
2018 Mobile Suites 40RSSA
2021 40' Jayco Eagle
2001 Road king w/matching Harley sidecar
2021 Yamaha X2 Wolverine 1000
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04-16-2018, 01:57 PM
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#17
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Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Milford Michigan
Posts: 2
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One thing I wish I knew
I wish I knew Keystone would not stand behind there paint fading on the front cap on the Outbacks
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04-18-2018, 06:32 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: nm
Posts: 1,833
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I wished I knew my dealer at holiday world Las cruces nm are a bums and can't fix what sell .Lol nothing sticks like a bum dealer passing the buck off to different departments .
__________________
2018 1 ton 4x4 c.c standard bed GMC Denali
Anderson ultimate hitch
2015 311 Impact Fusion toy hauler
2018 Milwaukee 8 FLRTU roadglide glide ultra
2018 800 Z force spot BUGGY.
500 watts of solar enough power for boon docking.
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04-18-2018, 07:34 PM
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#19
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Site Team
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: W. Texas
Posts: 17,695
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Well, as I read the last few comments, let me insert this and then
I wish I knew how GOOD my CW dealership would be to me at this point in time. After starting off with where we were, about to step out in the lot to settle things, I've got them taking care of me......exceptionally. Having read all the horror stories of dealing with RV dealerships, and experiencing that right off the bat, I was worried. Now, it's a joy. I will say, you HAVE to go toe to toe, eyeball to eyeball, to get those ground rules in place.
And, I wish I knew that all those stories from members that say....you need a bigger truck, the trailer's too big etc.......were all true. Now, I'm one of those folks. So folks, take that into account; it's not just rhetoric....it's real.
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Danny and Susan, wife of 56 years
2019 Ram 3500 Laramie CC SWB SB 6.4 4x4 4.10
2020 Montana High Country 331RL
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04-21-2018, 03:26 AM
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#20
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Member
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Howell
Posts: 31
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Thanks everyone! I am starting with a Laredo 331BH that is 37’11” so i got size thing covered out the gate. I looked at 5th wheels, but we have decided for now not to even try and buy a truck to pull it. We looked at a used GMC 3500 Denali with 50,000 miles for $44k. Monthly payments with insurance would have been $750 a month. We have a favorite campground we mostly just wanted to park it at anyway. For the one or two trips we might have taken it somewhere else, it just didn’t add up. I will just pay for someone to move it and store it over winter near the campground. Honestly, this all started because our fave campgrounds has a two dog limit in their cabins and then I got puppy fever and got another one in October so now we have three. There is no limit if you have your own camper. So we just wanted something up there we could all enjoy together. The bunkhouse will be the dog room. Lol.
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