In search of assistance

MikeSmith · 07-27-2022, 08:51 PM

Hello all. New full timer here. I purchased a Cougar 277RLS from my brother which delivered it to me in Kent WA. About a week after he returned home(6hrs away) I was informed that my rig needed to be moved over about 8’. Having a major issue finding anyone local that has a 5th wheel hitch to move me over without charging an arm or leg. Anyone in this area that could help out. I’m not asking for free, I’m more than will to pay for services just not the $200 most are asking for. The rig never has to touch the road. Attached a photo of it location. Edge of slide out needs to be at edge of power pedestal.

wiredgeorge · 07-28-2022, 04:41 AM

Mentioning the specific location of the 5th wheel would make it easier to figure out if a person can help. Are you in Kent England?

Javi · 07-28-2022, 04:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wiredgeorge

Mentioning the specific location of the 5th wheel would make it easier to figure out if a person can help. Are you in Kent England?

He is in Washington State

MikeSmith · 07-28-2022, 04:49 AM

Thank you sir. I thought I had put that in there. Might have been more helpful has I spelled out Washington. Forgot we have members from across the pond.

wiredgeorge · 07-28-2022, 05:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeSmith

Thank you sir. I thought I had put that in there. Might have been more helpful has I spelled out Washington. Forgot we have members from across the pond.

If you go to the place where you put "Kent" in, you can put Kent, WA to clarify. There is actually an unincorporated town in Texas called Kent; probably others as well. In fact, go to the UserCP and make a signature with the year, make and model of your camper and anything spiffy you might want to say. When you do get a tow vehicle add the same info there. Really helps answers to your questions have context. And Javi, don't see how you know these things but I bow to your clairvoyance.

jasin1 · 07-28-2022, 05:28 AM

i know $200 isn’t pocket change but really it’s a pretty fair price to drive from wherever a person is and hook up and move it over…the person probably doesn’t know you and has no idea if you will be a pain to deal with and risk you possibly saying they damaged your rig if something doesn’t go right…or want to talk for an hour while moving it….i’d just pay the price …you said you didn’t mind paying …but not $200…are you saying $100 is ok? if so then it’s only a $100 difference …it will probably take 3 hours out of someone’s day from the time they leave their house to get back home at least

**flybouy** · 07-28-2022, 05:33 AM

I would agree with above. With the price of fuel and burger flipping paying $20/hr the $200 quote may be less than min wage.

bsmith0404 · 07-28-2022, 06:42 AM

I move rv locally for several people/snowbirds. I won’t hook onto anything for less than $150. Not worth my time or wear and tear on my equipment for less than that. I don’t care if it’s going across the street or 5 miles down the road. Sounds like your area has a $200 price tag on it. You can always go to a local rv park and ask people there if anyone is willing to do it.

**chuckster57** · 07-28-2022, 06:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flybouy

I would agree with above. With the price of fuel and burger flipping paying $20/hr the $200 quote may be less than min wage.

Where can I get a job flipping burgers for $20/hr? Sounds a lot less stressful than trying to extradite a Dometic furnace.

**sourdough** · 07-28-2022, 08:16 AM

I agree with the comments on pricing. $200 isn't that bad. Considering a mobile tech charges about $150 just to come to you, doesn't do anything or spend any time, and anything/everything including time and material is tacked on top of that, $200 isn't that bad. If it's a "have to" situation then it is what it is. I guess you could go to the 5th wheels in the park and ask the owners if they would come move you as a favor. I've seen that done (actually the truck owners asked those without tow vehicles) when a hurricane was coming but don't know about as just a day to day kind of thing.

travelin texans · 07-28-2022, 08:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chuckster57

Where can I get a job flipping burgers for $20/hr? Sounds a lot less stressful than trying to extradite a Dometic furnace.

If the cost of EVERYTHING in California is any indication I'd bet that any place that sells burgers would be paying more than $20 an hour otherwise they couldn't eat there even with their employee discount.
I had a fellow walk up to me in a hardware store in Coos Bay Oregon & ask if that was my dually in the parking lot, I'm thinking crap he hit my truck, no he had to move his 5th out of a rv park to a dealer for repairs, rent is due today & reverse is out on his truck. Long story short, the rest of the story is very interesting & a bit weird, I did move his 5th wheel & we had a great visit off/on for the few days we were in the area visiting with him & his wife.
That would be my suggestion to ask someone with a 5th wheel hitch at a nearby rv park if they'd move for you for $XXX or whatever you were willing to pay.

MikeSmith · 07-28-2022, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by travelin texans

If the cost of EVERYTHING in California is any indication I'd bet that any place that sells burgers would be paying more than $20 an hour otherwise they couldn't eat there even with their employee discount.
I had a fellow walk up to me in a hardware store in Coos Bay Oregon & ask if that was my dually in the parking lot, I'm thinking crap he hit my truck, no he had to move his 5th out of a rv park to a dealer for repairs, rent is due today & reverse is out on his truck. Long story short, the rest of the story is very interesting & a bit weird, I did move his 5th wheel & we had a great visit off/on for the few days we were in the area visiting with him & his wife.
That would be my suggestion to ask someone with a 5th wheel hitch at a nearby rv park if they'd move for you for $XXX or whatever you were willing to pay.

I’m in a little RV park with only 3 other 5th wheels and they are in the same situation as I am. They had theirs delivered as well. Noticed your names as Texan travelers, what part of Texas? I was born and raised in Henderson Texas about 2.5hrs east of Dallas. I just moved up here to Washington about 3 weeks ago. Amazing how everyone up here are complaining about the heat when it’s in the mid 90’s.

CedarCreekWoody · 07-29-2022, 04:40 AM

I'm in east Texas and been all around henderson. Will be glad to share some of this heat if you need any. Sorry I can't help with your move.

dutchmensport · 07-29-2022, 05:28 AM

Fist off.... welcome to the forums and congrats on purchasing your new camper. It sounds like you've got things figured out pretty good with it and hope you have good success and enjoy it.

Other than paying the price, or recruiting help from someone who has a truck, I don't know of any other solution. It just a suggestion, but would your brother be willing to return, making the 12 hour round trip, to help you move the camper to it's proper location? Maybe, offer to pay for the cost of his fuel for the round trip and take him out for a nice meal for his time and effort?

As you have already discovered, RV ownership is not cheap. Unfortunately, far to many have this myth that living in an RV is a cheap way to survive. But the harsh reality is, there is nothing cheap about this lifestyle. Add the cost of the original purchase of the RV with the cost to park it, utilities added on if not provided in the cost of the campsite, insurance, and tow vehicle. Add to that, places like North Carolina that have a personal property tax if the camper is parked anywhere in the state on January 1 (I just read about that on another forum site), and then don't forget about care and upkeep costs of the actual camper. Things will break down, need repair, and there will be problems happen, even with campers sitting stationary. Put it all together and it's really not a cheap way to live.

But the trade off is .... it's a MARVELOUS way to live! I think you really should consider purchasing a tow vehicle. Sitting stationary is OK, but oh man! There's nothing like the vagabond traveling life style!

MikeSmith · 07-29-2022, 05:35 AM

Oh I agree completely on buying a tow vehicle. But just relocated here to Washington less than a month ago and just put the house on the market to sell in Texas. So have to cover the expense of moving my wife and everything up here before purchasing a new rig. Have even considered getting the adapter from 5th wheel to gooseneck so I could 1) move it easier now and 2) not have the large hitch taking up the bed of my truck when I do purchase one.

MikeSmith · 07-29-2022, 05:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CedarCreekWoody

I'm in east Texas and been all around henderson. Will be glad to share some of this heat if you need any. Sorry I can't help with your move.

That’s ok. My wife complains daily about the heat lol. The drive be up here took 38 hrs and 19 of those hours were just getting out of Texas. Made the mistake of leaving at noon on a Friday so not only was it 98° but also hit rush hour going through Dallas and Denton.

**flybouy** · 07-29-2022, 06:08 AM

[QUOTE=dutchmensport;511202]Fist off.... welcome to the forums and congrats on purchasing your new camper. It sounds like you've got things figured out pretty good with it and hope you have good success and enjoy it.

Other than paying the price, or recruiting help from someone who has a truck, I don't know of any other solution. It just a suggestion, but would your brother be willing to return, making the 12 hour round trip, to help you move the camper to it's proper location? Maybe, offer to pay for the cost of his fuel for the round trip and take him out for a nice meal for his time and effort?

As you have already discovered, RV ownership is not cheap. Unfortunately, far to many have this myth that living in an RV is a cheap way to survive. But the harsh reality is, there is nothing cheap about this lifestyle. Add the cost of the original purchase of the RV with the cost to park it, utilities added on if not provided in the cost of the campsite, insurance, and tow vehicle. Add to that, places like North Carolina that have a personal property tax if the camper is parked anywhere in the state on January 1 (I just read about that on another forum site), and then don't forget about care and upkeep costs of the actual camper. Things will break down, need repair, and there will be problems happen, even with campers sitting stationary. Put it all together and it's really not a cheap way to live.

At 6 hrs one way I'm guessing 300 + miles, 600 round trip. 10 mpg would be 60 gal at what, $6.00/gal.? So let's say $350 just for fuel and to say nothing of wear & tear or meals or time. Ask your brother to send you $200, he'll likely be more amicable to that. JMO

travelin texans · 07-29-2022, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeSmith

I’m in a little RV park with only 3 other 5th wheels and they are in the same situation as I am. They had theirs delivered as well. Noticed your names as Texan travelers, what part of Texas? I was born and raised in Henderson Texas about 2.5hrs east of Dallas. I just moved up here to Washington about 3 weeks ago. Amazing how everyone up here are complaining about the heat when it’s in the mid 90’s.

Spent the 1st 40+ years in Dumas TX up in the panhandle & retired from the northwest side of Ft Worth in Haslet TX.
Been through Henderson several times as my in laws retired to community right on the Toleda Bend reservoir near Hemphill Tx.
How/why would you go to that part of the country? Hopefully you've got a good paying job to afford living anywhere on the left coast. Our son was stationed at McChord AFB (now Lewis McChord joint base) for a good part of his 21 years living in several of the towns nearby so we've visited countless times. Not any decent rv parks near any of the towns he was in. Fortunately he's now moved to Arizona, it wouldn't hurt my feelings to not go back to that area.

MikeSmith · 07-29-2022, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by travelin texans

Spent the 1st 40+ years in Dumas TX up in the panhandle & retired from the northwest side of Ft Worth in Haslet TX.
Been through Henderson several times as my in laws retired to community right on the Toleda Bend reservoir near Hemphill Tx.
How/why would you go to that part of the country? Hopefully you've got a good paying job to afford living anywhere on the left coast. Our son was stationed at McChord AFB (now Lewis McChord joint base) for a good part of his 21 years living in several of the towns nearby so we've visited countless times. Not any decent rv parks near any of the towns he was in. Fortunately he's now moved to Arizona, it wouldn't hurt my feelings to not go back to that area.

I drove right through Dumas on my way up here. I took a supervisor position for a maintenance contractor in Auburn. I’m not gonna say the pay is great but very accommodating for the cost of living up here. Greatest advantage is it put my base pay at a much higher level than if I had stayed in Texas. Now if I transfer back to Texas I’ll keep my base pay. Plus I have family down in Oregon.

travelin texans · 07-29-2022, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeSmith

I drove right through Dumas on my way up here. I took a supervisor position for a maintenance contractor in Auburn. I’m not gonna say the pay is great but very accommodating for the cost of living up here. Greatest advantage is it put my base pay at a much higher level than if I had stayed in Texas. Now if I transfer back to Texas I’ll keep my base pay. Plus I have family down in Oregon.

Good luck to you!

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