Recreation Vehicles – Home on Wheels

February 17, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Recreation vehicles become the most popular option for the vacation trips. They gain immense popularity all over the world. Recreational vehicles are considered as homes on vehicles. After renting such vehicles we don’t need to reserve rooms at hotels. There is no need for travel booking and restaurant booking. RVs have bedrooms, living rooms, bathrooms and kitchens inside it. RV rentals are considered as the most comfortable option when you are planning for an excursion or vacation trip. Recreation vehicles provide immense privacy, freedom and comfort to the travelers. You can park the vehicle anywhere and explore the surroundings. You are the master of the vehicle and you need not want to travel according to the rules of the driver or guide.

 

The A class RV rental is considered as the most luxurious and best one. These vehicles are quite expensive. The average rents of these vehicles vary from $6000 to $9000 per day. However the companies provide lesser rates for off-season. Special and attractive discount packages are provided by the RV rental companies for those individuals who travel extensively. Fifty days is the minimum rental duration for such discount packages. Travel agencies, online sites and travel desk will provide the information regarding the special packages.

 

The recreation vehicles have internet facilities, stylish furnishing, king-sized beds and large sized bathrooms with whirlpool baths and showers. Automatic cooling and heating systems are available in these vehicles. Different modern amenities including plasma televisions, generator and DVD players are available in the recreation vehicles. Housekeeping facilities such as dishes, pans and pots are provided by many rental companies. Security systems are installed in the vehicle which gives alert signal when any security breach occurs. Some of the RVs include touch screens which will help to check the conditions of the systems. The touch screens will check the fuel, electric and the battery backup of the vehicle.

 

A lot of RV rental companies are available all over the world. While choosing such companies a various factors need to be considered. Before shopping, you should make a comparison of the different companies. You should clearly go through the reviews of the companies. The review will give all the information about the company’s goals and motto. You can clearly judge a company through these reviews. You should also consider the size of the vehicle. Different trucks and vans of varying sizes are available. Ensure that there is enough space in the vehicle. While going overboard it is better to avoid huge vehicles.

 

During RV rentals cost is given more importance. A lot of RV rental companies are providing most modern luxuries at affordable costs. Before commencing the trip it is important to consider all the factors regarding the charges. Advance planning will help you to cut down the costs. It is better to have insurance packages for the recreation vehicles. If any breakdown occurs during the trip, the insurance policies will cover the expenses. Most of the RV rental companies provides insurance plan along with their vehicles. All such tips should be implemented during RV rentals and this will ensure an enjoyable trip for you.

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RV rental – California

January 12, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Thanks to all those who responded and gave travel time tips. Much appreciated. Next on the list is car rental. Two of us want to rent a RV from LA to Vegas RETURN. We then want a car to drive LA to San Francisco ONE WAY. Lonely Planet has good advice but any tips and info from others experiences please. Recommended company? Insurance? Package deals? How about Driveaways for LA to San Francisco? Any benefits esp. price if car rental organized through travel agent along with flights? We’ll be flying in to LA from New Zealand.

Be sure to tell the rental agency in advance that you want written endorsement on your rental contract that you can take the car into Nevada. It’s never been a problem when I’ve told them in advance. The advice about auto insurance is also good.  Assuming NZ handles insurance similar to Australia and the UK, I can say the categories here are different from what you have back home.  See what if anything can be covered by your company.

Two examples about insurance differences (I), I’ll be heading to Scotland next month.  The insurance that comes with the car covers all damage, and all medical except for the driver.  The remaining insurance comes from an “umbrella” policy that have here in the US, based on my commitment to get the maximum insurance available on the rental contract.  (II) In the US the insurance is divided into personal liability (as in being responsible for repaying costs for personal injury – medical, lawsuits), collision (damage to vehicles), being the major ones, with another category for uninsured motorist.  The latter covers you if the UM is considered at fault, but is driving without insurance.  Some states make it illegal not to  have insurance, but that doesn’t prevent uninsured drivers from other states from driving in California.  I’ve never had to invoke UM, but its good to have.

 

 

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How is Bucharest?

January 12, 2012 By Leave a Comment

I am sure you will enjoy your trip to Bucharest.  You will note that the city is incredibly clean, very western European, and rich. You won’t see many Ford Mustangs or Explorers because the income level is so high that you will more see Mercedes SUVs, Land Rovers and Jeep Limited Cherokees.  In fact, the Mercedes brand name is probably more well-known there than Ford. If you are thinking in terms of Fords, I am not sure you will be able to afford Bucharest.  Quite frankly, people there are apparently on a
higher status plane than you.

As for shopping malls, they are so many that you probably would not be able to cover the basic ones in a couple weeks’ vacation.  And be ready to spend some major Euros and Deutschmarks because the exchange rate is in Romania’s favor these days.  Do visit the Gucci outlet on Ceau Ceau Boulevard – Here you can have clothing, jewelry and other necessary accessories individually designed.  Nearby, enjoy some Caspian Beluga or malosol on toast points for an appetizer with your American lobster from Maine, flown in daily at one of Bucharest’s new “California style” restaurants.  Jicama and cilantro are no strangers to todays’ Romanian cuisine. You will certainly enjoy the quiet of a true civil society. Regrettably, however, because of the high standard of living, you might be a tad disappointed with service industry workers.

Prepare for your journey by considering your wardrobe.  You won’t seem out of place if you wear a decent pair of English walking shoes and riding boots, although expensive, have become de rigeur for Bucharest’s inclement weather.  A camel hair sport coat will make you “fit in” with the locals.  Accessorize with a silk scarf.  This is one country, by the way, where furs are frequently encountered and you won’t be stigmatized for wearing one.  In general, please dress well;  you wouldn’t want to be considered one of those dirty unwashed tourists who is under the false impression that he can “do” Romania on the cheap. The local custom, if you want to be treated as well as the ordinary citizen, is for travelers to bring their belongings in belting leather luggage. You’ll pay a bit higher than normal tip for your sky cap service and a bit more than usual per bag for the taxis, but fitting in will determine how you are treated in this fortunate country.  Fortunately, you will be able to save money on your car rental and, again fortunately, you will be pleased to note the ready availability of parking spaces and the high level of civil society.  This is no Bulgaria where you need fear your windshield wipers being stolen.  

You are undoubtedly traveling to Romania for investment purposes. Everyone who is anyone is trying to get a piece of the thriving Romanian economy these days so be prepared for some hard bargaining.  But Romania’s place in Europe is incredibly secure and its ports clean and thriving.  The Tisza and the Danube have especially delicious drinking water.  One pays a bit for such a favorable location and cleanliness – the price of Central European success so near tourist mecca of the nearby intriguing Balkans.

I’m afraid that the Romanians have become a bit lazy over the centuries from their massive wealth and no longer perform their own folk music and customs, being completely westernized. However, you will note that Romani (Gypsy) musicians make quite incredible incomes preserving Romanian folk customs on behalf of Romanians. This symbiotic cultural arrangement is the result of a centuries long special inter cultural communion resulting in a selection of personal tasks within the society.  If ROmania had not treated its Romani so well in the past centuries, you would not be able to enjoy the odd Roma violinist.

Do in enjoy your trip.  It may be expensive, but such luxuries are enjoyed rarely in one’s lifetime. Don’t hesitate to come back to this newsgroup and let everyone here know about the wonderful time you had there.

Just one more tip.  I would suggest renting your RV rental in advance.  SUVs and other luxury cars are in great demand these days. You wouldn’t want to end up slumming it and taking taxis everywhere so plan ahead!

 

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3000 mile oil change: a superstition?

January 12, 2012 By Leave a Comment

One of our cars is “regular duty”.  It’s used for commuting. The commute is (approx.) a 2 mile run through neighborhoods( a couple of stop signs, one light that is normally rolled through, then a 15 mile interstate  highway run, then about 2 more miles of stop and go “city” driving.  It’s very rare that it’s started for a trip less than 15 miles, and I’d rather take side streets at 20 mph then sit in a traffic jam.

        The other vehicle falls under severe.  It gets started, run 6 miles through neighborhood streets, never over 25 mph speed limit, shut off to drop the kid at daycare, then started and run 1/4 mile to work.  This is 3-4 days a week; the other days are often short trips (2 miles to store, 6 miles to grandma’s house).  This is also the Rental RV, so it gets loaded up and driven on the highway occasionally.  70-75 MPH, loaded down, AC blasting (small 2.5 liter engine).

My theory is that you need to run the engine long enough to get up to full oil temp – at least half an hour – every week or so to be sure that you’re getting the water out of it.  If you do that than your driving is normal, bar towing or racing.  In that case I change my oil about every 10,000 to 15,000 Km.  I use Mobil 1 10w 30 in just about everything except the MGB, which gets an oil change every spring and uses dino 20w 50.  I guess that I’ve never had a car long enough to wear out the engine (if you don’t count the aluminium block Vega that I had in high school), and I’ve never had a failure that could in any way be caused by long oil change intervals.

The race car gets a damn engine rebuild about every 20 hours – 1,500 miles – to magnaflux the crank and look for stupid things that happen to race engines.  I get to look at bearings and journals that are perfect – they don’t even need to be polished, I usually put the same timing chain back in because the cam timing hasn’t budged.  I don’t take the pistons out if the leakdown is ok.  That’s on an engine that has 100 hp per litre, 12:1 compression and lives between 6k and 7k rpm’s which should be considered extreme duty.

My vote is that with today’s oil and filters, and even more importantly ring technology and combustion management, oil changes at 10k to 15k kilometers is normal and fine.  Listening to oil manufacturers tell you to change three times more often is like asking the bartender if you should have another beer or asking the used car salesman if you should buy the undercoating and the extended warranty!

 

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Vacation Vehicle

January 12, 2012 By Leave a Comment

My Taurus SW was driving fine across country, 87 AXOD with 3.0. It started smoking and I pulled it in a parking lot. Found it the tranny started dumping tranny fluid all over the ground. It was coming from a dust shield between covering the underside of the tranny in about the middle where I assume it meets up with the engine? I have to get it fixed. I’m no mech but does anyone have an idea on what it could be?  

I had a similar problem in my Ford Ranger with a 3.0 V-6 and automatic transmission. I was driving to the deer lease up and down hills while engaged in overdrive. After 120 miles, I pulled of the road to turn. When I did, fluid and smoke were billowing out from under my truck. I thought the transmission was a goner. I drove it a few more miles to the deer lease and let it set until morning. In the morning I started it up and the fluid was still burning off of the pipes but it wasn’t leaking any more. I replenished the lost fluid and drove back home, and have had no further problems. My conclusion to all this is that the transmission overheated when climbing the long hills and using overdrive. If your car was loaded, as most RV rental is, you probably overheated the transmission if you were using overdrive and climbing. If it is no longer leaking, I would change the fluid and keep on driving. My truck has given me no more problems since the incident, but I don’t use overdrive on the hills or if I have a load in the back.

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K1500 Questions

January 12, 2012 By Leave a Comment

I am considering ordering a new K1500 truck from the local Chevy dealer and have some questions I would like to know about before I talk to the salesman and look the fool.

First, what are the merits of automatic transmission over manual?  Friends I have spoken too say that automatics are better for very slow creeping over the roughest of terrain.  On the other hand, manuals are better for creeping downhill (engine brakeing).  My two current vehicles have manual tranny and both my wife and I like shifting for ourselves.  This truck is intended for a go anywhere RV rental for 2 to 4 weeks a year, a second car otherwise.

Second, what is different about the manual transmission offered with the 5.7l engine vs. the manual on the smaller engines?  I would expect the larger engine to require a transmission with a higher torque handling ability.  Are the gear ratios different?  Does this unit have “granny” gear, and if so, would this counter the above cited advantage of an automatic?

Third, I have never owned a 4X4 before, so I do not know the merits of various systems available.  According the the pamphlet from the dealer, push-button 4-wheel drive selection is standard on all 4X4 units, but the photos all show a shift lever in the cab.  The price list I obtained from the Edmond’s WWW site does not mention this “option” at all.  Is this issue affected by transmission choice?  What about the front wheel hubs?  Is limited slip available for the front?

Lastly, how much over invioce can I expect to pay?  According to the Edmond’s list, the truck optioned the way I want it comes to $21K invoice, $23.5K MSRP.  I live in the San Diego area where trucks sell very well.

Autos have several advantages over manuals for off-roading.  First, the torque converter effectively increases your gear reduction when going uphill at lower engine rpms.  At higher rpms, the converter slips less (if at all).  Also, you don’t have to worry about stalling and the whole need for a third foot in tricky situations.  When going downhill, the wheels are turning the engine (engine braking).  Torque converters don’t like to work in this direction and will require the wheels to turn faster before the engine starts to turn.
Therefore, as you say, a manual is better for downhills.

 

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1965 Custom Cab vs. Camper Special

January 12, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The camper special was designed for the addition of one of those slip-in campers.  It had a heavy-duty cooling system, so you could lug the beast over hill and dale.  It had beefed-up springs on the back for the added, constant weight.  And a larger battery (Amp-Hour rating) and matching alternator.  It may have had nicer finish and interior, because it was intended to be a Rental RV as opposed to a farm truck opr work truck, and people on vacation tend to like a few more creature comforts, but I’m not certain whether “Camper Special” meant it was more aesthetically pleasing.

I never knew about the custom cab option – I thought this was a marketting thing and meant not much, really.  (I never saw a pickup that didn’t have this.) Like the twin I-Beam label on the side of the vehicle – they all had it, so why bother.

I believe this is right, but I stand to be corrected by those more knowledgeable.

 

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Cost of Motels vs. Recreational Vehicle Travel

January 12, 2012 By Leave a Comment

I would like to start a discussion on the costs of travelling in Rental RV vs. the cost of using Motels/hotels for trips in Canada and the U.S.

You need to be more specific.  How much do you expect to travel?  There are many costs of an RV (taxes, insurance, registration, maintenance) that care more or less amortized over time.  If you travel a lot and polan to keep an RV for a long time, your costs will be significantly different from buying an RV for one trip of ay 6 months around the US. Where you travel and the kind of accomodations you like (RV resort vs public campground or budget motel vs up-scale motel) also make a difference in costs.  In general, I would not recommend buying an RV simply with an eye to saving money.  Then tend to be money pis unless you are skilled at maintenance and enjoy working on them yourself.  This doesn’t mean you should not get one, just that they are not automatic money savers over motels.

There is more to this Rving than just an economic analysis. These are two very different ways of seeing the world. You can save money in an RV by cooking your own meals, overnight lodging etc. On the other hand, your gas mileage sucks (10mpg max with a gasoline engine) and you have some pretty big capital costs.

The big difference is in the experience you have traveling. With an RV you will never pull into a town and find all of the motels are no vacancy. You can just find a Walmart Parking lot and you are set for the night. It is very common for me to head out friday evenings and drive until I am tired, then I find a roadside rest or just pull off the interstate and park. I get a nice nights rest in my own bed, in the morning I have a cup of fresh java and hit the road whenever the mood strikes, sometimes its 5 am othertimes not untill 7 or 8. Then when the coffee has been processed there is nothing like having your own facilities on board.

 

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Update to SALE – CHEAP RV RARE/UNCOMMON

January 12, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The following cards are still for sale…note that they are all RV, and in near mint to mint condition (never been used)

Wrath of God    $5.00
Aladdin’s Ring  $5.00
Living Artifact $5.00
Kudzu           $4.00
Darkpact        $3.00

Conversion      $1.00
Channel         $1.00
Uthden Troll    $0.75
Blue Ward       $0.50
Cursed Land     $0.50
Red Ward (2)    $0.50 each
Iron Star       $0.50
Glasses of Urza $0.50
Siren’s Call    $0.50

* This is a sale, not an auction.  All prices are non-negotiable, and sales will be made on a first-come, first-served basis.  Note that there is only one of each card available unless otherwise posted.

* Cards will be shipped in cardboard sandwiches in normal envelopes at a shipping cost of $0.25.  If you wish your cards sent another way, let me know and we’ll work something out, but the buyer will have to pay for any “special treatment.”

* Payment must be in U.S dollars.  Money Orders are preferable; Checks are accepted.  Cards will mailed to the buyer when a money order arrives or when a check clears. (if I could go back one line, I’d put a “be” before “mailed.” 8^)

* I reserve the right to cancel or refuse a sale, though I’m not sure why I’d want to! :)

*I’ll try to respond to everyone, but I’m very busy…if you don’t hear back within 48 hours, it means the cards you wanted were already sold.  Anyone who wants a card that’s available will hear from me within 48 hours, barring some catastrophe that keeps me from my account.

 

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Whitewater Park in Downtown Reno Nevada

January 12, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Maybe there’s no exploding river population on the Deerfield (I’ve always felt that the conditions in the NE would limit boaters). It’s simply not true out here.  The river running population in Idaho is literally exploding.

Lots of it is newfound boaters using kayaking as an extended Rental RV– something that has been relatively a foreign concept.  But there are also tons of new, young local boaters. We used to have uncrowned rivers here in the Gem State.  Now, if you want solitude, you have to paddle serious Class V.  And some of us don’t have the time to maintain the edge to do that stuff– like myself.

There’s a bunch of other stuff in your piece that is way off-base, but predicated on your argument that the sport isn’t growing.  I just don’t have the time to rebut it all, but I can tell you taking the long view (I’ve been a kayaker for 23 years), in the last five years we’ve seen a spurt in growth geometrically equivalent to what I witnessed in the mid-’80s, where popular Eastern runs went from being uncrowded to endless zoos.  My first year on the Gauley (1980) there was one other party putting in on the Upper.  In 1984, the sport exploded, and something like 1400 put in.  We’re seeing numbers on the Lochsa now (an incredible Class III-IV roadside run) that reach into the high hundreds– unheard of even five years ago.  Campgrounds up and down the river are filled with boaters, always.  And there are a lot of campgrounds.

I think urban whitewater parks are a good idea.  I’m not as harsh on the young kids as Oci-One, but concentrated park-and-play is not a bad idea, considering the huge population entering the sport.  At least, there will be accessible toilets.

 

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