Just like us old RVs can get revitalized before they go to the great RV heaven. We take pills and get surgery and our RV gets a huge ongoing infusion of repairs and updates to keep it going.
In August 2016 we purchased a 1994 Jamboree Searcher. We knew she was old but her engine was strong and we figured we could work through any challenges we might have. We really didn’t know what issues to look for in an used RV. We do now.
Prior to this RV we had purchased a 1976 American Clipper. Mike kept telling me what a classic and great RV it was. This beast literally terrified me. 1976 brakes do not work like they do now. Several times I thought I was going to die. I refused to drive it. Fortunately, we were able to sell it really quickly, even before we advertised it.
Back to the Jamboree: the list of issues have seemed endless but we have gotten them fixed.
The generator stopped working the minute we got it home. It worked at the dealer’s before we brought it home. The first repair person squirted some kind of liquid (probably highly flammable) on the generator and it worked. It did not work again until we got it to AJ’s Repair in Salem.
The ball joints had to be replaced.
The water heater quit and of course right after we brought it home…how does the dealer do that? They show us how great everything works and then when we get home VOILA everything is broken.
The roof was another special event. We were assured by the dealer that the roof had been sno-koted and tested. I should have climbed that ladder and looked. We took the RV on a particularly long trip from Oregon to Palm Springs with lots of rain and the roof leaked like a sieve in many places. After Mike got a metal canopy installed and the RV had dried out, I climbed the ladder and found all kinds of problems. There were large fractures and corners missing on the vent covers. The refrigerator vent had been smacked many years ago by a tree limb and two of the corners were broken. The tape repair had deteriorated probably in that rain storm and now there was nothing to keep the water from pouring in and nothing did. I’ll install a new vent in the fall but for right now some creative work with gorilla tape worked. Then I found a huge crack in the sno-kote toward the front of the cab over section of the RV. Again a new roof to be done in the fall but in the meantime a little flexseal worked. We tested it on a trip to Newport, Oregon in a heavy rain storm and no leaks.
Then there was the awning. The dealer said there was a latch broken and the awning was in great shape. After waiting for 4 hours at the dealer to take possession of the RV, after having paid for 3 weeks earlier, they told us to bring it back and they would fix it. It ain’t that simple. Turns out the awning was a mess. We found a great awning repair & replacement business in Brookings. They came out to the campground in Gold Beach and replaced the awning in nothing flat.
Then the fittings in the shower broke down. First repair person did a half-assed repair. We found that out the hard way on the trip to Palm Springs. Second repair person in Lincoln City fixed it.
Then the gas quit working on a trip to Newport. I cook a lot when we are on the road. I have several dietary challenges and need to prepare my own meals to feel good. I use both the oven and range top. The regulator had quit. This was not hugely catastrophic. I could use the microwave, not a great option, and my daughter picked us up and took us out for food.
Whatever you do, do not buy an RV with carpeting in the kitchen and/or bathroom, just a suggestion. I broke a dozen eggs on the shag carpeting. What a mess! Mike and our friend Sam replaced the carpeting with a lovely bamboo floor. They did a great job. Now when I dump a dozen eggs I will be able to clean it up.
Recent Comments