| Introduction to Owning an RV | | | | upright freezer which he miraculously found). We sold |
| Until we bought our first 'RV' in December of 1963 | | | | our toad (a 1952 Henry J which is now a classic; it |
| we had been habitual campers. Although my | | | | was considered junk when we bought it) and bought |
| assignments caused us to change our residence | | | | a Ford 250 4-door pickup. At first, driving that thing |
| many times, we always found a way to go camping | | | | was almost as bad as driving an RV but we couldn't |
| - usually on weekends. In December of 1963 we | | | | get the short bed because it impaired the turning |
| acquired a used, 1948 Flxible Clipper with a stick shift, | | | | ability of the combination. (There is now a company |
| 200 pound clutch and a wimpy Buick engine. The | | | | manufacturing fifth wheels which can be hooked up |
| Flxible was 'cheap', but gutting the inside and | | | | to short bed pickups without impairment of turning |
| outfitting it as a mobile office, kitchen, half bath and | | | | radius.) |
| bedroom was not. Then that Buick engine had to go, | | | | Cost and Convenience Comparisons |
| followed by almost everything else in the drive train | | | | We have used the fifth wheel frequently and really |
| and we found we had quite an expensive | | | | have enjoyed it. It has a small bunkroom in the rear |
| investment. Fine. Then you make sure you get good | | | | for our great grandchildren (we only take two at a |
| use out of it. We put over 160,000 miles on that | | | | time), a beautiful master bedroom for us and privacy |
| motor coach and enjoyed most of them. | | | | for all. The slide-outs eliminate the 'living-in-a-hallway' |
| More must be Better (wrong!) | | | | feel and the cost of operating both the truck and |
| In 2000 I retired (for the second time). The kids | | | | the trailer are a fraction of what the MCI was |
| were married off and had their own kids so we | | | | costing (just the insurance, alone, is significantly less |
| decided to take the plunge. We took advantage of a | | | | expensive). |
| rare opportunity to acquire a customized 1997 MCI | | | | Knowing Your Real Needs AND Wants |
| motor coach at a huge discount from a pair of | | | | So, what is the moral to all of this? Simply, listen to |
| wannabe country singers. Their audiences liked them | | | | your heart before you decide. Sit down and talk to |
| (so they said) but they didn't like each other. We had | | | | your spouse about what you like and what you don't |
| thoughts of selling our house (which, now, was way | | | | like in your household environment. Especially |
| too big for two people neither of whom enjoy | | | | important (at least it was with us) is the kitchen. |
| housework) and, instead, live full time in the MCI. The | | | | Living in an RV is not like camping out. Do you do a |
| MCI was a deluxe job but, a) awkward to drive, b) | | | | lot of baking or stove-top cooking or do you use |
| very expensive to operate, and c) we were too | | | | mostly microwave ovens? We are addicted to |
| spoiled to enjoy living in it full time. Even with just the | | | | microwaves and have units that not only microwave |
| two of us, we've got to have a big freezer and a | | | | but bake, roast and barbeque (on an electrical |
| huge refrigerator. And, quite frankly, it was like living | | | | rotisserie). We have two microwaves (would you be |
| in a hallway (we hadn't heard of slide-outs, yet). | | | | content cooking on a one- or two-burner stove?). |
| Good Bye Motor Coach | | | | When you have two kids to feed the menu expands |
| We kept the MCI almost five years but the last two | | | | exponentially, -- and kids do like ice cream! |
| we didn't use it much. And we really missed RVing. In | | | | Do Your Research and Listen to Your Heart |
| the Spring of 2005 I was approached by a chap who | | | | We did a lot of research on the Internet and talked |
| had seen the MCI sitting by the house. He | | | | to a lot of fifth-wheel owners plus several families |
| desperately wanted to buy it. He had never owned | | | | who no longer own fifth wheel trailers. And |
| an RV of any kind, before, and I really tried to | | | | remember, people are more inclined to complain than |
| discourage him. The more negative I was the more | | | | to praise but they rarely complain about what they |
| he salivated. We made a good profit on that sale | | | | currently own unless it is really a lemon. |
| (we had lost money on the Flxible so we figured we | | | | Having the Right Salesperson |
| are now even). | | | | Finally, but maybe even most importantly, latch onto |
| Introduction to Owning a Fifth Wheel Trailer | | | | a salesperson with whom you can relate and in |
| A few days later, on a whim, I dropped by a local | | | | whom you can trust. While we have had very few |
| RV dealer to see what he might have and was | | | | problems with our fifth wheel, we have had two |
| introduced to the fifth wheel trailer. Oh, we had seen | | | | occasions which could have been disasters. A long |
| them; we had even been inside them when visiting | | | | distance call to our dealer got things moving at |
| friends in RV parks. I've always been afraid of trailers. | | | | another dealer 2,000 miles away. A company's |
| I've seen too many accidents involving trailers on our | | | | warrantee is no better than the dealer that honors it. |
| highways. Plus, how do you haul kids around in a | | | | Oh yes, that extra space behind the Ford's front |
| pickup truck towing a fifth wheel trailer. This | | | | seat is a true blessing if you're carrying kids of any |
| salesman had an answer for every objection and a | | | | age though it would be nice, sometimes, if there |
| long list of very happy customers to boot. I gave him | | | | were a roll-up window between the front and the |
| a specification sheet of the changes we would | | | | back. If the truck isn't comfortable, you will be |
| require (which included the addition of a 12 volt | | | | miserable. |