angiebaby
Mountain Mama
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- Sep 24, 2007
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This will be an updated thread as we document our repairs/upgrades to our new-to-us motorhome. It's been quite an adventure so far and I will post the events chronologically. We purchased the 2008 Fleetwood Revolution LE 42K in late March, so some of the videos are a couple of months old. Most have been posted on IG or FB if you follow Jeff or I on those platforms, so I apologize for the redundancy if that is the case.
Backstory: Jeff (Sportin' Wood) has been working remote since last March, like many folks. Teaching last year was a very stressful situation and really, everything I loved about teaching had been sucked away between masks, no touching, and social distancing. For 15 years, I've shaken every hand, or given high fives to every student, every day (unless I was sick). I also give lots of hugs. I pat kids on the shoulder. I put them in table groups, partners, we walk around the room and examine documents, create posters as a group, I pass around 3 inch Chinese shoes, Pinkerton badges, my WW1 & WW2 "Victory" collection, papyrus scrolls, etc. All of that was no longer allowed.
FFW to early December 2020. We were watching YouTube videos of full-time RVers who were working out of their motorhome/trailer/roof top tent/whatever. During one of these videos, I looked over at Jeff and said, "you know, we could do that." Which began a several week long conversation about the feasibility of it. So we began looking at RVs. We originally looked at 4WD Super C motorhomes, but we didn't love any of the floorplans. We started with the Dynomax and almost pulled the trigger, but there is a wait and the salesman tried to steer us to the Thor because they were in stock, but I didn't like the quality of the interior of the Thor, or the plastic basement storage. So we kept looking. A friend encouraged us to "just look" at the used Class A's. We never considered these because they are just so damned big. But we gave it a shot and lordy, you get a LOT of RV for the price. So we began seriously looking at them and found that the market was super hot and, much like the real estate market, you had to be ready to make an offer right now because several people were also making offers. We considered flying as far as Denver or Texas to pick one up, but were hesitant to put a deposit on something sight unseen. We really liked the Monacos (still do) and made an offer on one after the previous bidder couldn't get financed. For several reasons, the offer collapsed after almost a month. Ultimately, the dealer would not agree to produce a title until we wrote the check, so we walked.
About the time the other deal was falling apart, our friend who originally encouraged us to look into the Class A told us of a mutual "friend" who was selling his motorhome. Mind you, a 40' Monaco was already larger than we had planned as we began our journey looking at 30' Class C's. This motorhome was 43 feet of fun. It was located in Rancho Cucamonga, so Jeff drove down on a Saturday while I was in Idaho to go look at it. We looked up the NADA on it, and while it had some cosmetic issues like some dings in the exterior and some more in the cabinetry, it wasn't really clean, and some other little issues, it seemed like a very good deal. Our main concern was the engine. We made that clear to our "friend." He said the engine was great. "No problems."
So, we arranged to pick it up a couple of weeks later, he was going to have it cleaned and the oil changed for us. Great. We made a trip down, visited some family and picked it up on a Sunday around noon. When we got there, it was all open, slides were open, engine was running. He quickly showed us the ropes, and we knew there was a lot to learn, but we just needed to get it home and then we would figure it all out. So off we went.
I'll just cut to the chase and tell you that this coach did not make it to Reno. The check engine light came on going up Sherwin grade out of Bishop and the STOP engine light came on near the top of Conway summit north of Mono Lake. Thankfully, there was just a bit of shoulder to coast the pig into. We were stressed. I had been following in the truck. We considered having it towed. I suggested we just wait a little bit and try to start it. That worked, but we were both so stressed that we stopped at the KOA in Coleville for the night. We buy a couple of beers at the little store and go to set our RV up for the night. Now, this model has 3 slides. One for the kitchen, one for the bedroom, and one full-wall slide on the driver side. This one is the one that really makes the RV because it goes almost the whole length. It's 30' long. Well, this one doesn't go out. It was out when Jeff looked at it the first time, and it was out when we picked it up, and the owner closed it before we left, obviously. But now, it doesn't work. So, the engine has major issues and the full slide doesn't work. Of course, the previous owner has no idea what could be wrong.
The next morning, we limp it home, with alternating black and white smoke puffing out the tail pipe. The whole back is black with exhaust smoke. We have it home for less than a week before it gets taken to the Cummins repair in Reno. I can't tell you everything that was wrong, but I can tell you that it took 9 weeks and $20K to fix. During this time, we are trying to get our house ready to list, but we can't list it until we know what the motorhome is going to cost and when it will be done. We still have a ton of cosmetic stuff to do and the slide needs to be repaired. Oh, did I mention the awning didn't work either? So, lots of stuff. Our good deal is not looking so good. But, we are still way under the NADA value, and we can afford to fix it. It's just really the time issue and we weren't expecting to shell out $20K on the motor.
Finally, it's ready to pick up, we've been on forums trying to figure out the slide, I have an appointment to take it to a repair place as we have given up. We list the house, it sells in 4 days above asking price, and we asked for about $25K more than we thought we would get. (This makes the $20K engine work less painful) Our granddaughter's 1st birthday is July 12, so we are really trying to get to Montana with our new home before that date.
Picking up the coach from Cummins
The repair place informs us that the control board for the slide is bad, but that it had been messed with considerably. It is obvious that the previous owner tried to fix it (I forgot to mention that he is supposedly an electrical contractor). The connections had been taped with electrical tape. The repair place orders a new panel, and cleans up the wiring to all 4 slide motors, but with our time crunch, we need the panel by the date escrow closes (June 25). They do not expedite the panel as we requested, so the panel arrives on June 29. We are already in Idaho, trying to beat our moving trailers to our storage facility, which are due on June 30. So, they mail this panel to my mom's in Idaho. We figure someone up here can install it and program it.
ready to tell everyone what we are up to
Turns out we decide to move on what ends up being one of the hottest weeks of the summer. Fabulous. Thank goodness for our amazing son who gave up two whole weekends to help his parents. We couldn't even hire anyone it was so hot. No one would help
But, by the 25th, we were packed up and loaded.
We are excited to begin our new life on the road!
Forgot to mention this little tidbit
One more, then I will quit for the night
That was a very rough day.
To be continued . . . .
Backstory: Jeff (Sportin' Wood) has been working remote since last March, like many folks. Teaching last year was a very stressful situation and really, everything I loved about teaching had been sucked away between masks, no touching, and social distancing. For 15 years, I've shaken every hand, or given high fives to every student, every day (unless I was sick). I also give lots of hugs. I pat kids on the shoulder. I put them in table groups, partners, we walk around the room and examine documents, create posters as a group, I pass around 3 inch Chinese shoes, Pinkerton badges, my WW1 & WW2 "Victory" collection, papyrus scrolls, etc. All of that was no longer allowed.
FFW to early December 2020. We were watching YouTube videos of full-time RVers who were working out of their motorhome/trailer/roof top tent/whatever. During one of these videos, I looked over at Jeff and said, "you know, we could do that." Which began a several week long conversation about the feasibility of it. So we began looking at RVs. We originally looked at 4WD Super C motorhomes, but we didn't love any of the floorplans. We started with the Dynomax and almost pulled the trigger, but there is a wait and the salesman tried to steer us to the Thor because they were in stock, but I didn't like the quality of the interior of the Thor, or the plastic basement storage. So we kept looking. A friend encouraged us to "just look" at the used Class A's. We never considered these because they are just so damned big. But we gave it a shot and lordy, you get a LOT of RV for the price. So we began seriously looking at them and found that the market was super hot and, much like the real estate market, you had to be ready to make an offer right now because several people were also making offers. We considered flying as far as Denver or Texas to pick one up, but were hesitant to put a deposit on something sight unseen. We really liked the Monacos (still do) and made an offer on one after the previous bidder couldn't get financed. For several reasons, the offer collapsed after almost a month. Ultimately, the dealer would not agree to produce a title until we wrote the check, so we walked.
About the time the other deal was falling apart, our friend who originally encouraged us to look into the Class A told us of a mutual "friend" who was selling his motorhome. Mind you, a 40' Monaco was already larger than we had planned as we began our journey looking at 30' Class C's. This motorhome was 43 feet of fun.
It was located in Rancho Cucamonga, so Jeff drove down on a Saturday while I was in Idaho to go look at it. We looked up the NADA on it, and while it had some cosmetic issues like some dings in the exterior and some more in the cabinetry, it wasn't really clean, and some other little issues, it seemed like a very good deal. Our main concern was the engine. We made that clear to our "friend." He said the engine was great. "No problems."So, we arranged to pick it up a couple of weeks later, he was going to have it cleaned and the oil changed for us. Great. We made a trip down, visited some family and picked it up on a Sunday around noon. When we got there, it was all open, slides were open, engine was running. He quickly showed us the ropes, and we knew there was a lot to learn, but we just needed to get it home and then we would figure it all out. So off we went.
I'll just cut to the chase and tell you that this coach did not make it to Reno. The check engine light came on going up Sherwin grade out of Bishop and the STOP engine light came on near the top of Conway summit north of Mono Lake. Thankfully, there was just a bit of shoulder to coast the pig into. We were stressed. I had been following in the truck. We considered having it towed. I suggested we just wait a little bit and try to start it. That worked, but we were both so stressed that we stopped at the KOA in Coleville for the night. We buy a couple of beers at the little store and go to set our RV up for the night. Now, this model has 3 slides. One for the kitchen, one for the bedroom, and one full-wall slide on the driver side. This one is the one that really makes the RV because it goes almost the whole length. It's 30' long. Well, this one doesn't go out. It was out when Jeff looked at it the first time, and it was out when we picked it up, and the owner closed it before we left, obviously. But now, it doesn't work. So, the engine has major issues and the full slide doesn't work. Of course, the previous owner has no idea what could be wrong.
The next morning, we limp it home, with alternating black and white smoke puffing out the tail pipe. The whole back is black with exhaust smoke. We have it home for less than a week before it gets taken to the Cummins repair in Reno. I can't tell you everything that was wrong, but I can tell you that it took 9 weeks and $20K to fix. During this time, we are trying to get our house ready to list, but we can't list it until we know what the motorhome is going to cost and when it will be done. We still have a ton of cosmetic stuff to do and the slide needs to be repaired. Oh, did I mention the awning didn't work either? So, lots of stuff. Our good deal is not looking so good. But, we are still way under the NADA value, and we can afford to fix it. It's just really the time issue and we weren't expecting to shell out $20K on the motor.
Finally, it's ready to pick up, we've been on forums trying to figure out the slide, I have an appointment to take it to a repair place as we have given up. We list the house, it sells in 4 days above asking price, and we asked for about $25K more than we thought we would get. (This makes the $20K engine work less painful) Our granddaughter's 1st birthday is July 12, so we are really trying to get to Montana with our new home before that date.
Picking up the coach from Cummins
The repair place informs us that the control board for the slide is bad, but that it had been messed with considerably. It is obvious that the previous owner tried to fix it (I forgot to mention that he is supposedly an electrical contractor). The connections had been taped with electrical tape. The repair place orders a new panel, and cleans up the wiring to all 4 slide motors, but with our time crunch, we need the panel by the date escrow closes (June 25). They do not expedite the panel as we requested, so the panel arrives on June 29. We are already in Idaho, trying to beat our moving trailers to our storage facility, which are due on June 30. So, they mail this panel to my mom's in Idaho. We figure someone up here can install it and program it.
ready to tell everyone what we are up to
Turns out we decide to move on what ends up being one of the hottest weeks of the summer. Fabulous. Thank goodness for our amazing son who gave up two whole weekends to help his parents. We couldn't even hire anyone it was so hot. No one would help
But, by the 25th, we were packed up and loaded.
We are excited to begin our new life on the road!
Forgot to mention this little tidbit
One more, then I will quit for the night
That was a very rough day.
To be continued . . . .
Last edited:
son inlaw and daughter just got one hope all goes well with them, and your mobile house becomes complete and problem free
