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Service now or later

June 25, 2013, 03:00:42 pm

I usually service my coach at the end of a year but this time I only have 5,675 miles since service last June.  I am thinking that I may go on a 2500 mile trip; but, is it really necessary to go for service before this trip when everything is operating OK or wait till I return and I will be at 8,000 miles?  What would you do?  Tks DAN

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Re: Service now or later

Reply #1 – June 25, 2013, 03:12:57 pm

For me it would depend on how I'd used the coach during the past year.  If I'd been driving it regularly, then I'd wait.  If instead the coach had been sitting for much of the time with only several trips, I'd do the service before the trip.

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Reply #2 – June 25, 2013, 04:46:21 pm

I think I would take the trip and then do the service. I usually do 15K miles on my service intervals and the oil is fine per the analysis.  The electronic engines in the cummins book have a longer service interval. 

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Reply #3 – June 25, 2013, 05:05:25 pm

I think you are correct and that is what I was going to do anyway go the distance.  John you travel a lot in short time, few drive as many miles as you do.  With cost up of travel I have learned to save by using Flying J or Walmart parking lots when going to and from.  I like to eat out as much as the next guy and there are times when it is an experience or just eating.  I have learned to travel with enough food so not to have to stop anywhere on the road during the day and loose valuable travel time as getting on the road in the morning takes time to get the dear wife going. Hopefully I am going by 8:30 to 9 and stopping when I get tired.  Will go longer if it is parking lot overnight.  But sometimes you have to stop and smell the roses with some site, cave, distillery or historical site which you had not planned for.  DAN 

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Reply #4 – June 25, 2013, 05:10:57 pm

I stay in truck stops and rest areas all the time. It does save more on the time then the money.

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Reply #5 – June 25, 2013, 05:23:44 pm

Agree

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Reply #6 – June 25, 2013, 05:37:41 pm

I'm woth the rest area, truck stops for quick or long stays, when towing, I head to the truck parking area for a drive thru type.
As or servicing, I find that oilq is cheap, so I do the lube & filers about every 5 k miles. We purchase lube & filters by the pallot or case for filters, they do not feel so expensive that way.
Dave M

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Reply #7 – June 26, 2013, 07:52:19 am

Dan, I run my coach a lot on short trips, and change the oil every year. this year a Total of 103 hours no idle time other than warm up. I have oil samples for 9 years all are good. Changing oil can't hurt anything but does get expensive. In the future oil changes are going to 300 hours. I do however change the water separator fuel filter every 6 mos., and lube the chassis. If it where me I would take you trip then service. Much ado is made about changing oil in the RV world and to each his own. In the fleet of trucks I take care of we have a lot of medium and hd diesel engines of all makes some with as much as 10,000 hours on them. We service them strictly by the accumulated hours, and have had no oil related failures in years.

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Reply #8 – June 26, 2013, 09:43:26 am

I this threat is about oil changes but with the introduction of staying at truck stops, WalMart, etc, I'lll add a couple of cents. We have some really good friends who always complained about the cost of RVing because of using a campground each night. After some prodding and coaxing we got them to try a WalMart and they haven't looked back. Another couple we ran into in Wyoming (sp) said that the cost of campgrounds during the Wild West Days was eating them up. I told them we were at Flying-J. Their worry was that running their generator would bother the truckers. Boy, unless their muffler was back down the road a hundred miles and they weren't shooting off a gun every few minutes, I told them the truckers would never notice. Safe, well-lighted, courteous, fuel/food always available, sounds like a better than average campground.

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Reply #9 – June 26, 2013, 10:23:04 am

Dan, I've sent oil samples to Blackstone Labs and been pleased with the response and information.

Regarding other issues that have crept into the thread:

RV owner: Someone with an expensive apartment on wheels, pulling another expensive vehicle, who is looking for cheap fuel and a free place to park.

We sometimes use rest areas and Walmarts for overnight stops. We always try to buy some stuff at Walmart if we stay overnight. If they don't allow overnight parking, we neither stop nor shop. We use a similar policy for trucks stops, but seldom stay at those because they tend to be a big busier than other options.

Our generator is quieter than most refrigerator units on insulated trailers. It's similar to the APUs that some trucks have.

If we are staying somewhere for more than overnight, we'll stay at a campground or spot suitable for an extended stay.

We subscribe to Overnight RV Parking and contribute information when we have a valid update for a site. We also use Allstays Camp & RV on the smartphone to find information on places that will accommodate us.

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