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Topic: How Would You Spend around 3- $5 CB (Read 899 times) previous topic - next topic

How Would You Spend around 3- $5 CB

Heavens knows there are plenty of ways to spend CB's!  We spent MANY, nearly what we paid for the coach, in "preventive" investment after we bought our well-cared for rig (details in previous posts).  Now after nearly 2 years and 12k on the road we're, hopefully, looking at discretionary CB expenditures.  We've seen plenty of threads about flooring, headlights, paint, etc but here are ours....add yours:

1.  New captains and copilots chairs.  Our coach has been well cared for but after nearly 20 years the chairs are tired.  We'll look at new Flexsteel chairs at Bradd & Hall and have them installed in Florida;

2.  Lithium batteries...we like dry camping and want more time between needed generator runs.  Our 3-gel 8G8D just don't perform/last as long with high demand loads like microwave, toaster oven and blow dryers...plus transient loads, to stay at 80% or better each day, and less than perfect solar, we need to run the genny 2-3 hours.  We'd like 400-600 aH of lithium.

3.  Extreme step.  Even before headlights we'd vote for the step conversion. And since this isn't a $5 CB investment we'd probably add the total roof refinish even before we added more solar.

4.  AC & Tires:  We have our original  AC units which are still running ok.  We like camping at 70 degrees so replacing these are less critical for now but we're watching AC threads carefully.  We don't view tires as discretionary investments so there will be replace before our Alaska trip in 2021.

That's it for now.  Who knows what else may rise to the top but these are our top spending "wants". 

Randy (N4TDT) and Karen Crete
Sarasota, Florida
2000 U270 34' WTFE Build 5756 "Ole Red"
Follow Us: Login • Instagram  Camping for the Rest of Life – It does not matter how slowly you go so long you don't stop

Re: How Would You Spend around 3- $5 CB

Reply #1
Add more solar.
1999 40 ft. U-320 wtfe build 5563 Chuck & Lynda's "Rollin' Inn"  2030 watts solar
prev. mh's 71 GMC 5 yrs. 73 Pace Setter 1 yr. 78 Vogue 5 yrs 81 FTX 40ft all electric 18 yrs. 1996 Monaco Signature 3 yrs.
2014 Grand Cherokee Overland
Dream as if you will live forever. Live as if you will die today.  James Dean

Re: How Would You Spend around 3- $5 CB

Reply #2
Spendung 3-5cb on this coach is not needed as it is good as is. Use the money to have an extra trip to Europe.
Have over 400k miles on my BA executive club so that pays for the 1st class seats so money goes for a week's worth of rooms etc.
Will be doing it anyway regardless next year,, but for a month or so.
JohnH
Coachless, now use aircraft.
1994 Ford E350 ClassC,total renovation inside and out. Now sold.
2000 U295  36' Cummins 350 c/w Banks Stinger, Resonator upgrade,Solar, LED lites.Residential fridge with slide out pantry. Build 5674. Sold
ex 92 GV 022C ored Cummins. Sold
ex 95 GV240 cat 3116. Sold
2017 Mini cooper s & 2016 land Rover LR2 HSE  LUX.
jhaygarth@aol.com    SKP #130098
treat everyone as you would like to be.

Re: How Would You Spend around 3- $5 CB

Reply #3
I'd probably buy a few shares of Amazon stock.  Been a consistently good decision so far.  No fun, I know.....
"Not so  long ago we were a nation of risk takers, riding five million pounds of  thrust straight into space."  Joe Gresh
Chuck Pearson
1996 U295
2018 Can Am X3 TurboRS

Re: How Would You Spend around 3- $5 CB

Reply #4
I added a fourth battery to my old u270. It was easy and cheap and extended dry camping.  A blow dryer or toaster are big drains so I would not upgrade for that alone. Turn on the generator and save money.
2015 Born Free Royal Splendor on Ford 550 nonslide version
Former Coaches  covering. 360,000 miles
1999 34 U270
2000 36 U320
2001 42' double slide U320
2018 Jeep Rubicon

Re: How Would You Spend around 3- $5 CB

Reply #5
We will be upgrading to solar soon and the lithium batteries at a later date. Hope to do most of this install myself to save a few coach bucks as well!  lol  More boon-docking and less staying in packed in parks.
Joe & Dottie Allen
Sold!  December 2023.      2000 U320; build # 5645
Our coach " Maxine"
Motorcade #  15922;  Escapee 150950; FMCA F330833; Boondockers Welcome;  Harvest Hosts;  Thousand Trails
'98 U320 from 2000-'06
USAF '62-'66

"Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for." ―Epicurus

Re: How Would You Spend around 3- $5 CB

Reply #6
This had been a conundrum since getting married... wife has a way of spending any amount of coach bucks while i just sit here .. Uncanny I must say. ^.^d
Solar and batteries would be the starts

Re: How Would You Spend around 3- $5 CB

Reply #7
Replacement suspension bags going in this week, and getting slide bladder replaced in Nac in Nov. 
2001 4010 U320 build #5865 "Bluto-d-Bus" since 09/18
2006 Honda Element ESP Toad
Full timing since 2016 in Western MT
Copilot: Sitka
1975 GMC 260 Avion: sold

Re: How Would You Spend around 3- $5 CB

Reply #8
I'm saving the CB's for when I really really need them. Fortunately, I have been very lucky with this coach. I use the generator for things like the AC, microwave and pizza oven and save my batteries. I get by fine with 500 watts of panels and six golf cart batteries for the house -- and a portable swamp cooler. Then again, I am a single snowbird and my migration amounts to about 2,000 miles a year.
1993 U225
Build #: 4285
500 Watts Solar
Honda CRV AWD
Retired, Snowbird, Full time Off Grid

Re: How Would You Spend around 3- $5 CB

Reply #9
Spendung 3-5cb on this coach is not needed as it is good as is. Use the money to have an extra trip to Europe.
Have over 400k miles on my BA executive club so that pays for the 1st class seats so money goes for a week's worth of rooms etc.
Will be doing it anyway regardless next year,, but for a month or so.
JohnH
John,
You must have Avios miles. That beats me as we've got about 325,000 miles but dumped the card two years ago for Costco's card and better cash back. Huge taxes for flights to Europe but not so bad for Mexico/CA/SA flights. I don't like the stops BA's partner airlines make.

So, for $3 to $5K suddenly in my pocket and had to spend it.

Trip to Europe for a month. No first class flight as I'll take a valium and sleep back with the cattle. Gaylie's old World Airways wings gets us upgraded to first class about half the time. If you have time, volunteer to get bumped and that's usually good for a first class hotel and first class flight the next day.  Eastern Europe this time with some time up in Dracula country in Romania. Or, rent a car in Istanbul and explore Turkey for a month.

Take U300 to Mexico for a strip and paint or have the plane painted at the Chapala Aero Club.

Rent a house for six months in Ajijic.

Batteries from a Nissan Leaf and one more solar panel.

Pierce

Pierce and Gaylie Stewart
'93 U300/36 WTBI
Detroit 6V-92TA Jake
1140 watts on the roof
SBFD (ret)

Re: How Would You Spend around 3- $5 CB

Reply #10
re: #3.  Extreme step conversion - On my 2005 U270, Extreme was not able to do the stepconversion. Apparently it will work on some models, but not others. They did perform an excellent complete repaint and they did the roof. Great people to work with
2014 Honda CRV
Washington, Vermont
Lady Lake, Fl,  Independence, VA
Former owner of 2002 U320, 2003 U320, 2005 U270

Re: How Would You Spend around 3- $5 CB

Reply #11
I could put the 5 towards furniture recovery.  Dr is brown (PO) ,LR is tropical ( 2 pieces ) & lt gray. And then the captions chairs are diff shade of gray.  And if some left is left over I'd do the tropical valence upgrade to a matching shade for the new furniture. 
  I'm thinking this year while down south we may get r done but thinking 5 won't get it done.
Robert and Susan Moe Sr.
 1995 36' 280 WTBI 8.3 3060r
 1200 watts on the roof, 720 Ah of lithium's
 Build # 4637. Motorcade # 17599
        FMCA  # 451505
        18  Wrangler JLUR
         

Re: How Would You Spend around 3- $5 CB

Reply #12
2 new captains chairs. I would choose the power chief ones.
3M film for front window to cut down solar gain.
2 new AC units... in progress.
Put in desk on the co pilot side behind seat.
New mattress.
New tow bar
oh wait you said 3-5 and I thought you meant 15.....
'99 U320 40 WTFE
Build #5462,
1500 Watts Solar 600 amp Victron lithium
2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland Hemi
Instagram bobfnbw
Retired

Re: How Would You Spend around 3- $5 CB

Reply #13
Bob, most can be had except maybe the chairs..

Bought a purple mattress at the return center $800 for a queen
Had my captain chairs redone (didnt add electric as it already had ) $800
3m (bought 100ft roll off Alibaba) did all the windows and works Awesome $200
2 new Atwood 15k Ac units installed by me $1500
Bought my tow bar and Brake buddy off Craigslist $500

Cant do the desk as I dont need

$3800.00 so far.. maybe I could make the desk work.

Re: How Would You Spend around 3- $5 CB

Reply #14
David do you have a link for the 3m product you used on the windshield?  I am quoted 900 for it here for the Crystalline CR50

Actually found it on Alibaba for the CR50. Waiting on a price. Wonder what the tariff is on this... comes from China.
How hard was it to install?
'99 U320 40 WTFE
Build #5462,
1500 Watts Solar 600 amp Victron lithium
2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland Hemi
Instagram bobfnbw
Retired

Re: How Would You Spend around 3- $5 CB

Reply #15
Since you do a lot of dry camping, I would do the solar and lithium batteries.  Made a huge difference and more importantly kept the DW happy as she is able to use all her electric appliances anytime.
2002 36' U270 Foretravel

Re: How Would You Spend around 3- $5 CB

Reply #16
Yes, I too have 6 lithium batteries and 10 solar panels. YES indeed! Jim

2002 U20 42'
Jim Frerichs
2002 U320 42'