First year of ownership..

Topic: First year of ownership.. (Read 1298 times) previous topic - next topic

First year of ownership..

August 31, 2022, 03:00:41 pm

Well, I'm not quite there yet and only 4.5 months into ownership of a '99 u320. Having owned an older fifth wheel and a new travel trailer, this coach still has quite the learning curve. I'm real close to feeling like I could qualify as a certified RV tech.

List of completed projects so far..
New tires
Engine belts
3500 watts of solar + new batteries and inverter
Aqua hot - filter/nozzle + overall cleaning
Aqua hot - fuel lines
Aqua hot - Repair of engine coolant line elbow leaks
O-rings on Pre filter
Splendide washing machine pump repair
Comfort control 4 button repair (adjustments to the buttons as it wasn't working)
Convex mirror replacement on Ramco Mirrors
Replaced air dryer with reman unit (last service 2015)
Replaced both TVs
New Aqua Hot exhaust and chamber (melted)
New engine coolant overflow tank d/t cracks
New FT entry handle
New Faucets in kitchen and bathroom
3 stage water filter
Residential fridge water hookup for ice and water
New backup camera and monitor
LED accent lights
Two window seals replaced due to creep (still have 5)
New Dometic toilet to replace microphor
Fix and replace entry light with LED lights

I'm sure there's more to list.

Current and future projects
Aqua Hot Webasto control unit will be rebuilt once I get my caps
Decal removal, buff and polish
Window seals (when the weather allows)
Alignment of front wheels
Engine and generator fuel lines
Replace fluorescent lights with LEDs

Hopefully distant future projects
Airbags
Shocks
bulkheads

Countless hours of researching and fixing. I feel as though we are finally getting close to having a solid coach with less worries. It's been a struggle of 'do we wait to fix this stuff until we need to or do we just do it now and stop worrying about it??'

Is this a normal amount of stuff to do? It still feels worth it, but why is it so difficult for POs to do general maintenance?

Re: First year of ownership..

Reply #1 – August 31, 2022, 03:05:58 pm

Some PO are like our PO really nice people but wouldn't have known which end of the wrench to use.
Chris

Re: First year of ownership..

Reply #2 – August 31, 2022, 03:09:53 pm

That is an ambitious list of projects you've completed in a short time. If you're going to rebuild your Webasto controller I hope you post some details and photos!

Re: First year of ownership..

Reply #3 – August 31, 2022, 03:18:06 pm

Quote from: Geodmann – August 31, 2022, 03:09:53 pm

That is an ambitious list of projects you've completed in a short time. If you're going to rebuild your Webasto controller I hope you post some details and photos!

There are a couple of topics on the subject on the forums. Really, the only rebuilding I will start with is replacing the capacitors. Apparently, they wear out after a while and are 'easily' replaced. The circuit board is large for the amount of stuff on it, so shouldn't be too difficult to tackle.

Webasto SG 1553/12v controller Aqua hot 431

Re: First year of ownership..

Reply #4 – August 31, 2022, 03:21:33 pm

Quote from: Chris m lang – August 31, 2022, 03:05:58 pm

Some PO are like our PO really nice people but wouldn't have known which end of the wrench to use.
Chris

I guess that is true. Some people see these as nice coaches, but don't know much about the mechanics. They either pay for things or keep using semi-broken things until they break without noticing strange smells or using a coach during the winter.

I've likely put at least 400 hours into this thing so far. At $100 per hour, I'd be looking for a new RV.

Re: First year of ownership..

Reply #5 – August 31, 2022, 04:19:24 pm

Been in mine for 5 years.. My list is about 3 pages long..Just a project I started and it keeps evolving ..

We will have the same conversation on 2 years and 5 years and so on.. "Something to do"

Re: First year of ownership..

Reply #6 – August 31, 2022, 04:24:42 pm

Quote from: NevadaBornRvR – August 31, 2022, 04:19:24 pm

Been in mine for 5 years.. My list is about 3 pages long..Just a project I started and it keeps evolving ..

We will have the same conversation on 2 years and 5 years and so on.. "Something to do"

Is it possible to look forward to a time when I don't have a list of fixes and rather a maintenance list? Perhaps I'm going overboard with fixes that don't need to be done and giving myself more work.

Re: First year of ownership..

Reply #7 – August 31, 2022, 05:00:55 pm

Quote from: Zach – August 31, 2022, 04:24:42 pm

Is it possible to look forward to a time when I don't have a list of fixes and rather a maintenance list? Perhaps I'm going overboard with fixes that don't need to be done and giving myself more work.

You need to break your lists of fixed and to be fixed into two more categories: maintenance and stuff that's 23 years old. We've been in ours for 3 years now, and we replaced the bathroom light switch for the second time. Along with the Kool O Matic fan motor and fan speed resistor. I chalked those up to full time living in a recreational vehicle.

But yeah, living in a house that regularly experiences earthquakes and hurricanes stuff needs attention.

Art

Re: First year of ownership..

Reply #8 – August 31, 2022, 05:10:09 pm

Zach,
I've owned my coach for six years. It is a less complicated coach than yours. Here is my assessment:
25% was fixing stuff neglected by previous owner or getting a baseline on maintenance.
25% was making it what we wanted. Wife felt very strongly we weren't going to have a mauve and green retirement.
25% has been routine maintenance of chassis
25% has been various upgrades as stuff failed.

I've only removed about 35 percent of graphics but have buffed and waxed the coach. We're running on original air bags and fuel lines. Did a lot of work on generator radiator situation. My project "completed" list looks a lot like yours. I stopped counting hours and dollars because I like what we are doing. Just logged 50,000 miles on coach and now has 100,000 on it.

I do have a surprising number of people come up in the campground to say, "Nice coach, what is it?" On second set of batteries and tires as of this year.

Re: First year of ownership..

Reply #9 – August 31, 2022, 06:38:04 pm

If you own an S&B you will have upkeep and repairs. Those fall on you to either do yourself or hire someone else to do them for you. If you rent, the landlord has the responsibility to take care of some of it, but you still have the inconvenience of waiting until someone else fixes it. An RV is really no different. You own it and live in it, so you either take care of it or hire someone else to take care of it.

Yes, our coaches have different needs than an S&B, but the idea is still the same.

Re: First year of ownership..

Reply #10 – August 31, 2022, 06:53:37 pm

My bathroom light is now motion sensor led.
Removed the lipstick lights.
This entire journey is better if you're bad at math

Re: First year of ownership..

Reply #11 – August 31, 2022, 07:08:45 pm

Quote from: Protech Racing – August 31, 2022, 06:53:37 pm

This entire journey is better if you're bad at math

Such simple logic I've been using for many years happily.
Zack if you were to spend today 1.4 million for a new coach you still would have a punch list of things that needed done. Our coaches are 20+ years old and catching up overnight ain't going to happen. Just keep telling yourself your saving a Fortune compared to having to pay someone to do it. Try to enjoy all of it
Scott
Long year

Re: First year of ownership..

Reply #12 – August 31, 2022, 07:25:00 pm

Quote from: Zach – August 31, 2022, 04:24:42 pm

Is it possible to look forward to a time when I don't have a list of fixes and rather a maintenance list? Perhaps I'm going overboard with fixes that don't need to be done and giving myself more work.

Yes, it's possible, it may not be soon but it's possible.

We've had ours for just over 18 months, I have a long list of projects done, and others that I paid to have done.
My list has only gotten longer since the day I bought it, but I know a great deal of what's been done is "catch-up" for all the love it didn't get before me. I have complete confidence in all the safety stuff that's been done, and almost all the aesthetic stuff too.
But every time I find an issue I often find there's 2-3 more on the way to fix that one that "really should be done", or the research makes me think of ways to improve things and I get all motivated.
So I'm my own worst enemy that way, but I'm sure you will better....probably....maybe....it could happen.

P.S. Who do you know that works on RV's for $100/hr?

Re: First year of ownership..

Reply #13 – August 31, 2022, 09:03:51 pm

When I got my coach the previous owner had redone the blinds, a new floor, Silverleaf installed,
a flat screen Tv, new seats and couch reupholstered. What he had done was well done. It came with
just over 1000 watts of solar an a new inverter that I installed. I had a huge list of things I wanted to
do and change. The list is getting small now and hopefully it stays small.

Re: First year of ownership..

Reply #14 – August 31, 2022, 10:17:17 pm

Quote from: Kiwitex – August 31, 2022, 07:25:00 pm

P.S. Who do you know that works on RV's for $100/hr??

As a non certified rv tech, I would probably be willing to charge that much for simple repairs.

Pulling fuel lines from the tank to the generator or AH filter, I'd be willing to do it for around $200 per hour. I haven't done the engine ones yet, so that may be a bit more difficult.

Re: First year of ownership..

Reply #15 – August 31, 2022, 10:19:58 pm

Going into this, I knew there would be plenty of repairs and maintenance. When you're living in it fulltime, I guess repairs tend to happen a little quicker.

Re: First year of ownership..

Reply #16 – August 31, 2022, 10:48:35 pm

Quote from: Realmccoy – August 31, 2022, 05:10:09 pm

25% was making it what we wanted. Wife felt very strongly we weren't going to have a mauve and green retirement.

I ROTFL, I can completely relate, except for my wife, it's blue.

Quote

We're running on original air bags.

This is roulette, you are on borrowed time for sure. When I got mine last year, one had a hole in a bag and the rest were not far behind.

Re: First year of ownership..

Reply #17 – September 01, 2022, 12:35:31 pm

Scientific findings attached below

Re: First year of ownership..

Reply #18 – September 01, 2022, 01:33:37 pm

Zach.
Everything your doing is turning your ( built better ( other brands)than they are now ) Foretravel into a 2022 coach. .... And they ain't cheap.

At least that's the way i look at it,, and i can pick and choose what complicated electronics and features that ..i.. want. Consider your ....new to you coach....a really good blank canvas to start with.

Bonus.. no DEF.

Re: First year of ownership..

Reply #19 – September 01, 2022, 05:55:42 pm

Quote from: Elliott – September 01, 2022, 12:35:31 pm

Scientific findings attached below

What time frame is that over? Five years is my guess

Re: First year of ownership..

Reply #20 – September 01, 2022, 07:22:27 pm

Do you have any pictures of the solar installation? what size panels? i am getting ready to do an install on my coach.

Re: First year of ownership..

Reply #21 – September 01, 2022, 09:17:47 pm

Quote from: dsd – September 01, 2022, 05:55:42 pm

What time frame is that over? Five years is my guess

I'm not entirely convinced I'm at where I think I am so I'll hold further comment for a couple years

Re: First year of ownership..

Reply #22 – September 01, 2022, 09:59:45 pm

We bought our 1993 U300 in the spring of 2013, so we've had it nearly 10 years. The only thing we knew for sure when we bought it was that the refrigerator was dead or nearly dead. That didn't matter as we planned to replace it with a residential one when it died. Turns out it was already dead. The story of that refrigerator replacement is recorded elsewhere on this forum. When we got home (300 miles) and were more carefully looking over our new home I discovered that the rear tires were 14 years old!

Since then we've developed a list of things that need attention right now, soon, or one of these days. The "right now" list is pretty much either safety or reliability issues, and those are attended to as quickly as possible. The "soon" list is what we spend time on, and generally it is stuff that I either can't do or prefer not to do. The "one of these days" list is stuff that we would like to do, but are in no hurry to do. Generally, these are cosmetic in nature (replace carpet with flooring, for example). Some of these we do ourselves, others may be combined with other projects, and some just wait because we really don't know exactly what we want yet.

When the day comes that we trade this old bus for a newer one we'll follow our usual practice of living with it as it is for some time while we start creating new lists. One of the things we learned, for example, is that the mechanics are happier if you replace both the shocks and air bags at the same time. Why? Sometimes one is in the way of the other. If both come out, they can be removed and replaced in whatever order is easiest.

Re: First year of ownership..

Reply #23 – September 02, 2022, 10:00:16 am

Being first time, first year owners ourselfs, can totally relate to the overwhelming feeling due to the complexity of the Motorhome. I have always had an RV, at least for the last 20 years or so, but they were trailers/fifth wheels, and were nowhere near the systems associated with this unit. Don't get me wrong here, I love my MH and will work thru whatever problems arise. I consider myself semi intelligent and can figure out most things. I just do not have a shop or tools to be able to diagnose or fix complex issues. Which means travel and labor costs must be figured in for me. The vast knowledge base on this forum definitely gives me some security that things can be repaired no matter how complicated. Looking forward to some big trip's coming up in the next few months...Durango, Grandvention, Mexico, Yuma and Quartzite to name few. As we gain more experience and knowledge, trusting of our coach, we pray that the apprehension and anxiety levels decrease. We already know the bank account will..but , hey got to spend it on something....

P.S.... Elliott love your graph you posted. I find it pretty much dead accurate so far. We are currently at the top of the first year "mesa" on the graph. And yes upgrades and remodeling is currently being pondered...

Re: First year of ownership..

Reply #24 – September 05, 2022, 05:43:18 pm

First year ; Brakes, shocks, LED lights, tile floor, couch rebuild,.tires
Second year; Resi fridge and system, drive it 20K . Airbags
Third thru 5th year, 1389watts Solar,
Pancake computer fans in bedroom,
Minisplit under the front fender,
LIpo battery with LA backup.
Engine fan delete/ solar powered electric fans .
Added 2 front shocks, new steering box, steering stabilizer, 2 9R front tires.
Chinesium TPMS , back up camera .
Next fall, should be painted if I get the house roof done in vertical seam.

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