Correction
The June 2015 “Tech & Travel Tips” column included a tip titled “Owners Manual Tabs” (page 24) that was attributed to the wrong FMCA member. Evan & Louise Hutchison, F285817, of Warwick, New York, actually submitted this tip, which describes adding Avery index tabs with printable inserts (product number 16241) to a motorhome owners manual.
FMC regrets this error.
Home, Sweet Home
Dear Editor:
Last year we became RV owners. Before we committed, we did lots of research and attended many shows. We saw those decorative signs RVers display that say “Home is where you park your RV” and thought those must be for full-timers. We planned to take trips and go camping on the weekends, but our RV would not be our home.
Fast forward to last fall. We were on our big trip of the year, a trip to the Northeast to see fall colors. Little did we know that my husband, Andy, would become very ill and need to be hospitalized. We were in Maine at the time.
Day one was spent at the emergency room, where it was determined we could go on our way with a prescription. Day two found us back at the emergency room, and then my husband was admitted to the hospital. Luckily, we were at a campground not far from the hospital, and had a towed car for transportation. That night, after a long day of tests, concerns, and worry, I headed back to the RV for the night.
As I stepped into our RV, I was comforted by familiar surroundings, our things, and the sense, that, yes, this was our home. I felt grateful to sleep in our own bed instead of a motel. The next morning, I was able to get up with a familiar routine of getting ready and eating breakfast in our home.
Our RV was our home. We were miles away from Minnesota, but I was grateful to be in a place of familiarity and comfort, especially when we didn’t know what was going to happen with my husband. (By the way, he is fine now.)
Now I fully understand the meaning of that sign!
Jean Schmidt, F442598
Chanhassen, Minnesota
Cummins Makes Good On Repair Issue
Dear Editor:
On May 28, after making three calls, I arrived at Cummins Northwest in Portland, Oregon, for my appointment. My 2008 Allegro Open Road motorhome needed a radiator check, flush, and fill before I traveled to the Midwest. When I arrived at the shop, they had no record of my appointment. They did the service, and also found a faulty radiator cap. I had told them I wanted everything done, because I would be traveling alone, having lost my husband in December.
Fortunately, at the last minute, my son decided to travel with me. We left Oregon on June 8 in extremely hot (105 degrees) weather. I noticed that the engine fan ran constantly. As we approached Bozeman, Montana, and had cooler weather, the fan continued to run. I discovered an electrical issue (a fuse) just before Bozeman and spent the night there to have that checked at a motorhome and truck repair company. I asked them to check the radiator because the fan would not shut off. They found a faulty thermostat.
Six hours later, after another flush and fill and new thermostat, we were back on the road.
I called Cummins Northwest in Portland to inquire why that had not been discovered. I was told I did not ask to have the thermostat checked. Not a good answer. I waited until I arrived at my destination to call the Cummins Northwest corporate office with my story.
Randy from corporate in Renton, Washington, was very attentive. Together with Bruce from the Portland location, they looked into the situation and gave me excellent customer service. They not only apologized but also gave me a substantial credit on my bill to offset the charges incurred in Bozeman.
I would recommend Cummins Northwest in Portland (4711 N. Basin Ave., Portland, OR 97217; 503-289-0900, 800-283-0336, www.cumminsnorthwest.com) and will use them again. They offer full RV service at their facility in Coburg, Oregon, as well as other locations in the Northwest.
Mary Zack, F403064
Hood River, Oregon
Fine Paint Job
Dear Editor:
We recently acquired a 2007 43-foot Newmar Dutch Star. It replaced a 32-foot-long unit. Did you know those additional 11 feet make a huge difference? I do now. In making a tight right turn, I encountered a few large landscape rocks that made a significant impression on two of the storage doors on the curb side of the unit. It was about 2 inches deep and the length of both doors.
I called three different locations for appointments to fix the damage. All three would be glad to have me leave the RV with them, and it would get attention in two to three months. Evidently, many RVs need body work!
Since I was leaving for Florida in four weeks, I decided to wait until I returned home in the spring to have the repair made. Meanwhile, I was perusing my most recent issue of Family Motor Coaching and came across a classified ad (under Motorhome Parts/Service) for Showcoach Paint & Design in Washington Court House, Ohio. I called, and we took our unit up for an estimate two days later. It is a small, one-man shop, and I was a little nervous, but Glenn Franklin said he could get to the work in about a week, after he finished a few other jobs. He also quoted a one-week time for the repair.
Amazingly, one week later, Showcoach Paint & Design was ready for our unit, and we delivered it to them. Exactly one week after that, the work was completed as promised, and we picked up the coach in time for our Florida trip. And the cost was exactly as estimated.
The work Showcoach performed is a perfect match to the original coach finish. In fact, they actually acquired and used original finishes, as opposed to custom-mixing colors. The colors and the finish cannot be distinguished from the remainder of the coach.
If anyone is near central Ohio and in need of body work or paint repair, I highly and strongly recommend Showcoach Paint & Design (740-333-7140). There is none better.
Jim Hennessey, F442414
Fayetteville, Ohio