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Hello Everyone, We have just finished relocating to DeSoto, Texas. A Suburb of Dallas, Texas. On our trip down from Denver, the diesel generator has stopped working. It will crank, sputter and then quite. We are scheduled to leave for L.A. on the 2nd and I'm desperate to find a quality repair facility in our area that can address the generator issue and one of the leveling jacks that is not properly working. Can anyone recommend a repair shop here in the area, that is honest, experienced and isn't looking to gouge someone? Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Please feel free to post here or send a PM. Thank you in advance. Robert

We purchased our 2000 Safari Zanzibar almost two years ago. When we purchased our coach, there were a number of noticeable scratches along the entire body. It was pretty clear the exterior of our coach had not seen much in the way of maintenance. We hired Elegant Detailing, Arturo Urquilo (720-940-1290) to wash and wax our coach. We also wanted the bedroom carpets shampooed and to see if they would get some water stains out of the ceiling header. They arrived at 9AM as scheduled. They were here for 13 hours. We ended up expanding the service to include buffing the exterior prior to waxing it. The end results were absolutely amazing!!!! The pricing was extremely reasonable! So if you are in the Denver metro area, and you're thinking about having someone one detail your coach. We highly recommend you give Arturo a call. Very professional, very meticulous and very reasonably priced.

Thank you! I just posted our experience there.

I'm not going to bore anyone with all the details of this VERY frustrating experience. But I wanted to put this out there so that people are aware. We took our 2000 Safari Zanzibar DP in for service on the chassis, transmission and engine. While there they told us that the both calipers on the back axle were bad. Along with the ABS sensors, rotors and brake pads. There was also a wheel seal that was leaking. So, we authorized the $5,500 worth of work and were able to work with our warranty to cover the replacement of the calipers but not the collateral damage caused by their failure. We were supposed to pic up the coach on the following Monday. With plans to leave early Wednesday from Denver to Dallas. We called to make sure it was ready only to be told they had lost the nuts that hold the wheel insert in place. Further, although I left detailed instructions on how to remove the tire pressure sensors, they had damaged two of them. We were finally allowed to pick up the coach on Tuesday afternoon. We were loading for a six week trip! When we did pick up the coach the wheel insert was still missing. We brought it home, loaded through the night and went back on Wednesday morning to get the wheel insert and senors reinstalled so we could start our trip. They had ordered the wrong replacement parts. While there Rob, the manager of the RV Service Department instructed his staff to REMOVE PARTS FROM OTHER CUSTOMERS COACHES to try and fix out coach. I made it clear that I didn't think that was appropriate and requested that they simply install the valve extensions and sensors and we would wait until we returned for them to finish the work that took 6 days to complete but wasn't nearly done yet. So late that Wednesday we left for Dallas. We were with our coach 24/7 until we got to Dallas and parked. I went up on the roof to remove the security straps from the awning only to discover that BOTH of our 80W solar panels were gone!!! I spoke with management at TransWest and was asked to send photos. Which I did. Then I was told "We'll take care of it when you get back"... Well we did get back and we did take it back in and although they did get the right wheel insert this time, the two sensors on that part of the axle still do not work. Furthermore, they explained that the service sheet that I signed said they were not responsible for lost or stolen items from our coach!!!!!! The solar panels are $589.00 EACH! PLUS installation. To say we are frustrated and angry would be a huge understatement. But hopefully, someone will read this that was thinking about taking their coach to them and will find another more reputable place to take their coach for service!

Good morning FMCA'ers~! We are currently in the Dallas area. We made the mistake of booking at the HI HO Campground. We are here house hunting and really need to be as close as we can to the Dallas area. Can anyone please suggest a campground that isn't right on the freeway but close to the city? We sure would appreciate it! Thanks,

We have a 2000 Safari Zanzibar diesel pusher. When we purchased the coach the entry steps were bent towards the rear of the coach but they still retracted fairly well. On our way out of Denver Wednesday we had to make a turn on a road with a pretty big dip, being at an angle, the stairs not being retracted all the way, they scraped on the ground and bent towards the back of the coach even more. I called Monaco, and they don't sell just the steps themselves. You have to purchase the entire system including the motor etc. For $590.67. The way I figure it, they can't be too hard to replace. Can anyone tell me where I might be able to pick up a used set of double steps? I've contacted Colaw's but they don't have any in stock. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. We're currently parked in the Dallas, Texas area. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance!

What a great video! Thanks for posting.

We purchased our 2001 Safari Zanzibar DP 40' back in April. One of the first things we did was replace the standard 10 gal hot water heater with a Girard tankless. Now to say it was a smooth transition would be untrue. BUT! We finally got all the kinks worked out (the shop that did the installation of the first unit didn't do it correctly). As for the water flow, the Girard has two settings for water temp. Low and auto. And yes you adjust the water temp by adjusting the water flow. If the water temp coming into the heater is higher you can use the cold to temper the tempt of the water. Now having said that, when we got our Girard replaced in Phoenix (a genral manager arrived at our lot where we were staying, in a Jag no less, swapped out the unit for us, took about 20 minutes), he also gave us a new shower head. It uses air to increase the pressure of the water coming out of the shower head. Once he was done I took a 30 minute shower and I have to say it was awesome! Good pressure and consistant temputure. Since we got the unit replaced in Phoenix and ever since it's been a dream! We always have hot water and are not limited to shower time. We use our coach for work. So we are often in the coach, parked, for three weeks at a stretch plus travel time. I've had several other campers ask about it and we're always willing to show it off. The bottom line is this, we don't have to continually heat up the same water. It's on demand. We don't have to wait between showers for the water to heat up. It's very convenient and works like a charm. Although we had numerous difficulties with the first one, Girard was really helpful by sending out a tech while we were in Vegas after overnighting replacement parts, which they paid for. And then finally just replacing the whole unit and upgrading our shower head. We love ours. To your specific question about using the cold water supply to regulate temp. THe unit works based on water flow. The more water you push demand through the unit the less time it has to heat it. As I mentioned above, if the water temp coming out of the ground is higher you can adjust the temp to low. It works best on auto though. I hope this helps. If you have other questions about it feel free to send me a PM. I'm pretty familiar with the units now! LOL

No worries. Glad to be of assistance. Not to worry I'll keep your secret!

Well, it looks like I'm the odd man out. We park our coach at home. In order to do so we had to take out a tree in order to put the new drive way in. At the front of the drive way is a pine tree. Sap is constantly coming out of it. We thought about taking the pine tree out too. But I have things for trees. I like them. So we bought a cover from CW as well. It has pull straps built into it that go under the coach and on the front and back. Zippers allow for access to the coach without having to take the cover off. (Course we put our cover on at night just ahead of a storm, so naturally we put it on backwards!)... We get pretty high winds here in Denver from time to time and I've noticed that the cover does bellow a little bit but for the most part it's remained secure. Meaning the cover does get caught by the wind a little bit but it's not slapping against the outside of the coach. I read a post recently that suggested getting a large trash can with a lid (a new one), when we uncover the coach we just put the trash can in front of the coach and walk the cover off from the bank and right into the trash can. It's stored for the summer and when we need it we just pull it up at the front and walk it down the roof of the coach. Just my two cents worth.

Not to sound simplistic. And I'm no authority on 5th wheels. But on our coach there is a switch in the wheel well of the entrance that cuts ALL power to the coach. If this switch is engaged and not turned "on" then you won't get any power from the 12V system in the 5th wheel. I think any way. Might want to check it out.

Hopefully you've figured this out by now. But just in case I had the very same issue not long ago. I found the chassis fuses in the battery compartment (We have a 2000 Safari Zanzibar). On our coach the batteries are on the passenger side, just before the chassis service area. Open the door and look to the right side of the battery compartment. You'll see several black "squares" mounted on the wall. Just remove the caps and you'll find the chassis fuses. The house 12V fuses are located over the bed in the cabinet next to the breaker panel. Hope this helps.

Now why didn't I think of that! Thanks!

So, we were on our way back to Denver from Las Vegas. A business trip for a conference. Needless to say it was a whirlwind trip and it took a lot out of me to say the least. As a result we took our time coming back and decided to go through Wyoming instead of through Utah. You know, see the country and all that. We stopped on the Western border of Wyoming for the night and when we checked in we were informed that the water service at the sites had been shut down for the winter. However, we could fill our fresh water tank at the office and have water for dishes and showers. Okay, I thought. That's not a big deal. So we filled the water tank, disconnected the hose and proceeded to our camp site. We parked, dropped the jacks, pushed out the slide and went out to hook up the power. When we opened the door to step out side we heard running water. Not good since there wasn't any water being run in the coach. The water continued to spill out from near the front of the coach, I would say just behind the captain and co-captains chairs.... It took about 45 mins for it to stop. When it did I checked the water level and found it was down to 3/4 capacity. So, once again we took it to the shop. We just got the estimate back from them. Now, before I share the price, I should mention that we have the Star Interstate extended warranty and the policy states that the fresh water system is covered. We are in the process of submitting the claim now. The shop said it would take at least 40 hours at $125.00 per hour and does not include the price of the new tank (apparently it can't be repaired). So that's $5,000.00 plus parts. The question is, does this sound about right? Should I get other bids? Is it as involved as they are leading me to believe? Thanks in advance for your thoughts and input.

Not sure if this will help but.... We experienced a similar issue with our diesel pusher. We finally discovered there is a switch on the thermostat that says, auto / on. It was set to the on position. So when the compressor would cut off the fan would continue to run. We moved the switch to the auto position and when the compressor cycled off so did the fan. Just a thought....

Now that's a really good idea. How do you hang the shower curtain?

Our coach uses a 12V ignition too. What power source does your heater use for the blower? If it's the house batteries, how long do you recommend running the heater without completely draining the batteries?

Thanks Smoke Eater! My concern was the furnace cycling off and not being able to reignite because of air flow bast the exhaust vents. Just don't want to end up falling asleep behind the wheel because of carbon monoxide. We do have a CM monitor but it's located all the way back in the bedroom. At 70MPH and sitting at the front, I doubt we'd hear it. Thanks for the feedback!

Hello Everyone, I have a question regarding the furnace on our 2000 Safari Zanzibar DP. We purchased our coach for work mainly. Which requires winter driving and use of our coach. For example we will be leaving Denver, CO in mid February heading to a Boston suburb for three weeks to wrap up a project we have there. We've spent a lot of time and yes, a lot of money to make the coach usable in winter weather. The list of improvements is pretty lengthy. We recently did a trip from Denver to Las Vegas and back. The weather there and back was really cold and it snowed most of the way there. While driving down to Vegas we were in a snow storm most of the trip. We had pulled over for a bathroom break and I fired up the furnace to take the chill out of the coach. Then turned it off as we got back on the road. The temps outside dropped dramatically and it became an icebox inside. We were running the dash heat at full blast and were still shivering. Here's my question, is it possible to run the furnace while driving down the highway? Or is that not a good idea? If not, what about running the generator while driving and plugging in a couple of space heaters? I welcome your thoughts and ideas! Thanks.

Joe, Man do I feel your pain. It sounds like a good deal but I'm not sure. How do I make sure it's a solid purchase? What do I need to check? My Partner and I just purchased our first coach in April of this year. We asked to take it for a drive for a few hours. You know, to get it out on the highway and see how it handles etc. We were told that wasn't allowed and was assured that the coach was in good working order. When we showed up to take delivery, we waited for nearly two hours for someone to walk us through the coach and show us how everything works. Turned out the guy assigned to do that, didn't know a thing about a diesel pusher. Fast forward 6 months. The coach was in the shop most of that time, we upgraded the flooring, installed a tankless water heater, installed an in motion satellite dish and so on. Our very first trip was from Denver to Phoenix, for my little brothers wedding. Well, we loaded up the coach, hooked up the toad and headed down the road. We made it a total of 30 miles before the check engine lite came on and the engine derated. We pulled over and I looked around under the coach and the oil pan was leaking like a shiv. We drove back, put it in the shop and the next day and $1,200.00 later we were back on the road. We made it all the way to Monument, Co on Tuesday, where the engine lite came back on, engine derated and we pulled over. Our very first night in our new coach we spent boondocking behind a diesel repair shop in Colorado Springs. We then broke down on Wednesday after spending the entire day at the repair shop and then again on Thursday. We ended up abandoning the coach and driving the toad through the night in order to make it to the wedding on time. We ended up spending just over $6K in repairs to solve the problem which ended up being the doors that cover the engine/radiator access. The design of the doors was preventing the heated air from escaping the engine cavity and causing it to over heat. You would think this experience would sour us on the whole concept. I share all of this with you for one purpose. Spend the extra money and have someone that knows RV's from nose to tail, go through it with a fine tooth comb. Have an experienced and authorized diesel repair shop check everything on the engine and then take it to an authorized repair center for the type of transmission you have. What ever you do, find and buy an extended warranty. Although we've had great difficulty in getting them to cover some of the things on our coach we're already ahead by $5K. Take your time, don't be rushed and get it inspected thoroughly. It's well worth the money. We have run into other issues with our coach, but all in all we've made three significant trips in our coach and have enjoyed every moment of it. And for the record, if you are going to break down on the side of the road, I can't think of better circumstances to do so than in an RV! Best of luck to you!

If you haven't already made your decision. What ever you do stay away from Star Interstate Warranties! We purchased the highest level available for our 2000 Safari Zanzibar DP. Every single time we've had a claim, and there have been several, it's been a struggle to get coverage! I've had to threaten the second coming of Christ to get anyone's attention. Otherwise it's always an automatic "That's not covered." Read everything you can get your hands on about any warranty service plan. Make sure to call you repair shops and talk to them about their experience with various warranty programs.

Might I inquire how much something like those run?

I've read all of that. The radiator is literally brand new. So are the thermostats and the coolant is also only two months old. Still saw a little higher temp at highway speeds that caused me concern. The product states that is does not void any warranties and is made especially for diesel engines. We just got back from Las Vegas and I noticed that with the additive, the engine did run cooler and recovered faster than prior to putting it in. My brother is a Master Sergent in the Air Force, responsible for maintenance and repair of a numerous diesel engines. He's the one that recommended the use of the product. Even said he'd pay for a new engine if it caused any damage. Thanks for the feedback though.

Greetings Everyone, As some of you know, we have a 2000 Safari Zanzibar diesel pusher. Our powerplant is a CAT 300 turbo 3126 Series B engine. We have had some trouble with the engine over heating and noticed that the doors was causing the air being pushed through the radiator was being sent right back into the engine compartment. We've modified the doors to allow for free air flow out of the radiator. My brother is a career air force Master Sergent. He oversee's the maintenance of diesel power generators and the like. He has recommended that we add purple ice additive to our coolant system. Doing so should assist a faster recovery of the coolant to lower the overall engine and subsequently transmission temperatures. My question is, does anyone have any experience with this product and if so, did you notice a difference in the cooling system of your rig once you added it? Additionally, is there any concern about OEM requirements and could this hurt our engine? Thanks for the feedback in advance.

Greetings everyone. As some of you know, we have been doing improvements on our 2000 Safari Zanzibar for winter use. We will be traveling to the Boston area in late February and staying for 3 to 4 weeks to wrap up a project we have there. Our Dometic 2 door fridge has an ice maker in it. When we purchased the coach in April of this year we noticed that the ice maker went through the motions but didn't produce any ice. So, 6 weeks in the shop and $1,800.00 in charges later, we have a heated water line from the water valve on the back of the fridge to the ice maker. Here's the thing the water inlet hose sticks out about 6 inches in the vented area on the outside of the coach. (See Picture). It does NOT have any kind of heat trace on it. The question: How can we insulate this little section of plastic pipe and the black water line to the water valve and with what kind of material to prevent that little six inches from freezing?