BillAdams

Welcome!

Oh, thank goodness. I now have hope for the future of this forum again!

Don't try to discipline me, this was YOUR question. "Did full timing really save you a lot of money". Assuming you meant pejorative, I made no such remarks. I did not insinuate anything. I made a direct statement that you are trying to figure out if full timing saved a lot of money and that has nothing what-so-ever to do with full timing. The reality is that all of your work to accumulate wealth will only be a benefit to your heirs if you don't enjoy the life you have the opportunity to live. I am tiring quickly of your "I am the only one here making the right decision" posts. If I could keep it up and kill off your particular membership I think we would all be better off. Sorry moderators....I promise I will be good from here out! I am not going to let this guy continue to get under my skin!

There are so many things in life that are more important than money that I don't think you will ever understand. It is not, and never has been, about a financial benefit. There is a huge physical and mental benefit but you are happy with your money and your financial appreciation so I don't think anyone could explain it to you. When you die that's all you will have left and only your beneficiaries will get any pleasure from it.

This would be true for a gas engine as well so you also have to compare the high cost of diesel fuel vs. gas cost and the MPG of a diesel vs MPG of a gas. Diesel is often $0.60/gallon more expensive than gas so a diesel engine is not necessarily a money saving option as you can't make up the cost difference with the possible fuel mileage gain.

I never considered the math. This is about lifestyle. I now work to support my lifestyle instead of struggling to figure out how to make my income pay for my existence. Most full timers are retired and some only move twice per year and some move on a regular basis. Some are wealthy and some are just making it on Social Security. To make any kind of an income/savings/expenses comparison is just silly. Take a look at your situation and if you are happy then that's all that needs to be said. Support the decision of others. There is no need to question or compare.

100,000 miles takes the average RVer at least 10 years to accomplish. That's only $6000/year vs. the cost of the RV in the $200,000 to $500,000 range. Since you are not a class A buyer you can't really compare any Class A or Class C (especially Super C) numbers to anything you could relate to in your van conversion. I must say that you are likely the most prolific new member we have seen on this site in a very long time. 225 posts since July 3rd.

Newbie running an ad for his company? The company?

What do you think the chances are that you will drive that thing for 20 years without any major issues allowing you to accumulate $20,000? It's really a matter of pay me know or pay me later as you certainly are going to have to pay. You are making a wager. You are betting something bad will happen soon and the insurance company is betting it will not. If they win more bets than they lose they make money. If you get it wrong you have to pay an unexpected big repair bill (or not).

Just post, post and then post again in a new topic you create (my travels, point A to point B). It's a whole lot easier and those of us who never look at a blog will be able to keep up with your travels. Have a great trip. We had made most of those stops several times and you are going to love it!

No, but mine was installed on a full size extended length van (9000#). Maybe your toad is just too powerful for this kind of a connection. I can't figure out how since the engaged driveshaft becomes a one piece driveshaft but maybe the torque is twisting something that is not properly secured.

Despite the jab in the ribs above, I would like to know what you find. Keep us up-to-date.

Do I believe in it? I guess I would have to say no as I am not sure what I am supposed to believe in. It's just a business. It happens to be a business I like and I support by sending them a check every year. They don't even send me a magazine any more. I expect them to continue to run the business I support. If they cannot run the business I am paying to be a member of each year then they need to shut down, raise rates or, as the current vote will determine, completely change the business plan and hope that folks like me will remain members (I won't) and the new towables crowd will be large enough to support the salaries of those trying to keep the business afloat. To Herman: Comparing FMCA to the Red Cross and similar organizations out there doing good work to help those in need is laughable. Not of lot of motorhome owners out there that are in need of that kind of help.

I don't want to sound flippant but the load you will be carrying would determine the type of load range tire you should use. If you are trying to increase your carrying capacity by increasing the load range you are likely going to over load the axle and be sitting on a ticking time bomb.

Pick anyone who is paid to work for FMCA. If you would like me to withdraw the big paycheck wording, fine (define big), but this is not a charity and there are a great number of folks depending upon volunteers to ensure they get paid every 2 weeks. I don't know who makes what but there are a number of actual employees getting actual paychecks from the CEO down to the folks to run the mail room. Am I expected to believe that in all the years this BUSINESS has been in business no one has ever profited from the business they started and that none of that profit has been derived from the facts that a great deal of this business' profit comes from the saving generated by volunteers?

Thanks for the correction Tom. I knew I should have double checked that name. I corrected it to Lowell. Great stop day or night and they also do some solar telescope observation around noon on some days.

I don't need to recruit anyone so that some guy in the golden office who clearly doesn't know how to run his own business can get a bigger paycheck. While there are a lot of volunteers working on behalf of FMCA, there are a lot of folks making a living running this business. Why is it my responsibility to ensure they don't starve? Bad business is just bad business and sometimes it takes a huge wake up call to force the businesses to run their businesses as a business. That's what this vote is all about. FMCA, as a business, has failed due to their own failure to recruit new members below the average age of 71 so they are grasping at straws in hopes that they can find a new business to keep those paychecks coming.

From Reno I would take 80E to 580S. From there, there's only one way to get to VA City....341. 26 miles and about 40 minutes.

I 10 is shorter but a very boring drive and it will be hot this time of year. There are many things to see and do along I 40 but will add several 100 miles to the drive depending upon how long you stay on 40. If you really need to make the trip in 4 driving days (3 over nights) then I 10 is likely the quickest but you could at least go I-40 to Flagstaff about 400 miles and enjoy a cool over night, a trip to the Lowell Observatory (likely some event that night) and then head W or S to I 10 from there.

If every active member on this site (literally everyone!) voted that would be great but that would still leave 49,950 of the 50,000 members who have no idea what's going on.

We have 5 gears and the newer coaches have 6 gears. How many gears did you tractor/trailer have? Also, running between LA and Las Vegas I must maintain 55 MPH since I am towing. This makes almost no difference in the end result of my miles per gallon. I would guess that moving from 55 to 70 would reduce mileage by .1-.2 MPG per 10 MPH. I have never gotten better than 5.5-6.0 no matter where or how I drive the coach. Just my actual results and that may or may not be worth 2 cents.

The dome cannot be repaired. A replacement would be required. I don't know if that makes any difference, just a comment. I also agree with the above poster that it is unlikely a factory installed option in 2004 but worth giving Tiffin a call.

Most of the folks on the Prevost Community are....never mind......I have not had any luck trying to have a discussion with the folks on that forum. The POG's (Prevost Owners Group) is even worse! There is another Prevost owners group frequented only by multi-millionaires looking to save 10% on their camping fees. I am so far removed from the reality of most Prevost owners that I am officially the red headed step child!

The engine was replaced but the problem remains.

No, not at all. My RV is my HOME. I work a regular 9-5 job in a S&B building. I just happen to work at this job at multiple locations throughout the year. I need internet in my home for my home use. It's all personal and has nothing at all to do with work or the kind of work I do. Project Fi would be a non-starter.