Friday, January 6, 2012

Life...trade or fix the RV?

I've not had much time to do much of anything lately. Life gets in the way. And it's not the good life either, it's just life. Although I should be grateful for my health & that I'm still fairly young & healthy!
It seems lately I've been stuck. I've been going to therapy 3x's a week, it's helping. I still have good days & bad days with the foot, but I know the future of my foot will be good again! I've had obligations of taking care of things around here, which I don't mind, but I've had no real self time lately. I need self time. I'm one of those people that loves to be alone by themself. Fortunately, I am getting that this weekend, but I am also dog sitting multiple dogs this weekend. I don't mind them though. They don't ask me to go run errands for them. They all just want their few moments of attention & I can give that!

But I'm tired of living on someone's driveway now. I'm really looking forward to the day that I'm medically released with my foot. I have plans on taking myself, my dogs & kitties on up to Pa for the spring/summer season. My family is up there & I really need them in my life now. I do not want to live there, I do not do cold! I do not do winter. I do not do ice & snow! But I can do the spring & summer season! I am torn on my RV though. I'm sick over the recent damages it incurred & the insurance company is denying the claim. Right now, I don't have the mental energy to take on this fight. I was going to take it to an individual today that fixes RV's on his own rather than a big RV source that can fix it. But it was supposed to rain, so I nixed that idea. Now it's not raining, but I don't have the funds yet to fix it yet anyhow, so I'll tarp the cab area & wait till the funds come in that I'm waiting on from another source. Then I'll take the RV over to him for an estimate. I just hope it won't be too terribly expensive as I had orginally planned on sitting on the money that is coming to me for future needs. I started to look at other RV's in thoughts of selling mine & upgrading into a bigger unit.
But I just feel if it's affordable, to get mine fixed first. Everything on my RV works. I keep up with it & upgrade things as they are needed. Last year, I bought a new RV fridge & had an RV place install it. I bought a new converter & installed that myself. Bought a new ladder & had it installed. I recaulked the entire rig last spring. Including around the windows. I even reglazed the windows! Changed out the back clearance lights, etc. Year before last, I had new tires put on it. I keep it clean, I even shampoo my own carpeting in here. Lately, I've read so many blogs with folks that are having issues with this & that not working on their rigs, that it kind of scares me to sell mine! Like I said, everything works on mine. I just need to do a few cosmetic things to it to make it look better. Like strip off the old faded, cracked decals. Downside is, it's a small rig. No slides. With me & the animals, it will get crowded once they are all moved back in from the kennel. But I hate that they are having to stay in the kennel in the first place. They belong out here with me! Which is why I was thinking about upgrading into a bigger RV. As I've mentioned before, I originally bought my RV for hurricane evacuations & dog shows. I never intended to live in it or I would have bought a larger one to begin with. I don't mind living in an RV, in fact, I quite like it. I'm stuck. I don't know what do to? Get the RV fixed & live in it longer till I can go up to Pa, work & save more money towards a bigger rig, then sell or trade it in? I'd go for an even trade if I could find one. But then, am I going into a risk of having to fix items on another rig that all have been done on mine? Mine is paid for & I do not want to owe anything on another rig. An even trade or a little cash towards a bigger RV would still work for me if the repairs don't absorb the total amount of what I have coming. I don't know....generally, I'd keep something like this to myself till I figured it all out. But I'm perplexed over what I should do...


I've been trying to catch up on my blogs that I read, but am terribly behind on that as well. I've not gotten much computer time lately due to other commitments. So I'm glad to have the weekend to myself! This morning has been spent on catching up on what I can. I'm off to the store now because I need a serious fix of jalapeno potato chips & will come back & veg out with a movie. I hope everyone is doing well & are having a great life!

~As always, be kind to your pets, clean up after them on your travels & respect your neighbor~

17 comments:

  1. Glad you're back ;)

    As someone who's going through selling and buying and screaming and todoing too ;)

    I say... wait until you get the estimates on what it will cost to fix your rig before making a decision. Just relax with the puppy dogs this weekend ...

    If it is within reason? do that... then when you get to PA ... relax, be with family and decide at that time whether to sell. You need some unstress time before making any major decisions… You've had quite a lot of stressful things happen.

    Further, since everything works! and you know you can make it to PA without incident... well, providing Murphy doesn't do his thing... as soon as you can - take a leisurely trip up to PA and enjoy yourself.

    Lots of nice things to visit on your way up!

    ... go play... How much longer on the therapy?

    Can you drive it to PA with the tarp and tape? The pictures you show shows your RV to be looking good.

    I like the looks of your rig… it's only 21'? did I read that somewhere? That's all I want but then I don't have your big dogs. I can see where you would want something larger.

    Maybe there will be someone who would buy your RV and fix it but then you would have to compromise on price… it's always something, isn't it?

    Well? at the end of the day… having been through what all you have … I'd opt for a little fun time…. you know your RV and comfortable with it… getchur dogs and go play and take your time getting to PA… go thru Georgia… RVers there… go see Norma ;) and Julia …

    Interstate 10 to 65 in Mobile… I really like Alabama… Fairhope is really a very cute place too … go see Norma and her FIVE dogs --- but they're little bitty Yorkies… sooooooo cute!

    Beautiful drive up there! then after playing and relaxing … make some decisions.

    you're welcome ;0

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  2. Its a hard decision, you know your RV and you have spent money to upgrade it, the only downside is the size. You should get it fixed, will help with the price if you do trade up to a bigger rig. Take your time with finding one, look at different ones on the way to PA. Wait until "the one" shows up.

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  3. Sounds like you and I are on the same page in alot of areas ;-)
    I would opt for the larger RV , but, not until I am comfortable with the right deal. Until then fix the one you have now. Probably needs to be done to sell or trade anyway.
    How much longer for your therapy? I have several weeks yet.
    Enjoy your dogggie friends. My Izzy is a comfort to me.

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  4. I'm a very practical person in many ways. I think you should hang on to your present rig if you feel it is mechanically sound and get the body work done. Then sell it or trade it in when you have the money for a larger one plus a repair kitty of several thousand to do the inevidable fixes on a larger one.

    But only you know your own needs and money situation.

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  5. I'm a very practical person in many ways. I think you should hang on to your present rig if you feel it is mechanically sound and get the body work done. Then sell it or trade it in when you have the money for a larger one plus a repair kitty of several thousand to do the inevidable fixes on a larger one.

    But only you know your own needs and money situation.

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  6. TexCyn, I sure hope your worries resolve themselves an your problems disappear.

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  7. My advice - for what it's worth - keep your RV, make the repairs, get the larger rig when you are in a better financial position (hopefully soon).

    Upside: you know what you want and need now that your cirumstances and needs have changed since the purchase of your current rig.

    I know this must be a very difficult time for you with your babies in boarding.

    I also understand about the lack of emotional energy needed to fight the insurance company turkeys (though that may be the most effective strategy right now).

    Good luck with your decision. One thing I know is that things always turn out best for people who make the best of the way things turn out. Like you.

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  8. I know how you feel about being alone. I like my solitude. Most people don't understand that. And missing you fur babies is hard too.
    I keep thinking about selling my rig, but its paid for and if I get something else I may not beable to pay cash. I sure don't want to owe anyone either. But I don't have to live in mine. Take your time get to your family, relax and save up a little. You never know what might just pop up.
    Good luck with it all. But for sure you will have to fix the body.

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  9. Thanks everyone. Camping World wanted $4300 to fix it & that was before it rained & did even more extensive damages! So this is why I'm hoping the individual guy will be cheaper. I think when I got hit by something, it may have seperated the frame. If that's the case, once they get it apart, maybe I can get a 2nd written letter from someone else stating to that as well. CW already did that & the ins. co. dissed it!

    My dogs aren't in boarding, they are in my friend's kennel, which is where my RV is parked. I can hear the dogs from where I am & I know each dogs voice. So if they call, I can go to them. But I want them back out here with me. One of them is still with me (Feather), but she's the one that got stressed & missed me after my surgery, so they brought her out here to me.

    Carolyn, the damages are too extensive for me to take any trips in her now. Plus the overhead bunk is my bed! I can't even put the cushions back up there till it gets fixed. Fortunately, my friends don't mind that I put those in their studio. Those things are huge & take up a lot of space! I'm thinking about getting a climate controlled storage unit to put my extra things in for the meantime.
    Thanks for your comments everyone. I really do appreciate your concerns & advice.
    JoJo, don't sell, keep your RV! Or give it to me! heehee
    Oh & Carolyn, it's a 22' RV, 21' is close though huh?

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  10. You've gotten a lot of good sound advice here.. wish I knew a good answer for you, but all I can say is that if you have doubts about something - then wait. :) I know that is pretty obvious. But I'm a believer in intuition, and you'll know when it is the right time to do something.
    It will help immensely when you have all the doggers around you and have some time to de-stress. The chips and a movie sound like an incredible idea. ;)
    --Jool

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  11. Sorry to hear of your troubles. Life comes at us way too fast sometimes. Take the time for yourself that you need. Allow your mind to settle and your heart to find some peace. Then you'll be in a better place to make the decisions that you are faced with. Heal, rest, restore. That's what's important for you right now.

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  12. How are you doing now? Hmm, both your options are "can-be" options, and it's pretty hard to decide between the both of them. Personally, I think selling it later when you already have the means to buy a much bigger one or a home is a better option. But the last say will always be yours. Good luck on your life's travel, brother. :)

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  13. Hi Tobias, I did have the overhead cab rebuilt. Now I'm dealing with a leaky window! ARGH! But I think they need to take it out & reset it. I've put so much into my RV that one of my fears is in the future, will I buy another one that will need all this redone on it too? I'm capable of doing a lot of stuff, but I need to just be grateful that I own mine outright & be happy with that - which I am! I'm also proud that I found out how to fix another leaky window. I fixed it yesterday & it worked! Yay! I'll blog about it later. Thanks for stopping by :-)

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  14. Hey Tex, I'm glad to hear that your leaky window problem has been resolved. Bask in that pride! Well, regarding your concerns, think of it like this: It's a great chance to really familiarize yourself with your RV. In any automobile, it pays to know about subjects such as maintenance. It makes life on the road easier in the long run, and if you ever get another RV with concerns you'll have a good idea on what should be done. Keep at it, man! Never forget to enjoy yourself.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, it's a constant learning experience for sure! All I have to do now is get a tune up & probably get the radiator flushed & I think I'm done. For awhile. I hope. ;-)
      All windows have been done now, so that job is out of the way.

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  15. Thank goodness the problem had been resolved! While trading it sounds practical, fixing it is a better option if you think it only has minor damage. You had already gotten some memorable moments in it, so it’s good to hear that you chose the better option.

    Liza @PrairieCityRV.com

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