8/8/13
My dealer, Tony, called me to tell me that they were busy working on a few details to get my Dutchmen 31P ready to get on the road. The generator needed a new carburetor, and there were a few other things that would add up to about $500. I had expected this as we had done a pretty thorough walk-around-and-through on the vehicle and had discussed each of these items. No surprise.
I got another call from Tony a few hours later. All his rental units were already on the road, this being a very busy time of the year for vacations before people headed back to school. And a family had just walked in looking for a rental unit. They had booked something with a national brand dealer down the road apiece, but had been very disappointed with the condition of the vehicle they had been offered. Tony showed them mine, and they booked it immediately, leaving the next day for a 10-day trip to Yellowstone.
So I get a great rental my first week of ownership. Ten days and many miles! Not bad!
BTW, for any readers/fellow owners who might be concerned about "just anybody" renting their RV, I would urge you to keep a few things in mind. I have not yet "bonded" with my rig, and it has not been personalized in any way. I'm probably more comfortable with the concept of other people using my "stuff," as I have owned ocean-front rental villas in Hilton Head, SC for many years. People come and go, they use the villa, it gets cleaned and ready for the next party. I'm pretty used to the "we-don't-live-here" philosophy of ownership.
So, until I'm ready to go "full-time," or even "most-of-the-time," I have very little concern about renting the rig. It is insured, after all, and all the renters will pay a damage deposit that will apply to any misuse. I know I'll be on the hook for normal wear-and-tear, and I have a five-year warranty insurance that is pretty darn comprehensive. I'm sure I have a lot to learn, so, as I learn, I will share with anyone who bothers to follow along.
My next post will probably be when the rig comes back 8/20. I'll try to give you all a full update.
Cheers! Happy Trails!
...............................................................................................
Thursday, August 15, 2013
I Finally Did It
8/7/13:
I have always thought that owning and using a MotorHome would be great fun, a great way to see the country. Since I retired I from my teaching career five years ago, I have looked at many vehicles, trying to decide what class/size would be the right fit for me. I have been a regular walk-in looker/lurker at my local RV dealer (Hometown RV in Carol Stream, Illinois) and others as I traveled.
I finally decided it was time to stop looking at types of coaches, and look at particular Class C's, which was what I had decided might work best for me as a newbie. Sure enough, my dealer had a great choice that had just become available. The details are many but the bottom line is that the owner of a 2007 Dutchmen 31P had gone through a recent bankruptcy and the bank was selling this rig with less than 7000 miles and less than 11 hours on the generator. The interior was in beautiful condition, YES!!! PERFECT!!!
After some lengthy discussion with Tony, the owner of Hometown, I decided to purchase this rig and put it in Tony's Hometown Premium rental program (http://hometownrv.com/rentals.asp).
I do hope use this rig myself, too, of course, to take some lengthy trips in my new RV, starting with a 3-week trip to Fresno for a wedding at the end of October. In January, I hope to escape winter for the month by finding new areas to visit in warmer climes.
The idea of this blog, then, as suggested to me by some members of an RV Forum that I have joined (http://www.irv2.com/), who find the idea of renting their MH to lie somewhere between scary and ridiculous, is to share the Trials and Tribulations of an RV owner whose vehicle is in a rental program.I'm hoping that they are wrong and that this will be a great way to help pay for expenses nad improvements in my new Dutchmen.
I will try to share my adventures with you as I go, both the pluses and minuses of having my rig in a premium rental program. Thanks for joining me.
I have always thought that owning and using a MotorHome would be great fun, a great way to see the country. Since I retired I from my teaching career five years ago, I have looked at many vehicles, trying to decide what class/size would be the right fit for me. I have been a regular walk-in looker/lurker at my local RV dealer (Hometown RV in Carol Stream, Illinois) and others as I traveled.
I finally decided it was time to stop looking at types of coaches, and look at particular Class C's, which was what I had decided might work best for me as a newbie. Sure enough, my dealer had a great choice that had just become available. The details are many but the bottom line is that the owner of a 2007 Dutchmen 31P had gone through a recent bankruptcy and the bank was selling this rig with less than 7000 miles and less than 11 hours on the generator. The interior was in beautiful condition, YES!!! PERFECT!!!
After some lengthy discussion with Tony, the owner of Hometown, I decided to purchase this rig and put it in Tony's Hometown Premium rental program (http://hometownrv.com/rentals.asp).
I do hope use this rig myself, too, of course, to take some lengthy trips in my new RV, starting with a 3-week trip to Fresno for a wedding at the end of October. In January, I hope to escape winter for the month by finding new areas to visit in warmer climes.
The idea of this blog, then, as suggested to me by some members of an RV Forum that I have joined (http://www.irv2.com/), who find the idea of renting their MH to lie somewhere between scary and ridiculous, is to share the Trials and Tribulations of an RV owner whose vehicle is in a rental program.I'm hoping that they are wrong and that this will be a great way to help pay for expenses nad improvements in my new Dutchmen.
I will try to share my adventures with you as I go, both the pluses and minuses of having my rig in a premium rental program. Thanks for joining me.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)