you can always find an RV dealer with a service department or a mobile RV tech to make your repairs .... for a price. I just prefer to give it a try myself most of the time.
I'm no "Mr Fix-it" either but I do know how to use basic hand tools as well as some power tools. I can also, on a very limited scale, use a multi-meter to check the electrical stuff. So far this has been enough to make almost all of the repairs I have needed. I have to say though that I would have been totally lost without the internet. What a fantastic resource!


Phil

One way or another, resourcefulness will be needed. Just like living in a house - you can either do the repairs/maintenance yourself, have friends around you can learn from or pay someone qualified.

The difference being, that things might break when you're not near a repair resource. So learning your systems and being more self reliant can be a very valuable thing.

We started out with only a little knowledge, and learned as we went.

Simple answer IMO....you need one of two things regarding your topic........Money or Skills.....either one will make being a  full timer doable.....

-- Edited by GENECOP on Saturday 25th of January 2014 06:22:18 PM

 

Isn't it amazing how all of a sudden something will pop into our minds to make us wonder if we're doing the right thing or not? I think almost everyone who has made a big move like going full-timing has had it happen to them. 

Hang in there. Everything will work out.

Jim

I really should give my husband a bit more credit too. He CAN figure out how to do simple repairs, especially with step by step directions.... and duct tape!!! :)

My wife likes to say her toolbox consists of a cellphone and a credit card. We do some of our own repairs, and I do mean "we", but many we pay for. I have learned the limits of my handiness. I try to be educated on what should be done, but have learned that I should not be the one to do the work.

Cindy T wrote:

---

I don't think that should prevent you from becoming fulltimers.  There are RV maintenance books that you would probably benefit from reading & becoming familiar with the basics of RV systems.  But if you can't fix something, there are RV repair shops, mobile RV repair people, and even neighbors in the campground who can help.

---

If you need some help, raise the hood of your  vehicle and peer inside.  In minutes you will have six people offering to help!   I have never sen anything like it except at a campground.

The last time I did, within 5 minutes, there was a retired fleet manager crawling under my truck for me to take a look!   Campers are very special people.

-- Edited by Dog Folks on Sunday 26th of January 2014 06:02:29 AM

Great advice and reassurance everyone! Thanks as always.

My only fear right now is that I am going to be getting a job offer and then have to decide whether to take it or not. Losing my job made us ramp up our plans to sell the house more quickly since we don't have enough $ in the bank to pay the mortgage for more than another month or so. Where we were taking baby steps towards the RV lifestyle for the last 3 years, we got ourselves into the mindset over the last month to take the giant leap towards it. But taking this job will put us back to square one, which is having more financial security in the short term, helping build up the nest egg just a little bit more, but delaying the dream. We got ourselves so psyched up for this now! I'm almost wishing real hard that the offer doesn't come through because I'd have to follow the advice we give our rebellious son -- "sometimes you just have to suck it up and do things you don't want to do."

Sorry, Terry. I realize I went off track here.

Hey, Cheryl.

It's your thread.  You can drive this topic any direction you want to take it.

However, I will have to agree with the others on the "original" topic.  RV'ers/campers are special kinds of folks.  When we were taking a two week vacation near Pagosa Springs in our 26-foot fifth wheel, I had never, ever put out an awning (non-electric), and although it was a part of the PDI when we bought the earlier RV's, I couldn't remember what to do.  I glanced around and happened to see a gentleman walking down the campground road, and I must have had "that look" on my face because he asked me if he could help with something.

He showed us how to deploy and retract the awning and I was truly grateful.  It turned out that he and his wife were friends with our immediate neighbors, so we ended up next door every evening sharing the campfire and lots of conversation.

I'm like many others in that I can use some tools and I can learn from others and the internet.  I'm not really sure that anything more than that and common sense is needed.

Terry