What's the one thing you wish you had in your RV? - RV-Dreams Community Forum

arcaguy · RV-Dreams Family Member

What's the one thing you wish you had in your RV?

LarryW21 · RV-Dreams Family Member

A second slide.

ChefMom · RV-Dreams Family Member

A big 'ol pile of money. Hundreds only please.

Acheron2010 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Christine Brinkley

arcaguy · RV-Dreams Family Member

Well, the second slide I have covered as the units I'm looking at have 2-3 slides and I don't think I want or need more. As for the big ole pile of money, I won't be picky I'll take any denominations, but Benjamins sure look nice although Mr. Grant does sport a nice beard. And lastly as to Ms. Brinkley I did say something to the Mrs. about hiring a 40 something driver if I get too old to drive and she said fine as long as he's buff. I'm thinking that Christine doesn't fit the bill, but I have been mistaken before.

LarryW21 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Christine ISN’T in her forties. Try middle sixties.

-- Edited by LarryW21 on Tuesday 12th of June 2018 05:57:50 PM

NWescapee · RV-Dreams Family Member

So, in all seriousness, the one thing I wish our RV had different in the decision is better access when the slides are in. We can't even access our bathroom when the slides are in, no access to most of the kitchen and none to the living area. Love the floor plan when we are set up, but not so much on travel days.

cejones4210 · RV-Dreams Family Member

We have a 35' fifth wheel and while I like the shorter length, I really wish for more counterspace and storage in the kitchen.

Acheron2010 · RV-Dreams Family Member

So am I.

Barb and Frank · RV-Dreams Family Member

I would rather have vinyl flooring in place of carpeting. When our current carpeting wears out, we will go with vinyl flooring in the living room, bed room and stairs in our fifth wheel.

Barb

Second Chance · RV-Dreams Family Member

Barb and Frank wrote:
I would rather have vinyl flooring in place of carpeting. When our current carpeting wears out, we will go with vinyl flooring in the living room, bed room and stairs in our fifth wheel.
Barb

We have vinyl (BeauFloor) in the living area, "hall" and bathroom, but carpet in the bedroom. The cheap carpet they used is starting to look a little worn after only three years of full-timing. My wife prefers hard floors, but I like carpet under my feet when I get out of bed on chilly mornings (or in the middle of the night... more and more as I get older...). The battle over what replaces the carpet in the bedroom has not yet begun.

At times I wish we had auto leveling. Then I read about the issues that people have with their systems and think about how well my LevelMatePRO and Andersen levelers work and realize our system works for us.

When we're back east - especially in the summer - I wish we had slide toppers. Then, when we spend a long period in the southwest like we just did (with a LOT of wind this spring), I wonder if they would be right for us. I still don't know about that one.

For a couple of years, now, I've had the hots for a Winegard Trav'ler automatic roof mount antenna for our Dish service. I took a deep dive on researching again the last few weeks and discovered it's a western arc only antenna. This won't work for us because we spend a lot of time in the east and northeast (grandkids) where the locals are only on the eastern arc in HD. My solution: I ordered a tripod for the Pathway X2 antenna. The bonus is that we've actually been in a few situations where the only way I could get the satellites was to connect an extra length of coax and place the antenna away from the rig to point through a hole in the trees.

Finally, my wife thinks she would like a convection microwave (ours is just a standard microwave). Then I start seeing threads about the warm-up times and how people would rather cook with other appliances. Our microwave, instant pot, conventional range, and stainless cookware with an induction cooktop are getting the job done. Added bonus: I'm married to a world-class cook!

So... I guess it boils down to how you "do life." Almost everything is a compromise.

Rob

PrairieRV · RV-Dreams Family Member

LarryW21 wrote:
Christine ISN’T in her forties. Try middle sixties.

-- Edited by LarryW21 on Tuesday 12th of June 2018 05:57:50 PM

And what's wrong with that???? confuse

(BTW, I'm 65, too.)

The Bear II · RV-Dreams Family Member

Auto leveling system

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

I personally don't really have a "real" wish for anything, but the wife got one of hers this last couple of months. She was also unhappy with the carpet in the fifth wheel. We found a small, family owned furniture business (think of the grandkids putting puzzles together on some of the dining room tables that are for sale) here in Kanab that installed a vinyl plank flooring in our living and dining room. It covers from the entry door to the rear of the coach, leaving the linoleum at the door entry and in the kitchen. She also had some put in the hallway going to the bedroom that ends at the side bathroom door. The bedroom is still carpeted.

However, to touch on what isn't a topic in this question, I am forever glad that we have a side bathroom. More than once, I've been glad for the large size of that room, giving me better access if I need to work on the commode, or if we are sick with vomiting, we can lie on the floor in the bathroom waiting for the next bout. (That has happened to both of us in the past.

(Yeah, I know...not the best of things to bring up.) However, our RV is the exact same model as Ruth and Dale's (NWEscapees) and not having access to the bedroom or bathroom is not a problem for us. We seldom move, and when we do, public restrooms in restaurants, truck stops, and convenience stores are just fine for us.

Terry

Second Chance · RV-Dreams Family Member

Terry and Jo wrote:
... or if we are sick with vomiting...
...not the best of things to bring up.

Pun intended or not?

Rob

arcaguy · RV-Dreams Family Member

First of all let's clear up this Christie Brinkley thing - She is a beautiful woman of whatever age, but my point was that my wife was thinking about a 40 something MALE hunk, that's the part where Ms. Brinkley doesn't fit the bill, at least last I knew, but apparently that's up for grabs these days, but I digress. As to the coach being usable with the slides in that is our checklist, and the coaches we are looking at all have microwave/convection ovens. I have a previous thread that addressed this and I think we'll give it a try. If we don't like the combination I guess we can always change it later, but both of us love our baked goods. Toppers, they're standard equipment on all of the coaches we're looking at. I'm with Second Chance about the carpet in the bedroom but the units we're looking at all have vinyl throughout. That said, I have several apartments that I own (along with a bank or previous owner) and replacing vinyl with carpeting shouldn't break the bank and I can install it. We'll see how we like it first. As to the slide bathroom, I don't know if I'm going to have that factor into the decision. Making a purchase decision based on a one a year or less eventuality (the upchucking) doesn't seem like a good idea to me, but I've been wrong before. I do know that the bath and the bedroom will be next each other as my wife makes that trip at least once a night. Me, not much right now but I hear that changes over time. Once again thanks to everyone for their thoughts, I do appreciate them all.

-- Edited by arcaguy on Wednesday 13th of June 2018 08:11:28 PM

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

Arcaguy,

Our bathroom is right next to the bedroom. The only thing is that the wife has to walk around the bed to get there. Wait until you have to work on the commode. I've had to do that more than the other reason for liking the bigger bathroom. Also, the wife does not like a sink or shower in a corner of the bedroom as they tend to be when they split the shower and sink from the toilet room.

As for the vinyl throughout a coach, all it takes is a few rugs to eliminate the cold floor. In our coach, we had chosen some carpet at that furniture store and had a 6' x 6' rug made that goes in the area of my computer desk that prevents my office chair from rolling all over the vinyl flooring. We are also having a second rug made that will go in the dining room area to cut down on the wear of the carpet under the dining table.

Oh, and the pun was totally unintended.

Terry

Danny and Cheryl · RV-Dreams Family Member

A real couch long enough to lay down on for a nap, not the stupid jack knife couch that I have

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

Speaking of couches, the wife is trying to sell her embroidery machine and sewing stuff and get a couch back into the RV. We ran across one called a Dolce Lounger that looks promising, but it does have one drawback. We would have to tip it back for traveling (y'all know that is rare for us) because it is too deep to allow the slides to come in without hitting it.

However, what I like about it is that the sections that one leans back against are not attached to the base, thus, one can move one of those sections to the end and semi-recline there to watch TV. Or, one can remove them completely and sleep on the couch.

Dolce Lounger

Terry

Cookie Dough · RV-Dreams Family Member

OK, when our used coach came w a combo washer /dryer we thought Bonus.
After 3 uses, I'd rather it be a dishwasher.

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

Cookie Dough wrote:
OK, when our used coach came w a combo washer /dryer we thought Bonus.
After 3 uses, I'd rather it be a dishwasher.

With a dishwasher you want to add a water softener to your water intake since automatic dishwashers are easy to gunk up with hard water. When I tell people we do not have a dishwasher, my wife disagrees and points to me. We also love our combo washer/dryer and my wife gets unhappy when she has to use a laundromat when we have no sewer hookup.

RonC · RV-Dreams Family Member

bjoyce wrote:
Cookie Dough wrote:
OK, when our used coach came w a combo washer /dryer we thought Bonus.
After 3 uses, I'd rather it be a dishwasher.
With a dishwasher you want to add a water softener to your water intake since automatic dishwashers are easy to gunk up with hard water. When I tell people we do not have a dishwasher, my wife disagrees and points to me. We also love our combo washer/dryer and my wife gets unhappy when she has to use a laundromat when we have no sewer hookup.

I agree with Bill ... since there are only two of us, and we often eat out, dishwashing is a very small part of our life. We have a deal ... we wash our own dishes so there is no "pile in the sink". But each decision is personal and has to work for you. If we had a dishwasher, we'd just stop doing our "wash it immediately after you've used it" and start stacking them in the dishwasher like we used to do in the sticks and bricks.

With regard to the washer dryer ... this is one thing my DW insists on. Laundromats are not where she wants to spend her or our time.

-- Edited by RonC on Monday 18th of June 2018 11:36:52 AM

arcaguy · RV-Dreams Family Member

I can't agree or disagree on the dishwasher thing, but then again I probably won't miss it as I have never owned one. The washer and dryer on the other hand I can see them coming in handy. In fact when I got my first house the first appliances I bought were a washer and dryer. The stove and refrigerator didn't come for another 5 years, but I was a bachelor and pretty much ate out all of the time. But we'll see what happens. I do appreciate the varying viewpoints it keeps me thinking and adding points to my shopping list, thanks to everyone.

-- Edited by arcaguy on Monday 18th of June 2018 12:48:26 PM

TXRVr · RV-Dreams Family Member

Nothing. I did a lot of research in order to pick the RV that fitted 99% of our needs. The other 1% would be maid service for my DW.

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

Most of us want a 16 foot RV that expands to 800 sq feet internally in the campsite, is self-cleaning, with all the appliances and electricity to run them. Such an RV does not exist, so we have to figure out what each of us can live with. I have met happy people in a 16' Casita trailer and unhappy people in a 45' motorhome.

dmorse68 · RV-Dreams Community Member

Well said Bjoyce. And I love the Dolce Lounger Terry. Being full timers, ‘bout the only thing I wish I had, was a desk I could sit at to do paperwork and set a printer on. Oh and a tiny pill so I could get down in the bowels of the RV to clean and fix things.

dmorse68 · RV-Dreams Community Member

Well said Bjoyce. And I love the Dolce Lounger Terry. Being full timers, ‘bout the only thing I wish I had, was a desk I could sit at to do paperwork and set a printer on. Oh and a tiny pill so I could get down in the bowels of the RV to clean and fix things.

arcaguy · RV-Dreams Family Member

Yepper, I hear you about the desk, not too many rigs come with a desk, at least not the one's I'm looking at. We'll have to see how that works out, I might have to build something. Problem is, most of my woodworking tools will go when we downsize. Anybody know of an RV park with a woodworking shop? Once again thanks for all of the suggestions and comments.

-- Edited by arcaguy on Thursday 21st of June 2018 07:23:40 AM

Second Chance · RV-Dreams Family Member

arcaguy wrote:
... Anybody know of an RV park with a woodworking shop?

-- Edited by arcaguy on Thursday 21st of June 2018 07:23:40 AM

The Jojoba Hills Escapees co-op park at Aguanga, CA, has the best equipped wood shop I've ever seen - but you have to be a co-op member to use it. There are probably similar situations around the country but they are also not likely to let non-members waltz in and use facilities like that.

Rob

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

Many large snowbird campgrounds have woodworking shops since they cater to people sitting all winter who want to stay busy. They often mention woodworking on their websites. I know of places in Sarasota FL (Sun N Fun), Tucson AZ (Rincon West), Surprise AZ (Happy Trails) and Mesa AZ (Mesa Regal and Val Vista Village), and there are more.

NWescapee · RV-Dreams Family Member

Just a comment to follow up on Terry's comment regarding no access to the interior when traveling, it all depends on your travel style. We will move the RV again tomorrow, 8th time this month as we've journey from Sacramento, to Oregon, 3 locations in the Puget Sound and tomorrow takes us to Idaho. Yes, that's more moves than normal for a month and there are 3-4 times a year when we stop for 4-5 weeks at a time, but then there are other times where we move quickly and frequently due to hubby's art show schedule, my need to be near an airport for the next biz trip, etc.

Due to the fact that we're both still working and we have times when we move frequently, access to the interior on travel days is more important to us. There are days when I am working from the cab of the truck while we're traveling but sometimes have to stop at a rest area to participate in a conference call so I don't lose connectivity while we're traveling and on those days I so wish I had access to my desk without having to put the slides out.

We all travel differently, it's just something to consider. This is our 4th RV, our previous RV was a TT that we had access to everything except one cabinet when traveling and while it wasn't big enough for us to full time in, it was so much easier on travel days when we did need to stop for work related calls.