# Mission accomplished!! :D



## asprn (Feb 10, 2006)

Flew over to Lazydays in Florida on Wednesday to spend a week finding the right A-class coach for our impending US/Canada tour in a few months. This was because it dawned on me that leaving it until we arrived at the start of the trip and then not finding the right coach, would produce a great deal of stress (and probably force us into buying something which wasn't ideal, or too expensive).

I've been very lucky to have the assistance of a lovely couple over here who are friends of our friends, and who in turn are close friends with one of the (130!) sales staff at Lazydays - a lovely lady called Sharon.

We spent the first day today being driven round the 165 acres(!) site - it's simply amazing. I had been assured by four people that Sharon was 100% trustworthy and genunine, and would only want to find me the right coach at the right price. This proved to be absolutely the case, and I was treated like royalty, with no BS whatsoever. She spent the whole day with us - and found me the near-perfect coach. It's a 37-ft Winnebago Adventurer, and is fully loaded (just the washer/dryer would have been enough for 'er indoors :lol. Double-glazed too, which is nice.

A very straight RV - 26,000 miles, full PDI, everything checked & fixed including a cracked half windscreen, half-day walkthrough after servicing etc. On the road for £21k. 

I'm thinking we might sell the Rexhall we have in the UK after the US trip & import the Winnie if it performs well - extra 5ft & more goodies, plus no import tax or VAT.

Lazydays is an absolute must if you're thinking of buying - they really will doing everything they can to make you happy - and make you come back.

Incidentally, I set up a Montana LLC a few months ago for a few hundred bucks which has saved me £2,500 today in tax exemption.

Marvellous. 

Dougie.


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## gromett (May 9, 2005)

Thanks for that, most interesting.
What are the rules you need to follow to avoid import duty?
What taxes did the LLC allow you to avoid?
How much does it cost to get an RV shipped over?
Are you aware of the width restrictions? I remember reading something about this on here a while ago?

Karl


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## exmusso (Jun 18, 2006)

*Mission Accomplished*

That didn't take long Dougie 

Seems to be a lot of bang for your bucks.

Nice looking machine, brilliant price and mileage.

You off to enjoy yourself or straight back home?

Cheers,
Alan


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## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

Dougie she is lovely and I would take up Russells offer of help o get her back to UK how can you leave such a lovely thing out there.
I hope you have a great journey in her later in the year.


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## Briarose (Oct 9, 2007)

Wow Dougie.

She is a beauty......I bet you are really excited.


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## tonka (Apr 24, 2006)

Can I borrow it in October 2011...  Ah, go on......

Enjoy.....


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

That's excellent Dougie. Looks a great van at an superb price, Alan.


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## 91502 (May 1, 2005)

Dougie 
We love it and need one NOW. 
I guess you will be renting it out to trustworthy ex-colleagues who want to tour Canada? 
James


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

"What are the rules you need to follow to avoid import duty?"

Dougie - Well done and congratulations!

Karl - I've posted about this and your other questions quite a bit on MHF over the years. But the best single link to answer your import question is this one:
http://www.rvforum.net/SMF_forum/index.php?topic=860.0

Dave


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Ive always had mixed feelings about our American cousins but you can say what you like they know how to deliver good service. Can you imagine getting treated like that at a UK dealer and not just motorhomes, anything really. Sounds like an absolute bargain. Would love to hear more about your plans.


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## loddy (Feb 12, 2007)

Hi Dougie
I told you they were good, I need it April and again in August, HA Ha
Ha, Good luck to you Doug

Loddy


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## harrison (Apr 20, 2010)

Hi Dougie

You will be happy with a Winne l.m on my third just make sure its fully winterized l got rear bedroom heating and hot water off the engine as l drive
Paul


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## asprn (Feb 10, 2006)

gromett said:


> What taxes did the LLC allow you to avoid?


Florida sales taxes, currently 12%.



gromett said:


> How much does it cost to get an RV shipped over?


Ballpark, around £5k



exmusso said:


> You off to enjoy yourself or straight back home?


Can't change the flights, so forced to stay & enjoy myself. 



locovan said:


> Dougie she is lovely ....how can you leave such a lovely thing out there


I'm quite used to leaving lovely ladies in various ports. 



tonka said:


> Can I borrow it in October 2011...


Oh, here we go. :roll: October, you say? That's when we store it in Arizona & fly back for 3 months... Never say never.....



barryd said:


> Ive always had mixed feelings about our American cousins but you can say what you like they know how to deliver good service. Can you imagine getting treated like that at a UK dealer and not just motorhomes, anything really. Sounds like an absolute bargain. Would love to hear more about your plans.


That point hit me yesterday over & over again. It's the antipathy of what you get at home. Even the restaurant last night was good ol' fashioned Murricane schmooz, which made a welcome change. I'll be putting a blog up in the next few weeks which will be covering the Spain/Morocco and US/Canada trips.



harrison said:


> You will be happy with a Winne l.m on my third just make sure its fully winterized l got rear bedroom heating and hot water off the engine as l drive


Ooooo - I must check the hot water thing! It has ducted (ceiling and floor) AC and heat throughout the van, including the bedroom.



loddy said:


> I told you they were good, I need it April and again in August, HA Ha Ha, Good luck to you Doug


I see now why you were so helpful. :roll: I did tell Sharon about you yesterday & promised you'd be buying, so thanks for the discount. 



JP said:


> We love it and need one NOW. I guess you will be renting it out to trustworthy ex-colleagues who want to tour Canada?


No problem. Who did you have in mind?

Dougie.


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## loddy (Feb 12, 2007)

Ship it home before you sell the Rexhall then you can swap motors (nod nod wink wink ) :wink: 

I suppose it's off down to WALMart or Ikea to fit her out now

Loddy


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## asprn (Feb 10, 2006)

loddy said:


> Ship it home before you sell the Rexhall then you can swap motors (nod nod wink wink ) :wink:


Heh - hadn't thought of that. I may settle for the 26k mileage on the Winnie though.



loddy said:


> I suppose it's off down to WALMart or Ikea to fit her out now


Not until May when SWMBO will take charge. :wink: I'm driving it up to store it near Orlando on Tuesday. Actually, one of the many good things about the deal with Lazydays is that they're fixing the bits & pieces needing doing now except for the windscreen - we'll drive it back down to them after collecting it in May, they fit the new screen then, & we live in it & kit it out for a 2/3 days while it beds in. Sharon will arrange a proper walk-through after that when we're ready to rock 'n roll, so it's happy times.

Dougie.


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## loddy (Feb 12, 2007)

I'm really green, can't wait for my turn, did you get a good rate for storage ?

Loddy


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## asprn (Feb 10, 2006)

loddy said:


> I'm really green, can't wait for my turn, did you get a good rate for storage ?


Good, good. :lol:

http://adulttoystorage.com - $79 per month for outdoor up to 40ft. Taxi ride to the airport is $45.00. Email _RickH ..at.. atsorlando.com_

i'm happy with fifty squid for a good facility.

Dougie.


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## Hezbez (Feb 7, 2009)

Hi Dougie,

Looks like a cracker!
Do you get much of a dealer warranty with it at all?

Your next step I'm assuming will be to sort out insurance.


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## asprn (Feb 10, 2006)

Hezbez said:


> Do you get much of a dealer warranty with it at all?


It was an "as-is" deal due to the price, but we did a good deal whereby a list of bits & pieces were fixed for $500 (including a new front windscreen(!), fogged-up side glass, window catch, tyre with a flat-spot, and a mirror glass). Sharon (sales lady) also got the delivery team to check everything and report back any issues. Whilst I drive it away "as-is", I'm very confident there will be no nasty surprises. In actual fact, because I'm storing it until May, any warranty wouldn't be worth a candle in any case, so I'm happy.



Hezbez said:


> Your next step I'm assuming will be to sort out insurance.


Already done.  I've had a Montana broker lined up for a few months, but Lazydays provided insurance cheaper for the same policy, which also saved faffing about with the registration process (they handled everything). The get right on everything, and I'm booked for my 2-hour walkthrough on Monday afternoon, then drive it away on Tuesday to storage, then fly home that evening.

Dougie.


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## harrison (Apr 20, 2010)

Hi Dougie
Do,s our UK driving Licence cover us for all states, l am off to Boston as soon as it warms up over there, and was thinking of buyin a car as l am stoppin three months and it will be cheaper than renting, l have a US address for insurance my sister lives there but not sure if l need to take a drivin test, have you looked into this Paul


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## asprn (Feb 10, 2006)

harrison said:


> Do,s our UK driving Licence cover us for all states, l am off to Boston as soon as it warms up over there, and was thinking of buyin a car as l am stoppin three months and it will be cheaper than renting, l have a US address for insurance my sister lives there but not sure if l need to take a drivin test, have you looked into this


You're well advised to obtain the drab grey international driving permit (costs aruond £7.00 from RAC and other places) which is valid for a year. I've never been asked for it by anyone, but some law enforcement agents might only recognise it and not your UK licence.

I assume you've done your research re. costings, but I personally wouldn't flip a car for 3 months. I would have thought that the all-inclusive rental prices with little risk, would be a more viable option than the hassle of finding, buying, insuring, maintaining and then reselling a car would be a non-starter (but I'm open to being educated  ).

I have no idea why insuring with a foreign licence would be a problem - I've never found it to be so. Some insurers will load premiums, but others will not.

Dougie.


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