# American RV's Specifications



## MicknPat (Jul 18, 2005)

Hi,

Several of you who loiter around this topic may know,that having become smitten at our first look around of an ARV at a local dealer I joined this forum to find out ALL there is to know.

I have recently been some what mesmerized at the Insurance thread within this topic but now hope that I now have have enough information to get a good deal when the time comes.

I now feel a few more questions coming. :?

The RV that first got us very interested is the Damon Daybreak.

Until this viewing or prior to joining this forum I knew absolutely nothing about American RV's.

Even now when I see an Allegro model advertised I automatically think it must have been built by British Leyland. 

But there must be good and bad makes and model ARV's?

Are there any that should be avoided at all costs?

The Damon web site has a very impressive virtual tours facility showing various aspects of their manufacturing process which I have yet to find with any other manufacturer.

If anyone takes the time to checkout these tours at http://www.damonrv.com/ you will see that Damon claim to build their motorhomes better than anyone else which is to be expected on THEIR web site.

I have also seen wording amongst the vehicle advertisements such as Pusher which I know means rear engined so I presume a Puller is front engined, which then is the better Pusher or Puller, oh and why?

Finally, ( for now ) one thing which is driving me nuts are the dealers who advertise vehicles without giving the GVWR details.

We have just spent several hours the other day climbing in and out of secondhand RV's at another dealers only to later find out that they were over 7.5ton Grrrrrrrr :evil:


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## Scotjimland (May 23, 2005)

Hi Mick
As I have a Georgie Boy pusher I can answer that question, (i hope ) 

Pushers are generally much quieter when driving with no heat rising under your feet from a 6lt. turbo charged diesel lump, most if not all are over 7.5 ton 
Access to the engine is much easier , you lift the bed ..not when she's in it 
:lol: 
Can't help much with your other questions... 

Happy hunting 

Jim


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## johnsandywhite (May 9, 2005)

Hi *Mick_P* I have to agree with *Jim* that a pusher will probably be quieter to drive but not by much. I've driven both and the road noise makes up for a lot of the noise up front. I most agree with *Jim* about the engine access. Much easier than a Puller. But I don't think you will doing the services yourself will you? I disagree that most Pusher's will be over 7.5 ton. I think you will find that around 30ft in length will be less than the 7.5 limit you are looking for. You cannot fit a 40ft with slides and basement storage in a 30ft package. The Tardis hasn't been invented in real life yet. :wink: 
As far as good and bad makes? Damon or any other company will always state how long they have been specialising and building the best in the RV World. 
Some companies have had bad press (poor service) such as Fleetwood for build and finish quality. Gulfstream for service. I have seen Fleetwood products and I think it's horses for courses. I own a Gulfstream so the question of service doesn't worry me. Any RV or coachbuilder will build up a reputation by producing a top qaulity RV at an affordable price. It's a matter of whether they continue to do so. Even the top of the range RV have had complaints about quality and service. Why pay £500,000 for an RV that only has better quality fittings than something that costs £50,000? You don't always get what you pay for in terms of value for money. *IMHO*. :wink:


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## MicknPat (Jul 18, 2005)

John,

Thanks for your reply 

As the Damon Daybreak was the first American RV we viewed together with their, in my opinion an excellent web site with its virtual tours I am obviously, unless told or shown different going to be bias towards Damon.

The tour shows how Damon internal wood units are all tong & grove,the electrical wiring is channeled for easy access plus loads more.

Check out the full tour list: http://www.damonrv.com/virtual_tours/welcome

We like the slide out facility and require the vehicle to be under 7.5 ton ( I no longer have my class 1 HGV) but if you know of a similar or better Make /model please let me know and we will have a look.


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## johnsandywhite (May 9, 2005)

Hi once again *Mick_P*. I understand how you could fall in love with the Damon Daybreak especailly as it was the first you looked at. However. Further information here:-

Wide-Body Ford MHs came out in 99.

The 98 was 96" 
The 99 is 102"

The Ford F53 chassis lists at between 102" and 103" depenendant on the builder.

Reviews of some RV's can be seen here:-

http://www.motorhomeadvice.com/mhreviews/

Take into consideration that not all RV buyer's are happy with anything they buy and will always complain as their god given right. *IMO*. :wink:

One more point. You are not going to get what you want in less than 7.5 tons. You may have to compromise. Or take your HGV again. :wink:


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## johnsandywhite (May 9, 2005)

Hi again *Mick_P*. I forgit to mention the RV Consumer group but you do have to pay for a CD if you want all the information. 

http://www.rv.org/


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## Superk (Aug 22, 2005)

Hi

There's a lot to consider when contemplating the purchase of an American RV - what do you want it for? Will you be full timing or only taking short trips? Will you be using it solely in the UK or venturing abroad?

Make sure it's legal - it is not illegal to sell you an overwidth vehicle but it is to drive it and if you have an accident in an illegal vehicle your insurance company may use this as a get out - what width does it say in the brochure specifications? Ignore anything any dealer says they will tell you they modify them, have special wings fitted, the manufacturer includes the awnings and other things - it's mostly rubbish. The insurance company will simply look at the manufacturers website or get a brochure. (The Ford chassis does provide near legal RV's - Holiday Rambler and Monaco's on the Ford chassis are 100.5 inches vs the 100.4 required).

Check how much your RV can carry - all very well sneaking under the 7.5 tonnes (some have even been downrated to apparently comply) to be able to drive on a car license but then you can't carry anything like LPG, water, you or your belongings. If an RV is 33 foot long and is advertised as 'drive on a car license' then what is different to another one of the same length that can't be - is it the quality of the fittings or is there some funny business going on with the weight.

Length - the legal limit is 39 and a bit feet. More importantly is what you want to do with it and where you want to go. In the UK you can probably get away with a big rig in Caravan Club sites if you give them notice. In France or Spain it's a different matter - you may not get on many sites because of the entrance or around the site because of low trees, or aluminium structures to provide shade or park because the pitch size is too small or jammed up against your neighbour.

When you've arrived on site how will you get around - you can't drive to Sainsbury's or Carrefour in an RV so you will need another form of transport.

Dumping tanks - is easy on a good site - pull up attach the hose and let her go! In France or Spain you will find many camp sites don't have MV dump facilities ( a hole or drain in the ground) but an oversized toilet round the back of the toilet block where the cassette men with European MH's have no trouble doing there daily emptying. Different matter in an RV when you can't get close enough to get your hose to reach or it's trying to empty uphill.

What about the electrics - in the US sites provide 30 even 50 amps, in the Uk Caravan Club sites 16 but in France or Spain it can drop to just 4 amps which make your longed for airconditioning redundant and probably your microwave as well so you will need to use gas for cooking, heating and water heating - but in Spain it's very hard to get your tank refilled.

Who will service your RV and get your parts for you?

All very negative I know - it doesn't mean it can't be done and we've done it over the past two years with a 33 foot Holiday Rambler Vacationer (9.5 tonnes loaded )towing a Mercedes A class (four wheels down with an A frame) spending 6 wonderful months of the year in Spain and France. The toilet dumping problem was overcome with a macerator and a 120 foot hose. Electricity from the onboard generator (50 amp) or 300 watt inverter and solar panel.

Look beyond the glitter and decide what you really want - Damon is considered a good value 'entry level' vehicle in the US - many in the Uk have the diesel engine at the front - there are none of these in the US. There are some other good quality RV's for sale at the moment - I recommend getting ARV magazine where most of them are listed - http://www.abp-accessories.co.uk/store.php.

Good luck.


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## delboy57 (May 1, 2005)

*size matters!!!! american rv*

having just purchased a chevrolet-rockwood bayport and read the size discussion i've just checked the dimensions and its approx just under 8 ft (95" plus), the wheel arches would make it wider slightly but the mirrors would add a lot more! would that count as the vehicle dimension? (surely not)
having had the rv for about a week now and explored its hidden depths and dicovered its "anomolies" i am looking for a kind heart to give me some advice, are there any other rockwood owners out there or any rv owners based on the chevrolet 6.5 litre turbo diesel chassis. mine is april 97 but i have no user manual for the rockwood bit and no user manual for the chevrolet bit ie what do the switches on the dashboard do etc. i'd be much obliged if anyone can tell me where i can get hold of these or would let me email them or phone them for some advice

cheers
derek


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## MicknPat (Jul 18, 2005)

8O Wow Superk  

What a first posting, you have made some excellent points which I am sure will come in very handy.

We intend to sell our house to buy an American RV as well as possibly buying a smaller house for the postal address etc :wink: 

But it is our intention to use the ARV Full time to tour Europe for as long a period as we can.

I am fairly satisfied that the Damon Daybreak we are considering meets with all UK licencing requirements.

But am open to any other vehicles similar to the Daybreak

We currently have a 7.95metre caravan and have been caravanning for 6 years so are only to familure with the lack of pitch size at some of the French and Spanish sites.

I look forward to further postings from yourself,perhaps you could suggest a good insurance company as well as adding any good sites you have stayed on and can recommend for ARV's.

Thanks again


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## olley (May 1, 2005)

I know I am being picky but I belive the maximum legal length has just been increased to 50 feet

olley


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## johnsandywhite (May 9, 2005)

Hi *Superk*. You raise some good points that have been discussed prevsiously on different threads. We mainly Wild Camp and more often than not in Spain. Dumping as you say can be a problem. But it's just a matter of finding suitable places and regulating the use of on-board facilities. Power supply will only be a problem if you want to run all the Air Cool, Microwave etc all together. Again, it's just management. Most people buy a large RV not for the Full-Timing capabilites, but for the comfort and space. Of course some buy an RV because they want to pose. But that's another story altogether. Access to some sites also can be a problem. So you find one that isn't. Spare parts and fitting to us isn't a problem. We source and fit them ourselves. Same with servicing. Water has never been a problem. Horses for courses as they say. *IMHO* :wink:


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## Superk (Aug 22, 2005)

Hi again

Derek - wing mirrors are not included in the width measurement. Who did you buy the Rockwood Bayport RV from - can't they help you out with your questions? The Chevrolet engine seems to be common to many vehicles imported into the UK and appears to have been original in the Rockwood. I don't think Rockwood as a company exist anymore. You could contact Dreams Rv in West London (perhaps you bought it there) as they provide service for older RV's www.dreamsrv.co.uk. Again if you can get a copy of the ARV magazine I mentioned before there are many companies listed - as an example West Midland American Vehicles service all American Vehicles and stock GM parts www.american-vehicles.com - I have no personal knowledge of them - there are others and even some mobile mechanics. If you go to http://www.woodalls.com/forums/index.cfm/fuseaction/listings/CFB/1/forum/22.cfm a US Class A forum and ask specific questions I'm sure you will get a helpful response there are bound to be Rockwood owners there.

Mick-P - thanks for your comments. As regards insurance we use Safeguard 0800 068 7137 (who insure through Allianz-Cornhill) because they include AA Breakdown within the UK and Europe for under 20 years old RV's with no size or weight restrictions. Otherwise the AA will not cover you and you would have to join the C&CC to get the RAC service and insure with someone else like NFU.

Sorry no time for any more.

Good luck..


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## MicknPat (Jul 18, 2005)

Mick-P - thanks for your comments. As regards insurance we use Safeguard 0800 068 7137 (who insure through Allianz-Cornhill) because they include AA Breakdown within the UK and Europe for under 20 years old RV's with no size or weight restrictions. Otherwise the AA will not cover you and you would have to join the C&CC to get the RAC service and insure with someone else like NFU.
Sorry no time for any more.
Good luck..[/quote said:


> Superk, Are you a Full Timer? the reason I ask is it was Safeguard who called me back after I left my details on their Swinton web site.
> 
> The quote they gave me was for a new Damon Daybreak and that came back at £1,022.86 with £400 excess.
> 
> I had to say I wasn't Full timing....... That was one of the first questions I was asked, I seriously thought if I say yes then that would have been the end of our conversation.


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