Owners Praise Their GMCS
I am writing regarding “From Junker To Museum Piece,” a story about a GMC motorhome in the February 2019 Family RVing (page 50).
Last fall my wife and I made an 8,367-mile trip to Key West, Florida. Along the way, one place on my bucket list to visit was the RV/MH Hall of Fame and Museum in Elkhart, Indiana. We were surprised to see Bob and Janet Prince’s big, beautiful GMC on display. We had previously read about the RV in the September 2016 issue of this magazine (“GMC Rebuild Was Designer’s Dream Job,” page 52). I was sorry to learn about their handling problems with the motorhome in the February article.
In 2008 we downsized from a 32-foot diesel RV to a 1973 26-foot GMC. We purchased it from its original owners. After renovating the interior and all the mechanics, we took off in 2009 for a 10,500-mile, 10-week trip to Alaska and back to New Mexico. We had a great trip without any of the Alaska trip horror stories. We had no flat tires, no blowouts, no broken windshields, and no breakdowns. Just one smooth trip.
With many other trips around the country and our recent trip to Florida, we have put more than 60,000 miles on our GMC. I cannot profess to know what might be causing the poor handling the Princes experienced, but something must have been seriously wrong.
John & Nancy Williamson, F410823
Albuquerque, New Mexico
I was surprised to read that the owners did not appreciate driving their refurbished GMC. My first thought was, although it is a beautiful coach, the people who rebuilt it must not have been well acquainted with these RVs. They are not built on a truck frame. It appeared that a lot of weight was added to the unit, not counting the weight imbalance, which would account for their struggling to go up hills and to control it.
Daniel and Diane Lussier’s children travel in this 1976 GMC Palm Beach, which Daniel Lussier renovated to like-new condition.
I am now 60 years old and have been driving a GMC motorhome for 42 years, since I was 18 years old. I took it on my honeymoon in June 1981. It is my dad’s coach (original owner), a 1977 GMC Kingsley, which he used until 2013. In 1995 my dad completely refurbished the coach and added 30 inches to the rear, behind the tandem wheels. Although the coach is approximately 1,500 pounds heavier, it still handles marvelously. With help from our GMC motorhome community, if you do the modifications right, GMCs will perform even better today than 40 years ago, as a lot of improvements have been developed by GMC owners. Some of these owners have automotive engineering experience, and some actually worked at the factory that built the GMC motorhomes or were involved in its development.
We also own a 1976 GMC Palm Beach model, which I bought in 1994 and completely refurbished over the next six to seven years. After all the mechanical enhancements had been done, this coach handled better than when new. Our children now use it, and we sometimes do family expeditions with both RVs.
When I get behind the wheel of my GMC motorhome, it is like I am in heaven. It truly drives like a sports car. The GMC does not wobble left and right, as it is low and close to the ground. There is nothing like driving it on a winding country road, for with the air suspension, it adheres well to the curbs.
I think that your article only portrayed one couple who had a bad experience. I am sure that if you go out in the GMC community and ask around, you will find many positive ones.
Daniel & Diane Lussier, F191427
Brossard, Quebec
Body And Tire Repair Recommendation
While traveling north in our motorhome to Yosemite National Park along California State Route 99, I came upon debris on the road I couldn’t avoid and blew the left front tire and the right rear inner tire. Both tires destroyed themselves and caused major damage to the aluminum body panel skirts and underlying structural support members.
When I returned home, I investigated numerous RV body shops near us to find the right facility that could accomplish the intricate structural repairs and replicate the aluminum fascias. But I could not find a shop with all of the qualifications to do the repairs.
I noticed an ad in Family RVing magazine for OneXtreme Paint & Design in Hemet, California, an FMCA commercial member (C13066). I talked to Alberto Ahumada, the owner, and made an appointment that would require me to drive 180 miles, round trip, to investigate his facility.
Upon arrival, my first impression was that I was in the wrong place. There were many high-end coaches, ranging from $500,000 to $2 million in value, requiring body damage repair, custom painting schemes, and interior remodeling. Some coaches had license plates from across the country. But my repairs probably were in the $20,000-plus range. Alberto assured me that he paid as much attention to a $5,000 project as to a $300,000 project. I was very impressed with the attention to detail, the finished products I saw, and with Alberto and his wife’s family approach to their business.
I brought my coach to OneXtreme for the repair work. Alberto coordinated the mechanical repairs with Redlands Truck & RV Performance Center, including new Michelin tires through the FMCA Michelin Advantage Tire Program in which they participate. I am exceedingly happy with the finished product!
If you want high-quality body repair, custom exterior paint, or custom interior renovation, I recommend without reservation that you contact Alberto at OneXtreme, (951) 201-8676; 483 W. Esplanade Ave., Hemet, CA 92543; www.onextreme.com.
Ralph Doran, F266068
San Gabriel, California
Outstanding Service In Oregon
Fellow RV owners may be interested in great RV services if they find themselves camping around Eugene, Oregon. We recently took our 45-foot Country Coach bus in for some much-needed maintenance and repairs after a 6,500-mile, two-month trip to the Florida Keys and back to California. We left our coach with Oregon Motorcoach Center in Eugene, along with a long list of items needing attention. They were kind enough to keep it and work on our list of items while we ran off to Europe for two-and-a-half months.
Upon our return, the coach was ready to go, although there was a major hiccup with our extended warranty company. It appeared that since our four-year extended warranty was coming to an end, they used every trick in the book to avoid paying for repairs made to our coach. Oregon Motorcoach Center stepped up to the plate in honorable fashion and worked with us fairly to reach a mutually agreeable resolution to the outstanding balance the warranty company left behind.
We can’t say enough about the work, service, and employees at Oregon Motorcoach Center (29417 Airport Road, Eugene, OR 97404; 800-942-6860; www.oregonmotorcoachcenter.com).
Bryan & Linda Johnson, F406570
Newport Beach, California