Keeping Your Cool While Traveling
In response to Joey Latterman in her letter, “How Do You Stay Calm?” (June 2019 “Readers Write,” page 12), my answer is, we make sure we are well rested, well fed, and have plans. And when the unexpected happens (as it always does), I break out some easy-to-munch snacks for the driver and the passengers.
We have been RVing now for 10 years. We have had TVs fall off the wall between us; have had the RV lose hydraulic fluid (and thus its power brakes); have experienced multiple flat tires; have had the refrigerator doors swing open and hitch balls come loose; and have had air conditioners quit working at 90 degrees. Yet, somehow, we continue to get back in that RV, look forward to meeting up with friends, and find that smile “just up the road a bit.”
Mary Warner, F400547
Sparta, New Jersey
Great Body Work
While driving our 37-foot motorhome back from Florida this spring, I had an encounter with a steel post at a fuel stop — and I lost! I damaged two compartment doors. After we arrived home, I called my insurance company and they recommended RMS of Hanover, Pennsylvania.
Manager Cecil Snyder took pictures and looked everything over. Within a few days, he had a schedule for the work to be done in between trips we had planned. When I took the motorhome to the shop, he assured me it would be done on time, although I was skeptical.
Amazingly, the motorhome was completely repaired on the date promised, and it was a great job. The paint matched perfectly. I would truly recommend this shop for body work, state inspections, and total services of all types of RVs. RMS of Hanover (FMCA commercial member C13805) is at 1083 Carlisle St. in Hanover, PA 17331; (717) 637-4990; www.rmshanover.com.
Thomas Hoffmeier, F361811
Gap, Pennsylvania
Help During A Painful Time
My wife suddenly became ill on Saturday, March 16, 2019, while we were at our winter home in Florida. We went to the emergency room, and she was admitted to the hospital. I decided to call Seven Corners, which administers the FMCAssist Medical Emergency and Travel Assistance Program. They took all the information and said to call back if we should need assistance.
By Wednesday evening, the diagnosis was pancreatic cancer. She would have to go to Tampa for treatment. She wanted to go back home to Ohio instead, but the doctor said she could not stand such a long trip by car.
Seven Corners took over from there. She was released from the hospital Friday, and on Saturday, March 23, Seven Corners arranged to have us taken to the Orlando airport. We landed in Ohio that afternoon and were taken to a cancer clinic at Ohio State University.
On March 25, Seven Corners had our van picked up at our Florida home and shipped back to our home in Mount Vernon, Ohio, arriving on March 27.
Unfortunately, there was nothing they could do for my wife, Thelma, and she passed away April 12. I lost my copilot after she put up a brave fight.
I am so thankful to FMCA for this great benefit. It is something you hope to never use, but we never know what may happen or where we might be at that time.
Dave Shelton from Seven Corners was great in taking care of us. He kept me informed at all times what was taking place.
Thank you, Seven Corners, for all you did for my wife and me. May God bless all of you.
Harold W. Caldwell, F276391
Mount Vernon, Ohio
Arizona Service
We were just pulling into an RV park when all of a sudden we lost our rear air brakes, right at the check-in office. The owner told me to start the motor and build up air pressure to release the parking brake, and to continue to our campsite, which we did. I asked some people in the campground if they knew of a mobile repair shop in the area, and they told us Bondurant has a service based in Hereford, Arizona. I called and spoke to Allen Bondurant and he said he would be out the next day.
He found we had an air leak in the left rear brake assembly, and he needed to replace an air hose. He came back the following morning with the part and fixed the problem. We were so happy with his work, and he charged us a very fair price.
If you are ever around Tombstone, Arizona, and need a repair, please give Bondurant RV a call. They really go out of their way to help you. They are on Facebook as Bondurant Mobile RV Service; phone (520) 378-0549.
Norm & Cathy Hardy, F465177
Meadview, Arizona
Fast, Top-Notch Fix
Our propane-powered generator was failing in our 2018 Navion. We were able to get timely service at Cummins Sales and Service in Mobile, Alabama, where they diagnosed the problem as a “possibly bad regulator.” Unfortunately, they were unable to perform the replacement.
We called other repair facilities but could not get an appointment for at least three weeks. Then we called Johnny’s RV Service Center in Theodore, Alabama. They agreed to work us in immediately. They confirmed the Cummins diagnosis and, when replacing the high-pressure regulator at the propane tank didn’t resolve the problem, they replaced the low-pressure two-stage regulator at the fill port. That fixed it immediately.
We suggest that Johnny’s RV Repair (5688 U.S. 90, Theodore, AL 36582; 251-653-1049) be your first choice for service in that area. They are competent and unusually fair. In our case, they didn’t charge for the first replacement regulator, leaving it in place. Johnny is a true gentleman and genuinely interested in the welfare of his customers.
Dan & Rita Stuart, F437783
South Lyon, Michigan
Memorable Memorial Day Repair
For several years, we have made Myrtle Beach’s Lakewood RV Resort our first extended stop while fleeing the Florida heat. This year we stayed three weeks, to get in Mother’s Day and Memorial Day.
On the Sunday before Memorial Day, we had a sudden power failure in just our electric connection. Due to the large crowd, I figured it was a brownout, but our automatic generator starter kicked in and got the A/C units going. I checked the 50-amp plug and found only one side had power.
A Lakewood service technician found one breaker was not functional and the plug was cracked on the ground. He changed both and got power back, but our coach still would not accept the shore power. We went all night using the generator.
Monday, Memorial Day, I called several mobile repair dealers and Winnebago dealers. Carolina RV’s service manager said that their mobile units were booked, but if I could get my RV to their shop within the hour, they would look at it. We made it.
Between the error message on the panel and the smell, they determined that a faulty ground burned out our automatic transfer switch. Fortunately, they had a replacement in stock and installed it on the holiday in two hours. They even checked to make sure it was working properly when we got back to the park.
It was great service from professional people who care about the customer (Carolina RV, 843-213-1554, www.carolinarv.com).
John & Anne Glowacki, F408319
Bonita Springs, Florida