Motor home a true home away from home

Travel is a dream of many families, retired couples, or just about anyone that wants to experience the freedom and flexibility to journey and explore the great natural beauty. Motor home a true home away from home, they have the beauty, elegance, and functional value of any house or hotel room. Be it just for a simple outing or an adventurous trip, motor homes are the best way to travel.

The Class A motor home is the biggest motor home on the market and it is sometimes considered the most luxurious as well. It is well furnished with a cockpit, a living area, a kitchen, a bathroom, and a bedroom. You can also add features such as ceramic tile, hardwood floors and cabinetry, and even a hot tub. The furnishings can be simple or designer fabrics or even leather. Entertainment centers range from a simple television and stereo, to a couple of flat screen TVs with satellite and an outdoor sound system. Safety features can include a rear view video camera with audio capabilities, audible back up warning signal, adjustable seats and power mirrors.

motor home : Life should be so ‘TWEET’

CLAREMORE, OK — When Ken Broostin drives down the highway, other drivers stare.

Some point, while others laugh and wave.

But, when you’re driving a motorhome that looks like an enormous Tweety Bird, attracting attention is to be expected.

“This is ‘Tweety’,” said Broostin, of Foyil, sliding the side door open on the bright yellow motor home. “Come on in.”

From the outside, yellow and aluminum, Tweety looks just like its namesake with wheels. From the inside, it has all the comforts of home — stove, sink, bed — with a few Tweety Bird throw pillows, just to make sure you don’t forget where you are.

There are Tweety Bird dolls, mugs, and even a Tweety Bird keychain to help start the classic motor home.

But it was hardly love at first sight for Broostin.

“My wife, Doree, and I were looking to buy a motor vehicle a few years ago, when we saw ‘Tweety’ at a lot in Catoosa,” he recalled. “At the time, we both saw it and kind of went ‘ Ugh! We don’t know about this ...’ but it eventually grew on us, and now, Doree doesn’t want us to ever get another one — she says ‘Tweety’ is her favorite.”

Doree isn’t the only one who’s taken a liking to “Tweety” — the family dog, Grizzly, accompanies the Broostins on every roadtrip and “Tweety” isn’t the kind of vehicle that blends into a crowd.

“Wherever we go, it always attracts attention,” Broostin said, a smile crossing his face. “We get a lot of people giving us thumbs up and honking at us — we’ve had people follow us for miles on the road to get a picture of ‘Tweety’ before. It’s a lot of fun to drive.”

As “Tweety’s” owner, Broostin belongs to several motor home organizations — the Family Motor Coach Association and the GMC Lunch Bunch of Tulsa among them — many members of which he sees on the road.

“We recently went to Natural Falls by the Arkansas border, and there were about 10 local coaches there,” he said. “We love to go to Padre and Aransas Pass in Texas, but wherever we go, we always enjoy running into other people with motor homes. There’s a real kinship among them.”

Broostin also had sentimental reasons for purchasing “Tweety.”

“Back in the late 1960s, I was employed at Oren-GMC, and designed the generator for these motorhomes,” he said, “so, I remembered working on these (motor homes) when I was younger.”

Broostin and Doree are “semi-retired” from Stonebridge Garden Center, and he’s looking forward to being fully retired so he can spend more time behind “Tweety’s” wheel.

By Tom Fink, CNHI News Service

motor home : Life in a motor home has its moments pt2

After 15 years on the road, John Szekley, who calls Wall home during the tourist season, said he hasn’t found any disadvantages.

“I have all the comforts of home,” Szekley said. His 38-foot motor home has a washer and dryer and a customized computer desk. Most of his possessions are in the motor home.

Ken Ashcraft and Karen Upchurch lived in their RV for almost 10 years. The couple traded regular jobs to become workampers so they could spend more time together and see the country. They follow the seasons, moving north in the summer and south for the winter.

Two years ago, rather than upgrading their motor home, the couple bought a mobile home in Wall where they work at Wall Store for at least five months of the year.

“I never thought I wanted to quit until I quit,” Upchurch said. “The mobile home was a nice change.”

Now, the couple isn’t as concerned about the weather when they travel, Ashcraft said.

During seasonal migrations to and from Wall, they can take side trips they might not have taken with a bulky motor home.

“There are certain roads I wouldn’t take with the RV,” Ashcraft said.

With gas prices climbing, Ashcraft said traveling by car and renting an apartment does not cost any more than driving the RV.

Cheryl Coomer likes the mini-vacations she takes driving her motor home and car back and forth from California to Wall. Coomer makes two trips each spring and fall because she refuses to tow her car.

The trips have become “mini-vacations” that give her a chance to unwind from the frantic pace of Wall Drug.

When Szekley finishes his season at Wall Drug, he’ll head east to visit children in New Hampshire and Florida and then he drives to California where he’ll sleep in his own bed each night.

“It’s not for everybody,” Szekley said. “But I enjoy it.”

By Andrea J. Cook, Journal Staff Writer

motor home : Life in a motor home has its moments pt1

It takes a few minutes and a paper towel for Cheryl Barnholdt to clean her kitchen and bathroom floors.

“I don’t have much to clean,” said Barnholdt, who lives year-round in a 25-foot motor home.

Barnholdt has spent the past seven summers working for Wall Drug Store (See related story on Page A1).

Life in miniature has its advantages and disadvantages, according to men and women who have forsaken the solid foundation of home for a mobile lifestyle that allows them to explore the country and earn a living as “workampers.”

“Life is easier and lighter, if gas was just cheaper,” Dottie White said. White and her husband, Jake, still have a house in Mississippi where a son lives.

For the Whites, home is a recreational vehicle parked in the small RV park that South Dakota’s 1880 Town provides.

“I packed the good stuff and the kids took all the furniture,” White said.

“Living in miniature is not fun,” Kanda Schurr, another 1880 Town workamper, said. Living in close quarters with your spouse 365 days a year means you can never get away from each other, Schurr said. “You’re always just right there.”

On the flip side, the lack of space limits not only your wardrobe, but your neighbors.

“So you wore the same thing six days in a row,” Schurr said. “Everyone understands.”

And, what about all those special things you have to give away or leave behind in a big storage unit?

After living in a motor home for six years, Texan Alberta Keys admits she is starting to miss her things.

Keys and her husband, Tom, are back for their fifth summer at South Dakota’s 1880 Town.

“There are times when I wish I was settled,” Keys said.

She misses the convenience of having a pet door and a fenced yard for the dogs and the luxury of slipping off alone for a little quiet time.

By Andrea J. Cook, Journal Staff Writer

motor home : LAWSUIT SEEKS TO SHUT DOWN MOTOR HOME DEALER pt 2

It is estimated that Hakes' fraudulent and illegal business practices have cost consumers hundreds of thousands of dollars and may have ruined individuals' credit ratings.

One consumer complained that he contracted with Hakes last spring for the purchase of a new motor home worth over $106,000. It was financed, in part, with a trade-in allowance worth nearly $66,000 for two older trailers and a loan arranged by Hakes for $81,000. Although Hakes received the proceeds for the new loan a year ago, he never delivered the motor home. Likewise, Hakes failed to pay-off the outstanding loan for one traded-in vehicle and greatly delayed payment on the outstanding loan for the other trade-in, damaging the consumer's credit record. To date, this consumer is legally responsible for two loans for motor vehicles he does not possess.

Last summer, this consumer traveled to California seeking information about the motor vehicle's manufacturer only to discover that its factory had been out of business for two years. He later discovered that the vehicle identification number used in the purchase contract for his new motor vehicle was fraudulent.

Spitzer's investigation also revealed that Hakes continues to operate his motor home business and used car dealership even though DMV suspended his license this past January. It has been subsequently revoked.

The Honorable Joseph W. Latham of State Supreme Court in Steuben County signed a restraining order temporarily shutting down Hakes' sales business and set a court date for June 1st.

In filing the lawsuit, Spitzer's office seeks a court order permanently barring Hakes from the motor home and used car sales business. The lawsuit also seeks a full accounting of all transactions related to the purchase or sale of motor homes, trailers, and any other vehicles since January 2002 and to compel Hakes to contact credit bureaus to resolve outstanding loan problems for consumers. In addition, Spitzer seeks full restitution and damages for injured consumers, plus civil penalties for Hakes' numerous violations of law and court costs.

Spitzer acknowledged the cooperation of the Department of Motor Vehicles in the investigation and the assistance of Senior Automotive Facilities Inspector Timothy Furlong and Investigators Roy Wakeman and James Magill.

Individuals with complaints against Hakes are encouraged to contact the Attorney General's consumer help line at (800) 771-7755.

This case is being handled by Assistant Attorney General Michael Danaher of the Binghamton Regional Office and Assistant Attorney General Carlos Rodriguez of the Rochester Regional Office. They have been assisted in the case by Investigator David Martin of the Binghamton Regional Office and Senior Investigator Christopher Holland of the Rochester Regional Office.

http://www.oag.state.ny.us/press/2004/may/may26a_04.html

motor home : LAWSUIT SEEKS TO SHUT DOWN MOTOR HOME DEALER

Attorney General Eliot Spitzer today announced a lawsuit seeking to permanently shut down a Steuben County motor home dealer accused of defrauding consumers through various illegal financial dealings.

Gordon A. Hakes, owner of Painted Post Car Mart Truck and R.V. Inc., was served with a lawsuit alleging consumer fraud, deceptive business practices, false advertising, and operating without a dealer license.

"This dealer faces serious consequences for the unscrupulous business practices alleged in the complaint," Spitzer said. "My office will prosecute this case to the fullest extent of the law and ensure that justice is served and victims are compensated."

In the past two and a half years, over 30 consumers are alleged to have been defrauded by Hakes. According to the complaint, Hakes has been alleged to have:

Failed to deliver motor homes paid for by consumers. These consumers have lost not only their deposits, but are now being dunned to make payments on loans for vehicles not in their possession;
Accepted trade-ins as partial payment for the purchase of a new motor home, but failed to pay off the outstanding balance of the trade-in's loan, resulting in threats of debt collection proceedings against the former owner and damaging his/her credit record;
Falsely held out for sale certain new motor homes to consumers which could not be delivered because the manufacturer of those motor homes, the MHC Group, Inc., had been defunct for years. The investigation further revealed that Hakes was the owner of the California-based MHC Group, Inc.;
Submitted loan applications on behalf of consumers without their knowledge or consent and kept the proceeds of the loan;
Convinced individuals to trade-in their vehicles on consignment and then pocketed the proceeds of the sale, forcing consumers to continue to pay on loans for vehicles sold to other customers. In instances where Hakes remitted the proceeds to the consumer/seller, he is alleged to have kept the difference between the established minimum acceptable price and the price paid by the buyer; and
Failed to timely submit documentation to the State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), forcing consumers to wait months to receive their titles and registrations, resulting in delays in consumers' ability to drive their motor homes. Some consumers have never received their titles or registrations.

http://www.oag.state.ny.us/press/2004/may/may26a_04.html

motor home : Lazee Dayz motor home rental

Enjoy the ultimate motor home experience with Lazee Dayz motor home rental. Lazee Dayz motor homes allow you to discover a new destination every day in the ultimate of comfort and luxury. With a central collection location in Derby you can be sure that we are easily accessible no matter where you are in the country.

We have four exciting luxury motor homes available, our 5 berth Kon- Tiki, 6 berth Bessacarr, 6 berth Chausson Flash 3, and our fantastic Benimar Eurable, our motorhome for disabled and wheelchair uses.

All our motor homes are fully equipped to the highest standard, all you require to bring with you is bed linen and towels for you to have a comfortable care free holiday or to try before you buy a motor home.
(Bedding & Towels can be provided for a small additional charge).

In order to maintain the highest of quality standards for our clients, we operate a non smoking & no pets policy within our fleet, although we do have one vehicle dedicated to clients wishing to travel with their pets (subject to a £80.00 valeting charge).

by JWP Computer Services 2006

motor home : Class B Camper Van

These units are an engineering marvel. They have kitchens, washrooms with showers and sleep up to four people and all this is contained in a slightly stretched full-size van with the addition of a raised roof. Class Bs are easy to drive, fit in a normal parking space, are easy on fuel, and are often used as a second vehicle.

Features of the Class B Motorhome
Easy to drive, easy to load, and can be left ready for a quick getaway.

All conveniences of home are built in, including shower, sleeping, dining and cooking facilities. These compact units are an engineering marvel.

Useful for towing: a camping trailer could be towed behind giving you extra sleeping room for the kids or guests. Some prefer to tow a boat or a snowmobile, but it is also possible to tow a small family car.

Full stand-up room: this is achieved by the raised roof, and sometimes by the use of dropped floors, for extra head-room inside.

Fully winterized versions for winter RVing, include a high BTU furnace, heated tanks, upgraded insulation and double-glazed windows.

Copyright © 2006 Go RVing Canada