RVer's mistakes prove costly but teach a lesson
By Don Wright

I'm writing this as an object lesson that other long-time RV travelers might appreciate. Keep in mind before reading it that not only have I been an active RVer for more than 40 years, but I also spent a decade testing and writing about RVs for Trailer Life and Motorhome magazines. I'm nothing if not confident in my ability to diagnose troublesome RV problems.

When gasoline prices went through the roof several months ago, I decided we were going to cut way back on our travels by motorhome, and using that line of thinking, I did not renew our road service insurance program. Mistake number one.

After a few months passed, however, I figured I'd better give the coach a little exercise with a short drive around town. I wasn't surprised to discover that my chassis battery was dead and would not recharge. So I bought a new battery, installed it and took the coach out for a spin. That's when I discovered a fuel line was leaking gasoline. I returned home and parked the coach in front of our house instead of in its berth at the side of the house. Mistake number two.

I made an appointment with the local Chevrolet dealer to repair the fuel line, and on the morning of the appointment, I went out to the motorhome and tried to start it.

The new battery was dead. I tried jumping it and charging it, and nothing happened. So I called an emergency road service. Mistake number three.

THE ROAD SERVICE GUY was unable to start the motorhome either, and he said there was probably a serious electrical system problem. I was in a bind. I could not let the motorhome sit there in front of our house all winter, and because I couldn't start it, I could not park it where it belonged. The road service guy said he could call in a tow trick and take it to the Chevy dealership. I told him to do it. Mistake number four.

In order to tow the motorhome, the driveshaft had to be disconnected, and that brought my road service bill to a total of $480. Of course, I paid it. Mistake number five.

After the coach was delivered to the dealership, I got a call from the service manager there, and he said before any work could be done on it, the driveshaft would have to be re-connected. The bill -- another $300. I told him to go ahead. Mistake number six.

That afternoon, I got another call from the Chevy service manager, and he said the reason the motorhome would not start was NOT an electrical system failure, but a BAD BATTERY! They'd be glad to put in a new battery for only $100, he told me. I said to do it. Mistake number seven.

My leaking fuel line has been repaired, and in a few minutes I'm going to pick up the coach and bring it home. And it occurs to me that I will have shelled out nearly $900 because I wasn't smart enough to consider I bought a bad battery from the neighborhood Wal-Mart store.

Don Wright is the publisher of Cottage Publications. His books, Guides to FreeCampgrounds (East and West) are best sellers at RVbookstore.com.

GET RV NEWS HEADLINES FROM TWITTER.