I understand that slides give more room and are a great addition to full timers. Lately I've been reading a lot about slides failing - leaking being the most common as well as sagging. I'm starting to wonder if the extra room is worth the possible added maintenance issues. It stands to reason that something opening out from the side of a structure RV or a home, will a some point leak as well as possibly sag or perhaps not open or not close.
We are still in the process of looking for our RV (waiting for house to sell) and our slogan is keep it easy - keep it simple. Are slides a constant source of trouble?
Luvglass said
01:42 PM May 16, 2011
We have electric slides on our Carriage and we have had to replace 2 motors in just over 5 years of traveling. It was annoying and once quite inconvenient, (one went while we were being inspected at the border returning from Alaska), but there is no way I would be without slides, this is our home and we want to be as comfortable as possible.
I don't know of anyone having constant problems with their slides, either electric or hydraulic, and I have never even heard of sagging as a problem. I have read of sagging in magazines, but have associated it with low end units.
I don't feel is should be of any concern with the type of unit you would be looking at for full time living.
Good luck with your search,
Fred
-- Edited by Luvglass on Monday 16th of May 2011 01:43:30 PM
Bill Adams said
01:51 PM May 16, 2011
I don't think you will find anyone who currently has slide outs who would go back to no slides. Our coach has no slides and we like it that way as we move frequently on business and cannot afford to get stuck with additional issues. For me, the extra room just means my wife is farther away and she has more carpet to vacuum (grin). We have lived very well and very happily this way since 1997. If you have to find the right floor plan as not all coaches are created equal. If you can find something that works for you not only will you save a lot of possible frustration but you will save an enormous amount of money since no one these days seems to want anything that does not have slides and it's a real buyer market.
-- Edited by Bill Adams on Tuesday 17th of May 2011 10:13:56 AM
RVPAINTER said
02:22 PM May 16, 2011
Bill - with all the research I've been doing I tend to agree with you! We figure most of the time we'll be outside the RV and we read more than we watch TV, so lounging around with the feet up in front of a fireplace is not an issue. We have been in a couple of used 29 footers class c's and larger class a's (most had slides) with the slides IN, they seemed roomy enough for the two of us. Don't care how big something is when you're sleeping it could be any size with Maximun slides and it would not matter. We are leaning towards no slides - however that said there are not a heck of a lot of 29' plus RV's out there without slides. Also as you say resale is not too good for units w/o slides, so that unfortunately is a concern. I've read posts on this site regarding LEAKS and SAGS, so they do happen - admitting to them is another thing. We'd love to find a 32-36 foot class A with no slides!!! They even make slide locks as slides have opened a tad during travel!! Well with the RE market in Santa FE NM in the toilet and just bobbing around, we have time on our slide---(WOOPS I mean SIDE) :>)
igotjam said
02:57 PM May 16, 2011
Slides make the RV really nice but as has been mentioned they can be a PITA. I have a fairly expensive 5er (DRV Elite Suite) and they do leak. In my case an RV body shop spent 20 hours diagonsing my last leak (there were other leaks before). While they have all been repaired eventually, when its raining and leaking its not fun. My bedroom slide also leaks when the trailer is closed up, so even if its stored or we're travelling in the rain, there can be water to mop up. For the last 3-4 months I've had one inoperable slide. Still trying to get it fixed but after being to numerous repair places, waiting for parts that don't fix the problem etc...its now 3-4 months since the problem occured. Having said all that, I'd still have a difficult time without the space slides provide. I have been seriously looking for another fiver 34-38 ft and really haven't seen any without slides. I think there are more motorhomes to choose from without slides though. Good luck in your search.
PS. I have one slide without a topper and rain puddles in the center of the slide roof so there is some slide sag. Its about 14' long and the puddle is over 1" deeper than the edges of the slide.
Bob said
07:13 PM May 16, 2011
Guess we have been lucky. Had a 1993 Carri-lite with one slide and it never leaked. Just traded it this year for a 2007 Cameo with four slides. Changes are good we will have a leak with four chances. But, there sure is a lot more room inside. You may have some luck finding a MH with no slides. Bob
RVPAINTER said
07:36 PM May 16, 2011
Bob- thanks for the feedback. I have found several used class C's without slides at RV Solutions in San Diego CA. Still waiting for the house to sell, but I'll keep track of the ones I do find. I search online and keep an inventory of ones I might be interested in. I also search PPL in Houston TX and Pradata in Tucson AZ.
53 Merc said
07:43 PM May 16, 2011
Gee, I never replied to a post when I was already convicted of being a liar. However, we have 3 slides and have never had a leak on any of them. We do have slide toppers, but still no leaks. We had one slide motor break in Salem Oregon one year. Repaired it and still going strong. Guess I will go to the corner now, since I am a liar.
bjoyce said
08:53 AM May 17, 2011
We have had two motorhomes with slides and have not had them leak or the slides break. We do know people who have had these problems but can't recall another Newmar owner that has had a slide leak. The only semi-common slide problem I have heard on a Newmar, other than getting it adjusted on occasion, are the electric slide locks misbehaving. We don't have electric slide locks. One person at the Newmar service center had a slide that would try to come out while going down the road, it was a wiring issue.
RVPAINTER said
09:24 AM May 17, 2011
Thanks bjoyce for the info. We are still leaning to No-Slides, a Class C or a Class A - I have found some Class A's without slides but they are older 1998-2000 and would not be eligible for a Good Sam maintenance policy as 12 years old is the limit. I don't think I would buy a used RV without that ability. We'll be F/T-ing for 1 -2 years and then P/T-ing 5-6 months a year - during the nice seasons.
bjoyce said
12:28 PM May 17, 2011
RVPAINTER wrote:
We'll be F/T-ing for 1 -2 years and then P/T-ing 5-6 months a year - during the nice seasons.
We went fulltime expecting to do it for 2 to 5 years and we are still at it almost 8 years later with no plan to part time or stop.
bjoyce said
12:44 PM May 17, 2011
RVPAINTER wrote:
I have found some Class A's without slides but they are older 1998-2000 and would not be eligible for a Good Sam maintenance policy as 12 years old is the limit. I don't think I would buy a used RV without that ability.
Be careful. A friend got burned on Good Sam Extended Service since the particular contract he signed required him to do more maintenance than the manufacturer wanted costing him more money per year. He thinks the salesperson sold him that contract since the cost of the proper contract for his RV would have been more and he balked at the price. Some salespeople are such slime.
You are also the first person I remember who felt that policy was essential.
By about 2001 most all Class A's had at least one slide. When we traded our 2002 gas motorhome with 2 slides the dealer was happy it had two slides, by 2004 it was even hard to sell a one slide motorhome.
-- Edited by bjoyce on Tuesday 17th of May 2011 12:45:24 PM
Penny and Paul said
02:55 PM May 17, 2011
Don't discount how much time you might spend indoors. Get one week of bad weather to keep you inside and having to play RV Tetris with your spouse will get old pretty fast.
Have you looked into bus conversions? I was in some that had floor plans designed with no slides in mind and they were pretty roomy.
RVPAINTER said
02:57 PM May 17, 2011
Bill - are there other maintenance programs out there? I know that buying an Rv w/o slides is not the In thing to do as far as reales are concerned. I was 71 this past Sunday and although we may end up RV-ing F/T for more than 1 -2 years, I guess how I age will determine that. I'm a very young 71 now and can only hope that continues. We go back and forth slides/no slides etc etc!! I like RV Solutions in San Diego CA as a dealer - they seem to have a good reputation and some nice used RV's as does PPL in Houston. First the house has to sell - but I am learning all I can now and I keep an inventory of RV's at these places - ones with Slides and No Slides.
RVPAINTER said
03:01 PM May 17, 2011
Penny & Paul - thanks for the feedback - I have not looked into bus conversions - I assmued they were over my budget- but I shall check the internet - thanks.
bjoyce said
07:40 PM May 17, 2011
Now we are starting to understand your motivation and it is not slide or no slide. You want as little maintenance and repair needed as possible so you can maximize your time being a full timer because you think you don't have many years. The Good Sam plan is an insurance policy and they expect to make money on it so on average you will be ahead paying the maintenance and repair costs yourself. You are betting you are the one they have to put out more money than the policy cost you. The policy does not mean you will have less time broken down, it just limits the money you will be out. A friend just got off the road since his wife blew up after another stint in a repair shop, she was done. It is frustrating and no fun to be waiting on repairs. Bus conversions can be had within your budget but they will be over 12 years old. A strategy I have heard works well is to watch about every RV blog or journal possible and watch for people getting off the road and selling their RVs that you can tell maintained them and did not have much trouble with the RV. This might also work for classified ads where a blog address was included, as long as they did not doctor the blog after the fact.
RVPAINTER said
09:46 PM May 17, 2011
Every house we have lived in, the roof has leaked - some with major leaks - the last thing we need is a leaky roof or slide in our RV - to that extent if we can eliminate the chance of leaky slides by not having slides - this to me is more advantageous than the extra room. Also thinking - maybe just one slide in living area instead of say two - now we've cut out leak fear in half. I've had cellars that became swimming pools when it rained and this coupled with the roof leaks I have developed an actual fear of rain! So yes it is very important to me that my domicile does not leak. Am I overthinking this?? :>)
I think we will most likely F/T for the best part of two years and then for only 5-6 months a year - during the lousy weather period where ever we may settle - thinking Bonita Springs FL at present, so hurricane season and muggy summers we would be RV-ing in nicer places.
Decisions - decisions.
53 Merc said
06:07 AM May 18, 2011
RVPAINTER wrote:
Every house we have lived in, the roof has leaked - some with major leaks - the last thing we need is a leaky roof or slide in our RV - to that extent if we can eliminate the chance of leaky slides by not having slides - this to me is more advantageous than the extra room.
Am I overthinking this?? :>)
I have replaced one roof on a house we owned, and it was not leaking, only hail damaged. Never had a basement, so I wouldn't know about the swimming pool aspect of them.
However, yes, you are overthinking this. The probability of a leaking roof is directly proportional to the amount of neglect the seams and caulking receive. A very modest amount of care and leaks are absolutely a thing of the past. We have inspected our roof seams and caulking every two years, with minor minor pointing up of caulk. Never had a leak on our 35 ft 5th wheel with 3 slides. It is extremely important to use caulk suitable to the type of roof in question. For instance, EPDM reacts badly to any caulk with a hydrocarbon content. Remember, sometimes you get what you expect. Expect to have fun and enjoy travel.
RVPAINTER said
06:45 AM May 18, 2011
Thanks 53 Merc - you certainly can put things into perspective. Now if we can just sell this house - we are ready to roll!! We talked last nite and decided that we should buy the RV that speaks to us and get out there and enjoy life. I do agree with you regarding one can end up bring doom and gloom down onto oneself by thinking and fearing the unknown. Thanks!
bjoyce said
09:08 AM May 18, 2011
RVPAINTER wrote:
I think we will most likely F/T for the best part of two years and then for only 5-6 months a year - during the lousy weather period where ever we may settle - thinking Bonita Springs FL at present, so hurricane season and muggy summers we would be RV-ing in nicer places.
Decisions - decisions.
Totally aside from the main discussion I can agree on Bonita Springs. We wintered in Fort Myers twice and liked it a lot.
It would be a big change from Santa Fe. (We have good friends who live in Lamy, NM and love it.)
RVPAINTER said
09:26 AM May 18, 2011
Santa Fe is very nice - it was a good move for us - we use to be part owners in a resort in the Bahamas quite a few years ago and ocean/tropical is our first love for location so time will tell. We've been here 4 years now and we tend to relocate every 5 - 7 years. If I had my choice I would relocate to La Paz Mexico for 9 months a year and RV for the other 3 months (summer).
I understand that slides give more room and are a great addition to full timers. Lately I've been reading a lot about slides failing - leaking being the most common as well as sagging. I'm starting to wonder if the extra room is worth the possible added maintenance issues. It stands to reason that something opening out from the side of a structure RV or a home, will a some point leak as well as possibly sag or perhaps not open or not close.
We are still in the process of looking for our RV (waiting for house to sell) and our slogan is keep it easy - keep it simple. Are slides a constant source of trouble?
We have electric slides on our Carriage and we have had to replace 2 motors in just over 5 years of traveling. It was annoying and once quite inconvenient, (one went while we were being inspected at the border returning from Alaska), but there is no way I would be without slides, this is our home and we want to be as comfortable as possible.
I don't know of anyone having constant problems with their slides, either electric or hydraulic, and I have never even heard of sagging as a problem. I have read of sagging in magazines, but have associated it with low end units.
I don't feel is should be of any concern with the type of unit you would be looking at for full time living.
Good luck with your search,
Fred
-- Edited by Luvglass on Monday 16th of May 2011 01:43:30 PM
I don't think you will find anyone who currently has slide outs who would go back to no slides.
Our coach has no slides and we like it that way as we move frequently on business and cannot afford to get stuck with additional issues. For me, the extra room just means my wife is farther away and she has more carpet to vacuum (grin). We have lived very well and very happily this way since 1997.
If you have to find the right floor plan as not all coaches are created equal. If you can find something that works for you not only will you save a lot of possible frustration but you will save an enormous amount of money since no one these days seems to want anything that does not have slides and it's a real buyer market.
-- Edited by Bill Adams on Tuesday 17th of May 2011 10:13:56 AM
PS. I have one slide without a topper and rain puddles in the center of the slide roof so there is some slide sag. Its about 14' long and the puddle is over 1" deeper than the edges of the slide.
Guess we have been lucky. Had a 1993 Carri-lite with one slide and it never leaked. Just traded it this year for a 2007 Cameo with four slides. Changes are good we will have a leak with four chances. But, there sure is a lot more room inside. You may have some luck finding a MH with no slides. Bob
We'll be F/T-ing for 1 -2 years and then P/T-ing 5-6 months a year - during the nice seasons.
We went fulltime expecting to do it for 2 to 5 years and we are still at it almost 8 years later with no plan to part time or stop.
Be careful. A friend got burned on Good Sam Extended Service since the particular contract he signed required him to do more maintenance than the manufacturer wanted costing him more money per year. He thinks the salesperson sold him that contract since the cost of the proper contract for his RV would have been more and he balked at the price. Some salespeople are such slime.
You are also the first person I remember who felt that policy was essential.
By about 2001 most all Class A's had at least one slide. When we traded our 2002 gas motorhome with 2 slides the dealer was happy it had two slides, by 2004 it was even hard to sell a one slide motorhome.
-- Edited by bjoyce on Tuesday 17th of May 2011 12:45:24 PM
Don't discount how much time you might spend indoors. Get one week of bad weather to keep you inside and having to play RV Tetris with your spouse will get old pretty fast.
Have you looked into bus conversions? I was in some that had floor plans designed with no slides in mind and they were pretty roomy.
I like RV Solutions in San Diego CA as a dealer - they seem to have a good reputation and some nice used RV's as does PPL in Houston. First the house has to sell - but I am learning all I can now and I keep an inventory of RV's at these places - ones with Slides and No Slides.
A friend just got off the road since his wife blew up after another stint in a repair shop, she was done. It is frustrating and no fun to be waiting on repairs.
Bus conversions can be had within your budget but they will be over 12 years old.
A strategy I have heard works well is to watch about every RV blog or journal possible and watch for people getting off the road and selling their RVs that you can tell maintained them and did not have much trouble with the RV. This might also work for classified ads where a blog address was included, as long as they did not doctor the blog after the fact.
I think we will most likely F/T for the best part of two years and then for only 5-6 months a year - during the lousy weather period where ever we may settle - thinking Bonita Springs FL at present, so hurricane season and muggy summers we would be RV-ing in nicer places.
Decisions - decisions.
I have replaced one roof on a house we owned, and it was not leaking, only hail damaged. Never had a basement, so I wouldn't know about the swimming pool aspect of them.
However, yes, you are overthinking this. The probability of a leaking roof is directly proportional to the amount of neglect the seams and caulking receive. A very modest amount of care and leaks are absolutely a thing of the past. We have inspected our roof seams and caulking every two years, with minor minor pointing up of caulk. Never had a leak on our 35 ft 5th wheel with 3 slides. It is extremely important to use caulk suitable to the type of roof in question. For instance, EPDM reacts badly to any caulk with a hydrocarbon content. Remember, sometimes you get what you expect. Expect to have fun and enjoy travel.
Totally aside from the main discussion I can agree on Bonita Springs. We wintered in Fort Myers twice and liked it a lot.
It would be a big change from Santa Fe. (We have good friends who live in Lamy, NM and love it.)