Welcome back!
This discussion centers on the all important learning period…that coincides with really understanding what can…and will…go wrong with your RV!!! We’re talking about the shakedown trip. For my crew and I, this was actually a series of trips. The shakedown is something that you want to do soonest after you buy a new rig of any sort whatsoever. Doesn’t matter if it’s brand new or just new to you!
There are many reasons behind why you want to do this! First and foremost is get to know your rig. Every single rig that you encounter is going to have different quirks, squeaks, and issues. These endearing flaws will drive you to do different techniques and maybe alternate methods than you used in your previous rig.
On the other hand, if you’re brand new to the RV world, then just understanding every single thing that you have to do…
from preliminary planning…
through getting to your campsite…
to making it all the way back home…
…can be stressful to say the least!
These shakedown trips really help you to understand not only how to plan and prepare for your trip, but how to actually use your your camper while you are out and about. This happens while you’re making those lifetime family memories!
Another great aspect of the shakedown period is that you will grow habit patterns (hopefully the right ones that keep you and your team safe, happy, and camping!). You can start to grow your own personal checklist with how you’re going to do something day in and day out. Establishing those positive habit patterns will keep you safe and you’ll see over time some of the mistakes that you will make (we all have!) is to actually find and hopefully fix problems along the way.
Finally, when you buy an brand new RV that first year is typically your best time to get anything fixed – especially if they are warranty items! So you want to identify those problems fast so you can get onto the dealer’s repair list quickly. This need is driven by the waiting period at the dealer, which can be quite significant – especially since so many RVs have been sold in the last 2 years (2020 saw over 500,000 RVs registered!).
These shake down trips early and often is going to enable you to have much better success later on when you’re actually hitting the road. Pay attention to all the noises and roll in quickly – get that shakedown complete and the next step will be to get ready to hit the road and generate those lifetime memories!!!!
See you next week!