RV Must Haves...?

[Wildcat Chris]

Is this now an RV must have? Sounds like it is at parks...
Wi-Fi Service Has Become A Park


What do you think about wi-fi in an RV? Is it something you'd rather add/configure yourself?

[btmfdr]

I see a great deal of common themes here, one has me perplexed...

'A battery cut off switch....'

My last trailer did not have one, my new trailer does, how will this benefit me? We almost never boondock, just campgrounds with full hookups. How will this change things?

With so many people calling it a must have I'm sure it will come in very handy, just don't know when...

Thanks

[Av8orLou]

A battery cut off switch comes in handy when storing because you will almost always have a parasite drain going on (like your CO detector, smoke detector, clock, radio, etc.) if you dont disconect and after sitting for a while you will have a dead battery. This happened to me on my last trailer a Hi-Lo, I couldnt raise or lower it until I charged the battery or hook up cables to my truck. Needless to say I started to use the battery disconnect that it already had.

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by Wildcat Chris

What do you think about wi-fi in an RV? Is it something you'd rather add/configure yourself?

I'm not sure how you would equip an RV with wifi. Are you talking about a wi-fi repeater? (So that if your park has mediocre wifi your rooftop antenna can pick it up and re-broadcast it? Or are you thinking of something that has a cellular service and can turn the RV into a wi-fi hotspot?

Personally, I can't see either being a good upgrade. Partially because the technology changes faster than people might change RVs. And also as you mentioned, most people who would want it would also want to configure it themselves. It's like a previous question about having a computer built into the trailer.

[Oakman]

While I enjoy having free wi-fi available at RV parks, I don’t use it as a determining factor. I have my own wi-fi in the form of a Verizon Mi-Fi. If I’m in a park that has free wi-fi I’ll certainly use it for everything except banking. My banking is always done on my own secure system.

I do consider free wi-fi one of the better amenties that an RV park can offer.

[awjoker]

Must haves:
*Heated and enclosed underbelly
*Fiberglass front cap (prefer rear also)
*Aluminum cage construction
*Functional utility with slides in (bathroom, fridge, and bedroom access)
*Easy reach winterization (water heater bypass & syphon hose easily accessed without standing on your head, removing screws, or opening slides)

[Terier]

Originally Posted by Wildcat Chris

Is this now an RV must have? Sounds like it is at parks...
Wi-Fi Service Has Become A Park


What do you think about wi-fi in an RV? Is it something you'd rather add/configure yourself?

Based on using minimum Wi-Fi services I rather add/configure myself.

[mike06081969]

1. Locking bumper caps for the "stinky slinky". They're relatively cheap and should come standard. I lost two hoses before I finally bought a set.
2. Rinse system for black tanks. It wouldn't hurt to have a one-connection rinse system for all tanks with a valve manifold to choose which tank you are rinsing.
3. 2" receiver hitch.
4. Reverse lights on the trailer.
5. More reliable tank level indicators would be nice, along with an alarm feature when a tank reaches full.
6. Dirt Dauber screens ought to be standard.

[BigTJohn]

@ nuisance you do have a 12vdc socket. It's in the antenna booster in the ceiling of the entertainment center.

[campnqueen]

HHhhmmmmm? Just five? Well Okay.

1. My Hubby
2. My dogs
3. Cold beers
4. Great bar-b-que grill (Volcano) with pork lion, steak, salmon, etc
5. My recline in a bag chair

[Blackrock]

I am in the process of upgrading from a tent trailer to a 25' straight pull trailer. We found a Flagstaff 25DS with about everything we wanted.
1: Two entrances,one right to the front bed and a rear door into the galley and bathroom means we don't have to run the slideout out to make lunch on the road or to make a potty stop.
2: Comes with an outside gas grill so I can grill the steaks while she makes a sald and such.
3: 36 gallons of water plus large gray and black tanks.
4: Main battery disconnect
5: Quick anti freeze connection for winterizing.

[nuisance]

Originally Posted by BigTJohn

@ nuisance you do have a 12vdc socket. It's in the antenna booster in the ceiling of the entertainment center.

Yes we do but since we put in a larger TV I will have to check if I need to have one made longer for charging the cell phones. That is the only one in the trailer.

[Timex]

Now understand, we only go camping 2-3 weeks a year and a few weekends too. If we were to go on longer trips my needs might be different. We have the 2012 Flagstaff 30WRLTS VLite so my wants are going to be based on that.

1. On my model, we have 2 slides in the rear living room. I would like the dinette and the opposite couch to be reversed. This way the exterior storage compartment(under the dinette) would be on the curb side. This way a storage compartment would be on the entrance door side.

2. Light switches on the wall for ALL the interior ceiling lights. As now, all we have is 1 hall light, and bathroom lights on a wall switch.

3. A dedicated switch to turn the water heater on/off on the electric. The switch now just turns the gas on to the heater.

4. Even though I put levels on all my trailers, there is no guarantee I am getting them perfect when I mount them. Levels should be installed on every trailer of any kind before leaving the factory.

5. Smaller sink in bathroom would make room for a larger counter.

Of course:

Just a few dollars more you could have better faucets, electrical outlets, tires, 1/4" paneling(wouldn't add that much more weight) for the walls instead of that thin *&%@!

I don't need wifi, satellite, or even a fresh water holding tank. Would rather have a larger grey water holding tank.

As Forrest Gump says, "That's all I'm going to say about that".

[Wildcat Chris]

Thanks for all the really great input! Anyone else have anything to add?

Seems that battery disconnect is the single most requested item...

I just wanted to say, I really like the "purist" approach to this post (although we can't help much from here!)...

Originally Posted by campnqueen

HHhhmmmmm? Just five? Well Okay.

1. My Hubby
2. My dogs
3. Cold beers
4. Great bar-b-que grill (Volcano) with pork lion, steak, salmon, etc
5. My recline in a bag chair

[ken0042]

The one thing to add is to make sure there are decent tires on the unit. There are a number of threads here about people (myself included) having issues with the cheap Trail Express tires that Forest River puts on so many of it's trailers. I'm not sure if the Wildcat line uses higher end tires; so this could be a moot point.

What is especially mind boggling is that my trailer came with really nice rims; so nice that people often ask if I bought those aftermarket. So instead of putting $50 tires on $200 rims, why not put $120 tires on $100 rims?

[scor1pion]

Hmm, only 5.

1. Better Tires
2. Battery Disconnect
3. Water heater closer to faucets
4. A dry camping ordering option
A. Larger Fresh Water Tank
B. Dual Batteries
C. LED Lighting

Generators. Blows my mind that there aren't more offerings for built in generator options for travel trailers and 5th wheels. We haul around self contained houses that can do every thing but power themselves, unless its 12v. Would be nice to have built in due to the weight and security issues.

Better Quality Control, see to many issues where units come off the lot where manufacturer and dealer didn't catch it. Bad plumbing, leaking slides, leaking sky lights, entertainment systems that don't work.

Not really a "must have" but a "must change" in my opinion.

I see several models from various manufactures that have their electric hookups next to their outside showers. Surprised thats even legally allowed. Those 2 shouldn't be anywhere near each other.

[great white]

Ya wanna impress me?

Build something like this:





and put it on every model with a black/gray water tank so i don't have to try and find a place to store the stinky slinky in the trailer next to anything else and can be easily hosed out if/when it does get contaminated by the "stuff" left in the hose.

Sticking it in the rear "bumper" is a joke when something dedicated to the purpose (like the picture) is soooo easily made. Pulling the hose back and forth in the metal bumper also scratches and damages the hose which can lead to.......unpleasant........surprises.

[Terier]

Originally Posted by great white

Ya wanna impress me?

Build something like this:





and put it on every model with a black/gray water tank so i don't have to try and find a place to store the stinky slinky in the trailer next to anything else and can be easily hosed out if/when it does get contaminated by the "stuff" left in the hose.

Sticking it in the rear "bumper" is a joke when something dedicated to the purpose (like the picture) is soooo easily made. Pulling the hose back and forth in the metal bumper also scratches and damages the hose which can lead to.......unpleasant........surprises.

Ditto!

[myredracer]

Last kick at the can:

Please, please, will someone stop installing that "standard", cheesy-looking, 1970s-era linoleum in RVs. Dang near every RV out there has it. Either install real laminate flooring, or at the least, genuine simulated sheet flooring that's looks like laminate plank flooring. Please?

For the shorter people in life (like DW), install switches on the wall for all lights and fans. For height-challenged folks, it's impossible to reach some of the lights, not to mention how inconvenient it is.

Otherwise, get with the program and listen to people's suggestions herein. There's lots of great ideas here. Stop cranking out the some 'ol stuff year after year.

[onetonford]

I liked the Idea about the light switches. also need cabinets to have shelves and a little lower for the DW she just can't reach and a step into the bed room area that is either wider and less height maybe double steps instead of the one step that is just too high....