RV newbies with 2017 Forester 2401W finally at dealer ... A little nervous!

[RVLifeIsGood]

Well, the day has finally arrived, and the Forester 2401W we ordered in February is at the dealer .... One would think we would be more excited than scared, but nerves taking over! So much to learn and where to start? Not the least of which is deciding on insurance and finding an available secure (and dry!) storage space in the Houston TX area ... Seems we waited to the busy time of year to start looking for storage, and first round of choices full.

Have learned so much from reading posts on this forum so far, and now overwhelmed by what to do first given all the recommendations. First things first ... Any advice re:
- Insurance decisions
- What additional equipment to add on to this model at dealer before we leave lot
- Resources for learning for RV newbies
- Anything else I should be thinking about but don't know I should??

Thanks in advance for any advice ... Looking forward to getting past this phase and onto the traveling phase!

Kelly

[dukeboone]

Couple of quick thoughts... I went with Progressive for insurance as I got a discount through USAA as they do not insure motor homes directly. I've read a lot of positive reviews of Good Sam, but the cost differential was enormous. I also just recently installed sumo springs on the rear and like a lot of people here have said, it made a considerable difference and very much worth the investment. Cheers

[KatanaPilot]

Be careful how much you load into the MH. There is a yellow placard on the inside of the drivers door jamb that will tell you the payload capacity for your specific MH. The MBS chassis is pretty limited and easy to overload past the 11,030 pounds max weight.

Unless FR has finally listened to all of us that have had issues, the Curt taillight controller is mounted in a poor location (rear bumper area) and is vulnerable to water intrusion. It has several failure modes, including loss of taillights. There are a couple of good modifications posted on the forum that you might consider.

Check out the MBS, Forester and the Solera forum for a lot of good information on other issues and recommendations.

[RVLifeIsGood]

Thanks dukeboone and katana ... Will check out the USAA insurance option since I am a member and have a boat insured with them. Does their RV policy have all the bells and whistles for RVs like towing, enhanced coverage for stuff like awnings, etc?

[RVLifeIsGood]

Thanks dukeboone and KatanaPilot. Will definitely check the USAA Progressive option and review the sumo springs posts. I know I'll be challenged on weight ... I do like to have my options along for the ride!

[JLeising]

Check the tire pressures. Several have had problems getting the tire air pressure measured correctly with the factory extensions. My dealer said he checked and corrected, but improperly checked the outer duals due to the AirFlex (orange tubes with black nylon-like ends) extension peculiarities. Important that the inner and outer duals are at the same pressure. My dealer had the inners set at 80 psi, the outers at 65 psi. I believe he adjusted the pressure in the outer valve extensions to 80 psi, thinking he had adjusted the tires... The cores on the AirFlex extensions were not depressing the tire valves.
Also exercise the slideouts several times to ensure they are working correctly. Several reports (including by me) of slideout issues as delivered.
Exercise thoroughly the radio/entertainment system/ GPS. Again, several of us have had issues as delivered.
Enjoy!

[mtnlvr]

If your still at dealer a couple of little items worth while if they carry them; vent covers to keep out rain and while driving w/ vents open, handle for screen door, rear stabilizer for windy driving. The major items that are nice and pricier; auto leveling jacks, solar on roof if planning on frequent boondocking. A memory foam mattress topper is also nice to add.

[poppytoymaker]

Always be aware of your height, width and overhang everything else will fall into place.

[RVLifeIsGood]

Thanks all who have responded thus far ... It takes a village.

[brandon 2]

We have found here in BC that our Home insurance covers personal items in our motor home. In any event our Motor home policy for $505.00 a year covers us for the following\; Basic Road Emergency Service , Additional living expense for 2,000,Fire and theft , guaranteed replacement cost in the policy is $58.00 , Damage deductible is Zero, Contents to $5,000.
We cannot complain about this one. License for the unit is of course separate in our province.


Brandon2
2014 2500TS
Sun Seeker

[Forester Fred]

Make sure you know where every water valve is and what it turns on or shuts off. Know where all your water drains are too. I learned the hard way when I turned on my water pump but forgot to close the drains....lost 1/2 my freshwater tank before I realized what was happening.

Also, check your compartment locks. They're probably the industry standard that everyone in the world has a key for. I changed all mine the first week I had the motorhome.