Orphan RV
Hunter Hampton
I got this from Good Sam today and it has some good advice.
Do you own an "orphan" RV? Are you considering the adoption of one?
The economic crisis has changed the landscape of the RV industry, and
today more and more RVers are faced with the prospect of having an
orphan rig in their family.
An "orphan" RV refers to a recreational vehicle built by a company
that has gone out of business. Over the past two plus years, a number
of manufacturers including several established big names-have closed
their doors. As a result, many discontinued models have been abandoned
on dealer lots, and thousands of consumers have been left without a
factory to support the service of their motorhome, fifth wheel or
travel trailer.
Orphan Purchases aren't necessarily a bad investment Header
If you are in the market for a new recreational vehicle, chances are
you will come across an orphan RV. Dealers are highly motivated to
move out these RVs and will make some extraordinary deals to reduce
their inventory.
When buying or looking at an orphan RV, understand that it will be
sold to you without a new RV warranty. You may be offered to purchase
an extended warranty for the RV that you're purchasing. Some dealers
will actually commit to cover all of the repairs that the
manufacturer's new RV warranty would have covered, had they still been
in business. However, if the dealer is providing an "extended
warranty," know that this type of assurance does not cover all of the
items that a new RV warranty would have covered. Before you sign on
the dotted line, be sure to get in writing exactly how warranty
repairs are going to be covered.
Despite the discounted prices and additional coverage through an
extended warranty, there are some things to consider before purchasing
abandoned brands. Without the right warranty package, issues and lack
of repairs can often consume the savings made on the original
purchase.
Further, the discounted value of purchasing does effect the resale
value of your RV.
Orphan Owners
If you already own a vehicle and the manufacturer of your RV is no
longer in business, don't expect warranty or recall work to be
covered. However, many of the vehicle's individual components, such as
the chassis, the appliances and certain engine parts, may still be
protected under separate warranties through the manufacturers of those
components. As long as the warranty is still in date, you should be
covered even if the manufacturer is no longer in business.
For additional peace of mind, owners of orphan RVs can still purchase
mechanical breakdown insurance and continued service coverage on their
vehicles. Available through independent providers, these plans will
cover some of the items that a new RV warranty could have included.
They are a great cost-effective alternative to an RV Warranty -a wise
investment if you currently own or are purchasing an RV that is an
orphan.
Good Sam Extended Service Plan Coverage Updates.
To provide members with even greater protection-whether your RV is an
orphan or not-several updates have been made to the Good Sam Extended
Service Plan coverage (as of January 1, 2010). Complete details are
available online.
Coverage of Motorhomes:
* Seals and gaskets coverage for coach components (e.g., leveling
jacks, AC units and refrigerators) has been extended for the life of
the policy.
* Seals and gaskets coverage for drive train components (e.g.,
engine and transmission) can now be extended for the life of the
policy for a nominal additional fee.
* Wear and Tear exclusion has been removed. Claims will not be
denied because the reason for failure of a covered part (under normal
service) is wear and tear.
* Coverage for the mechanical and electrical components of awnings
has been added.
* Increased to 42 inches the size of flat panel display
televisions covered.
Coverage of Travel Trailers:
* Seals and gaskets coverage for all components has been extended
for the life of the policy.
* Wear and Tear exclusion has been removed. Claims will not be
denied because the reason for failure of a covered part (under normal
service) is wear and tear.
* Coverage for the mechanical and electrical components of awnings
has been added.
* Increased to 42 inches the size of flat panel display
televisions covered.
Coverage of Tow Vehicles:
* Seals and gaskets coverage for all components can now be
extended for the life of the policy for a nominal additional fee.
* Wear and Tear exclusion has been removed. Claims will not be
denied because the reason for failure of a covered part (under normal
service) is wear and tear.
Tom J
> Hi Gang,
>
> I got this from Good Sam today and it has some good advice.
In my experience, extended warranties are never a good deal. It is
break down INSURANCE and the insurance companies have to cover a huge
overhead & make a profit. Therefore, the policies are written to cover
all repairs PLUS the overhead and profit. These policies have more
hoops to jump through than B7B circus. For most people, putting the
cost of any extended warranty insurance in a savings account will put
you way ahead in the long run.
Now, not all RV's that were made by manufacturers that folded are
without new rig coverage. I just posted here a few days ago that the
new owners of the Fleetwood Motorhome Division is covering all
warranties on motorhomes produced by the old Fleetwood Corp. There are
most likely other rigs covered the same way so ask when shopping.
Finally, Affinity Group & their major owner (Good Sam) is going deeper
and deeper in the red and their coverage could be in jeopardy.
Tom J
Pepperoni
news:hg1bp5l5h53flhsb4...@4ax.com:
> Do you own an "orphan" RV? Are you considering the adoption of one?
> The economic crisis has changed the landscape of the RV industry, and
> today more and more RVers are faced with the prospect of having an
> orphan rig in their family.
>
My new "Fishin' Truck" is an orphan, and it doesn't bother me a bit. It
is now nearly impossible to find a short rig without slides. The few that
were made were snapped up and the new builds tend toward long, heavy
rigs.
The chassis has full warranty and the options are warranted by their
manufacturer *or* can be easily replaced by new units. Mine is paid in
full and will likely last my lifetime. I know of one similar new unit,
and I'm considering buying that one, too. No more will be built.
At 21 feet, I can drive and park it anywhere. It came loaded and has had
some unique additions, to boot.
Pepperoni
chuckm4689
Is there a list of Orphaned RV's by manufacturer somewhere. As usual
using some of the various search engines one is confronted with 10,000
returns that actually go nowhere close to where one wants to be....
Thanks
Chuck
--
chuckm4689
Message origin: www.TRAVEL.com
wmetellus
Hi Chuck -
My name is Robin and I work at the Good Sam Club. Here is our most
recent list of orphaned RV's...hot off the presses.
RV Manufacturers out of business
National RV
Western RV
Alfa
Travel Supreme
Weekend Warrior
Pilgrim International
Teton Homes
Ameri-Camp
Rag’n
Extreme RV
Big Foot RV
Dolphin
King of the Road
Sunline Coach Company
Sun Valley Inc.
Travelaire
Chinook/Trail Wagons
Adventure Manufacturing dba:Timberland RV
Country Coach
Monaco (2009 and older) – includes Monaco, Holiday Rambler, Safari,
Beaver, McKenzie, and R-Vision
Tom J
> Hi Chuck -
> My name is Robin and I work at the Good Sam Club. Here is our most
> recent list of orphaned RV's...hot off the presses.
The list below is just a drop in the bucket!!! The number of "Brand"
names that have past through bankrupt proceedings in the past couple
of years is way more than twice what you have listed. As an example -
the 30 something brands that were made by Fleetwood Enterprizes in
Riverside, CA among others, like Glendale. I think a publication
directly following manufacturing would have a problem coming up with
an all inclusive list.
Tom J
wmetellus
Tom.
As General Manager of the Good Sam Extended Service Plan, I have a
little different perspective on Mechanical Breakdown Insurance.
First, it is important to understand the difference between a warranty
and a true insurance product. Manufacturers and dealers can offer a
warranty or an extended warranty, and this risk is backed up by the
manufacturer or the dealer, or in some cases, the administrator who
sold the warranty to the dealer. As we have seen with at least a
dozen manufacturers in the past year or so and many, many dealers and
administrators, they can go out of business and leave you with a
worthless piece of paper and nowhere to go for a refund or a claim
payment.
A true Mechanical Breakdown Insurance policy is backed by a licensed
insurance company and regulated by the State and provides a much
higher level of protection than a warranty. When evaluating an MBI
policy or a warranty, it is very important to understand who is
standing behind it- will they be around in five years to pay for your
claim? If you can’t tell who is behind the warranty, then you
probably have your answer. It pays to do some homework and know who
you are dealing with.
You are correct that as with any insurance policy, the premium charged
is, over the long term, intended to cover the cost of claims and sales
and administration costs. I think the important thing to ask yourself
is are you willing and able to take on the risk of a major breakdown
yourself or are you better off sharing the risk with thousands of
other RVers? While banking the money to pay for repairs may be a good
bet on average, the averages don’t always work in your favor, and
that’s not much comfort for the folks who end up with that blown
engine or transmission or even the refrigerator or AC unit replacement
that will take years and years of savings to pay for. It all depends
on how much risk you are willing and able to bear.
Scott Blanc, Vice President and General Manager
Tom J
Since you are in that business, you must be aware that one of the
largest in the extended service plans went belly up. Maybe that's
where you came from??
Tom J
Gar
> Hunter Hampton wrote:
>> Hi Gang,
>>
>> I got this from Good Sam today and it has some good advice.
>
> In my experience, extended warranties are never a good deal. It is
> hoops to jump through than B7B circus. For most people, putting the
> cost of any extended warranty insurance in a savings account will put
> you way ahead in the long run.
>
> Now, not all RV's that were made by manufacturers that folded are
> without new rig coverage. I just posted here a few days ago that the
> new owners of the Fleetwood Motorhome Division is covering all
> warranties on motorhomes produced by the old Fleetwood Corp. There are
> most likely other rigs covered the same way so ask when shopping.
>
> Finally, Affinity Group & their major owner (Good Sam) is going deeper
> and deeper in the red and their coverage could be in jeopardy.
>
> Tom J
>
>
>> overhead & make a profit"
IMO if your financial situation will allow.. self insure all you can..
ie.. biiiiiig deductables....
Now.. just why am I carrying this Good Sam Towing??? :) :)
--
Ol' Gar and Mahoney... Mov'n on the Hot-Rod Bus.. to "new" digg'ns
under a whole new bridge.. down by the river.. NO NAZI's!!
David "The Hamster" Malone
> Ol' Gar and Mahoney... Mov'n on the Hot-Rod Bus.. to "new" digg'ns
> under a whole new bridge.. down by the river.. NO NAZI's!!
As Dr Frankenstein would say.... "Alive! It's alive! It's alive!"
Where ya been, Gar?
David "The Hamster" Malone
Lone Haranguer
>
> Ol' Gar and Mahoney... Mov'n on the Hot-Rod Bus.. to "new" digg'ns
> under a whole new bridge.. down by the river.. NO NAZI's!!
Let us know how things work out. Did you leave bombs under the old bridge?
LZ
Tom J
>
> Now.. just why am I carrying this Good Sam Towing??? :) :)
We have travel insurance that gets us home if something happens to
either of us when we travel. It's for peace of mind for an already
distraut mate if something goes wrong. If we are traveling in our own
transportation, it also gets it home & also includes towing in case of
a breakdown. BTW, many vehicle insurance policies will add breakdown
towing for a very small fee.
Tom J
chuckm4689
chuckm4689;3124956 Wrote:
> Is there a list of Orphaned RV's by manufacturer somewhere. As usual
> using some of the various search engines one is confronted with 10,000
> returns that actually go nowhere close to where one wants to be....
>
> Thanks
> Chuck
I found this list but do not know just how accurate it is.
Out of Business Manufacturers
National RV
Western RV
Alfa
Travel Supreme
King of the Road
Travelaire
Weekend Warrior
Pilgrim International
Teton Homes
Ameri Camp
Sunline Coach Company
Chinook/Trail Wagons
Rag'n Extreme RV
Big Foot RV
Dolphin
Sun Valley Inc
Tom J
> On Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:41:19 -0500, "Tom J"
> <tomn...@earthlink.net>
> accident as regards to getting the rig home. They said that the
> "victim", their insured, hadn't notified them previous to towing. He
> couldn't, he was being airlifted at the time, and the State police
> made the arrangements.
>
> Be very careful who you deal with, and read the mice type.
An accident is a whole different ball game!! Luckily, I've never had
to go through that!!
Tom J
Janet Wilder
I'm curious as to what he did to the Nazis?
--
Janet Wilder
Way-the-heck-south Texas
Spelling doesn't count. Cooking does.
Janet Wilder
It's my understanding that members of FMCA get a travel policy that will
return them, their rig, spouse, pet and traveling grandkids "home" if
something happens to the principal driver.
There are several companies that offer this kind of insurance if you are
not an FMCA member. Sky-Med is the best. I had real problems with MASA
and would not recommend them to my worst enemy. Others I know who had
their insurance were equally unhappy.
Lone Haranguer
> David "The Hamster" Malone wrote:
>> On Mar 10, 10:16 am, Gar <olg...@myrvspace.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Ol' Gar and Mahoney... Mov'n on the Hot-Rod Bus.. to "new" digg'ns
>>> under a whole new bridge.. down by the river.. NO NAZI's!!
>>
>> As Dr Frankenstein would say.... "Alive! It's alive! It's alive!"
>>
>> Where ya been, Gar?
>>
>> David "The Hamster" Malone
>
> I'm curious as to what he did to the Nazis?
>
LZ