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John Gaver

We realized some months back that, whatever motorcoach we ultimately purchase, we will need to have it professionally inspected, before we drive it off the lot. Interestingly, I’ve learned that even applies, albeit to a lesser degree, to brand new motorcoaches, purchased at the factory. But when I got to thinking about what kind of inspector I would want to hire, to inspect our prospective motorcoach, I realized that there was going to be a problem.

That problem is that very few people on the whole planet have been able to achieve my exalted level of Obsessive Compulsive Prowess (OCP). Note that some people call it Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). But being Obsessive Compulsive does not mean that you have a “disorder”, to be cured, but rather, that you have been given a great “gift”, to be nourished and developed. 😂 But I digress.

What this really means is that I doubt I could find an RV inspector, who would be as anal as me.

So I got to thinking (which is something I’ve tried to avoid, since retiring). I’m an engineer. At least that’s what my degree says. To get that degree in electronics, I put myself through college, in part, by being a motorcycle mechanic. I’ve also rebuilt automobile engines. Later, when I was running large computer departments, I had to learn all about backup generators and HVAC (high volume air conditioning) and its associated plumbing and electrical issues. In fact, when looking at the list of tools that an RV inspector needs, I realized that I already have all of those tools and more, in my tool box. In other words, I have, not only the aptitude and background needed, to become an RV Inspector, but the required tools and a knowledge of how to use those tools. It seemed like a natural fit.

Long story, short… I decided to become a Certified RV Inspector, so I can do my own inspection. That way, I’ll know that the guy doing the inspection of my prospective motorhome, is as knowledgable and obsessive as I would be, since that inspector will be me. And, who knows? I may find some folks on the road, who need a really obsessive compulsive RV inspector.

I’m looking into classes, now and expect to have my certification, before we make our purchase.

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The 2017 Central Gulf Coast Boat, Sport and RV Show in Lake Charles

Yesterday (Friday the 13th of January) we drove over to Lake Charles, for the Central Gulf Coast Boat, Sport and RV Show. I think this was primarily a Dixie RV Show, with other dealers bringing what Dixie wasn’t showing.

There was one Super C motorhome, but we didn’t spend any time on it. There were a lot of class A gasoline motorhomes there by Thor, Winnebago, Jayco, and others. But besides taking a quick look at a Thor gasoline toy-hauler, we didn’t bother with them.  That was because we still had a long drive back to Houston facing us and we just didn’t want to waste driving time on coaches of no importance to us. The big class A diesels were Tiffin and Entegra. They pretty much had one of everything, in those lines. They also had an American Coach there – the Revolution – that was quite impressive.

Entegra was represented from Insignia to Cornerstone

As Becky and I have seen before, both Tiffin and American make very fine motorhomes. But we were more impressed with the Entegra. American Coach doesn’t have a floor plan that meets our needs and the Entegra just seemed to be a percent or two better on several counts that we consider important, than the Tiffin. In fact, it’s so close between those two, that we could easily change our minds, before we buy. We really like the American Coach, but as I said, we just can’t find one that fits our requirements. We both think that American has, by far, the best interior designers of all production motorhomes (period). They just don’t have a floor plan that suits us. If they did, I think our decision would be made. Bummer…

Tiffin was well represented at the show, too.

We did do one thing that we really wanted to do at the show and that was talk to an Entegra rep. Todd Hahn, who is the Regional Sales Manager for Entegra, was at the show and he was very helpful and informative. He answered all of our technical and design questions, regarding the various Entegra models.

Speaking with someone from Entegra was important for us since, to our knowledge, Entegra will be the only major brand of production motorhome that is NOT represented at the Houston RV Show, next month. We can speak with representatives from all of the other manufacturers at that time. But the Lake Charles show would be the last chance we would have, to talk to an Entegra representative, till we make our road trip to Indiana, in a few months.

The Lake Charles show was certainly not the biggest show in the world. But we found it to be well worth the drive. Now we can hardly wait for the 53rd Annual Houston RV Show, in February. I’m told that it is the largest all-indoor RV show in the world. But then, that’s to be expected, isn’t it? After all, everything is bigger and better in Texas.