Barry
   Looked at your link  I'm pricing now,,, ouch,,,,,,, Did you do a tire alignment???

sparky

Glad you enjoyed them,,,, plan a trip to Alaska what a place,,,,  only other suggestion   go to Disney world in Florida great park expensive but fun ,,,,,,,,,   I'm planning  a civil war trip maybe Fall 15 or spring 16,,,, drive up from Houston hit about 10 civil war sites,,, should be fun  I plan  by trips way ahead of time... just about have next Alaska trip planned out,,, easier this time  since have already been once,,BTW going to Alaska is what got me the wife into RVing... 
sparky

Hey great ideal Ron,,, yeah we have those charities donate you car etc  will check that out  great suggestion

sparky

Please read some info on the skywalk.... I heard???  it is very expensive,,,, no pictures etc,,,, I have been by the cutoff to the skywalk numerous times and looks rough  again not sure,,,,   suggestion have you been to the North rim??? or Zion  great places  We just got back from 3 days at the South Rim and had a great time been there a couple of times.. North rim is of course closed now,,, has a great RV park no hook-ups though,,, South rim has full hook-ups Zion has elec/water only  but a dump station   Zion your at the bottom of the canyon North/South Grand Canyon of course your on the top   We had our bikes and rode all over  on all three of these places.

this is my blog for the grand canyon    http://walkingrimtorim.blogspot.com/

At the bottom of it is a link to my flkr account and you can clik on it go to my albums lots of pics of Zion and the Grand Canyon... PS if real interested you can look at the blog for our Alaska trip    were going back this Spring,,,, write back if you want more info

sparky

If you google this trip it shows go to Albuguerque  to Farmington NM to Provo,, then back on the Interstate  has anyone traveled these State Highways???    I like traveling the interstate on such a long trip also were trying to do400 to 500 a day in a hurry to get to Portland,,,(after that were headed to Alaska),, and it seems every time I go these back routes you lose so much time   I would rather stay on I-10 go to Kingman, to Vegas , up to Reno then Portland,,,, traveled the road from Vegas to Reno before, good highway  just steep haha..   Any thoughts would be appreciated.
It adds about 300 miles going to Vegas and up
sparky

PS  were traveling from Houston,,,

Freckles
   Tires-- I have tires that will be 8years old next summer 15,,,,,, they show some small cracking on the side wall and looked great I have 21000 miles on them,,,, how ever they are coming off this winter as much as I hate it, especially the cost... Tons of info on the forum re tires etc,,,, were going to Alaska in the spring it's a 11k mile trip.. does not matter they would still come off.. manufacturers have lots of info re tire life,,, but for peace of mind and to just to be safe I'm re-tiring hehe..... were going to make a break-in trip prior to our Alaska trip  My research shows that I probably will go with the same Michellins 

Hopefully your still reading this thread had to add 2cents,,,,, Yes you can purchase a small A for about the same price or even cheaper,,, but take that same A... go back 3/4 years and see what the re-sale value is today....dollar to a donut it's horrible,,,, now if you go buy a quality A even a small one,, your re-sale is going to be better,,,,,and if you purchase one with the same quality as a Phoenix I'm betting your in the 100K+ range...

   I realize your doing your research,,,,From what I have seen on the market  I could sell my 2350 for about what I paid for it today(purchased in 2012),,,it's a 2008 I could have purchase a brand new similar size RV for about  6000 more,, but my research showed that in 2/3 years I would be  in the hole in the 10/15k range,,, At the age most of us our at we have to be prepared,,, yeah I know don't worry be happy haha... but if I go down or become unable to maintain the Beast wifey is going to sale her,,,and I don't want her to be in position of taking a major hit.

  So my decision to buy a Phoenix was based upon quality and resale,,,   I have looked and spent hours looking at the smaller units 24,25,26 ft and I know I am right ... now have not priced the larger units  28,29, 30  but would be willing to bet the guys that own them will confirm the same....

good luck

Sparky

I vote  all 2012 's not eligible  since you are neither pre or post   hehe

sparky

PS   Aimee   what's the deadline ???

 I think your response is wrong,,, yes   they do use the same refineries,, but I do know that the major companies do add detergents and other additives to their product.... as far as Octane yes there is a difference  not sure if that has an effect,,, and who wants to pay 20 cents plus a gallon for 88 when  86 works find,,, unless you get about 2/3 mpg

sparky   

Good topic,,, so of course have to add my 2cents haha

    First,,, I try and maintain the Beast to good standards,, do not worry to much unless the MPG goes crazy,,    Usually in the 9..... range,,, do know that wind is big booger also

   Question,, especially for some of you guys that do tons of records.   

    Most of us buy the cheapest gas we can find,,, I am a big Flying J fan..... I do know that the cheaper brands of gas do not have the same additives/detergents in them from the more expensive brands,, Shell/Texaco  etc,,,,,   I do a fill up about every 4/5 time with better brand gas or add some additives to the tank......... could buying the cheaper gas make a difference.???      Since it would be cheaper to buy the additives over 10 to 15 cents a gallon,,,, just curious

sparky

My two cents,,    I realize we get heat from the engine area(cowling) and so forth,,, Could the heat from the underside some how be funneling toward the seat area and super heating that area??  I know that we have talk about the carpet,,,, I hope there is a heat shield material under the carpet? Realize the seat is bracketed to the frame.

   Maybe a couple of you guys on the road could do a check of the underside after you have traveled a couple of hours and see how hot that area is under the seat,,, then compare yours,,,,  I'm going to go with something heating the metal and transmitting it upwards... About 125 degrees is very uncomfortable to the touch,, and with that super heat coming off the engine would not take much  Keep us posted
sparky

I saw this tip on RV.com  pretty neat way to make the PC look nice.    sorry the pics did not copy but here is the sight if you want to see the pictures.


http://www.rvtravel.com/?q=daily-rv-tips-issue3029453

RVing Tip of the Day
Refinish those worn-out exterior RV hatches and trim from doityourselfrv.com

Tired of yellowing RV hatches, vents and trim? Consider this method for making the yellow disappear and the pieces look brand-new again! Cost effective, too!
Sun, rain, wind and dust all take their toll on exterior finishes. Perhaps some of the most obviously affected areas of your RV are the hatches, trim pieces and other random plastic inserts that dot the outside. These pieces start out white and begin to slowly turn yellow or brown over time.
You could start the process of removing and replacing every piece with a shiny new one at a considerable cost OR you could use this cost-effective method.
All you'll need is elbow grease, sandpaper, tape and some specialty paint.
An RV owner who goes by the name "Quicksilver" at the GlamisDunes Forum shared this method. He was annoyed with the yellowing RV hatches and trim that housed his dump hose, outside shower and other similar connections.
Materials needed:
• Spray paint (Krylon Fusion was used in this case. There are many colors to choose from.)
• Painter's tape
• Sandpaper (320 grit was used here)
• Caulk sealant (optional)
Procedure:
• Sand each piece that you intend to paint, scoring the surface so the paint will stick.
• Tape off the pieces to avoid over-spray of the paint.
• Start the painting.
• Repeat coats as needed. In this example there were three coats.
• Run a new bead of caulk sealant around each piece after paint dries, if necessary.
This simple method can be used for other surfaces on your RV as well. Roof vents and coverings can also be painted. You could fix up all sorts of plastic pieces on your RV, including side mirror housings, tire well trim and door handles.

sparky






* * *

I have the numbers from somewhere which I posted on the forum awhile back,, will try to find the paint,, (we moved a few months ago,, stuff is everywhere haha)   also read the thread 

just found it
For anyone that has Sunlit lower or Cafe lower sorry can not tell the difference GM55  Light Autmnwood Metallic Had to call PC company to get the number 
I ordered small bottle of touch-up from   www.AutomotiveTouchup.com    light autumnwood metallic 100bHBTL-BC,  also ordered some clearcoat gloss,,  addtionally purchased Oxford White M6466A ( probably could have gotten cheaper white at the auto store quality of the ordered product from them is excellent though)..  Did a lot of touchup on a few bumps and bruise today very pleased.
 I touched up each spot with two coats,, will apply2/3 coats of the clear to help seal the spot.  Did not use the applicator with the bottle. (fingernail polish)    I have some very small paint pens I use.


Also read the thread   SKIN CARE FOR OUR CRUISER,,,4/4/13 we had a long discussion on keep care of the outside.

sparky

Good Job
   Since a lot of us research things wanted to include my alternative to a bike rack.    http://rvbicycleproject.blogspot.com/
I looked a lot of racks etc but went with the folding bikes... just an alternative..
sparky

Good job
   I think I commented last year about using Por 15 a rust remover/inhibitor,,then you have to paint it paint can not be exposed to UV rays,,, so this looks like a better alternative..  it is not cheap either,,,, also messy....
sparky