The First Year and a few Lessons Learned

[Tinman2111]

It was a stroke of luck, we purchased our ‘new to us’ 2015 Thor Challenger just prior to the pandemic. As a result, we now had a mobile home and office that we used as many places as possible while still being able to work remotely. I learned an awful lot in this first year, both from trial and error (mostly error), and from gleaning what I could from the many “experts” on the forum.
The very first outing was quite a challenge. I drove through sideways blowing rain, which made driving on the beautiful 60 freeway with near zero visibility, lifelong construction, and crappy, narrow pothole and debris ridden lanes very challenging. Thank goodness we had a Challenger.

Lesson #1 – Road Hazard Tire Warranties are Cheaper than a “Pete’s Road Service” Replacement
Yip, got a blow out, right front, was tons of fun to keep the RV going where it was supposed to. Although I was fortunate NOT to be on the 60 freeway any longer, I was now on a busy dessert highway with lots and lots of semi-truck traffic, with speed limits as mere suggestions. Two hours and $$$$ later, I was on my way with a new matching tire. I am now a believer in tire warranties if you plan on putting some miles on your RV and maybe driving on some challenging roadways. Sure, my expense was as high as it could be, it was 1:30 on a Sunday morning!

Lesson #2 – No! Two 6V Golf Cart Batteries are NOT Enough to Dry Camp
Well, certainly not with a residential fridge. Over the year plus of ownership, we did a lot of dry camping as well super fancy campgrounds and everything in between. The two-battery set-up would work fine for someone driving campground to campground. They have enough juice to keep your residential fridge going for a stop of an hour or two without any problem, actually longer (about 6.5 hours MAX) before the voltage is too low to run your inverter. On the road driving, the alternator takes care of providing a charge to the batteries sufficient to keep your appliance running. I upgraded my batteries to four 105Ah lithiums and installed a DC to DC charger. I disconnected my alternator’s ability to charge the lithium batteries knowing that I gave up my emergency start (unless I just reconnect the wires). And yes, I also swapped out my converter to a lithium compatible model. Honestly, this has been my best upgrade. Had some issues with a “professional” install, but in the end figured it all out on my own and got it ship shape. I love, love, love these batteries; how powerful they are, the perfect fit, how quickly I can recharge them, and how light they are. Even with four batteries, my RV slimmed up and lost just over 50 pounds! My dry camping is a dream with these batteries.

Lesson #3 – You can Never Have Too Many Tools!
No, you don’t need to bring a complete garage with you, but invest in a “good enough” complete set of tools. Does that mean Snap-on or CDI? No, of course not, a Harbor Freight kit is just fine. Also make sure to pack a multi-meter, trust me, you will need it. Make sure you get a kit with all the cool little bits and drivers. I learned the value of this when I pulled up to the propane fill, and when I went to open the door, the latch came apart (internally) and I couldn’t open the door! Well, I pulled out my handy dandy HF kit, climbed underneath, found the perfect little #2 square driver bit, and proceeded to remove the latch. I filled the propane, and then proceeded to put the darn latch back together (after I picked up all the little parts and pieces with the help of a younger set of eyes). Without the tools, I would have never been able to get propane I needed for a week-long dry camping trip in Ocotillo Wells! Sure, I have more tools than this one set, but you get my point.

Lesson #4 – Carry Spares
Spare what you ask? Well, you decide based on your own RV’s needs. I had (and needed) a spare air admittance valve. It was either replace the valve on a trip or live with the stench from the grey tank! I have also needed a spare stinky slinky. Please don’t ask me why, just know this, THEY DO FAIL! Well, had a spare! I carry spares of other things as well, like a fresh water pump, some fittings, electrical supplies and anything else I think about being able to ruin a trip without immediate access to a hardware or supply store.

Lesson #5 – Trust in Yourself!
Listen, things break, it’s a fact of RV life. With a deep breath, a little patience, and good attitude, you will be surprised at how many things you can repair or replace yourself. Nope, you really don’t need a repairman for every little thing. Use your phone for video or pics to show how what part goes where when you take something apart. It sure makes things a lot easier. Plus, YouTube can be your friend. For example, my step started making a disturbing grinding noise, and rather than “make an appointment”, I looked up the issue on YouTube, ordered the part and just repaired it myself. It was actually pretty darn simple once I started looking at it. I learned my lesson by taking it to a so-called professional when I swapped out my batteries. I should have just made the time on a weekend to do it myself, because in the end I had to troubleshoot and fix the install to get it right. And guess what? your darn RV won’t be sitting at a repair facility for weeks on end! Sure, there are many things that are well beyond my capacity, but so far every repair or replacement I was capable of doing myself. And if I can do it, you can too.

Lesson #6 – Upgrade, modify, or whatever, just make your RV the best for You!
It’s saddening to read the frequent “rants” about how bad this RV or that RV is, and what pieces of crap they all are! This is just not true. You have to take some time to “customize” your RV to meet and suit your needs. I think it is unreasonable to immediately blame Thor the second something fails or needs to be replaced or upgraded. I went in with both eyes wide open and knew what I was getting myself into. Before even getting our RV, I knew the seats were likely to shed and fall apart, and it really didn’t matter which brand it was, because all of the RV’s I looked at all had similar Flexsteel seats. Well, sure as taxes, my seats went south. Instead of going on a tirade on how horrible everything was, I just removed them, took them to an upholstery guy, and had them covered in nice durable and long-lasting marine vinyl. I replaced the TV’s with smart TV’s and went up a bit in size. I knew they were “dumb” tv’s when I purchased the RV, but I didn’t attack all of social media declaring how horrible Thor is for installing the TV’s that they did. (Side note, 5G is a game changer! I have an unlimited hotspot and data plan, and I have been amazed at all of the places I get a 5g signal. I can stream really important programming, like Supercross!) My point is this, upgrade your RV to the RV you really want. It’s a heck of a lot cheaper and more fun to just do it yourself as compared to buying an RV with every top-of-the-line bell and whistle. This forum is the perfect place for this; lots of great ideas and information to get your RV to be exactly what you always wanted!

[Campnjoe]

Great post. Thanks for sharing.

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by Campnjoe

Great post. Thanks for sharing.

X2! That's the correct RV attitude.

[lwmcguire]

Originally Posted by 16ACE27

X2! That's the correct RV attitude.

Truly is, positive thinking and a great attitude go a long ways and being prepared as much as possible if invaluable in the RV life style

[TripleGGG]

I give this post 1000%. I also agree with others, attitude is everything.

[paulwadley]

I am joining the crowd. Some good advice to read.



Paul

[Tinman2111]

Thank you gentlemen for the positive comments. Positivity breeds positivity!!

[ready2travel]

Great information and great attitude, thank you!
We are just starting our first year in our "new to us" 2015 Thor Citation, and with only a few days of travel so far have ran into a handful of problems and concerns. We expected this, so are using these problems to make it into a learning lesson! (well for me, the wife, at least!)

I am finding it fascinating to learn all about how the RV works, how to fix things, etc. My husband is already pretty handy but this RV is quite a different experience than our travel trailer so we will be bombarding this forum with questions!

And sure appreciate all the help from everyone!

[Scubawise]

Good luck. Send these fine folks all things you need help with. I have saved a ton of money and preventative maint advice here is great. Tighten all screws lube everything and please get an independent rv tech

[mdavis501]

I found your message about the first year to be spot on.
I'm looking at a Thor Tuscany 40RT as top of my list because of the drop down bunk over the cab. Was at first really taken aback by all of the negative Thor comments. Nice to hear a more refreshing review.
P.S. I'd love to know more about how you set the inside of your coach up for internet/wifi.
Mike

[fattner]

Great post Thankyou !!

[Party of 5]

As newbies, this was a great motivational post! Thank you!

[Tinman2111]

Originally Posted by mdavis501

I found your message about the first year to be spot on.
I'm looking at a Thor Tuscany 40RT as top of my list because of the drop down bunk over the cab. Was at first really taken aback by all of the negative Thor comments. Nice to hear a more refreshing review.
P.S. I'd love to know more about how you set the inside of your coach up for internet/wifi.
Mike

Hello Mike, I replied to your PM, so please take a look.

[waynetaylor55]

I'm a tinker'er and I love to read about what others have done and postulate on what I can do to customize our rig.

I've installed 200mm super quiet computer case fans in two vents because I don't want to spend $140 on one. I put in a bracket on the (dumb) tv because I didn't like the way it pointed. One of the first things I purchased was a tool set.

As I get more miles on the coach, I'm sure I'll see more opportunities to customize.

Thanks for a great post!

P.S. I did get the tire extended warranty and am planning on getting a spare (just the tire).

[Scubawise]

Tinman2111 nice coach!

12-volt Retractable Fresh Water Hose Reel15 in. Touchscreen AM/FM Dash Radio with Bluetooth®, Garmin® RV GPS Navigation, Back-Up Monitor and Sirius/XM® Prep, Upgraded dash audio with premium 6.5 in. coax speakers and powered subwoofer200-watt Solar Charging System with Power Controller2800-watt Pure Sine Inverter/100-amp Converter360 Siphon® RV Holding Tank Vent CapAC Condensation Drainage SystemAdjustable Brake and Accelerator PedalsAqua-Hot® 400D Hydronic Furnace and Water Heating SystemAutomatic Transfer Switch with Power ProtectionCeiling Ducted Whisper Air™ Central Cooling SystemCummins® ISL 8.9L Engine with 450HP and 1,250 lb.-ft. TorqueDual Roof Mounted Power GIRARD Patio Awnings with Integrated LED LightingElectric Fireplace with Remote ControlExterior 40 in. LED TV on Swivel Bracket with Soundbar with Bluetooth®Freightliner® XC-R Raised Rail Chassis with Atlas™ FoundationGoldHeat® Electronic Heated Flooring throughout CoachKeyless Entry System and Compartment Door LocksOnan® RV QD 10000 Diesel Generator on Power SlideoutPillow top King Size Bed with Tilt-A-View™ Inclining Bed MechanismPolished Porcelain Tile FlooringPower Drop-Down Hide-Away Overhead Bunk with Cotton Cloud™ MattressPush Button StartRapidCamp+™ Multiplex Wiring Control System with 7 in. Screen, App-Enabled and SurgeGuard® Electrical ProtectionRecessed Electric Induction Cooktop with Countertop CoversResidential Dishwasher Drawer-StyleResidential RefrigeratorResidential Tile Shower with Glass DoorSide Radiator Cooling PackageSix (6) Auxiliary House BatteriesStainless Steel Over-the-Range Convection Microwave OvenStudio Collection Cabinetry with Nova Slab Style Doors and Matte FinishTriple, Low-Profile Ducted Air Conditioners with Three (3) Heat PumpsWinegard™ TRAV'LER HD Satellite Dish (HD capable with DirecTV in U.S. Shaw Direct in Canada)Winegard® ConnecT 2.0 Wi-Fi/4G/TV AntennaZF® Independent Front Suspension with 60° Wheel Cut

Optional Items(2) Power Slide Storage TraysDream Dinette® Booth with (4) Seat BeltsRemove Power Drop-Down Hide-Away Overhead Bunk