Sometimes there’s just no getting around it: your RV needs to spend a couple of weeks in the repair shop for something you cannot do yourself. Might not be a problem when you use your RV seasonally, but when your home is your RV, full-time living gets a bit complicated when dealing with a long-term repair. What are your choices? Sleeping in your tow car?
Let’s talk about this. You have several options.
Take a vacation from it all
Just as you leave on vacation from a bricks-and-mortar home, you can do the same in an RV. Is there someplace you’ve wanted to take your family that is particularly difficult to get to with an RV? Some cities or fun destinations don’t have RV parks or the city streets in the center make moving around difficult to impossible.
Book a great hotel, try out a spa, even a dude ranch. Once you know how long the RV will be out of commission, you can make plans to perhaps rent a car, or get a place near public transportation in the larger cities. Of course, there are more than hotels available these days. Consider home sharing or renting through Vrbo or AirBNB.
Ever wanted to see Rome? London? Madrid? Now might be the time. Your RV doesn’t make a good ship!
Don’t forget to check your insurance plan or when you contract for or change companies. Look for a plan that offers hotel rebates during long down times. It won’t cover the entire cost, but can defray expenses.
“Camp” at the shop
Another other option exists: many repair shops and dealerships permit owners to live in their RVs on-site while waiting for parts to arrive or during more complicated repairs. Ask for that option when you book the appointment.
Of course, breakdowns don’t often occur at convenient times or when your bank account is flush. However, if you perform or have regular maintenance checks done, you can often schedule long repair sessions in advance. That’s the ideal situation. That changes a bit when the breakdown is a surprise.
Mobile Repair Techs
Your first option is a mobile repair company. Many RV parks have referral lists for local companies that will come to you. We suggest that you use online reviews as a guide for choosing a repair company. If the place you have parked has long term RVers, you might want to ask them for advice, as well as the manager of the park.
Mobile repair rates range from $100 plus per hour ($150 on average), and some companies have a trip charge that may be determined by the mile or by the trip.
Of course, if you break down on a highway, you’re closer to repair options. Road assistance is included in most RV insurance policies. Pull off the road—in a turn-out if at all possible—and take special care with moving around the vehicle near passing traffic.
Here’s the bad news about RVs: even a new RV may need repairs. RV manufacturing is usually done by hand, not on automated assembly lines. Excellence in manufacturing is, unfortunately, a thing of the past, even in German luxury cars. Before shelling out for a new RV, check the warranty that comes with it.
Here’s the good news:
Riverbound Custom Storage and RV Park might be the best place in the west to break down. With Lake Havasu City, AZ, nearby and an experienced, dedicated onsite staff, your resources for RV repair abound. Calling in a mobile repair tech is a snap and you’ll have plenty to keep you busy, with a pool, sports courts, dog park, children’s play area, café, convenience store, and more. You can even set up a man cave. You might want to consider purchasing your lot after a little time here!