never mind : )

[Stormcloud]

" get tow insurance, or bring an extra grand,,,,bring a few extra grand anyhow"
Not bad advice at all..........

My nickle's worth of free advice..........get towing coverage from Coachnet, AAA or whoever....

We have CAA RV Plus (Canadian version of AAA). Costs about $160 per year for us.
Never have had to use it for the bus/RV, but it's there if we need it.

Best of luck on your maiden voyage.

Mark

[happycamperbrat]

How exciting!! Maiden Voyages are usually eventful for the new owners! Im glad you found someone to drive your 4x4. Im really surprised by U-Haul though....... Others here have spoken about using Uhaul.....

[Rick59-4104]

 I am not trying to sound like a know-it-all here but I do have some advice on driving the bus. Most people who drive a car or pickup focus their vision just a few car lengths in front of their vehicle. Driving something as large and heavy as the bus you need to shift your focus farther out or down the road, several hundred feet down the road. You do shift your vision back and look close in but for the majority of the time in the bus look farther down the road than you are used to.

  It will amaze you at the stupid stunts people will do that will scare the heck out of you while you are driving the bus that you probably would not notice driving a car or pickup.

Just a little advice from a grey bearded Truck Driver who has managed to run a big heavy truck for many years without running over someone. ( And I do get the opportunity to run over someone real often)


Good Luck!
Rick

[rv_safetyman]

Jordan, two comments.

First of all, congratulations on getting the bus!!!   The inspection must have gone well, and the bus looks like a great value.

Second is my PET PEEVE.  I just hate subject text that doesn't let the reader know what the thread is about.  You started this thread with a good subject title and then changed it.  If I had my way, you would have left the title as it was and then added something like:  "update: have problem solved"

The subject title is a sore subject with me, as I don't have enough time to read every thread, so I have to choose what I read based on the title.  An obscure title often leads me to ignore and I probably miss some good stuff.  Good titles make searching easier as well.

Now I will step down from my soap box

Jim

[boxcarOkie]

I would get a rental but am not 25 yet so most won't rent to me and if they will it's very expensive.  I guess I'll keep trying to find someone to go with me.

The ONE-WAY rental is a bad idea, they gouge you too death on one way rentals.

BCO

[belfert]

Liek others said, get towing coverage.  Get that coverage NOW.  They don't take effect for at least 24 hours to stop someone from waiting until they need it to buy it.  Most folks won't wait 24 hours to get towed.

I personally like Coach-Net, but anyone besides AAA will do.  AAA sometimes has problems with RVs because they have different regional divisions and not all offer RV coverage as I understand it.

[Chaz]

Belfert and others are right about tow insurance. DEFINITELY have it. I use AAA and love it!! They bailed me out of a jam a couple times and when a towing company tried to rip me off for 360.00 they took care of it.
Not all experiences are the same, but, personally, I like them. fwiw.
Chaz

p.s. Good luck and congrats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm tickled for ya. It's an exciting time and I sure love mine.

[zubzub]

Don't forget to have fun!  When I drove my bus home, the first hour was terrifying.  I had checked all the safety items twice, but I still didn't trust it, so I stopped after 5 mins...did a walk around then at 15 mins...etc...then i had to crawl down a huge descent cause I still didn't trust the brakes ( I had test stopped from 60 mph...but still).   I did all this at 2 AM to avoid traffic  and in some weird way I enjoyed it all.  Once I had a few miles on the highway everything smoothed out and I relaxed..I love sleeping in the same vehicle I drive in, allows me to put in major miles when I need to and it's way more comfortable....Also no bed bugs.

[Kevin]

Jordan,

Congrats on your coach purchase! I think the 4104's are just the coolest thing ever built, but perhaps I'm biased.

FWIW, I wholeheartedly second Rick's valuable advice regarding driving the (my words here) "Queen Mary" for the first time. Like he says, inevitably an idiot will dart into your lane in front of you - just as the (way-too-quick) traffic light changes to yellow - and slam on their brakes. You'll find yourself trying to push your right foot through the floor whilst simultaneously hearing the miscellaneous bits and pieces of whatnot (which you're sure you'd stowed securely!) come hurdling forward.

The brakes on my '04 seem very adequate. Until a panic stop. Haven't failed to stop yet, but the acrid stench of hot brakes (once she's hauled-down) has filled my nostrils at least twice that I remember, as I sat shaking at the stoplight, cursing the moron in front of me.

Another thing to keep in mind; The right rear tire is waaay back there, Brother! Bounced over my fair share of curbs on tight right-hand corners 'til I finally got the hang of it, and you don't want to scratch your brand-new Baby! Depending on your personal experience driving large vehicles (and I had none before driving mine) the additional length, challenge of shifting the non-synchro trans (trust me, it gets easier) and possible worries about whether you've made some dreadful mistake in buying some ancient dinosaur may take the normal driving routine a step closer to "overload".

So, be cool. Don't let 'em get to ya when they honk and salute with the extended middle finger (Yours is the dignified, albeit elderly Queen of the road, who will not be rushed from a stoplight) watch those tight right-handers and keep plenty of room ahead for the morons. Oh, and be sure to adjust the rear views before your take off! Jeez, I'm talkin' to you like you were my own kid. Sorry! Best of luck. You're going to have a blast!

Kev

[jordansinthesky]

Thanks for all the advice once again guys and gals.  I wish I had more time to post but am in the middle of a 5 day stretch of 9 plane formations that last 12 hours every day    Insurance is in the bag including towing insurance.  And as for dealing with driving a big vehicle, I may have some issues, but I maneuver large turbine aircraft around hangars, equipment, people, and many objects every day and have dealt with steering and brake failures multiple times.  I hope that helps.  I will keep all updated on my journey.  Blue skies all!

[happycamperbrat]

Yaeh the morons cutting you off, and the right hand turns especially are things to watch out for in driving these large vehicles. But there has to be nothing more frightening then going up in an airplane with any sort of mechanical failure.......... would much rather be on the ground on a freeway in Los Angeles then a few 1000 feet up in the sky by myself with that type of failure!   

You will do fine Jordan!!!

[steve wardwell]

brake a leg Jordan