Serious Mess Up

[Susan_S]

Hope all goes well with the repair and baby shower. Quick advice for future...since you mentioned Gorilla Tape, look for a roll of Eternabond Tape (or similar). If you ever catch a branch on the roof and have a hole to patch, or another situation like you just had, this stuff will stick. It will suck to remove for sure, but when you need something strong, you can't go wrong with it. It's like having extra fuses, hose clamps, etc., you be so glad you have it if you ever need it. Best of luck!

Hi Riverbug! Thank you for that! I appreciate your good wishes. We are good now, found a place that helped us, repaired the worst of it and we're able to go ahead. But I'm going ot look for this item because, one never knows...and I'm guessing that if we keep RV we will probably keep messing up from time to time. :-)

Thanks again!

Sue

[Riverbug]

Hi Riverbug! Thank you for that! I appreciate your good wishes. We are good now, found a place that helped us, repaired the worst of it and we're able to go ahead. But I'm going ot look for this item because, one never knows...and I'm guessing that if we keep RV we will probably keep messing up from time to time. :-)

Thanks again!

Sue

After a few mishaps, you'll learn to take it in stride and just expect the unexpected. 20 some years ago our first time out with our new (used) motorhome I managed to over-extend a leveling jack and ruptured the hydraulic line, forgot to lower the TV antenna and ripped it out of the ceiling on a tree branch, backed down into a gulley and ripped one of the mud flaps off, and to top it all off had a blow out on the way home which shredded the wheel well and fender area. All these years later, we're still RVing and there have been more mishaps along the way. It's just part of the "fun".

[D2Reid]

So if anyone out there has any sage advice that is constructive and helpful, I'm all for it.

Late to the party. Sounds like you have a partial solution to your most urgent problem. That's good. A couple of thoughts to share; I have been rumbling around in an RV for about 10 years now. The industry has certainly changed, but supply and demand are a thing, and currently there is more demand than supply. So all of our support folks, GD, Dealers, LCI, mobile techs, are booked, or stretched, or just simply picking the highest paying jobs. Part of doing what we do.

Cosmetic damage is annoying. After blowing a tire that took out a good section of cosmetic fenders it took me almost 6 months to get repairs. Insurance company, dealer, parts, etc. Patience paid off, repairs done. 6 weeks for a recent window replacement, mowing through a rock through it. I get your angst. It would be wonderful to just pull into an RV dealership and say this is broken, please fix it. Sorry, that is not our current industry standard.

Stupid mistakes, assholes in campgrounds, shouters, and otherwise bossy nosy people. As mentioned above I have my fair share of stupid mistakes, rubbing against trees, taking the corner out of a building, swinging my MC rack into a TT at a gas stop, bending the heck out of a landing gear, the list goes on, it's just life. Don't feel bad about it. And when someone is being agitated around you, just take a few minutes to wait for them to calm down. You don't have to buy into their agitation.

As a long time campground host I can tell you that I have seen some amazing stuff. Wrong way, bent way, too tight, can't back up for nothing; and the scene in the Chevy Chase Vacation movie is real, seen it, many times. But it's all good. This is how we learn.

Where the forum really excels is in specific problem solving. No one here can get you service faster, can't make GD respond, can't get the dealer to be responsive/responsible. Can't get a mobile tech to respond. But the forum can absolutely help you define the problem. Bent finders, not a big deal, gorilla tape is wonderful, and then, how to get the parts ordered to fix it. Beleive it or not, that is a big boondoggle for dealerships, you bring the parts and the problem they can do the work ASAP. Waiting on parts is huge, I waited 6 weeks to get a window replacement. No repair facility wants a repair job to sit on their lot for 6 weeks.

And yes, there are times when you will have to abandon your RV. 3 weeks in a motel 6 with 2 pets is not a fun time. We did it, RV fixed, OTRA (on the road again).

I fully feel your pain. To make the forum work best for you post pictures of the damage and what you need. There are a lot of folks here who have been in your shoes and are willing to guide you through positive solutions to your problem.

Let us know when you are on the road again.

Safe Travels!

[TGlock24]

Hi,
I'm actually hoping for a GD rep to read this as we do need help quickly. Also if anyone wants to make any demeaning comments please refrain. We get you'd never listen to anyone else or not ever make this mistake but we did and now we're just looking to fix it. And sorry if I sound angry but at this moment I am. Not at you mind you, at me and my man and our own folly. But here it is.

Coming into a campsite, we made a wrong turn to the site and had to redo the entry. The individuals who were the managers of the site who rolled their eyes at our error...seriously, I'm so tired of bullies, started to direct us and we made the mistake of letting them. Long story shorter we hit a pole that we would have avoided had it not been for the gentleman who was screaming at us.

Right this moment the fault is not the issue. We have a damaged rig and we're going to California for our daughter-in-law's baby shower. We've got two Golden Retrievers so we can't even leave the rig and fly out. I may be sending my husband and just sitting here with the GRs but I'd rather not.

We're not sure that we can get there with the damage and we're in Ohio. I've put a lot of duct, or duck or Gorilla tape on the area and it's not holding. It's bad. So I am hoping that someone from GD sees this and can direct us to some help.

Yup, I'm looking for a miracle. Yup, it's pretty far out of the realm of reality but there it is. Yup we were stupid and didn't use good judgment and that's the way it is....now we're just looking to fix it and move forward.

So if anyone out there has any sage advice that is constructive and helpful, I'm all for it.

And if a GD rep is reading this maybe you can get us to Indiana and get us a few new panels and send us on our way.

Thanks,

Sue

Maybe this late in the year you can find a rental RV.

[kadella]

Hi,
I'm actually hoping for a GD rep to read this as we do need help quickly. Also if anyone wants to make any demeaning comments please refrain. We get you'd never listen to anyone else or not ever make this mistake but we did and now we're just looking to fix it. And sorry if I sound angry but at this moment I am. Not at you mind you, at me and my man and our own folly. But here it is.

Coming into a campsite, we made a wrong turn to the site and had to redo the entry. The individuals who were the managers of the site who rolled their eyes at our error...seriously, I'm so tired of bullies, started to direct us and we made the mistake of letting them. Long story shorter we hit a pole that we would have avoided had it not been for the gentleman who was screaming at us.

Right this moment the fault is not the issue. We have a damaged rig and we're going to California for our daughter-in-law's baby shower. We've got two Golden Retrievers so we can't even leave the rig and fly out. I may be sending my husband and just sitting here with the GRs but I'd rather not.

We're not sure that we can get there with the damage and we're in Ohio. I've put a lot of duct, or duck or Gorilla tape on the area and it's not holding. It's bad. So I am hoping that someone from GD sees this and can direct us to some help.

Yup, I'm looking for a miracle. Yup, it's pretty far out of the realm of reality but there it is. Yup we were stupid and didn't use good judgment and that's the way it is....now we're just looking to fix it and move forward.

So if anyone out there has any sage advice that is constructive and helpful, I'm all for it.

And if a GD rep is reading this maybe you can get us to Indiana and get us a few new panels and send us on our way.

Thanks,

Sue

We have more than these oops situations than I am willing to admit, that said, we have had great luck with FlexSeal tape. This summer a semi threw rubber under our TV and it popped the electrical plug out of the back and broke the plastic that holds it in. When we decided we didn't want to spend over $500 to fix it, we used FlexSeal caulk around the area that was broken, it's been holding fine and you don't even see it. I realize you don't want to drive around forever with it on there but I believe it would keep you waterproof and safe to make your trip.

[CaptPicardo]

Late to the party. Sounds like you have a partial solution to your most urgent problem. That's good. A couple of thoughts to share; I have been rumbling around in an RV for about 10 years now. The industry has certainly changed, but supply and demand are a thing, and currently there is more demand than supply. So all of our support folks, GD, Dealers, LCI, mobile techs, are booked, or stretched, or just simply picking the highest paying jobs. Part of doing what we do.

Cosmetic damage is annoying. After blowing a tire that took out a good section of cosmetic fenders it took me almost 6 months to get repairs. Insurance company, dealer, parts, etc. Patience paid off, repairs done. 6 weeks for a recent window replacement, mowing through a rock through it. I get your angst. It would be wonderful to just pull into an RV dealership and say this is broken, please fix it. Sorry, that is not our current industry standard.

Stupid mistakes, assholes in campgrounds, shouters, and otherwise bossy nosy people. As mentioned above I have my fair share of stupid mistakes, rubbing against trees, taking the corner out of a building, swinging my MC rack into a TT at a gas stop, bending the heck out of a landing gear, the list goes on, it's just life. Don't feel bad about it. And when someone is being agitated around you, just take a few minutes to wait for them to calm down. You don't have to buy into their agitation.

As a long time campground host I can tell you that I have seen some amazing stuff. Wrong way, bent way, too tight, can't back up for nothing; and the scene in the Chevy Chase Vacation movie is real, seen it, many times. But it's all good. This is how we learn.

Where the forum really excels is in specific problem solving. No one here can get you service faster, can't make GD respond, can't get the dealer to be responsive/responsible. Can't get a mobile tech to respond. But the forum can absolutely help you define the problem. Bent finders, not a big deal, gorilla tape is wonderful, and then, how to get the parts ordered to fix it. Beleive it or not, that is a big boondoggle for dealerships, you bring the parts and the problem they can do the work ASAP. Waiting on parts is huge, I waited 6 weeks to get a window replacement. No repair facility wants a repair job to sit on their lot for 6 weeks.

And yes, there are times when you will have to abandon your RV. 3 weeks in a motel 6 with 2 pets is not a fun time. We did it, RV fixed, OTRA (on the road again).

I fully feel your pain. To make the forum work best for you post pictures of the damage and what you need. There are a lot of folks here who have been in your shoes and are willing to guide you through positive solutions to your problem.

Let us know when you are on the road again.

Safe Travels!

God bless this forum and thank you for sharing D2, I agree. Our first day owning our 5er I pulled into a parking lot for lunch in Salida, CO and hit a pickup owned by a big fella gunshop owner who saw and heard what I did. He was gracious and it turned out to be easily fixed complexion panel but man did I feel it was the end of the world. Since then, we take it in stride and thankfully I haven't hit anything else over 7500 miles (fingers crossed). BTW, I don't go to RV shops for panel repairs, I always call the local metal fabrication shop and they are awesome and available (actually came and picked up the damaged panel, recreated it and brought it out to the RV park and installed it). GD quoted me $2500, local fab shop did it for $600.

[Nogrey]

Your post really hit home with me. I've been towing trailer for almost 40 years. They keep getting bigger and harder to maneuver, especially since so many campgrounds are geared towards smaller ones. You'll not hear any condemnation from me. I "rearranged" the side of my trailer on my last outing, $3300 in damages. Fortunately I was able to continue on. My attitude towards these sort of things has changed considerably over the years from "man I just F'd up this huge investment" to "that's the way it goes sometimes". I really hope you got to your baby shower. These are the truly important things in life. No injuries (except your ego perhaps), repairable damage, and a delay. Everyone, and I mean everyone has these experiences. You grow wiser, more experienced, and better at it every mile you travel, but these rigs are big, and fragile. So easy to damage. It really is just part of the RV life. I hope you can begin to truly enjoy your RV life, and take the issues with a grain of salt. Also, you are always in charge. No matter what the CG host or yelling bully says. Just smile and continue being diligent. You got this! Sorry to hear your story and hope it all worked out well. Take care and smile. You've got a grand baby coming! What could be better than that?!

[Kschwartz3204]

As others have said, your best course of action would be to call GD but it’s not going to help you get to the baby shower. Any repair, unless it’s very minor, will take months. Dealers are seriously backed up and parts may be hard to come by. If it was me, I’d board the dogs and fly or abort the trip.

Are had an oops moment Tuesday morning. Called GD support, agent put me on the phone with a technician - down loaded an app and showed the tech video. - he told us what to do after inspecting damage.

Call the number and be patient

[SGT ROC]

Been there done that. Several years ago in a previous TT I tried to take out a gas pump. Those concrete filled pipes that protect the pumps do not move. Not even a little. Took out the skirting, tore off the waste tube, bent the axle and destroyed a wheel and tire. All 240 miles from our destination in Myrtle beach. Insurance paid all but $125 of a $5000 bill. Things happen, and your heart just falls to your feet, but it happens. We were traveling with friends, and made it to our destination. The day we left I took it to an auto repair shop that was recommended. # hours late the temporary fixes were made and we got home with no issues. Sounds like it worked out, which is great. Just remember, it does not have to be a RV repair place. Auto repair shops, especially collision repair shops can usually do the job well enough to get you to your destination.

[schlepprock250]

Look at it this way. Your not the idiot on Tic Tok recently who took his camper through a drive through ending up with a totalled rig.
If you haven't seen it.. Search it and have a laugh and a moment of disbelief.
Oh and yes... @&#$ happens.

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