We finally did it
After watching, waiting, comparing, and considering for many long months, we decided to go ahead and get the 360rkds. We're supposed to pick it up on Wednesday of next week. We were hoping to take it straight to a nearby campground, but they're booked solid, so we'll have to take it home for 5 days or so before we can really try it out. That's OK - we've got water and electric hookups at home, so we can do quite a bit with it there.
Today we dropped off our Timberlodge with the Open Road dealer in Statesville, NC - Family RV - on the way back from the mountains. I will really miss that trailer - it served us well. Most of our "stuff" is still in it. We'll transfer it all from one unit to the other on Wednesday when we go back. They said they'd have the two units parked nose to tail so that the doors will be opposite each other and we can transfer everything more easily. That will sure be a lot more convenient than unloading the Timberlodge at home, then taking it back to Statesville, picking up the Open Road, bringing it home, and loading everything back into it.
We also went through it inside and out to create a punch list. I'm sure there will be some little bugs that we missed - and they'll miss too - but that's to be expected. Thanks to the postings here, we knew to check for screws sticking up in the chairs, drawers that weren't anchored securely, etc. Of course, we couldn't check out the water, sewer, electric, appliances, or slides at this point, but hopefully all that will be tested as part of the dealer prep and we'll get to try out at least some of it during the walk-through. I wish all dealers had a site with hookups so you could test out the unit overnight before you haul it off the lot.
So far, I am very pleased with Family RV. They honored a quote we were given a few months ago - don't think they really wanted to, but they did - and I have no reason to believe they won't keep their word in other respects in the future as well. I showed them how to find this forum and was told today that they'd been reading through it. Maybe they'll post occasionally to answer questions or make suggestions.
Congratulations!! That is an awesome floorplan! I love the kitchen layout and the desk area. I bet you can't wait till Wednesday. Sounds like a have a great dealer too, that is so important.
We have used our 298 every week this summer, and still NO problems with it. We just LOVE it!
Happy camping!
360rkds-5
You will like your new trailer. We have been living full time in ours for almost a month. We have taken a couple of trips back to our home for a few days, but have stayed in the trailer most of the time. It has been very comfortable and the floor plan works quite well. Steve.
picked it up yesterday
I don't know what to say except that we are very "happy campers" right now! We picked up the 360RKDS yesterday. It was a miserable day for moving all our stuff from the old unit to the new one - 95 degrees. But Family RV was good enough to hook us up to electric so we could run the AC in the Open Road while we were doing this. I don't think we would have survived the heat if they hadn't.
As far as we can tell at this point, it was very well prepped. Everything that we had listed that needed work was addressed. We haven't been able to try out the water/sewer yet, but all else seems fine. I hardly know what to DO with all this cabinet and closet space - but I'm sure I'll figure it out. We spent the night in it last night and have been working all day getting it all set up.
We found a nice solution to making sure the drawers don't come open in the kitchen/desk area. We used those flat brass picture hangers - the kind with the little hook that flips up and down. We put one at the top left of the top drawer and another at the bottom right of the bottom drawer - and then ran a bungee diagonally across the drawers between them. There's not enough space between the top drawer and the countertop to run the bungee straight up and down through the center - part of the hanger would fall down into the drawer area making it awkward to open and close the top drawer. That's why we set it up diagonally so we could put that top hanger a little lower and to the left of the top drawer. Works like a charm, and the hangers lie flush with the surface and are not an eyesore at all. Nothing sticking out for things to get caught on. Just stash the bungee in the top drawer so you'll be able to find it again easily next time you need it.
Here's another tip that maybe someone can use. We've always had problems with everything in the medicine cabinet falling out into the sink when we first open it after getting set up. A real pain! Dave cut narrow strips of wood about 2-3 inches wide and as long as the cabinet width, then cut grooves lengthwise near the bottom. Just slip the grooves over the edges of the shelves, and they hold everything in place. This won't work for the bottom shelf, but maybe we'll figure something out for that later.
Dave said he never even felt the big rigs pass him on the road. He always dreaded that before. He said he could definitely tell he was towing more weight, but it towed smoothly and tracked well.
We'll be taking it out for two weeks on Monday. Not going far in case we run into problems, but at this point, I don't anticipate any.
Has anyone figured out an easy way to turn the Fantastic fan on and off without climbing up on something to be able to reach it? Surely there's some kind of long-handled gizmo that could be rigged up to do it. Necessity is the mother of invention.
great report
We've been staying in the Open Road 360RKDS either at home or at a campground ever since we got it. I expected to find a few bugs that would have to be worked out, but there was almost nothing of any real significance. The water heater doesn't want to shut off at a given temp on gas but works fine on electric, and a couple of the tank sensors don't seem to work. There are some stiff lift-up windows that I can't open but my husband can. But these are very MINOR issues that don't have to be repaired right away and certainly aren't keeping us from enjoying the unit. No creaky floors. None of the cabinet doors came open, but we put child latches on them just to be safe. We've been through a couple of frog-strangler rainstorms with gusty winds and never saw a leak.
So far, we are VERY pleased with this unit! I LOVE all the counter and cabinet space - as well as the desk area. The cabinets over the bar open from both sides which makes it so easy to get whatever you need from the dinette side or from the kitchen side without having to walk around the bar. It's really nice to have good solid countertops and a full sized sink with fixtures that aren't flimsy plastic. It's not as good a unit as I'd hoped it would be - it's BETTER!
We finally did it
I love the kitchen layout and the desk area. I bet you can't wait till Wednesday. Sounds like a have a great dealer too, that is so important.
picked it up yesterday
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