Friday I will be picking up my 88 Regal SE 33' in Albuquerque NM, and driving 900 miles plus home. The current owner will be driving it 800 miles to there. I have acquired roadside assistance insurance, and am flying in to met him. Dunno what I'm asking really, but any advice is appreciated. I do have some experience driving big vehicles, so I'm not really concerned there. Thanks, Kevin

Get Carl to show you about the Barth,Elect,water,sewer,a/c etc,take some time to learn about the Barth.You should be fine after you drive the Barth for a few miles.Good luck and best wishes.Jay &shelby

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br2409

I think I already said something about checking belts and hoses. These 454's can be miserly on oil and they can also suck some up. So until you know the way this coach is going check it every few 100 miles. Check the temperature gage like you are paranoid. If a hose falls of and you loose all of your coolant by the time you smell something you are in trouble. Some time I will sit around the campfire and tell you why that is important.

Get in the habit of when every you stop for gas or any other reason you walk around the coach. Put your hand on the wheels if you smell burning around a wheel or the wheel so so hot you can't touch it you likely have either a bearing or stuck caliper. You would know if you had a sticky caliper on the front though because it would put one way or the other.

When you stop at your first campsite don't feel weird if you just want to open all of the cabinets and just check things out. This is your home and you should know it backwards and forwards. Oh ya, you have motoraid hot water on the baby. (unless some one unhooked it which would be dumb). Thank means that when you are driving your hot water is being heated by the engine coolant. there is not thermostat. You can burn your hand if you aren't careful...

Carry just enough water to flush the toilet until your next destination. Water weighs what? 8.2 lbs per gallon.

You know what? while I was writing this Jay Teasley left a post. He's right like usual, have Carl show you all of this stuff

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"Work hard and save, so that someday you can support those who didn't"

1985 28 foot Regal
Dave and Deb Bowers

[This message has been edited by davebowers (edited November 10, 2003).]

Bring along a small voice recorder and tape the tour of your new Barth. You will never remember all that is going on, and hand notes may not be complete. Make sure all switches and buttons are discussed and how things work, or is supposed to work.
I had a plastic connector velcro'ed on the doghouse that the prior owner had no idea what it was for. I finally found out when working under the dash, found it came out of the radio and was an input for a CD player (which I now use to input stereo from my satellite dish to the coach audio system).
Best of luck. My first run was over 2000 miles.


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89 Barth Regal 32
Runs like a Deere
New Hampshire

kevin,
congradulations on your new coach. i would also check the air pressure in the tires before you start out and also each morning on your trip. a few times of this will give you the knowledge if you have a slow leak or not and how often you should check pressure. good practice is daily when traveling. takes 5 minutes tops and could save a VERY expensive blowout. GOOD LUCK.
mike

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mike foster
83-35' regency 8.2 detroit towing 98 cherokee classic 4x4

If you can afford it, take a friend with some mechanical savy along with you. An 800 mile drive is a long way and it would be useful to have a second set of eyes and ears along to help you with the preliminary check out as well as on the road. On my trip from Naples, FL to West Springfield, MA in July, my friend and I made two pages of notes of things that needed attention/fixed. I have two or three of the items left on the list to deal with. It was also nice to let someone else drive for a while while I wandered around listening to things as we rolled down the road. Bill

Hi Kevin, congratulations on your purchase. My advise to you is take your time and have some fun on the way home. Hopefully you don't have to get back to work right away.

Last year when we was in New Mexico,we stay in a in a rv park in Tucumcari,N.M.Can't think of the name of park.The next night we stay at koa Fort Smith/Alma,real good park & folks.Don't know if you be traveling I 40 or not.I-40 was real good last year. Cheer Jay&Shelby

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br2409

Thanks for all the excellant responses.