Sunday, October 9, 2011

Recreational Vehicle Ownership


The joy of recreational vehicle ownership hasn't been dimmed by rising gas prices. As late as August of 2005 recreational vehicle sales were seeing only a very small affect of rising gas prices. Sales of recreational vehicles in 2004 were the highest see in twenty five years. The popularity of recreational vehicles doesn't seem to be waining at all. In fact, there is an RV and MV (Manufactured Vehicle) hall of fame located in Elkhart Indiana.

Today's motor homes or recreational vehicles have all the comforts of home, and then some. With luxury leather recliners, granite floors, washers and dryers, plasma TV's and looks of professionally designed spaces recreational vehicles are a stylish and comfortable home away from home.

There are several different types of vehicles considered "RV's". The first is a truck camper which is a unit affixed to the bed or chassis of a pickup truck. Then there is the folding camping trailer, or pop-up trailer. A travel trailer is a unit that is towed by another vehicle. A fifth wheel travel trailer is designed to be towed by a pickup truck. A motor home or what is frequently called a Winnebago which resembles a bus.

The process of purchasing a new recreational vehicle is somewhat like purchasing a new car. A recreational vehicle dealer will sometimes take advantage of an uniformed customer. There are huge markups on recreational vehicles by all dealers. The only way to come out with a fair deal is to do your homework before you buy.

There are several fixed prices when you are looking at new recreational vehicles. The dealer price, the taxes and any motor vehicle fees. As with a car, the only option left for the dealer is to play with the profit margin. As recreational vehicle dealers sell way less than car dealers do they must make a much higher profit margin per vehicle. As it is widely known that used recreational vehicles have a huge depreciation you don't want to overpay for your vehicle.



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Using the Sun to Power Your RV


Jumping in your RV and leaving the rat race for the weekend is an American tradition. Did you know you can provide power to your RV with the sun while getting away from it all?

The Sun is Everywhere!

One of the biggest misconceptions regarding solar power is that it is limited to large panel systems on roofs. Au contraire! With new nanotechnology, solar power systems will soon be applied with the paint you use to improve your home. That still two or three years away, so what about now?

If you enjoy taking the RV out for an excursion, you can use solar power to provide your electrical needs. Whether you are going camping or to a NASCAR race, it is an exceedingly simple process.

Unlike homes, RVs run on direct current electricity. This makes them perfect for solar electricity since solar systems produce direct current electricity instead of alternating current. Put another way, there is no need for bulky converters to flip the electricity from direct to alternating. Instead, you can use the sun to power up your batteries directly.

Portable solar systems consist of pop-up solar modules with four or five panels. Essentially, they look like small ladders with solar panels instead of steps. You just pop them up on the roof of the RV or in an area where the sun hits them. The systems tie directly into your batteries and power them up during the day. Super easy and super clean.

The real advantage to solar RV systems has to do with noise. The traditional method for recharging your RV batteries is to turn on a generator and generators can be very loud. Even the quietest generator makes enough noise to make you feel like you live next to a construction site. Solar systems make no noise at all. There are no moving parts, just the sun beating down on the panels. Youl never know they are even there.

If RVing is your thing, portable solar modules are worth taking a look at. With high fuel prices, you need to save a buck wherever you can.



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Saturday, October 8, 2011

Deciding On The Purchase Of A Motor Home


The purchase of a motor home isn't to be taken lightly. There are several different types of "motor homes" on the market and each one is different in size, features and price.

The best known type of motor home is the recreational vehicle. This is known as a Type A motor home. The roomiest of motor homes, the largest and therefore the most expensive. Motor homes come in sizes up to 45 feet. They come with all the luxurious amenities you could imagine. Some have washer and dryer, hardwood floors, granite counter tops, luxury leather furniture, plasma TV's with satellite, custom stained glass and some even have large garden tub/showers. They range between $85,000 used and $400,000 for a new motor home. They generally get between 5 and 8 miles per gallon. Some of the newer larger models get around 5 miles per gallon. These sleep up to six people.

A Type B motor home category includes van campers and travel trailers. The van campers generally range from 18 feet to 22 feet in length and can comfortable sleep four. A fully contained van camper can have a shower, toilet, kitchen, TV, couches and beds. The beds are closer together affording less privacy. Most only have enough head room to allow for full standing in the center of the vehicle. Much smaller than the Type A motor homes they have less storage area. The van campers range in price between $43,000 and $70,000.

Travel trailers come in sizes 16 feet to 38 feet. The range in price from $6,000. for a used trailer upwards to $45,000 for a new travel trailer. You can generally find a fairly wide range of amenities in travel trailers. The larger the size the more you can sleep and the more likely you will be to have a private bedroom area.

A lot of travelers like the fact that they can park their trailer in a trailer park and take their vehicle touring the area. It does however take lots of practice learning how to properly drive with a travel trailer hitched to the back of your SUV.

Talk with friends and family who already own motor homes. One of the first things to do is to decide what type of traveling you and your family are most likely to do. Do you plan to spend one week vacationing in one spot? A travel trailer might be for you. Do you plan to visit a different spot each day, overnighting in different areas? Then a recreational vehicle might be for you. However, if the price of gas and the thought of filling up a 100 gallon gas tank on a vehicle that gets 5 to 8 miles per gallon isn't for you, you may want to re-think the choice of a recreational vehicle.



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Finding The Best Motor Homes For Sale


There are some things you need to know before buying motor homes. Motor homes or motorized recreational vehicles (RVs) come in different classes. Two of those classes are usually confused with each other, those being class A and class C motor homes. It essential to look at the physical appearance of the motor home in order to determine whether it is class A or class C. Class A motor homes resemble a bus design with a flat or vertical front end and large windows while hand class C motor homes have a truck cab with an over-cab bed, in some ways resembling a camper.

Considered to be top of the line, Class A motor homes measure at about 24 feet or 7.3 meters and can be as long as 40 feet or 12 meters. Their weight can range between 15,000 to 30,000 pounds or 6,804 to 13, 608 kg; the undercarriage may be custom or a 3 to 10 ton truck chassis. Class A motor homes come with each of the luxury amenities you can fathom like a kitchen, a bathroom with shower and a tub, and sometimes a separate bedroom at the back depending o the floor plan of the truck. They also have heating and air conditioning, hot and cold running water, 100-125 volt electrical system, a dinette or living room area complete with couch and recliners, closets and an entertainment center. This is just the tip of the iceberg. In fact, some of these motor homes can be more elaborate than homes themselves.

Class A motor homes are usually utilized by famous bands especially when they are in tour. There are also some rich families that own Class A motor homes for vacation and travel. A Class A motor home is perfect for those who can afford its high cost. Most Class A motor homes have all leather interior, a wet bar, big screen TVs, an advanced sound system and other high technology that may not be available to lower income families.

Depending on the model and the floor plan a class A RV can accommodate up to 8 people. But all of this luxury comes at a price. New, lower-end models are sold at up to $50,000 US dollars while larger and much nicer class A RVs can even cost more than any house in many states coming in at about $300,000+. Class A RVs are really very expensive; in fact even used class A RV can still be sold for $30,000-$40,000. If you prefer luxury lines, you may start saving about $325,000 up to over $1 million if you prefer the cr鋗e de la cr鋗e of all RVs.

Last but not least are Class C motor homes. Class C motor homes can also come in very luxurious models or more economical ones depending on your budget. They are much lighter in weight, ranging only from 10,000 to 15,000 pounds and generally run from just under 20 to 44 feet in length. They are constructed on cutaway chassis depending on the model. The cab is usually similar to that of the truck with a bunk above plus a rear bedroom. Just like the class A, Class C motor homes have all the amenities of home including kitchen, bathroom, dinette, heating and air conditioning system, and an entertainment center for additional cost.

Dinettes are not always present in class C motor homes and if ever there is one included, it usually converts into a double bed. If a dinette is not present, two captain chairs are available instead. Sometimes, the motor homes contain a couch and chairs instead of captain chairs. The couch may also be turned into a sleeper couch.

Because of the overcab bed, a Class C motor home can sleep more than a comparable Class A motor home, accommodating up to 10 people are accommodated. The cost of class C motor homes ranges from $50,000 to $170,000.

The common features of Class A and Class C motor homes are their slide-out wherein with a simple touch of a button the wall of the living room expands outwards to extend the living space by several inches.

Another type of motor home is the Class B which is usually referred to as van conversion. Class B motor homes look like pop-top camper vans and are self contained but cramped compared to their big motor home counterparts. The advantage of purchasing a Class B motor home is in terms of handling and size that is if you don want spacious motor home. They are usually promoted as a place to sleep more than what is deemed comfortable by most people. The class B motor home can also be used as a second car. Its price ranges from $38,000 to $75,000.

Motor homes are great for camping, road trips, or just simply living in style. If you are interested in purchasing a motor home, it is definitely wise to take time to do some comparison shopping and research as these motor homes can prove to be very expensive.



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Benefits Of Owning Motor Homes


Why would you want to own one of the many different motorhomes that are available for sale from many motorhomes dealers? The main reason for this is the fact that you gain access to multiple benefits that motorhomes offer. For example, you will be able to use motorhomes to travel to many outside locations for a long vacation or just a simple weekend getaway. There is no more need to spend all this time planning where you are going to stay, where you will eat and cook food and what car you will have to rent. Motorhomes will provide you with the simple solution for all these dilemmas.

With the help of motorhomes you will have access to basic household items, appliances and amenities and will not have to deal with the uncomfortable hotel stays or even more unpleasant stays in tents. Owners of motorhomes can prepare them in such way that everything that is needed for the enjoyable trip is available at all times. You don have many limits to what you can take with you. You can cook food, sleep and even shower in most of the motorhomes. You can even attach other equipment and vehicles (boats, jet skies and other sport equipment, for example) to your motor home.

Motorhomes can be helpful not only for vacation purposes. Even if you are traveling to a different city on a business trip or to visit your friends or family, motorhome will make the ride more enjoyable for you and your family. You will have more freedom to change destinations and will even save money on hotels and restaurants. You can choose which one of the many available motorhomes to purchase depending on your personal needs, size of your family and your travel plans. Motorhomes come in different sizes and variations and will have different amenities and equipment installed. Different types of motorhomes will have different prices so it is up to you to decide which motorhome to purchase.

For more information on Motor Homes please click through to our site.



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Different Types Of Motor Homes


If you are interested in purchasing one of the many different types of motorhomes, there are several things that you should know about. People with different needs will require different types of motorhomes. First of all you should select among motorhomes that satisfy the size and inside amenities requirements. For example, there are motorhomes that are designed specifically for 2 to 4 people. There are motorhomes that are smaller (campers, for example) or larger. There are also motorhomes that will have different number of beds. For example, you may look at the motorhomes that have a large double bed over the cabin. Some motorhomes will have the section with a table and chairs that can be converted to an extra bed. Other options are also available.

You should also make sure that motorhomes that you look at satisfy the technical requirements. For example, there are motorhomes with automatic or 5 speed manual transmission. Different motorhomes will have different engines and different fuel requirements (diesel or unleaded fuel). A very important characteristic of motorhomes is the fuel consumption. You will spend a lot of time on the road and with the rising oil prices you should try to lower your gasoline expenses.

Different motorhomes will also have different inside amenities and equipment. There are several items that you might want to think about having in the motorhomes that you are considering. For example, many motorhomes would include such amenities as a chemical toilet with flushing capabilities, shower (may use cold and even hot pressurized water), tanks for holding fresh water and waste water, air conditioner (particularly important if you live in states with hot weather) and even a hot water system (heated with gas). Motorhomes can also usually include a kitchen area with a lot of different kitchen equipment (like a microwave and refrigerator). There are other amenities that will be more specific to your personal needs. The basic specifications provided for all models of motorhomes will include the list of all inside equipment.

For more Motor Homes information, please`click through to our site via the link in the resource box.



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Monday, May 18, 2009

Peugeot - From Coffee to Cars

The Peugeot Family has been in business in some form or another since the seventeen hundreds. From the production of coffee to bicycles in the early part of the twentieth century, automobiles would be the next big thing to come along.
The company produced its first automobile in 1889. The car was steam powered and had three wheels. However, steam proved to be unwieldy and cumbersome for use in any personal passenger vehicles. After meeting with Gottlieb Daimler, Armand Peugeot decided that the gasoline internal combustion engine was much more suited to what he had in mind. Peugeot acquired a license from Daimler to use their engines in Peugeot vehicles. Cars produced by the French company would remain powered by Daimler engines until the first Peugeot engines were developed in 1896.





Just as it had always been, Peugeot continued to produce a variety of products up through the turn of the twentieth century when Armand Peugeot formed his own company to focus exclusively on automobile manufacturing.
Peugeot would become an early influence on car racing in Europe and would remain a power in this arena for years to come. Around the time of World War 1, Armand decided to try his handed at motorcycles. His family had longed produced some of the finest bicycles in Europe. Armand was just as successful at motorcycles as his family had been with bicycles and the Peugeot Auto Company has produced motorcycles every since.
Once Europe became embroiled in World War I, Peugeot, just as most other manufacturers of the time, turned their attention to the war efforts. They eventually became a major manufacturer of arms and military vehicles throughout the remainder of the war. Once the allies were victorious, the focus once again turned to car production.
The French car company entered the United States market in 1958 with the Peugeot 404. Peugeot was never able to find its niche in American society and for the most part consumers simply ignored the brand. After several attempts to pique the curiosity of the American car buyer, Peugeot decided to cut its losses and withdrew from the American market. This did not exclude the company from going after American car manufacturers in Europe, however. In 1978, the company took over Chrysler Europe. Chrysler Corporation was suffering from heavy financial losses both at home and abroad and accepted the offer to take the ailing division off its hands almost immediately. Earlier in 1974, Peugeot had also acquired Citroen and for a brief period had interest in Maserati as well. The acquisition of so much debt so quickly proved nearly to be the undoing of Peugeot in the early eighties. The introduction of the popular Peugeot 205 was credited with the company's recovery from the brink of financial ruin. While the 205 was able to save the company from complete collapse, Peugeot was still experiencing some financial stress.
For the future, Peugeot has announced a goal of selling 4 million units annually. In order to accomplish this, the French car manufacturer has plans of pursuing some of the more exotic markets in the world such as China, Russia and South America. Due to the weakening of the U.S. Dollar, there has been some talk of a return to the American market. At this point, that may well be speculation only.