'06 Vectra Observations....She's HOME!!! - Page 7

rebelsbeach · 04-11-2006, 05:50 AM

I prescribe some Wilma's Chocolate or perhaps a visit to the Dairy Queen there on 356 for an ice cream cake...Celebrate in style my friend !!

You're here for a short time and gone for a long time....ENJOY!!

AdrianLee · 04-11-2006, 06:02 AM

Sorry about my confusion on threads - it was early here in NV and I had not put my head on yet.

Happy B-day to you too Tom. Hang in there - in 6 months you will be making the same mistakes I did this morning

ichn2go · 04-11-2006, 06:23 AM

Happy Birthday to Tom and Bob,,,
Bob, don't let John show you his coach,,you may want to make the same upgrades. Have a safe trip, wish I was riding..Jim

rebelsbeach · 04-11-2006, 06:50 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by ichn2go:
Happy Birthday to Tom and Bob,,,
Bob, don't let John show you his coach,,you may want to make the same upgrades. Have a safe trip, wish I was riding..Jim </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yep....especially that new flat screen!!

rebelsbeach · 04-16-2006, 03:08 AM

Happy Easter!!

I'm off for Forest City tomorrow to have the clear coat issues addressed. Allowing tow days to get there...

Received an email from John Canfield with a "low in the 30's weather report.

ichn2go · 04-16-2006, 03:19 AM

Happy Easter to you Bob.
Safe Miles , looking forward to your reports.
Say hi to everyone at Winnie...JIM

rebelsbeach · 04-16-2006, 04:07 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by FrontRangeRVer:
Its too bad you have to go to the factory to get these issues resolved..... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Actually there are some things that not even the largest dealers in the country are set up for.
My friend and fellow iRV2'er Big Trace was fortunate there was a CDI facility on the west coast to address his clear coat overspray issues. In my case,I told the Sherwin Williams inspector right from the start that I had NO problem taking the coach back to the factory,if there wasn't an east coast CDI facility.
I wanted to see the factory and I felt the factory CDI folks would be better suited for what is entailed in my situation. Yes,there have been QC issues brought to the surface with these clear coat issues,but I was told by the GM of CDI that they'd take care of me.
The buck stops right there....

vicsryd · 04-17-2006, 06:04 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by rebelsbeach:
Meant to mention this earlier,but in my notes I was reading and I do remember seeing a master battery switch in the engine compartment,as well as a dash mounted switch.There's even a "master disconnect" switch by all the light switches on the entry step panel.
John C,the switch is what I have seen in marine apps and on fire apparatus I've driven,referred to as a "Boston switch"....
Wondering what the benefit of the switch is in the engine compartment? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

The disconnects on dash and door entry are for the house batteries only. The door entry "Boston switch" is generally used for shutting down the house electrical when refilling the propane tank (the law in my state anyway).

The disconnect in the engine compartments is a new for 2006 Freightliner item to disconnect the chassis/starting batteries. The phantom loads from all the electronics will discharge them to below 11 volts in as little as 2 weeks in cold weather. It's advisable to use the this disconnect if you are not going to start the engine and run it for at least an hour every week and/or you don't have a Xantrex echo-charge (or similar) to charge the chassis batteries from the house charging circuit.

rebelsbeach · 04-18-2006, 05:25 PM

OK FOLKS....First of all, to whomever mentioned this,JOHN does not blink constantly!!

Sitting here in the coach after a wonderful dinner with Jane and John at the lodge...
Surfing,for the first time mind you, on my snazzy Datastorm F2 sail!!

Anyway....after 1300 miles in two days, I'm pretty beat, but now have a shake down cruise with more issues for Winnebago service...

Namely....

<UL TYPE=SQUARE> Developed a water leak above the passenger side windshield corner area,found it in a blowing rain storm on I-95...Note, it doesn't leak when it isn't raining...

Side view cameras are intermitently slow in switching back to center camera....Sometimes it's instaneous,sometimes it's thirty seconds.

TV/Radio switch inop on TV...

"One Place" monitor still shows "genset" although we're on 110V at the Welcome Center.
Toggled the breaker,everything I could think of...no good.

Rattle in top mount of tv....(32 flat)

Shower door doesn't seal properly at bottom.[/list]
The trip out was uneventful,other than finding the new issues with the coach.

No travel issues until we got to Iowa and the WIND!!! WOW!!!

BigTrace · 04-18-2006, 05:47 PM

Yep I remember the wind!!! It gets worse as you go south from there. Be careful bud..

Tom N · 04-18-2006, 06:49 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> Yep I remember the wind!!! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

On the way east put the spinnaker

up.

rebelsbeach · 04-19-2006, 02:40 AM

Tom, I need to batten down the hatches!!

Headed over to the service center this morning to get the coach checked in.

Met the "world renown" Winnebago modification "guru" John Canfield and his wife Jane and enjoyed some good food, some good stories and lots of laughs.....Isn't that what it's all about?

rebelsbeach · 04-19-2006, 02:50 AM

Forgot to mention....I think!!

When we stopped for fuel in Iowa,almost to Forest City, I looked up and noticed the bedroom window awning had come unfurled and then rolled back up with the black strap rolled up on the end....Had to use my handy folding ladder for the first time to unroll the window awning let it close properly.

Also....when we left the service center for dinner,John took a picture of an awning on a coach that had come completely unfurled....

John_Canfield · 04-19-2006, 03:35 AM

Wow - Bob is a whole lot better looking than I imagined

It's nice to pal up with somebody else who is 'vertically' challenged! Maybe it was a good thing that The Lodge resturant was down a waitress because we had a whole lot of visitin' to do.

I wasn't on Bob's coach five minutes before I was pulling out drawers and snooping around. Oops - sorry about the drawer glide that doesn't work now Bob

We're going on the factory tour, and going to the surplus store - there is stuff out there that we both need - it just needs to be uncovered.

smlranger · 04-19-2006, 05:06 AM

Bob and John:

Sounds like you guys will put those factory folks through the paces....good for us to get the scoop from guys who are detail-oriented and expect superior customer service.

Bob, glad you got there OK. Just how bad was the wind and how much did it push you around? Are you now lusting for a tag-axle rig?

ichn2go · 04-19-2006, 05:20 AM

Glad to see you guys having a good time, Bob, If you see anything I need you have my permission to get it. (No more than $50.00). The factory will never be the same again...Jim

AdrianLee · 04-19-2006, 05:37 AM

Bob - that was me asking if John winked at everyone all the time

- just kidding

Glad you made it out there. Driving one of these things in heavy wind is not a lot of fun. Did that in Texas and was worn out at the end of the day.

Stay safe

John_Canfield · 04-19-2006, 09:34 AM

We all just finished with our surplus store male bonding experience - I had to keep a close eye on Bob to make sure his pile of stuff was no bigger than mine

Fortunately, I now have a created a project for Bob to accomplish in his coach. He is going to add a shelf in the back cabin for his Datastorm electronics. This is even better than thinking up a project for your own coach - it doesn't cost you money, doesn't take any effort, and if it is a success, you can take credit for the creativity

rebelsbeach · 04-19-2006, 12:46 PM

Yes....good job John and thanks for the shopping advice....The surplus store should be on every Winnie/Itasca owner's list of "must see" places...I picked up a couple of the complete aisle light assemblies,for the cost of the bulbs,picked up some oak trim pieces to make the shelf supports,bought a smaller "famous black bag" (actually from a View) to "break down" my literature,bought some extra drawer catches and even some one ended bungees...
Will measure the width of my aft cabinet and then go back tomorrow and pick up a piece of flat oak for the shelf...John forgets that he "offered" his circular saw....)

The "you have to see it to believe it" purchase was a can of Kingdome "rain fade" spray.....$29.95 in the service center....

WHAT a DAY!!!

Dropped the coach off at CDI this morning and they were able to address all but one paint issue,the drip under the passenger side awning arm. My buddy and I were given a personal tour of the ENTIRE full body paint process, from start to finish. Was really hilarious to see the ALL WHITE bodies "pre" paint....We were taken step by step through each process, from prep to the finish product. CDI is currently painting at an "11 a day" pace, but strives to get to a 15 a day level.
I was amazed not only with the number of coaches,but the number of employees at CDI. Quite an operation.
The people at Winnebago and CDI could not have been any nicer. We had breakfast and lunch at the lodge and Kenbt's favorite waitress is apparently very popular,as EVERYONE knows Jill!!
Jill's husband is a driver for Winnie, he moves fiberglass components from their facility 65 miles from here....
Will have a service appointment tomorrow morning, then back to CDI for the paint drip fix on Friday morning.

We're now down the hill from the visitor's center,parked in front of the service center.

rebelsbeach · 04-19-2006, 05:39 PM

Gonna try and get the steering looked at,after talking to John I think I have a wheel run out issue, since there's a vibration in the steering wheel in turns.
Also....CDI said I should get Winnie to replace the passenger side bedroom window awning as one side of the awning's springs are shot...

I learned that CDI installs the awnings and a lot of the outside stuff on the FBP coaches.

Not sure how that will fare with the "add on" rules....

Prime rib tonight in nearby Thompson,Iowa.....If you get out here for service, you HAVE TO eat at the "Brsnding Iron" in Thompson...
Tracey Walcott recommended the "Signature" in Northwood, Iowa and Jill from the Lodge said they both are good....