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Old 01-31-2008, 01:59 PM   #41
mtnguy
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Linda,

Congradulations on putting the deposit down on a new TM......I betcha have no regrets when you get your unit!!!

Even though I am a TM owner that switched to the 15" tires, there are many owners out there that never had a problem with their 14" tires. For me, I was running 4 yr. old Marathons with no problem, but I knew it was time to replace them. I had already installed the lift kit (for better ground clearance in the boonies), so I thought if I had to buy new tires, why not wheels also.

As you have probably read, if you keep fairly new tires (less than 4 yrs. or so), keep the pressure up, be careful around curbs at sharp turns (so you don't damage the sidewall), cover them from the sun when not in use, keep speeds under 65 mph, and keep the weight on the TM axle manageable, you probably won't have a problem. But yet, you still can even with all of these precautions.....even with the 15" tires, but maybe less likely since the weight rating is higher.

As a further precaution, I (and several forum members) use a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) that gives me further peace on mind. I have also installed mudflaps so that a blowout shouldn't damage my plumbing.

And even if you do decide to go with the 15" tires later, your TM might already have the lift kit, or the Dexter 45 degree axle, which should give you enough room without any further alterations.

So Enjoy, and Happy Camping.

Chap
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Old 01-31-2008, 02:57 PM   #42
UpAndDown
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AstroBruce View Post
List Price is 40% over Dealer Cost. Same for TM installed options.
Don't ask me how I know this.
Add dealer prep, battery,freight, fuel surcharge, and paperwork.
Wrong Bruce, MSRP -Invoice is 99.99% time about 25-30% difference(mostly 30%) you'd be amazed what you can find out calling a factory as a perspective dealership in the making. That being said you can expect that most dealers do not go much below 20% off MSRP, they could, but they wouldn't be the quality of dealership that is going to be around for long, this isn't like cars, what most people do not know is that car dealers also get whats called holdbacks after a vehicle sale which is 3-5% so they are making 500.00 even if they invoice it to a customer, not a bad deal when most dealerships sell 100 cars a month or more. RV Dealers are independent meaning they can cary many different makes but they do not get holdbacks like cars and most average RV dealers sell 20 RV's a month(there are a few super centers that average around 80-100 units per month), so they need a little more than 1000.00 per Trailer to pay for 4 service guys, a Cashier for the store, 2 Salesmen, the owner, the mortgage on a 800,000 commercial lot, that may not include a building, not to mention the utilities they spend filling each camper with water and the electric and supplies for all the preps. The thing that cracks me up is when people want a spotless perfect camper and want a dealership to give it away to them for free. I'm fine with a 10% mark up over cost it ensures my servicing dealer is able to grow and hire more quality people to take care of my unit. But to each his own.
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Old 01-31-2008, 03:03 PM   #43
UpAndDown
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and as for asking to see a dealers invoice, thats just ubsurd. Do you go in to walmart and ask the department manager to see the invoices on all the stuff on their shelve.
A camper is either in your budget and has everything you need it to or it isnt
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Old 01-31-2008, 04:36 PM   #44
rarin2go
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Default Scissor jacks

Looking at buying a 2720SL TrailManor that will be kept on one side of a two
car garage.I assume the leveling scissor jacks will be used while it is in the
garage.Do these jacks swivel so you can get to the two that will be near
the garage wall side. Or do you need clearance on that side to operate
these two.Or do you have to crawl underneath to get to them.I didn't
talk to the salesman about this.
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Old 01-31-2008, 05:30 PM   #45
NYJeff
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rarin2go View Post
Looking at buying a 2720SL TrailManor that will be kept on one side of a two
car garage.I assume the leveling scissor jacks will be used while it is in the
garage.Do these jacks swivel so you can get to the two that will be near
the garage wall side. Or do you need clearance on that side to operate
these two.Or do you have to crawl underneath to get to them.I didn't
talk to the salesman about this.
I don't know the answer to your question but I can say that I don't bother to put down my stabilizer jacks when storing my TT ('98 TowLite 18TD) in my garage. Don't see the need.
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Old 01-31-2008, 05:58 PM   #46
Leslie & Nick
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rarin2go View Post
Looking at buying a 2720SL TrailManor that will be kept on one side of a two
car garage.I assume the leveling scissor jacks will be used while it is in the
garage.Do these jacks swivel so you can get to the two that will be near
the garage wall side. Or do you need clearance on that side to operate
these two.Or do you have to crawl underneath to get to them.I didn't
talk to the salesman about this.
You should be able to get to the 2 wall-side jacks from the side of the trailer. That's what I do when storing the TM in the garage. The jacks don't swivel.

Nick
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Old 01-31-2008, 06:32 PM   #47
LifeIsGood
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Thanks, Chap, for the good wishes and the excellent advice. I will take heed to all of it! Can you explain to me what a Tire Pressure Monitoring System is? As you know, we are first-time rv'ers, so we have a great deal to learn. I'm sure I could look it up, but I'd rather just ask you - ha-ha! I'm hoping we will be able to do the same as you did and not have to change the tires until at least a few years. Wish us luck! I spoke to the dealer and he said that no one he has sold a TM to has had problems with the Marathons, at least to his knowledge. Do you all take along a portable air compressor w/you, too? I didn't realize you have to keep the tires out of the sun, too. Why is that? I will also have to remember to ask the dealer if the 08 TM's have the lift kit or Dexter 45-degree axle. Thanks again for all your recommendations. Linda
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Old 01-31-2008, 06:46 PM   #48
LifeIsGood
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Hey, UpandDown - I think you are right on with all of your information. Personally, I don't know how some RV dealers can make a decent living. Unlike car dealerships who sell all year long, RV dealers do experience a lull in some areas of the country like the Northeast. I just can't see with all of their overhead how some dealers can even stay in business. I'm not even sure if they get any rebates or incentives like car dealerships do. I know I am getting this TM for a steal because the dealer has been sitting on it for far too long and is paying interest on a loan, so he is glad to get rid of it. But, seriously, I don't think anyone is trying to get a perfect rv for FREE. Does $25,000 sound like free to you? LOL I am glad you posted that info, though. It's information like that that everyone is looking for when making their first purchase. This is a whole new world for me, I can tell you that! So thanks! Linda
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Old 02-01-2008, 08:14 AM   #49
mtnguy
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LifeIsGood View Post
Can you explain to me what a Tire Pressure Monitoring System is? As you know, we are first-time rv'ers, so we have a great deal to learn. Do you all take along a portable air compressor w/you, too? I didn't realize you have to keep the tires out of the sun, too. Why is that?

Linda
Linda, the Doran TPMS that I use has a small recieving unit that you plug into a power outlet, and it either sits on, or attaches to your dash somewhere. There is a sensor that goes on each trailer wheel, and this sensor contantly monitors the tire pressure and relays that to the reciever. If the pressure in a tires goes down by 12.5% in a tire (appx. 6 lbs. for a 50 lb. baseline), it alerts you by sound and a blinking reading on the unit. If there is no problem, the sensor only updates the reciever every 5 minutes, and you have to push a button to see what the pressures are. Kinda neat to watch the pressure go up as the tire heats up underway. I got my 16 sensor reciever from: http://www.tirepressuremonitor.com/, which has a tutoral on how this system works. The 16 sensor reciever is an overkill for my setup, but the only smaller unit has a 6 tire capacity, which would not be enough if I wanted to monitor my truck tires, and mayby a tandem axle trailer in the future. The 16 sensor reciever could monitor a tandem class A rv, a toad, and the spares!! But at $50 per sensor, I am just monitoring the TM tires for now. Another thought, is that most new vehicles now have their own TPMS, so the smaller unit might be right for more people now.

I had PMd RockMtnRay several times before purchasing my system, on how he liked the Doran TPMS, and whether it would work without the repeater, or an extra antennae. Both of our systems work well without those options. You are welcome to PM me about further questions on this, or post them here if you think others would benefit from learning about this.

I don't carry a portable compressor, just my spare......which is still a 14" wheel and tire, because I haven't gotten around to Bill's spare tire carrier modification yet. I did pull the TM with 1 14", and 1 15" tire to see how it tracked, and I couldn't tell any difference, but I will get around to traveling with a 15" spare in the near future.

Maybe Bobby (wmtire) will chime in here to explain how the sun damages tires.......all I know is, that you should keep them covered while in storage.

Chap
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Old 02-01-2008, 09:06 AM   #50
mtnguy
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Linda,

I found this thread on the Doran TPMS: http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...ighlight=doran
1 member did have a problem with the signal to the reciever, but his unit was mounted low on the dash. I have mine on top of the dash, and no problems. And I did get metal valve stems installed when I got my new tires, plus I had them balance the tires with the sensors in place.

Hope this and the previous post and website help with understanding another complicated angle of RV ownership, and how to spend more money.

Chap
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