Just another average sunset in paradise!

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Love at first sight?

I found Dod on craigslist.org.  Since he was almost 100 miles from my home I made two phone calls before traveling for an inspection.  The seller continually apologized for the rough condition of his RV but nothing he said would deter me!

When I first saw Dod there were some concerns:  the cab over section had been pushed in about 6" by a low tree branch; the windshield was cracked; one tire was flat; the battery was dead (really dead); the spark plug wires had been chewed by mice; the carpet was filthy; there was an odor reminiscent of a tom cat; and in general, a rough looking RV.

Dod was residing near Lake Arrowhead, CA which is a long way from the suburban areas of Southern California.  Good for me, as no one else had come to see all the possibilities.  The seller was a very good negotiator: for me!  After an hour long discussion, the price had dropped by 75% and the seller had agreed to install new plug wires and take Dod to be smogged at his expense.  I guess you could say he did not want a prospective buyer to slip away.

Two days later, I received the news that Dod had passed the smog test so my friends drove me up to Lake Arrowhead.  I put in a new battery, started the engine and drove Dod for the first time.  That first drive was almost 100 miles with the first 30 or so downhill.  I took it very slowly downhill in second gear just to make sure the brakes were okay.  Once on the freeway, I kept up with the flow of traffic at a speed I estimated to be 60 mph.  Speedometer was not working!  Dod ran great all the way home with no overheating, no missing, no more rattles than I would have expected even from a newer RV; and other than the odor, an enjoyable drive.

Just how small is Dod?  Here is a picture of Dod hiding behind my GMC Yukon.

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