n our first article (“How to Measure Dealership Service and After-Sale Support,” RV Enthusiast April 2024) we explored how to choose an RV dealer based on their service operations. In this column, I’m excited to continue this journey — this time, focusing on the sales side of things.

How do you pick a dealer based on their sales operations? The sales process is integral to your overall RV ownership experience. Let’s break down what makes a good sales operation — and how you can make an informed choice when selecting your RV dealer.

ender skirts that trim out the wheelwells on fifth wheels and travel trailers improve the appearance and actually serve a purpose by keeping road spray under control. However, they are usually made of thin plastic and are screwed in place — leaving a bunch of threads and points exposed on the other side of the lower metal siding. Not only do these screw ends exude an unfinished look, they can rip your skin when working in that area or even trying to wash away road grime.

Likely, these screws are driven by power tools on the assembly line which, considering the thin material, makes it difficult to get a good feel when they are sufficiently tightened — often resulting in overtightening. Many times, self-drilling screws are driven so tightly they distort the plastic and pull the skirt in toward the siding. I’ve seen hundreds of skirts where the screws were even pulled through the plastic. When this happens, it’s only a matter of time before these fender skirts litter the side of the road.

ulling a fifth wheel or travel trailer down the road is one of those “out of sight, out of mind” propositions. You’re riding in the tow vehicle, surrounded by luxury and quiet — but inside the trailer, the highway “wrecking ball” is having its way, overcoming a suspension that’s reminiscent of covered wagons. The overwhelming number of towables today are suspended by equipment that does little to control the bouncing and hammering shelled out by roads that have seen better days.

Leaf springs alone cannot prevent stored items from being disheveled or, worse, ejected from their cabinets. Frame damage over time is a constant fear, and the entire floor, wall and roof structure can be compromised by undulating pavement, potholes and damaged sections of the roadways.

V owners have a love-hate relationship with their holding tanks. Usually, the most problematic of these is the black tank — a waste receptacle which can clog, create havoc with the monitor sensors and (as we’ve probably all discovered on occasion) emit terrible odors. If you’re looking for answers to why these tanks cause so much pain, just look in the mirror. Owners are known to neglect regular maintenance, introduce the wrong type of toilet paper — and use too much of it — fail to add proper chemicals and follow erroneous dumping procedures. The Internet is full of reasons why these tanks create stress among owners, but many of the “solutions” are technically inaccurate and will themselves lead to additional problems.

key element for any RV to enjoy true self-contained status is, of course, a refrigerator — and for many years, an absorption process to keep food cold and frozen has been an industry staple. These refrigerators are designed to promote self-containment and the associated freedom of operating RVs off the grid. Over the years, the industry has moved toward compressor-style refrigerators in 12-volt DC and 120-volt AC (residential) configurations, which is becoming more popular every day, but with a universe of 15 million RV owners, it’s no surprise that absorption refrigerators that run on 120-volt AC power or LP-gas are found in millions of RVs — and are still commonly used in new models.

For some, it’s hard to understand how cold is made from heat, but the concept of using ammonia and hydrogen compression systems for refrigeration has been around since late 1800s. Absorption refrigerators for RVs were developed somewhere around 1956 by Electrolux of Sweden, and although the systems have been refined over the years, the concept remains the same — and they still make sense for RVers who like to spend time off the grid and don’t have the battery capacity (or don’t want to make the investment in an expensive solar array, large battery bank and an inverter) to keep a compressor working without running out of power.

ll gas/electric refrigerators now (or fixed under a recall) have safety devices to limit high temperature. To ensure any possibility of overheating is mitigated, I am a true believer in a safety device called the ARP Fridge Defend that’s been on the market for quite some time and has a strong reputation for controlling overheating. Essentially, this device monitors the boiler and absorber coil temperatures. When threshold temperatures are reached, the device shuts the refrigerator down for a period of time predetermined by internal electronics — which in turn allows for a safe cool down.

This device is especially important on the road if you’re climbing or descending mountains or when parked off-level long enough to cause damage. The company also offers optional fans that can be installed in the back of the refrigerator or inside the refrigerator box to improve airflow, something I also opted to do.

ires are scary business — and even more intense when an RV is involved. It behooves all RVers to plan for an escape in the event of a fire, knowing that’s their best — and often only — line of defense. Anyone who has witnessed how fast an RV burns can attest to the fact that trying to extinguish a fire with the puny extinguishers typically provided with a new or used RV is usually futile. You need to get out fast.

The good news is that emergency exits must comply with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) codes required of all RV builders. The better news is owners can up their line of defense with a professionally installed THIA by Proteng automatic fire suppression system (proteng.com).

Fire suppression systems have been around for a long time and commonly are found in race cars and other similar entities. Typically, they are expensive and complicated to install. Proteng’s approach is completely different — an offshoot of providing protection for expensive race cars — and although its simplicity is refreshing, it does take someone with expertise with these components and certification from Proteng to install the system.

aking a shower in an RV is not exactly exotic. Most showerheads push out a boring stream of water, designed to get the job done with little fanfare. Multiple showerheads or a rainforest fixture can up the entertainment factor appreciably, but adding such hardware may not be possible without major modifications to your rig. And even if the accoutrements in your shower invite lingering, water consumption plays a pivotal role — and don’t forget the limitations on hot water capacity (unless, of course, you have an instantaneous model like Truma’s AquaGo or Airxcel’s Aqua-Hot).

Ecocamel (ecocamel.com), based in London, England, with a stateside presence in Saint Petersburg, Florida, offers showerhead products that bring a tingle back into an otherwise lackluster experience.