Replacing the cooling unit will usually save $600-$700 versus buying a new refrigerator.

A few months ago we purchased a 2019 Winnebago Micro Lite trailer. We were unable to use it right away, so it was stored for a little while. When we got ready to go on a trip, the electric mode on the refrigerator did not function. Somebody told us to try it on gas to determine whether there was something wrong with the electric side — and, of course, the gas function did not work either. We talked to a local RV technician, who said that more than likely the cooling unit had failed, which seems unusual for a 3-year-old RV. He gave us a price for a new refrigerator, which seemed awful high for such a small refrigerator. We love the trailer, but we really can’t afford $2,000 for a small refrigerator and we were hoping maybe you had some sort of a solution.
— PJ Wilson

It’s unfortunate that the cooling unit failed. I concur with the technician, since the refrigerator should have worked on one mode or the other. If you want to verify your technician’s diagnosis, set the refrigerator to the electric mode and let it run for several hours and then remove the back access panel. To the right of the refrigerator, you’ll see an insulated round, metal, vertical section that contains the boiler and to the left of that you’ll see the black pipes and coils. The insulated tin section should be rather hot to the touch — be careful that you don’t burn your fingers as it could be very hot. If the refrigerator is level, on electric and the box does not cool, the cooling unit is definitely defective.

indow awnings are one of those little luxuries that can make a big difference when the sun beats down and heats up the interior. They also help deflect the rain from entering the RV while the windows are open during warm summer storms. Unfortunately, the sun also preys on the fabric —vinyl or acrylic, the latter being more durable and usually better looking — even when it’s rolled up, unless it’s protected by a metal or flexible shield. As I’m a full timer, my window and patio awning are out most of the time — and the fabric is always exposed to the sun. Even so, the acrylic fabric managed to hang in there for 9½ years before it deteriorated to the point where it was likely to tear or, worse, let loose and break the window and/or damage the exterior siding.

Yea, it will happen.

Determining whether or not the fabric needs to be replaced can be accomplished by simply going up a ladder and examining the fabric (rolled up or extended). The threads usually are the first thing to deteriorate, so take a close look to make sure they are not frayed and/or coming loose. Vinyl fabrics often become brittle to the touch and extremely faded, which means replacement is just around the corner. When I had my RV repair shop, many customers over the years asked whether the fabric could be re-sewn or if the poly cords (the parts that go in the rail on the sidewall and roller tube channel) could be reattached; the answer is usually “no.” If the fabric is brittle, the heavy-duty sewing machine will just tear the awning fabric apart. But it can be replaced, saving the cost of replacing the entire awning.

op-up shops are the rage today — “flash” retailers opening short-term spaces that last for just a few days, often to feed a fad from athletic shoes to fast dining entrees. Imagine, though, if this concept took over an entire city; as you drive down major routes, you spy location after location displaying their top designs for the coming year.

Yup, you’re in Nirvana.

And it really does happen. That’s kind of how Elkhart, Indiana, looks during the Elkhart RV Open House. It’s four hectic days where virtually every major (and many smaller) manufacturers gear up to introduce their new models to RV dealers that fly or drive to northern Indiana from most every U.S. state and Canadian province. It’s estimated that 3,000 to 5,000 dealer personnel visit Elkhart during this late September event.

electing a single vehicle as the year’s best is never an easy proposition no matter what the industry. Within the RV arena, with its multitude of manufacturers, it’s even tougher. That’s a big reason why RVBusiness magazine, the nation’s premier RV trade journal, expanded the finalists for its prestigious “RV of the Year” award from four to nine for the 2023 model year. Following two years when the industry’s foremost trade show, the Elkhart RV Open House, was cancelled due to lingering pandemic concerns, most RV builders pulled out all the stops for this September’s event, which is typically “the place” for new debuts.

“We could have expanded the overall list even further — there were that many 2023 model year units worthy of such consideration,” said RVBusiness Executive Editor Rick Kessler.

To be as transparent as possible, there is no set criteria to RV of the Year — although innovation, differentiation, marketability and a genuine “Wow, that’s something we haven’t seen before!” impression also come into play. Of course, the look and feel, as well as function and performance, also are part of the equation.

The Pause extreme overland trailer from Forest River’s Palomino RV division is, quite frankly, new, different — and groundbreaking. Available in two models — the 26-foot Hiatus XC20.2 and Hiatus XC20.3, with two more models coming soon — both are adorned with overland-specific features, right down to a boot rack on the exterior where a consumer could hose off muddy boots and then move the rack to an interior mounting bracket to let them dry.

The side of both angular-styled units features a stylish Pause logo with the words “Reboot” and “Restart” as a nod to the onboard Garmin O.N.E. Control technology that not only ensures travelers find their way on off-grid adventures where there are no roads, but also controls the trailer’s systems, including one-touch leveling.

One of two GTX floorplans — the 39TA features no passenger slides in its 1.5-bath configuration — the 37RT is a 37-foot motorhome with three flat-floor slideouts that deliver plenty of interior room. The highlight of the 37RT, though, is the optional “Corner Office.”

Located at the rear of the coach so it’s away from daily life activities, the Corner Office has been designed to deliver the space, technology, convenience and privacy needed by those working or learning from the road.

Obviously, the Bristol, Indiana-based towable manufacturer is doing a lot of things right.

Highlighted by the 20FB, the Touring Edition — which Ember RV CEO and President Ashley Bontrager describes as a “more street version” of its Overland Series — features 10 tandem-axle floorplans in lengths from 26 to 34 feet, with a mix of both family friendly bunkhouses and options for couples.

The classic Dutch Star has a totally new look inside and out for 2023, said John Sammut, vice president of sales and marketing. Changes to the 2023 Dutch Star line include new front and rear cap designs, headlights, exterior graphic designs and paint colors. Inside there is new flooring, backsplashes, feature ceiling, slideout fascia designs, bedding, window treatments, as well as four new interior décor packages.

John Fisher, directory of product development for lightweight towables, said dealers and retail customers “wanted to see something a little bit different from Jayco and we’ve heard that feedback over the last year-and-a-half, so we decided to delve into a more ‘European’ design. It has a different profile, a very European interior design — and it’s got a lot of unique bells and whistles on it, too.”

Top features on the Volare include eight-sided composite and aluminum construction — including the floor and ceiling — with a one-piece roof, rubber torsion axle, the new Jayco “Rock Solid” stabilizer jacks, full fiberglass front cap, automotive-style windshield, panoramic camp-view windows and the JAYCOMMAND control system with voice-control capability.

The Model Z, the company’s initial model, features the three-quarter-ton towability of a mid-profile fifth-wheel line along with some of the luxury aspects of an upscale full-profile towable — and features a lengthy list of industry “firsts.” Its “Coastal Farmhouse” interiors feature taller ceilings, upgraded flooring, brass fittings, a 54-inch entry handrail, adjustable pantry drawers, a spice rack built into a galley drawer plus an articulating ottoman.

According to Keith Fishburn, inTech sales manager, the company has been developing this product since the beginning of the pandemic but didn’t have the room to build it. Parts shortages also delayed launch of the new travel trailer — but inTech made good use of the time: What started out as a single-model brand grew into three different models, including a toy hauler, in the Expedition, Navigate and Adventure.

The 175BH is a familiar double-over-double bunkbed floorplan with a Murphy bed up front. A three-piece bathroom and dinette slideout opposite the galley and entry door complete configuration. Pass-through storage, a 14-foot awning and a 10.7-cubic-foot two-door refrigerator are among the features.

The inside of the coach positively gleams with natural light, as large windows give way to sparkling tiled floors even in the three slideouts that make up the living area and rear bedroom. Built on a proprietary Powerglide Chassis, the 45-foot tag-axle motorhome has a gross vehicle weight rating of 51,000 pounds and has no need for propane. All systems are electric or powered through the bus’ diesel fuel supply, including the Aqua-Hot Heat Exchanger system that provides hot water and internal heat for the coach.

In its third year of production, Alliance RV is offering up its first travel trailer — a new toy hauler under the Valor brand with a 13-foot garage and an industry-first three slides, according to Jeremiah Dumka, general manager. The debut floorplan for the new Valor is the 31T13.

“This is the industry’s first triple-slide travel trailer, while still in the same weight class as what our key competition is,” Dumka said. “We’ve done that by using a lot of composite materials to keep it light. It’s right in line with everything else out there — but it’s got an additional slide and the first island kitchen in a toy hauler.”

Brand new for 2023, the New R-Pod 203 from Forest River Inc. offers a number of segment “firsts,” according to Cody Schade, R-Pod product manager.

For the first time, an R-Pod travel trailer has been equipped with the CURT Beast Mode suspension system, a completely independent and adaptive suspension. It also is the first full-size bunkhouse in the R-Pod series.

“This is the first family-styled adventure camper on the R-Pod side,” Schade said. “You’ve got two double bunks inside. Our new cosmic graphite interior and exterior is really cool.”

Keystone knew it had a hit on its hands in 2022 with the Arcadia. It was, in fact, named the “2022 RV of the Year” by RVBusiness magazine. But even with that success, designers didn’t quite have what they wanted.

District Sales Manager Dustin Tavernier said the original idea of the Arcadia was to come in with a half-ton towable fifth-wheel. So, with the award-winning initial model under their belts, engineers went back to the drawing board. The result is the Arcadia Super Lite with the 293SLRD model earning Top Debut honors. Checking in at 29 feet, 3 inches long, the model weighs only 7,400 pounds.

In only its second full year of existence, Elkhart, Ind.-based Encore RV continues to add to a growing lineup with the ROG 16RB, an adventure trailer that offers a unique floorplan and feature set uncommon to smaller lightweight trailers — including a kitchen and kitchenette.

“The rear slideout kitchen is just like our 12RK or 12BH,” explained Rich Schnippel, CEO and founder of Encore RV. “You’ve got a 12-volt refrigerator, a two-burner Dometic cooktop with cast-iron grate and a Dometic flip-up sink and faucet.”

With an eye toward the smaller tow vehicle segment, Grand Design RV has introduced the Imagine AIM — Adventure In Motion — as a smaller, lighter, single-axle version of its popular Imagine line of laminated travel trailers.

With four new floorplans — two bunkhouse models and two couple’s coaches — and dry weights ranging from about 3,500 to 3,750 pounds, company officials said AIM “welcomes more consumers to the road.”

The AIM 15RB is a perfect example: the rear-bath, non-slide, Murphy bed unit checks in at 19 feet, 11 inches and 3,594 pounds (UVW), yet offers a 1,201-pound cargo-carrying capacity thanks to an upgraded axle.

Scott Bradshaw and Scott Tuttle of Soaring Eagle Campers.

Scott Bradshaw, Troy Andrews, Shawn Balentine and Travis Cameron are being mentored in the effort by veteran Scott Tuttle, who said he knew a number of dealers who, spurred by consumer requests, had been asking for small, lightweight aluminum truck campers. Since inTech RV, another company Tuttle is currently affiliated with (he also previously co-founded Heartland RV and founded Livin’ Lite RV) wasn’t interested in campers, he decided to help his friends get started.

“When we sat down around the table to discuss what we wanted this product to be, it was to fill a void in the Super C segment,” explained Coachmen General Manager Luke Handyside.

Handyside’s team surmised that Super C’s had gotten so expensive that many buyers were being priced out of the market. What’s more, to get to a lower price-point, manufacturers were now starting to “de-content” their products — removing or opting for lesser certain components to lower the price. That’s not the case with the Entourage, he said.

“The Accolade XT is new for us and I’m excited about it because it’s on the Ford F-550 or F-600 4×4 chassis (depending upon model),” said Corey Weatherton, director of motorized product development. “If you look at the market over 2020 through 2022, the Super C market has pretty much doubled — and a large percentage of the growth has come from the use of this specific chassis.”

The goal, Weatherton said, was to build a unit where the whole package matched the 4×4 badging. “We wanted it to be rugged in appearance — and just tough overall,” he said.

“The $35,000-to-$55,000 price point used to be 51% of the market in 2018 and 2019,” Terlep explained. “In 2022 we have inflation and a lot of things going on in the world with COVID and everything affecting the price, and that segment has now grown to be essentially $60,000 to $80,000. Now that $35,000 to $55,000 price point is 7% of the market. It’s not because the retail buyer left it — it’s because there’s no brand left in that segment.”

t’s a fact of RV life that many RV roofs which utilize a membrane-type roofing material will need to be replaced at some point in time. Not surprisingly, it’s one of the biggest worries RVers have related to their home on wheels — while camping, that thin membrane is the only barrier between them and Mother Nature. Long-term exposure to UV rays, severe heat and cold, rain, snow, hail and other elements wreak havoc on membrane-type RV roofs, which will eventually deteriorate and lose their ability to keep moisture at bay. Left untreated, moisture intrusion quickly breeds mold, rots wood, delaminates sidewalls, creates exterior stains and destroys interior ceiling and wall paneling.

A damaged, deteriorated or leaking RV roof is also an expensive item to have replaced, whether it’s a newer model RV that has suffered some type of roof damage, or the roof on an older RV that has come to the end of its natural life.

Teresa Carrier, co-owner of Carrier RV Service with her husband, Tom, replace and repair RV roofs every month at their Eugene, Oregon, RV repair center. She told RV Enthusiast customers come in on a regular basis after having purchased a well-used RV only to realize afterward that their unit has a serious roof issue. That’s when they learn a cold, hard fact: Replacing an RV’s membrane roof material is a costly fix because the job is very labor-intensive.

Slideout rooms improve livability by leaps and bounds — but they seem to always refuse to extend or retract at the most inopportune times. The Schwintek system, found on many RVs, can be repaired in the field with a little knowledge and right parts on hand.

here’s no denying that RVs are complex and require a certain amount of understanding of how systems work as well as a commitment to perform necessary maintenance procedures to assure longevity and trouble-free function. Avoiding slideout-room failure is especially important when on the road — pushing the slideout retract/extend button when nothing happens is one of those sinking-stomach situations that all owners dread.

There’s nothing worse than trying to vacate an RV site only to find that the slide-out will not retract and the park manager is grinding on you to leave to make way for the next renter. While most slideouts have override provisions to manually retract the room, the Schwintek is a different animal, requiring more basic measures: pushing by hand. And, of course, Murphy’s Law dictates that the slide failure occurs where there are obstructions that can prevent you from physically pushing in the slide out — which in the best circumstances can take two or three strong people. Trying to push in bedroom slides that are out of reach can be even more problematic.

amping during the winter months definitely has its challenges, especially in areas where it’s not uncommon to see temperatures dip below 20 degrees F every night. Throw in periodic snow and rain that turns to ice, and the mettle of even the most seasoned RVer will be tested.

Not all RVs are created equal; if you’re in the market for a new RV and you tend to go camping year-round, think about purchasing a well-insulated RV with a package that offers protection in cold weather. These packages usually have additional insulation in areas that are prone to freeze-ups, heated underbellies to include protection for the holding tanks and, in many cases, dual-pane windows, which are a “must” in cold weather — and can also improve cooling efficiency in hot climates. Even without these factory-added protections, however, with a little knowledge and preparation you can overcome many of the mysteries — and fear — when setting up your RV in areas where the thermometer dips below freezing.