Truth be told, owning an RV is a little different than
owning a car. There’s a certain identity that comes with owning an RV, a
different kind of experience than the usual car owner is used to.
That’s why it’s important that new RV owners take a few
lessons from experienced RV drivers and learn what really matters for keeping your RV looking and feeling new even
after many years of use.
Waxing isn’t enough.
Yes, a fresh coat of wax is usually enough to make any RV—or car, for that
matter—look its best. But if you do nothing other than wax your RV, you’re going
to find out that in the long term, you need to give your RV’s exterior a little
more attention than that. Buff and wash your RV before waxing so that you
remove any debris or gunk that’s been building up since the last time you added
a coat of wax, and your RV will look young for many years to come.
Nip rust in the bud.
There’s nothing that will make a new RV look old quite like rust. But while
rust isn’t usually something that new RV owners will have to worry about in the
short term, there’s plenty you can do to prevent its buildup over time. You can
be sure to frequently wash and seal your RV with a coat of wax. Some people
recommend frequent washing and a new coat of wax every four months or so.
Another step is to hose your RV down with fresh water if it’s been exposed to
salt water, as salt can sometimes speed up the rusting process.
Keep the inside
clean. Admittedly, we might sound like your mother gently nudging you to
keep your room clean, but there’s a method to our madness: keeping clutter out
of the inside of your RV will make every wash and cleanup that much easier. The
more you let a mess build up on the inside, the less likely you are to take a
weekend out of your life to clean it all away. It’s much better to make a habit
of cleaning out trash and other clutter.
A little engine
maintenance goes a long way. It’s tempting to avoid the regular
maintenance—filter and oil changes—but engine maintenance is important in RVs,
too. Yes, it may seem like a lot to shell out a few bucks for an oil change more
often than you’d like, but a smooth-running ten-year-old RV can be your
potential long-term reward. You get out of life what you put into it, and RVs
are no different. Show it a little love even when it’s young.
Take good care of
your battery. Battery life is a big thing in the world of RVs—you need it
to run many of the appliances that make the RV so fun to use in the first
place. Make sure that you check your battery life before each big trip and that
you have some method of monitoring the life of your battery. And be willing to
replace a battery after as little as 3-5 years, as it can do wonders in making
your RV run like a “young” RV again.
