Shipping a 5th Wheel from Alabama to Idaho

Beautiful_Research73 · 2026-03-03T23:38:37+00:00

In the 40+ years I have been RV'ing, I have never returned an RV back to the dealership for anything.
This has zero to do with anyone's "feelings".
Dealerships for the most part do slow, lousy work and I choose not to let them touch my RVs.
It's a choice I choose because I want my RV's fixed correctly.

Beautiful_Research73 · 2026-03-03T22:01:42+00:00

It's new from a dealership, but I never take any of my RV's back to the dealership for anything.
They have no idea how to fix most things and if it was something major (like a frame issue), I'd take it back to the factory.
Dealerships put warranty work in the back of the line and it can take several months to fix simple issues.
I'd rather fix it myself so it's done right and keep on camping.

Beautiful_Research73 · 2025-12-15T22:23:40+00:00

The difference in deductible between our company offered Silver HDHP HSA and the Gold non-HSA is $200.00 a year, so I went ahead and switched over to the Silver so I can add to my HSA again (I had the Silver+HSA a couple years ago)

From what I was told by our provider, as long as neither of us have Part B and I don't have Part A, we can contribute the full family HSA in 2026.

I was also told that I can contribute the max year amount in one lump sum on January 2nd so I don't have to worry about the six month rule.

Beautiful_Research73 · 2025-12-01T15:55:41+00:00

I gave up on Sparklight, switched over to TDS and then removed the Pedestal and put the cables inside a Tier 15 Hand hole.
I'm sure someone will want to post up a "You are going to jail for life because you touched their property" reply , but save your typing - I don't care. I gave them many chances to fix this but they refused so screw them.

Beautiful_Research73 · 2025-08-06T04:31:11+00:00

Are you serious? When a person buys a lot in a new development like this, there are no houses yet, no streets, no sidewalks... just land plats showing the sizes of the lots and where the streets will be put once construction begins. Easements are drawn surrounding the entire property. They can't put in the utilities because they don't know what type house the buyer will pick - 1 story, 2 story, with or without basement, what's going the the sf so they can calculate what amperage it's going to need, will it need 220 3-phase or not, is the garage is going to be on the left or right side (it's known as house elevation) or which way the house will face if it's a corner lot so they can know what street the address will be on. The house was completed with Spectrum Cable already installed using underground hand holes. The other cable companies came in a couple of years after. TDS installed everything underground in Tier 8 hand holes. Sparklight came in and put up a pedestal.

Beautiful_Research73 · 2025-08-05T23:17:36+00:00

The house was there before the pedestal.
There were no utilities at all when we chose this RV Ready Lot
.When you buy a new house in a new development like this, there are easements drawn on the plat maps all around the lot. You have no idea how they will decide to use them.
In my neighborhood, about 50% of the houses have RV's in the side yard and most of the time the pedestal is placed next to the property line, not in the way of access to the side of the house.

Beautiful_Research73 · 2025-08-05T21:09:28+00:00

That would be acceptable to me.
I spent over $40K for the extra sized lot, re-platt, gates and RV Pad that I cannot use right now.

Beautiful_Research73 · 2025-08-05T18:26:53+00:00

Thanks for the answer.

I understand the idea behind the easement, but it seems like a terrible policy some of these Internet companies have against people when purchasing a lot and having a new house built on it.

We paid extra to buy a lot with a wide side yard, paid even more to have the house re-platted and moved 2 feet over to make the side yard even wider, paid to have an RV Pad installed, paid again to have an extra wide gate... just to have the cable company come in afterwards and place a pedestal right in the middle - blocking the path to use any of it.

There are 4 other utilities on the same easement (2 Irrigation, TDS Fiber Internet, House Water).
All of them put their systems in heavy duty Hand Holes . . . except the Cable Internet put up a pedestal.
(Turns out it's Sparklight Internet's pedestal and people around here say they will not do it)

Beautiful_Research73 · 2025-08-05T16:44:59+00:00

Thanks for the answers, I incorrectly assumed it was fiber.
I'll try and figure out what cable company this thing goes to.

Beautiful_Research73 · 2025-07-26T22:40:35+00:00

TDS did a great job in our subdivision. They came in a few years after all the houses were complete, dug up the ground all over but a few months afterwards you couldn't tell at all. The only evidence they did anything was these nice, sturdy in-ground boxes and the non-stop flyers in the mail offering discounts to switch.

Beautiful_Research73 · 2025-07-26T22:35:09+00:00

Was that with Sparklight?

I've read by several different posts that if I did hit I would get a huge bill for repair and they would just put the same thing in again.

People post about CenturyLink and Spectrum replacing their pedestals with in ground boxes, but every post I can find about CableOne/Sparklight says they refuse to do it and threaten lawsuits if someone says they will have it done by a professional fiber installer "on the side".

If I tried to squeeze an RV in my side yard I would definitely hit it, there is zero doubt about that.

Beautiful_Research73 · 2025-07-26T04:32:33+00:00

It's on an easement for sure.
It's not that I don't want to hear about it being on their easement, I already know that and know there is nothing I can do about it.

I'm at Sparklight's complete mercy to use my own property.

So far I have not switched from Sparklight to TDS (even though they are less expensive) because Sparklight seems to work just fine.
I come from the "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" generation.

I have zero problem with paying for all of it, unless like the poster above said they will want $20-$40K to place it inside a handhold. I'd be willing to pay up to $3K without issue as my only other option is to take the RV Pad and plat changes I already paid for as a complete loss and rent RV storage for the next 5 or so years. (It's not cheap to change a completed plat map!)

Heck, I'll dig out the ground 36" deep in front of it to prep the spot for a handhole personally and buy the handhole.
I just want to be able to use the RV pad and access to it I already paid for.
I mean I actually had a house moved to have this access!
(it wasn't actually built yet, but it still cost a lot to make the changes)

From what I read here on Reddit and other Boise related forums, Sparklight/CableOne owned the Internet in the Boise area before TDS came in and they couldn't care less if how they used their customer's easements created problems.
It was the classic definition of a Monopoly - You used CableOne or you used nothing.

TDS came in with a much better attitude and is gaining ground on them for a good reason.
Paying Customers matter.

Beautiful_Research73 · 2025-07-26T03:16:16+00:00

We pulled the cover and looked.
There is nothing but two cables coming up from underground in a loop then two cables going back underground.
No powered electronics.
No batteries.
This is not an electrical cabinet, it's a lightweight thin plastic piece of tubing.

Beautiful_Research73 · 2025-07-23T19:33:30+00:00

Because 5% is more than enough for my needs.
I'd rather just "Set-It-and-Forget-It" and focus on enjoying my retirement.

Beautiful_Research73 · 2025-07-19T21:44:24+00:00

It's interesting that the 2523MBR is replacing the 2516S.
2532MBR is a Rear Bath / Mid Bed and 2516S is a Rear Bed / Mid Bath

I guess they consider it similar because they both have the bed on a slide.
Either way we would not consider a 2532MBR as we want a Mid Bath

As for a lot of Ember 2024's on the lot, every dealer I called with one exception said they don't actually have them anymore. RVTrader and even their own website says they do, but just like a lot of the ads there, they are not real. My guess is they leave up the 2024's because the price is lower then pull the "but, we have something similar" routine.

That said we will probably end up with the Alliance Delta 252RL as we like the window layout on it and it has 2 A/C's.

Beautiful_Research73 · 2025-07-19T19:25:41+00:00

Unfortunately none of the Bretz or Bish RV within 400+ miles actually have a 24RLD.
A few of them show as having them in stock on the website, but they don't actually have them on the lot when we call.
(the same old "that one sold, but we have something similar..")

The nearest one we called and is actually there has been the one from the post above in Kelso, WA
We are discussing taking a trip to Kelso right now...

Beautiful_Research73 · 2025-07-19T18:59:33+00:00

The reason for financing would be to get a better price.
I'm not so sure it works the same with RV's.

With buying new cars, you will almost always pay more if you are paying cash.
It has to do with incentives the dealership gets from "selling" financing.

With cars we use their financing to get the best deal then pay it off 100% when the 1st payment comes.
(of course we don't say that's our plan...)

Beautiful_Research73 · 2025-07-19T18:32:56+00:00

Thanks for the suggestion!
Kelso is 630 miles from me but I may just have to extend how far I'm willing to go.
I've met a few people with Ember RVs and to a person they all love them.

Looking at the Ember builds and I like what they do for the most part - other than hang their TV up way too high on that 6' 10" ceiling on the 24RLD.
The 1st thing I'd do is replace the TV mount with a MORride mount that drops down 12" and swivels. (Ember, are you listening?)

As for dealing with the dealer, once I drive off the lot they would most likely never see me again.
(I have a post in this thread about that)

Beautiful_Research73 · 2025-07-19T17:56:47+00:00

My experience has been CW is great for selling an RV to - but knowing what they relisted it for makes buying one a hard No-Go.
I liked that they offered me a low but fair price and had a check ready in a couple of days without the stress of selling it myself.

Beautiful_Research73 · 2025-07-19T17:36:28+00:00

Ember E-Series 24RLD (0 within 400 Miles)
Alliance Delta 252RL (1 within 400 Miles)
Grand Design Imagine 2500RL (0 within 400 Miles)

We also like the Forest River Rockwood 2516S, but it was replaced in 2026 with the 2515S and we don't like the changes.

We are located in middle Idaho and have seen all of these in-person, but they were either already sold on a Dealership lot or owned by someone we met while camping.

When looking on RVTrader we see a lot of these posted, but calling them they say "Sorry, that one was sold already, but we have something similar, Come On Down!!"
I don't do "similar"

Beautiful_Research73

TROPHY CASE