WARNING OF DOING RV BUSINESS IN TEXAS - VIT TAX

A very sensitive and outrageous matter has come up, while doing business in the State of Texas, which merits making all our followers aware. As you know we have pledged to report the Good and the Bad of all matters which we encounter in our RV travels. While some are just a matter of preference (like the benefits of one campground over another, or good places to shop) others are more serious and alarming (such as this one}.

When we purchased our new 2023 Fleetwood Discovery 44B diesel pusher at Motor Home Specialist in Alvarado, Texas, an added charge was added to our contract, stated simply as "VIT". Had it been for $2.50 or something like that, we would not have questioned it, but since it was for $988.49, and we have never encountered it in any other purchase, we had to question it, and we did. The Finance and Insurance (F&I) Manager, Billy Fussell at Motor Home Specialist, explained that it is a new "tax" that the State of Texas imposes on ALL motor vehicles being sold in the State of Texas, which has to be paid by the Buyers, and that it is based on a percentage of the sales price, which the computer calculates automatically. 

It sounded 'fishy' but since we were buying an RV with a specially low price, as long as it closed by the end of the year, with only a few days to go, and because we had no way by then to go to another state to make our purchase, we accepted it. However, 4 days later, during the closing, and with a different F&I manager, Matt Killam, we again questioned the "VIT tax" and were told AGAIN that it is a new sales tax on ALL vehicle sales imposed by the State of Texas, so it is required to be paid.

We were surprised by this added charge for several reasons:

1. This dealership prides itself on the fact that it has no dealer-added fees to the sale price,

2. If this is a sales tax, WHY is it added separately from the "Sales Tax",

3. Why is the entry just titled "VIT" and not with an explanation of what it is,

4. IF it is something new and on the up and up, why was it not disclosed until we questioned it?

After closing on the new RV, and after the New Year holidays, we started to research the so-called VIT tax and found out from the Office of the Attorney General of Texas and the Office of the Comptroller of Texas, that the VIT, which stands for Vehicle Inventory Tax (as in Publication 96-254) is:

1. Considered a Property Tax, and 

2. Imposed against the Dealer(s), NOT against the Buyers.

For your reference, here it is as listed on the Comptroller's website:

https://comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/publications/96-254/vit.php , to wit:

TEXAS MOTOR VEHICLE TAX GUIDE

Vehicle Inventory Tax (VIT)

For local property tax purposes, Texas law requires a motor vehicle dealer’s inventory to be appraised based on the total sales of motor vehicles in the prior year. A dealer must file an annual declaration of total sales from the prior year with their county appraisal district. A dealer must also file a monthly form with the county tax assessor-collector to report motor vehicles sold during the prior month and prepay, to an escrow account, a vehicle inventory tax (VIT) for those sold vehicles.

Property Tax and Not Sales Tax

The VIT is a property tax assessed on the dealer, not the purchaser, and is a negotiable item on the sales agreement. Moreover, the VIT is not, by statute, a part of "total consideration." Dealers may, however, separately list a reimbursement of the VIT on the sales agreement.

For more VIT information, see Publication 96-545, Motor Vehicle Dealer’s Special Inventory (PDF).

Sales Price

If the dealer and seller agree to include a reimbursement of the VIT in the transaction, the VIT reimbursement must be listed separately because it cannot be included in the sales price. Motor vehicle sales tax is not assessed against the separately stated VIT.

The VIT is based on the sales price on Form 130-U, Application for Texas Title and/or Registration (PDF), Box 38, after deducting any rebate, including factory and dealer rebates passed on to the customer. The net sales price in Box 38 is the sales price used for the VIT. For example, if the initial sales price is $20,000 and a $1,000 rebate is available, Box 38 should reflect the $19,000 net figure.

Publication 96-254
(09/2021)

Following all our investigation, it became evident that MOTOR HOME SPECIALIST had committed FRAUD, in misrepresenting the VIT charge as a mandatory tax on the Buyer, not disclosing the truth about the tax, and because there was a finance document (loan) involved had violated Truth in Lending laws..

Bill, not one to leave money on the table, and someone who will not let anyone cheat us, set out to address the issue with Motor Home Specialist and prepare a Complaint Form with the Office of the Attorney General, if they refused to correct their offensive actions.

On 01/13/2023 we wrote an email to the Sales Manager and the President/CEO of Motor Home Specialist, referencing the lies by the F&I Managers, and the unlawful charges by Motor Home Specialist. 

Five days later, on 01/18/2023 we receive a reply from a Giff Akins of Blue Compass RV in Alvarado, stating that the Sales Manager we addressed in our email forwarded the email to him because he and the President/CEO were both away from the office, but assured us that they would respond upon their return in a few days.

By 02/07/2023, having given them 20 more days to respond, without their having done so, we wrote them one last time, advising them that given their non-response, we were continuing with the consumer complaint at the Attorney General's Office.

On 02/09/2023, Giff Akins again wrote, stating that as he is in charge of dealing with consumer relations for all their stores (of which MHS is 1 of 107) and of all the legal matters,  he had taken point on this and that having reviewed the case finds with us that certain procedural errors were made, and offered to refund us our $988.49, and wanted to know to whom the check is to be made and to what address it is to be sent. We said with BOTH names (as on the Buyer's Order), but to let us know when the check is ready and we will drive to Alvarado to pick it up, so we can put this matter behind us as quickly as possible.

During the week that followed 01/30/2023 the area of Dallas / Ft. Worth suffered an ice storm which has apparently created damage to phone lines and communication equipment, so we shall give them a few extra days and hopefully we can bring this matter to an end, with our refund of our $988.49.

However, we wanted to post this on our website to WARN our readers and followers of things to be wary of IF / WHEN doing business with vehicle purchases in the State of Texas. While this (our) problem may be resolved, we would not put it past Motor Home Specialist (or any other dealer) to continue to misrepresent  themselves as to the VIT tax and continue to try to saddle the Consumer with that burden, which was designed to falls on their shoulders, NOT on their consumers. 

The problem is derived because the law states that:

1. It is a 'property tax', NOT a 'sales tax', and as such has no place to be part of a sales contract.

2. While it can be 'negotiable' to be paid in whole or in part by the Consumer, we can't see why a consumer would want to volunteer to pay for something he/she has no legal requirement to do so.

3. It should not state that "dealers MAY separately list a reimbursement of the VIT on the Sales Agreement", as that alone can further confuse the issue. IF ANYTHING, it should say that that dealers MAY separately list a reimbursement of the VIT on the Sales Agreement... IF and ONLY IF the Consumer has signed a written statement to the fact that he is willing to pay to reimburse the dealer for their taxation, and to what amount.. Otherwise it cannot be charged against the Consumer."

Therefore, BUYERS IN TEXAS...  BEWARE. 

IF a Texas dealer tries to burden you with a charge for VIT on your sales contract, read and advise them of the law, and refer them to:

https://comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/publications/96-254/vit.php

  

We left Wyoming to get away from the Cold, Snow and Ice... and except for snow (yet) ended right back in it, in Texas.

When we left Wyoming in November 2022 it was already 5 degrees F, as a nighttime temperature. It was so cold that our whole house water filter froze (thank goodness for PEX water lines). Just the same we figured it was time to get out of Dodge (actually Star Valley Ranch), so we did. We would have left earlier had it not been for Bill's dentist delaying a procedure until then, but just the same, we were glad to have been able to leave then (with 12" of snow on the roof of the 5th wheel, that lasted into Colorado). 

Later we found out what Bill had always suspected, that 5th wheels and trailers are not built as sturdily or are as weather hardy as motorhomes. Everything started breaking down, and re-breaking even after fixing it and replacing some parts with new ones. We had already taken it to the Keystone factory service center to repair a bunch of things, but they would not take care of anything, even though it was under the New Vehicle Warranty. They ONLY do warranty work through their dealers, which have a long 5-6 month waiting list and since they are in snow country, that makes it extra difficult to get anything done. They suggested that we take it to another dealer (like a Camping World, which was where we bought it, but as evidenced in an earlier post, CW did such a poor job of customer service with constant lies, that we were not about to go through that again.  So we had to plan to make our return to Wyoming trip via Goshen Indiana, to be able to get all our Keystone Montana issues (which were multiplying by the week) fixed.  

By contrast, motorhomes ALL have a factory service center, which will take care of New Vehicle Warranty work, right at their factory service center.  Like Keystone, their dealers are also 'supposed to' also do warranty work, BUT the issue with a dealer doing warranty work vs a factory service center is like a housewife (oops... that may be politically incorrect, so let's just say a 'domestic person') cooking a great meal vs a master Chef preparing the same meal. The latter is a professional and can do the same with greater perfection, and less waste of time and products. It is the same with a dealer, whose priority is selling RVs and servicing non-warranty work which they can charge their regular hourly rate for, as well as for parts. Sure, the manufacturer will pay them for doing warranty work, but not to the same amount that they can get for doing the same work to a non-warranty unit. Further, a case in point, we have a friend, Russell, who had just bought a  brand new Tiffin Allegro Bus with a very fancy paint job, which had been badly botched up from the factory. His dealer sold it as is promising that they or any dealer would gladly repair the messed up paint job, under the factory warranty. As it turned out, the dealer said that it would take them at least 20 hours to correct the paint job, BUT the manufacturer  (service center) said they could do it in only EIGHT (8) hours and that is all they were willing to pay the dealer, under warranty work. The only solution was that Russell had to take his new Tiffin Allegro Bus to the factory service center, which thankfully was in Red Bay Alabama, and not in northern Indiana, like most other factory centers.  

Well, as we mentioned in the last post, things started breaking down faster than we could keep track of them and having to live with all the issues for months until we could take it back to Indiana just grew to become unbearable. That, added to Bill's growing dislike of life in a 5th wheel (breakdowns and lack of weather hardiness), we eventually took the opportunity of it being the end of the year to make a super deal on trading the 5th wheel in on a Fleetwood Discovery LXE motor home, which we have had previously and seems to be the best of all the RVs we have had. We kick ourselves every day for having traded out of our 2015 Discovery 40E, but as they say... that's life and how we learn. We too had a Tiffin Phaeton 40IH (sadly bought in 2020, the year that Bob Tiffin sold his company to Thor and no longer cared for his production) and we were so disgusted with all the issues in that coach that when the selling dealer (La Mesa) offered us $3,000 more for it than we had paid for it when new, and they would send a driver to pick it up, we sold it. Yes, it was that bad. Actually Bill was not as disgusted with it as Mary was, but since we were going to give up RVing due to the rising costs of diesel during the Covid era, it seemed like the right thing to do, so we did.

After that, though we had bought a 0.5 acre lot to build on in Star Valley Ranch but didn't build due to the lack and high cost of building materials, we decided (being now literally 'homeless' (no house and no RV) to buy a house. It was the middle of winter (March) in Wyoming, and we were in Red Bay, Alabama visiting the Tiffin factory service enter for THIRD time in 10 months. There weren't a lot of houses available for sale, as even some that are for sale, the listings are removed during the winter. Of what was available nothing seemed worthy of our interest until one morning Mary found this one house that looked really nice and for a good enough asking price, so we asked our Realtor friend, Ed Koontz to go preview it and let us know his thoughts on it. Of course, the exterior was covered in snow, so all he could do was a walk-through on Face Time to show us the place and give us commentary as to what he could see inside. We could tell that it would need some modernizing and some repair, but given Bill's real estate experience and marketing skills we knew we would not lose any money on it and could even make money on it, selling it in two years to benefit from the favorable capital gains tax treatment on a primary residence. So we put an offer for it, which was accepted and we rented a 6' x 12' U-Haul trailer, loaded the freezer and all our stuff from the Tiffin and drove the 2,400 miles back to Star Valley Ranch WY, staying at the Wolf Den Motel (cabins) until closing.

Later, because both our properties (building lot and the house) were located on a golf course, we found out that our Roxy girl is deathly afraid of golfers (people with swinging sticks). Since she is a 'rescue' we don't know what her background is, or what abuses she has faced, so we put our building lot for sale and sold it for a $75,000 profit in just 18 months, without a Realtor. Bill prepared a website for it through which prospective buyers could read up on it and view photos of the lot, from wherever they were and then could come by to see it in person.  He is now preparing another website... www.golfchalet4sale.com, for the sale of the house, detailing all the work we have done to restore it. This way someone who drives by it and sees the For Sale sign, or sees it advertised somewhere, can see it online and find out all about it before needing to show it  to people who are not interested in it. IF they are interested, then they can call to make an appointment to come see it in person, but the majority of the work will already be done, and then all they have to do is 'fall in love with it' and make an offer.... OR better yet say "We'll take it, but we won't pay any more than $1,500,000." 😉

So anyway, here we are in Texas, having come way down South to get away from the freezing weather of Wyoming, and for the last two weeks we have seen temps in the teens for lows and in the 30s and 40s for highs, and had whole weeks where at times the sun does not make an appearance for more than a few minutes, and other times, some days it rains almost 6" in just 1 day and 1-3" other days. For several days we have had to fill the water tank and disconnect the water hose so it does not freeze. Still, we are glad that we have much more weather hardiness in this motor home than we would have had in the 5th wheel.

When in Conroe, TX we always plan to have electronic work done our rig.  This trip is no different.  We had some confusion concerning how the television connections were supposed to work and for some reason, when in the campgrounds in Texas, our Verizon Routers did not have internet access, even though our phones did have access.  So, when we had Sats2Go come to help with our television set up, we asked them about internet access.  They recommended Starlink, stating that they had been selling a lot of the systems to RV'ers.  So, Bill looked into Starlink.  We ordered an In Motion set up for RVs and Sats2Go installed it.  They did a great job and helped us set it up.  We love it!!  We turned off our Verizon Routers and have had zero issues with the dishy.  On the way down to the Colorado River Campground, Mary took the opportunity to try out Starlink internet, while Bill was driving down the road.  It worked perfectly, despite totally clouded skies and pouring rain!  

Once we had Starlink up and running, we downloaded an App (VegaTouch Eclipse) that allows us to monitor all of the systems in the Discovery and turn lights and HVAC off and on as necessary, among other things.  Now if we are away and have to leave Roxy in the motorhome, we can check to ensure that it isn't getting too hot or too cold in the motorhome.  If it is, we can turn on the AC and cool it off for her or turn up the AquaHot (which also manages the heating when temperature is under 45 degrees, or the heat pump A/Cs, when it is over 45 degrees.  Technology can be great!!  

Today, we got our FLORIDA registration sticker for Mary's old TWNTWR Florida license plate, which we have hung on to, since taking it off of the 2017 Ford F150 (Edith 2). We had referred to the 2018 Ford F350, as Edith 3 and then the 2022 Ford Explorer XLT, as Edith 4; BUT, since it is going from Edith 2 to the 2023 Fleetwood Discovery LXE 44B, should we call the new motor home, Edith 3... or Edith 5?. To make matters more complicated, since the F350 would not make a good toad (flat-towed vehicle) and we later came to find out that the 2022 Ford Explorer is no longer flat-towable, we will probably have to trade BOTH the F350 AND the Explorer in on another vehicle that we can flat-tow, that is comfortable for us to ride in, that is a 4x4 to go on the off-road places we like to go to when we are exploring, and that is reasonably more economical. So, would THAT one be Edith 4 OR Edith 6? What are your thoughts on that??

For those that are not familiar with where the name "Edith" came from, when Mary was traveling by herself (as she likes to point out... "BEFORE Bill'), in her 2015 Ford Explorer, she said she would feel silly talking to herself, so she would talk to the car (of course talking to a car makes all the difference) while driving, so she decided to name her Explorer... "Edith" (#1), and that made her feel better about talking to herself.😕 'Edith' refers to a book she had read earlier, called "Land of the Burnt Thigh", which is the historical biography and memoirs of Edith Eudora Ammons Kohl, a pioneer woman who participated in, and became an expert in the land rushes and homestead movements in the late 1800s and early 1900s, the last major wave of pioneers of the West. She and her sister Ida Mary were half-orphaned when their mother died and her father remarried so they formed a strong bond to each other by their twenties. Since home life was unsteady and finances uncertain, they strove to become independent and explored the 'homesteading' lifestyle. They lucked into a 160-acre homestead claim in South Dakota which already had a house built on it and with the help of new neighbors, they learned how to make their lives prosper. Edith came into good fortune inheriting a newspaper which added to their finances and eventually she prospered teaching others how to do homesteads. She taught other single women how to homestead, as this became an excellent way for a woman alone to acquire a dowry, to marry. It seems to Bill that Mary might have better picked "IDA" instead of 'Edith', since it was Ida that shared her name, 'Mary'... LOL, but she picked Edith, so Edith it is. 

We will be staying in Texas (until 02/17 at Thousand Trails (TT) Colorado River in Columbus and 02/17 to 03/02 at TT Lake Conroe in Willis, and then head out to TT Three Flags in Wildwood (The Villages)  in Florida, where we'll be 03/07 through 03/21, and then to TT Orlando in Clermont 03/21 to 04/04. After that, we may stay in FL a bit longer before we start to head back north, stopping in Georgia (Blairsville and Blue Ridge) to visit some friends, Russell and Carey & Darci, respectively. Then, on s-l-o-w-l-y to Decatur, IN to the REV (Fleetwood) Factory Service Center to address the few issues we have identified, and to Shipshewana IN to have the four 300 watt solar panels that Bill took off of the Montana, re-installed on the new Discovery LXE 44B. Since Motor Home Specialist wasn't going to give us what we wanted for the Montana, after having installed all that extra equipment, we took it all off of the 5th wheel to reinstall what we can to the new RV (solar panels and 100A solar controller) and sell the remainder (a 3000 watt inverter, a Furrion 3-Camera System 7", a four-battery box, four almost-new batteries, a Rock Guard 2", two Maxxair 2 white vent covers, an Andersen Hitch complete with a brand new coupler and cable (MHS broke the attached one and replaced it) and the old Roadmaster Blackhawk 2 All Terrain tow bar, when we get back to Wyoming. In Shipshewana we'll undoubtedly go to E&S Bulk Sales and Yoder's Meat Market  for some cheese and meat stash to take back home. Mary now has a full size residential French-door refrigerator, and extra 2 cu ft freezer in the cargo compartment plus a 5 cu. ft. chest freezer in the bunk beds area, more than enough for all the extra foods she wants to get. IF Darren and Rozz or Jerry and Sue or Richard and Carolyn want to place an order for meat or cheese or both, let Mary know your pleasure.

Well, that does it for now. We just wanted to keep you all in the loop of our goings on and plans for the future. We're looking forward to seeing some of you real soon, and others later on, but if we don't see you this trip, just know that we always think of you and often mention you in conversation. Rest assured, it is always 'good'.

2023... New Year, New Discovery

Since we decided to sell our house in the Town of Star Valley Ranch, last year Mary said she wanted to go back to traveling, so we bought a 2021 Keystone Montana fifth-wheel and a 2018 Ford F350 Lariat Super Crew FX4 truck to pull it. Bill has never had a trailer or fifth wheel, but for the sake of Mary, opted to give it a try, so we did so. We used it to travel to Loveland, CO and later to Goshen and Shipshewana, Indiana. Then, as winter set in early in Wyoming, in November 2022, we headed south to Texas with plans to eventually go on to visit friends in Florida and Georgia, before heading back north to Goshen and Shipshewana again to complete a series of repairs to eliminate some of the ongoing breakdowns that kept developing on the new fifth-wheel. Some things Bill had to repair right away because they could not wait until we could take it back to Indiana, but even some of those would break again. Others would break having just finished fixing another set of items. Needless to say, Bill finally had enough. All along he would just get more and more upset with the Montana, not just because it kept breaking down, but also because there was a major problem with the lack of storage space below, in the cargo hold and because the areas inside were tight and broken up by multiple steps inside and tight passageways. Bill started RVing in 2003 and has always had a motorized home, whether a Class C at first, to a Class A motorhome, (gas at first and diesel pushers later), so after a few weeks in Texas, we started looking at trading the fifth-wheel for another diesel pusher.

Without a doubt a 2015 Fleetwood Discovery 40E was by far the best RV (diesel pusher) we have had together. We opted to trade out of it for several reasons, but mainly because we wanted newer technology and Mary wanted a French door refrigerator, so we traded for a Tiffin Phaeton 40-IH.... the biggest mistake of our lives. We traded for it based on the excellent reputation that Bob Tiffin and the Tiffin brand had developed. However, 2020-2021 was the same year that Tiffin sold the company out to Thor industries, and because of it stopped caring about their customers. That coach, like the fifth wheel had so many problems that we had to take it to the Tiffin Service Center THREE times in that year and eventually, when the selling dealer (La Mesa RV Center) offered us more for it than what we paid for it 10 months earlier, and sent a driver to pick it up at Tiffin, we jumped on the opportunity and sold it. That was another story when we loaded everything into a 6x12 U-Haul trailer and headed back to Star Valley, Wyoming, buying our current house.

With the knowledge of Fleetwood having been a great motorhome, we opted to stop taking chances on any other motorhomes and focused on finding another Discovery to trade the fifth wheel and Ford F350 on. Luckily because of dealers wanting to move the majority of units by year end, they were offering special prices/discounts on all units (but specially so on 2022 models). Unfortunately, the only 2022 models we found were floorplans we didn’t like as well, but found a 2023 Fleetwood Discovery LXE 44B that seemed to suit both our needs. Bill wanted cargo space, an engine that would comfortably power our travels without shaking us all up (like the F350 and fifth-wheel did), then entire living area mostly on the same level and ample space within it. Mary wanted the comfort of our old 40E, and room for all her things and kitchen items. The fifth-wheel did have a huge pantry and room in an extra closet for her 5.0 cu. ft. freezer, in addition to that in the French-door refrigerator, to be able to stock up when she comes across great deals, especially at Lowery’s  meat and seafood market in Buchanan MI, and in Goshen and Shipshewana IN.

Fleetwood had a model 40M which was very much like the old 40E, but the changes from the 40E were mostly in lacking closet space, which is sort of important if one is going to be full-timers (again) such as we plan to be. Bill would have been happy enough with the Discovery 38W, which was much like the 40M, but less quality oriented. However, it only had a 360HP engine, which we were concerned if it would have enough power/torque to tackle the mountains of the West, where we like to frequent. Since the 40M was lacking in closet and cabinet space (compared to our old 40E), even though it did have a 380HP, Mary preferred the 44B, which is very similar to the 40M, but 4ft longer which offers bunk beds (that can be folded up out of the way to be converted to a large closet with room enough for keeping her 5.0 cu. ft. freezer. It also has two extra wardrobes and six extra drawers. All in all, this is a perfect full-timer coach with a tag-axle to aid in its maneuvering.

During this time, we were planning on selling the F350 when we got back to Wyoming and flat towing our new 2022 Ford Explorer, behind it, but then we discovered that the Explorer has not been flat-towable since after 2019. So, when we get back to Wyoming, we’ll have to trade out of our Explorer for either a 2023 Maverick AWD (if it is not too small for us and Roxy), or a Ford Ranger 4x4 or a Ford F150 4x4, Ford Edge AWD as those are the only flat-towable Ford products in sizes we would consider. In the meantime, we are hooking up the F350 to base plates and towing it behind the motorhome, until we get back to Wyoming. Then we will need to make the decision of whether to continue to tow our F350 (diesel and much lower mpg) or trade for one of the above mentioned options (gasoline, lighter and much higher mpg). One advantage of the F350 Diesel is that it has a 63 gals. auxiliary tank in the bed, which with its standard 34 gals. tank carries 97 gals of diesel, which when added to the 100 gals of diesel in the motorhome, would give us 197 gals. of diesel available for the motorhome, instead of just its own 100 gals. tank. We'll see which way we go.   

We purchased our new motorhome at Motorhome Specialist in Alvarado TX and while at the delivery campground transferring from one to the other, Bill took off all the add-ons we had put on the fifth wheel… 1200 watts of solar panels, a 100amp solar controller, a 3000-watt inverter, and 4 batteries, and will be taking them to the people that installed them in Shipshewana IN to transfer them to the new rig. 

The batteries and inverter we will sell when we get back home, along with the old tow bar and some other things. We’ll also have to sell the 2022 Ford Explorer (still like new) if anyone is interested in it, let us know and perhaps even the 2018 Ford F350 Lariat (loaded, even with gooseneck/fifth-wheel towing and snow plow prepped). If interested in anything, let us know what and we can send photos or make an appointment to go by to see it.

Below are photos of our new motor HOME…

Motor Home Specialist in Alvarado, Texas

Loads of different brands and models of motor homes...

The Delivery Area

The campground where transfers are made between the trades and the new purchases. 

The Wash and Wax area, and also a place to check for any leaks, before delivery.

Overhead view of Motor Home Specialist in Alvarado, Texas.

And now, our new HOME... 2023 Fleetwood Discovery LXE 44B

The colors change with differing lights and sun exposure. The silver sometimes almost looks white and the dark grey sometimes even looks taupe-ish. The dark blue is just the same shade and color of our 2022 that we bought last year to eventually tow behind a motorhome, if the fifth-wheel didn't work out, but it was shortly after getting this motorhome that we found out that the 2022 Ford Explorer is no longer 'flat-towable' (since 2020 on). Well, the next trade on a car, SUV or truck it can be the same dark blue, or dark grey or silver and still look great with the motorhome. 

Two full-width (90") slide out trays in the cargo area that slide out to either side.

An outside 50" TV with sound bar.

At the front is the cockpit and entry door. Contrary to the F350 (when pulling a big and heavy fifth-wheel behind it, which shook a lot and gave us sore necks by the end of six-hour drive, THIS motorhome is such a vast and welcome change. Bill does all the driving and he absolutely loves driving it. However, he wants Mary to practice on it in case anything ever happens to Bill, where someone else needs to take over. With the TAG axle maneuvering is such a breeze. As the front wheels turn right or left, the tag axle will turn the opposite way to bring the ass end of the rig around, helping the turn from crossing to an incoming lane or hitting parked cars, at a corner. The ride is also so smooth. We are also getting an RV In-Motion Starlink Unlimited Internet for just $135/month, which is capable of securing INTERNET by satellite, while on the go and even in very remote areas where internet is unavailable through the phones due to no cell towers or dead-zones. With this satellite , plus our cell phones as back up, we can stream movies and shows whenever wanted and therefore trim down our Dish account from the 250 channels (which we basically only watch 4-5, to a smaller one that has just what we do watch. Right off we can cut back $75 from 3 routers which keep having trouble in campgrounds, thus reducing our $135 Starlink Unlimited Internet cost to just $60; and cut back the Dish channels from $139 down to $75 to make up the difference. In this way Mary can sit in the other cockpit seat, raise the steps cover at the doorway, recline her seat and raise the footrest, and use her computer to play games or surf the internet, as well as monitor the GPS to continue to keep telling Bill what to do...  and where to go. ;-) 

At the rear, two bunk beds that convert to a full width hanging closet. 

That is where Mary will keep her 5.0 cu ft chest freezer.

Next to the rear bunks, the main bath with a huge shower with folding bench.

View of main bath area and bunk beds area (above)

and bedroom area with view of closets (below).

Further forward passing through a pocket door is a 'guest'

 half-bath and the French-door refrigerator in the kitchen.

The kitchen is ample though a bit lacking in cabinet space and under the large farm-style sink

is the dishwasher. We have always had a division of labor that Mary does the cooking and Bill does the dishes, so Bill caught a break here.

Across from the kitchen is the 'U-shaped' dinette (which can be converted into a small bed. 

And forward of that just behind the cockpit is the living room area, consisting of a long sofa (which converts into a Queen-sized bed) and across from it is very ample and comfortable theater seating, with little tables that attach to the armrest, when needed and stow in an armrest compartment, when not needed. Across from the theater seating, above and behind the long sofa is a pop-up 50" TV. BTW, this long sofa is Roxy's sofa, the one furniture that she knows is all hers and that she can get on, and where she often sleeps on.

As to the dealership Motor Home Specialist www.MHSRV,com in Alvarado Texas...

They promote themselves as the #1 Selling RV dealership (in the World), but then again... don't they all? As to whether they are or aren't we cannot say for sure. What we can attest to is that they do have a whopping inventory of primarily new (and some used) MOTORHOMES. They generally don't deal with selling  fifth wheels though they do have a few, especially since many people (like us) trade out of a fifth wheel to go into a motorhome. Thus, MHS can provide greater starting discount because of their volume sales. Traditionally, an RV dealer will advertise a 20% to 25% discount off of a models' MSRP (Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price). Their actual invoice from the manufacturer is much less however (anywhere between 40% to 45%, depending on when they sell it. Therefore, a discount will increase as the model year gets older. Generally, by the current model year's mid point (toward New Year's Day) dealers want to sell as many units as they can for that fiscal year as they also get bonuses by the number of units sold in that year. Therefore, the end of the year is always a good time to buy an RV as dealers will be more open to discount a unit to get it sold, as they will make up the difference from their yearly sales bonuses. Other times good to make a deal on an RV is at an RV Show, these too are excellent opportunities for special dealer discounts, based on manufacturer's incentives to them. By the end of the current model year, when the new model year comes out, they will typically increase their discounts to 30% to 40% depending on their stock availability of older and new ones. For this reason it is important to shop different dealers, and if you are not in a hurry to get one, possibly consider ordering a new one from the manufacturer directly, so you can get just the options that you want, the layouts and furniture that you want and the colors that you like. While most other dealers in this area (Texas) are at about 25% to 28% discount by the end of 2022 (for a 2023 model year RV), which is mid-year of the 2023 model year, a left-over new 2022 model could be discounted 35% to 40% at the end of  2022, but a 2023 model would be discounted only 25%-28%. At MHS their advertised 'fiscal year end and mid-year' sale price was 30.6% off of MSRP, but  Bill negotiated additional discount by getting more for the trade. A 1% discount may seem trivial, but think of it this way... on a $628,829 MSRP, 1% is $6,288, therefore it can add up.

There are many games that dealers play in sales, but in the end what really matters is THE DIFFERENCE to be paid... whether the discounts are all applied to the unit sold, and the trade vehicle is given only Fair Trade-In value... or whether the new RV is sold for the advertised price and any further discount is given as additional value for the trade-in (over and above the actual 'fair trade-in value', or as a combination of the two, the difference ill always be the same, upon which ONLY tax, government fees, and title and registration should be added to it. BEWARE that some dealers like to use a DEALER PREP fee, or some other such nonsensical titled FEE. This is just a non-necessary fee that is nothing more than stacking the deck to provide themselves with ADDITIONAL DEALER PROFIT. Other dealers aware that today's savvy shopper is on to them with that, use the fact that they have no Dealer Prep Fees as a sales tool, but try to make all their profit in their final sales price, or by giving you less for your trade than it is potentially worth. IF ever you are buying an new RV or car/truck and want a second opinion of the deal, feel free to ask us. We have bought and sold about 5 RVs in the' last 7 years and Bill used to sell new and used cars in Florida for about 10 years. One more thing... the STATE that you buy the RV at also matters, as well as where you intend to register it. 

For example, IF you buy or trade for an RV in most states, there is no additional charge for the sale other than their collecting the Sales tax of the State that you plan to register it in (and they will send it with the title paperwork to the County and State that you tell them), plus temp tags. HOWEVER, if you buy or trade for an RV in TEXAS (for example), the government of Texas charges THE DEALER a VIT Tax, (Vehicle Inventory Tax), which is a Property Tax (not a Sales Tax) and it is imposed on the DEALER. DECEPTIVE DEALERS (apparently, such as Motor Home Specialist) will tell you that such is a mandatory tax imposed by the State of Texas and that it is included IN ALL SALES AGREEMENTS made in the State of Texas. THAT IS A BIG FAT LIE! It is a mandatory tax, but it is NOT imposed on the Buyer and he/she has no requirement to agree to pay for it.

When Bill asked the F&I Manager (Billy) about that VIT charge on the Sales Contract, he was told that that is a new tax in the State of Texas that is applicable to ALL SALES of vehicles made in the State of Texas. What do we know of Texas' taxes, so we took them at their word, giving them the benefit of doubt that would not be openly deceptive, when in reality apparently they are. Bill is composing a letter of complaint to the MHS CEO, Donny O'Banion and the Sales Manager, Mark Griffith, to give the the benefit of doubt as to this being a deceptive practice by their F&I managers, and not representative of the policy of their dealership, to reimburse us our $988.49 charged by deception, as why on earth would we agree to pay for a tax that the State of Texas imposes on their dealers. Should we pay for their electric bills too? Not getting a satisfactory response and reimbursement of our fraudulently charged VIT $, we will file a Letter of Complaint against their dealership with the Comptroller's Office and with the Attorney General of Texas, and contact the news media as to their deceptive practices, to protect any other unsuspecting public. 

As listed on the website of the Comptroller of the State of Texas (www.comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/publications/96-254/vit,php ) "PROPERTY TAX IS NOT SALES TAX: The VIT is a property tax assessed on the dealer, not the purchaser, and is a negotiable item on the sales agreement. Moreover, the VIT is not, by statute, a part of the "total consideration." Dealers may, however, separately list a reimbursement of the VIT on the sales agreement. For more VIT information, see Publication 96-545, Motor Vehicle Dealer's Special Inventory (PDF).

SALES PRICE: If the dealer and seller AGREE to include a reimbursement of the VIT in the transaction, the VIT reimbursement must be listed separately, because it cannot be listed in the sales price." 

We will update this post as we try to resolve this matter with MHS Management and see if their policy is really to be deceptive, or IF it is a case of a deceptive F&I Manager trying to over-charge the customers, even if he has to do it fraudulently.    

Christmas Letter

Greetings for Christmas 2022

Here we are again, at the end of another year.  This has been a busy year for us.  We accomplished a lot, although we did have a lot of help.

Figuring on selling the house in 2023 and heading back ‘on the road again’, we started the year planning on getting a 5th wheel, that our F150 could tow, but could not find one large and comfortable enough, so we had to trade the F150 for a bigger F350, and then found a left-over, new 2021 Keystone Montana 3812 that appeared to suit us for full-timing. In the meantime, we also wanted a second car (gas) for more economical running around but because the prices for used vehicles were prohibitive, we ordered a new Ford Explorer to our individual specs. So, by the end of March, we were all set for the winter of 2022-2023.

In the fall of 2021, we had contracted with a local company called Log Care to maintain the log work of the house which was in urgent need of it. They started work the second week of July and workers spent the next 2 months completing the work. The first step was to sand blast the exterior of all three buildings, then hand sand all the surfaces, apply 2 coats of stain and complete the process with a seal coat. Once that process was completed, they replaced several of the posts supporting the decks, many of the supports for the deck rails and ALL the railings.  Then, the new wood was stained and sealed.  What a mess, but worth it, as it will increase the value of the house significantly.  If we were still in Wyoming, we would still be trying to clean up the dust that made it into the inside of the house.

In August we took the 5th wheel to Loveland, CO to have a generator installed.  Then, in October, we travelled to Shipshewana, IN to have some upgrades made to the 5th wheel (added 1200 watts of solar panels, and had a 3000-watt Inverter installed.  We also converted the gas/electric refrigerator to a 12 volt system with dual compressors, which made it much more energy efficient.  We then transferred to Goshen, IN to begin necessary warranty work.  While there we travelled to Buchannan, MI to Lowery’s, our favorite meat market, and in Shipshewana we found Yoder’s, a great Amish Meat and Cheese Market.  Yummy!  We bought tons of stuff to take back to Wyoming to share with friends.

When we returned to Wyoming, we started the process of loading the 5th wheel for a 6-month trip south.  Winter 2021-2022 had been mild, without a lot of snow.  However, the Old Farmers Almanac’s forecast for the 2022-2023 winter calling it a “Hibernating Winter” in our area.  So, a southern trip seemed warranted.  That brings me to our current location: Texas. We will be in Southeastern Texas until early March, flip-flopping back and forth between two Thousand Trails membership campgrounds, at which time we will transit to Florida for 1-2 months, returning to Wyoming, by way of northern Georgia to visit some friends there, getting to Wyoming in late April or early May… AFTER (hopefully) most of the snow has melted.

Roxy is enjoying her travel opportunities, even though the weather has also been very cold down in Texas.  Bill HATES the 5th wheel, as he has always had motorhomes and finds the 5th wheel cramped and everything keeps breaking on it in cold weather. However, he does love the truck.

In between working with Log Care, and completing upgrades to the 5th wheel, we traveled to Idaho Falls for Bill to have some major Dental work done.  When we return to Wyoming, he has one more process to endure and he will have all his dental work done. We hope this finds you and yours healthy, wealthier and wiser; and if not, then that the New Year makes you so.

 

November 21, 2022 - Getting out of Dodge (or Star Valley, that is) for the Winter 2022-2023

Compared to last winter, which was relatively a mild one (by Wyoming standards), this winter will apparently be quite the opposite. Unfortunately, Bill had some dentist appointments which required us to stay until November 18th, so that delayed our plan to leave earlier. Also by the time we got back from the Indiana (Affinity and JC Refrigeration) trip, (on October 23rd) it had already started snowing in Star Valley Ranch and it snowed and snowed and snowed... pretty much until the day we left to head South on November 21st. So that made unpacking the RV from the previous trip and repacking it for a 5-6 month trip down South to Texas, a lot more difficult. We had to walk through 6-8 inches of snow on the ground and even on some ice (from compressed snow packs). Additionally, though the 5th wheel was hooked up to a 50Amp electric at the house, we kept running out of propane from having to use the furnace to keep it heated and warm enough to keep the tanks and water lines from freezing, as daily the night-time temps would drop to below freezing and sometimes to below 0 deg F. Then, a few days before leaving we realized that the water lines and toilet were frozen, so given the extreme temperatures and snow-covered ground we figured that we would have to wait until we got to Texas (and a warmer climate) to be able to work on the repairs. Then, just before we left it got worse. The furnace stopped working because the regulator on the propane tanks also froze so the furnace was not getting any fuel. Bless Mary's heart... she figured it out and got her trusty hair dryer and blew hot air on them until she managed to unfreeze them. Once that was done we left in a hurry, before something else went wrong.

Photos above and below taken on November 6, 2022.  This amount of snow did not present itself until well into December last year.  Hence our decision to head for a warmer climate this winter,

Roxy loves the cold and to be outside.  While we were loading the 5th Wheel, she relaxed in the driveway, for over an hour, just laying in the snow.  Silly girl!

Except for the roads in Star Valley Ranch, which were slick from the frozen snow, the roads in the county were all pretty well maintained and free of snow (plowed and treated/sanded) so the trip was pretty uneventful. Since we had left late on the 21st (just to get out of Dodge) we drove only as far down as the Kemmerer Port of Entry (116 miles), as it was getting dark and we wanted to avoid hitting a critter on the dark country road. The next day we were up early and left by 07:30am driving 558 miles to make up for lost time and distance the day before, stopping for the night at the Cuerno Verde - Colorado City rest area. That was 674 miles of a 1345 trip to the Thousand Trails Lake Whitney RV Campground. The next day we drove 370 miles to the Donley County Southbound rest area on Hwy 287 in Hedley TX, which left just 301 for the 4th and last day of this trip. We had gorgeous days of travel, dry, sunny days, getting warmer and warmer as we headed South. Fortunately also we seemed to be staying just ahead of foul weather coming up behind us. Our neighbors told us that Star Valley had  a few inches of new snow right after we left, and along our route snow was being predicted for the next day after we left each stop for the night. Unfortunately the last (4th) day it was cloudy and foggy all day and it rained off and on along that last leg. So needless to say we were glad to get to the campground.

Port of Entry, Kemmerer WY (first night on the road).

We left a cup of coffee with some coffee in it and an almost empty bottle 

of Coke in the cab of the truck. The next morning they were frozen solid.

Driving through Colorado, I-25 Pueblo CO

2nd night on the road at Cuerno Verde, a Colorado City rest area 

The truck spaces are quite comfortable for an RV (IF you arrive early enough to get a space next to a lamp post (well lit and one can use the 'island' marking to be able to open at least one side of slides.

Onan Fault 15 (lacking fuel/propane) The propane meter on this Montana is far worse than that on either of the previous motorhomes. Two 30# (7 gals) tanks and we couldn't tell that we were empty. These 30# propane tanks are definitely NOT for cold weather, especially since the generator uses A LOT of propane as much as the furnace. A motorhome has a 35-40gals tank and it used to last us 2-4 weeks. Now we're having to swap out a 30# tank daily it seems (sometimes more) which is a royal pain for the person that has to do that (Bill).

Roxy didn't care though. As long as she is with her peeps, 

and gets her 3 squares a day... and ice, she's a  happy girl.

The next day we slept at the Donley County (Hedley TX) rest area and then 

the next day we arrived at the TT Lake Whitney Campground, in Whitney TX settling in on Site D-7 because we could get into it without threat of hurting our ne roof. As it turned out we have stayed at this same site before (in our motorhome) too.

So the next day Bill started working on the repairs. He fixed the frozen water lines and the only issue was a frozen whole house water filter which had caused the housing to burst. Luckily the water pump was fine and after drying it all up and reconnecting the wires with new joints, all was well. He did remove and disassemble the water filter and will probably just keep a replacement outside the rig, where he can get to it easier.

Unfortunately this RV has ONLY ONE storage compartment. True, it is a thru-compartment, meaning it goes from one side to the other, but still it is just ONE, and that one compertment has to store everything that does not go inside the RV... boxes (like the yellow top one seen in photo), one for water hoses. one for electric cords, one for power cables for the RV, one for sewer attachments and connectors, one for Mary's holiday decorations, one for the many tools that are needed to do the many repair jobs that go with owning a 5th Wheel, PLUS the cooking Grill, the Fire Pit, the Weather Station and poles, the table for the grill, and the two folding rocking chairs and whatever else gets added. This is a major sore point between us, as Bill is the one that has to deal with the underside storage and still be able to find whatever he is looking for... not to mention that everything has to come out just to have access to work on the water pump, filters and water issues. Having had motorhomes for the last 7 years (and Bill for the last 15 years), with an ungodly amount of underside storage spaces and compartments, as well as a full length underside to insulate weather as well as sounds, it is beyond Bill why he ever agreed to go to a 5th Wheel when we decided that we were not through with traveling and wanted to RV some more. The only benefit (IF one can call it a benefit) is that Mary will help drive a 5th wheel because it is just like driving t he F350 (without a trailer behind it. The other benefit was that we could get both the 5th Wheel and Truck and have them fully paid for. Bill still does not think that that was a fair consideration because there are so many differences between a 5th Wheel and a diesel pusher motorhome... like comfort, storage capacity and compartmentalization, weather resistance, ease to drive, etc. Yes, Mary will drive the Fiver but even so Bill's butt will be sore from all the bumps on the road by the time do just one day's drive.  Given these differences we have already lost the whole house water filter recently added/installed due to freezing weather, despite it being supposedly a "Four Season" RV. Given that the weather had already turned miserable in Wyoming when the water stopped flowing and the toilet pedal would not even give way (open), and the pumpp fuse kept shorting. So we had to travel all the way to Texas with no water coming from the tank and no toilet, before we could take everything out of the storage compartment and be able to access the water hoses to see what the problem was. Once in TT Lake Whitney, we were able to do that and found that the problem was a frozen whole house water filter which had frozen and burst. Thankfully perhaps that breakage relieved the pressure in the water lines and though they froze, they didn't burst, saving the pump. The pump electrical wires got wet, which is why the fuse kept tripping. So Bill took out the whole house water filter tubig assembly that he had recently built/installed, rewired the electric and put everything back together (then had to reload everything back into the ONE storage compartment. The toilet pedal issue was that apparently it had also frozen and the little nub that makes the valve open/close had snapped off, so a new water valve would fix it. We remember when these valves were about $8, but like everything else they have gone up. Now one has to pay about $10... unless one is in a campground; then they cost $44 - $86, because a lot of campgrounds (like Thousand Trails ones) don't accept USPS deliveries and sometimes even though a package is sent by UPS, it gets handed off to the USPS for final delivery, which would cause it to be returned before we can ever get it. So we can only buy (or order) things that we can pick up in a store. To wit we had to pay $42.32 buying it through Home Depot and picking it up at their Cleburne store (28 miles away). But all's well that end's well... we picked up the valve at Home Depot (actually found an Albertson's store next door that Mary found some deals in too) and Bill changed it in about 15 minutes when we got back.

Water lines, pump and the diaphragm were all OK

The pump wiring was re-wired

The water line from the pump/diaphragm to the water filter assembly was removed and re-routed directly to the tank and house lines. The whole house water filter and assembly were removed and is shown in above right photo. When we get another whole house water filter we'll keep it outside attached through the water hose, as it is obvious that it will not be protected inside a 5th Wheel, as it has always been inside a motorhome. 

Then we noticed that though the water flow had been restored, the toilet was not getting water into it. Actually, it was but the water valve must have frozen and the nub that opens the valve for flow into the toilet must have broken off. We remember when they were about $6-$10. Now, though we can get one at Amazon for about $10, we have no way of knowing HOW they are going to ship it, or IF UPS will hand it over to the USPS for final delivery, which the campground will send back... So we had to order it from Home Depot and pay $43 for it, getting it delivered to a store in Cleburne TX (about 38 miles away.) Such are the issues of staying at a campground. 7 years in a motorhome and never had the water valve freeze on a toilet, despite having had 2 toilets on each motorhome.

Mary and Roxy enjoying having arrived in Texas 

and being able to relax in non-freezing weather.

We were glad to see that the roof was still in good shape and ALL the snow had melted off. 

Luckily, despite the ungodly amount of low-canopy trees in this campground, we managed to find a campsite which we could get into without scraping the roof with the overhanging branches.

Next, Bill installed the pole for the weather station, though in this campground due to the amount of trees blocking the wind we were unable to actually use the weather station, but it is ready for TT Lake Conroe (next).

Next we drove to Fort Worth to the Texas Toll Tag service center, to transfer our account from the old motorhome and F150, for the new vehicles, as we will be traveling on Toll Roads here. We also picked up the tags to attach to the vehicles (one for each, Montana, F350 and the Explorer in case we should ever drive it down to stay at a park model, or to tow behind a motorhome :-) 

The Thousand Trails (TT) Lake Whitney RV Campground and Resort is not one of our favorite campgrounds, but we couldn't get a reservation that soon where we wanted to go (TT Lake Conroe, north of Houston), so we booked a 2-week stay here, just to be able to get away from the Wyoming cold and snowy weather before it got worse. TT Lake Whitney is very rustic, full of trees that often create a hardship against scratching the RVs or tearing rubber roofs, the roads are full of pot holes and the campground is generally not maintained very well. Worse, at this time, because of the winding down of the season, most of the outlying bathrooms/showers are locked, requiring one to go to the main lodge to use the showers and laundry there. 

On a positive note, we met a very nice 40-year old young man who is also from Wyoming. He noticed our Wyoming plates and stopped to chat. He's from Green River. He's one of the youngest people who is a full time RVer and loves the lifestyle. He's a Welder by day, a fisherman when he can and an RVer by choice... and all-around great guy. He brought us over some Stripers (Striped Bass) that he had caught and filleted. He even brought us some Louisiana Homestyle Chicken Fry batter mix (mild recipe) to try as we said we had never had it before. So he got himself invited over for steak dinner, a few evenings later, when he brought over two more bags of frozen (caught) fish fillets. After dinner we alsogave him 4 foot-long Beer Brats from Lowery Meat & Seafood Market that we had gotten in Buchanan, MI.

One day we drove up to Fort Worth (@58 miles, one way) to go to the Texas Toll Tag service center to get new tags for the 5th wheel, the F350 and the Explorer, and found a gas station (Walmart Neighborhood Market) that was selling diesel for just $3.99/gal and DEF for just $10.92/2.5 gals, so we stocked up filling the 34 gals gas tank and the 63 gals auxiliary tank. Fuel is so much better-priced in Texas.   

Well, after this stay we go on to TT Lake Conroe Dec. 10 - 17, where we have an appointment with Sats2Go(.com) to set up our Dish service through our Winegard Playmaker Dual domed satellite... and then on to TT Colorado River (Columbus, TX) where we'll greet the New Year... then back to TT Lake Conroe for 3 weeks. However, we have been contemplating the idea of changing future reservations and going to Florida instead, so we can see old friends. BUT everything is on 'Stand-By' until we get a better idea of the Diesel supply availability as well as to what is going to happen with the threatened Railroad Strike, etc.

From here, on December 10th we will be going to the TT Lake Conroe resort in Conroe TX, where we will be meeting with Sats 2Go to get our TVs hooked up to the domed satellite and wired to the Winegard 360+ system. That will be our next post.