Since we have been home one thing I have been working on is getting everything off of the truck to get it ready to trade on a new vehicle to be towed by the motorhome. We accomplished that yesterday after many visits to several auto dealerships.
I removed the tow bar base plates and installed the tow hooks back in there place. I also removed the 5th wheel hitch, bed rails, tow wiring, the 19.5 inch wheels, the brake system as well as the tool box. I then started shopping the truck around to trade it in on a new Honda C-RV. We are limited as to what we can buy since only certain vehicles can be towed four wheels down behind a motorhome. I learned quickly that you need to shop around when buying a new car. The lowest trade value I received on the truck was from Gurley Leep Honda in Elkhart which was $16,500 while the highest was from two dealers one being Basney Honda in Mishawaka, Indiana which was $27,500. Gurley Leep in Elkhart, Indiana was by far my worst experience at any car dealership I have been to over the last three months from West Palm Beach, Florida to Northern, Indiana. All of the other offers I received were all in the "expected range".
As it turns out I could have almost traded my truck, that I have had for seven years, even for a new Honda CR-V. One problem. The CR-V made me feel old just sitting in it. The interior was very bland and plain. The color Kona Coffee that we wanted turned out to be almost black when you saw the entire car and not just the little square in the brochure. After visiting Don Ayres Honda which was my last Honda dealer to visit I just didn't feel any excitement for the Honda CR-V. I thought due to the great experience and reliability I had with my truck I owed it to Chevy to give them a visit. That was on Saturday. Yesterday we picked up our new Chevy Equinox from Kelly Chevrolet in downtown Fort Wayne which I absolutely love. I feel as if the car is made for me even though it is much smaller than the truck.
I ordered the tow bar and electrical diodes needed to wire the vehicle so it can be towed with the motorhome. I had the truck wired by Northtrail RV but decided to do the car myself. The tow bar base plates will also be much more difficult to install due to having to remove the front facia of the vehicle but I plan on doing that also so I fully understand how they were installed. I will also be installing a trailer hitch and some other misc items like a fuse master which enables you to turn off a fuse with a switch rather than having to physically pulling the fuse. This is necessary on this vehicle in order to not run the battery down while towing. For those of you interested I will post some pictures after I get started in this process. I have the entire month of May to get it done since we don't leave for South Carolina to attend the Freightliner school until the end of the month.
Why we came home this early is beyond me. The weather here sucks.
Jack
A journal written about life, retirement and our journey throughout the United States in a 5th wheel, along with our two Shih Tzus, Tanner and Syndey. Written not for notoriety but for our sons, family and friends, so they know where we are at any given time. And particularly for ourselves. Finally, we get to slow down and smell the roses and we don't want to forget any of it. You are welcome to join us as we go 'Down the Road a Piece'.
