Older vs. Newer LDs May 29, 2009, 08:07:32 pm Yahoo Message Number: 102718Hi Group: Since there are so many LDs for sale now and, hopefully, as many prospective buyers, I thought that sharing my experiences with both an older and a newer LD might be of help. My first LD was a 1979 22 ft. Twin Bunk (much like a TK) with a Dodge 440 engine and very low mileage. I bought it for one trip from the east coast to WY and back and then fell in love with both the rig and RVing. As a fulltimer, I quickly ran out of space in that rig and she has now become Fern H.'s "Dorie." I bought a 2003 26.5 MB, sight-unseen from MT and had it shipped to MD. What a difference! Needless to say, from '79 to '03 everything had changed. I don't know the years of the various improvements but here are some of the things that meant the most to me. The newer rig has the one piece aluminum roof whereas the older has the roof in sections which meant for lots of caulking by any means. The older rig had leaks, mostly under the front end caps, which led to extensive WOOD ROT -- very hard to find even for an old wooden boater like me. You can't exactly be sticking an ice pick into some stranger's old LD. Yet re-building the cabover was no fun at all and had to be re-done again by the new owners. The newer LDs don't seem to have that problem since they don't have the glass front window. I can't compare a '79 Dodge 440 with carburetors to a Ford V-10 with fuel injection except to say that where the older rig struggled to go up hills, the newer can pass a tractor-trailer at 80+ mph with no problem other than gas consumption. And for living? I couldn't get over starting the hot water heater by pushing a button instead of standing outside trying to light a pilot light in the wind and rain. Or having a real genset. Or having a perfectly working toilet instead of one that has subsequently been replaced. So, for full-timing, newer really is better unless you want to spend all your time keeping an older rig running and its systems working. Being older, they all break down eventually but with newer you spend more time keeping it pretty than worrying about problems. But I do miss my 1979 stainless steel kitchen sink! So unless you have an extended family with all variety of skills needed (like Fern does), an older LD, though certainly viable, is just a whole lot more WORK! Hope this has been helpful to those who are thinking about LDs and not too boring for those who are just enjoying the one they have. (PS: After extensive work by Fern and family, the 1979 is still on the road, looking good and going strong. LDs really are the best Class C's in the world!)Susan Fain"Absaroka," 2003 26.5 MBDuckett Mill CG, GA (en route to the Smokies)
Re: Older vs. Newer LDs Reply #1 – May 29, 2009, 08:54:55 pm Yahoo Message Number: 102719Thanks for the story Susan, I enjoy reading about the trials and tribulations of the *vintage* rigs.
Re: Older vs. Newer LDs Reply #2 – May 29, 2009, 09:08:50 pm Yahoo Message Number: 102721wrote: Needless to say, from '79 to '03 everything had changed. I don't know the years of the various improvements but here are some of the things that meant the most to me. --- Just a comment to add to Susan's list of LD changes: A document titled "LD Changes Over the Years" provides a year-to-year listing of the "evolutionary" changes of the Lazy Daze from the beginning of production through 2009. The document is found under "Lazy Daze Information" in the "Files" section of the message board.Joan
Re: Older vs. Newer LDs Reply #3 – May 29, 2009, 10:43:11 pm Yahoo Message Number: 102729Susan What caused you to outgrow the space of the 22'. Do you think it's realistic for someone (me) to think they can full time in a 23'?Nancy in Atlanta__
Re: Older vs. Newer LDs Reply #4 – May 30, 2009, 08:12:01 am Yahoo Message Number: 102735A couple of years ago we encountered some folks up in Maine who had been full-timing in a 23.5' LD for several years...and they were still speaking! And Liz and I spend 5 months in our Front Lounge every winter; last year we spent 8 months in it doing a grand tour around the country.I think the FL would be a great model for a solo person to full-time in. You could easily remove one of the barrel chairs and install/build a nice little desk/cabinet for a place for a computer. There is lots of inside storage space.I have just the rig for you!Ted H.Do you think it's realistic for someone (me) to think they can full time in a 23'?Nancy in Atlanta[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: Older vs. Newer LDs Reply #5 – May 30, 2009, 09:16:30 am Yahoo Message Number: 102736Quote from: Nancy Napier"What caused you to outgrow the space of the 22'. Do you think it's realistic for someone (me) to think they can full time in a 23'?"I'm not Susan but... George and I traveled in a 22' TK for 7 months and almost 14,000 miles with our 27 year old daughter. The ccc will be more of an issue than the space. We packed more than we needed but our lifetyle was very casual. I could live fulltime in a 22'. We've talked about selling Ladybug and buying a newer 27' but so far we haven't felt the need and will probably keep her for as long as we can keep her road worthy ;-). When we sell our house we'll live in her until we decide where to plant whatever roots we allow to grow.Karen
Re: Older vs. Newer LDs Reply #6 – May 30, 2009, 11:41:27 am Yahoo Message Number: 102742When we started full-timing two years ago, we were camping on the Metolius River in Central Oregon (where we are going to volunteer in the fish hatchery this July as an aside), a 23 foot LD camped in the space behind us. As we had been in our 1998 26.5 foot MidBath for less than two weeks and wondered if a couple could survive in a 200 foot square moving box (our LD land yacht) without killing each other, we talked with our neighbors quite a lot. Turns out this couple had been full timing for ten years and had 175,000 miles on their 23 foot TK. Since then we have met several couples who are living full time in their TK. We love our MidBath but each to their own. The only change after these two years is that we are now looking seriously for a tow vehicle. Each day we experience our LD, I am amazed at the success of such an engineering and design challenge. We also pressed our water heater button yesterday for the first time in months, and it started with no problem. Unbelieveable considering we had been camping in 20 degree weather at Bryce Canyon NP last month in the snow. Now nearly 12 years old with 77,000 miles on our beloved "Dorothy", it has only had one major replacement since we started exploring the USA ...a water pump easily fixed for $75. We are back to Oregon after two years, not sure we will ever leave. We camped among the tall fir trees along the McKenzie River a few days ago. That's about as close to heaven as one can get.Happy Summer Travels to all.David (1998 MB LD), Eugene, OR
Re: Older vs. Newer LDs Reply #7 – May 30, 2009, 11:47:13 am Yahoo Message Number: 102743Ted I'm actually still interested in your rig just send healing thoughts my way for my back pain. I'm trying a new treatment today. Nancy__
Re: Older vs. Newer LDs Reply #8 – May 30, 2009, 01:34:49 pm Yahoo Message Number: 102747Thanks for sharing this!! I tried to email you but it bounced back to me...any change you can email me?Kari
Campground File? Reply #9 – May 30, 2009, 03:13:26 pm Yahoo Message Number: 102750We just returned from a two-week tour of southwestern Oregon, and ran into some marvelous campgrounds. I recall that at one time we had a directory that members contributed to, describing good (and bad) spots to stay, but when I checked the files out just now, I couldn't find it. Has that been eliminated?Sonsie 2001 RK
Re: Campground File? Reply #10 – May 30, 2009, 03:35:31 pm Yahoo Message Number: 102753It's listed under the databases. " http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/lifewithalazydazerv/database?method=rep ortRows&tbl=10> Campgrounds, Parks, Roads, Bridges, Sites" Please add your suggestions. I enjoy reading that list before we set off on a trip. Thanks!Marti in very sunny SeattleI recall that at one time we had a directory that members contributed to, describing good (and bad) spots to stay, but when I checked the files out just now, I couldn't find it. Has that been eliminated?Sonsie 2001 RK[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: Campground File? Reply #11 – May 30, 2009, 03:56:58 pm Yahoo Message Number: 102755Would it be possible to add a *date* field to this database... for future entries, at least? It's very helpful, but without a date it's hard to know if a "new" or "wonderful" campground still is.Martha in Santa Fe... getting antsy less than 1 month away from our new MB!
Re: Older vs. Newer LDs Reply #12 – May 30, 2009, 05:41:34 pm Yahoo Message Number: 102762Hi Nancy: The short answer was the Dustyfoot Satellite Internet system, but now we all have modems. And of course you can full-time
Re: Campground File? Reply #13 – May 30, 2009, 06:37:08 pm Yahoo Message Number: 102765Thanks, Marti. I found it!I want to second whoever recommended that we date our comments. I forgot to do that on the first batch, and I think it would really be helpful. A note written in, say, 2002 is probably not very accurate seven years later.Sonsie
Re: Older vs. Newer LDs Reply #14 – May 30, 2009, 06:54:36 pm Yahoo Message Number: 102766"of course you can full-time in a 23' rig. Andy did for more than 5 years (I think)." Well, not quite. :-) I vacationed every chance I got in a 22' 1985 Twin/King LD for the first four years... then traveled full-time in that rig for another year and a half... and finally upgraded to a 27' 2003 Midbath, which has been my home for the past two and a half years. My main reasons for going to a larger rig were more cargo capacity (the 22-footer was underweight until I started fulltiming, but after that it was always overweight), and the ability to build in a separate desk for my computer, so I didn't have to move it onto and off the dinette table several times a day. My thinking is described in more detail on this page:http://www.andybaird.com/travels/2006-album/new-rig.htm> But as Susan said, a number of solo RVers and a few couples have traveled full-time in 22'/23' Lazy Dazes. It all depends on how much "stuff" you consider essential, and how well you get along with your partner in close quarters.Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Re: Older vs. Newer LDs Reply #15 – May 30, 2009, 07:29:12 pm Yahoo Message Number: 102768wrote: I.e., tons of people full-time in 23 footers with no problem. All you don't have is a dinette and how many people eat at the table, even at home? --- JMHO...I understand that the message is one of encouragement, but I don't think there's any way to know if "tons of people" fulltime in small class C rigs, and having or lacking a dinette seems to be only one small "feature factor" to be considered when one makes a choice of a fulltiming rig. *Can* one fulltime in a 23.5'? Of course; from what I've observed, single persons, couples, and families apparently are "fulltiming" in anything from small vans or old beater shell-top pickups to 45' Prevosts and everything in between. The point is: will fulltiming in a small class C work for *you*, and if one is without RVing experience to help refine the decision-making process, I suggest that the only way to find out for sure is to get one and hit the road! I don't fulltime, and I travel solo, but I've been RVing for quite a while and I know myself and my personal and "stuff" space needs (which are not particularly "expansive") and my own tolerance limits for the lack of same! I were to go fulltime at some future point, there would be a 27' MB on order in a heartbeat. I enjoy my 23.5' very much; for the way I travel now, for the lengths of time that I'm on the road and for the places that I go and where I camp, the 23.5' is a great choice -- for me. Yes, I could fulltime in my current rig, but I'd have to make too many compromises on what to take along and what to leave behind; for day-to-day *living* comfort and "going and doing" on the road, I'd want the larger Lazy Daze. A fulltiming rig choice (or any rig choice, for that matter) is a good example of "YMMV"; what works great for one person or two persons and/or whatever/whoever else is living in the rig is too big/too small/too something for another. And, the rig (and model and floor plan) that is "just right" at one stage of one's RVing life might not be at all suitable for another time and/or set of circumstances. There's no one "right choice"; all a person can really do to is to evaluate one's lifestyle and travel/"camping" preferences realistically and honestly, i.e., without allowing the "romance of the open road" stuff to cloud the picture, give yourself time to learn all you can and do the homework and research required to make the best-for-you rig selection, and then DO IT!As ever, YMMV.Joan
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