RV "Upgrades" That Actually Suck! Manufacturers... Please Listen to Us.

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[@mikehamilton4826]

I totally agree with sticking to switches instead of touchscreens 👍🏻Way easier to fix if a problem occurs

[@davidketterer5519]

Ideally they have switches with blue tooth connectivity to your phone.

[@mikemartin2494]

I've only had two RVs and both had 12V fridges. Both worked great. I adjusted the temperature and forgot. The water bottles we had in there were frozen by the time we got to our campsite. As far as the LEDs, I agree. I like a warmer color than what most RVs come with.

[@TraconWizard]

I watched Chad's water heater review. I'll stick with gas/elec. Just wish my 6 gal was more like 10-12.

[@diann546]

As a person who likes to boondock, there are "improvements" that are everything but improvement. We boondocked/dry camped in Alaska for 3.5 months this summer. Auto level would have taken away from the carry capacity in our small trailer. A tankless water heater and 12v fridge would have made our lives miserable. We have a AC 200 Max Bluetti with a 2500w Champion duel fuel generator. I left the 2 solar panels at home. Too much rain, clouds and trees made that a good decision. From May 10th to the end of June, we needed to use the generator about 3 times. The rest of the time, our usage allowed us to just charge with the truck, while traveling. After a fishing trip, we ended up having to use the A/C side of the Bluetti, thereby draining it much faster. We had to start using the generator once a day. With two bricks, we charged up in under one hour usually, but would not want to have to do this all the time. The 65 lbs of fish in the portable freezer was worth it though!

[@nedwebb1261]

Absolutely right! How can I get RID of my Solid Steps and dumping dirt and rain into the coach? Every reason you gave is correct.

[@rdrose61]

Thanks... I'm with you on #5. Especially in vehicles. Switches and buttons evolved over time. They are intuitive and require less concentration by the user. I particularly dislike screen after screen to do the simplest function that a single flip or push would do. It is a conscious buying decision for me to avoid these.

[@ticopowell]

I love my auto leveling, but yes you need to be aware of it's limitations before using it. We've had 4(5 with tongue connected) legs levelers and 6 leg levelers, and both need to be reset every so often, usually after a power cycle. In our current spot here in Georgia we needed to dig a trench for the tires and use blocks under the front landing gear to get level and stable. The only reasons I can think of for a tankless water heater is if you have a dishwasher or washing machine, otherwise you can shower a whole family of 4 every day without issues.

[@DavidMNewbold]

I like the solid steps on my RV except when I need to use a dump station. After dumping the black tank, I want to go in and add water and treatment to the toilet. However, often times, there is no room to open the steps to get into the RV. Sometimes, if it's a double dump station I would have to open the steps almost directly onto the sewer drain of the adjacent station. Sometimes, the steps are landing on a curb or a drop off, making it near impossible to fold them down for access into the RV. We have the same issue when traveling and stopping at a truck stop for a meal. Often, there is no room between parked trailers to pull down the solid steps to get into the RV for something before leaving.

[@jusman5231]

Thanks. So glad someone is mentioning the steps as a potential negative. We had them on our last trailer and ended up hating them because of all the reasons you mentioned in the video. Additionally we did not like them because of how much space you need on the side of the rig to open the steps and the door which was an issue in storage and at truck stops. And I agree now that I have a tankless water heater I think I liked the old style better on our previous unit.

[@aricellis]

I've had great luck with the 12v fridge, just like the one in your video. It cools down fast and I never have temp issues. Given, I boondock often and have solar, it works no matter what. As for the touchscreen, they just plain stink.

[@JuanGomez-pv4xc]

I agree with the solid steps...Not only are they heavy, but you get all the dirt in the rv when you put them away. AND, you also have to adjust the legs if you’re in an uneven ground. I much prefer the outside steps.

[@ejmtnt]

I agree with you. I like a gas/ electric Suburban water heater and a Dometic gas/ electric refrigerator. These RV companies need to step up their quality control as well.

[@Dan-rd4tt]

Love your channel! You are such great & kind folks!! We are currently looking into purchasing a 5th wheel and starting into part time camping and travelling. I have learned so much information from you! We will be using this information in our purchase and after the purchase!! Thank you so much and hope you continue to have safe & fun travels!!

[@erickessler6094]

Brother, A Massive Amen on the nasty overbright 5000K light. Under no circumstance should RVs have LED lights without a Dimmer and 2700K. Cheers, Eric

[@WanderingWeekends]

Agree!!

[@markphillips590]

My age group needs the solid steps - I am a youngster at 70 - and we could probably need the extended grab bar; they are a pain sometimes. I agree that keeping is simple is smart - most of us do not use all the features we purchase. Have not used auto-level, or motion sensors, or had an issue with color differences of LEDs - but bright - sometimes they burn thru your eyelids. We like our 12V fridge. I wanted a tankless, but your comments have made me reconsider - and our gas/electric works great. Per norm - THANKS FOR ALL THE INFO YOU PROVIDE.

[@lancecrowe2565]

So far, love our 12v fridge. Haven’t had any issues.

[@rolanddowling1757]

We replaced our OEM fold out steps on our Montana 5R (2006 2955RL) for the more solid feeling of the fold-in unit. This ALSO removed the possibility of damaging the fold out steps on the rare deep pothole at the campground [happened twice even while carefully backing in]. Our practice is to manually level the rig, then open and adjust, if necessary, the fold out steps. Thanks for your vision on these topics! Rollo

[@marks3014]

Good list! I currently have the 12v fridge and it's been working well however it is a power hog. We dry camp 99% of the time and if we're in a shady spot it makes it difficult to keep things charged up. I also agree with you and Chad about the tanked water heater.

[@LeslieBlack-rp2cv]

The fold out steps can be an issue at my storage lot. If the trailer next to me parks to close I cannot get the step down to access my trainer. This has happen twice in the last few months.

[@calburnIII]

I’ll limit my detailed comments to the water heater. I’ve had both the old school tank type and my current tankless. I LOVE my Truma AquaGo Comfort Plus tankless! Yeah, it’s propane only, but it doesn’t use all that much, except when it’s actually firing. Otherwise, if I leave it on all the time, it only fires for a few seconds to keep its hybrid tank (about a pint, I think) warm until hot water is called for at any faucet. It does not react to low flow by shutting off-nor does it fail to provide hot water at high flows. That’s its major plus, that it works at any flow and any pressure. It’s truly excellent. But I’m aware that almost all other tankless water heaters have the major faults of requiring a certain flow before they’ll fire at all, but too much flow will overwhelm them so that the water doesn’t have a chance to get warm. As for other “upgrades”, I’m really old school with leveling-I use 2x8 boards. I have touch screens by Spyder, and I’d say they’ve worked perfectly 99% of the time. In the 6+ years I’ve had them, I’ve had to shut off the power to reboot them maybe 3 or 4 times. The advantage of touch screens is that the electrical system is multiplex-much fewer wires or involved cabling to operate the electrical items than individual switches. I’m on the fence about 12v fridges. My 3-way absorption fridge works pretty well, but not perfectly, especially in really hot weather. A 12v fridge would work better in hot weather and would cool more quickly. But a 12v fridge would take more battery power.

[@zedzott6301]

Agree that the Truma has worked like a champ in all conditions for us, whether boondocking or hookup camping. We also like the 12v fridge which gives us more room in the same footprint and has been keeping more steady temps than our previous absorption fringes.

[@jimh2259]

100% agree with this list. Keep it simple is the best way. We always carry two long boards for under the tires if needed. With the steps it a pain to pull them up and shut the door from the inside if your parked boonedocking for the night and you don't want your steps ran over. Again great work.

[@rvingjourneys]

Just watched the video. I agree with you on leveling, led color matching and brightness. We like our 12v fridge though. We keep it at 3 or lower. We have One Control, which I like so far. Motion sensors are good in the cabinets. We’re older so we like the solid steps.

[@ride-electric]

We have a 12V fridge and it's a love hate relationship. It's a GE that we installed in our TT because our Norcold quit working after 1.5 years. It was out of warranty and I wasn't going to drop $2-300 to fix it if it even could be fixed. A 12V was cheaper so since we already had solar it was a no brainer. Main issue is battery drain in the trees or on cloudy days. We need to run the gen on those days for a few hours. If on elec then the 12V shines. More space and the temps on ours stay pretty consistent. Agee on the auto leveling and touchscreens. We don't need more things to go wrong, there's enough that can go wrong as it is.

[@BuildYourOwnAdventure]

Great video! We're on our 5th RV and I agree with nearly all of these except the 12V fridge. Besides being a power hog, it has been good for us. I completely agree with you on the solid steps and the on demand water heater! I was excited about having the steps on our most recent camper, but they just aren't worth the mess they make. Also, we thought we were idiots when trying to use the on-demand water heater. We just couldn't get it to stay on. It's all about water pressure and from our experience water pressure causes issues with RV water lines. It makes for one adventurous shower though!

[@wornoutwrench8128]

Agree 100%. I have an older trailer so lots of these are not an issue. We boondock so power is always the big thing, having a 12 volt fridge would cut my time down. We like to camp in the trees so solar not an option I am willing to spend the money on. Plus live on the west coast of Canada so we don't get the temperatures where the gas fridge quits working, ours always cools, the freezer will freeze stuff rock hard in hours. I have converted my lighting over to LED. I wasn't really sure which ones I wanted so I tried a couple of different bulbs. I ran the warm light pretty much everywhere, put the colder lights in over the kitchen sink thinking it would be good for doing the dishes and such. Hated them, swapped the whole trailer over to a nice warm color, much more inviting. I thought about a tankless water heater but honestly, the 6 gallon tank we have works just fine, plus boon docking so having an unlimited supply of hot water not always a good thing. As for motion lights, we just keep some really low power flashlights beside the beds and use them in the middle of the night. When it is pitch black a motion light on the floor would have me wide awake, plus we have the dog who will wander around during the nigh finding the perfect spot to nap. I am looking at one of those leveling sensors that works on your phone, my wife has a disability so I pretty much do everything by myself. But auto-level no way.

[@riccochet704]

I 100% agree about all the touch screen/panel nonsense. It's over complicating things for no reason other than trying to convince people it's more "luxury". And when they break they cost a fortune to replace. They started doing the same thing in bass boats. I sold my Ranger after the first touch panel and controller went out to the tune of $1200. Back in a Falcon with rotary switches that cost $15 to replace. Guess what, the rotary switches do everything the touch panels did. Imagine that! K.I.S.S. I'm also with you on the absorption fridges. Go on any RV forum and you'll find post after post of 12v fridge issues from every manufacturer. My absorption fridge is 9 years old and works perfectly still.

[@betterthanideserve76]

You mean Winnebago. I have a true Grand Design and for 7 years we have had zero issues. Since Winnibago bought them, my friend has a 2022, their customer services stink and quality went down. Ask me how we know. He has had issuse after issue with months before customer service gets back to him. I always have recommended GD, between structural problems and poor interior quality lately i no longer recommend them. He traded for a Brinkly. This year we will do the same. Covid destroyed us in so many ways

[@annelacoss2880]

We appreciate your channel, we have referred to it many times in our latest search for our newest TT. I believe the strongest message you have given in this video is SIMPLICITY! We all need to remember that we are camping...yes some live in theirs full time, so "fancy" features are important. We bought into the idea that a 5th wheel was the way we wanted to travel, and once we did a cross country trip in it, we realized we REALLY wanted SIMPLER! We went back to a TT and its 22'! We adore the simplicity of it, we intentionally chose less things in it which makes our camping experience more enjoyable! The # 1 on your list for is is auto leveling, we absolutely hated it in our 5th wheel! There was once we had all 4 wheels off the ground and I swear it was going to tip over! Keep up the fantastic work! We love your honesty and straight forward advice! (High fives from Michigan!)

[@WanderingWeekends]

So grateful you are here!!!

[@lb7wade518]

The complications of these rv’s are also making the cost to go way up! Repair cost to go way up! Time in the shop to go way up!!

[@WanderingWeekends]

Yep!

[@danielthompson5692]

Totally agree, you nailed it! I want a camper with a gas/electric fridge, gas/electric hot water tank and switches not a touch screen. And yes I still level my trailer by hand.

[@ts_breezes486]

We have had 5 RVs in 30 years (both TT and 5th Wheel) - and are now retired - using a 35' Solitude to winter in FL. Pet peeves: 1-Hate Hate Hate the solid steps. Removed them and McGyver'd Aluma-Tread folding steps - 100% better. Take up no room when extended - so stopping at Rest Area or when need to pull off a hwy ramp and use the shoulder to inspect something - very safe. 2-Love having a residential fridge now - but if had to go back would NOT want the gas-electric again. Terrible time keeping it at any temp consistently. 3-Solar - This is an upgrade who's time has come - but quit with the "token" solar - put in 1 or 2 panels stock WITH a lithium battery and inverter - and the camper is now truly upgraded. 4-Tankless heater - Our Solitude didn't come with one and we had a terrible time with continuous sulfur odor with our hot water. Followed all the advice on the various forums but no joy. While at Tampa RV show met with a Truma rep and lined up a Truma tankless heater install. Wouldn't go back. It has an Eco Mode or Reg mode - we also saw Chad's video - but with proper settings and a GOOD model - it works great. We have never once had it not work due to low pressure. I don't think u can compare Furrion brand to Truma. (my 2 cents) and never again had the smell return. 4. Switches v touchscreens - Don't have any touch screens so hadn't considered that - but yep makes sense to not go to touchscreens. 5. Auto level - we stayed w electrical leveling instead of hydraulics on this Solitude - less to go wrong and it works great - Levelmate helps get it as level as possible before unhitching. On a TT I think it is easier to use a Levelmate to get it as level as possible using boards, then use the stabilizers with a drill. 6. I see the newer models saving money by removing drawers and replacing with cabinets with no shelving. Also bathrooms with open shelving, tiny sinks (Grand Design consistently has teen- tiny sinks in the bathrooms). When you are traveling down the road those open cubbies are going to toss the contents. 7. Schwintek slides - We have one on the Solitude and it has worked great - but it isn't a large slide out and doesn't have a lot of weight on it. I am leery of placing an entire kitchen on a Schwintek slide...prefer rack and pinion instead for that much weight. 8. Moving forward - will manufacturers be going to ABS and independent suspensions??? 9. Seeing manufacturers removing frame-mounted 2" hitch receptacles...why? Need a place for our bikes...

[@brianloibl3476]

This video was awesome and really opened my eyes to a lot of “conveniences” that my wife and I contemplated purchasing to improve our camping experience but never thought about the negatives such as you pointed out.

[@timiseaman3500]

Our flipdown step legs issue was high uneven ground. The legs barely extended to reach the ground, which is needed to hold the weight of the steps. Plus it was a big drop off from the bottom step to the ground. Also had to find and extra "step" alternative that would give us more stability than the usual stepstool kind of option. We found step up exercise blocks with adjustable legs work great. Cheap from a thrift store, adjustable height and wide enough to rest the legs of the steps on one and then a second as an extra wide "bottom" step.

[@janehargis9301]

I’ve just found your channel today an am now a subscriber. Thanks for a very helpful video and for actually finding unique subject material. And it came from yours and your wife’s perspective having experienced it which is really helpful. It certainly made me rethink things. I’ve been diving in to RVs trying to get myself educated before I buy my first one later this year. Thanks again.

[@bgroovin1343]

100% concur with you about the tankless water heater. I despise them for all the reasons you mention.

[@rockomaticman]

We have a Truma in our Sprinter, and we love it! Have never had a problem with it!

[@WanderingWeekends]

I’ve heard great things!

[@johngallup1332]

I've had both manual leveling and auto leveling RVs. I Love my auto leveling RV! Absolutely No issues with it! I've also have had both a tank water heater and tankless water heater. I Love my tankless water heater! Absolutely No issues with it.

[@freewayfuzz8160]

I agree with you. Everything is on touchscreen in my RV. Takes me forever just to turn the bedroom light on. I’d rather not have the touchscreen at all or maybe a combination of touchscreen and switches. But I do love my auto level and absolutely hate my gas/electric fridge! It’s a pain to keep that thing cool in the summer.

[@pcsteve6072]

I have a 2003 fiberglass camper and have replaced all the appliances except the AC. In each case I used the old technology except to add lithium batteries. Switches and propane get the job done and can generally be maintained by the owner. With the declining build quality and fussier technology, I'll stick with my basic unit.

[@Patty747]

Our travel trailer had extra 'lights' that you couldn't turn off while you were sleeping. These lights were near the bathroom's light switch. There was also a light on the radio. I like to sleep in the dark and it was very annoying to have this extra light that you can't turn off.

[@candaceanderson2384]

We are cold weather campers. The Furrion tankless water heater in our Reflection does not work well in cold weather. In fact, we have issues with it freezing. The folks at furrion tell us it is not guarenteed to work at lower than 40 degrees. Never had probelms with our previous gas/electric hot water heater.

[@ScooterCounter]

I thoroughly agree with you on the Steps. I mostly hate my Lippert steps and would like to go back to the fold out aluminum steps. Also, I mostly love my 12 volt fridge. I have a Girard by Lippert and would not want a propane/electric. Mine is not frost free and I have to defrost the freezer before every trip, but I don't have to be perfectly level.

[@ctuan13]

8:17 100% agree with you on this. I personally hate cool white LEDs and so many manufacturers use cool white LEDs because more often than not, theyre cheaper. My 2023 Tab 320S has lovely, warm white accent lighting and reading lights and then the overhead light in the center of the camper and the one in the bathroom are this awful, 6500K color temp. One of my first mods was swapping out the units for an identical unit from the same manufacturer, simply the warm white model. This proves to me, they couldve used better matching and more pleasing to look at fixtures, but just either didnt do the research or didnt wanna spend the extra couple dollars per unit.

[@ryhun6781]

I totally agree with your list. Having multiple rvs over the years I have gone backwards in features. When something sits unused so often simpler is better.

[@matsulli2086]

Great video. I just wish manufacturers would put their efforts into quality control and not their silly upgrades that are cool but not needed.

[@bheardnow6410]

Auto Leveler on my 2021 278BH - love it, only 1 reset during 45 trips. Tankless WH, also love it, never any problems except kids shower too long. Steps - we have old schools steps with lippert support legs underneath (don't know the name) LOVE THEM, best of both worlds, solid feeling when extended & none of the hassle of fold out solid steps.

[@okinawadonkichi]

I have a travel trailer (2017) that has auto level and I absolutely love it. It has never given me a bit of trouble and has never failed to level out the rig. It is not a park queen and has been in plenty of sites that are "level challenged". I have never had a 12v fridge in any of my rigs and am curious, but love my absorption fridge because of the ability to run it off of propane. The way we like to camp there are just too many scenarios where a 12v power hog would not be ideal. LEDs, love them, I have swapped our pucks out to a warmer color. Would be nice if I could find pucks that were adjustable warmth wise. Steps, 1000% agree. I hate those stable steps. My trusty gas/electric water heater gives me plenty of hot water when in a park and I set it to use both sources. Even when the wife and I take back to back showers we have never run out of hot water. When boondocking, we rarely use it due to water conservation. This all being said, if I changed the way we camp or changed the type or size of rig we used, I am sure that my opinions on some of these would change.

[@johnbender6380]

3. Well, I jumped on the Stabil Steps bandwagon because of my bride's walking disability and my aging arthritic knees. The floorplan of our GD Transcend 240ML actually requires fixed steps since the door opening is over the camp side wheel well. However, for the reasons you cited, and constant dirt I would seriously consider going back to the lighter and more manageable folding steps.

[@mkz6475]

100% agree on all of them. Only difference on the auto level is that we are looking to add it to my in-laws trailer because he has been through 2 back surgeries and a hip replacement in the past 10 years. Otherwise I don’t want it.

[@SFDearing1]

I liked your list of overrated "upgrades". This old school RVer would add "slide outs" to the overrated "upgrades". The additional interior room is not worth the expense in manufacture and thus MSRP at purchase or the ulitmate expense of repair/replacement when they inevitably break down. Also the added perforations to your RV envelope to allow intrusion of water and hot/cold air making it more difficult to adjust the interior environment to the comfort level you enjoy...and the additional maintenance they require. There, got that off my chest!

[@tooanalytical4u]

1st I love the auto level on our Reflection. Problem free so far so maybe that could change later. Also love our 12 volt fridge. Cools down so much faster and works better in hot weather. The LED lights being different color temperatures would drive me crazy too. I'm indifferent on the water heater...they both have pros and cons but our tankless has worked flawless. Lastly the steps. Yes they are a pain at times but I would not trade them for the old style because I hate the bounce. I would add one you didn't mention and that is sky lights. They can be nice for daytime light but let in heat, too much light comes in early in the morning and it's just additional holes in the roof where water can find it's way in. Thanks as always for your content!

[@KentTalcott-cx9cw]

We have enjoyed our 12 V fridge with no problems over 3 years. They have more space inside than propane, better circulation, and can run off of solar while traveling without the risk of propane on during travel. Adjusting temperature has not been a problem. Just our experience. In bad weather we can get several days of power off a 2battery setup when off grid. We would never go back.

[@kradwonders]

12v fridge works great for us. LED’s that don’t match is a manufacturer problem. Tankless works great for us, easy to winterize.

[@russellnell3474]

It's been 1.5 years so far and my LCI Ground Control TT has never worked for more that 2 weeks at a time. It's in the dealership now to replace the main controller. Absolutely AWESOME when it works.. but really sucks when they don't. Luckily, one fix they made allows me to manually control all the jacks and watch my bubble levels when the auto feature fails. Also, mine once randomly extended the tongue jack when nobody was near the trailer. Good thing that didn't happen on the road!

[@Jks-rx4ov]

I could not agree with you more! These were definitely all things that I could live without. I want a solid built, basic camper! I can fix almost everything on our camper!

[@gregeaux1]

Spot on especially the touch screens and all things “modern tech”. You’re camping by goodness so flipping a switch or leveling with a hand held power drill outweighs potential expense and time consuming issues. Folding steps give a bit more stability to us less athletic mature folks but they are messy. Life is a game of trade offs. Thanks

[@robertfish795]

I agree with all of your opinions here Cory. In addition, I'm not a fan of the friction doors. When you're loading the camper or have things in your arms they are just to hard to open as well as for older owners. I also do not like where they put the thermostat. When we stop for lunch and want to warm up the Imagine a little I have to put out the slide to access it. By the way, thanks for the tip on the remote light switch. Me and the wife love them.

[@mischiefroadtripadventures]

I agree with most of your list. Auto level in our Solitude is great, but it's hydraulic. I don't think travel trailers need auto level. You are correct, it has generally an easy task to level manually. Touchscreens are just another gimic that will fail at some point. Tankless water heaters are horrible for RVs. We have a Norcold fridge that struggled to stay at temps set. It is located in a slideout, which creates kniwn issues with cooling and ventilation. We went to JC Refrigeration and had it converted to a 12v. It's a great option. We also love our Solid Step. The issues do exist as you mentioned but it's worth it to us. We have two sets of step mats cut to fit and we have a mat on the floor to catch dirt when folded in. Great video and some great points to consider.

[@mikec8123]

We like the 12 volt fridge but it is sensitive to get adjusted. Yup the steps that fold up into the camper suck. All the dirt, water, sand just ends up in your camper. We've had both and I much prefer the old style fold up steps.

[@csquires]

I completely agree about the LED colors! We looked at some new Grand Designs and the strips were a different color than the dinette pucks which were a different color than the bunk lights. It was very noticeable to us, and the strip lights had a flicker that gave us headaches. We didn’t have any of those issues in our 2021 GD Transcend. Hopefully they get it worked out.

[@zedzott6301]

We replaced the bright white led puck lights in our Winnie 2108ds with warm light dimmable puck lights and it made a huge difference in our enjoyment of our evening lighting. They are pretty easy to replace, but we shouldn’t have to. Also they are inexpensive. No reason manufacturers should put them in, other than during the sales process it makes the unit look brighter and more desirable.

[@lenyancey5236]

I agree with you on auto leveling. Never had a problem with manual leveling. Was going to buy a socket for my cordless drill to "upgrade" from my manual crank. After thinking about it for a bit i changed my mind as i decided it was just more stuff to carry and keep track of.

[@LarrySwoodworking]

I really like my auto levelers. Yes I do have to get it somewhat level so that I don't raise any wheels off of the ground as that is what you are not suppose to do. Haven't had any trouble (knock on wood) with them and hopefully I won't. We really like our Lippert Solid Step. We did put the handrail on the Solid Step which helps out. It doesn't bother us that I have to clean or wipe them off before we raise them to put away. As we have before with any camper that we have owned, we usually don't even go into the camper until it's level. We have a residential refrigerator and really like it. We don't do any boondocking soo we are good with it. I pretty much agree with most of the other upgrades that you mentioned. I still wish that we had the old manual awning on our camper. They were so much better built. They would take a pretty good storm and be just fine. The electric awnings we have now I just can't trust them at all to be out in any weather.

[@JandAReview1]

We’ve had a 12v fridge in our unit for 3 years and we absolutely love it. We love our tank water heater also. The only thing about our solid steps, they do catch dirt. Safe travels guys!

[@tonylinkous7940]

We have a 12volt fridge in our Rockwood and so far it's working great.

[@keevs5adventures]

Great video, guys! We agree with all of them except auto leveling. We love ours 99% of the time on our toyhauler. One of the reasons we don’t want to upgrade to a newer RV is because we don’t want to lose our propane/electric refrigerator and hot water heater. And we also agree with the touch screen with no light switches! Having both in ours is great, but no way anyone has time to push a bunch of buttons on a screen to flip off a light! Have a great time in Tampa!

[@LouieTeffeteller]

1. 100% agree. I don't even like electric stabilizers. One more thing to break. 2. We almost always use propane for our tanked water heater to save amperage. Tankless is an upgrade that I've always been curious about. 3. The LED strips seem like a bad idea. I like being able to turn on a single puck or two in a specific area. 4. Yes and No. I paid extra for a gas/electric fridge in my trailer. But I swapped the outside fridge (110 only) with 12v. Now I can use both fridges while boondocking while minimizing battery usage. 5. I agree. Switches/buttons all the way w/ Bluetooth capability. *1. Motion sensor lights for cabinets/pantries/storage is great. In the main living area, not so much. *2. 100% agree. I've been contemplating switching back to the old folding steps since getting our new trailer in 2022.

[@joeallison2779]

Our imagine 2600 RB had a new Tobol refrigerator and we didn’t have any issues with it. We replaced our imagine with the reflection 337 RLS and it too has a 12 V refrigerator and it as well. Did not have any issues. Now we’re replacing our reflection with a Solitude Which will have the largest to refrigerator yet at 20 ft.³. We’re expecting to take delivery of this sometime in March so the jury still out on this one. As far as the steps are concerned, the morryde on the reflection, or just fine. The problem I always have going up or going down the steps on the imagine, and the reflection was the door frame size. Being a little taller, and a little wider, I had to think about ducking my head, and twisting my shoulders to clear the height and width of the door frame. In the new solitude that will not be an issue at all. We also found a wraparound Astroturf like material for the steps which added a lot of grip and stability to them. To be honest, I never gave any thought to how low water flow pressure would affect our tankless water heater. Didn’t have any issues in the reflection, mostly due to it being hooked up to RV park water. Keep up the great videos!

[@chrislevesque2029]

First time RV Purchase less than a month ago, decided on the Imagine XLS 25DBE, most of the upgrades you discuss are in this trailer..🤣🤣 oh well, we'll live and learn for ourselves what works and what doesn't. Thanks for the informative content.

[@larrybeall3688]

Personally love my auto-level. The biggest thing that I have learned is that I need to be mostly level side to side first. It doesn't have to be perfect, but it has to be close. This is pretty easy for me using my levelmate (which I had from a previous rig) when i'm parking. Takes me a about 2 mins to fix myself side to side. Then I can pull out all my hoses and cords. Hit my autolevel and get my cables and hoses laid out while it levels itself. As for the tankless, the solution I have found for the flow problems is to make sure I set my temperature to what I want without mixing hot/cold. That keeps all pressure going to the water heater which is generally good enough in my experience.

[@davidkendall6801]

Agree with your comments. Hate motion lights, always going on and off. Like auto-level BUT, you MUST analyze your terrain BEFORE starting. You may frequently need to use extra leveling blocks or ore-adjust front jacks. If you don't, auto-level will default (a real pain). I'm not wild about the solid steps. Where I store my RV, the units are too close to drop the stairs. Lots of places are inconvenient, not to mention getting water and dirt inside.

[@jerrydaniels30]

Awesome video. We have only had 2 TT and both had 12v fridges. Our current camper has solar so we can precool the fridge without turning on the gas while at storage. Also like the tank water heater. As you said, on our shakedown trip we use the gas side of our water heater to make sure it worked. Since then have only used electric. One thing I don't like is 5 out of 7 leds in the main area are on one switch and cannot be turned off individually. Neither of our TT have had touch screens.

[@jamielynn2864]

We're currently looking to buy a new 5th wheel. This is great info to have and will definitely use this in our buying decision

[@allan6021]

1. I love our Auto Level. We are on our 2nd RV with it. We don’t want the tires off the ground so we roughly level the trailer with 2x10 boards and use blocking under the jack feet if needed. It’s not just the auto leveling function, it’s also that the system eliminates almost all movement in the trailer when you’re walking around. 2. I agree with you on the tankless water heater. 3. We’ve never seen (or at least never noticed) the problem you described with inconsistent colour of LED lighting. We are on our 2nd Forest River Rockwood trailer with factory LEDs and don’t have that problem. 4. Our Magic Chef brand 12V fridge works great so far. It looks like your experience has been with Furrion fridges. I stay away from all Furrion products. 5. I agree with you on your preference for manual switch’s rather than touch screens. Our Rockwood has the same switch panel as the Imagine did in your video. 6. We only have a motion detector light in our pantry and it works fine. 7. I tend to agree on the “drawbridge” style steps. They can be replaced with Torklift’s GlowStep Revolution Uprising steps but they are pricey.

[@johnbender6380]

2, Well Cory, I see a lot of positive comments from others w/regard to their 12 volt compressor fridges. From new, as installed our '21 GD 240ML, my fridge never seemed to cool as I would like. Given 24 hours, usually overnight, generally in temperate 70-80-degree weather it worked OK. However, we always had to travel with a cooler for ice and beverages. At 16 months, on a typical Florida summer day it just gave up and gave out. There isn't much that can be repaired on a 12v compressor fridge so replacement at $1,400.00 was my only option. After 25+ years' experience with 2 way RV refrigerators and never a failure that wasn't repairable, I'm disappointed. That said, the replacement fridge is working fine and is satisfactory.

[@dougchalmers5010]

Thanks for the info. I was attracted to a couple of these “upgrades” and with your experience, I wouldn’t want the steps or the motion lights. Thanks again!👋👍

[@rvgearandfar]

100000% agreed on the touchscreens -- give me plain ole 12v toggle switches every day!

[@MrLawsonhill]

You opened my mind t o the 12V fridge, had heard nothing but good raves and not much from an experienced user side. In a comment below it is suggested you need (2) 100 AH with 600W solar to keep one going off grid. That adds a new negative. The rage was standard household fridge, till rolling earth quake and having to take a slide out to remove or replace one got exposed. Yet, our favorite unit we are considering now has a residential fridge. Would love to see you do a video of RV refrigerator units. The good the bad and the ugly of the 3 types for boon dockers or park camper. Our plans are to boondock (Harvest Host/Boon dockers welcome) 2 nights while traveling from lower Alabama to Maryland. While there we most likely will be in a park. But then to travel the North East for a week (boon dock or park) and return to Maryland. Then 2 nights back home boon docking. I hadn't planed on a lot of solar, just enough to keep the fridge going IF we are able to not run the AC. But the the AC is most important. Can buy a lot of gas for the generator vs. this initial investment of huge solar. So would love to hear comments on residential fridges (recent models if any improvements since 2019) and would love to see you do a video focused on refrigerators. Amen on the touch screens. Will not consider a unit that doesn't have manual switches as the backup. My wife fell in love with you guys back when you did the toilet paper dissolving video in your kitchen years ago. We thought it was so based on what I could see dumping. But you did it by testing in your wife's kitchen. CLASSIC!

[@cabracove]

I don't know about bigger ones, here's what my little Truckfridge in the van uses. 2 200AH batteries will easily run it for several days. Longest was 6 days on the Alaska ferry, and I had power left over. Volume (CU ft/Liters) 1.73/49 Dimensions HxWxD (inches) 20 1/2 x15 x 17 1/2 Power consumption (W/24h) 278 Weight (lbs) 37

[@T18skyguy]

I agree completely about the touchscreens. It's a piece of electronics that will go bad, and how much will it cost to replace ? And the next issue down the road is "Oh, your touchscreen doesn't work? Sorry, but they don't make them anymore" at which point your rig is worthless. I'll take the switches.

[@johnclancy7607]

6 years with our autolevel and would not want to be without it. People need to learn how to use it and get close to level side to side before hitting the button. Not a fan of tankless heaters or touchscreens. My biggest beef is cheap electric awnings.

[@WanderingWeekends]

Ah, electric awnings should have definitely made the list!!

[@johnbunn1957]

We have an external propane hot water tank and we never had any issues with low flow. We lived in it for a few month and never worried about propane usage.

[@vociferonheraldofthewinter2284]

The reason for the different color of 'white' LED lights are for different tasks. Usually the overhead strips will be a bright, cool, daylight white for high visibility. Puck lights and other under cabinets are more for mood and are usually warmer. If you put all these lights on dimmer switches you can get a perfect blend of visibility and warm comfort. I'm an artist and lighting is vital for what I do. My undercabinet workbench lighting has the ability to go from cool to warm, depending on the task. If I'm doing fiddly work, I want very bright, VERY cool lighting to see those details; but when I'm painting, I switch to warmer light to mimic the lighting of the piece's future 'home.' 3,000-4,500K is the normal target for indoor pieces. But my overhead lighting is an ice cold, blazing white light that leaves no corner untouched. (Cracks my husband up that it lights the entire yard up through the window at night.) And 12v refrigerators SUCK. I've wasted way too much money on them and never been happy. I also despise touchscreens. Beyond that, I hate buttons that you can't feel. There's no feedback. Try turning something on in the dark when everything is a flat, plastic panel. Have fun with that. My dishwasher and TV are like this and NEVER AGAIN.

[@jeffwithhart2916]

reguarding the steps.... i also like the fold under steps for when i stop at a rest stop or walmart or whatever its really easy to get in and out and i dont need alot of room. the ones that fold into the door require alot more clearence.

[@johnbender6380]

4. Finally! Thanks y'all! I appreciate your insights and real world experience.

[@coreymerritt7742]

Hi Cory I fully agree with you on all the things that you said speaking about the 12 volt fridges I was recently speaking with a rv technician the other day apparently Norcold is dropping the propane units and going to only offer the 12 volt ones also I not quite sure how long they will keep parts in inventory for the older models thanks again 👍

[@WanderingWeekends]

I do think it’s the way of the future but the units they build now are hit and miss.

[@mariewhite7893]

We agree with the list 100% ! We have a 2015 Reflection 303RLS 5th wheel and have had no problems. We love it.

[@5Towaways]

Completely agree on the auto level,, its not that's freaking hard considering how much can go wrong with all the stuff involved with auto leveling.

[@jessicadegraff7265]

Totally agree! Solid steps, the hot water heater and 12v fridges are all something I wish we could option out of.

[@markdearman2367]

Try a 12/24 volt compressor Frig. They work great. I will never go back to gas Frig.

[@kevincameron8437]

I agree with the touchscreens! It’s just one more thing to go out and then you can’t use your camper. I’m glad my Alliance Avenue just has switches up there. As for auto level, you’re right with the, being so sensitive and throwing error codes all of the time, but it’s the world we live in for our 5th wheel. Thanks for bring forth some good talking points on “upgrades” in the RV industry.

[@electricamish]

We absolutely love our auto level, that being said, we have had only one issue, and that was over stroking one leg due to a hole , it couldn't reach. Our last 3 units have had residential fridges and that works best for us. Just bought a new unit, and our first touch screen, and I will say right away, they lack real switches in very important places, there are some switches that are also on the touch panel, but they could do a better job doubling up. Us personally, would never go back to flip stairs, we have had both brands of ground contact steps, and other than having to put them down just to jump in quick, they are great, .....yes we have to be level before landing them, but we just do our connections while leveling and then open up. Really nothing that can't be dealt with, but personal preference it what its all about, my wife and I have said after many units, there is no perfect camper.

[@pharphrobrien401]

I agree about the tankless water heater. And my trailer has to have the solid steps, but the process is exactly as you say. Plus there's the dirt dumping feature every time you put the steps up. I also am on the fence regarding the 12 volt refrigerator. Mine doesn't seem very consistent either. I dry camp sometimes, and the old style would maybe be better for that. But I have not always had a reliable absorption refrigerator.

[@johnhaithcock1919]

I enjoy my hydraulic auto leveling system. Works great. I have seen electric leveling not working as well. I saw the changing lanes video on tankless water heaters and it was well done. Based on that video I wouldn’t get one. If you have a delay every time you turn off the water that wouldn’t be convenient. On led lights you have to decide if you want warm or white. Makes a difference and they all need to match. Fridge: I have 2 trailers, a 5th wheel with 12 volt and a bumper pull with gas/electric. Advantages/disadvantages to each depending on how you are RVing. On a long travel day the 12 volt can drain your batteries. Good video and I appreciate your opinions.

[@roncross1250]

It is nice you agree with so many of my prejudices. Auto level haven't used it manual leveling is not hard. I spin the stabilizers with an electric drill. Tankless hot water: Our son's trailer has a tankless we have a tank, much better less wasted water and you can have a trickle of warm water. It is also much easier to drain and winterize a tank type water heater than running a tankless in the freeze protection mode. Our trailer and our son's trailer have LED lights. the lower power consumption means less generator time. Our 2 trailers are the same brand and they paid attention to light color. We love our gas electric refrigerator. We camp in trees solar will not work and sometimes it is cloudy. Having a portable refillable fuel source is great. Switches are great and easy to troubleshoot. In 6 trailers over 30 years i believe I have replaced 2 switches. Motion sensor lighting is something we are glad to not have in our rigs with the exception of inside cabinets. Solid steps are high on our list to avoid. Flipping up the steps and dumping rain and sand into the trailer because we camp at the beach is not very nice.

[@USCndaATL]

We have a 2023 Grand Design Imagine 2670 MK. I agree with you on the tankless water heater. All of my previous campers were the electric/gas tanks that had the anode. Our tankless heater requires us to slowly turn the hot water on when we first heat it up to get it flowing correctly. It's a pain and water gets wasted. We also have the 12v fridge. We have to keep it at the lowest setting to prevent it from freezing things in the fridge. The one plus over the old gas/electric combos is that it only takes roughly an hour in a Georgia summer to get cold.

[@tinoslaponi8514]

100% agree on everything he is saying. I feel like I've been saying this myself for years!

[@stevesanders2972]

I think part of your problem with the tankless water heater and maybe even the 12 volt fridge is the Furrion brand. I've been quite underwhelmed with Furrion's quality. We have a Truma tankless water heater and I love it. Yes, it only works on propane but I've been shocked at how little propane it does use. I always use water from the holding tank with the pump. That eliminates campground pressure issues and the pump in the RV is plenty for the Truma water heater.

[@tornadotj2059]

The color temperature of the lights not matching isn't an LED problem, it's a manufacturer problem. Our RV has all LED and they are all the same color temp.

[@ShelbyvsViper]

Hello Cory, great list. I have had the fold out steps for the last 25 years and worked good as long as you kept them properly lubed. 2023 is the first year dealing with the fold out solid steps. When you are set-up, they are great. But setting up is a pain, and getting the detent pins out to adjust the legs.. man I got to come up with another method. I had them out for 2 weeks on the snow in Iowa and I don’t know if the salt got on the pins but I couldn’t get them out without a hammer. Ridiculous. Going to have to find thumb release detent pins. Why they wouldn’t put a release system for the legs is beyond me. As for a next video idea, how about 5 “options” you should get on your RV and work great.

[@nolandenton1224]

Great video- thanks! Here’s my chime-in: Auto-leveling - we did an RV Share before we purchased our camper. The owners did the setup - it was raining and a very unlevel site and the poor guy had to take half a lumberyard out of his truck to get the AL system to work. We’ve since set up our own camper in similar conditions (fully manual leveling) and we got set up in half the time, so I agree with you, not an upgrade. LED lights - my pet peeve. I’m a degreed mechanical engineer and even I struggled to understand the “temperature spectrum” at first for home LED lighting. Jayco did a good job of color matching in our Feather 25RB, but have seen at RV shows the LED mixed bag and knew it looked like a trouble spot. To be fair, we only have the puck lights on the ceiling and under the counters so not much chance of messing up, but definitely something to watch for. Tankless - we have one at home and love it but I don’t want one AT ALL on my camper. If we need fast hot water, I have run both electric and gas simultaneously to speed up recovery but all in all, I’m with you - NOT an upgrade. 12V fridge - our Furrion works great, but I have heard about a new brand showing up that is trouble and also some GE branded ones that are actually “new brand” with a GE badge that are trouble. We don’t do enough long-haul camping to need road access and gas absorption fridge so the 12V fits the bill for us. Solid Steps - we love them but agree with you that it slows down setup and leveling, and also is a pain especially when I forget to raise the steps before lowering the trailer for departure, then raise them and forget the threshold isn’t clear and try to close the exterior door with the steps’ hinge up in the way…. Oh, and definitely +1 on the digital screens. Give me an analog switch panel with a Bluetooth link to an app on my cellphone, or just skip the app. Between broken gas struts, loose door hinges, shaken-loose trim pieces from transit, and keeping up my side and rear camera rig, I have enough to do maintenance wise…. All in all, as my wife says, “it’s a camper, not a residence - keep it simple, stupid”…

[@Tobymt1925]

Totally agree on the water heater and touch screens, but I love my 12v fridge... Love your videos!