Tips for Traveling Light

RV’s today are made with many bells and whistles that make life much easier. However the added contraptions and storage compartments may sometimes lead to the risk of driving a rig that is overweight. Here are some tips to traveling light.

 

1. Ditch the paper! Most magazines, books, and newspapers are now available for download and getting rid of paper weight can make a big difference.

 

2. Tackle the kitchen. Adding large appliances like coffee makers, crock pots, bread machines, etc… will pack on the pounds. Choose kitchen tools that are multipurpose that will feed your crew without having to store lots of leftovers. Consider keeping service for only four and keep those pots and pans to a minimum.

 

3. Watch your wardrobe. Make it a point not to buy a t-shirt from every town you visit and if you are picking up gifts for family and friends mail them immediately rather than store them. Hold the shoes and wardrobe to a minimum keeping only the bare necessities and wash clothes often.

 

4. Take time to purge. Items that we once thought were a must have eventually find their way to a storage bin where they spend months and months taking up space. Take time to bless someone else with items that are still in good condition but are no longer needed in your rig.

 

To ensure safety check your owners manual for the optimal weight for your RV and make sure you stay well within the boundaries. Cut the clutter and you will have less to clean and keep up with allowing for more time to explore and enjoy!

RV’s today are made with many bells and whistles that make life much easier. However the added contraptions and storage compartments may sometimes lead to the risk of driving a rig that is overweight. Here are some tips to traveling light.

 

1. Ditch the paper! Most magazines, books, and newspapers are now available for download and getting rid of paper weight can make a big difference.

 

2. Tackle the kitchen. Adding large appliances like coffee makers, crock pots, bread machines, etc… will pack on the pounds. Choose kitchen tools that are multipurpose that will feed your crew without having to store lots of leftovers. Consider keeping service for only four and keep those pots and pans to a minimum.

 

3. Watch your wardrobe. Make it a point not to buy a t-shirt from every town you visit and if you are picking up gifts for family and friends mail them immediately rather than store them. Hold the shoes and wardrobe to a minimum keeping only the bare necessities and wash clothes often.

 

4. Take time to purge. Items that we once thought were a must have eventually find their way to a storage bin where they spend months and months taking up space. Take time to bless someone else with items that are still in good condition but are no longer needed in your rig.

 

To ensure safety check your owners manual for the optimal weight for your RV and make sure you stay well within the boundaries. Cut the clutter and you will have less to clean and keep up with allowing for more time to explore and enjoy!

RV Financing

About 70 percent of RV buyers finance their purchases. When you purchase an RV from us, you need a minimum down payment and approved credit. You could be on the road in just a few hours after you pick out your new RV!

And, if needed, you can add any parts and accessories, RV insurance, service agreements and more to your finance contract. This is the best way to ensure that you have everything you need for your first trip.

Gardner’s RV and Trailer Center of Kalispell, Montana, finances more RVs than anyone else, so we can understand and work with your special needs. And, we make the process easy for you, to boot. Get started by visiting our finance page and clicking on the link to complete a credit application online. If you prefer to not apply online, you can click the link to print out a credit application and bring the completed application with you when you come in to our showroom to choose your new RV.

RV financing allows you to get more RV than you would get if you were to try to pay cash for it – and it allows you to get something that is brand new instead of going with a used RV from an unknown person.

When you complete the online application, you need your date of birth, social security number, driver’s license number, how many dependents you have, contact information and employment information including your salary.

Which RV to Finance?

The RV you choose depends on your needs and your tow vehicle. You can choose from fifth wheels, fifth wheel toy haulers, travel trailers, travel trailer toy haulers, truck campers, pop-up tent trailers, Class A gas or diesel pushers, Class C RVs and more.

Visit Gardner’s RV and Trailer Center

Stop by Gardner’s RV and Trailer Center today to walk through the many floor plans we have available. Print out the RV credit application and bring it with you or apply for credit online so you can save some time when you finance your new RV.

Mother’s Day

Wishing all Mother’s a wonderful day!

Stop by Gardner’s RV to find the RV your mom & the whole family will love!

 

Stashing Your Recyclables in Your RV

When you’re home, you recycle everything, but you might think it’ll be harder to do that when you’re on the road. Most RVs have plenty of basement storage, so you can continue to recycle even when you are on the road.

Recycle Bins and Bags

Typical recycle bins take a lot of space, so you if space is limited because you are storing other items, use 13-gallon kitchen trash bags for recycling. If you have something that might not take a lot of space such as glass bottles, use a plastic grocery bag to maximize space. If you do have the space for recycle bins, by all means, store them in the basement storage.

Regardless of the system you use, don’t leave the bins or bags outside of the storage as animals will get into them and scatter everything around, giving you a huge mess to pick up in the morning.

No Basement Storage

If you don’t have basement storage, pick up some covered bins with latches. You’ll be able to store them outside, but keep something heavy on the top of the bins. Be sure to rinse out cans and bottles to further deter animals from smelling food and breaking into the bins. You can also store bins and bags in the back of the pickup truck if you are using a truck as a tow vehicle.

Disposal

You don’t have to carry your recyclables with you when you move from your destination. Look for a recycling center in a city near you. When you leave the area, or if you are going to be near the recycling center, you’ll be able to drop off your recyclables.

Aluminum

Check the area you are camping in for places that buy aluminum. If you crush the cans, you can save a lot of space, and then bring a bag of them to sell to an aluminum buyer. While you probably won’t get much for the cans, you’ll have a little something and they’ll be recycled.

Visit Gardner’s RV and Trailer Center

If taking an RV trip sounds like a lot of fun, stop by our RV showroom at Gardner’s RV and Trailer Center to walk through the many floor plans we have available. Choose an RV with plenty of basement storage so you have a place to store your recyclables.

Spring Clearance Sales Event

Our Spring Clearance sales event starts today and lasts until Saturday! You’ll receive a toolbox if you attend! Avoid missing the chance to find your perfect ‪#‎RV‬ by registering now: 

http://goo.gl/ahtamg

RV Rentals in Montana

$99/DAY on single axle travel trailers. Typically sleeps 2 adults or 2 adults and a few small childrem

$129/DAY  on 23-24ft tandem axle travel trailers with small slide out rooms. Typically sleeps 4-6

$149/Day on 28-30ft tandem axle bunk house trailers with large slide out. Typically sleeps 6-8

Motorhomes starting at $249/Day for a 23-24ft Class C and up to $269/Day for a larger 30-32ft Class C.

General Terms:

Motor homes include up to 100 miles per day of rental at no additional charge.  Each additional mile is charged $.35 per mile over 100 miles per day.

Rental customers are required to provide their own insurance on any rental trailer or motorhome.  Proof of insurance, valid driver’s license and valid credit card required.

All travel trailers require vehicles to have brake controllers and 7 way wiring plug ins.  If you do not have these, you will be required to get them prior to taking rentals.  Rental brake controllers are available on some units at additional charge.

All units come with a basic set of cooking pots, pans and cooking utensils. Customers should be prepared to bring or purchase disposable plates and silverware or bring some from home.

Bedding, pillows, sleeping bags are not included in any of our rental units.  So please bring your own bedding when picking up your rental.

Airport pick up is available for our Motor Home rental customers flying in from out of town (with prior arrangement).

Please contact our Rental Department with any questions.  They are open Monday – Friday 8 am to 5 pm.

How to read your RV tires to know if they’re too old.

The useful life of a tire is only five to seven years. For cars and trucks driven every day, the tread usually wears out in less than five years. For RVs that sit for a good part of the year, five years can pass with a lot of tread still left on the tire.

Although you may not want to replace what looks like a perfectly good tire, riding on tires more than five years old greatly increases the risk of a blowout.

Date Codes: Every tire has a date code stamped on the sidewall, which gives the date that the tire was manufactured. They look something like this: DOT PDHH MLOR 3403. The date code can be on either side of the tire, so you may have to crawl underneath the rig and look on the inward facing side. The date code always starts with the letters DOT and ends with a 3 or 4 digit number. That last number is the date code, which tells you when the tire was manufactured. The first two numbers indicate the week (out of 52) and the last one or two digits indicate the year. For instance, 3403 means the 34th week of 2003, or the last week in August 2003. Starting with the year 2000, the date codes have two digits for the year, prior to that, only one. A date code of 079 would indicate the seventh week of 1999, or the third week of February 1999.

Tires deteriorate with age, even when sitting on a shelf, so always ask to see the date code when you purchase new tires and insist on tires manufactured within the last few months. The tire dealer may give you a funny look because most consumers don’t know about date codes.

Tire Size Designations: That jumble of letters and numbers on the sidewall of the tire is the tire size designation. The first letters indicate the type of tire: P for passenger car, LT for light truck, and ST for special trailer. Bus and medium-duty truck tires have no such designation. The next number is the width of the tire, given in millimeters, followed by a slash. The number following the slash is the ratio of width to section height (only important to tire engineers) followed by a letter: R for radial ply or D for diagonal or bias ply. It ends with a number which gives the inside diameter of the tire in inches. A tire with the designation ST225/75R15 is a special trailer tire that is 225 millimeters wide with a width to section height ratio of 75. It is a radial ply tire that will be mounted on a 15-inch wheel.

Load Range: The load range of a tire is indicated by a letter, A through E, and is stamped on the sidewall of the tire. Tire charts, available from any tire dealer, have these letters in parentheses after some of the tire load limits. The letters are placed next to the maximum weight for that load range.

Which Type of Tire to Use

Tires are engineered specifically for different types of vehicles. Passenger car tires are designed to provide a soft ride and grip the road during turns and adverse weather. Light truck tires have stiffer sidewalls in order to carry heavier loads, but also are engineered for safe handling and road gripping ability. Trailer tires, on the other hand, are designed to give a soft ride and to slide sideways or scrub the road while cornering. Because of these differences, never put light truck tires on a trailer. Some people think that if the tire is good enough for a truck it must be good enough for a trailer, but this is a fallacy. Light truck tires are not engineered for the unique stresses of trailering.

Rv Buying Guide: How To Choose A Recreational Vehicle

So you have decided to buy an RV. When getting to our RV dealership to select an RV for sale, there are so many to choose from that you just don’t know which one would be right for you. They have RVs that you drive, RVs that you tow, RVs using diesel and ones that use gas.

With all these available options, you can certainly find something to fit your needs. To narrow down the search, make a list of your personal preferences you would like in a RV. If you are having trouble making a decision, contact our RV dealership.

Topics To Ask To Narrow Down Your RV Choices

Trip Length: Deciding on the length of your trips can help you determine if you need a large or small RV. If you are going on short trips to local sites or spending a weekend or two a year on a camping trip, you can choose a smaller RV. Longer trips, especially cross-country adventures, would require a larger RV to bring more supplies as you will be spending more time in the vehicle.

Towing: Some people don’t mind towing other vehicles behind their car or trucks. Other people hate the way their driving changes due to having something hitched on the back. Decide whether you would feel comfortable towing your RV or driving one.

Sleeping Arrangements: Will it just be you and your spouse in the RV, or will you also have the kids and grandkids along on your trips? Determining how many people will be using the RV on a normal basis will help you pick the right one that has plenty of sleeping places as well as extra storage.

Camping Preferences: Another important topic is deciding on whether you love being out on your own in the wilderness when camping or do you prefer to be around other people. This helps you determine if you will need to bring along an RV that has a generator when out on your own or one with full hookups for when you are at an RV park.

Price: Always have a firm budget in mind when you are searching for an RV to purchase. Price ranges can start at $14,000 and go up $100,000.

Types Of RVs

Once you have a list of the things you want in your RV, now is the time to choose just the right one. There are several different makes and models of trailers: travel trailers, toy trailers, fifth wheels and motor homes.

Travel Trailers: These types of trailers can be towed behind your vehicle, so you will need to know the towing capacity of your truck or SUV. They are affordable and are perfect for destination-type camping as you can unhitch it anywhere. You will have hookups for gas, electric or water, but will need a generator if camping in remote places. Smaller types, called toy haulers, are perfect when you are looking for something to haul your recreational equipment.

Fifth Wheels: Fifth wheels are also RV trailers that you can tow. The difference is that these trailers extend over the bed of your truck. Very similar to travel trailers, they offer more cargo room and living space. A fifth wheel is a great RV when you are planning an extended stay vacation or want to spend more time living in the RV.

Motor Homes: Motor homes give a variety of options for the full-time RV adventurer. You can drive or tow a motor home, or use your motor home to tow your car or truck. Passengers can move around and do things while the motor home is moving, giving more freedom and allowing you to be independent. Most motor homes have a generator along with hookups. Motor homes come in three classes depending on their size: Class A, Class B and Class C.

Financing For RVs

Not everyone has the extra cash on hand to purchase a RV. For this reason, you can get great financing with affordable interest rates. For you to qualify for most RV loans, you will need to have a good credit rating and a down payment of at least 10-percent of the value of the RV — including taxes and tags. You can also trade-in other vehicles for the down payment to the RV. Most RV loan terms are from seven years to twenty years depending on the loan amount and age of the RV.

Once you choose the right RV and arrange for financing, go out on your RV adventure. Enjoy the countryside in a vehicle that will always get you to your destination.

Renting an RV This Spring

If you think taking a vacation in an RV sounds like fun, but you’re not quite convinced yet, rent an RV before you buy. This way, you’ll see if you actually like it; and you’ll see if you need something larger or smaller than what you rent for your vacation. You can also try out different floor plans by renting for more than one vacation.

Gardner’s RV and Trailer Center offers several rentals. A single axle trailer usually sleeps two adults or two adults and two or three small children. You can rent a single axle for $99 per day. A tandem axle that is 23 to 24 feet long rents for $129 per day and these models usually sleep four to six people.

For $149 per day, you an rent a tandem axle bunkhouse model that is 28 to 30 feet. These models feature a large slide out and usually sleep six to eight people. The bunkhouse models have bunks in a separate room or a curtained-off alcove.

If you don’t have a tow vehicle, you can rent a motor home. Class C models that are up to 24 feet are $249 per day. Rent a larger Class C model up to 32 feet for $269 per day.

When you rent a motor home from us, you get up to 100 miles per day at no additional charge. Each additional mile is $0.35 per mile. You’ll need to provide insurance for motor homes and rental trailers, so bring proof of insurance, your valid driver’s license and a valid credit card when you stop by to rent an RV.

If you are renting a travel trailer, your vehicle needs to have a brake controller plus a seven-way wiring plug in. If your vehicle is not equipped with these items, you’ll need to have them installed before you can take one of our rentals. Some of our units feature brake controllers at an additional charge.

When you rent an RV from us, we provide a basic set of cooking pots, utensils and pans. Be sure to pack plates and silverware or plastic ware. You’ll also need your own bedding. If you are flying in from out of town, airport pick up is available for motor home rental customers.

Visit Gardner’s RV and Trailer Center

Stop by Gardner’s RV and Trailer Center or call our RV rental department with any questions you may have. Our rental department is open from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

How To Keep Your RV Fresh Water Tank Clean

 

Is the water in your RV fresh water tank really safe to use?

Just think about it. We are so accustomed to having clean water flowing from the tap at home that access to clean and safe water is something that we tend to take for granted. So, when we go on road trips we naturally assume that the water stored in our RV fresh water tank is just as safe and clean as the water we use at home.

However, one of the cardinal rules that frequent travelers and veteran RVers often live by is that you can’t always trust the water you use or consume away from home. You can never be sure where that water came from. And if you’re not that careful, you can end up getting sick with some form of stomach or skin ailment from using contaminated water.

Thankfully, even if you’re not sure whether the water in the last campground or RV park you stayed at is clean or not, you can at least keep yourself and the people you are traveling with in your RV from getting sick as a result of using contaminated water. You can do that by sanitizing your RV fresh water tank regularly and by observing a few measures that will eliminate the presence of harmful bacteria in the water you use in your RV.

How to sanitize your RV fresh water tank

Sanitizing your RV fresh water tank is much easier to do than it sounds. It can take around half a day to get the chore done, but the actual work will only take less than an hour to accomplish.

To get started with sanitizing your RV fresh water tank, you’ll need to get your RV plugged into an electric hookup or have its batteries fully charged. That’s because you’ll have to use the pump as you’re doing this chore. You should also turn off your water heater and get rid of the anti-freeze in your pipes, as you’re going to use cold water for this task. Lastly, you’ll have to open the drain valve of your gray water tank and pay attention to your levels in case of overflow.

So, here’s a step-by-step guide to sanitizing your RV fresh water tank.

1. Turn off your water pump and open the valve of your fresh water tank. Drain your tank completely of all its stored water.
2. Mix one cup of bleach or tank cleaner with one gallon (4 1/2 liters) of water. Pour the solution in your now-empty fresh water tank using a funnel.
   Replace the valve of your fresh water tank and turn on your water pump. Fill your fresh water tank with water.
3. Once the tank is full, turn on all the faucets and water outlets in your RV, including the shower and just let the water flow. Pay attention to your water levels and make sure that the drain valve of your gray water tank is open.
4. Turn these water outlets off once the smell of the bleach becomes really strong.
5. Fill your fresh water tank again with cold water and let the water sit in the tank for about 8 to 12 hours.
6. After the allotted time, turn on all the faucets and water outlets in your RV again and let the water run until the smell of the bleach goes away. Refill the fresh water tank and just keep flushing the water out until you’re sure that the bleach is completely gone.
7. Refill your fresh water tank with clean water if you’re still using your RV. Empty your tank if you’re going to put your RV in storage.
8. You should sanitize your RV fresh water tank at least once every six months. However, it is ideal that you do this chore once a month if you’re frequently on the road in your RV.

How to prevent your RV fresh water tank from getting contaminated

As the old adage goes, an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure. Aside from sanitizing your RV fresh water tank regularly, you should also observe a few measures that will prevent harmful bacteria from colonizing your water tank and contaminating the water you use in your RV. Here are a few tips that will help you out:

1. Ask your campground hosts where the water in the campground comes from, whether it’s well water or water coming from the city or municipal system. If it’s well water, ask if the water is tested for safety.
2. Wash your hands thoroughly before handling your white water hose. Keep the ends of your white water hose from touching the ground when you hook up your RV. If you’re not using the hose, keep it coiled and store it in a sealable plastic or cloth bag.
3. Wash your hands thoroughly after using the dump station in the campground you’re staying at. Never fill your fresh water tank with water from the dump station unless the water is guaranteed clean and safe for consumption.
4. Install water filters in your RV.
5. If you’re not sure about the safety of the water in the campground you’re staying at, boil the water before drinking it. Better yet, keep a supply of bottled water in your RV.
6. Sanitize your fresh water tank before putting your RV in storage.

It doesn’t take much to keep your RV fresh water tank clean and sanitized. Keeping the tank clean and sanitized, though, will do a lot in making sure you won’t get sick from drinking or using contaminated water.