Hopefully you will never have to deal with a broken-down RV when you are on a long road trip. But the unfortunate reality is that it does happen, and often when we least expect it to. Therefore, if you own an RV, it is important to understand the steps you should take if your RV does break down while you’re out on the open road.
For the purposes of this article, we will assume that there was not an accident, and that the vehicle simply broke down. Here are some tips from a mobile mechanic in Flagstaff, AZ about how you should proceed:
- Get your RV to a shop: The first step is to get your RV to the closest shop that will be able to figure out what went wrong with your vehicle and how best to fix it. If you have emergency roadside assistance through your insurance or AAA, contact them. Otherwise, you will need to find a towing service. Fortunately, the prevalence of smartphones has made this much easier than it was in the past, but if you are in a service dead zone, you might be forced to walk to the closest exit, or wait for someone to stop.
- Formulate a plan: Once you’ve got your RV to the nearest shop, you are going to have some down time while the mechanics assess your vehicle. You should begin formulating plans about what you will do, depending on what the issue is. Hopefully the problem will be easy and inexpensive to fix, and you’ll be able to get right back on the road, but if not, consider the following:
- If you need to be somewhere by a certain time, you might need to consider alternative travel plans, and call ahead to let people know what happened.
- If you will be unable to stay in your RV while it’s getting fixed, find a hotel room.
- If your RV is older, think of the maximum amount of money you are willing to spend on repairs. If the repairs will cost more than the vehicle is worth, you should look into replacing the vehicle instead, if that’s an option.
- Stay in contact with the mechanics: If the repairs are expected to take a while, make sure you keep in contact with the shop. This will make the process go smoother, and also encourage the shop to take the initiative to keep on schedule with the repairs.
- Make the most of the situation: Nobody likes to be stranded because of repairs. But sometimes it just happens, and getting angry about it isn’t going to help. Instead, try to make the best of the situation and see something in the area that you would have otherwise passed up. It could be a natural site, a historical spot, a tourist destination or a cool restaurant.
For more tips about what to do if your RV breaks down, contact a mobile mechanic in Flagstaff, AZ at Maclin Truck & Trailer.