mr. cob

Howdy Pete, Having had a 3500 dualy Ram and a HUGE BigFoot camper with only one slide, in truth it was over loaded. You already have the perfect truck to haul your camper and still tow a trailer for toys or whatever if you need or want too, Just keep the KW you know it will do the job and it sure sounds like you enjoy having a real truck. Dave

Howdy All, Well, I am NOT a happy camper, a very pi$$ed off camper would be a much more appropriate term. After all the hassle and expense of getting the appraisal on my truck, my agent at Miller insurance can't find a company that offers insurance in the Peoples Republik of washington, that will give an "AGREED VALUE" policy on my truck. So I am stuck with Progressive who will only pay in case of total loss "ACTUAL CASH VALUE". However now that I have in hand an actual appraisal of it's worth I can at least FIGHT them if God forbid something happens and I end up somehow having the truck badly damaged or worst case totaled. My main concern is when parked in rest area or if I have to spend the night in a truck stop and some jerk who can't drive pulls out and tears the front end off my truck the darned insurance company would total the truck as in all probability it would cost 10-15K to replace the Hood, fenders and all the other things bumper, radiators ect that such a crash would entail. Like I said in my first post to this thread, I don't mind paying for insurance but I don't like getting ripped off in the process. What pi$$'s me off the most is Nationwide gave me a quote that was higher then what I am paying now but was acceptable as it would have paid an Agreed Value, after seeing photos of the truck and trailer, they said "the vehicle was too large". How in the HELL are you folks who have an AGREED VALUE policy on your trucks getting it and WHO are you insured with? Dave

Howdy Rick, Using the plywood as a guide is a darn good idea, however using a hole saw to cut that size hole in 3/16" steel is going to take a good heavy duty drill to drive it and a high quality hole saw that will probably be dull when the job is done, that's a lot of metal to be removed and a cheap hole saw ain't gonna do it. If you try it with a cheap hole saw it will get dull and work harden the steel, this will knock the edge off of the good hole saw you will buy to finish the job, cheaper to spend the money on a good hole saw to begin with, take my word on this, been there, done that. Dave

Howdy All, This must be a "thing", I sold the 3500 Ram, after keeping it around for 3 years after buying the Freightliner, just didn't use it and it was worth less every day it sat, lost $$$$$$$$$$ big time on that deal after buying it new and only putting 89,000 miles on it in 13 years. Dave

Howdy Dan, You may be on to something, I would "assume" if the RV truck had over turned the camper would be wreaked and that exhaust pipe sure wouldn't be standing tall over the cab. I think there is more to this story. Dave

Howdy Dan, As to the 7 month thing, we are not full time so that is not a problem for us at this time. I am "assuming" AGV, means agreed value, I am also "assuming" your talking about insuring the Class C, motor home in your signature. If these assumptions are correct we are talking about insuring two completely different types of RV, getting insurance on a Class C is EASY compared to a HDT converted into a motor home. Dave

Howdy Robert, I use 12 ramps, my bed when the air is dropped it 45 inches from ground level. I use a Harbor Freight, 3,500 pound winch, at first I did the double line pulls, to slow, didn't need it and keeping the cable from snarling when winding in was a problem. I cut the cable from 50 feet to 25 and now use just a single line to pull the Smart Car onto the deck with no problem as far as winching power and the cable winds in easily with no snarling as there is plenty of room on the drum. Works for me. Dave

Howdy All, An update on this continuing saga, working through Miller Insurance, very good folks, Roxanne let me know that even with the appraisal Progressive will not write an agreed value policy, she said Progressive would write the policy with a stated value of $55,000.00 but it would be an actual cash value policy meaning that Progressive would take the appraised value as a guide but would still set a value in case of total loss at what Progressive thought was the actual cash value. Long story short, they would charge me more but still bulk at paying what the truck was appraised at. However she did find a company that would insure the truck at an agreed value of $55.000.00 the company is called "Nationwide" does anyone have any experience dealing with this company? I would like to have the opinion of others who have dealt with Nationwide, good or bad before I commit to doing this, thanks. Going with Nationwide would cost me 61 cents a day more then staying with Progressive, I am leaning real hard towards Nationwide. Dave

Howdy rickeieio, I am to darn gimped up to do much of anything anymore, if someone in a rest area tore off the front fender and Hood of the Pete it would probably cost more to repair then what the insurance would pay at what they call actual cash value. I am sure they would total the truck for what it would cost to repair such damage. So when I get the quote I have to consider such things. Dave

Howdy All, I mentioned earlier in this thread where under the advise of Roxanne who works for Miller Insurance, that I should get a professional appraisal of my truck in its present condition as a "motor home". I just a few minutes ago got the email copy of the appraisal the hard copy will be coming in the mail. My truck has been appraised at $55,000.00 So now I am working with Miller to see what an AGREED VALUE insurance policy is going to cost, I know it will be higher then what the regular quote is but at least if something happens I should be compensated for my loss. I'll let you folks know how this goes. Dave

Howdy Glenn, I am assuming your replying to my post. I have a full flat top covering on my deck, there is about 5,6 inches of clearance under the car, plenty of room to place the drain pan and use a wrench to remove-replace oil drain plug and filter. My Smart Car, is the Barbus model and is lower then the other Smart Car models. Dave

Howdy Glenn, Do like I do, change the oil while it's loaded on the truck. EASY just put your drain pan under the car, remove the filter, don't have to crawl around on the ground wish all my oil changes were so EASY. Dave

Howdy All, That is so darn COOL. I remember while in the hinterlands of Vietnam, we came across a brick factory that was powered by a one cylinder vertical diesel engine. I have no idea what size it was or the horse power but it had a huge flywheel on each side and ran so slow you could watch the valves which were exposed on top of the cylinder head operate as the cam shaft which was also visible turned and drove the exposed push rods. This old engine had oil oozing everywhere as it like the engine in the video was lubricated by drip tubes and oil lines with the grease cups lubing the exposed gears. Each time that old engine fired the rain cap on the exhaust stack would pop up and then slap back down, didn't see any kind of data plate, have no idea how long it had been running and powering the brick factory but I would wager it was built and installed in the very early 1900's Dave

Howdy Dennis, I started out going to share a similar experience then forgot was I was going to say, it'll come back to me, sometime, somewhere, maybe.................... Dave

Howdy All, After talking to Roxanne, at Miller Insurance, I have gotten a hold off an appraiser and am now in the process of getting the truck appraised so I can get an insurance quote for an AGREED VALUE. I'll let you folks know how this goes. Dave

Howdy steiny93, Well I guess I had better push the envelope a bit further, I drive the Smart pretty hard at times and have never had it do any kind of automatic braking or traction control type of thing. I'll work on it. 😁 Dave

Howdy Randy, THANK YOU for this post. I have never had a total loss so I admit I don't know squat about how it works. What I do know is if some arse hole were to take off a front fender and Hood of my truck while pulling out of a truck stop or rest area the cost to replace those items would probably have the darn insurance company totaling my truck. NOT knowing what I am talking about I ASSUMED that to buy back a truck or trailer would cost close to what the insurance company paid out in the claim. I know that I could part out my truck and get quite a sum for the parts, a good core C-15 engine is going for over 10K, mine has had a Platinum rebuild and the paper work to back it up that engine alone could probably get me 15K+ if I wanted to sell it. The 18 speed Eaton-Fuller Auto-Shift transmission is another very valuable item that I am sure would fetch a good price, this is a very rare transmission. Dave

Howdy Glenn, I have an older Smart, 2013 Barbus Sport Edition. Don't have any of the stuff like your talking about and wouldn't want it, my Smart is FUN to drive and I like it that way. Kinda like a two person Go-Kart, with air conditioning. 😀 Dave

Howdy steiny93, I don't know it for a fact but I seriously doubt that any insurance company that pays "actual cash value" in case of total loss would pay anywhere near what it would cost to replace or replicate my truck. I searched the internet and other sources for over a year to find this particular truck and had the cash on hand to do a fly and buy when I found it. It's not some run of the mill fleet truck but a costume ordered built to spec truck for an individual original owner/operator. My truck was never in a fleet, I am the third individual owner/operator, I have been in contact with the widowed wife ( team driver ) of the original owner/operator whose build plaque is still on the dash. I have among the documents the original build spec sheet. I had personal contact with the 2nd owner/operator who traded this truck in on a brand new Pete, who told me of all the work that was done before the trade in. If I were to be paid double what I have invested in this truck ( less then 50K ) I'd have one hell of a time finding another like it. Dave

Howdy Doug, Be there in a heart beat if I were attending this years National Rally. HAVE FUN. Dave

Howdy Kevin, As others have said the temps your talking about should not be of any concern and are normal for the condition's you have described. The sound your turbo makes is more of a whistle or whine that will increase as boost rises, the fan will make more of rushing noise that stays about the same until it kicks off. If you don't have a full actual gauge setup, I suggest a product called a "SCAN GAUGE" https://www.amazon.com/stores/ScanGauge/page/832A6739-284D-4572-B658-9CB5BFCA1450?ref_=ast_bln This is EASY to install and will display ANY information your ECM is programed to monitor WAY more the your stock factory gauge setup. I have 23 real gauges in my truck but still use the scan gauge to display things like horse power being used, real time fuel mileage, average fuel mileage and boost as my boost gauge is hard to see with the steering wheel. you can easily change the four items displayed on the gauge to other items your ECM monitors, just push a button for the other items stop when you get the one you want. I would suggest using the gauge to display engine oil temperature, if it goes up higher then the water temperature SHUT DOWN, they usually move pretty much together with the water temp being the higher of the two. You can't have to much information when it comes to driving one of these beasts. Can't resist, this is what a my truck dash looks like. 😁 This was taken the day I bought the truck, the Scan Gauge, now sits on the right hand end of the top row of gauges. Dave

Howdy Randy, I am getting my insurance through Miller, in Oregon. They had me with National General until the rates were jacked they then placed me with Progressive where I am now. I did not know a person could strip the truck and trailer before turning it over, to me that sounds not only reasonable but it should be illegal for the insurance company to TAKE from you items NOT compensated for in the policy. If I understand your post correctly one would have to "buy back" the truck and trailer, in able to do the stripping, to me that again sounds like legal THEFT of personal property. In a buy back situation one would have to pay to have the hulks towed to your home or someplace where the stripping could be done and labor to do the work if a person couldn't do it themselves, all of this would not be compensated for by the insurance. lawyers and insurance companies, the only real winners in today's society. Dave

Howdy All, Enough of my whining, I'll do like I always have, open the wallet and hand over the cash but that don't mean I have to like it. Thanks everyone for giving me a place to vent, it helps, it really does to just sometimes howl at the moon or shout into cyber-space when one can't do anything else to ease the financial pain of being a responsible person. Dave

Howdy All, This should be an interesting post, getting this information was an eye opening experience for me perhaps you too will be a bit surprised. To start off with, I am now insured by Progressive, through the Miller agency in Oregon. To renew Progressive, wants $1,218.00 for the truck, $626.00 for the trailer, total loss would be paid at actual cash value, no agreed amount possible on my truck or trailer, they are to old, truck is a 2001, trailer is a 2014. Total cost, $1,844.00 So I did some research based on recommendations from Progressive, they recommended these three companies. American Choice Ins. This company will not write a policy for Washington State. American Adventure. They will write the exact same policy that Progressive is offering to renew at $814.00 for the truck, $736.00 for the trailer. Total cost, $1,550.00 Brown and Brown. This company will again write the exact same policy from Progressive, at $846.00 for the truck, $584.00 for the trailer. Total cost, $1,430.00 I again called Good Sam, after it was recommended in this thread, here is what they quoted me, $850.00 on the truck, $723.00 on the trailer. Total cost, $1,573.00 Bear in mind that ALL of these companies are selling a policy backed by Progressive, with the exact same coverage, paying actual cash value in case of total loss. I did some research near as I can tell my trailer if a total loss, might get me $40,000.00 actual cash value, no where near what it would cost to replace, nothing for the brand new solar system, nothing for the upgrade to 17.5 wheels and commercial grade tires, nothing for any of the improvements I have made over the last 6 years since buying it new. I have no idea what the actual cash value of the truck would be or how it would be determined, all I know is that I would get nothing for all the work I have done to it, the Smart Car deck, the inverter-charger, micro wave, new seats rolling new bearings into the engine along with all the other details I had taken care of that cost thousands so there wouldn't be any problems down the road. As you can see the cost of the SAME policy, written by the SAME company can cost up to 414 dollars LESS depending on who you buy it from. Bottom line in my case, it's illegal and stupid to not have insurance but no matter where I buy it I am going to be spending a considerable amount of money and if I should get into a wreck or experience some type of event that results in a total loss my RV'ing days are over as I will get nothing compared to replacement cost to either the truck or the trailer. When I had a cheap truck and an old worn out trailer this was acceptable, now it's enough to make a grown man highly pi$$ed off that such legal theft is allowed but has to be endured. Sorry for the rant but it makes me sick to my stomach to pay for such treatment and be legally and morally obligated to do it. I have no idea what you folks who have new, newer trucks and very nice new or newer trailers pay for insurance but it must be a huge sum based on what it costs to insure my old truck and mid-grade trailer. Dave

Howdy Dan, Gave these folks a call, they only insure folks whose domicile is in South Dakota, we are not full time and reside in the Peoples Republik of Washington. Dave