WISH LIST FOR MY NEXT BORN FREE COACH

[whemme]

Sam,

I think you can forget about ever having a slide out in a Born Free motorcoach while John Dodgen is still alive. The present method of construction with the multiple roll bar feature will prevent the installation of a slide out.

[CHARLOTTE]

For those of us that have the rear bed floor plan....A fold down shelf to put magazines, glasses, alarm clock, cell phone, etc. near the head of the bed (by the windows).....

[whemme]

CHARLOTTE,

In our 2002 RSB Born Free, it came equipped with a fold down rear shelf and mirror but it was mounted on the rear side of the refigerator wall at the foot (front side) of the rear bed, instead of near the rear (head) of the bed near the rear window as you would desire. I of course had to remove that shelf to provide room when I installed a 13" LCD TV for my wife in that location.

[Tom and Jennifer Pierpan]

When we ordered our 26RSB, one additional request was a shelf by the head of bed. We ended up with a 4 1/2" x 2 1/2" shelf with a lip, all done in matching wood. It easily holds such items as eyeglasses, watch, cell phone etc. The shelf is well placed under the light between the wooden window frame and the shower wall and so far neither of us has hit our head on it! It works well for us.

[CHARLOTTE]

The reason I posted my opinion about a shelf is because I am sure I'm not the only one who could use that little 'accessory'. I do have the mirrored shelf for a TV at the foot of my bed & I use it for various items....radio, additional TV, etc. But while at Humboldt, I mentioned to Kim that I'd like a shelf of some sort that I could put on the shower wall at the head of the bed. I received the shelf promptly after I returned home from Iowa. I put it above the lamp (on the shower side) between the wall & the window wood framing. It fits beautifully and matches the wood perfectly. I love it...just that little addition makes that rear bed area a much more convenient place to rest or sleep...Just thought for those that wished they could have something so convenient....that I'd let everyone know it is possible....and no....haven't bumped my head or had any kind of problem with its placement.....

[bill crommett]

I wish that Born Free hadn;t been so stingy with the seating. To have the drivers seat adjustable in several perameters and the passengers seat left with minimal adjustment puts the passenger into the picture as a second class ticket holder.

[GKarschnick]

After 12 happy years with a Born Free 26' RSB, my wife and I decided to upgrade. We waited about a year for a newer Born Free to come on the market. Then one day, we saw a 24' BT Cruiser with a slideout. My wife was excited as she always said that she wanted a dinette. I tried to talk her out of it, claiming that the dinette would be uncomfortable as compared to our steelflex chairs. She wouldn't accept that, so we bought the BT Cruiser. Within a month, her cry was," The dinette is so uncomfortable and when made into a bed it's too hard!" Added to that, as John Dodgen says, there isn't a slideout made that won't leak.

So we traded it off and ended up with a new (2005) Born Free 26' RSB. We are happy campers again.

[Dallas Baillio]

I would like to have more variation in floor plans. I imagine this would be difficult to achieve, hold costs in line, and still produce a quality vehicle. I notice that some models now have some variation in design with the buyer allowed to pick an additonal couch, or a dinette, etc. However, the 26RSB has no optional arrangement. Lazy Daze has three 26 ft models with several variations for each (however they do not have a rear bed in any of the three). I have wondered how Lazy Daze can get two couches oposite one another (to make a king size bed) and a dinette in a 26 ft model. In the grand scheme of things a different floor plan doesn't make for controlling factor in your ultimate choice, but more possibilities would be nice.

[Brent]

I would love the 24 rear bath floor plan in the 23.5 length!!!!!!!!!!!!

[CHARLOTTE]

I'd like a medicine cabinet in the RSB bathroom.....

[Linda Giuliani]

Dallas,

We parked next to a new Lazy Daze and got a tour from the nice folks who were FULL TIMING in it. The first thing we noticed was that it was wider and it is more of a square box. The BF is aerodynamic and the curved edges reduce storage, especially in the cab over. The LD had a sitting/living room in the rear, a nice sized kitchen with booth and table that would really seat four and a large bath. I was envious of all their space and knew it would work better than our 26'RSB for full timing. But the fit and finish wasn't anywhere close to the BF. (We love our solid wood cabinetry). I know they have a wonderful reputation, but Greg and I would stick with the BF everytime.

My wish list:

Wish the 26' Rear Bath had the size gray water tank that our 26' RSB has. We want the 35 gallons gray water tank we currently have for dry camping. We can stay out for a week or more without having to dump. The Rear Bath has only 25 gallon but we like that floor plan a lot for slightly larger kitchen and bigger bath.

Would like to get rid of couch and have another table/chair setup, or have a booth with full size table for 4 on one side and just chair on the other. But then you would lose all that storage under the sofa! So there doesn't seem to be an alternative design except for moving up to the new 32' we toured at the factory during the rally. (Hubby says he isn't going to drive a 32' rig so that's that!)

Instead of/ or in addition to the current curtain that covers the front windshield, we would like a custom fit, insulated, heat reflective set of window covers for the windshield and two cab side windows. I've made some but they aren't very pretty! They sure keep the heat out, create full privacy and give the cab a bigger feeling than the curtains ever did.

A set of custom fit washable rugs that "snap" down to the floor so you could avoid the throw rug "creep" in our high traffic areas. Would like these in addition to the carpet they already put down. From visiting many other BF coaches at the Humboldt party, looks like most of us keep those areas covered and we all have some sort of solution, but a classy factory concept would be welcome in my book.

[CHARLOTTE]

Boy Linda...I sure agree with you about the rug, especially the snap-on...Wish I had a nickel for everytime I either tripped on or had to bend down to pull my 'runner' back in place...The carpet underneath is like brand new...and sometimes I wonder .... just WHO am I saving it for....

[Linda Giuliani]

Guess we're saving the carpet for the next owner or something? Reminds me of my grandmother who kept her lamp shades covered with the plastic wrap they came in. Guess I'm turning into Grandma! Greg says we should just get the carpets professionally cleaned from time to time and forget the runners. But during trips where we've got sand and mud tracked in - and I don't carry a good vaccuum, my brain freezes at the idea of grinding the debris in! Perhaps I should have a "no shoes" rule inside. Nice idea but sometimes impractical!

[Brent]

I think next time I'll do all vinyl flooring and just use a runner.

[Judy Harris]

We travel with two dogs and have five grandchildren and their associated dogs who visit our house on a dirt road on the beach. We have our carpets cleaned once a year.

At the same time, they clean our BF 26' RSB with cloth interior (because of the dogs). It costs about $200 to clean the BF and they even take out the two club chairs to clean them. We don't usea runner on the carpet anymore because that is just one more thing to clean. I have a small Shark plug in vac that works pretty well and I use itonce a day, maybe twice if the dogs have dragged in stuff. We even have a Navajo rug on the vinyl in front of the sink. This works for us and we are sort of neat freaks. We do take off shoes and keep a small dish pan near the door for washing doggie feet when they are dirty. The dish pan holds the dog towels and dirty shoes when not in use.

With this regimen, we are sort of clean and feel like home. It is all what works for you. Having been home since the end of June, I am ready to go!! Typo errors are because I inadvertantly hit the key

which deletes when you revise text. Does anyone know what I did and how you undo it?? We have Windows XP. Thanks, Judy