As the 2024 RV Show Season continues to kick off, one of the most exciting parts is to get first looks at new floorplans from our manufacturers. Check out some exciting recent additions you’ll find at upcoming RV shows!
Jayco
Comet 18C | Class B Motorhome
Key Features: Aqua-Hot® Hydronic Water and Heating System, Portable Induction Cooktop, 32 in. Overhead TV, 54 in. by 72 in. Convertible Sofa Bed
Pinnacle 38FBRK | Fifth Wheel
Key Features: Magnum XL6 Roof Rafter System, 3,000 Pound Receiver/Tow Hitch with Four Way Pin Connector, Climate Shield™ Zero-Degree Tested Weather Protection, Solid Hardwood Cabinets, GE Residential Appliance Package, Walk in Closet, Rear Kitchen, Sectional Sofa, Desk/Coffee Bar, Bath & a Half, Vanity with Dual Bath Sinks
Forest River
Alpha Wolf 2500RL | Travel Trailer
Key Features: Central Vac Dustpan, Large Convertible U-Dinette, Electric Fireplace, USB/USB-C Ports Throughout Unit, Two-Point entry, Outside Kitchen with an Ice Machine, Pass-through Storage, Oversized 20’ Awning, 15,000 BTU A/C, Security Camera System Prep
Arctic Wolf 27SGS | Fifth Wheel
Key Features: Two Relaxing Recliners, Free-Standing Table with Chairs & Storage Ottoman Seat, Electric Fireplace, Central Vac Dustpan, Panoramic Windows, Tankless Water Geater, 15,000 BTU A/C, Security Camera System Prep, One-touch Auto Leveling
Grand Design
Reflection 10028RL | Fifth Wheel
Key Features: Outside Shower, Double Insulated Roof & Front Cap, Heated Wall Hugger Theater Seats w/LED Lights & Massage, LED Lighting with Motion Sensors, Marine Grade LED Hitch Light, 60 x 80 Mattress with Residential Bedspread, Large Vanity Top w/ Deep Sink, 12V 10 Cu. Ft. Refrigerator, Kitchen Island, Free Standing Dinette w/ Storage Ottoman
Imagine AIM 16BL | Travel Trailer
Key Features: Backup Camera Prep, Oversized Tank Capacities, Universal Docking Station, Exterior Cooking Griddle w/ Metal Pullout Drawer, Magnetic Storage Door Catches, Large Panoramic Window, 78″ Interior Ceiling, Telescoping Dinette Table, LED Interior Lighting, Motion Sensor Entry Lighting (LED), Queen Murphy Bed w/ Storage Drawers
Brinkley
Model Z Air 295 | Travel Trailer
Key Features: Eat-In Kitchen Island w/ Bar Stools, Large Pantry w/ Adjustable Shelves & Appliance Outlet, 14 Outlets & 4 Outlets w/ USB & USB-C, Stacked Rear Bunks w/ Double Mattresses (54”x74”), One-Piece Fiberglass Shower, 2 Hot/Cold Outdoor Showers, Tankless On-Demand Water Heater, One Touch Automatic Leveling System
Keystone RV
Montana 3531RE | Fifth Wheel
Key Features: L-Shaped Hide-A-Bed & Theater Seating, Fireplace, 50″ Smart TV & AM/FM/USB Stereo, Stackable Washer/Dryer Prep, Residential 30″ X 48″ Fiberglass Shower w/ Decorative Glass Enclosure, King Sized Bed, Elevated CPAP Shelves, Four-Season Weather Protection, 70-Gallon Fresh Water Tanks
Cougar 320RDS | Fifth Wheel
Key Features: Rear Den w/ Huge L-shaped Sofa, Outside Shower, Washer/Dryer Prep, Cable TV / Satellite Ready, Decorative Crown Molding, Full Pass Through Storage w/ Slam-Latch Baggage Doors, 2″ Rear Accessory Hitch with 300 lb. Storage Capacity, Electric Four-Point Auto Leveling System
Cortes Campers
Cortes 16 | Travel Trailer
Key Features: True 4 Season Capabilities, Zero Wood, Carpet, or Linoleum Construction, Lightweight (Dry Weight: 2,220 lbs), King Bed Option, Convertible Dinette, 2 Burner Cook-Top, 55 liter DC Refrigerator Freezer Combo, Stainless Steel Sink, On Demand Hot Water Heater, 17-ft Single Axle, Colorful Exterior Options
Modern Buggy
Big Buggy 14 | Travel Trailer
Key Features: Towable by Lightweight SUV – UVW is 2,220 lbs, 56″ x 78″ Bed, Interior A/C & Furnace, 2 Burner Stove, Fridge, Solid Surface Counter Tops, Shower, Toilet, Tankless Water Heater, Solar Ready, Rear Storage, All Terrain Tires & Torsion Axles
In celebration of Barefoot’s one year anniversary, nuCamp has unveiled a brand new color for this iconic travel trailer: Pearl Pink!
Previously only available in a lovely shade of seaglass, Pearl Pink brings an elegant warmness to the Barefoot lineup.
This unique trailer is sure to turn heads at any campsite with its vintage-inspired aesthetics—so, if you’re looking for the ideal combination of comfort & style, look no further! nuCamp’s Barefoot includes a convertible u-dinette, galley kitchen, wet bath, as well as an Alde® central heat and hot water system.
Visit the following links to browse our in-stock nuCamp Barefoots near you:
Pete’s RV Center is delighted to sign with US Lighting Group as a Cortes dealership. Our Vermont, Indiana, Connecticut, Massachusetts, South Carolina, and Virginia locations will all carry Cortes Campers’ state-of-the-art, fiberglass travel trailers.
These units are ultra light-weight and have four season capability—with an interior and exterior shell of molded fiberglass, they are constructed without any wood or carpet. Meaning no corrosion, mold, or rot in your camper.
Cortes Campers are built like a boat—durable and strong, ready for an adventure.
Currently in stock, with more models on the way, is Cortes 17. This travel trailer, which comes in an array of vibrant colors, is 17 feet long and 8.11 feet wide. It sleeps two with a rear dinette that converts into a double bed. In the middle of the unit sits an additional, smaller dinette, as well as a kitchen with a sink, 8.0 cu ft fridge, microwave oven, and three burner stove. A bathroom and closet space are at Cortes 17’s rear.
Cortes 17 also has double pane acrylic windows, a marine gelcoat, anti-skid floors, all stainless steal fasteners, plug and play wire harnesses, and a patented gray water dump system.
In partnership with Leaf + Linen, nuCamp has recently introduced the Signature Series Tab Teardrop Camper. Leaf + Linen is an Ohio-based clothing and home goods company with a clean, elegant aesthetic—offering a ‘calm, restorative feeling’ to this new edition of the Tab trailer.
This unit follows the same layout as their current 320S teardrop floor plan with a front galley kitchen, adjacent wet bath, and dinette that easily converts into a sleeping area at the rear.
On the exterior of the Signature Series Tab is a metallic vinyl of Leaf + Linen’s letter and pictorial mark—giving the interior room to reflect the brand through its serene palette of coastal teal cushions, sandy driftwood flooring, and alabaster countertops.
The 2023 Signature Series Tab Teardrop Camper includes standard features of a Tab camper, such as the Alde heating system, central AC, Nautilus water management system, and Goodyear tires. This unit, however, sets itself apart with wood cabinetry that has the premium feel of typical Class B motorhomes.
“We aimed to combine the quality nuCamp build with Leaf + Linen’s clean style and sophistication,” says nuCamp CEO Scott Hubble, “to make a travel trailer you will fall in love with every time you walk in.”
Pete’s RV Center is elated that Brinkley RV’s luxury campers will be joining our extensive inventory.
Brinkley currently offers two models—Model Z 3100 & Model G 3500, with more on the way. Model Z 3100 is a mid-sized fifth wheel with, amoung many features, has H-rated Cooper tires, flush floor slides, and class-leading 79.5″ bed & bath interior height. Model G 3500 is a luxury toy hauler that ‘offers dozens of intelligently designed features, an automotive exterior, and a true residential interior’.
Model Z 3100 interior photo.
Brinkley RV is owned by Ryan Thwaits, Ron Fenech, Micah Staley, Bill Fenech, and Nate Goldenberg, who came together with years of respective RV experience to build a brand that focuses on customer satisfaction. They say, “Due to the industry’s noticeable shift in focus away from customer experience and product design, [we] saw a unique opportunity to recreate the RV experience for dealers and customers”. Brinkley aims to put customer feedback at the center of their production work to create campers that are truly for their audience.
Model Z 3100’s bedroom.
Check out the current selection of Brinkley RV’s in our inventory.
Imagine not being let into your favorite campground because of your RV’s age. It’s more likely than you think. Despite the increasing popularity of vintage RVs, some campgrounds are not admitting RVs aged 10 years or older. When enforced, the rule takes no account for the condition or maintenance of an individual’s RV, eliminating them from some high-end campgrounds strictly based on age.
RV parks who enforce the ten year rule usually list this information on their website, and drivinvibin.com says that while the rule is seen in some campgrounds across the country, Florida and Arizona enforce it most frequently.
Many campgrounds who say they enforce the rule might not be as strict as their stated policies.
“Almost every RV park that implements the 10 year rule also allows exceptions for it. In our experience (owning in vintage RVs for 5 years), we’ve never been turned away. Most often RV parks will ask for a picture of your RV. They will either allow or deny based on the picture.” drivinvibin said.
The website polled nearly 500 RVers, and a whopping 88% did not agree with the rule.
Park owners use the rule to guard against RVs on the decline, but most RV owners say there’s no foolproof way to weed out unkempt RVs.
Of the same RVers surveyed about the 10-year rule, 82% agreed that park owners do have the right to deny entry based on the RV’s condition. Check out the original article here for more details.
At Pete’s RV Center, we have a solution to your concerns about the ten-year rule. It’s our large supply of new RVs for sale! With locations in Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Indiana, and Pennsylvania, check out petesrv.com and roll into the campground of your choice this summer.
Announced during the awards dinner at Jayco, Inc’s annual Dealer Homecoming, Pete’s RV Center was announced number three in the category of Top Ten Towable Dealers for Model Year 2018.
Pictured Left to Right: Matt Thompson, Wilbur Bontrager, Phil LeClair, Chad Shepard, Nick Campbell, Rocky Holman, Randy Murray, Bertha Bontrager, Derald Bontrager.
Their South Windsor, CT store led the charge with the sale with a combination of nearly seven hundred Jayco travel trailers and fifth wheels. An outstanding achievement considering Pete’s RV Center was not ranked in the top ten last year.
“It was difficult walking out of the awards ceremony last year knowing we had just missed the cut for top ten. That disappointment diminished with this year’s announcement”, reflected co-owner Chad Shepard. “It was a thrilling moment accepting the award from Jayco’s founding family, the Bontragers. I did so on behalf of everybody at Pete’s RV who worked so hard to help propel us into the number three ranking.”
Established in 1968, Jayco, Inc., manufactures and markets towable and motorized RVs through its Jayco, Starcraft, Entegra Coach, and Highland Ridge RV divisions.
Original Release: https://www.prlog.org/12726431-petes-rv-named-top-ten-jayco-towable-dealer.html
Pete’s RV Center is an exceptional dealership group serving the United States and Canada since 1952. With multiple locations, Pete’s RV provides sales, service, parts, accessories, and education to our community of RVers all across North America.
Editor’s Note: Airstream is at it again! First Nest, then Basecamp X, now Smart Technology. Starting in 2019, the Classic is going to be equipped with an application that allows owners to access key information about their Airstream from a mobile device as well as improving access to the internet in the most remote locations. Most impressive, indeed!
The 2019 Airstream Classic features an unprecedented level of digital capability to provide owners with connectivity, comfort, and control
Jackson Center, Ohio (August 2, 2018) – Airstream, innovative maker of the iconic “silver bullet” travel trailers, has announced that its 2019 Classic models will feature the company’s Smart Technology, which digitally connects owners to their RVs for a more enjoyable camping experience.
The integrated, Airstream-designed Smart Technology and connectivity solution is the first of its kind developed and produced by an RV manufacturer. Fueled by extensive consumer research and the opportunity to lead the industry, Airstream’s new platform will transform how customers interact with and use their recreational vehicle.
“Digital technology has improved almost every aspect of our lives,” said Airstream President and CEO Bob Wheeler. “Shouldn’t it make camping better, too? We think so. That’s why, in keeping with our commitment to innovation, we’re leading the way with our new Smart Control Technology and connectivity solution, starting with our Airstream Classic travel trailers.”
The Smart Control Technology enables 2019 Airstream Classic owners to control and monitor systems and amenities from anywhere – keeping them connected to the comforts of home, even when they’re far from it. Lighting, HVAC, awning, vent fans, water, propane and battery levels, and more can all be controlled and monitored remotely with an intuitive app – creating a more comfortable camping experience every time.
To view the rest of this article by Airstream, click Here!
Pete’s RV Center is an exceptional dealership group serving the United States and Canada since 1952. With multiple locations, Pete’s RV provides sales, service, parts, accessories, and education to our community of RVers all across North America.
PetesRV.com expert, Randy Murray provides an overview of basic camping essentials and the tools required to make your next trip safe, worry free, and fun!
Video Transcript for “Basic Camping Essentials | Pete’s RV Quick Tips”
Randy: Hey, folks. Randy with Pete’s RV TV here today. Another Quick Tip segment for you. I just want to take a couple minutes and show you some of the things that I bring me … with me when I go camping.
I take a lot of phone calls from customers that have small problems while they’re camping that do arise. and when I direct them on the best way to take care of that problem, they need a couple tools that, they may not have with them. So, if you put together a basic tool kit, when you go camping, leave it right in the camper, no problem whatsoever. We can talk you through most anything.
So, some of the things that I bring with me is, first of all, I always bring some sort of, like, source. Either something I can put on my head, or … This little guy right here in kinda neat. We sell him in the store. It’s got a magnet on the back, so we can stick it to a piece of metal in the camper where I’m working there. It’s got a hook on it and it gives me some light underneath the cabinet or in the front storage compartment or by the battery, cause nothing ever goes wrong in the daylight. It always happens at night, especially if you go camping with me.
So, a couple lights, which are nice to have, or even if you’ve got just a regular flashlight that you store, and keep charge in the camper. Another thing I bring is I’ve got a bag of fuses. So, every fuse … every camper has multiple different size fuses in them. So, I kind of got a bag of … Just, a variety of everything that I run into in a camper and a good thing to have with me. Roll of electrical tape. Never know (laughs) and you can fix most anything with electrical tape, if needed.
I also bring some crimp-connectors, which you can buy in a kit like at, your local, home goods store or something like that. And these are just if I have to re-attach a wire, or we have to shorten something up, or we have a mishap or something pulled loose. Just, to be able to make a crimp connection is nice. That will also work in conjunction with a pair of crimping pliers. And, again, sometimes the kits you purchase will come with an inexpensive pair of pliers that you can use, to get by for the weekend.
Now, most campers are built with, screws, obviously. And the type of screws they use are a square-tip, or a screw had has got a square tip, so you need a special square tip, to go to those screws. And that’s this guy right here, if Josh can pan in on it, and you’ll see I got a Phillips right next to it.
most people have a Phillips, because that’s what we have at home. Campers are a little odd, and they require that square tip. So, this tip that I purchased from, again one of the local box stores. It’s a Milwaukee kit. I think it cost like $20. It’s got everything I need in it. It’s got, screw acceptor for my screw gun. You will need a screw gun as well. and it’s got the square tips, it’s got fill-ups, it’s got a couple torques here, and it’s got spares of all, because if you lose them like I do, nice to have a spare. But anyway, for the cost of this kit, I think it’s just a great kit to (laughs) … I have one at home, and on my carry-around tool box that I do bring with me when I go camping.
Sheet-rock knife, or a box cutter. This one actually folds up like a jackknife. I actually carry this one with me all the time, right in the pocket of my pants, but, good to have. you never know when you’re gonna need that. Wire-strippers, and cutters. Again, if we have an electrical problem … A lot of times, we can talk you through it, or you can find it very easily yourself, but having a good pair of strippers on board, it makes that job a lot easier for us stripping that wire back.
I like to bring a couple pair of channel locks if I’ve got a plumbing issue, and usually I can get by with a bind if I got to tighten something up with a channel locks. And again, this can be purchased at your local box store. Christmas is a great time to pick this stuff up because they’ve usually got kits on sale, relatively low price. And you don’t need the best ones. A lot of these tools are very expensive tools. This is how I make my living. You don’t need the best tools for your basic kit that you keep in your camper.
I usually will carry a Phillips and a regular screwdriver. These are like mid-size so they’re pretty much good for almost every application, unless it’s something specific. we’ve already talked about the crimpers. I do carry a pair of side cutters with me. Sometimes these are just a little easier to make a cut close to something or pull a staple out that may be in our carpet or what have you. But, again, pair of side cutters.
Needle nose. You can always get yourself out of a bind with a pair of needle nose. Especially, when you drop something in that spot that my little fat fingers can’t get into. Needle nose, it makes it very easy for that. there is some neat, small kits out there. Again, the big box store, Sears, all of them have kits that have couple different size open end box wrenches. This is one of the ones I carry in the small kit that I have that’s all over my toolbox cause I left it open. i also bring a couple of adjustable wrenches with me as well. Reason for the adjustable wrenches is, they’re adjustable. We can use them for almost any size, anything to get you out of a bind.
Again, these aren’t tools to, you know, fix the problem per se, but enough to get us by for the weekend before you can get it in for service and get it ap- repaired appropriately. an electrical tested. This particular one right here is for 120 volt power. Pretty much, I’m just going to plug it into the outlet and it’ll tell me if my power is good, tell me if it’s wired properly, and tell me if power is present. So that’s a good one. I take phone calls a lot where, “My TV’s not working.” “Well, do you have power at the outlet?” “I don’t know, Randy.” (laughs) well, I’m gonna- Having you plug something else in, but if you’ve got a quick electrical tester to plug it in, then you can tell me.
This guy right here is for checking 12 volt power. It’s called a stab tester, 12 volt tester. We’d hook this into ground or anything pretty much metal on the camper and then we can test our fuses with this guy here. I’m gonna have Josh pan in on one of these fuses here. This is a great way to test our fuses so if you can pan right in on that and see the two metal tabs on either side of the 40 there, Josh. Each one of those is a test point so I can test if I’ve got power coming in in the fuse and I can test if I’ve got power going out of the fuse.
So when you’re looking at a whole fuse panel and you’re trying to determine which one is the one for your furnace or your LP detector, something like that, which is labeled incorrectly, by testing both sides, as well as the fuses, we can quickly determine whether one is blown or not. And again, we would do that in conjunction with this tester here. This will also test if we’ve got power at breakers and things like that on the 12 volt side of things so when you call me up and tell me that your slide outs not going out, I’m going to ask you if you’ve got 12 volt power to the breaker going through the breaker to the slide out. This is a great way to test that.
This is another tester that I carry with me. Kind of [00:06:00] on the same lines of this one here, but I can actually put this next to any wire and it’ll tell if it’s 120 volt wire and it’ll tell me if I have voltage present rather than putting it into an outlet. It’s called a [wiggie 00:06:09] tester.
Multimeter. This is what I love for customers to have cause we can do all sorts of testing with this guy here. Not everyone’s gonna put this, in their tool box that they keep in their camper because these can be a little bit more pricey, but if you’ve got like an inexpensive version of this and one of these, which aren’t too bad, we can usually get by anything.
So anyway, there’s just some of the tools that I bring with [00:06:30] me camping and, again, enough to get you out of trouble in a pinch. maybe not make the final repair, but definitely continue on with your camping weekend if you are having a small problem. So, just wanted to share that with you guys and if you’re looking for presents for Father’s day, birthdays, or even Christmas, great time to put this little tool kit together and can be done for relatively, inexpensive on the Father Day, on the Christmas side of things, cause that’s when we see a lot of tools on sale at our local box store. So, thanks for watching Quick Tips with Randy today. look forward to seeing you on the road and happy camping.
Pete’s RV Center is an exceptional dealership group serving the United States and Canada since 1952. With multiple locations, Pete’s RV provides sales, service, parts, accessories, and education to our community of RVers all across North America.
How to Achieve Extended Hot Showers When RVing
Thursday, September 8th, 2016 18:16:23
Pete’s RV Vermont Service Writer and Resident RV Expert Randy Murray provides a step-by-step overview on how to achieve extended hot showers in an RV.
Video Transcript for “How to Extend Hot Water Showers in Your Camper”
Randy:(singing) Hey folks. Randy with Pete’s RV TV here today. Another quick fix segment for you. When you’re camping, do you go to take a shower, do you get about three minutes of good, hot water? And then it starts to go lukewarm on you? And of course your hair is full of soap, and you haven’t rinsed off yet? Happens to me too, but I’ve got a trick. So when we’re camping, different camp grounds have different water supplies. Some of them will have very deep wells. Some of them will have shallow wells. Usually on a deep well, the water coming out of the ground is very cold. This can happen at the spring of the year as well, when the water feeding that well is very cold. So what my trick is for that is I will, when I’m having that problem, I’ll fill my fresh water holding tank. And when I take a shower, I’m actually going to turn the city water off, and I’m going to turn on my water pump and feed the water from the fresh water holding tank.
The reason I do this is the water coming in from a very deep well is mixing with the hot water in your tank, as long as you don’t have a tank-less hot water heater. So it’s mixing with that warm water in the tank and it’s bringing the temperature down very quickly. And we’re also taking water out of the top, so as that cold water is mixing with the hot, it’s going to bring the temperature down. Where if we’re taking it now out of our fresh water holding tank and mixing it with that same hot water in that water heater, it’s going to be ambient air temperature coming out of that fresh water holding tank entering the hot water heater. Rather than the real cold water from the city coming in and cooling down our water a lot faster.
So if you’re looking for a little bit longer shower to get that hair, or that soap out of your hair, fill the fresh water holding tank when you arrive. And use the fresh water holding tank rather than the city while you’re taking your showers. Then you can go back over to city after you’ve done your shower. But that will give you another minute or two of warmer water to get rinsed off. So just another quick tip from Randy at Pete’s RV. Thanks for watching our quick tips segment, and I look forward to seeing you on the road. Happy camping.
Pete’s RV Center is an exceptional dealership group serving the United States and Canada since 1952. With multiple locations, Pete’s RV provides sales, service, parts, accessories, and education to our community of RVers all across North America.
Pictured Left to Right: Matt Thompson, Wilbur Bontrager, Phil LeClair, Chad Shepard, Nick Campbell, Rocky Holman, Randy Murray, Bertha Bontrager, Derald Bontrager.