What do Roadtrek owners do for warranty work and parts now that the company has shut down?

The biggest scandal to envelop the RV Industry continues to dominate the RV news this week, namely the sudden shut down if the Roadtrek and Hymer factories in Ontario and the immediate termination of more than 850 workers.

Nobody saw that coming, especially the revelation that the company is insolvent, $300 million hopelessly in debt because of years of management exaggerating or intentionally overstating profitability. The news has left tens of thousands of Roadtrek owners wondering what will happen to their warranties, what do they do about parts and repairs? We will offer some expert advice from our friend Nick Schmidt of Sunshine State RVs, who is stepping up to help with those issues.

Plus, news, tips and another fun off the beaten path report from the Burketts.

WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THIS WEEK

MIKE

This episode of the podcast finds Jennifer and me in Florida for a couple of weeks before making our way west along the Gulf states.

JENNIFER

If you happen to be anywhere near the Florida panhandle this coming weekend, Mike and I (and Bo) will be having a Meet and Greet Sunday, Feb. 24, from 2-5 PM on the Gulf Islands National Seashore in the second parking area west of the Navarre Beach bridge. That is inside the National Seashore boundary and is known as Beach Access #2

MIKE

Bring some beach chairs and we can all hang out for the afternoon, tour each other’s' rigs and maybe find a local restaurant to eat dinner. We'd love to see you and show you the Leisure Travel Vans Wonder RTB we are test driving for the next few weeks. We’ll try and do more if these in our travels as we visit other parts of North America.

RV NEWS OF THE WEEK

Mike

Roadtrek's parent company terminates 900 employees, shuts doors

Erwin Hymer North America, the maker of Roadtrek, terminated 900 employees, closed its doors, and filed for receivership Friday. The devastating move came after financial irregularities were discovered in January. 

JENNIFER

America now has 61 National Parks 

The spending bill that President Donald Trump signed last Friday included a provision to change the name of Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore to Indiana Dunes National Park immediately. That brings the number of national parks from 60 to 61. The area is comprised of about 15,000 acres of woodlands, prairies, savannas, bogs, wetlands and the sand dunes. Its beaches run along about 15 miles of the Lake Michigan shoreline.

MIKE

Oregon state parks break camping records in 2018; higher fees coming 

Oregon state parks set a new record in the number of campers using its state parks in 2018. As a result, the state is piloting a program in 2019 that will raise camping fees at its most popular parks, lowering them at the less popular ones.

JENNIFER

Joshua Tree National Park particularly hard it after tallying damage, lost revenue from federal shutdown  

It may be several weeks since the federal government opened after the longest shut down in its history, yet the damage to its national parks is still being felt. California's Joshua Tree National Park was particularly hard hit,