Why Going East First on Our Journey to Montana Was the Best Decision We Could Have Made (Surprise!)

The 260-mile drive to Motorhomes of Texas for repairs was well worth it.

My photo of our motorhome parked in the service area.

I didn’t launch my Substack newsletter until April 2022, shortly after we traded our 40-foot 2019 Fleetwood motorhome for a 45-foot 2017 Entegra. I’d been writing on Medium about the struggles of that swap, and I’ll link to those posts at the end so you can get the full picture. You’ll see why our experience with Motorhomes of Texas was such a surprise.

Living full-time in an RV means repairs are complicated. It’s like having to move out of your house just to replace a toilet. That was our reality at the Lazy Days dealership in Florida, where we bought the Entegra. Whether it was fixing one thing or another, we had to pack up our cat, Paddy, and move into the waiting area. It was a major hassle.

After surviving that, I had to convince Tommy to drive east instead of west for the shade repairs. He was fine with me using clips to keep them up, but I wasn’t. With our expensive extended warranty expiring in August, I thought we should use it to get the shades fixed while we still could.

There are few RV repair shops that offer hookups, so you can park while your home gets fixed. After researching, I found that Motorhomes of Texas in Nacogdoches was the only place within 400 miles that could repair our shades.

I spoke with Peyton, our fantastic service rep, and when she quoted over $2,400 for repairs, I told her I’d have to keep clipping the shades up if the warranty didn’t cover it. She promised to check with our warranty company and get back to me.

The next day, Peyton called to say the repairs would be covered, as long as it was the motor casing that was the issue—something that couldn't be determined until they checked it out. I also asked to have our air conditioners serviced and a bolt under the slide inspected. It seemed worth the drive to ensure everything was in working order before our extended trip.

Dealing with RV warranty companies is never easy, and I was dreading the trip to Nacogdoches. After nearly five years of full-time travel, Tommy is burnt out on driving, so I keep our trips under 200 miles. I found an Escapees RV park 181 miles away in Livingston, Texas, where we’d once had our mail delivered for over four years. As Escapee members, it was only $30 a night for full hookups.

I was surprised by the size of the park—it didn’t look that big on the map. Tommy and I took a walk, and one wrong turn led to quite a trek for him. He always accuses me of doing it on purpose, but I let him lead! I had to stop and ask for directions to avoid getting further off track. We didn’t have our car with us, so I couldn’t run back to get it to pick him up.

We had a pleasant stay, and I hit my 10,000 steps running to the office to deposit more money and pick up some mail. FYI for full-time RVers: post offices won’t reroute your mail with a change of address form for mail forwarding services. You have to contact each sender individually. It’s a hassle, and some mail still ends up in Livingston, but they’ll forward it for six months, so I had to top up our account.

Nacogdoches was only 75 miles away, and we weren’t scheduled for repairs until the next day. Peyton had texted me to let me know they had a spot ready for us and a cone with our name on it. She gave us directions to avoid the motorhome sales lot across the freeway.

I thought about making the trek across the highway to check out the motorhomes at the sales office, but it was too scary.

We were in our spot with 50-amp hookups by early afternoon. Thank goodness, because it was 95 degrees and humid. By the time we finished setting up, we were both soaked in sweat. When we walked to the office, Peyton asked if they could start work early if someone was available. We were thrilled to get an early start.

Their lot was full of motorhomes, so we were shocked they were able to get to us early.

When Peyton told us we could stay in the motorhome and the repairman would come to us, I was thrilled. We weren’t used to that kind of service. Sure enough, at 1:00, there was a knock, and we met Brandon—a skilled and friendly young man. He quickly got two of our shades working, including one that hadn’t worked for over two years. He discovered that my bedroom shade had been installed backward, which was why it hadn’t worked properly. In the end, we only needed three new motors, but he had to wait for approval from the warranty company to replace them.

My photo of Brandon repairing the shade that hadn’t worked in two years.

While we waited, Brandon cleaned the air conditioner coils, repaired a bolt under the slide, and completed a 25-point checklist to ensure everything else was in order. The next day, he installed the new motors. We were welcome to stay another night while Peyton waited for the final paperwork from the warranty company.

During our downtime, we explored the pre-owned motorhomes on the lot. Peyton explained that everything they sell is fully functional. I mentioned how we had traded in our Fleetwood at Lazy Days due to a faulty slide that would’ve cost $10,000 to fix—something we were sure they’d overlooked when they put it on the lot.

We were so impressed with Motorhomes of Texas’ integrity and customer service that we’ll be back for our annual service work, even if it’s a 260-mile drive. They’re as pet-friendly as they are people-friendly, with two waiting rooms where pets are welcome. If, like us, you prefer to keep your pet in the motorhome, they put a note on the door to ensure the service people keep it closed.

As these photos show, the place is spotless and impressive.

These are just some of the motorhomes on the lot. My testimonial may be on the wall when we return.

I can’t recommend Motorhomes of Texas enough. Whether you live in your motorhome or just want it serviced by a reputable, easy-to-work-with team, it’s worth the drive.

We had expected a miserable few days, but instead, we stayed in our motorhome, had an amazing Italian dinner delivered by DoorDash, and even got a Walmart delivery for some items that the Bastrop Walmart left off my order. The staff made sure I got the iPad and case I ordered from Best Buy. The order was delayed, and Peyton said I was welcome to have it forwarded there. They sent them without my name on them. A less reputable place may not have been so honest.

Brandon impressed us so much that I gave him a copy of my book and a devotional for his girlfriend. We also blessed him with a little something for the rescue cats he told us about. With our bill being lower than expected, it was the least we could do.

Our adventure continues! After a pleasant, convenient stop at North Crest RV Park in Waco, we’ve made our way to the historic Fort Richardson State Historical Park in Jacksboro, Texas. I’ve got some great photos from both spots that I can’t wait to share. Thanks for tagging along on this journey—more updates coming next week!

Here are the links to those posts on Medium I mentioned.

We’ve Finally Escaped the Lazy Days Service Department!

Are RV Manufacturers and Warranty Companies in Cahoots? This Much BS Can’t be Accidental

Do RV Manufacturers Complicate the Crap Out of Everything on Purpose?

As the Motorhome Turns — Troubles Mounting, Warranty Won’t Pay, Where

Does it End?

This was a six-part series. If you’re interested in reading my other Medium stories and you’re not a member, feel free to reach out for the friend links.