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KY Girl · 03-12-2004, 08:11 PM

Hi, fellow Airstreamers. I'm sorry I've been a stranger lately. My real estate career has been taking off, and I've been very busy. Not to mention the weather has been cold for so long, I hadn't given much thought to camping until recently....which brings me to why I'm ticked off...

We've had our Bambi in a "safe" place all winter, in a storage yard with a keypad lock system designed to keep the riff raff out, so to speak. Well, last week I drove over there to pay my March storage fee, and thought I'd go see our little home-away-from-home, knowing it won't be long before we'll be pulling her out and hitting the road somewhere.

Well, I was dismayed to see that some clown had backed into or along side of it and somehow managed to destroy the passenger side front turn signal light (breaking the entire light cover and the wiring), and grazed pretty heavily the sheath that covers the awning pole. It looks like crap now, for lack of a better term. I guess I should be happy that the person who did this somehow totally avoided scratching or scraping Bambi's skin! How they could do so much damage to the turn signal cover and the awning post and not even nick the skin is beyond me, but I'm sure grateful.

The owners of the storage facility, of course, felt terrible and are trying to figure out who did it. Of course, they have a suspicion, but nothing will ever be done about it. The damage isn't that terrible, but it just kills me that it isn't perfect anymore.

I guess we can go into our owner's documents and find the cover's part number, but are we stuck with a scratched up pole sheath? It's already starting to rust a tad where it was scraped, which makes me want to cry! It doesn't seem practical to replace the entire awning, but it looks awful. Is there something we could do to repair the scrape without making it look painted or patched?

Sorry to rant and rave, but we are so proud of our Bambi, and now it seems "used" for the first time.

Cherie

MaShep · 03-12-2004, 08:26 PM

Will the storage facility pay for the repairs?

jjonesnc · 03-12-2004, 08:35 PM

Thats a great reflection of our society.
If I had hurt bambi, or caddy, or old clunky for that matter I would not be able to just drive away....the world has gotten alot more disrepctful.......but alas they are different from us....

Tinsel Loaf · 03-12-2004, 08:43 PM

I know how you feel. Our Brand New Classic bashed in on our first outing by a hit and run. The heart ache is almost too much. Why don't the people that do these things fess up. Hope you can get it repaired without to much hassle.

Silvertwinkie · 03-12-2004, 09:01 PM

I feel for you....I've been there. Glad to hear that the sheet metal was not damaged. A lens or a pod can be replaced very easy, but the skin is a PITA and not cheap.

Cedars · 03-12-2004, 09:17 PM

Kentucky Girl, is your awning a Zip Dee? If so, you can order a new support from them. Guess I'll have to expose my ignorance here, when you're talking about awning pole, I'm thinking awning suport, the piece that is attached to the coach body?

Elizabeth in Iowa

luckydc · 03-13-2004, 05:18 AM

Cherie:

Sorry to hear about your baby. I can only imagine. Thank goodness it was not terminal! Your experience affirms my decisison to widen my drive, at the expense of the lawn and a tree, in order to keep my girl at home where I can keep my eye on her!

Don't think of her as "used" now; but, rather, "seasoned" or "expereinced." Life is about surviving the bumps and bruises!

KY Girl · 03-13-2004, 07:58 PM

In answer to a few of your questions....

No, the facility makes you sign a paper releasing them from any responsibility. The owner (me) assumes the risk.

The awning is a ZipDee, and the part that's scuffed is the metal part that's exposed once the awning is completely up and tucked away. I think it has the screws in it that are used to adjust the awning height. I'm sure there's a part number I can order, I just have to get busy and do it.

I agree, there's no way I'd do damage to someone's camper (car, bike, trash can, etc.) and not own up to it. It's a shame people are like that. We can't wait to get a place where we can park our baby so it's safe from clowns like that. Oh well...maybe next year...

Thanks again,

Cherie

RoadKingMoe · 03-13-2004, 08:05 PM

If your trailer insurance covers it, take it to Jackson Center and have it fixed right.

campcollector · 03-13-2004, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Sorry to rant and rave, but we are so proud of our Bambi, and now it seems "used" for the first time.

Hey don't feel bad things could be alot worse.

Would you care to trade your bambi for mine.

Pick · 03-14-2004, 06:02 AM

I feel your pain, Cherie.

I pulled my Airstream down here to Florida, and on I95 in South Carolina, I hit a "road gator". It was lying across my lane and the break down lane. With a tractor trailer right next to me, I had nowhere to go. It dented the right front corner "banana wrap", bad. I have procured a replacement banana wrap segment form Bob's RV Salvage in High Springs, Fl.

KY Girl · 03-14-2004, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by campcollector

Hey don't feel bad things could be alot worse.

Would you care to trade your bambi for mine.

Oh my GOSH!!

You're right...I AM feeling a lot better!

Cherie

Sneakinup · 03-14-2004, 09:13 AM

KGirl,

That has to hurt! Sorry you had to suffer from some jerk that didn't have the decency to admit they hit your trailer.

Just last week someone was wandering around my property, my trailer specifically, and stole 2 of my freshwater hoses. They took the time to disconnect it from the trailer and my house and make off with it, and while they were at it, picked up a shovel that my neighbor left in his backyard. It isn't the cost of the hoses that bother me as much as the fact that someone was casing my home. In 9 years of living here, nothing has ever happened here. Sometimes I fear what this world is coming to.

silverlassie · 03-14-2004, 12:13 PM

Cheri,
I work in the Criminal Justice field and I constantly have to remind myself that for every disrespectful self-centered jerk there are hundreds of wonderful caring people, kinda puts things into perspective sometimes. Thank goodness they didn't damage the aluminum skin...
Hang in there, you and your Bambi have a lot of memories to make.

Silverlassie

Tarheel · 03-14-2004, 02:40 PM

Cherie its not as bad as you might think. We were leaving SugarCreek rally last year and our traveling buddies hit a soft spot and leaned into a building doing similar damage as to what you have described. We got on a ladder and removed the awning right there in the road. The aluminum panels just slide out (they are held in place by a sheetmetal screw) and can be replaced just as easy. Make certain that you get the instructions from ZipDee as there is a lot of tension on the spring that rewinds the awning. Best of luck.

KY Girl · 03-14-2004, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by RoadKingMoe
If your trailer insurance covers it, take it to Jackson Center and have it fixed right.

Tom and I have always wanted to take the tour at Jackson Center, so we decided to call ahead and schedule a day of maintenance for little things we've wanted to get done, and enjoy the day up there. We have an acrylic door panel that we had made to keep the dogs from pushing on the screen. It lasted about one season before the corners of the panel started chipping away where the screws were, as it was a jerry-rigged deal. We've heard they make a nice door panel for this purpose. So we might as well get that put on at the same time, since we've been able so far to keep the screen in perfect condition. Why test our luck, right?

Assuming we call ahead, does anybody have an opinion as to whether it's possible to get all those items done in one day without having to leave our Bambi there?

Cherie

53flyingcloud · 03-14-2004, 06:57 PM

Cherie
I've been reading all of the sad things and, we wish you guys the best of "better luck" in the future~!
As far as A/S repair..You're going at , IMHO, the beginning of 'peak time' but...You shouldn't have any problem getting in done in a day's time.
These "guys" are fantastic..
Just enjoy watching em work "crazies" like for you..lmao

Have a great trip~
ciao
53FC

RoadKingMoe · 03-14-2004, 07:10 PM

Cherie, you'll just have to talk to the service manager about whether everything can be done in one day. If it can't, they'll pull it out to the Terra Port for you to stay in overnight.

fdx753 · 03-15-2004, 05:39 AM

I know exactly how you feel. I came out to my storage facility to find my '02 Safari with a puncture in the curbside and 4 dings of the same type that did not go thru the skin on the street side. I was sick. My insurance would pay for the repairs, but I would have a 500 mi trip to Jackson Center to get it done. What the hay, I just traded it in on my 2004 XL 396. That sure took the presure off.

nds · 03-15-2004, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Kentucky Girl
Assuming we call ahead, does anybody have an opinion as to whether it's possible to get all those items done in one day without having to leave our Bambi there?

Cherie

I would definitely call ahead and make sure they undestand everything you want done. Make an appointment and depending on how much you need done and how difficult any of it is, you may be able to get in and out in one day.

They should be able to tell you this up front if you tell them every thing ahead of time.