It was reasonably extensive and visually downgrading the rig.
The lower parts of the grey panels were worst affected and whilst being "non structual" at the last COF inspection it was noted that remedial work would be required in the near future.
We looked at the finances and considered we had saved a "reasonable" sum so started on the very important selection of the people/workshop to do the work.
It was a long windy road - from Tauranga to Thames to Auckland to Whangarei.
Prices and attitudes varied considerbly as did the reaction to being "live aboards". After all this is our home and we hoped to be able to sleep each night in it and have access to food , clothes , shower etc.
Many a Happy Hour was spent discussing other motorhomers experiences , the good and the bad , there was quite a few of each.
The rust problem was common but there was no common solution.
Once people made their decision they were committed , there was no way to change their mind , no pulling out with the job half done . Going "over budget" happened a lot . Cutting into the panels often caused an "Oh,Oh" moment.
Rust was like rot in a house , it was nearly allways worst
than expected.
This not only impacted on the cost of the job but also on the time off the road.
Some people had absolute horror stories to tell , stories that needed no embellishment to make the listeners cringe.
Time overruns to the power of 10 - Yes , from " It will take a couple of weeks" to 20 weeks in the workshop.
Cost overruns that at times proved to be downright embarrassing.
"Be carefull" was the common comment that echoed in our ears as we retreated home to consider our options.
Where to from here ?
In our own minds we tried to quantify the size of the problem.
The 19 photo's shown here show the visual damage , what was behind the panels could not be determined.
Seven of the locker doors were fairly badly effected.
They were mounted on metal frames that were rustier than one would have expected.
At least we could open the locker doors and view the extent of the damage.The round toggle style catches were , we considered , unrepairable.
We made the decision to replace them all with the "push to open, lockable" type catches which would upgrade the security for the locker contents.
The purchase was made , 19 new catches.
Our next step would be to get some quotations.
Past experience had taught us it can be very hard to compare "apples with apples ", as the saying goes.
Indeed , we had found some Quotations were presented with a deliberate degree of confusion
or vagueness so as to make comparision difficult
and to provide "outs"once it was accepted and work was under way.
Out came the laptop and the "Word" program ran hot.
We wrote out our own Specification , of sorts.
Not being Panel Beaters or Car Painters it was not too technical.
It included our expectations of durability , finish,
timing and follow up service, if needed.
We were doing our homework - we thought.
Then , out and about to get the Quotations.
It took time.
There is no Quotation without the story and some of them were long and at times quite irrelevant.
Listening was part of the game play which had to be endured to achieve the goal - The Quotation.
The general rule seemed to be "the longer the story , the higher the price" - but I digress.
We printed the email to make it easier to sit around and discuss the matter.
It was not a "Quotation" it was a "Best Estimate"
We should not have been surprised!
Think about it , with so much of the rust damage not viewable any fixed price quotation would have to be inflated so as to cover all possibilities.
We were not happy.
A "Best Estimate" was like entering into an "Open Cheque" agreement.
Back into "Word" and changed the content to provide for a "Best Estimate"ranging from a minimum of $X to a maximum of $Y.
A degree of cost limitation and financial control we thought - some times, I think ,we think too much!
The photo to the left and below show rust damage in the overlap of two panels.
The proposed remedy varied from raising the top panel, cleaning the overlap, rust preventative treatment and resealing to complete removal of the top panel, replacement with aluminium or fibreglass and as the talking continued to replacement of all panels from the windows down. Dream on .
The next 3 months disappeared into a haze of
talk and paper work.
Of sizing up the management and the staff.
Checking out the workshop and facilities .
Would the location provide us with a livable situation?
Could we get references from other motorhomers?
We discarded the cheapest and the dearest prices.
Then we had it down to two possibilities.
Both were family businesses , which we all ways
Their prices were close and we were comfortable with most of the other factors.
Both could start in a few weeks.
It finally came down to Location - Location - Location.
Ruakaka , it was almost a no contest.
I could go fishing while they did the work
A match made in Heaven.
Seeing we going this far with the upgrade we decided to replace all the exterior screws, bolts , nuts and washers with stainless steel.
Took out samples , counted up quantities and off into Whangarei.
Found a specialty business with an excellent range of product.
Chattered to the counter staff , mentioned my Trade background and my now pensioner income
and was thrilled when they presented the invoice to see a discount applied of 70% off retail.
It does not take much to make some people happy.
Now it was time to get serious.
Off to our chosen one , Bruce at Rowsells,
Ruakaka to make the actual booking and pay a deposit. They did not want a deposit!!!!
Our carefully researched and planned rust remedy was going into action.
The due date arrived , a Monday morning .
Up early , out of the Uretiti camp and along to Rowsells.
There were two motorhome friends lined up ahead of us.
No worry - we are booked in , what could possibly go wrong!
There has been a change of plan we were told.
The Ruakaka workshop was heavily booked .
They had a full size spray booth and were generally better set up for a rig of our size.
No problem, we thought.
In the warm glow of co-operation we said OK, we are on our way.
Waved Good By to our friends and hit the road.
Up the road just 10km along the way the road hit us !!!!!!
We copped a rock !!!!!!!!!
A badly chipped driver side windscreen .
More about this comedy of errors in another blog.
Arrived at Rowsells, Kamo .
Met the Manager , Allan and Office Lady , Kathy
The workshop was HUGE. We drove in and parked at the rear work station.
There was room for another 6 or 7 buses between us and the door and we could have done a full circle turn easily.
Then our plan had an "Oh,Oh" moment.
A very strong workshop smell.
Sander dust , paint and solvent fumes all combined into a distinctive and unpleasant atmosphere.
We could not sleep there. We had to move out.
Kathy told us of a Motorcamp only a kilometre away.
The camp Lady listened to our sad story of an unbudgeted accommodation expense and being Motorhome friendly she offered us a one bedroom motel unit with a 30% discount for the two weeks we were planned to be in the workshop.
We said a real big Thank You and moved in. Its only for two weeks we said - Yeah Right!
Our next Blog will portray our workshop experience.
