Monaco RV Newsletters

Happy Holidays

icebreaker — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 21:07:42 +0000

With the holidays already here, we’re reminded of how much we’ve enjoyed bringing you each issue of our online newsletter. From our readers’ feedback, there’s no doubt you seem to enjoy the articles we’re posting, and use the information we’re providing. That’s what it’s all about.

It’s also about connecting with our owners, which I’ve had the pleasure of doing face to face several times this year. I look forward to future opportunities to meet many of you at one of the many events planned for next year.

Until then, we’ll continue to connect with our Monaco RV friends and provide interesting and informative content using today’s social networking channels. In the sidebar to the left of the page, you’ll find links to our Facebook and Twitter pages, company-related video via YouTube, owner photos via Flickr, as well as our official Monaco Coach, Holiday Rambler and R-Vision websites, Owners Clubs’ websites and events calendars.

If this is your first time reading our newsletter, and you would like to receive it on a monthly basis, click here to sign up. Here’s wishing you and your family the very best this holiday season.

Mike Snell

Vice President of Sales

Big Ten Championship Tailgating

icebreaker — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 16:20:42 +0000

Come cheer your favorite team on to victory and have a great time tailgating before and after the game. You’ll have the best spot in town when the Legends Division and Leaders Division champions meet Saturday, December 3 in Indianapolis for the 2011 Big Ten Football Championship Game. Secure your RV parking place today for the best tailgate area near Lucas Oil Stadium.

The lot will open at 6:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 3 and remain open until noon on Sunday, December 4, 2011. Overnight security will be provided for those choosing to spend the night.

This parking area will feature games, music, tailgating activities and special giveaways. The lot is paved, well lit and set to make it easy for large vehicles to enter and exit. Big Ten RV Nation will provide portable toilets, trash cans throughout the parking area, and dumpsters for both trash and recyclables. The lot will also feature a display of 3 Class A motor coaches from American RV. You will have plenty of time to tour the RVs inside and out and talk to representatives from American RV.

Big Ten RV Nation parking passes are available today for $150 each. Each customer can purchase up to two (2) passes. Ordering is easy; just visit our secure web site.

Parking passes will be mailed in advance until November 23. After that time they will be held and distributed at a will call area at the parking lot. Your parking pass or proof of purchase (your receipt and ID) will be required to enter the lot on December 3.

Visit http://bit.ly/sl4Xkk for more information and to purchase your Big Ten RV Nation parking pass.

Take ‘r Easy There, Pilgrim

icebreaker — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 15:28:11 +0000

>Wondering what to do after Thanksgiving? Thinking that maybe it’s time to hit the road and rediscover America during the holiday season? Why not combine it all by climbing into a Monaco RV and making an early December trek to the place that started it all? Just roll on over to the nation’s most celebrated rock – in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

Located about 40 miles south of Boston, Plymouth calls itself “America’s Hometown,” a nod to the famed Pilgrims who arrived there on the Mayflower in 1620. Today, the pilgrims are tourists who come for a whale watching excursion, an afternoon of deep sea fishing, a hike or ride horseback at Myles Standish State Forest, a relaxing game of golf at several nearby courses, or to savor New England chowder at several restaurants. But most people come for the history.

Yes, there is actually a Plymouth Rock, where the sea-weary Pilgrims from the Mayflower first set foot in the New World. The Cornerstone of the Nation, as it is sometimes called, may be the coolest rock this side of Stonehenge, and it is certainly the most symbolic site in town. But it is hardly the most educational. For instance, Pilgrim Hall Museum, built in 1824, houses the actual possessions of the Pilgrims and tells the story from the perspective of the natives – the Wampanoag “People of the Dawn” who inhabited the area for several millennia before the Pilgrims arrived.

To gain an even greater understanding of the natives and the settlers, steer your RV to Plimoth Plantation, located 2½ miles south of Plymouth Rock on Route 3A. A living history of the 17th-century Plymouth Colony, it offers a re-creation of both a Wampanoag home site and a 1627 Pilgrim village, where costumed role players stay in character, taking on life histories and viewpoints of early 17th century settlers. It also offers 17th-century style meals.

But the highlight of any journey to Plymouth is a visit to Mayflower II, a replica of the famed late 16th-century merchant ship, built from the same Devon oak in Brixham, England. Just a few blocks from Plymouth Rock, it is an opportunity to imagine sailing with the folks who landed there. After making your way past several dockside exhibits, you can explore the decks of the ship – the Round House where the journey was plotted and the Great Cabin occupied by the ship’s master – while chatting with costumed players who won’t stray from character (no matter how hard a landlubber may try).

Stepping aboard Mayflower II is like embarking on a journey to a new world, like setting a course for discovery. Then again, if you arrived in Plymouth in a Monaco RV, you’ve already experienced that.

Pilgrim Memorial State Park: 508-866-2580
Pilgrim Hall Museum: 508-746-1620, www.pilgrimhall.org
Plimoth Plantation and Mayflower II: 508-746-1622, www.plimoth.org

Do the Dunes

icebreaker — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 15:30:18 +0000

Sometimes an RV can take you to another world, a landscape so unique that it seems to have been transported from a distant planet. For instance, of the pinnacles and spires of Utah’s Bryce Canyon, or maybe California’s incomprehensibly massive sequoia trees, or perhaps Arizona’s saguaro forests and South Dakota’s Badlands. Among this otherworldly grouping, there’s another stretch of wonder in southern New Mexico known as White Sands National Monument.

The city of Roswell, New Mexico, (about three hours from White Sands) calls itself the UFO Capital of the World. But if anything seems to have come from another planet, it’s a region consisting of 275 square miles of snow-white sand dunes. Located right off U.S. 70, about 50 miles northeast of Las Cruces and 15 miles southwest of Alamogordo (both of which have several fine RV campgrounds available), White Sands offers a stunning contrast of vivid blue sky and stark white dunes. Photographs don’t do it justice, usually making the sand look grayer than it is. Sunglasses are a must, even on a cloudy day. It feels like the Sahara Desert, but it looks like the North Pole.

The dunes are white because the gypsum that formed the sand had nowhere to go, being trapped within the Tularosa Basin with no river to drain it. It is a place remarkable for its lack of life. Only a handful of plants grow fast enough to survive a sandy burial at the whim of the winds, and a few animal residents have managed to evolve a white camouflage coloration. It almost feels as if nobody was supposed to find the place, which makes it such a fascinating find.

In fact, the park is so out there that it is completely surrounded by the 4,000-square-mile White Sands Missile Range, which includes the Trinity Site where the world’s first atomic bomb was tested in 1945. The military still tests experimental weaponry there about twice a week – at which time the park is closed for up to three hours. That makes it all the more unique, of course.

When entering the park, be sure to stop by the visitor center, which offers a gift shop, a bookstore and exhibits explaining the origins of the dunes. From there, embark on a slow-speed cruise around eight-mile Dunes Drive. There are four marked footpaths along the Drive, including the Interdune Boardwalk, a wheelchair-accessible trail of just over a quarter-mile round-trip. But White Sands — much like a magical, meandering RV journey — was meant to be explored off the beaten path.

Deep into the Dunes Drive, you can claw your way to the top of the nearest dune. White Sands offers several options depending on your adventurousness. You can set up a blanket and feel as if you’re picnicking on an ocean turned to sand. You can navigate the peaks and valleys and wade deep into the gypsum waves. Or you can follow a ridge as far as it will go. But be careful. It’s easy to get lost amid the wondrous sameness.

White Sands National Monument: 505-479-6124, www.nps.gov/whsa/

Presenting the Diplomat of the Future – Now

icebreaker — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 15:53:20 +0000

The 2012 Monaco Diplomat has arrived, boasting of upgrades everywhere you look. On the outside, your eyes will be treated to a new front and rear cap design, significantly different from what you have seen in the past. Chrome bezel and accents give the exterior of the Diplomat the visual resemblance of the Navistar family brands that it deserves.

Speaking of Navistar, Diplomat is now vertically integrated with a Maxxforce^® 10 EPA 2010 9.3L engine, the Roadmaster RR8R or RR10R chassis and the Monaco RV built house. With one parent company behind the three key components of your motorhome, you can feel confident about the quality of the Diplomat.

That Maxxforce^® engine boasts 405 horsepower and 1250lbs./ft. torque and does not require any liquid urea to comply with the 2010 emissions because it uses Advanced EGR™ technology. Even better, the Diplomat comes with a three stage Jake brake, automatic traction control and antilock brakes. You have power and control of the road, no matter where you decide home is.

New advances in coach systems are standard. Start with your Aqua Hot 400 which gives you continuous hot water and even heating throughout. Monaco Coach has also redesigned our air ducts giving you Monaco Quiet Cool, a quieter and cooler A/C system for your motorhome. Not to mention the standard stainless steel package giving your kitchen a high end appeal. Interiors are trimmed with porcelain tile, Corian® countertops, Italian Sienna Alder wood cabinetry and beautiful Villa^® ultraleather furniture.

The 2012 Diplomat is elevating Class A standards. Go to monacocoach.com to find your closest dealer then head their way to absorb the new design. Take one for a spin and you might find yourself in your new home away from home!

A New Ambassador

icebreaker — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 16:02:06 +0000

Jump onto holidayrambler.com and check out the 2012 Ambassador in all of its glory. Redesigned from the inside-out, the Ambassador has a striking new look to match its quality. Note the new face. Decked out with newly designed front and rear caps, the Ambassador has a strong presence with black bezel and chrome grille.

The Ambassador stands taller on larger tires for 2012 – upgraded to 295|80R|22.5 giving you an even smoother ride with your Roadmaster RR8R chassis. Vertically integrated with the Maxxforce^® 10 EPA 2010 Emissions engine using Advanced EGR™ technology, you don’t need to worry about liquid urea. Just turn the key and drive.

Striking new features surround you as you step into a Corian step well with bullnose tile. The cockpit has been upgraded with an ergonomic dash; featuring switches within the drivers reach, a separated GPS docking station and portable unit, and a VIP Smartwheel with controls for the cruise control, 3-stage Jake brake and radio. Entering into the living area you are surrounded by a rich, upgraded interior (two options) including porcelain tile, Corian® countertops, Ultraleather Villa^® furniture and Italian Sienna Alder wood cabinetry.

The 2012 Ambassador will knock your socks off. Head out to your local dealer to see all the new features. Test drive one and you might just drive the Ambassador home.

Holiday Rambler 2012 Aluma-Lite Ultra

icebreaker — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 16:38:13 +0000

With 15 models to choose from and prices starting at $10,197, the 2012 Holiday Rambler Aluma-Lite Ultra is the perfect travel trailer for the beginning camper to seasoned RV’er. Designed for today’s smaller tow vehicles, the easy to tow Aluma-Lite Ultra is available in 17 to 29 foot floorplans, with bunk bed, expandable and slide-out models available.

The Aluma-Lite Ultra boasts a six-sided fully laminated construction, with smooth, white fiberglass exterior walls. Construction, quality and durability are at the forefront of the Aluma-Lite Ultra. The welded aluminum cage adds to the superior strength of the trailer. A 4-Beam powder coated frame is used along with a 5-layer laminated sub-floor. The under floor placement of the holding tanks provides an added bonus of increased interior storage space for all camping essentials.

The exterior of the Aluma-Lite Ultra is packed with many sought after features. Diamond plating is run on the front, sides and bumper of the trailer for maximum protection. A double, self-storing step is frame mounted and a radius entry door, make entry in and out of the trailer simple. Molded fender skirts enhance the finish of the trailer, while the aluminum wheels with EZ-lube axles provide superior towbality.

The Aluma-Lite Ultra interior is designed with classic and traditional styling, highlighted by beautiful Fulton Cherry cabinetry with black accents. Lightweight lumber core cabinets are used, no inferior stapes or particleboard. All drawers are solid wood with full extension guides on them. Residential window treatments flank the windows, including a large 48 x 36 dinette window with slider windows for extra ventilation. The booth dinette of the Aluma-Lite Ultra has large storage compartments under the cushions for added storage.

The residential styled kitchen galley boasts stainless steel double bowl sink with high rise brushed nickel faucet. Meal preparation is made easy with a 3-burner cooktop and optional oven. Cabinetry door are built to last with ball bearing drawer guides with full extension and easy reach capabilities. Large cabinets are ideal for storage of pots and pans and makes organization easy and convenient.

The Aluma-Lite Ultra’s bedroom is beautifully encased with accent wall material that blends beautifully with the traditional décor styling. A quilted bed cover blends beautifully with the traditional décor and the ample storage makes the bedroom ideal.

The 58 year Holiday Rambler heritage of quality and craftsmanship continues today with the Aluma-Lite Ultra. Built for easy towability and durability, the Aluma-Lite Ultra brings the Holiday Rambler legacy to a whole new generation of RV’ers. Check it out at holidayrambler.com.

Oh Deer!

icebreaker — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 16:42:39 +0000

Fall is a great time of the year for RV enthusiasts, but it is not a fun time for deer and many auto insurance companies. The September to December months mark a big rise in deer collisions and insurance claims, because it’s the mating season. An annual analysis of the insurer’s auto claims estimates there were 1.09 million collisions between deer and automobiles from July 2010 to June 2011.

Cautious drivers are far less likely to be involved in deer collisions. In fact, there are a number of common sense tips that can help all RVers avoid animals on the road.

Like teenage girls, deer do not travel alone. Where there is one deer, there is a group. When you see a deer, slow down and stop if you have to, because there’s probably more deer just off the shoulder of the road.
There is a real reason for the phrase “a deer in headlights.” Deer will often freeze in fear when the bright lights of a car are on it. Unfortunately for you, they often freeze right in the middle of the road. Here is a trick to try to get that deer to get out of your way. Try flashing your lights at the deer. This can often wake the deer from the fear-frozen state and get them out of your way.
Oncoming traffic can signal the presence of a deer. Flickering lights, or even a void in light can signal potential danger between your RV and the oncoming vehicle.
Don’t swerve to miss a deer. This may cause you to cross the center line to avoid the deer and run head on into another motorist.
The surrounding area you are traveling through can play a large part in your deer encounters. There are obviously going to be fewer deer in a city than in the cornfields of Iowa. Keep your location in mind as you drive along.
Forests in low-lying areas are a big issue for deer. These areas provide the perfect ingredients to produce mosquitoes and biting flies. Just as these pests drive humans nuts, deer are not so happy with them either. Deer will work to get away from these pests. This often leads to deer running across the road.

Watching out for Bambi is your primary job for the next few months. Deer will be on the move more than ever. Keep these tips in mind as you drive across this great country.

Packed With Excitement

icebreaker — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 14:13:20 +0000

The last three months of the year are always packed with exciting and fun things to do. There’s so much happening during the autumn and holiday seasons, that making sure we take the time to share and enjoy it with family and friends is more important than ever. Our newsletter this month includes a lot of great articles and news about Monaco RV, but we also want to hear about your holiday adventures from our newsletter and social media followers.

Through our social networking channels like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Flickr, RVers like yourself have a number of creative ways to share their stories and photos with us and with each other. It’s a special and unique RV community that shares a common independent spirit and a passion for travel, adventure and freedom. Click on any one of the links above to go to our social network channels.

Our commitment to customer satisfaction continues. Recently, we launched a product suggestion form where owners can submit their ideas and suggestions for our motorhomes. You’ll find this form under the Owners section on both monacocoach.com and holidayrambler.com.

If this is your first time reading our newsletter, and you would like to receive it monthly, click here to sign up.

Thanks for your support, and safest of travels!

Ryan Lee, Director of Marketing

Free Fuel For Your New Ride

icebreaker — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 15:27:32 +0000

You may already know the benefits of enjoying special moments in a superior motorhome. If not, for a limited time, Monaco Coach and Holiday Rambler wants to make it as easy as possible for you to experience a quality, life-changing motorhome from Monaco RV. Because during the Free Fuel Sales Event, you’ll receive up to a $3,000 Visa® fuel card* with the purchase of a new next-generation Class A Monaco Coach or Holiday Rambler motorhome, that will take you to new levels of comfort, style and fun.

Simply visit your local participating dealer to qualify for a VISA Fuel Card with the purchase of any one of the following in-stock not previously retailed 2011 or older motorhomes:

$2,000 VISA Fuel Card when you purchase any 2011 or older Class A gas motorhome
$3,000 VISA Fuel Card when you purchase any 2011 or older Class A diesel motorhome

You need to act fast to take full advantage of this fantastic promotion. This limited-time free fuel offer is only good from October 14 through November 15, 2011. Don’t miss this rare opportunity designed exclusively to get you on the road with free fuel just in time for your over-the-river and through-the-woods fall foliage adventure or that holiday trip to Grandma’s house.

VISIT HOLIDAYRAMBLER.COM or MONACOCOACH.COM OR CALL 800-245-4778 TO FIND YOUR NEAREST PARTICIPATING DEALER.

*Dealer sets actual price. Incentive amounts vary per model. Offer is only good with the purchase of an eligible 2011 or older model year Holiday Rambler or Monaco Coach motorhome currently in dealer inventory and has never been sold or titled before. Offer good in U.S. and Canada only. Customer must make purchase and take delivery from October 14 through November 15, 2011. Incentives are in U.S. dollars. Void where prohibited. Visit your participating dealer for details.