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	Why replace the POL with an OPD? Technician blazes a new trail Western Canada's Largest Fall RV Show Raises Big Money Have you hugged your holding tanks lately? Come Discover Nanaimo's Hidden Jewel Water, water everywhere...and not a drop to drink! Loving your RV to Death Shearwater Marine Resort Keeping it light - Oxygen ICBC Information re: vehicle towing regulations Discussion of Gross Vehicle Weight The RVDA of Canada's newsletter has a warning in it we should heed: The motor vehicle branch of British Columbia has advised the RVDA of Canada that installing a 5th wheel on top of a bed liner is not permitted. When tug-tests have been requested, the test has shown that in most cases this practice yields a loose 5th wheel. This will result in a citation and the possibility of the trailer being parked until the fifth wheel can be tightened. We would expect that all provinces will take the same action. Taken from the member’s newsletter of the Recreation Vehicle Dealers’ Association of Canada - February, 1988 The new lightweight RVs: Easy to tow with all the comforts Is lighter better? For many of today’s shoppers, it clearly is - including those looking for recreation vehicles. As a result, lightweight travel trailers are becoming one of the RV industry’s hottest trends. Driving the popularity of lighter towable RVs is the recent surge in family ownership of minivans and sport utility vehicles - now constituting close to half of the market of automobiles. Lightweight RVs are easily towed by these popular family vehicles, making an RV purchase even more attractive and affordable. “We’ve found that families love lightweights,” said Rich Allen, Communications Director at Coachmen Industries, Inc. “There has been a growing demand for them and we think they’ll become even more popular over time.” Typically, lightweight towables are under 26 feet in length and weigh less than 4,000 pounds - light enough to be towed by most six-cylinder vehicles. RV manufacturers remove 600 to 1,200 pounds of construction materials from the conventional travel trailer and fifth wheel trailer designs to produce a lightweight version, while retaining all the modern conveniences of the traditional vehicles - fully equipped kitchens and baths, queen-sized beds, central heat and air conditioning. Some lightweights even include the popular slideout feature, which allows travellers to expand a room of the RV outward by as much as three feet at the touch of a button.
	PRESS RELEASE Go West Goes Further with RVs in Western Canada The recreational vehicle business isn’t what it used to be. It’s a whole lot bigger – and gets a lot more respect. It may be in the numbers. There are more than half a million RVs registered in Canada; in the US there are 25 million RV owners. More than 30,000 new RVs hit the road last year in North America, helping fuel the boom in the industry that is now worth some US$16 billion – more than double what it was in 1990. It may also be the people who are driving them. Baby boomers now account for 40% of RV owners, twice the figure from 10 years ago. They’re also better educated. Today, more than 40% of RV owners have college degrees. There’s one big reason why RVs continue to grow in popularity. Some 92% of RV owners studied in a Louis Harris survey, agreed that recreational vehicles are the best way to travel with a family, especially in wide-open, wild country like western Canada. You can go where you want (roads permitting) and when you want (traffic and weather permitting), and still have all the comforts of home at your fingertips. What you won’t have is paying jacked up high season motel rates and the joys of leaky tents and cheek-by-jowl campsites. An experienced RV owner will tell you the best way to get into an RV is to rent a few different types to find out whether it’s the right road for you. One of the most experienced RV sales and rental agencies in Western Canada is Go West Campers International Ltd. of North Vancouver and Calgary. Over the past 18 years, Go West has grown from 13 rental units to 300 motorhomes, van conversions and campers by keeping their customers comfort and safety foremost in mind, says Irene Sturzenegger. She and her husband Victor own and operate Go West with a staff of 25 – and an attitude toward precision in their business dealings that owes a lot to their Swiss upbringing. “We view the motorhome as a crucial part of the vacation experience,” explains Irene. “It should be spotlessly clean and mechanically perfect, comfortable and pleasant to spend time in. And ready to go on time. These are the things we try to make perfect for our customers.” Creating the perfect motorhome vacation experience for customers starts with offering the right motorhomes and keeping an updated, well-maintained fleet. Most RV rental agencies offer standard Class C motorhomes as part of their rental pool. Go West recently commissioned Triple E, the only manufacturer of Class A motorhomes in Canada, to develop a line of Class C motorhomes with many Class A amenities. Go West now offers the luxurious new “Regal” line exclusively to its customers in addition to other lines and types, including Corsair Motorhomes and Northern Lite Campers. The Regal line features fully winterized motorhomes with air suspension for a more comfortable ride, solid oak interiors, an upgraded electrical system, sliding battery trays for easy access, a 12V disconnect switch to conserve batteries, outside showers and a black tank flush system for easy flushing of the main tanks. The line also features an option that other RVs just don’t offer – a Power Driver seat by Ford. Go West updates its fleet every year, so the motorhomes they offer for rentals are always late model units. The company is also a stickler for thorough maintenance and meticulous cleanliness. Go West has its own RV repair shop and parts store, with certified RV technicians who perform ICBC repairs, including filon panels, aluminum panels, and aluminum and rubber roofs, as well as installations and repairs of accessories, electrical devices and wiring, and electrical brakes. The company also has trained gas technicians for installation and repair of major gas appliances, including fridges, stoves, furnaces and water heaters. “Our customers’ vacation time is too valuable to waste,” says Irene. “So we do everything within our power to make sure that the vehicle’s performance and appearance are absolutely first rate.” But since Go West can’t control everything, they also give their customers a toll-free emergency number to call in the unlikely event there is a problem. The Sturzeneggers attitude toward customer service has also led them to offer an innovative lease back program. This enables RV purchasers to put their units in the Go West rental pool knowing that their motorhomes will be expertly cared for while they’re helping to pay for themselves. As Go West’s fleet has grown with the popularity of the RV industry, so too has its marketing network. The company has enjoyed a five-star rating with European tour operators almost since its inception, and is also the only motorhome rental agency participating in BCAA’s Show Your Card and Save™ program. With RV travel well-positioned to grow even more popular, Go West is ready to provide the kind of quality motorhome and support that only comes with experience. And no one in western Canada has more experience in putting people from around the globe on the road for a memorable vacation than Go West. For more information: visit the Go West website at www.go-west.com Email at info@go-west.com or call toll-free at 1-800-661-8813.

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