A tiny bit of good news on the Roadtrek front

[wincrasher]

I got a posting on my Facebook group today from Sunshine RV in Gainsville, FL.

They are claiming to have contacted all the Roadtrek suppliers and will have parts to fix Roadtrek systems.

They assure me that includes the custom fabricated electronic parts for Ecotrek & Voltstart. They say they are custom, but not proprietary and the vendor agrees to sell them to Sunshine.

That's pretty good news!

[booster]

Originally Posted by wincrasher

I got a posting on my Facebook group today from Sunshine RV in Gainsville, FL.

They are claiming to have contacted all the Roadtrek suppliers and will have parts to fix Roadtrek systems.

They assure me that includes the custom fabricated electronic parts for Ecotrek & Voltstart. They say they are custom, but not proprietary and the vendor agrees to sell them to Sunshine.

That's pretty good news!

That would also likely mean that the independent service guys would also be able to get the Roadtrek specific parts. That is good news, for sure, for a lot of folks. Unfortunately, it doesn't do anything about how expensive it could get to maintain the systems. I am still thinking there will soon be several conversion kits available.

[gregmchugh]

Originally Posted by wincrasher

I got a posting on my Facebook group today from Sunshine RV in Gainsville, FL.

They are claiming to have contacted all the Roadtrek suppliers and will have parts to fix Roadtrek systems.

They assure me that includes the custom fabricated electronic parts for Ecotrek & Voltstart. They say they are custom, but not proprietary and the vendor agrees to sell them to Sunshine.

That's pretty good news!

Tony Pineda has informed the Roadtrek and Hymer Owners Group that he can get the parts and he has the diagnostic tools needed to service Ecotrek and Voltstart systems and has been repairing Ecotreks for awhile now. He is an independent RT service provider in CA. I would expect that Dan Neely, another independent RT service provider in CA will also have that capability.

There should be a good business in servicing these unique RT parts if RT does not survive producing the same systems.

[booster]

Perhaps Sunshine or someone else will set up being a stocking distributor for the parts as ordering small quantities from around the world can get pretty complex and expensive. Volume counts.

[Moonriver]

Originally Posted by wincrasher

I got a posting on my Facebook group today from Sunshine RV in Gainsville, FL.

They are claiming to have contacted all the Roadtrek suppliers and will have parts to fix Roadtrek systems.

They assure me that includes the custom fabricated electronic parts for Ecotrek & Voltstart. They say they are custom, but not proprietary and the vendor agrees to sell them to Sunshine.

That's pretty good news!

I have an appointment with Sunshine RV to take my RT in for diagnostics on my battery issues. From speaking to them on the phone this morning, he sounded pretty confident that they can get parts/fixes to RT issues.

This past Saturday, I was emailing with KS2 (Anthony) about getting lithiums and he told me that Sunshine was already in talks about getting them in stock.

Anyway, still hate that this is an out of pocket expense, but gotta have my rig working right.

[ponti33602]

I am getting an appt as well at Sunshine State. I have 400 Lithium that appear to be working okay. However, I have "H" batteries and from what I read I would like them to check the charge setting on the Balmar and adjust it to not "full-charge" if that is what they are at.

From all you folks that know more than I do...........does this sound correct and or a good pro-active approach? I seem to have read that folks have gone thru "sets" of batteries. That would mean that it would be the charge level rather and new batteries could see the same fate?

[mumkin]

Originally Posted by ponti33602

I am getting an appt as well at Sunshine State. I have 400 Lithium that appear to be working okay. However, I have "H" batteries and from what I read I would like them to check the charge setting on the Balmar and adjust it to not "full-charge" if that is what they are at.

Sunshine State has probably the best reputation for dealing with RT electric systems. (along with Dan Neeley in CA) They have fixed rigs that the factory failed at. Personally I would call the service department there and ask this question.

[booster]

Originally Posted by ponti33602

I am getting an appt as well at Sunshine State. I have 400 Lithium that appear to be working okay. However, I have "H" batteries and from what I read I would like them to check the charge setting on the Balmar and adjust it to not "full-charge" if that is what they are at.

From all you folks that know more than I do...........does this sound correct and or a good pro-active approach? I seem to have read that folks have gone thru "sets" of batteries. That would mean that it would be the charge level rather and new batteries could see the same fate?

The Balmar is somewhat easy to set, if you know what you need to change and the new setting. With the Balmar instructions you might be able to do it yourself if they tell you what changed, and save a trip.

[ponti33602]

Originally Posted by booster

The Balmar is somewhat easy to set, if you know what you need to change and the new setting. With the Balmar instructions you might be able to do it yourself if they tell you what changed, and save a trip.

Thx I have reviewed a YouTube showing it done to the L1 battery. I have read it safer to do this with the H as well. The video looks pretty easy but I hesitate as it would be a pretty costly error if I mess up. :>

[ClassB4Me]

Originally Posted by ponti33602

The video looks pretty easy but I hesitate as it would be a pretty costly error if I mess up. :>

For someone considering to pick up an Agile SS 4x4 with the same battery system is there any way to test the condition of the batteries to ensure they are functioning as expected?

Given there is no factory warranty for this expensive option, I'm inclined to hard negotiate down the value of such a system if no warranty is available.

For owners of such system, are the sub components (inverter, battery module, bms, etc.) still supported by individual warranties?

Thanks in advance

[mumkin]

Here's another bit of good news. Jeff Hanemaayer has shown up on Facebook ... gave a bit of his take, which I won't post without his permission. But the hopeful detail is that he is offering to assist any interested buyers and is in a position to do so since he holds the lease to the Kitchener factory. (a point which I had thought about)

That might bring some possible buyer who was leery of things.

Meanwhile I will cross my fingers that it is someone other than Thor. LOL

[booster]

Originally Posted by mumkin

Here's another bit of good news. Jeff Hanemaayer has shown up on Facebook ... gave a bit of his take, which I won't post without his permission. But the hopeful detail is that he is offering to assist any interested buyers and is in a position to do so since he holds the lease to the Kitchener factory. (a point which I had thought about)

That might bring some possible buyer who was leery of things.

Meanwhile I will cross my fingers that it is someone other than Thor. LOL

I was hoping he would get involved, as he is probably the only Roatrek associated person, beyond the production crew, that has any means or credibility left. Having the building all ready to go and available is a bonus for any buyer, especially if Jeff H decides to also get reinvolved in the business.


Hopefully, Thor wouldn't want the business in the old building in Canada so that wouldn't happen. He would be foolish, I thing, to partner with Thor.

[ClassB4Me]

Originally Posted by booster

I was hoping he would get involved, as he is probably the only Roatrek associated person, beyond the production crew, that has any means or credibility left.

What are the odds the EHG NA managers were setup as Canadian patsies?

1. None of them have been charged with a crime
2. None of them have spoken about any crime
3. No law enforcement action has been announced

Are we operating under innocent until proven guilty?

[booster]

Originally Posted by ClassB4Me

What are the odds the EHG NA managers were setup as Canadian patsies?

1. None of them have been charged with a crime
2. None of them have spoken about any crime
3. No law enforcement action has been announced

Are we operating under innocent until proven guilty?

Credibility and criminal guilt are two totally different things, and the management credibility was gone for a lot of us way before any of this broke, based on past actions and decisions. Whether or not they have been charged or convicted, or if they ever will be, is not the issue here. Credibility increases the odds of someone or some business, being willing to risk their capital on buying Roadtrek, IMO.

[wincrasher]

From his postings,

Jeff seems to think there is hope that a buyer will come along.

He did mention it was sold to the holding company for $45 million. He also offered that $10 million down and the rest financed would probably do it. The operation at Kitchner is 35 to 50 employees, which is what would be involved in a Roadtrek only resurrection. He also mentioned that the tooling and inventory has a high value.

I'm pretty skeptical anyone would step up even at this lower valuation. Since you don't own land and buildings, the inherent value is mostly good will, which Roadtek is lacking currently.

Since they chose not to fund continuing operations and have an actual going concern to sell, I have my doubts that a buyer will come along and put it back together and restart operations. Employees move on fairly quickly, plus it's a pretty cash intensive business - I imagine you'd need 10-20 million in working capital to assure suppliers, purchase vans, etc. and to secure the financing to buy Roadtrek in the first place.

[booster]

We have to assume nobody will buy it until it hits liquidation so they don't have to assume all the debt as that would make it untenable, I would certainly think. Then, of course, there is the going forward costs of warranty if they take it on.



When we went through the Roadtrek facility in 2009, I really didn't see any high value equipment or tooling to speak of. What tooling is at vendors and it's value is not known, though, to any of us at this point. It would be mostly fiberglass molds, vacuum form tooling, and tank making tooling, I would think, and that kind of tooling isn't really expensive like other styles of tooling.


The inventory would be of value if it parts they would be using going forward or could return to vendors or sell off for operating capital, though.


I hope he is right and can help pull it off, though, for all the employees sake.

[ClassB4Me]

A Dealer Perspective on the RV Warranty

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxhkDSG3FgQ&t=329s

[Flgal]

Sunshine has many B and B+ brand vehicles and has done custom work on the roadtreks right along ... so they are smart to step out and expand their business ...

[Davydd]

When is the promised 6 week date for liquidation and receivership going to happen if no buyer? Will that be the end of the saga?

I don’t have any skin in this but as I previously posted I went through this with the Great West Van demise. If no buyer, it will be nostagia for the Roadtrek brand like GWVan, Bigfoot and others. I think the Ecotreks will be the biggest losers despite assurance of nothing dealers can’t deal with because Roadtrek touted for many years “proprietary” and not letting the buyers know exactly what they were getting. No one still knows what they actually have. Bottom line is with the exception of the Chevy’s, which are now unique, people may take a hit on value and uncertainty.