Local couple go in style with Holiday Rambler

Tom and Tina Jones decided to jump into the recreational vehicle world last December. After seeing many friends enjoy their motor homes and trailers, it was time to make the jump.

So the Joneses bought a 2013 36-foot Holiday Rambler Ambassador Monaco motor home at an RV show at the Silverton off Blue Diamond Road.

Even the list price of $290,000 didn’t deter the couple in their purchase of the motor home that is powered by a Navistar Diesel Pusher with 350 horsepower. The coach averages 9.3 miles to the gallon.

“Our house doesn’t even have some of the amenities that our motor home has,” said Tina Jones. “As an example, we have a king-sized Sleep Number bed that is as good as anything a person could find.”

But there’s more to this home on wheels, which has a central vacuum system, all-tile heated floors, a full-sized residential refrigerator, a washer-dryer, three slide-outs that add another 150 square feet of living space and an electric fireplace with heated blower.

The coach also has two air conditioners along with propane and electric heat.

For tech-savvy people in need of concert-live music, there’s full surround-sound along with an on-the-fly satellite so that those onboard can watch their favorite shows while the coach is in motion.

All of the windows have sunshades and privacy shades, and there are about a dozen cabinets, all made of real wood.

Mechanically, the 32,000-pound Holiday Rambler has safety features that include eight air bags for suspension (two in each corner of the wheels), self-leveling and hydraulic rams that lift the coach to keep it level on uneven ground.

To make certain that everything runs smoothly, the coach is equipped with onboard computers and a central monitoring station that provides valuable information on tire pressures, transmission levels, temperatures, batteries and propane levels, to name a few.

One key element when considering a motor home is the possible intimidation factor of driving something so large.

“I was afraid of it the first time we took it on our first trip,” said Tom Jones, 60, and a native of Las Vegas. “I was clenching the steering wheel so hard that it was almost as though I was white-knuckled.”

After a little seat time, he relaxed and is not afraid of taking the motor home anywhere.

“We have been on some challenging roads in the country including Interstates 5 and 10 heading into Los Angeles during afternoon rush hour, along with the Pacific Coast Highway,” he said. “What I have found is that other drivers will respect motor homes if you pay them respect.”

Yet another key factor when buying a motor home or large RV coach is that a tow vehicle is essential.

“Once you get to an RV park, you cannot get by without a car,” Tom Jones said. “If you need to go to the store, you’d have to pack up everything before you leave and that would be a real headache.

“So if you’re thinking about buying a motor home, you might as well consider a car, too. There are so many off-the-beaten-path areas to visit, but you need a car to do so.”

The Joneses chose a 2013 Subaru Forrester that was purchased from Subaru of Las Vegas.

In order to test the waters, the Joneses rented a motor home prior to buying one.

“Too many times, people fall in love with a motor home after looking at one, only to discover that they simply cannot drive one,” Tom Jones said. “It scares many people and some of them sell their coaches with only a few thousands miles on them.”

In addition, there is a lot of planning that goes into preparing for a trip in a motor home.

“It’s like having a second home, so you need to supply the coach with all of your essentials including stocking it up with groceries, too,” Tina Jones said.

But the fact that the couple can take their three small dogs has been a big benefit. And owning an RV can generate numerous friendships.

“We have met people of all ages from all over the nation,” Tina Jones, also a native Las Vegan, said. “We were in Lake Havasu on one trip and people invited us to a Super Bowl party. ”

During one recent trip to Temecula in Southern California, the couple met a group of RVers who had gathered for a Wounded Warriors golf tournament with veterans of the U.S. Military.

“They were unbelievable,” Tom Jones said. “So many of the veterans have experienced serious wounds and some of them have no legs or no arms. What’s so fascinating is the fact they’re very upbeat people. ”

Yet another fun trip is to Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the NASCAR weekend, which is a natural for Tom Jones, a former stock car racer.

“We put our coach up on Motorhome Hill and spend the whole weekend there,” he said.