How Brinkley RV Is Rewriting The Rules Of RV Manufacturing

If you have ever wondered whether anyone inside the RV industry is actually trying to fix the system from the inside, this week’s RV Podcast episode is for you.

Our Conversation of the Week is a candid, behind-the-scenes talk with one of the owners of Brinkley RV, a company that has been shaking up the industry with bold ideas, modern manufacturing, and an obsession with quality. We dig into what is broken, what Brinkley is doing differently, and why it matters to every RVer out there.

Trust me, this is one conversation you will not want to miss.

We’ll also have RV and camping news, the social media buzz, and your questions.

Watch the YouTube version of the podcast in the player below:

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And scroll down this page for show notes and a textual highlight of the interview, plus links and resources about all the things we talk about.

Here comes the Busy Time of the Year…

A quick note before we jump into the Brinkley interview. Thanksgiving is almost here, which means Black Friday is hot on its heels.

That week is notorious for inbox overload. We get it. Nobody needs more surprise emails cluttering things up. At the same time, we’ve been quietly gathering some genuinely solid insider deals on RV and camping gear, the kind of discounts that only pop up during Black Friday.

If you want in, we’ll start sending those picks next week. All you have to do is raise your hand by clicking this link: SEND ME THOSE DEALS!

The deals we’ve found are real and they’re focused strictly on RV and camping gear and accessories. If you want them, let us know. If not, all good.

RV CONVERSATION OF THE WEEK – How Brinkley RV Is Rewriting the Rules of RV Manufacturing

OK. Now on to the RV Conversation of the week.

In this episode we have a really special conversation for you, one that pulls back the curtain on one of the most disruptive forces to hit the RV industry in years.

We’re talking about Brinkley RV, the young company that has absolutely shaken up Elkhart with its modern clean designs, next-level build processes, and a relentless focus on quality and customer care. In an industry that has struggled with reputation, trust, and consistency, Brinkley set out to do things differently. And depending on who you ask, they’ve already changed the game.

Brinkley was founded by five industry veterans who saw the same problems RV owners have been complaining about for years. Today we sit down with one of them, Nate Goldenberg, a founder and part of the ownership team.

Nate didn’t come here to dodge questions. He came ready to talk, and what you’re about to hear is one of the most candid interviews we’ve ever done with an RV Industry leader. We asked him the tough stuff. Quality control. Warranty issues. Dealer service bottlenecks. Product innovation. Growth without sacrificing standards. Even the rumors about whether Brinkley plans to sell or stay independent.

And Nate answered them head on.

So settle in. Watch or listen with one of the players above.

Whether you’re a Brinkley owner, a curious RVer, or someone who just wants a clearer picture of where the industry is heading, this conversation is going to give you a lot to think about.

This part of the podcast is sponsored by RVOvernights, where you can stay free at farms, wineries, and attractions across the country. Go to RVLifestyle.com/rvovernights and use the promo code “RVLDEAL” to save 40% of the already low $49 annual fee.

RV NEWS OF THE WEEK

So the RV news story this week that we think is really going to get your attention has to do with Google Maps. Google just announced that it’s rolling its Gemini artificial intelligence right into the Maps app, and honestly, this could make life a whole lot easier for RVers.

Here’s the big deal. Gemini responds to simple voice requests. You will be able to fire it up by tapping the new icon in the Google Maps screen or by saying the classic “Hey Google.” Once it’s listening, you can literally talk to Google Maps while you’re driving and get real-time help. Things like, “Find me an RV friendly gas station,” or “Where’s a good hamburger spot coming up in the next ten miles?” Gemini will dig into Google Maps’ huge database, about 250 million places and reviews, and give you an answer right away.

And this is cool. Instead of those countdown directions that tell you to turn in 0.3 miles, it’ll start using landmarks you can actually see. So it might say, “Turn right after the Shell station,” or “Turn left at the next traffic light.” Much more natural.

Google Maps is also picking up a feature that Waze users know well. You’ll be able to report hazards by voice, things like accidents, traffic jams, speed traps, or construction. Just say something like, “I see an accident,” and Gemini logs it for everyone. Waze is doing the same thing, and since Google owns both apps, the long-term plan is to have drivers feeding traffic data from every direction, on both platforms.

We checked our Google Maps app before we recorded this and it’s not showing up for us yet. But Google says it’s rolling out across the US for both Android and iPhone, basically any day now.

When it does arrive, we’ll definitely going to be playing with it. And we bet a lot of RVers will too.

SOCIAL MEDIA BUZZ – Wendy Bowyer

Wendy Bowyer reports on the hot issues most talked about this past week on social media and our RV Lifestyle Community group.

The theme of this week’s Social Media Buzz: Tips to help your RV life run a bit smoother.

I’ve collected these tips from both our RV Lifestyle Community, the private group we’ve started that we love, and from our RV Lifestyle Facebook Group, and hope these suggestions can help!

So lean in, and here we go!

Tip one: Ant prevention

Dan and Cindy, members of our private community, were on the road last month, traveling from Georgia to Florida to east Texas, and one day they returned to their RV and discovered   ants – in the RV.

Long story short, they cleaned things up and needed a way to keep the ants out. What they did was spread a small amount of Vaseline on the water and electrical cords, right before each cord enters the RV.  It worked like a charm – no more ants sneaking their way in!

Tip 2: Quicker packing

The second tip is from Dan and Nance, who are also members of our Community. In our Community, we have virtual campfires once a week where we gather together online and in real time to talk about different subjects. One night we talked about packing and unpacking, including how long it takes. Afterward, Nance shared one thing she does to speed the process up. She puts all of her condiments in special containers and then puts them in a small basket that she keeps in her frig at home. Then, when they are heading out camping, she just grabs the basket and puts it in her RV -super easy and fast. Ditto when she is home and it is time to unpack. What a great idea!

 Tip 3: Using pantry space.

This tip is from our RV Lifestyle Facebook Group, Linda asked for help with her pantry. She said, “I can not see what is in the back of the shelves. What have you done to fix the problem?”

Nearly 400 comments with suggestions, and after reading through them all, three solutions topped everyone’s list.

First install lights so you can better see. Keith installed a LED strip down each side just inside the door frame that would turn on when the cupboard door was open, off when it was closed. He was one of many who said adding some lights made a huge difference.

Second, use baskets or bins. By organizing your items into bins, you will know where everything is and can just remove the bin when you need something tucked in the back. Many people suggested this and included pictures of what they use.

And finally, the third suggestion for shelf organization was by far the most popular, and that is to install pull-out or slide-out shelves. Many people, like Lorna, shared pictures of this, which is a great way to place items in those deep cupboards and get to them easily when you need them. 

So there you go, three tips to help make the RV life a little better!

This part of the podcast is sponsored by Wholesale Warranties, where you can get the best deal on extended warranty coverage for your RVs. Starting January 1st, all RVs are considered one model year older, which means pricing and eligibility for warranty protection will change. Save money and protect your rig by signing up now. Get a free, personalized quote at wholesalewarranties.com/rvlifestyle

RV QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK

QUESTION: This  question came in response to a comment we made in last week’s podcast:

“You mentioned you’re leaving Michigan in January for warmer weather. We’re in Illinois and planning to do the same. I’m curious how you plan your exit. I’m assuming your Brinkley is winterized. This topic might be something you could share with others trying to do the same thing. Thanks.”

ANSWER: We watch the weather and make sure we will have the best possible weather. If it’s storming when we were planning to leave, we’ll wait till it’s past and the roads are clear. If a storm is coming, we will try to leave early if that’s what we have to do to beat it. That has happened a lot.

Yes, our RV is winterized. If it’s still very cold at the first place we overnight on the way to Florida. We use the unit regularly but will use antifreeze to flush the toilet. If it is above freezing, we’ll winterize there. That’s usually southern Kentucky for us.

On the second and third nights, we are almost always far enough south that we don’t worry about the plumbing freezing.

QUESTION:  Here’s another question…From Darren 

“Do you have any recommendations for solar generator/battery packs and arrays?”

ANSWER: We like the Jackery line. They are very reliable. The one we have is The Jackery 1000 Solar generator. .. It kicks out 1,500 watts of AC power with a 3,000W surge peak. It can power multiple appliances, like fridges, electric cooking and coffee pots, CPAP machines, and Starlink.  It has this really neat emergency charging feature you can activate through the Jackery app that can bring your power from 0% to 100% battery level in just one hour.

It comes with a 200 watt solar panel that can fully charge the unit in from 6-8 hours, so you can use it all night long, charge it during the day, and keep on going. It’s great for boondocking and even backup power for your house. 

The unit weighs just under 24 pounds, and Amazon is selling it and the 200-watt solar panel right now for $599, which is over 50% off. I don’t know how long that pricing will hold, but that’s what it is this week. Here’s the link – https://amzn.to/43hFHEU

Happy Trails!