Anyone happy with their Alpine?

[Barbaraok]

We have found what we think is a very good used 2002 Alpine 36 MDDS at a price we can afford. Like the floor plan, etc., but after reading a lot of the posts here, I'm becoming very leary. Does anyone like their Alpine?

Barbara

[Barbaraok]

We have found what we think is a very good used 2002 Alpine 36 MDDS at a price we can afford. Like the floor plan, etc., but after reading a lot of the posts here, I'm becoming very leary. Does anyone like their Alpine?

Barbara

[ggbanks]

Welcome Barbara, We love our '03 Alpine and think it is a wonderful coach. Of course we haven't had as many problems as some of the owners here, but if you read the posts I think you'll find most all the problems eventually work out fine. WRV is a great company to work with. If you got a good deal on a used Alpine and you like it, BUY IT!

[Ted III]

Barbara, We purchased a new 34' Alpine 2005 in May of this year. We have had some minor problems and one quite major problem but it was such an oddity it is not worth getting into. WRV did a fine job in getting it taken care of and although we have not used the coach much as yet the little we have, it has been great. At the moment everything works quite well and we are very pleased. The people at WRV are good to work with and in our opinion improving constantly. There has not been any warranty issue that has been questioned at all. They are great to drive.
If you like what you found I would certainly buy it. Good Luck!
Ted & Carol
2005 - 34 Alpine Limited
2006 - PT Cruiser GT toad

[Mike & Nancy]

Barbara,

We purchased our Alpine used in February 04 and love it. We are leaving this morning for "Homecoming" this will be our 6th trip since we bought it. We have had a few minor problems (sink fell in, Shurflo water pump) The WRV staff has been great and very helpful. Also, this forum and local Alpine chapter have been great for helping to solve questions you might have. I would not hesitate to buy another Alpine. Good Luck on your decision. DRIVE it, one of the best handling coaches on the market.

Mike and Nancy

[Dave Fernandez]

Hello & Welcome Barbara:

Sorry to hear that you are leary about the purchase of an Alpine. Yes we have all had some problems. Some have had more than others. But that goes for every Motorhome's built. Enough of that, I think the Alpine is one of the best Motorhome's around, Donna & I purchased our 2001 New and would not hesitate to purchase another Alpine. If you are going to purchase a used one the bugs have probably been worked out.

Dave

[htg3]

Welcome Aboard Barbaraok,
Many of us have a love/hate relationship with our Alpines. After taking delivery of a new Alpine, there are often many problems to resolve. But once resolved the Alpine is the best coach for the money.
I hear of some people buying used coaches with very few problems because the previous owner has had to deal with them.
If possible, try to get a complete maintenance history of the coach. Western RV will also have a history of warrenty work, but I don't know if they offer that service to a potential buyers of used coaches.
Good luck and happy RVing!

[Stretch]

Barbara:
Most of the problems are "teething problems", that is they came from the factory when NEW. I am 90% certain that the previous owner has fixed or had repaired, by the factory, most of the issues. I suspect all new coches regardles of make have similar issues. WE currently have a 40ft 03 and are happy with it. We had an 2000 40ft before that. That coach had congenitial problems. The newer ones from 02 on are a different animal. You will be fine. Go ahead and purchase.

[Tom and Patty]

Barbara,

We bought a used Alpine. All the warranty repairs were done for us. We have no love/hate relatonship. From what I've read, Alpine owners aren't the only ones with problems with a new coach.
In order not to jinx us, I won't tell you that in 19K miles last year we have had very few, MINOR problems. If it has been maintained, you will surely enjoy the drive.

[RJF]

We purchased our MDTS in April 2005. In June we went on 3 week trip across the country and back. The coach was so easy too drive a 500 mile day seemed like 300. Of course we have had some of the same bugs as other new coaches but all have been resolved. We use Rick's Rv servcice in San Clemente for warranty work. They tell me that Alpine is 100% better than Monaco to work with.

[EngineerMike]

Barbara,
I would say that problems fall into 2 categories:
1) problems w/systems that every MH owner can & will have, and
2) initial QC problems that nobody should have, but seem to be "normal" for the industry.

An example of #1 would be an HWH line or fitting leak. Dealing w/HWH on that appears easy enough, and their support is reputedly great. Other systems and manufacturers vary, but basically it's like your microwave in your house; if it breaks you get to deal w/the manufacturer.
An example of #2 would be Nancy's sink falling in. Since this has happened to more than a small handful of folks, I'd speculate bad surface prep at the factory, maybe bad glue, etc. Once those kind of bugs have been fixed, you are past the issue.
We had what we felt were stoopid #2 issues on our factory pick-up in August, but not much since.
And for a bus, it drives like a dream. If your find has been de-bugged by prior owners, and is well cared for, you should be satisfied. Stay tuned here; there is a lot of data & help if you need it. One good process would be to go thru this whole forum, & check your prospect out for the troubles cited.

[Barbaraok]

Thanks everyone - I'm feeling much better now. The coach we are looking at is a one owner coach and they traded for a bigger Alpine, which, I guess, is pretty good testament in itself.

[VAGABONDMAN]

Barbaraok,

I hope you buy the rig! You just answered my question as to why the rig was on the market. You can be sure the original owners loved it or they wouldn't have bought a new Alpine.

I have had two. The first was an early production '98 model with single slide (36MDSS). It did have a lot of problems, some petty and some major. I don't know of anyone who can go into production of a motor coach and not have early production issues. We drove that rig over 40,00 miles towing a 30 foot 10,000# trailer and loved every minute of it.

WRV was wonderful to work with; I felt like we had a team effort going to get the rig "right". I fixed all that I could and they fixed the rest. I couldn't have asked for a more responsive relationship.

We now own a '03 40FDTS; it's way nicer than the '98 in every way.

If you don't buy the rig you're looking at, you may regret it.

[Richard and Cris]

I am thinking of upgrading to an '03MDDS. I like my '98mds so well It makes me hesitate. Don't know of another coach I would want.