Community Forums

Smitty77 · 09-21-2014, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dawnmckenna

Thanks, Smitty. That makes perfect sense. I've been trying to figure out the significance of both high and low hours on the generators.

Between the two forums, I think you're becoming my CC mentor, lol. We'll have to catch up to you on the road sometime and cook you a steak.

I have to admit I'm a CC novice, compared to many of the long term CC owners. It is the braintrust of CC knowledge on this board, and the CC Yahoo User Group - that have really helped me in learning the in's and out's on CC.

Go slow, and keep doing your due diligence. And remember the mantra to try and 'Buy your last coach, as our first coach!'

!

Smitty

Tom-NC · 09-21-2014, 01:48 PM

Hi Dawn,

You have received a lot of information about CC however I have a question and that is have you ever driven a coach that size and what do you know about diesels and air brakes.

What type of rving are you going to do that is to say are you going to camp in State or nat'l parks and will your RV fit or will you have to go to resort type campgrounds. Will you be able to maneuver in all campgrounds, are you going to tow a vehicle?

I agree those big rigs look great and have a lot of storage and a great ride but are they practical for you.

You might be better in a gas rig such as a Winnebago 35 to 38 footer. It would also have all the amenities you want but still be able to fit in most campgrounds and be cheaper to maintain.

I'm sure all the guys with the big CC will disagree with me and that's OK but there are a lot more things to think about than the kitchen.

Good luck!

dawnmckenna · 09-21-2014, 02:46 PM

Hi Tom,

All of your points and questions are good ones.

I will be part-timing while the kids are still with me, mainly in private campgrounds, and then fulltiming once they're off to college.There are some state parks I'd really like to visit as well and I realize that some state parks might not be accessible if I went with a 42-45' coach. Fortunately, I've seen several 36' and 40' coaches that I like a great deal and will likely end up with one of those.

When I first started seriously researching rigs, I liked the idea of a coach, but the market hadn't really dropped yet and the coaches I liked (all DPs) were well out of my range. I also liked the spaciousness of fivers and until recently thought a fiver was the way to go until the kids were grown. For the last several months, though, I've been researching DPs and have fallen madly in love. I have seen some gas coaches that I liked, but I liked them far less. I promise, my womanhood aside, it ain't all about the kitchen.

As far as my experience with driving big rigs or working with diesel engines, it is none and also none. But I've been dreaming about this since I was a teenager and seriously planning and researching for about five years. I will definitely have to have someone do most of the maintenance and repairs, but I'm okay with the driving. I'm a little intimidated by the learning curve as far as driving, and I know I'll have several white-knuckle moments, but I'm a very comfortable driver and I know I'll have it after a short while.

Peralko · 09-21-2014, 05:03 PM

Regular exercise and maintenance is the key to generators. We have about 1,600 hours on our generator--the only issue was a fuel supply line that had cracked and allowed the generator to suck air.
One thing we enjoy in our coach is over-the-road air conditioning, which is only found in the Magnas and Affinitys. There is a fan in the bedroom that provides cool air from the same compressor as the dash AC. As long as outside temperatures are not too extreme, it does a good job. 3 roof ACs also gives you the option of which one to run, and gives you spare capacity when one goes out, or you're camping in Las Vegas at 120 degrees.
If you get a coach that has been well maintained, a Country Coach will last a long time. While we are planning to get a newer coach, I believe ours will last another 15-20 years if we wanted to keep it that long.

Smitty77 · 09-21-2014, 05:29 PM

Tom - I have no problem with your input on making sure the size of the coach is considered in regards to planned usage. I also know that gas coaches, like diesel, come in all kinds of quality level flavors. We looked real carefully at the UFO platform with the 8.1 in the rear, as a 'stop over' coach to bridge us over to our retirement coach. But ended up just buying the retirement coach.

When it comes to driving ease and comfort and stability, IMO, the higher end RV's chassis will provide a much more stable and easier to drive coach then any gas coach that I have driven.

I encourage search on the topic about length, as while it can for sure impact the ability to get into some campgrounds. I have personally never had any problem getting our 40' into any campground that I have wanted to. Many with limit sizes of 32-36'. I just ask the ranger or park host if I can drive in with my toad, and look over what is available to find a site that I both like, and feel I can get into. Never been denied. I also remind people that a 40' with tag, because the drive axle is set forward, can do some amazing turns. My T28 Bounder, on the F53 chassis, could not turn around in as tight of radius as my 40' with the tag lifted. (And yes, you do need to watch the tail end, and that is more of a limit then turning radius.)

I also know many people that full time in gas units - so sure worth a look. On maintenance cost, well I knew going in that the DP would be more per year to maintain than a gasser - but it was baked into my yearly retirement budget.

To me, the extra stability and CCC capability of the DP, in my case with a tag, was mandatory for what I wanted to do. To others, the gas units do all that they want them to do

!

All comes down to personal choices, and nothing wrong with going the way that works best...

Smitty

mike brez · 09-21-2014, 08:20 PM

I have only had my Magna for a couple months or so but after having my gasser for 13 years this Country Coach drives,handles and stops 100 times better. We also wanted a 36 footer for ease of getting in and out of state parks. We flew to florida and drove it 1300 miles home and got 9.8 mpg driving with the cruise set at 63 mph. I don't have a good picture of the kitchen but it is called the chefs choice and is a good size. The rocker in this pic has been replaced with a ero chair.

dawnmckenna · 09-22-2014, 07:46 AM

Beautiful coach, Mike!

Peralko · 09-22-2014, 09:27 AM

Nice, Mike! Our kitchen is very similar with the washer/dryer at the end for added counter space.

Peralko · 09-22-2014, 09:31 AM

Dawn,
A nice coach in your price range is this:
2000 Country Coach Affinity 42DS, La Marque TX - - RVtrader.com

It needs some tender loving care--we looked at it when it was in New Braunfels four years ago, but it is nice inside, and I'm sure it is very negotiable.