Community Forums

craig.sayre · 07-24-2014, 12:57 PM

I once read somewhere that you can fairly accurately figure that the annual cost of ownership for a boat is roughly 5% of the purchase price of the new vessel. I'm wondering if there is a similar rule-of-thumb for Class A motorhome ownership? I'm referring to just annual maintenance costs - not operational expenses such as fuel, parking, etc.

cb1000rider · 07-24-2014, 01:10 PM

Craig,
I'm not sure you can take 5%. I think the answer is "it varies".
You're not specific to gas or diesel either, so it's going to vary a lot.

For most rigs, you'll need annual oil changes, assuming you don't exceed mileage. Beyond that, budget tires every 5 years, hydraulic brake system flush every 3 years, and the rest of it - which can vary quite a bit will depend on how much you're driving it.

How much 5% is varies a lot too... It could be a $250k diesel pusher or a used $20k V10 Class-A.

In the gas class-A space, you can get something 10 years old for $25k or buy the same thing new for $100k. The maintenance schedule would largely be the same for both.

It's not the routine maintenance that gets you, trust me... It's the unexpected repairs. Just like boats.

DieselTech39 · 07-24-2014, 01:15 PM

Glad you're aboard. I don't own one yet so I can't give you any rule of thumb, but I would venture to say that a lot depends on the age of the Class A, diesel vs gas, care by the previous owner if used, fiber glass vs rubber roof, and so on.

Numerous threads here regarding repairs, upkeep and modifications. Check them out and if you're thinking used be sure to read this thread.

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f59/pre-p...ts-204665.html

Best of luck in your search. I will be interested to find the replies here also.

Enjoy your adventures and be safe.

craig.sayre · 07-24-2014, 02:27 PM

Thanks for the link DieselTech39. Very interesting reading. I ended up buying a used HR Endeavor last year. I don't regret buying it - however, there are some things that need to be addressed - things I wish I'd known enough to check out before I purchased. It is an old rig though ('97), so I expected there would be issues.

I found out later that the first owner was very conscientious and meticulous in maintaining the motorhome, but the 2nd owner wasn't as careful, so in the first month had to put about $1500 into maintenance and repairs (mainly chassis stuff like tune up, engine and transmission oil service, coolant flushing, belts, etc.).

I drove out to ND (from Washington State) last year to visit my daughter, but during the trip I found out that the horn didn't work, cruise control didn't work, and cab air/heat didn't work. None of those problems was a show-stopper, but I did have to deal with them when I returned home from my trip - another $1300.

This summer I drove up to Canada and had no problems at all, but on the way back noticed the tires were getting a little hot. I was careful to maintain a pressure of 80 psi cold in them, so maybe I was a bit overloaded (CAT scales weighed me at 17,800 which is about 800 over GVWR). It also looks like they're pretty old. The date code is 2002, so I suppose that means they're 12 yrs old! I'll get those replaced and get a TPMS system installed. But hey, it's only money!

DieselTech39 · 07-24-2014, 02:50 PM

YW Craig.

Just a couple other ideas.

It's good that you are careful with the tires and yes 12 years is a lot. That said if you haven't had a chance to check it out yet, I'd urge you to check this thread out too. It has a link to a video which presents a great wealth of info regarding tires.

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f258/tire...ml#post2152325

Also, it would be helpful to those responding to your posts if you added your coach info, manufacturer, model, length, engine manufacturer, model, etc., to your signature. That way it will appear each time you post. To accomplish that click on the "User CP" on the blue tool bar and scroll down to "Edit Signature" on the left, click it and you can add what you wish then scroll to the bottom of the page and click "Save".

craig.sayre · 07-24-2014, 03:25 PM

Thanks for the tip about the signature. I'll check out the video.

jdoran1973 · 07-24-2014, 08:29 PM

Would have to agree that age, wear and tear make it a bit of a crapshoot. We had about 5k worth of repair work for ours last year . Sometimes you get a good stretch, and sometimes you don't ....