Best DP under 50 k

[tmw188]

I would say buy a nice lightly used well cared for low mile gasser for your first rig and have less worries of possibilities as mentioned here. A nice W-24 or Ford chassis with a 26-30k GCWR. Gross Combined Weight Rating

[jimmy braden]

Got a 2003 HR Scepter for 52K with 25K miles. Put a 1000 miles on it since summer and no expense other than tires and getting to know the thing.

I would look on RVT.com and RVtrader.com in addition to ebay.

[Gary RVRoamer]

Monaco and other should not of had frame issues which is why I say go with an older (1998) holiday rambler built on a freightliner frame.

I'm not a big Roadmaster chassis fan like some are, but I don't think you can cite one over the other on frame quality. Freightliner and Spartan have had their share of recalls on their motorhome chassis as well.

[tropical36]

Originally Posted by Sl1cker

Looking for a DP and need some advice on what to look for just sold my 37 Fleetwood gas looking for a better ride and quieter I like the Monaco and fleetwood American line !!!
Thanks

Since, it's a given that you're looking for a quality built unit, first look for a side radiator and the rest will pretty much follow suit, both in the chassis and the house. As for the engine, it's probably gonna be a Cummins or Cat and both are good.
I obviously am partial to the American line in the older models and would recommend a Revolution. You'd want an LE, if possible, but they weren't available until 2005 and you'd have a hard time getting one for under $50K unless it was pretty beat up. Non LE 05's and prior years were good, too, so you might want to look into one of those, if all else fails.
Also, if you're partial to CAT, they were only available in 05, 06 and 07.
Don't be afraid to make a low ball offer on one and stick to it, as you may be pleasantly surprised, even if it takes a little while. In our case it only took a couple of days.

[Wagg1]

I think unit history is critical.
We looked for a suitable Coach for almost a year and finally purchased a one owner 2000 Holiday Rambler Endeavor DP that had the service history and obvious care we were looking for, not excessively high miles but enough to show steady use.
The dealer was excellent and confirmed all systems operational and all items up to date (tires, filters, fluids, suspension, etc.)
Layout is exceptional and construction quality is better than the newer gas units we looked at which were more pricey.
The one item we didn't get which is not a common offering for this vintage of unit, is a side radiator which would save a service interval but cleaning the rear radiator isn't that difficult.

[Brad Felmey]

We picked up a Newmar Dutch Star in 1998 vintage with 13k miles for $25k. Cat engine, Allison 3k transmission. That left plenty of elbow room for service, new tires, TV upgrades, hardwood floors, reclining sofa, and some other niceties. Now we have a quality rig that's mechanically freshened and upgraded to our taste for under $35k.