It's a dirty, rotten, stinky job, but, someone's got to do it! Our story might frighten you right into the hands of a warranty company.
When we bought our 1998, 70,000 miles DP, for a 3 year 'adventure', all my (obviously limited) research pointed to "the million mile engine" with a sweet grumble. I looked into a warranty, but all I found had the 15 year age limit. I realized that on a vehicle with this age, some pieces & parts would be getting near end of life, so I mentally set aside a large fraction of its purchase price for repairs. Good thing I did, as we still have that engine, but, most of the stuff bolted to it or near it, has been replaced.
Our first few thousand miles were quiet and filled with expected chassis maintenance and updates to the house. Then, while taking the grandkids out for a little overnight spin, the engine intermittently derated and then returned to normal. By the end of that episode and the first year, the turbo, VP44 injection pump, lift pump, and some welded exhaust pieces were replaced. After returning from the following winter snowbird trip, somehow the second of two fuel filters had a crack in its holder. After this year's late summer trip, it has gained a brand new custom made muffler and some associated exhaust components (more weld issues).
But, we still have the engine and it is running very strong. Hopefully it does not have that '53 block' well know to crack, or that wonderful KDP(killer dowel pin), both associated with some of the engines in this year range of the Cummins 5.9L 24V ISB.
Now, I'm waiting to get into the Cummins/Onan facility before our next snowbird trip to see if they really want us to replace 'whatever is that $1700 part' in the QD7500 generator, which runs great, but its A/C power output is not up to spec and has killed two convention/microwave ovens and almost anything else with an electric motor (including the AC), and has left the techs at Onan distributors scratching their heads.
In hindsight, would I have spent $3500 for a warranty up front, if it really would have covered some/most of this? HhMmm? Who am I kidding? Yes, even thrice over, and we'd still be well ahead.
Sorry to be completely transparent and report all of the pain that a few of us encounter. We really have been enjoying our "Hugo", and plan to continue to do so beyond the initial 3 year plan. In fact, in four months, it should have another 5700 miles on the odometer, if Scotty can keep the anti-matter injectors from blowing apart.