First-Time Prospective Buyer (Many Question)

[Sandy Swede]

Welcome to the forum, HamboneTHW.

Firstly, to be prudent you should hold back approx $10,000 from your budget for any deferred maintenance and surprises. A DP is not for the financially faint of heart. Don't forget, taxes and licensing fees, insurance, and a roadside assistance plan, plus cost of all of the goodies to stock up your new to you rig. To set up your toad plan on $2,500 to $3k. So there is $15k to $20k before you pay for the motorhome.

This is not a complete list of quality brands, but you will find the majority on the forum think so. In no particular order they are Monaco (you want the 8 bag Roadmaster chassis, e.g., Dynasty), Newmar, Tiffin, Country Coach, Beaver, Travel Supreme, and some Winnebagos/Itascas. Although some of these companies are no longer in business, there are many fine coaches among them.

You want at least the 8.3 Cummins with 300 hp. Not sure with your budget if you can find an 8.9 Cummins with 350 to 400 hp, but that would be a great find. Lots of torque with that one (1050 lb ft to 1,200 lb ft). If a Cat, a C-9 at least? You probably will not find much difference between a Spartan or Freightliner chassis. I highly recommend that the coach you select has a side radiator vs rear. I would pick a Jake brake (engine compression) over an exhaust brake.

Have an independent third-party perform a pre-purchase inspection with engine oil analysis. Carefully inspect tires with date codes beyond 5 years and plan on replacing any with date codes beyond 7 years.

If you want to stay mostly at state parks, you will find many that will not accommodate a 40' rig. Here's the dilemma for those wanting DP - there are not many available at or under 35' Move up to 36 - 37'. Another 2 feet will make virtually no difference in getting into state parks.

If you buy from a dealer, do not sign anything or leave the lot until you know everything works.

Finally, I would not let the washer/dryer be a deal-breaker because (1) you cannot wash many clothes in these, and (2) most campgrounds have full-size washers & dryers and if you are near a town, most have laundromats. In two years, we have used our W/D in the MH only once.

Best of luck on your search.

[jacwjames]

So, it appears as if you've got the bug.

We got the bug in the mid 90's and started looking and ultimately buying a 31' Class C which served us well for ~10 years.

We got the bug in the mid 2000's to upgrade to a diesel pusher. We spent 2-3 years stopping at any RV stores looking at new and used. I also spent lots of time on the internet looking (dreaming of) coaches.

We started to understand what we liked and didn't like. Some cabinets in coaches are made out of cheap chip board and paper veneer. I'm a hobby woodworker and know good/bad so this turns me off. Also fit and finish of the inside and the decor etc can really turn you off.

So after spending lots of time looking and searching the internet we got lucky and found a listing on the 2002 Windsor we currently own. The listing was in Florida but by chance we were close enough to go and look at. We both walked in and said WOW! I crawled all over/under the coach and could not find one thing wrong. We went home to TN and monitored the auction on line and finally called the seller and he agreed on a price, which was way under NADA because it was a repo. It had no maintenance records but all manuals. I could tell that the rig had been taken care of so that didn't bother me. My work background provided me with lots of heavy equipment maintenance experience.

Bottom line is to take your time, do the research and leg work looking at coaches and narrowing down what you want. You may get as lucky as we did.

[pumper9x9]

Go to RV.org pay what they are asking (best money you can spend on an RV) read through the material all the way, use their rating system (my observations are it's the most non bias one out there) then start shopping.
Happy Hunting

[HamboneTHW]

Originally Posted by pumper9x9

Go to RV.org pay what they are asking (best money you can spend on an RV) read through the material all the way, use their rating system (my observations are it's the most non bias one out there) then start shopping.
Happy Hunting

RV.org only has books going back to 2006 on motorhomes. Am I missing something?

[wmiii]

I am in the process now of finding a 10-15 year old, $40-60,000 range DP for my wife and I as well. I am finding posts like this very helpful and informative.
I usually see Newmar and Tiffin recommended as well as a scattering of others, But I am curious, are there certain manufactures or models one should stay away from?

This would be our 1st Class A, So it might be like to old saying, "If you've never had steak, hamburger is fine"


Thanks,
Wm

[HamboneTHW]

Originally Posted by wmiii

I am in the process now of finding a 10-15 year old, $40-60,000 range DP for my wife and I as well. I am finding posts like this very helpful and informative.
I usually see Newmar and Tiffin recommended as well as a scattering of others, But I am curious, are there certain manufactures or models one should stay away from?

This would be our 1st Class A, So it might be like to old saying, "If you've never had steak, hamburger is fine"


Thanks,
Wm

This is my primary question as well. Do those brands really hold up that much better than the others? My wife and I found a Coachmen Cross Country Elite 376DS that seems excellent for us, but I haven’t been able to get any feedback on this post on why not to go with Coachmen.

[Mr.Mark]

Originally Posted by HamboneTHW

This is my primary question as well. Do those brands really hold up that much better than the others? My wife and I found a Coachmen Cross Country Elite 376DS that seems excellent for us, but I haven’t been able to get any feedback on this post on why not to go with Coachmen.

Maybe someone with a Coachman product will chime in. You need to compare units on their build quality. If the Coachman checks out and you like the quality, it might be a good buy.

From what I have read on other RV sites, they are not known for the highest quality but I don't have any first-hand knowledge.

You need to physically look at the units that you are considering. It's hard to tell the true condition in pics.

On edit: I found this thread under:

iRV2.com COMMUNITY FORUMS > New Rig Show-Off!
Our new upgrade to a 2018 Coachman Pursuit 32WC

You really should take a look.


Good luck and safe travels,
Mark

[HamboneTHW]

Originally Posted by Mr.Mark

Maybe someone with a Coachman product will chime in. You need to compare units on their build quality. If the Coachman checks out and you like the quality, it might be a good buy.

From what I have read on other RV sites, they are not known for the highest quality but I don't have any first-hand knowledge.

You need to physically look at the units that you are considering. It's hard to tell the true condition in pics.

On edit: I found this thread under:

iRV2.com COMMUNITY FORUMS > New Rig Show-Off!
Our new upgrade to a 2018 Coachman Pursuit 32WC

You really should take a look.


Good luck and safe travels,
Mark

Mark,

Thanks for your response. I think that's the other difficulty I am having as well. We are located near Memphis with not much available around us. I'm not trying to finance another house (buying new). To walk these units becomes troublesome when they are 500+ miles away. I do appreciate the advice. What would your advice be in purchasing a RV that amount of distance away? Round trip ticket in case walking away after a good inspection report from an outside inspector?

By the way, I would love to be in your rig, but just not in the cards. Maybe when I hit the lottery

[Frantz]

Often forgotten are coaches made by National RV. I would not hesitate to add them to the list of possible choices. Do some research and you will find they are dependable & well made. Haven't found another coach we would trade our 2008 Pacifica 40D for. Great floorplan, dependable, easy driver, no DEF. Look for Tropicals or Pacificas. They can be hard to find.

[Dutch Star Don]

"Hambone".....I would suggest you go another direction. For the amount of use you describe, I think a diesel pusher is overkill. As a new owner of an RV, I think you're biting off way more RV than you need. Diesel pushers have a lot of systems, require a lot of maintenance and really don't like sitting long periods between trip, especially older ones.

I have two suggestions, first, take your money and buy a much newer Class A gas. The only issue that will present is that your Grand Cherokee may be too heavy to tow and finding one with a washer/dryer may take a little more work. A gas motor home would fit your needs so much better and require a lot less maintenance. You would also be buying a much newer model, at east 2010 or newer.

My last suggestion, how about buying a brand new travel trailer you can tow with your Grand Cherokee. If you like the RV lifestyle, you'll have a nice rig. If you don't, you'll have a nice rig that you can sell. It also offers the ability to visit any national park and leaves the Grand Cherokee for sightseeing.

[HamboneTHW]

Originally Posted by Dutch Star Don

"Hambone".....I would suggest you go another direction. For the amount of use you describe, I think a diesel pusher is overkill. As a new owner of an RV, I think you're biting off way more RV than you need. Diesel pushers have a lot of systems, require a lot of maintenance and really don't like sitting long periods between trip, especially older ones.

I have two suggestions, first, take your money and buy a much newer Class A gas. The only issue that will present is that your Grand Cherokee may be too heavy to tow and finding one with a washer/dryer may take a little more work. A gas motor home would fit your needs so much better and require a lot less maintenance. You would also be buying a much newer model, at east 2010 or newer.

My last suggestion, how about buying a brand new travel trailer you can tow with your Grand Cherokee. If you like the RV lifestyle, you'll have a nice rig. If you don't, you'll have a nice rig that you can sell. It also offers the ability to visit any national park and leaves the Grand Cherokee for sightseeing.

Don,

Thanks for the reply. We aren't interested in a trailer. The thought is, while not technically the safest, that if little one gets upset, needs a diaper changed, is hungry, etc., we don't have to stop driving, while also providing the wife room to operate.

As for gas, I'm not totally opposed, but the research I've done here doesn't really show that maintenance on a gasser is that much cheaper due to frequency. Are there not plenty of people that have had good luck using a DP every 30-60 days for at least 3 or 4 days at a time, and a total of 45-60 days per year? The whole point in a DP is comfort, mileage, longevity of the motor, and the awesome features. The point in a 2002-2006 DP is that they are mostly at the bottom of the depreciation curve, affordable, and if maintained properly can be sold for a much smaller loss. A gasser will steadily depreciate, even more so based on mileage.

Everything I've read points me in direction of a DP over a gasser. Maybe I'm wrong, but you're the first to recommend against this on this thread, so just wondering why?

Thanks for your response and insight.

[TMan59]

Originally Posted by HamboneTHW

Don,

Thanks for the reply. We aren't interested in a trailer. The thought is, while not technically the safest, that if little one gets upset, needs a diaper changed, is hungry, etc., we don't have to stop driving, while also providing the wife room to operate.

As for gas, I'm not totally opposed, but the research I've done here doesn't really show that maintenance on a gasser is that much cheaper due to frequency. Are there not plenty of people that have had good luck using a DP every 30-60 days for at least 3 or 4 days at a time, and a total of 45-60 days per year? The whole point in a DP is comfort, mileage, longevity of the motor, and the awesome features. The point in a 2002-2006 DP is that they are mostly at the bottom of the depreciation curve, affordable, and if maintained properly can be sold for a much smaller loss. A gasser will steadily depreciate, even more so based on mileage.

Everything I've read points me in direction of a DP over a gasser. Maybe I'm wrong, but you're the first to recommend against this on this thread, so just wondering why?

Thanks for your response and insight.

Just my 2 cents, your on the exact right track.
We had a gasser, just quit using it, too small, loud and uncomfortable.
Bought a 40 Windsor and completely fell in love with traveling again.
Never drove one before the test drive.
Our present dp sits for months at a time, the cool thing is when we fire it up and take off, it's still a dp, quiet, good handling and lots of power.
Get the best you can, you will use it a lot more that way.

Originally Posted by Rkesselus

Nothing specific here but I would try to stay away form Diesels built after the environmental changes but staying below 2007 should insure that. I found a 2000 Tiffin Allegro Bus 35R in the mid 30's with a Cat 300 HP 3126 with 85,000 miles and it fit our needs but no washer dryer. I do my own mountainous and have no problems. Just a little bigger.

Originally Posted by Frantz

Often forgotten are coaches made by National RV. I would not hesitate to add them to the list of possible choices. Do some research and you will find they are dependable & well made. Haven't found another coach we would trade our 2008 Pacifica 40D for. Great floorplan, dependable, easy driver, no DEF. Look for Tropicals or Pacificas. They can be hard to find.

Originally Posted by Dutch Star Don

"Hambone".....I would suggest you go another direction. For the amount of use you describe, I think a diesel pusher is overkill. As a new owner of an RV, I think you're biting off way more RV than you need. Diesel pushers have a lot of systems, require a lot of maintenance and really don't like sitting long periods between trip, especially older ones.

I have two suggestions, first, take your money and buy a much newer Class A gas. The only issue that will present is that your Grand Cherokee may be too heavy to tow and finding one with a washer/dryer may take a little more work. A gas motor home would fit your needs so much better and require a lot less maintenance. You would also be buying a much newer model, at east 2010 or newer.

My last suggestion, how about buying a brand new travel trailer you can tow with your Grand Cherokee. If you like the RV lifestyle, you'll have a nice rig. If you don't, you'll have a nice rig that you can sell. It also offers the ability to visit any national park and leaves the Grand Cherokee for sightseeing.

[rv7630]

Hambone,

Comfort is a real benefit of a DP over a gasser, but cost is a less persuasive argument. At 7K - 10K annually (about twice the average MH), a well maintained gas engine will not reach it's end of life before the coach shakes apart. Diesel is the way to go if driving 100K each year, but that's not the normal RV. A DP might save $500/yr in fuel, but you'll give that up elsewhere. Such as in oil changes, by purchasing ten 22.5" tires instead of six 19.5" ones, or other maintenance.

Since you'll only be driving/camping for a few days at a time, consider how necessary a washer/dryer really is. They are expensive, heavy, take up valuable space, and (obviously) use water. Do laundry at the parents and after getting home on the weekends. Why take time out of your adventures to do laundry?

Benefits of a DP are a smoother, quieter ride and larger fresh/grey tanks. These are real benefits. DW and I went with a gasser for the reasons above and not wanting to risk bigger dollars on our first MH (we happily purchased a slightly used unit). We're also not trying to take our sticks and bricks house with us, so we travel light. Weight is important to keep in mind with a gasser. My thoughts would be different if either of our families were full-timers.

Whatever you decide, enjoy your adventures!

[Mr.Mark]

Originally Posted by HamboneTHW

Mark,

Thanks for your response. I think that's the other difficulty I am having as well. We are located near Memphis with not much available around us. I'm not trying to finance another house (buying new). To walk these units becomes troublesome when they are 500+ miles away. I do appreciate the advice. What would your advice be in purchasing a RV that amount of distance away? Round trip ticket in case walking away after a good inspection report from an outside inspector?

By the way, I would love to be in your rig, but just not in the cards. Maybe when I hit the lottery

Hambone, I know it is difficult finding a unit that 'might' be a good possibility only to find out it isn't. That is the risk that you will have to take.

Obviously, I would try to find something closer. I'm assuming that you checked out Davis Motorhomes in Memphis off of Brooks road (family members have bought there, good service).

You might have to make a RV search part of a family vacation. If I were looking at used, I probably would put PPL consignment in Houston on my list, maybe Lazydays in Seffner, FL., or check Craigslist in the surrounding area.

I would never buy a motorhome that I didn't have inspected professionally and looked at it in person myself. There is just too much that can go wrong if not presented correctly.

I wish you all the best luck, you will have to weigh the pros and cons of going the distance for the perfect motorhome.

Mark