Go old or go new ??????

[StuartS]

So we saw a 209 Monaco Dynasty 43' with the 500hp that is in great shape, well maintained. Rides is nice on the new tires but still 2009 with out IFS.
But then drove a New Tiffin Allegro Bus 45' with the 50hp & it rides better by a good bit. Turning radious is knight & day over 2009 Monaco.

A new Allegro Bus 45 OP with 450 will run us about $150K more.
Lets just use these figures for the sake of argument $175K vs $325K

1) Is the new Allegro Bus a better value going forward?

2) Will the 09 Monaco be a harder coach to sell in 3 years?

Would like your thoughts on this.

[RV Wizard]

In three years they will both be valued at about 1/2 what they are now.

[Sweetbriar]

Resale valve is a curve that drops quickly the first couple of years and will then flatten out. Both coaches will depreciate with time but 09 Monaco may hold a bit more. Looking at this from the cash cost angle the Monaco could be the better value when comparing purchase price to future sale price.

With the size of both rigs your potential buyer pool could be small and will certainly not be first time buyers. They will know what they want and potential pricing. A potential buyer could run into problems if they are financing the purchase of the Monaco given the age but I don't think that be much if any of a determining factor.

Buy which ever coach suits your wants and needs. Newer doesn't always mean better while used could have hidden problems.

[Adam Hunter]

If I'm not mistaken the Monaco will have the semi-monoque chassis.

While the Roadmaster chassis that was used on other Monaco/Holiday Rambler was well built it is now a dino. However the upgraded Monaco chassis was well done as mentioned above.

Have a good look at all of the house items on the Monaco and chassis service records if available.

[wildtoad]

If there is nothing or just minimal issues with the 2009, you like the floor plan, then you should question the need to spend an additional $150k. You will be less frustrated spend a few bucks to address issues on the older coach then spending time on fixing new coach issues.

[jacwjames]

Buying new is more of a personal choice, if you can afford it and don't care about the huge depreciation hit then go for it.

As to the 2009 Dynasty, this was the year Monaco ultimately declared bankruptcy. They were struggling to survive using odds & ends parts to complete coaches so quality stunk. We took a tour of the factory in late Aug 2009 and there was just a skeleton crew working. When we did a walk through of a couple new coaches they just finished off the line and found a number of quality issues.

Take a close look at the coach and compare the data sheet to what is actually installed. I've even heard of different engines being installed then what was suppose to be.

Knowing what the value of a used coach will be down the road is like playing darts, it depends on a lot of circumstances. People usually thing their coach is worth a lot more then the market will bare. The one thing a seller can do is keep good records as to maintenance as this is probably one of the most asked question with used coach buyers (or should be).

Personally I don't buy new vehicles anymore, having new to me isn't a must. My first RV was a new Class C and the only reason I bought it new was I got a really good deal on it paying dealer cost at an auction. Because of this it maintained it's value for a couple years but then depreciation started taking a hit and when I sold it, in 2009, the market was none existent and I had to lower the price to a ridiculous level to finally sell it. Such is life.

Our current coach was 6 years old when we bought, it was a repo and we got a heck of a deal paying 1/2 of the NADA value at the time. It held it's value for a number of years and there are still coaches listed on the market for higher then we paid for ours +7 years ago, although I know the value isn't as high as others think their coaches are worth.

[hypoxia]

Are you going to do the work on the Monaco or pay someone to do it?

If you are going to pay someone to do it, the Tiffin looks like a great deal. A lot of things happened when Monaco went bankrupt and a lot of files and information went into the dumpster.

I am on the phone to Monaco tech support quite a bit as well as to the many vendors who supplied the parts/systems. There are files I cannot get from Monaco, pneumatic system etc. that were thrown away.

They are wonderful to live in & drive and they have all of the bells and whistles which require maintenance, lots of it. I've had my 2007 Signature Noble III about 4 months now, $6000 in 3 pages of parts along with many, many hours of my free labor. The gig list is pretty short now. I have the space, tools, time, ability and enjoy working on it. Do you?

[gemert]

I would not buy a 2008 Monaco. All the reasons above.

[Ziggy07]

My thought on the matter is to purchase a 3 year old +/- 43 or 45 ' Tiffin. You should pick that up for around 200,000. You will still have some warranty left.You shouldn't have to do the batteries or tires for a few years. You will get an all electric coach and much more. As always let the buyer beware have it checked out by an independent repair facility. We bought a 2011 43 QGP lightly used and couldn't be happier. Tiffin even stood behind a few issues even though it was out of warranty.

[chuckftboy]

It sounds like you have plenty of money and if that is the case, you should buy new and have it exactly the way you want it. No compromise if you get Tiffin to build a coach for you.

[Cat320]

IMHO, the best compromise would be a used RV, but a couple of years newer than the Monaco. Buy new and I'll guarantee you'll be back to the dealer and/or factory a number of times. With a one or two year old coach, most appliances will still be under warranty, and (hopefully) the bugs will be worked out.

[relaxn]

FWIW, we have a 2009 Monaco and I think the built quality is excellent. Fit and finish is perfect both inside and outside. Nothing appears to be "odds and ends" parts. Engine, tranny...everything is exactly as stated on the build sheet. I have been under, over and inside it and I can't find anything to suggest that is was built with any less care than any other coach. Just my .02

[Wundertaker]

I would look seriously at Newmar.......feel it's a touch better than tiffin. Both are better than Monaco. Go 2_4 years old.

[StuartS]

Originally Posted by Wundertaker

I would look seriously at Newmar.......feel it's a touch better than tiffin. Both are better than Monaco. Go 2_4 years old.

like the dutch star but they will not put Villa upholstery in it & don't want Flex Steel.