New to motor homes

[Wolf222]

Going to look at a use motorhome 2006 Coachmen Mirada 310DS

any information as to what to look for?
It has 29500 miles, pics of interior look good. I am going to a dealer I've dealt with in the past and have had great dealings with and service is great. price 36000 ? trading a 2016 passport TT.

[Skip426]

It would help to know what chassis and engine the coach has .

If you go into the " Files " drop box ( third from left end of the blue bar across the page under the Google search box.) You'll find a " Buyers Check List " to download , print out and take with you. It's set up for diesel pushers, but a lot of the info applies to gassers too.

[marjoa]

Originally Posted by Wolf222

any information as to what to look for?

Oh sure......here's some information that should keep you busy for about 6 months.
https://www.google.com/search?ei=wCK...71.djy2Kz2j0uM

Good luck.

[Domo]

Get a floor plan that works for you.

Ignore the salesman.
Ignore the dealer service personnel.

There is always tomorrow.

If the sales manager says there is NO tomorrow - find another dealership.

[Waiter21]

The more you know about the MH, the better position you'll be in to inspect and then negotiate..

Want to scare the hell out of a salesman, Show up with a clipboard, inspection checklist, and a pair of coveralls rolled up under your arm.

I put together a Pre-purchase checklist a couple years ago when looking at my Mirada, then updated it to use when I was looking for my Southwind. This is in Word so you can change it any way you want..

http://1999southwind.com/DOWNLOAD/Pr...ase_Mar_17.doc

I also put together my F53 chassis checklist that I used.

F53 inspection maintenance checklist – 1999 Southwind 35S


..

[Isaac-1]

The first step is to gauge your interest in this model, not in issues this specific example shows. Do you like the layout, will it carry the things you need, check the tank capacities, cargo carrying capacity, etc. Don't get hung up on things that can be somewhat easily changed like curtains vs blinds, fabric color, or even the make and model of the toilet. While at a large consignment dealership last year I did actually see a couple of likely 1st time RV buyers debating between 2 very different class C's with their one of their deciding factor being preference in $250 toilets.



If you decide this is the right model for you, then you need to determine the condition of the specific coach you are looking at, again don't get hung up on the stuff that is easily fixed, though you will want to note it. Conversely don't let a well cleaned interior make you overlook major structural problems.





When inspecting an RV, after a brief overview a proper RV inspection is best done from the roof downward, the roof of an RV is often neglected being out of sight. Leaks and the subsequent (often hidden) rot is generally the number one killer of any type of RV, these leaks can be from the roof penetrations, window, door, and slide seals, etc, regardless of which they are best inspected from above. A good detailed RV inspection will take at least 5-6 man hours, of which around an hour will be spent on the roof, up close on hands and knees, looking for cracked and missing sealant, holes, etc. If this is something you are not able to safely do yourself, you should strongly consider hiring a professional RV inspector, you can use the inspector locator at nrvia.org to find one. Even if you do look at these things yourself, hiring an inspector may still be a good idea as it will give you a second set of experienced eyes on the subject, that may catch something that you missed.


Beyond the roof, much of RV inspecting is looking for water damage, this means not just looking in the easily visible places, but looking in cabinets, and closest, around window frames, ... If you find signs of water penetration and wood rot, run away, as it is often far more extensive than it appear to be at first glance.

[Vlunceford]

Get a professional independent inspection on any used coach you are seriously interested in.

[DryCreek]

$36K seems a bit high to me.

I always start on the roof of any RV we look at. My wife has a very bright LED flashlight and starts her inspection at the rear of the coach where the rear wall meets the ceiling - making sure to open every drawer and cabinet on her way forward. If I see anything that concerns me on the roof, I'll start knocking until I hear her knock back. After the roof I don my coveralls and head underneath, starting at the rear and sliding on my back all the way forward.

Only after the detailed inspection for water intrusion and obvious mechanical damage will I pull out my OBD-II scan tool/code reader and pull codes. I then have my wife stand by the exhaust and I stand near the open hood and have the salesman start the engine. We look for smoke and odd noises, leaks, or anything else that seems out of the ordinary.

Check RV Trader for pricing comparisons. For an even better idea of what a similar coach sells for (in Texas) look at PPL Motorhomes.