Planning on buying DP

[Darrenmccray]

My wife and I (me) have finally decided to go with diesel over gas for the power. We can't afford a new and have narrowed our selections to Newmar, Tiffin or American Coach.
We have never owned a RV, rent one for NASCAR. My parents owned one for years.
Can we get some advice as to what to look at when looking at one. Should we look deal or private party (big question). Looking at price of 50 to 80 thou.
Thank you in advance

[airlife01]

We are very happy with the used Newmar Mountain Aire we purchased last year. Newmar has been very helpful over the phone. Although we have no experience with Tiffin or American Coach, we are sold on Newmar. We would go with private party and back it up with an inspector...we also bought a 4 yr warranty. DW likes the space, I like the big diesel and tag axel. Off to Alaska June 3rd.

[TonyDi]

I have a Newmar Dutch Star and I've been very happy with it. It would be nice if you can find a Newmar with Comfort Drive. It makes driving so much more a pleasure.

That said, only you can decide what floor plan is best for you. Visit as many dealerships as you can and spend some time in each model. It is also a good idea to go to a RV show where you can look at different RVs. It will give you an idea what's new. I would definitely get it inspected by a certified RV tech. and not one from the dealer you may be buying from. Get an independent tech. It's money well spent.

Good luck withe your search and Happy Trails!!!

[Mr_D]

Have had two Dutch Stars and should have bought a third!!
Got the '00 to retire in, after a couple years DW wanted more room so we ordered the '02. Kept it for 13 years. It was the most trouble free unit we've ever owned and still was when we traded it.
Hours after we signed the papers on the Magna the DW fell in love with the 4375 floor plan and has been telling me so ever since!!

[Slolane]

We went through the same thought process. Newmar vs Tiffin. Ended up with the Dutch Star and couldn't be happier (at least for the price we paid )

And yes, Comfort Drive is the schnitz It didn't come out until '08 IIRC, so might not be in your price range.

Good luck with the search!

[Lisablue85]

We went with private party & paid cash, got an amazing deal! When we started looking we knew exactly what we wanted inside & out. Started looking at Newmar, Tiffin & American Coach. Fell in love with the looks of the Americans, especially in the 99-00 years. Wanted a fiberglass roof, 350 hp engine, 2 slides,at least one sliding tray in basement, opposing sofas, light white washed cabinetry & the galley on the drivers side. Was looking mainly at Eagles, but found & bought a 99 American Dream with everything on our list. Couldn't be any happier! Good luck with your search!

[Mr_D]

Originally Posted by Slolane

We went through the same thought process. Newmar vs Tiffin. Ended up with the Dutch Star and couldn't be happier (at least for the price we paid )

And yes, Comfort Drive is the schnitz It didn't come out until '08 IIRC, so might not be in your price range.

Good luck with the search!

I've never driven a MH with the Comfort Drive and I've never felt that our DSDP's needed any help staying on the road.

[krivanj]

We have had two DPs, and two Fleetwood/American coaches. I'd say if you found what you like in a floor plan in a carefully well kept coach, any one of these makes will please you. Our Revolution LE lacks the aqua hot of the more expensive coaches, but I think has everything else we were looking for. It drives like a dream.

[vtwinwilly]

Originally Posted by Mr_D

I've never driven a MH with the Comfort Drive and I've never felt that our DSDP's needed any help staying on the road.

I test drove an Mountain Aire with non-adjustable Comfort Drive last week. It was my first experience with Comfort Drive and I was very impressed with the technology.

With that said, i wouldn't go so far as to exclude all other coaches that don't have it. There's just to many other things to consider. Comfort Drive is a nice feature, but I wouldn't say not having it is a deal breaker.

[Ludmilla]

At your price range, you are looking at an older diesel pusher. You did not say what length you were looking for but if you are looking around 40 foot, you are looking at coaches before 2006 most likely.
Based on my experience, I would look for a coach with complete maintenance records. I was looking at Newmar, Country Coach and Tiffin. I ended up with a Newmar and I am glad. The customer service has been great.
The coach has been a good one. My biggest mistake was not knowing that the paint checking on the coach would get worse over time even though I stored it inside. The previous owners stored it outside. The checking got to the point that it was lifting the clear coat off the dark areas which is exposing the panel underneath. It is an expensive fix and I will never get the money back when I sell it but we decided we like this coach enough and use it enough to fix the issue.
In the years you will be looking at, the coaches had the paint checking issue. If the coach was stored inside, it may never be an issue.
Also get an independent inspection done.
Good luck! Purchasing our coach is one of the best things we have ever done.

[montyhp]

After my buying experience (2005 discovery bought from private party) and having owned the coach for 3 months I am convinced that the best coaches are the ones that are actively used and maintained. I say this because I had bad luck with coaches sitting on lots. They had many problems.
I bought from a private individual who had maintenance records. The POs used their motor home consistently, driving to craft shows along the state of Texas. They had a relationship with an RV maintenance shop that was able to supply me with records of numerous repairs. When something broke it was fixed. That is the only way to go. I am doing most of my own maintenance and upgrades, but I am keeping records as I go along. I can't stand to see anything wrong with the coach so i fix everything immediately. If you spend enough time reading the forums you will find that a new coach can't even touch a well cared for used coach as far as condition goes.
The great thing is there is so much information on line, especially in this great forum and on discovery owners association site that there are few problems I can't figure out.

Good luck

[MCJones]

I have had 3 class A's -1 gas and 2 diesel. Based on my experience you should aim for a Newmar - Spartan, cummins, and try to get an Oasis heat system when buying used. It was an expensive option back in the beginning and worth every penny. jmo mark

[barmcd]

We've just completed a similar search. We were a little conflicted about how much to spend so we went ahead and got pre-approved for $110,000 and found that got us into quality coaches in the 2004-2007 range. We focused on Dutch Stars, a couple models of Country Coach and Monaco Windsor and Dynasty. After looking a month or so we decided we really wanted to spend $50,000 or less on those same models. That put us in the 2000-2004 range. What we found was that there were still good coaches, but they were fewer and farther between. They also go fast. I can't tell you how often we heard "we just sold that one".

With used coaches its all about condition. I agree with the poster above that you want to find a coach that has been used regularly. I would also add stored under cover if at all possible.

We used search tempest to do a multi-state craigslist search every morning and evening and used RV trader several times a day. You have to be proactive because you want to be one of the first to look at any coach that catches your interest. I'd recommend private seller over dealer. It's enticing to look at dealers because you can see several coaches at once, but the dealers lot is where we saw most of the dogs.

We probably drove 2000 miles in that four months and were so relieved when we finally found a quality coach, in immaculate condition that wasn't sold.

Good luck with your search.

[B Dubya]

We're in almost the exact same situation as you. Now........if we show up at someone's house and they say, 'Sorry. We just sold that coach to a guy named Darren McCray' well.......it's on!!!