Thor vs...

[ohau8622]

We are going to our first RV show this month with the intention of purchasing our first motor home. We test drove the Thor ACE 29.4 while in Florida and found it rather noisy but descent. We also like the forest River 30DS, Itasca Sun Star or Holiday Rambler. This is our first one for 2 adults and a puppy and want to stay with 29 or 30 length.

Anyone with experience with any of these for first timers will be great.

Thanks

[BFlinn181]

I suggest you take the money you'd spend on a brand new unit and shop used. The depreciation is a huge hit. Check the many threads of disappointed folks buying new thinking that way they avoid problems. Buying a carefully inspected used RV means someone else has suffered through the weeks and months of getting things repaired that should have been caught before leaving the factory. Let the first owner take the hit on depreciation and getting things corrected.

You'll find your money goes for a lot more and you'll have an RV ready to use. JMHO

[wildtoad]

Not knowing you or your budget..... I'd look at some Newmar Bay Star or Bay Star Sport units in the size you mentioned. I looked at some Thor and Winnebago units before buying Newmar. Was like night and day. Mine has not been perfect but all is good now and Newmar has been good to deal with.

[LarryJB]

We are 1st time RV owners and looked at Thor at first, but the more we looked the less we liked. We settled on a Winnebago Sunstar 29VE. We focused on floor plan and just could not find anything that we liked more than the 29VE. I know Winne Sunstar is not the top of the line, but it was just right for us. We have not regretted it for one second.
Most of the gassers in the length you are looking are on the Ford F53 chassis and there is lots of fun stuff you can do with it to make it ride better. For me that is a plus cause I am a tinkerer and would rather have stuff to tinker with than not.
BFlinn181 has some sound advice, even though I did not follow it. I think we just got too impatient waiting for the perfect used one to come along. We had a few issues with ours that more than likely would not have been a problem on a not-so-used one. If we ever do shop for another MH, I will insist on more patience to find the perfect used coach. Don't get me wrong I love our new coach, just saying I think you can get way more bang for your buck with a used one.

[Nowabeachbum]

Originally Posted by BFlinn181

I suggest you take the money you'd spend on a brand new unit and shop used. The depreciation is a huge hit. Check the many threads of disappointed folks buying new thinking that way they avoid problems. Buying a carefully inspected used RV means someone else has suffered through the weeks and months of getting things repaired that should have been caught before leaving the factory. Let the first owner take the hit on depreciation and getting things corrected.

You'll find your money goes for a lot more and you'll have an RV ready to use. JMHO

This is excellent advice, particularily for a newcomer, for all the reasons stated plus a few. There are a lot of gently used motorhomes from people that thought they had the perfect rig only to find a reason to trade. There are no new motorhomes that don't need work so let the first owner sort them out. And by buying used, as stated, you will find that you can afford a little nicer coach with more amenities. Something to think about

[saddlesore]

Originally Posted by BFlinn181

I suggest you take the money you'd spend on a brand new unit and shop used.

You'll find your money goes for a lot more and you'll have an RV ready to use. JMHO

I CONCUR !
For several reasons..
1) Your 1st coach is a steep learning experience...
2) After a very short while You may discover many things that do not work out quite like you thought it would..
3) ie: floor plan,galley arrangement, bed usability, size of fresh/black/gray tanks, power/noise/handling....
4)Save the "big bucks" purchase until you know what's what

After a year or two then you can get exactly what you want and need..

Happy Hunting!

[Sandy Swede]

Although I agree with many who have posted here to consider buying used for all the reasons listed, however . . .

If you do decide to purchase a new Thor or similar , do not assume that just because it is new, that you do not have to have an independent inspection. Many new units leave the factory with defects that would shock you. Do not write the check or sign the contract unless and until you are satisfied that everything works. Many on this forum will tell you from sad experience that you can not take the dealer's word that "oh, we will have that fixed when you pick it up, sign here." Also, be aware that RV/s are not covered under the Magnuson Moss Act (lemon law). You will also find in most purchase contracts, that you will be signing away any recourse against the dealer for defects. If your dealer chooses not to take care of any defects, you must deal with Thor and/or the several component manufacturers. You will have more than one warranty, unlike a car manufacturer.

Finally, do not stretch yourself financially to make this purchase. If you need to finance the rig, I recommend putting at least 25% down. Even so, realize that once you drive it off the lot, you are probably 100% LTV. Many on this forum would also encourage you to have an emergency fund of approx $5k to cover unforeseen, non-warranty repairs. Also, toys for the toy (aka accessories) will add up fast. Don't forget to factor in cost of registration and insurance.


I know all of this sounds daunting, and I may be citing things that you already know, however, all of us who have been bitten by the RV bug want you to have an enjoyable experience. For old duffers like me, it is like watching young people fall in love. We live vicariously.

Best of luck and keep us posted.

[TonyDi]

I agree with BFlinn. Use the money to look for a slightly used MH. You will get more bang for the buck and all the little issues will have been fixed.

[powercat_ras]

If it is your first, and you enjoy the RV lifestyle, chances are you will move up to RV #2 in a few years once you know your likes and dislikes and get to check out other RVs. So, I suggest you consider starting out with a good used model.

You will have to do some learning to make sure you don't buy a used RV with some major problem lurking to pop up. Most used RVs are sold AS IS except perhaps for remaining chassis warranty. Generally coach warranty is up 1 year after first sale. Be sure to understand what guarantee you are getting with the purchase. AS IS can be OK, but you may want to have a qualified person do an inspection. Similar to why most do a home inspection before buying a home AS IS. Good luck.

[Scarab0088]

The Thor Motor Coach (TMC) A.C.E. (crossover of an A and C) has been a best selling RV for several years running because of the price point and innovative floor plans (8 of them).
https://thormotorcoach.com/ace/

Floor plan is the most important selection to many...get what YOU want.

It is NOT a 45' Diesel Pusher, so the A.C.E. (max length is 31'6") will get you into most any camping area you want - anywhere.

If you want new - buy new. Having a warranty and knowing the RV has never been used/abused is VERY important for many.

TMC can beat most all other brand's price point because several things:
~They carry no debt...each and every RV is sold to a dealership before it is built...retail customers can make a pre-order with a dealer to ensure they get the colors they want, of course.
~They do not do custom orders (see above). Most all optional items for other brands are standard equipment on TMC motohomes;
https://thormotorcoach.com/ace/features/
~They have 34 model lines of motorhomes (from Eurovan Class C's to 45' Luxury DP's) and Thor RV makes many, many more RV's than any other maker, with brands ranging from the premium AirStream or Entegra Coach to economy units like Coleman...providing an "Economy of Scale" that no other brand offers.
https://thormotorcoach.com/Motorhomes/
and
https://www.thorindustries.com/get-t...the-companies/

These RV's are a GREAT value and our Thor built RV has always been reliable and enjoyable.

Best luck

[Safritts]

I know there are varied opinions here and will add mine. We have owned 5 motorhomes over the last 20 years. I recently evaluated several manufacturers late models before buying a used Itasca (Winnebago) Meridian DP. I looked at several Thor models, new and used. None of them came close to the quality of a Winnebago coach. You get what you pay for.

[marjoa]

All these points may not apply to you but may be helpful to others:

A few things to consider when buying ANY motorhome (MH):
Buying any MH is NOT like buying a car. You should not just go out and find one that you like and it’s pretty to look at, the price is good and then make a decision. Buying a MH on emotion without careful thought could turn into buyers remorse. There is also a learning curve and testing of all the systems that are in a MH. It is considered—best practice—that no matter what type of MH you decide to purchase, Gas or Diesel, used or new, that once you do purchase one, give yourself time and a few short trips to become familiar with it, and fix any bugs or issues that may and probably will arise BEFORE you go on any extended trip.

1) The first thing to consider and probably the most important to most of us is, what can I afford
2) How are you going to use the MH? Are you going to use it sporadically throughout the year for short 1,2,3 or 4 weeks at a time or are you planning to travel a lot year round, traveling the US & maybe Canada
3) Are you planning to tow a vehicle
4) Insurance will vary a lot depending on the type of MH, how you use it, the size, its value, its age, the state you live it, and your driving record
5) A few states have MH size restrictions, and license requirements
6) It’s a best practice to store your MH inside when not in use so in most cases this requires renting a storage unit and—depending on your location and the length—will vary a lot on what you pay. Usually a 35’ or less storage unit for most people the cost is very reasonable. Over 35’ it goes up quite a bit. And don’t forget, you’ll need an extra 5’ - 10’ at least to give yourself the ability to store supplies and have the ability to work on and clean your coach. If you choose not to store your MH and leave it outside, your MH’s condition will pay a price
7) Maintenance is another consideration and this is not just confined to oil changes, air filters and lubing the chassis. MH’s are equipped with many onboard systems. It’s a house on wheels. They have 12volt and 110 electrical systems with a variety of different appliances and charging systems. Some have no slides some have many slides. There are different types of roofs. There are so many systems they can’t all be mentioned here, but some are only found on Diesels. Regardless with ether it’s Gas or Diesel, all these systems have to be maintained on a regular basis and you have to decide whether you can perform some, most or all of these systems yourself or pay someone to do it
8) Any MH owner should also have roadside service of some kind
9) Warranty. If you buy a new MH it will come with a factory warranty. But most dealers & shops today are so back logged with coaches that need service work—in many if not most cases—may take weeks to schedule your work. Therefore, your normal warranty expires fairly quickly so you’ll have to decide whether you want to pay for an extended warranty. Many times if you buy a new MH out of state, when you get home, your local dealer will not service it because you didn’t buy it from them. Or, they may work on it but you’ll usually be put on the bottom of their list. If you buy locally your local dealer is probably fairly close to your home base, but it would be to your advantage to buy a MH that also has factory service center nearby (say within 500 miles or so) that can not only take care of warranty issues, but also address any other more complicated issues that may arise
10) Tire costs for Diesels (for the most part) are much more than gas rigs simply because they are bigger
11) How much storage space do you need in the basement to carry all your stuff
12) If you buy a new MH you will take a big depreciation hit, especially in the first 3 years
13) If you buy a used MH, get it inspected by a professional and have the fluids tested by a lab. IMHO the sweet spot on a used MH is one that's 3 -5 yrs. old. The previous owner has already taken a big hit on the depreciation, a lot of MHs out there have hardly been used or abused yet and they have a lot of the new updates.

[mr-kolby]

Definitely check out used coaches. As far as the brands you are considering, Holiday Rambler is my pick. I've had 2006 Fleetwood Expedition, 2008 Fleetwood Revolution and a 2006 Holiday Rambler Imperial. All were excellent quality and service help from the factory. One was new, the latter 2 used. Got more bang for the $ with the used ones, as they were a higher grade. If you are close to Canada your $$ is 30% better for shopping. I'm looking at used coaches again right now.

[Vanslam]

I spent 2 years researching before I purchased my motorhome. My finalist were Newmar, Tiffin and Fleetwood. Thor was never in the picture. I wanted new but found one less than a year old with 1400 miles in near new shape and a lot cheaper than new. Drove it from NJ to Cali and back without an issue. I did my own pre purchase inspection which took 4 hours. Even went on the roof and crawled under it. Found a faulty ac and dealer replaced it before I purchased it. My advice is take your time, do your research. Talk to owners. Visit rv shows and dealers and check the ones you want out. When you get to your final,one sit in it for a while like you are living in it. So you can get the feel of it. The more time you spend researching the better decision you will make in the long run.