Community Forums

ie2special · 01-27-2014, 10:39 AM

We like Entegra Coach. We like the engines, the chassis, and the finishes. One thing we liked was the We can "afford" one but we really don't want to pay that much. Is it possible to get an older unit and remodel it? Like you flip a house, flip a motorhome? New wallpaper, paint the cabinets, re-upholster, upgrade the appliances etc? I don't know much about these things but I never fell that any of them are perfect to me.

Would it be more cost effective on a low mileage machine than buying something new or even a couple years old?

homeless · 01-27-2014, 10:43 AM

I would suggest motor home is the same theory as used cars. Test the Market: craigslist > sites

gemini5362 · 01-27-2014, 11:12 AM

I do not think you can compare them. Houses go up in value over time. You can buy it and fix it up and flip it but all you really do then is bring it into line with the current market prices. Motorhomes go down in value over time. You might get one and fix it up. This would increase the value if you got one cheap enough but you are still looking at an older motor home. Unless you can find one that is in really bad shape and negotiate a great price on it I think you will have trouble doing what you are talking about. There is a show on Television that shows a guy doing what you are talking about but he has a lot of scrap motor homes. Buys ones that are very closed to being scrapped and then makes a good one out of the two. But from what I saw he is talking about under 50,000 dollar motor homes and sometimes he restores classics.

ie2special · 01-27-2014, 11:26 AM

I don't actually want to flip it to sell, I want to live in it

I just really don't like a lot of the interiors and would not feel right getting something new and then changing it all. I guess I will keep thinking.

t55watson · 01-27-2014, 11:37 AM

Re model for your wants and needs is a good choice if you will stay in that rig for 5 years or more. Less years than that would be not smart money spent. IMHO

**NLOVNIT** · 01-27-2014, 12:37 PM

Lots of members here have remodelled older RV's, some taking them down to the bare shell. If you can find one with "good bones", I'd say go for it & make it yours. All it takes is money.

Lori-

ie2special · 01-27-2014, 01:05 PM

Thanks everyone. We would want to keep it for life. We are in our mid/late 30's and have a house in Florida already

StevenNSteph · 01-27-2014, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ie2special

We would want to keep it for life.

That's a nice thought but highly impractical. Motorhomes wear out much faster than stick and brick houses. It's rare to find 1980's motorhomes traveling the roads, just like it's rare to find cars of those age. The reality is the upkeep far outweighs the replacement cost of the unit so people ditch them and get a newer one.

When I started RVing I was in my early 20's and over the coarse of 20 years I have owned 6 coaches. None of them wore out, instead our needs changed dramatically from our first coach to our second to our third, etc etc. You are young, and you will find that your needs will change as your vacations, hobbies and travels change.

My .02 is to buy a used coach (3-6 years used) that fits your needs "right now". The coach will already have gone through most of it's depreciation, then plan on selling it before it turns 10 years old (this is another large hit in depreciation) and trade into a coach that fits your needs then. By doing it this way you will save lots of money (I calculate that I have saved over $500,000 if I would have bought new).

Good luck and have fun!

**pasdad1** · 01-27-2014, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ie2special

We like Entegra Coach. We like the engines, the chassis, and the finishes. One thing we liked was the We can "afford" one but we really don't want to pay that much. Is it possible to get an older unit and remodel it? Like you flip a house, flip a motorhome? New wallpaper, paint the cabinets, re-upholster, upgrade the appliances etc? I don't know much about these things but I never fell that any of them are perfect to me. Would it be more cost effective on a low mileage machine than buying something new or even a couple years old?

You should give these guys a call I don't have any experience with them, but it sounds like they can remodel to make you happy.

ie2special · 01-27-2014, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StevenNSteph

My .02 is to buy a used coach (3-6 years used) that fits your needs "right now". The coach will already have gone through most of it's depreciation, then plan on selling it before it turns 10 years old (this is another large hit in depreciation) and trade into a coach that fits your needs then. By doing it this way you will save lots of money (I calculate that I have saved over $500,000 if I would have bought new).

It seems so scary to buy something in the 200/300K range and know that it is going to go eventually and I will need something else. Is that really what a lot of people do?

ie2special · 01-27-2014, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pasdad1

You should give these guys a call I don't have any experience with them, but it sounds like they can remodel to make you happy.

That is exactly what I was curious about. Thank You!

TXiceman · 01-27-2014, 07:08 PM

If you buy a quality Rv with good bones, you can basically gut it and start over or just some changes like floor, cabinets, etc. But do start with a good higher end used unit.

Ken

2Bargos · 01-27-2014, 07:28 PM

From 2004 until now I have owned 4 tt,s 5 f'vers and finally a coach.I have "flipped"all of them.I purchase 5-6 yr old units that have been damaged and repair and use until we sale.

If you can and will do all the work yourself you can eventually come out ahead.You time invested cannot be counted or you will surley lose.

When I sold our last F'ver I was $3800 ahead over a eight year period plus we always had a camper for our personal use.

You have to be careful,what looks good is not always so.I purchased my current coach (96 bounder ) for what i thought was a steal,$3000 and was able to drive it home.When I finally had the coach in what I would consider very good condition I had spent another $3500 for repair materials plus invested approx 200 hrs labor which for me is no problem because I actually enjoy working on them.
As soon as warmer weather prevails I have to buy a new set of tires for coach as mine have all aged out.

At this point I have $6500 + whatever tire cost will be In a coach that would sell in my area for around $10,000 +/-.

Would i do it again ? yes.
Will wife let me? probably not as she has made sure interior is what she wanted and has told me this ones a keeper.
If you have time and know how go for it,if you have to "hire it done"its a losing proposition

As an average for me i have usually been able to have a great unit for about 60-70% of what you can buy it for.

**CountryFit** · 01-27-2014, 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TXiceman

If you buy a quality Rv with good bones, you can basically gut it and start over or just some changes like floor, cabinets, etc. But do start with a good higher end used unit.

Ken

I agree. find a higher end unit with a great floor plan, take it from there. you will be a proud owner upon finishing all things.