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John USA · 06-15-2015, 10:49 AM

Some ten or twelve years ago, my wife and I bought a 1982 24' Winnebago Chieftain, mainly on a lark. We were talking about how cool it would be to take the kids on trips, etc. Driving to the store one day, we saw a MH with a for sale sign on it. One test drive and $1900.00 later, it was ours.

That old Winnie performed without complaint, getting us from Washington to Colorado, and Idaho a few times. It was loud, and rattly, and a white knuckle driver. When the last child got out of high school, we sold it, thinking we didn't need something that big, and got a tent trailer...that was a mistake that lasted two seasons.

Fast forward to now...and, older and wiser. We have been talking about getting a MH for a couple years, but talking isn't doing. We finally put a budget together, made a list of what we wanted in a MH (learning from our first experience), and went on the hunt.

We hope to take delivery of a new-to-us 1996 Rexhall Aerbus 34' w/tag axle this week. The dealer is prepping it, and doing a couple repairs. It's a significant step up from what we had before, in terms of physical size, and investment.

One of the key selling points for me was the test drive. In the old Winnie, anytime a big rig blew by it was a job just to keep that thing on the road. I actually learned to anticipate the "push" that the air bubble would make, and would counter-steer to offset the effect.

During the test drive of the Rexhall, a big rig went by us, and I barely noticed, it was so slight. I was going 60, he was going faster...what I did notice was the smile on my face that I wasn't fighting to keep the Rexhall in my own lane.

Anyway, anxious to get our new rig, get familiar with it, and get on the road again. We're just a few years from retirement, and want to use this time to see if this is "the one".

By the way, if anyone from Tacoma, WA area reads this, I would appreciate hearing about a reputable RV repair/maintenance shop for any work I might need in the future.

Thanks!

denlock · 06-15-2015, 12:30 PM

Nick-B · 06-15-2015, 01:20 PM

Hi John. Having that tag axle gives a more stability and better ride, even on the old gassers like ours.
Is the Rexhall on a Ford chassis? Myself and a few others here can help with any engine & chassis questions.
Best of luck with your "new" motorhome!

hal1phx · 06-15-2015, 04:34 PM

Congrats on the new rig .... enjoy the adventure

Penster · 06-15-2015, 04:50 PM

Congrats!!!! Hoping you have years of fun and enjoyment!

GypsyYears · 06-15-2015, 05:00 PM

Congrats on your new RV and welcome to the forum. I too am "new" to RVing and just got my rig a week ago. Cant wait for the 1st adventure

Cheers and happy travels!

John USA · 06-15-2015, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick-B

Hi John. Having that tag axle gives a more stability and better ride, even on the old gassers like ours.
Is the Rexhall on a Ford chassis? Myself and a few others here can help with any engine & chassis questions.
Best of luck with your "new" motorhome!

Yes, sir, it is on a Ford chassis. What you said about the tag axle, I had read many times, so that was on the "must have" side of the list.

I know heaps more now about suspension upgrades than I did when I bought it, such as safety steering systems, tire pressure monitoring systems, and rear trac bar, and I'm anxious to get it in my driveway and see if anything has been added.

Thanks all, for the welcome, and I'm sure I'll have a question or two as I roll along.