Community Forums

beamisl · 02-14-2015, 05:56 AM

I do not own a MH yet but this is my take on why I am looking for older.

First of all, I want to pay cash. Everything we have is paid for and I WILL NOT get into payments for anything if I can help it.

I don't like leather and most new rigs are all leather and way to fancy for me. Country girl here and I like a simpler lifestyle, not a city girl.

I think the price tag on those new rigs is ridiculous! IF I could afford it I would have it built more simple and I am not sure you can even get that done because everything is just thrown together. Like others have said, there was craftsmanship when the vintage ones were built.

But this is why I like older houses too. Yes, there are things that need updated, flooring replaced, and when you buy new in a few years it is used so what is the difference.

We are looking between 2000 and 2006. Not too old, but I don't want a big project either. I recently looked at a 2004 Winnebago Brave and I believe this is what we will buy. Loved this coach!

If you are comfortable with it isn't that all that really matters? Lynne

Pa Miller · 02-14-2015, 07:32 AM

I like my 32 1995 Dynasty , gets around 12 mpg 130 gal tank, I am a 5.9 cummins nutcase I've owned 7 of them .. this one has the 6 speed Allison Roadmaster frame and a little under 70,000 miles on it.... all soild oak and leather inside .. the cost to build one like it now would be very high.. Drives better than my pickup trucks..... Replacing the carpet with marble is the only thing I'd do to it..
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dmurdock · 02-14-2015, 01:13 PM

I could afford a new one but the quality just isn't there anymore. I do regular maintenance and other small projects on mine but I honestly believe it's got another 30yrs in it.

indie52 · 02-14-2015, 01:22 PM

We have a 1995, 23ft Winnebago brave and we love it for our style of travel. No slides so it's nice and solid on back roads. At 23ft it's small enough to take pretty well anywhere.

MattC · 02-14-2015, 05:27 PM

Boy am I going to skew this curve...

We have and are members of the several GMC Motorhomes chapters.

There are few members that have traded off for newer, but more that have traded new for a GMC. A GMC can't be newer than '78 and except for a couple of dozen stretches none are longer than 26'. But they all are less than 9'6" tall and have a floor height of 13" Some people like a step, but we don't put our step out unless we plan to be there for a while (like days).

I can only tell you what it is like to drive from memory. DW drives in daylight and I sit on the right and navigate and plan. No, there is a lot that others might have that we don't but we have what we want.

Ours is a 1973 23' it can sleep two couples and a large dog and fits our needs very well.

Matt

IamJerryP · 02-14-2015, 07:43 PM

I paid less for my old RV than people lose in depreciation driving their new one off the lot.
Middle class people do not accumulate wealth by over paying for stuff, and buying things that take huge hits on depreciation
It has the floor plan I like, and everything a new one does, just older.
I would like to thank all the people who buy new motorhomes, and let them know I fully support their purchasing a new model, because they keep supplying used motorhomes for us people who do not want to take the massive hit on depreciation.
I get to paint my motorhome this year, and because it is old, I can paint it anyway i want, and not worry about hurting the re-value.
I am thinking about putting dog paw prints all over it 8-)
Don't laugh, it is paid for 8-)
I would love an old GMC motorhome. they are just cool

Pa Miller · 02-14-2015, 08:11 PM

I like them all new, old ,big, small $2000.00 to $2,000,000.00 . I just like class A rigs ... me and my wife we looked forever at RVs one morning at about 4 am while starting on my first cup of coffee I found my rig to be on Craigslist ... it just came available called the guy at 430 am said I want to see it first and drove 250 miles by 10 AM I drove it and owned it.. Love my 32' 1995 Monaco Dynasty it had less than 70,000 miles on it .. We ve took a few trips in it and I really can't see needing another Rig. and we got 12 mpg last trip .... I put a new set of tires and serviced it GG to each his own enjoy your ride PA.

wblynch · 02-14-2015, 10:41 PM

We bought our 1991 22ft Lazy Daze 18 months ago as our first RV and didn't want to spend a lot in case we didn't like RV-ing. We paid less than the sales tax and license of a new one.

So far we really like it and because it is a high quality build, it doesn't seem far off from new.

I've had friends and family who buy new fancy RVs, up to $350,000 and they don't have any more fun than we do with our 24 year old. And they lose the value of a small house in a couple of years.

I keep thinking what new RV I would get and it could be anything from an Airstream trailer to a Sprinter class B van.

And the new Lazy Daze are made just as well as mine so it just might be one of those. (I'm getting hooked on the brand )

But as long as I'm still working and have limited time off there's no reason to spend all that dough.

Daveinet · 02-15-2015, 03:17 PM

I will likely inherit, or be offered my Parents 2004 Allegro, but I'm not convinced I want it. Sure, the larger space when you are camping is fine, but I'm not sure I want to drive something that won't cruise at 80+ and feel comfortable. There may be a day when I slow down, but I'm not there yet. I like not having to think about having the space to pass on a two lane road, or getting bogged down pulling a grade. Most of the time, I drive with 2 fingers on the wheel. I can't do that with my dads coach. I've thought about getting a later year Revcon, but that is about the only thing I've considered.

Alltooledup · 02-16-2015, 01:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daveinet

I will likely inherit, or be offered my Parents 2004 Allegro, but I'm not convinced I want it. Sure, the larger space when you are camping is fine, with 2 fingers on the wheel. I can't do that with my dads coach. I've thoughbut I'm not sure I want to drive something that won't cruise at 80+ and feel comfortable. There may be a day when I slow down, but I'm not there yet. I like not having to think about having the space to pass on a two lane road, or getting bogged down pulling a grade. Most of the time, I drive t about getting a later year Revcon, but that is about the only thing I've considered.

Not sure if your joking here but looking at your profile you may not be.

A family member wrecked his car on I 65 on a dry day. He can barely walk. He lives with his parents, his youngest child is impaired for life. She receives great amounts of government aid. His oldest is OK. His wife was so injured that she had to live with her parents after the crash as her husbands family had their son and two children to care for. The wife passed away a short time later.

These are cousins. MY daughter worked for the health center they were shipped to after the crash. She got to see the destruction of a loving family due to a vehicle accident close up and personal. No one is the same. Nothing can be undone.

Driving is serious business. Your tires are not rated for those speeds 80+. Its OK for you to kill yourself but will you harm your family and accidental bystanders. You can go die on a closed course if you like but I hope to not see you with a blown tire coming at me from the opposing lane.

I was a street racer in my teens and had no concept of the danger of my actions to others. I was blessed to not have killed myself or other people. So I am hopeful that this will be taken in the way that it was meant. Just sharing my life experience up to this point. FWIW D

Daveinet · 02-16-2015, 06:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alltooledup

Driving is serious business. Your tires are not rated for those speeds 80+. Its OK for you to kill yourself but will you harm your family and accidental bystanders. You can go die on a closed course if you like but I hope to not see you with a blown tire coming at me from the opposing lane...

16 inch tires rated at 106 mph. Since all of us Revcon owners talk, blowouts are always fully vetted. Front or rear, blowouts are non-events. The most unsafe part of a blowout in a Revcon is changing the tire on the side of the road. Revcons do not handle like anything you could ever imagine. They were designed by a guy who engineered Formula 1 cars for Ferrari, before organizing his own team, with Jacki Oliver as the driver in CAN-AM.

IamJerryP · 02-16-2015, 11:49 AM

n Something a cop told me once after pulling me over, for driving stupidly, "maybe you can handle the speed, but not everyone else can", he then let me go without a ticket.
Since that event decades ago, I have always been a lot more careful when in traffic around other vehicles. By myself, in wide open territory... well that is another matter.

Daveinet · 02-16-2015, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IamJerryP

n Something a cop told me once after pulling me over, for driving stupidly, "maybe you can handle the speed, but not everyone else can", he then let me go without a ticket.
Since that event decades ago, I have always been a lot more careful when in traffic around other vehicles. By myself, in wide open territory... well that is another matter.

Yes and that is good advice. Speed differential is one of your biggest dangers.

MattC · 02-16-2015, 04:48 PM

I guess I am kind of mystified why you would want to drive a motorhome 80+mph. If you do the math (not Common Core, but logical math) you will find that you have to really crank to make any difference. If you try to run 80, you won't average 80, there are other vehicles out there and you will be luck to average 70. Even if you do average 70 running, one extra fuel stop will kill it all. If you can average 70 for an hour, you won't pick up 10 minutes in a mile, it works out to a little over 8. And you probably worked your ass off to do that. Ours will do 80+, My wife proved it on I-290 west of Chicago. That lives in our record books for being the worst in our history. We weren't even trying for a record, DW was just driving like is was a car.

For years, the record speed was held by a GMC a 103 and his transmission wouldn't get out of second.

Most of the diesels are turbocharged and so retain horsepower at altitude much better than you SI will fall on its face on some of the mountain passes.

Blowing a 16 or 16.5 is just not all that big a deal, but it can take some body material with it. You still better know the age of your tires.

Slowdown, look at the view and let the fast idiots pass you.

Matt