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06-10-2019, 05:59 PM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 5
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Full time class A recommendations?
Hi there,
I am brand new to the site and I have already learned so much. I apologize if I am posting this question in the wrong area.
My husband and I are in our late 40s and we're planning to go full time within the next two years. We have a tight budget of $40,000 or less. So we will probably need to buy a 15 plus year old motor home. We want a diesel pusher with at least 2 slides and 36' plus length. Which brands of RV should be on our short list? What other important things should we look for? Which RVs should we avoid?
Thanks in advance.
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06-10-2019, 06:32 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Somewhere Nice
Posts: 1,466
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You can find many nice DPs for around $40k, if you look hard enough. Find the ones well cared for and with moderately low miles. Original owner would be a big plus. There are a ton of 15-20 year DPs going strong. I would stick to the higher end models made by American, Newmar, country coach, Foretravel, and Monaco.
If you don’t know a lot about DPs, you need to hire a knowledgeable inspector of DPs. Expect to fix a lot of things, hopefully mostly minor things.
__________________
2008 Monaco Dynasty Squire
Paul & Luci
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06-10-2019, 07:57 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Tiffin Owners Club
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Where we park it!
Posts: 13,145
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Yes I am biased but throw a used Tiffin into the mix.
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momdoc
2018 Tiffin Allegro RED 37PA
2020 JEEP Trailhawk
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06-10-2019, 08:09 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Somewhere Nice
Posts: 1,466
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Quote:
Originally Posted by momdoc
Yes I am biased but throw a used Tiffin into the mix.
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Ops. Sorry. I also would consider Tiffin.
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2008 Monaco Dynasty Squire
Paul & Luci
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06-10-2019, 09:02 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Tiffin Owners Club
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Frankfort, KY
Posts: 1,906
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I was sitting with my wife outside yesterday, enjoying the weather and the campground. I happen to mention to her that if I knew then, what I know now, I would have seriously considered buying an older quality DP and spent the time restoring the coach. I too agree that if you find an older coach from a good manufacturer it will run for a long time. If you are handy, healthy, and have the time, restoring the inside is not a huge obstacle. Good luck with your search, take your time, ask a lot of questions, and enjoy the good and learn to laugh at the bad times.
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Scott and Deanna
2014 Tiffin Allegro Bus 45LP
Home base - Polk City, FL
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06-11-2019, 12:41 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Enjoying the Western States!
Posts: 19,680
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Put a Newmar on your list!
Here's a good place to study floorplans and to get price ideas. There's a 2000 40' Country Coach for $20,000 (another good manufacturer) and also a 2000 40' Newmar Mountain Aire for $30,000.
http://www.pplmotorhomes.com/
__________________
Full-timed for 16 Years . . .
Traveled 8 yr in a 2004 Newmar Dutch Star 40' Diesel
& 8 yr in a 33' Travel Supreme 5th wheel
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06-11-2019, 05:07 AM
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#7
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 5
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I am sorry, dumb question, what does DP stand for?
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06-11-2019, 05:12 AM
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#8
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Community Moderator
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Central, Arkansas
Posts: 11,223
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Diesel Pusher. Meaning rear engine.
__________________
2004 Beaver Monterey Laguna IV
Cummins ISC 350HP Allison 3000 6 speed
2020 Chevy Equinox Premier 2.0t 9 speed AWD
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06-11-2019, 09:38 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Houston TX.
Posts: 2,349
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If all you have is 40k do not go with a class a. You can easily expect to spend $10k or more the first year just to fix things that are not right. Your yearly upkeep cost will be higher because the age of the rig. Be realistic about what you can afford and what you are able to do yourself to keep cost under control. I am not saying to give up the dream of full timing go for it we did. It is a great way of life.
Good luck with what ever you choose.
Enjoy the journey
__________________
Full timed in 2008 Newmar Essex. Currently part time in 2020 Entegra Esteem 29v tow Jeep Wrangler
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06-11-2019, 10:03 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Alpine Owners Club
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Traveling in North America
Posts: 2,248
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If you have a tight budget, an older DP might not be the way to go. Does your budget cover new tires (we just dropped $2000 for 4 rear tires) every 5 years. New batteries every 6-7 years, maintenance somewhere around $1K a year if nothing needs to be fixed, just fluids, filters, belts, etc. Our air filter is about $200, which is not all that unusual for DPs, and because of all of the fires on the west coast every summer that we go through, we've been changing it yearly. Some are much higher - plus then you have another $200-$300 for annual maintenance for the generator.
DPs are not economical - though I love ours, the air ride, the exhaust brake, all of the creature comforts we have with it.
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Barbara & David O'Keeffe
Figment II (Alpine 2002 36 MDDS)
On The Road since 2006
Blog
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06-11-2019, 11:46 AM
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#11
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Senior Member/RVM #90
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Columbus, MS
Posts: 54,626
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Hi ! Welcome to IRV2! We're sure glad you joined the gang!
Noticed you are kinda new on IRV2 and wanted to say hello!
Good luck, happy trails, and God bless!
__________________
Joe & Annette
Sometimes I sits and thinks, sometimes I just sits.....
2002 Monaco Windsor 40PBT, 2013 Honda CRV AWD
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06-11-2019, 03:34 PM
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#12
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 5
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Thank you for the nice welcome.
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06-11-2019, 05:33 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Somewhere Nice
Posts: 1,466
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I agree with being careful buying a DP with a budget of $40k. However, it can be done if you know what you are doing.
This coach is a 1997 Monaco Dynasty. Very nice coach in it’s day. Owner sold it last year for $30k. It had 107,000 miles, but was well cared for and in very nice shape. It had just been driven from Michigan to California and back, without incident. Owner claimed it got 10mpg with no tag and no slides.
If you are handy and can do most maintenance/repairs yourself, a coach like this could give you years of affordable enjoyment.
__________________
2008 Monaco Dynasty Squire
Paul & Luci
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06-11-2019, 06:09 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Outdoors RV Owners Club
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Nowhere, now here. Freedom!
Posts: 4,602
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You should be warned that there are a significant number of RV parks that will not let an RV in that is more than ten years old.
__________________
ORV 19B Full Timer from '15 to '20, '14 Ram 2500 Diesel and a GSD. Vancouver, WA
de K7NOL 146.52Mhz Safety? (CLICK ME!)
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