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Old 06-10-2019, 05:59 PM   #1
Kyu
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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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Old 06-10-2019, 06:32 PM   #2
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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.
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Old 06-10-2019, 07:57 PM   #3
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Yes I am biased but throw a used Tiffin into the mix.
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Old 06-10-2019, 08:09 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by momdoc View Post
Yes I am biased but throw a used Tiffin into the mix.
Ops. Sorry. I also would consider Tiffin.
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Old 06-10-2019, 09:02 PM   #5
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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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Old 06-11-2019, 12:41 AM   #6
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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/
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Old 06-11-2019, 05:07 AM   #7
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I am sorry, dumb question, what does DP stand for?
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Old 06-11-2019, 05:12 AM   #8
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Diesel Pusher. Meaning rear engine.
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Old 06-11-2019, 09:38 AM   #9
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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
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Old 06-11-2019, 10:03 AM   #10
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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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Old 06-11-2019, 11:46 AM   #11
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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!
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Old 06-11-2019, 03:34 PM   #12
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Thank you for the nice welcome.
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Old 06-11-2019, 05:33 PM   #13
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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.
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Old 06-11-2019, 06:09 PM   #14
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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.
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