Looking at a 1999 Mountain Aire

[Circejane]

I'm looking at a very nice 1999 Mountain Aire MA-3767 with a Freightliner chassis and engine, well-maintained, garage kept, looks great, 29K miles. Diesel engine, but not a pusher. It's listed by a private seller for $35K. Based on my research of Tiffins and Newmars, this seemed like a reasonable price to me.

I looked it up on the NADA guide, and was gobsmacked to see a retail price of $15K to $18K. Is this true, or am I looking at the wrong Mountain Aire? It seems more like a gas coach price to me. I'm supposed to go see it this weekend, but if it's truly that overpriced, then I need to cancel or see if the owner will come down in price.

Opinions? I appreciate any input.

[TonyDi]

Glad to have you here with us.

The prices you are looking at in the NADA guide are base price. They do not add on for options on the coach. I ran a sampling and it easily jacked the avg. retail price up to 27k. You need to find out what equipment the Mountain Aire has on it.

I would think the seller should be motivated, as front engine diesels are not in high demand. Make a low ball offer.

Best of luck and keep us posted.

Hap[py Trails!!!

["007"]

Welcome to the forum and irv2.
Yes it is a DP- Puller engine in front, here is a Brochure and Owners Guide for you.
The coach is on a Freightliner chassis.
You may have a Granning rear tag suspension system here is some info on that, if I ever find the older links I will post. I found the link for tag axel if you have it.
In my signature below you will see links to many more for the coach.
Good luck in your quest maybe a welcome to the Newmar family is next.

[newmarpusher]

Originally Posted by Circejane

I'm looking at a very nice 1999 Mountain Aire MA-3767 with a Freightliner chassis and engine, well-maintained, garage kept, looks great, 29K miles. Diesel engine, but not a pusher. It's listed by a private seller for $35K. Based on my research of Tiffins and Newmars, this seemed like a reasonable price to me.



I looked it up on the NADA guide, and was gobsmacked to see a retail price of $15K to $18K. Is this true, or am I looking at the wrong Mountain Aire? It seems more like a gas coach price to me. I'm supposed to go see it this weekend, but if it's truly that overpriced, then I need to cancel or see if the owner will come down in price.



Opinions? I appreciate any input.

Looking through that 1999 brochure, the front engine diesel was positioned more like the modern day Gassers are. The are three chassis configurations for the front engine class A's then the separate diesel pusher line. Of the three front engine chassis's, the diesel has the lowest carrying capacity. Odd ducks back then and not directly comparable to modern day Newmar lines.

[Circejane]

Thank you for the input, and the welcome! Both are much appreciated.

Here is the actual listing. The coach looks great, has been garaged and well-maintained. I'm going to email the seller about the NADA price and see how much he will come down. I take no joy in haggling, but I don't want to overpay. It does seem to have all the Newmar build quality. I can't find any threads about this model having abnormal issues. Do you think that it's just that it's not a pusher, and has less pull power that gives it the low resale value?

1999 NEWMAR MOUNTAIN AIRE MODEL 3767 R V CLASS A MOTORHOME COACH

["007"]

Very nice I had same MA but on a Ford chassis, wife liked the big kitchen counter.
Not that much piece difference between the Ford & FL plus seems low but owner maybe to high also not sure what he is basing his price on other than recoup all his upgrades.

[Mr_D]

Originally Posted by TonyDi

Glad to have you here with us.

The prices you are looking at in the NADA guide are base price. They do not add on for options on the coach. I ran a sampling and it easily jacked the avg. retail price up to 27k. You need to find out what equipment the Mountain Aire has on it.

I would think the seller should be motivated, as front engine diesels are not in high demand. Make a low ball offer.

Best of luck and keep us posted.

Hap[py Trails!!!

Also remember that you have to know what the standard equipment was. If it came with a 10 gallon water heater you don't add that in again. If it had two slides you don't add them in again. You take the base price for that model and only add for true options. Makes it kind of confusing due to needing the know all that.
Our 2002 Dutch Star had all kinds of options listed in NADA but only a few were really options, (although the options and changes came to some $38,000 in 2002) the rest were standard, like the 10 gallon water heater and three slides for the 4090 we had. Window awnings, patio awning dual pane windows, hardwood interior we true options as was the Spartan chassis.

[Circejane]

Punching in what I know of the coach, keeping the "standard options" out (7.5 gen, patio awning, etc) out, I'm coming up with $17,650 to $21,250. Not sure how happy the seller is going to be when I talk to him about this, but we'll see.

This is my first MH purchase. I'm a travel nurse and this will be my full-time home nine months out of the year. I'm planning to have whatever coach I buy gone over with a fine-tooth comb at the Freightliner Oasis in my hometown, and I'm not afraid of making some repairs, especially in an older coach. That said, I don't want to overpay.

This rig ticks off a lot of the things that I need--good build quality, good counter space (I agree with 007's wife!), lots of interior storage, roomy shower, w/d hookup (does not currently have a w/d in it), decent a/c/heat. I've been looking at Tiffins, Newmars, and the occasional Monaco or Fleetwood.

Do you folks think that $21K would be a fair offer, or am I low-balling? Seller is asking $35K.

[vonkamp]

Nice looking coach. The mid entry door under awning is a plus in my book. In my opinion, new tires (check mfg date), brakes, gen tuneup do add some value that NADA does not take in to account. New batteries would be another plus. If this coach checks off almost all your boxes and is truely in pristene condition, it may be worth paying a little more.... My opinion FWIW

[Circejane]

Well, I heard back from the seller. He was very nice about it, but told me that he found four other listings for similar coaches at his price, and that one never buys a coach (or a boat) for the NADA price. He said that if I do see a coach listed for the NADA price, I should run the other way. I'm not entirely sure that I agree with that.

I do agree that new tires, etc. add to the value of any coach. In this case, the 'new' tires are five years old now. I would be fine coming up a bit in price, but paying double the NADA guideline seems excessive. Am I being unrealistic?

[newmarpusher]

Originally Posted by Circejane

Well, I heard back from the seller. He was very nice about it, but told me that he found four other listings for similar coaches at his price, and that one never buys a coach (or a boat) for the NADA price. He said that if I do see a coach listed for the NADA price, I should run the other way. I'm not entirely sure that I agree with that.

I do agree that new tires, etc. add to the value of any coach. In this case, the 'new' tires are five years old now. I would be fine coming up a bit in price, but paying double the NADA guideline seems excessive. Am I being unrealistic?

I think the original owner is dreaming at getting 35K for that MH. Although it looks well kept, it still has very dated analog TV's, and other 16 year old appliances in it.

The coach in 1999 competed with other gassers on the Ford and Chevy chassis. It is not in the same league as a Mountain Aire or any other Diesel pusher of the era. I think the NADA price is closer to what it's worth. Check RVtrader.com and see what 35K gets you and decide for yourself.

[LeeSusan]

You might consider a couple of things:
1) NADA is a calculated value, not based on sales prices.
2) At that age, I think there is kind of an art to the pricing.
3) What I think is important is how the coach was maintained. Because of my training, I believe I would have a pretty good game plan going in to verify the condition of the coach. If the coach is well maintained and you can find no indication of a major problem, and neither can the pros you hire to help you...then...
4 or may 2a before you invest time and $$) Ask the seller how he determined the price. Helps to understand if it is emotionally based or logically based...and to understand any number of emotions can come off the conversation, intentionally or unintentionally.

If a similar coach sold on ebay for that price or PPL, then that is better info than NADA at this age or even arguably at any age...then...
5) ask yourself and the pros what must be fixed to get it roadworthy. Often new tires at a minimum.
6) Triple verify no leaks: inspection, water test, pressure test.
7) What appliances need to be replaced, what condition are the propane and electrical systems in.
8) Now you have be artful and ask how right this motorhome is for you vs walkaway. You might just say ok or put a cashable unsigned check on the table for what you want to pay (say $25k). Tell him, if he says no, you will hold onto his check for him in case he changes his mind, but if you find another rig, then you will have to toss the check and write another to a different seller.
9) Call back weekly to find how things are going until he accepts, or sells, or you find another or you offer a bit more (say 28K, then maybe 29K tops...your choice). It might or might not sell meantime.
10) It all depends on how bad you want it and how much time you have to engage in the process while you continue your search.

Your mistake is to be too fixated on anything but what works for you. People have all kinds of viewpoints that really don't matter.

I have no idea what a meaningful number is, just examples, find your own meaningful number which will be different from another buyers...

If it had solar, in great condition, and would be what you would put on new and the cost new was $6k, then you can factor in say $ 1, 2, or 3k more into the price if you wish, for example. If you don't care about his solar, if he has it, then forget factoring it in and maybe find one without or just it simply has no value to you.

[LeeSusan]

Note: if a seller becomes hostile or answers as if your questions are unreasonable, that is a walkaway becomes it kind of means, probably, you touched on something that he would rather not talk about that is a negative he was trying to avoid. Easier to sell to emotional buyers, rather than thoughtful buyers, who think a bit deeper than some would like.

[Circejane]

Thank you all for the input. I wished the seller the best, but withdrew my interest in his coach.