Community Forums

Albret · 11-08-2016, 04:55 PM

Looking at a 2008 Dolphin. As this was the last year or partial year of production, I was curious as to the build quality. Would anyone have direct knowledge of any problems with it?

Thanks,

Al

legryz · 11-09-2016, 07:49 AM

I purchased a 2008 Dolphin (DL34B) last summer with only 10700 miles on the odometer with the knowledge that it was the last year of production. I haven't found any problems with build quality but it being 9 years old there was somethings that needed to taken care of. We just returned from a 8 week, 7K mile trip and no problems.

Albret · 11-09-2016, 01:49 PM

Good to know. Hard to find information on the 2008's. Will most likely take a look at it right after Thanksgiving.

legryz · 11-09-2016, 06:17 PM

There aren't May 2008 out there good luck with it.

Gerryl · 11-17-2016, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Albret

Looking at a 2008 Dolphin. As this was the last year or partial year of production, I was curious as to the build quality. Would anyone have direct knowledge of any problems with it?

Thanks,

Al

Here is a thread that you should read that may help answer your question. There is a great post on it from a former National employee. http://www.irv2.com/forums/f105/cons...we-301303.html
The only negative I have heard of is about the ones who have the AC in the basement.

National and Winnebago (and maybe some others) did that for a few years.

Albret · 11-17-2016, 02:31 PM

I read the post by Dusty. Thanks again Gerry. We will see the coach Monday. We are in Dunedin, Fl leaving tomorrow morning. Met a Canadian couple that own a 2007 Sea Breeze. It looks like new. The owner said that he has owned 10 coaches over the years and the Sea Breeze with the WH chassis is the best by far.

Al

legryz · 11-17-2016, 05:13 PM

Where is the dolphin you're looking at located?

Albret · 11-18-2016, 05:22 AM

Texas. Why do you ask?

legryz · 11-18-2016, 10:11 AM

I look on different RV sales site and just wondered if I've seen the one you're looking at. I know there are only a couple 08 Dolphins on these sites.

GREGORYJ · 11-19-2016, 10:30 AM

We just purchased a 08 DL-35Ci last week and we are very pleased with it after the first 1500 miles.. It was built in July2007 but is labeled and painted in the 08 colors, but has 07 features, like the basement AC/Heat pump and 7000 watt generator, Workhorse chassis which we really liked on our 05 Dolphin but had a hard time finding on most 08's listed for sale. I think this was an intermediate version. So it may depend on the date a particular unit was built.

Pepper2 · 11-19-2016, 11:24 AM

There's also one for sale at Craig Smith RV in Ohio

Albret · 11-20-2016, 03:43 AM

Correction. Yes Pepper it is the one in Ohio. Gregory, good to know you are pleased with your 2008. The one we are going to look at tomorrow is a 2008.
We have looked at six Dolphin's so far this year. Two in PA with the rest in NH, DE, NJ and MD. The ones in NH, NJ and MD are still listed. The only one I made an offer on is the one in NJ, which he refused, and that was back in April.

Al

Albret · 11-20-2016, 04:38 AM

PS/ There is a 2008 for sale in Texas on the National yahoo groups. He has a child entering college and wants to sell it.

Albret · 11-25-2016, 05:05 AM

Prior to our visit, the owner's son Brent, mentioned that they had put new tires on the Dolphin along with a new water heater, caulking, oil change and so on. Unit ready to go. He also knew that we would be traveling over 700 miles round trip to see the unit arriving at 9:00am Monday. I also questioned him if new tire stems installed. He checked and called back, yes new tire stems as well. Good to go.

We arrived last Monday at 8:30 before sales opened. The Dolphin was sitting outside. We did a walk around and checked the date code on the tires, 2006 not 2016. After seeing that we were ready to leave. How can one mislead someone on something like that???? What else hasn't been done or is wrong with the unit?

We walked around back to the service department that had opened at 8:00. Four or five employees in the service/waiting area. They were not happy to see us and one of them reluctantly looked up the service record of the Dolphin when asked. The tires were on order. How about that. A number of times they suggested that we wait in the sales area. I would think that they would be happy to see someone with $$$$ on a cold 23 degree Monday just before Thanksgiving and Christmas to buy one of their units and answer our questions. We have never encountered that attitude in the many dealerships that we have visited.

One of the service guys opened the showroom and a few minutes later one of the salesmen appeared and opened the Dolphin for us and when asked did start the engine and turn on the furnace. We did a quick look inside. Beautiful coach. Might have worked for us, but we will not buy from a person or dealership who blatantly misleads us on something so simple to check as new tires or anything else.

An area of concern about the unit if anyone is interested? Two areas of the ceiling had hard lumps. One was near the bathroom vent, forgot where the other one was. Usually when you press the vinyl ceiling it tends to be soft and gives a little, these did not, hard as a rock. I climbed the rear ladder and took a look at the roof. There was an indentation as if someone had stepped on the roof it gave and did not bounce back? It was oval in shape about 1 1/2' by 1' on the passenger side about three feet from the back. New to me, have never seen that and I have been on many roofs.

The Dolphin is a DL35C W24 chassis rated at 30,000lbs with the Allison 2000 series transmission along with aluminum wheels. Just what we were looking for and in the talks that I had with him, the asking price kept dropping. That being said, we did not think twice about leaving. No goodbyes no nothing we just got in our van and left pronto.

Thankfully, we never did get a chance to meet Brent. He did leave a couple voice mails after we left which I did not return. That's it folks, thanks for your input.

Al