American Coach: 2002 American Eagle 42r

[kongmen]

Going to look at a 2004 American Eagle 42r. Can anyone provide some insight on this coach.?

Thanks.

[Jake21]

Ball Joints. The boots fall apart and can cause wear on the joints. You should have the joints checked. My boots are gone but I grease frequently and have the joints checked for play once per year. Also, look for floor rust especially in the water bay. If it is just a little surface rust, not too hard to treat and fix. In my 2002, I had to replace the lift pump and exhaust manifold (known replacement issues). Also, you may see paint checking on the outside walls, especially on the dark paint. It is a cosmetic flaw. As far as I know that is about it that would be specific to that coach. Maybe someone with a 2004 will chime in.

[kongmen]

Thanks for your input.

We have since decided against that coach. We are going to test drive a 2004 American Eagle 40J tomorrow.

Does anyone know of things that we should look for?

Thanks for any input.

[oldnavycdr]

We picked up an '04 Eagle last fall. 40J floor plan. Pretty stock with some upgraded TV's and low mileage. Do check the ball joints, operate everything to include the fridge on electric and propane. Check that both furnaces lite and operate. If the blinds are original check those. Window fogging is a common failure and not indicative of a moisture problem. Check the leveling system, awnings, batteries, tire date codes. Clear coat failure on dark colors is common. Look for signs of water intrusion -- back closet, around shower, etc. There is a good check list in the files. Drive the coach and see how it handles. The Eagle is a very nice coach if maintained and a fairly easy one to repair and update. Good hunting and let us know what you think.

[kongmen]

Thank you.

Owner says the front ac unit only operates on low med and high...I assume that means not on auto.
He says the awning is intermittent.