Newbies considering a 2000 Discovery... thoughts?

[ArdentCamper]

Hi everyone,

My husband and I are brand new to RVing, and we're currently shopping around for our first rig. (Woo!)

We saw this one today and liked it, but we know enough to know that we know NOTHING, so I wanted to come here and get the forum's opinions on the vehicle. If this isn't the right place for this thread, please just let me know.

The vehicle is a 2000 Fleetwood Discovery, 34', 275 HP Cummins, 30 amp, on a Freightline chassis. The list price is $39,900.

Our thoughts and concerns:

• It comes with a 1-year warranty that covers engine, chassis, transmission, appliances... everything but generator. It also has new wooden flooring and carpet, is going to get a full tune-up. And they'll add or change out anything for free labor, so long as we pay for the part. Does all of that make up for the fact that the asking price ($39,900) is higher than the average retail price according to NADA? (Hopefully I got those options right!)
• It's only 30 amp, which would potentially save money, but also restrict power usage. It does have 2 high-efficiency a/c units, so we know they can both be run as the microwave goes, at least, because we saw it happen. Do you think this is a no-go for full-time living?
• I've heard some folks don't like the Freightline chassis, preferring the Allison. What's up with this?
• There's no washer/dryer, but we've been told most RV parks have machines that work better anyway
• Is this vehicle's separate microwave and oven unnecessary? Is microwave/convection combo generally preferred?

What we're looking for:

• A vehicle that can support a full-time working and traveling lifestyle
• Space for up to 2 occasional guests (we'd have them replace one of the recliners with a pull-out sofa bed at no charge)
• Something not so huge that we're restricted from access to some parks or campgrounds
• A suitable rig for first-timers who don't know if they'll love the lifestyle after all

We appreciate all thoughts and ideas. We're glad to be joining this forum; we've heard nothing but good things!

[BFlinn181]

Freightliner is a chassis maker, Allison is a transmission maker. You most likely have an Allison transmission.

Many RVs are 30 amp service, but the difference in 30 amp service and 50 amp service is a difference of 70 amps of power available! You see, 30 amps is 30 amps. RV 50 amp service is actually two legs of 50 amp power, for a total of 100 amps power. You might be able to run both A/Cs on 30 amps, but it'll be close. If you battery charger needs to recharge a bank of depleted batteries you might not stay under the 30 amp threshold.

A couple of things you can do: Go up on the roof and check all cabinets and closets for signs of leaks. Have an engine oil analysis done to give an indication of engine condition. Check all tire sidewalls for date of manufacture. http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tirete....jsp?techid=11 (I saw they said they're all new, check!) Have brake linings checked. I also saw that the dealer replaces carpet with wood flooring. Operate the slide a couple of cycles and make sure the slide doesn't mark the floor.

Also, when buying an RV, new or used, offer 20-25% less than asking price. It will give a starting point for dickering.

[ArdentCamper]

Thanks for the reply. It's helpful to know how to start the negotiations, and we're definitely going to get an inspection--but it's good to know what we can identify ahead of time.

We asked them if they could trade out the rig from 30 amp to 50 amp power, and they said yes. So that's good to know. It seems to be a cool mom-and-pop kind of local place.

Unfortunately, when we went back the very next morning (this morning) to look at it, it had just sold! Apparently these things are flying off the lots at a rapid pace, at least down here in Houston.

Still, your advice is great, and we'll definitely put it to use, no matter what we end up going with. Thanks again!

[BFlinn181]

Rewiring a 30 amp RV to a 50 amp RV is a lot more than changing the plug from 3 prongs to 4. As I said before, 50 amp service is actually two 'legs' of 50 amps. All electric in the RV has to be 'split' between the two parts of a new service panel so the loads are evenly distributed between the two legs. A new automatic transfer switch would also have to be installed. The generator is probably rated at no more than 30 amps, so you'd only have 30 amp service from it. With a new 50 amp shore cord, ATS, service panel, circuit breakers, rewiring, it would easily be over $1,000.

Sorry you lost the one you were looking at, but they don't often move that fast. Don't let high pressure make you leap into something you haven't had time to inspect and evaluate!

[mrkcs]

I just bought a 2000 Discovery 37 V with the 30 amp service and a Onan 7500 Diesel generator. Will let you know how it does. I did give a little less than what the dealer was asking for the one you looked at. I am the third owner of mine and it looks like it was under cover when it was not used its entire life. I found several on rvt.com and ppl motorhomes had one on their website also. Hope you find what you are looking for.

[Clayobx]

We had an 03 Excursion. It was a very good coach with some necessary aftermarket products from Henderson Drive line. However it was a 39'6" coach with a long rear overhang. A 37' coach may not have this steering issue. There are many issues to examine in purchasing an older used coach. However there are volumes of reading on this subject in the search engine top of banner. You'll go blind! LOL. I would highly recommend 50 amp service for FT. Enjoy the search, for us it was a lot of fun!

[hzjcm8]

Order a pre-purchase inspection from RV Inspection Connection. They include engine and transmission oil analysis and they're the best in the business.

Go to: www.rvinspection.com.

[hzjcm8]

Here's a brochure.

http://rvinspection.com/wp-content/u...alysis_FAQ.pdf

[roknjohn]

We've had our 1998 Discovery 38T for a year now and we love it. I have four kids, ages 7-11 and the two jack knife sofas and convertible dinette gives us plenty of sleeping room. I'm so glad we got a diesel instead of a gasser. The frieghtliner chassis gives us a smooth ride and even though ours is just 275hp, I haven't been disappointed in power. We usually only pull a golfcart.

Our trips have been usually 100-250 miles. We haven't set out cross country yet. I get about 9.5mpg.

The folks on here know much more than I do, but here are a couple of things that I'd look out for before buying a 15 year old coach.

1. Check the date of the tires. You can't go by appearance with MH tires. A new set is around $2200-$2400.

2. Make sure there are no leaks. Roof maintenance is an ongoing process. You'll want to make sure the roof is in good condition. Seams properly sealed, no cracks.

3. Your coach probably has the old CRT tube TVs. Ours have been upgraded to flat panels (HD). That is certainly something that I would plan to do right away.

4. Have a RV tech perform an inspection on the systems, and a mechanic look over the engine and chassis.

Just for reference, I paid $27K for our MH with 70K miles. It still cleans up nice and, with 4 kids, I'm not so stressed about carpet, dings, etc.

FYI: I have "wasted" a lot of money on boats, limos and other toys. I have yet to regret getting this MH. Good luck!