Info on 2004 Monaco Diplomat

[pikkygirl]

Hi
I am new to this site and not sure this is where I should post my question.
We RV'd back in the 80's and early 90's in a Fleetwood Southwind. But life got in the way. Now we are ready to start up again. We are looking at a very nice 2004 Monaco Diplomat 40 foot diesel with 35,000 miles on it. We would like to know what we should be considering before buying this coach. Especially sine it is 12 years old . We would appreciate any info or advice anyone can offer us before we buy this coach.
Thanks!

[nitro]

check date code on tires and how old batt are

[jacwjames]

Maintenance on the coach is the most important thing. Hopefully the coach you are looking at has maintenance records. This coach has low miles for the age. None the less it should have had oil changes annually for the engine and generator. The transmission should have had 2 services due to age. The cooling system requires testing to make sure the SCA levels are OK, this is done with small strips that change color.

Even if there are maintenance records I would suggest getting an engine and transmission oil sample. The coolant should also be tested. JG Lubrication offers all 3 of these tests, well worth the money.

Check all components (AC, Frig, Water Heater, etc) to make sure they work. Look for any signs of leaks on the ceilings and walls. Also look for any signs of delamination on the outside walls. Batteries usually don't last more then 6-7 years. Check date codes.

As previous post said check tire dates. DOT age is a 4 digit code stamped on tire 2509 >> is 25th week of 2009. RV tires age out a 6-7 years unless you feel lucky.

Other then that if the coach conforms to all of the above, the Monaco brand is known for it's quality. We've had ours since 2008 and have put ~50K mile on it.

[lbw6303]

We too have a 2004 Monaco Diplomat 40 PAQ. bought in 2014 w/40K miles. Now has 50K. These were quality coaches. Others can check my history on this, but In about 2000, or so, Monaco purchased the Holiday Rambler line from Harley Davidson. Compatible product lines & similar quality, including that both utilized the Roadmaster chassis, airbag suspension & Cummins/Allison drive train. Monaco merged the two lines over a period of time. Our diplomat PAQ floor plan isn't shown in the Monaco archive, but it is in the Holiday Rambler. a friend of ours has an identical floor plan in an Endeavor. I believe that ours is the first year that Monaco offered 4-slide floor plans. So in all likelihood, ours is one of those produced as they completed the merger of their offerings. I consider the quality of the two to be much better than most of the stuff you can buy today. Fleetwood purchased Monaco in about 2012??? Not sure what has happened to the brand since then. We love our unit. With only 35K miles, the one you're looking at is barely broken in.
Tires, Battery's and Maint records are always a good thing to look at. This rig also probably has a Norcold 1200 series refrigerator that should have a recall installed. I would verify that it has been. It can be viewed by removing the outside panel. there shoud be a small black module mounted on the cooling coil with a red light --- That isn't lit!!
Good luck. Enjoy!

[monacojim]

Originally Posted by pikkygirl

Hi
I am new to this site and not sure this is where I should post my question.
We RV'd back in the 80's and early 90's in a Fleetwood Southwind. But life got in the way. Now we are ready to start up again. We are looking at a very nice 2004 Monaco Diplomat 40 foot diesel with 35,000 miles on it. We would like to know what we should be considering before buying this coach. Especially sine it is 12 years old . We would appreciate any info or advice anyone can offer us before we buy this coach.
Thanks!

Those are very good coaches. I believe 2004 was the last year the Diplomat had an ISC engine. I would look at the build date of the coach as it could have the old CAPS fuel injection system. The system was changed to a far superior common rail system for 2004, but some of the earlier coaches manufactured for 04 had the old system.