Choosing first class A

[JohnWan62]

Just recently retired and I would like people's opinion of the following rigs.
Winniebago vista LX 30T
Holiday Rambler vacationer Xe 32A
Jayco precept 31 UL

Above are new 2017 models, but any thought on above or similar 2016 models.

As you can tell length around 30-34' , Gas, Full paint, extra bed over front captain seats, table and chairs over dinette. Would like to spend in the neighborhood $ 95,000-125,000.

Should I stay away from any of these models?

Sure would like some advice

[LouRobin]

For what it's worth I picked up my 6th Motorhome yesterday. The first was a fleet wood and every one since then has been a Winnebago from a 32' no slide to a 40' Ultimate Freedom. Yesterday a 2004 Adventurer 33v with 38k miles and unbelievably well maintained.
That being said I would say WINNEBAGO.
Have you considered a one owner coach gently used, all the issues addressed, and ready to roll? Just saying, there are a lot of nice ones out there.
The wife LOVES the basement air, so it's a MUST on whatever I look at.

[easywind]

I've been RVing almost 20 years and I'm on my 7th rig. You will wind up taking the depreciation on a new rig and spend the first year in the shop getting everything straightened out. My advice buy a year or two okd unitt and if you want to upgrade/downgrade you will not lose lots of money and won't spend time fixing for someone else.

[UncleBilly]

New is nice and it smells good. Of course the depreciation will hurt like hell every year. Buy a used DP from 5-10 yrs old and save 1/2 the cost of new. You can mail me a check for that amount if you want 😜


1996 Country Coach Intrigue 😜

[SuperGewl]

You are going to hear both sides of the coin, NEW, No USED, No Borrowed, No Blue.
OK, it's going to be up to you on what you go with. New is nice, because as with a new car, you get to go thru all of the work of getting everything fixed that might not be right from the factory. You also get hit with the depreciation. Buying used you don't get all of the depreciation but may get one that has all of the bugs worked out, I did say MAY. But now you have to put up with what ever the previous owner decided to do to it or better yet did NOT do.
Find a layout that you like, make sure you check it out with the slides open and with them closed. You will be amazed in the difference with the slides in and traveling down the road. You may not be able to get to some things, the bathroom, refrigerator or even the door to get in and out easily. (Bad design)
Then see what you can find at a price you want to pay. Sometimes you can catch a great deal on a used (hardly ever used) one directly from the owner(best deal) but usually no warranty from previous owner.
As I said find your floor plan and then find the best deal for you.
Make sure you test drive it, it isn't a SUV but a house on a bread truck frame.

[marjoa]

Originally Posted by JohnWan62

Just recently retired and I would like people's opinion of the following rigs.
Winniebago vista LX 30T
Holiday Rambler vacationer Xe 32A
Jayco precept 31 UL

Above are new 2017 models, but any thought on above or similar 2016 models.

As you can tell length around 30-34' , Gas, Full paint, extra bed over front captain seats, table and chairs over dinette. Would like to spend in the neighborhood $ 95,000-125,000.

Should I stay away from any of these models?

Sure would like some advice

The Holiday Rambler Vacationer Xe 32A would be our choice. We almost bought one—a 2016—but ended up finding our 4yr. old Winne @ less than 1/2 the price. The Holiday Rambler Vacationer Xe 32A has a King Bed which is the only thing I wish we had but the Queen works out fine for us. The other thing that is nice about a Holiday Rambler is they can be serviced by the REV Group which there is one in N. Texas. Not sure where you live.

As far as comments concerning depreciation...you only get hit with that penalty IF you sell it or trade it in in the first few years. There are a lot of folks here on this forum that bought new, still have their MH after many years and have not realized any depreciation. But as others have said too, you can find a nice 2-4yr. old used MH and save a ton of dough.

Here are some other things to think about as you shop:
All these points may not apply to you but may be helpful to others:

A few things to consider when buying ANY motorhome (MH):
Buying any MH is NOT like buying a car. You should not just go out and find one that you like and it’s pretty to look at, the price is good and then make a decision. Buying a MH on emotion without careful thought could turn into buyers remorse. There is also a learning curve and testing of all the systems that are in a MH. It is considered—best practice—that no matter what type of MH you decide to purchase, Gas or Diesel, used or new, that once you do purchase one, give yourself time and a few short trips to become familiar with it, and fix any bugs or issues that may and probably will arise BEFORE you go on any extended trip.

1) The first thing to consider and probably the most important to most of us is, what can I afford
2) How are you going to use the MH? Are you going to use it sporadically throughout the year for short 1,2,3 or 4 weeks at a time or are you planning to travel a lot year round, traveling the US & maybe Canada
3) Are you planning to tow a vehicle
4) Insurance will vary a lot depending on the type of MH, how you use it, the size, its value, its age, the state you live it, and your driving record
5) A few states have MH size restrictions, and license requirements
6) It’s a best practice to store your MH inside when not in use so in most cases this requires renting a storage unit and—depending on your location and the length—will vary a lot on what you pay. Usually a 35’ or less storage unit for most people the cost is very reasonable. Over 35’ it goes up quite a bit. And don’t forget, you’ll need an extra 5’ - 10’ at least to give yourself the ability to store supplies and have the ability to work on and clean your coach. If you choose not to store your MH and leave it outside, your MH’s condition will pay a price
7) Maintenance is another consideration and this is not just confined to oil changes, air filters and lubing the chassis. MH’s are equipped with many onboard systems. It’s a house on wheels. They have 12volt and 110 electrical systems with a variety of different appliances and charging systems. Some have no slides some have many slides. There are different types of roofs. There are so many systems they can’t all be mentioned here, but some are only found on Diesels. Regardless with ether it’s Gas or Diesel, all these systems have to be maintained on a regular basis and you have to decide whether you can perform some, most or all of these systems yourself or pay someone to do it
8) Any MH owner should also have roadside service of some kind
9) Warranty. If you buy a new MH it will come with a factory warranty. But most dealers & shops today are so back logged with coaches that need service work—in many if not most cases—may take weeks to schedule your work. Therefore, your normal warranty expires fairly quickly so you’ll have to decide whether you want to pay for an extended warranty. Many times if you buy a new MH out of state, when you get home, your local dealer will not service it because you didn’t buy it from them. Or, they may work on it but you’ll usually be put on the bottom of their list. If you buy locally your local dealer is probably fairly close to your home base, but it would be to your advantage to buy a MH that also has factory service center nearby (say within 500 miles or so) that can not only take care of warranty issues, but also address any other more complicated issues that may arise
10) Tire costs for Diesels (for the most part) are much more than gas rigs simply because they are bigger
11) How much storage space do you need in the basement to carry all your stuff
12) If you buy a new MH you will take a big depreciation hit, especially in the first 3 years
13) If you buy a used MH, get it inspected by a professional and have the fluids tested by a lab. IMHO the sweet spot on a used MH is one that's 3 -5 yrs. old. The previous owner has already taken a big hit on the depreciation, a lot of MHs out there have hardly been used or abused yet and they have a lot of the new updates.

[Betr2Trvl]

Don't let the buy used naysayers make you change your mind if you really want a new RV.

We had / have no desire at all, to have an older unit for a long list of reasons. No need for a DP, nor some huge rig - just 2 of us and no pets either.

As for buying a slightly used gasser, we found that in today's market, we really would not save enough money to make it worth the time and effort to find one that would even come close to what we wanted, spend (a lot) money on an extended service plan because you never really know what you are getting buying used, and in the end settle for something we really didn't want, and guess what, have to buy something else later because we didn't get what we wanted the first time. The best way to buy a lot of RVs is to keep buying "good deals" even though they aren't what you really wanted to begin with.....

Like you, we originally wanted to stay under $100k for the RV alone. We did look closely at the 31UL, but once we saw the Bounder and Tiffins we decided to up the budget, and get what we liked and really wanted with the Tiffin and ordered it in Dec. 2014.

2 years ago today, we drove it away from our dealer, and after 16,000 miles, 10 months of travel including 4 trips of a month or so, and one 3 month trip, we have no regrets or second guessing our decision. We have traveled from GA, to FL, NY, NC, SC, TN, WI, SD, WY, MT, UT, and CO. It drives just fine, and we get to every campground the DPs do...... Even get up and down the big mountain grades just fine......

As for problems, ours wasn't perfect, but we had no signficant issues that interrupted our travels, and were able to get all issues resolved between our dealer and Tiffin in a reasonable and timely manner. The slight premium we paid to buy local was (as we had hoped) a very worthwhile "investment".

Get what you want the first time and spend a little more to get it if necessary. Then enjoy your travels, and your good fortune to be able to explore the country.

Regards

[BirchyBoy]

We recently moved from our second TT to a class A. I guess we're the ones that help everyone else out because this is our third new RV in 4 years. Could we have saved some money buying used? Yes. Have we lost weeks or months due to issues as first-time owners? No. Partly because I always do a very thorough PDI and second because we're careful and don't abuse it.

We compared a new holdover 2015 Jayco Precept 35UN to a new Winnebago Vista 31BE, non-LX. I had a target price of $90k. The Jayco was $87k and the Vista was $93k. The fun/exciting side of me wanted to go with the Jayco because it had lots of bells and whistles that the Winnie didn't. It had a tankless water heater, motorized TV lift system, solid surface countertops, three slides, etc. In the end, I wanted a motorhome with a good floorplan, solid repuation and basic stuff that I trusted would work over time. The practical side of me wone and we took delivery of our new Winnebago this weekend and had a great first trip to Myrtle Beach, SC.

All that said, focus first on the floorplans you like and features you're comfortable with. Then, start looking for information on known issues, weak spots, etc. Read what people say, but also keep in mind that generally only people with complaints post them. Not many post that their water heater worked as planned, or their favorite adult beverage was the perfect temperature.

[Dan McMartin]

Originally Posted by JohnWan62

Just recently retired and I would like people's opinion of the following rigs.
Winniebago vista LX 30T
Holiday Rambler vacationer Xe 32A
Jayco precept 31 UL

Above are new 2017 models, but any thought on above or similar 2016 models.

As you can tell length around 30-34' , Gas, Full paint, extra bed over front captain seats, table and chairs over dinette. Would like to spend in the neighborhood $ 95,000-125,000.

Should I stay away from any of these models?

Sure would like some advice

Here's what we've found in our search for a MH.

I agree. If you want new, buy new. As long as you know the issues (depreciation, visits to the dealer to get thing repaired, etc.), you can make an informed decision. New is new. Engine, transmission, etc are new. Appliances are new. You've got a warranty on pretty much everything with varying lengths.

We have noticed that the more popular new coaches (Winnie Vista 30T is one) are priced higher...at least advertised price. You don't see breaks like you do on A.C.E. or FR3 coaches. Maybe you can get good deals or maybe the dealers know the coaches are popular and have a good rep so they sell at a premium. Don't know.

We've also noticed that late model used version of many of the entry level coaches hold their price pretty well. Not to say they don't depreciate but if the demand is there, 2, 3, 4 year old models are in demand too. There are just a lot of people looking to get into a entry level or hybrid coach from our experience.

We really like the Vista you mentioned. Nice floor plan, good size tanks and Winnie has a good rep. It's on our radar.

[wredman]

Originally Posted by Dan McMartin

We've also noticed that late model used version of many of the entry level coaches hold their price pretty well. Not to say they don't depreciate but if the demand is there, 2, 3, 4 year old models are in demand too. There are just a lot of people looking to get into a entry level or hybrid coach from our experience.


.

exactly what I encountered. It may be a short lived issue, wish I had the crystal ball, but there was not enough price drop each year I went back to justify the changes incorporated into newer designs, that I like. I guess some customer desires are unchanged and likely will remain unchanged, but we are not that group.

[greg246]

Originally Posted by JohnWan62

Just recently retired and I would like people's opinion of the following rigs.
Winniebago vista LX 30T
Holiday Rambler vacationer Xe 32A
Jayco precept 31 UL

Above are new 2017 models, but any thought on above or similar 2016 models.

As you can tell length around 30-34' , Gas, Full paint, extra bed over front captain seats, table and chairs over dinette. Would like to spend in the neighborhood $ 95,000-125,000.

Should I stay away from any of these models?

Sure would like some advice

My DW and I took delivery of a 2017 Jayco Precept 31UL in January. Because of an unrelated injury to my wife, we've just had it in storage and haven't had the chance to do a shakedown trip yet so I really can't give you anything definitive there (yet). However, if you end up seriously looking at this model, please be aware that there was a major upgrade in 2017 on this model: Jayco went from an 18,000 to 22,000 pound Ford chassis. Consequently, our unit has over 5,200 pounds of cargo capacity available to work with. They also moved from 19.5 to 22.5 inch tires which reportedly gives a smoother ride. My conclusion from my research was that there is a major difference between the 2016 and 2017 31UL models and I'm very glad that we waited to buy.

If you buy a new unit, regardless of which manufacturer you decide to go with, I have come to the conclusion that the dealer you select can have a major influence over your eventual RV experience. I now believe that you can buy the best unit available but, without a good dealer to help get it dialed in, your whole RV experience can be severely tainted. Also, please be aware that many dealers either will not service units that weren't purchased there at all or will give preferential service to customers that bought their units from them. So if you buy from the cheapest dealer in the country, your service experience at your local dealer may be somewhat frustrating.

Boiled down, I guess my best advice for you is to investigate your local RV dealers at least as carefully as you investigate the different manufacturers and models that they sell.

Happy Trails.

[EZDZIT]

As an alternative to dealer service for a new MH, consider using a trustworthy independent rv service shop which will agree to work with your manufacturer. For example, Newmar agreed to work with our favored local shop prior to our out of state purchase.

[A-summitman]

We test drove a new Vista and I can't tell you how many things weren't working and yea they said we will fix everything for you. How can so many things be broken on a brand new motorhome in the first place? I understand there are probably lots of people walking into them as they are sitting on a dealers lot but come on! I still researched the heck out of it on all the RV forums and I will say not that many had very good things to say about it. What I kept reading over and over is while on the road if a big semi blew past it was all they could do to keep it on the road and what a scary feeling that must be. I know Winnie has been in business a long time but the Vista is an entry level coach. So if you are looking at entry level curious why you aren't considering a Newmar Bay Star Sport? Something to think about. That is a good brand for sure and I think blows a Vista right outta the water, Vista's finishes look cheap compared to Newmar's. I will tell you to read as much as you can...then read some more! I have been researching for years!

[Vanslam]

None of the ones you mentioned where in my searching. But I did find a 1 year old Newmar Canyon Star that was in your range. And yes I bought it. I would say just do your research, find a floor plan you like and find a maker you can trust. Of course do a proper pre purchase inspection and don't rush into anything. When you find the one that is for you, you will be very happy. Good luck.