Class A Pusher Advice

[rewillia]

never trust the words of a salesman. their not biased, they just have a back-end purpose called commission.

[rewillia]

Originally Posted by jimc79

https://rv.org

Thanks, had not seen this, I will purchase this a lot less expensive than a wrong purchase . Had not thought about going to RV Shows in other cities. We're in Nashville and the show here is ok but last year they only had 1 class A. There will be no debt when I purchase will pay cash, it will be used.

Thanks for the advise.
Jim

With today's lower interest rates, you may actually want to consider financing in lieu of paying cash as the interest to be paid is deducatble under IRS code if it qualifies as a 2nd home (must have Kitchen, Bath and Bed), leaving you to invest your cash and earn a higher yield of return.

[Busskipper]

Originally Posted by twogypsies

They're not all good and yes, your first choice should be a quality manufacturer.

When you go looking you'll see a lot of glitz on the outside. However, are the cabinets wood? How are the drawers constructed? Are the doors and walls tight-fitting or are there gaps? Even toilets can be plastic or porcelain.

Investigate manufacturers first. If you can swing it, take some factory tours so you can see firsthand how they're constructed. Is it a fast production lane or is it slow and care is taken?

Above all, don't go into debt over a RV. If you can't afford new then look for a 3-4 yr. quality-made one that's more affordable rather than going with a new lesser-quality.


There are some that will recommend you choose the floorplan as a first thing. What good is a floorplan if the framework around it is not good? Surely, each manufacturer has a suitable floorplan. You may not get all you want but you can come close.

Solid advice here - Floor Plan is number one - Make a list of all the things you think you need - Prioritize the list - few used Coaches will have everything on your list so get what's most important to you.

Solid Wood is also a sign of Quality in a Coach - NO Particle Board! - Heating and Cooling - Bed - Kitchen - Get your Co-Pilot involved (will make life much easier) - Storage - TV and location (if you watch TV) - Talk with REAL RV'ers, they and their, experience, will prove to be invaluable.

Merry Christmas, and Best of Luck,

[Dr. Q]

You've gotten good advise here....enjoy the research..

All I would caution is, be careful paying in cash. I understand the need for some folks to be debt free, but if you aren't careful, you can end up with a huge tax problem by paying cash. This is especially true, if you are planning to liquidate a 401K or IRA to pay for the coach.

Get a financial advisor to help you with the purchase.....

[jimc79]

WOW, Thanks for all the advise. Lots of things I never thought of. NOW, back to work!!
Jim

[rvethereyet]

good luck

[Mr_D]

Originally Posted by rewillia

With today's lower interest rates, you may actually want to consider financing in lieu of paying cash as the interest to be paid is deducatble under IRS code if it qualifies as a 2nd home (must have Kitchen, Bath and Bed), leaving you to invest your cash and earn a higher yield of return.

Yep, pay about 4% on the MH contract and my annuity pays 7%. Also the annuity is for twice what I owe on the MH. The "overage" makes the stick house payment. Works for me.

[lanerd]

You have received some very good "advice" and we are happy to "advise" you.

Good luck in your quest.

Ron

[Cranemec]

Don't be afraid to lay on the bed. Stand in the shower. Sit on the potty. Can you do all the things you need to do in those places? Ask to see it closed up and make sure you can reach the fridge, the 1/2 bath. Somebody will want a sandwich driving down the road, can you make that happen closed up and moving?
We walked in everything diesel pusher from a Mountain Aire to a SportCoach. We chose what fit us best. Do the same.
Also look at different levels in the same brand. Newmar has 7 DP's to choose from, Entegra 4, American Coach had 5 for 2016, ETC.
Good luck!

[rvadventure]

Originally Posted by Busskipper

Solid advice here - Floor Plan is number one - Make a list of all the things you think you need - Prioritize the list - few used Coaches will have everything on your list so get what's most important to you.

Solid Wood is also a sign of Quality in a Coach - NO Particle Board! - Heating and Cooling - Bed - Kitchen - Get your Co-Pilot involved (will make life much easier) - Storage - TV and location (if you watch TV) - Talk with REAL RV'ers, they and their, experience, will prove to be invaluable.

Merry Christmas, and Best of Luck,

I made the mistake of not having a 100% buy in by the co- pilot on a great coach, I put a deposit down on it. When we were going up to pick it up, I heard all about how I got everything I wanted, but she couldn't stand the kitchen! I was fortunate to get my deposit back, and we bought a coach that made us both happy. Good luck! Regards Marc

[marjoa]

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.

[beenthere]

many here are insist on all wood cabinets and good reveal edges make a good motorhome...well i disagree.. i've been self employed since '79 {or so} most as contractor in commercial and residential, while building most of my custom homes but not all did have custom cabinets... most of my spec homes had prebuilt cabinets. and i have never had one problem with cabinet as to prebuilt or custom that was not related to the labor...and in NO way did the cabinets have any thing to do with the way the structure was built... many homes be it motor or stick have lots of nice features and glitz but then the amount of screws and glue and caulk{an quality of} is just not there and the twisting and settling of such is not good. so my opinion is most manufacturers are good to point of there cost and features but only associated with the reviews of many and the test of time.. some are associated with bad handling or roofs leaking or any number of things but on same home the rest is top of line...it's just the way it is..the people employed to do the construction will have bad or off days and then things happen as result. the good manufacturers have more quality control checks to find items that are covered up and some do not.. ect ect ...what good to one is not always good to the next..some are so picky they cant even wipe a spot of glue off or tighten a screw and its defective. Others just do the little things and fix and its all good. so who do ya want to listen to?? if its been used a good amount and is in all working order and you like it ..its probably a good unit. all these rules and thoughts as to what has to be in certain order is just confusing. i always believed that the more use and looks good is better than sitting around and looking good.

[TonyMac]

Originally Posted by Cranemec

Don't be afraid to lay on the bed. Stand in the shower. Sit on the potty. Can you do all the things you need to do in those places? Ask to see it closed up and make sure you can reach the fridge, the 1/2 bath. Somebody will want a sandwich driving down the road, can you make that happen closed up and moving?
We walked in everything diesel pusher from a Mountain Aire to a SportCoach. We chose what fit us best. Do the same.
Also look at different levels in the same brand. Newmar has 7 DP's to choose from, Entegra 4, American Coach had 5 for 2016, ETC.
Good luck!

We also like to do laundry going down the road. A w/d wasn't high on our list while looking. Now, we'd not be without one.

[jimc79]

I am overwhelmed with all the great advise, I never expected this. Thanks to everyone!!!

My big plan is to downsize the house we have kids are grown and gone. I have 3 years to get ready, hope it's enough time and retire, sell the house and become a full timer for a couple years at least, my co-pilot wants an exit date in case she is not happy. The RV dealers in our area have nothing but small gas units and I'm driving a Diesel car and it's the best running vehicle I've ever had so diesel is the only thing I will consider. I have my work cut out and will go to Tampa for the big show in 2018 can't get it together in 2017 due to work.

Thanks again for all the feedback
Jim