Frustrated DP owner

[pduggs]

When you buy an old DP you better know what your doing. If you don’t buy one that has been properly cared for and if you lack the skills to repair it yourself, you could be very unhappy. The costs escalate very quickly.

I really feel for people who buy an older DP without skills and foreknowledge, while thinking it’s like buying an older car. They quickly become very disappointed.

[VolDawg]

We just purchased a 2000 Discovery DP about a year ago. We are not full time and only use it for long weekends. It was a one owner, and we knew the owner before he passed away. 81K miles on the odometer and well maintained.

We got a sweet deal (paid cash) that we could not pass up knowing we would have to invest in our vintage rig. So far we are in for about $5K for shocks, air bags, microwave, engine and generator routine service (oil change), tpms and multiple other fixes. By the time we are done with new tires and interior updates we figure we will have invested about $10K above the actual purchase price. Still much less expensive than a new or lighty used rig that will one day be a vintage rig too a still need all the fixes. Plus, now we don't have a depreciating asset.

I did find a local diesel performance shop that can perform most RV maintenance work. They charge $80/hour labor which makes it afforable for me to farm out some of the maintenace and repair work to them. I do the small stuff myself.

[DarkVader]

Originally Posted by Barneyb

Not being negative but he OP bought a 2008 40’ DP they paid somewhere around $60,000 to $100,000 grand. Would you spend that kind of money without doing whatever you could to make sure you were getting what you paid for? Now, if they bought the coach cheap then you have to expect to spend money on lots of updates.
Disclaimer, not arguing, just stating my thoughts

I agree but sometimes there literally is no one who will look at these rigs. It took me months to find someone to do my brakes and in the end there were only two places who would. One of them kept saying they would book me an appointment eventually but couldn't cuz they were too busy. I know an inspection is a bit different but you'd be surprised how hard it is to get anyone to consider looking at RVs and it's frustrating.

Sometimes you get to a point where you buy the RV and take a chance with no inspection because no one wants to, or pass on it. If you choose the latter, eventually you wait your whole life before making a move. Totally get your point but yeah.

[sevenmacs]

I'm not a full timer with a gas class A. But recently made the choice to go with a new gas class A vs. an older DP. I couldn't get DP in the condition I wanted for the same money spent on gas class A. So decided on class A. Not saying there are no issues, but they are minor and not costly. When the market corrects I may change to a DP in the future, prices to high now. Class A Ride & handling is good, power fair, noise , I'll live with, but not horrible.

[Ebwhite]

Originally Posted by Concord

"Come on man?"... Really?

Corn pop was a bad dude with a bunch of bad boys…

[IND2SLC]

OP went from a 5er to a 40' DP...specifically one at an age where things that don't exist on towables begin to come due. All of these things, except for the oil pan, are age-related and wear-and-tear items. It really pays to be able to do as much of your own work as possible though. No way would I pay X-hundred dollars for an oil change I can do myself for $80.

[Roy-c]

Anyone that buys an older motorhome without # 1, a thorough inspection and #2 the ability to do the maint and repairs themselves is making a very costly mistake.
We bought a really older diesel MH ( 1987 Wanderlodge ) and love it. I do almost all of my own maint & repairs and it had extensive and very complete up to date maint records. We looked for 2 years for the right one for us.
It really is a case of buyer beware and buying the best you can find.

[TJFogelberg]

OP - is there a significant improvement in travel comfort compared to towing the fiver? (I read DP threads everyone says the ride is so great and quieter).

You set up for 2-3 weeks at a time and I assume move modestly between A and B. In that case, a little noise or ride quality reduction shouldn't be that much of an issue.

Is the DP better insulated than fiver or gasser? (I'm thinking living comfort when parked).

Posters talk about doing their own maintenance, I don't think that is realistic for most RVers. Of course it's great if you can do your own.

In my case, I'm in my 2nd MH with the Ford E450. Zero of my stress comes from the Ford end of the house. My '99 (bought used in '12) was 100% reliable. I could drive into a mobile oil change service with high doors and get the oil changed for $60. I did have a tire blow but that was my fault for not replacing when I bought a used unit. My '16 (bought new in '17) is 100% reliable, just oil changes and new front tires so far ...5 years into the thing and 50K miles. Living in it 3-4 months (not FT). My only complaint is noise in the cab but I'm used to it having driven Hondas for 20 years and need to get around to sound dampening insulation in doghouse and floor but don't know how to do it myself. Otherwise, it handles like a dream on the road...does not burn oil etc.

[Winger2]

Sounds like you passed on a professional inspection on a 14 year old coach......

[Jubilee 45]

Blularry, C’Mon Man is funny, I like it! On the other hand Corn Pop is a moron. We had a fifth wheel and now a DP. We bought well, but spent more than planned for repairs, upgrade and service. After talking to many folks and reading this forum, we budgeted 5k a year just to run the coach. The cost of the lifestyle. I have been stranded by split fuel line, snapped air line and once HWH went screwy and could get a slide in. Now I expect something, anything to happen that messes with my plans. You have to take the good with the bad. Having said all that when you get your coach operating to YOUR standard, for me that was fixing quite a bit, it becomes easier to maintain. C’Mon Man!!!!!!

[69Stang]

Take whatever amount of money you think you'll spend on getting your new/used DP up to speed and double that amount. These DP's are crazy expensive for maintenance and upkeep.

[69Stang]

I bought mine two years before we go full time just to make sure everything that it needed gets' done, but don't expect it to end even then;

https://www.irv2.com/forums/f64/what...ml#post5937437

[Blularry]

Thanks TJFogelburg, this was what I was looking for. By the way, yes there was an inspection and I was expecting to replace the tires. All other repairs came after a couple of months of travel and could not have been discovered in an inspection. I don't post much and probably won't post again as too many should of done this and you didn't do that instead of what I finally got from TJ.

[BillJinOR]

Crazy expensive and unending to be sure.RE tires For example I know I can find them cheaper and in a different brand but for reference, Just 2 weeks ago I priced tires online with "motorhome tires" delivered .. 8 Michelins in my size... Mounted and Balanced on my site, tax NOT included 9,500$. Go online and look.2 people have told me Tire prices have jumped since May if you can even get them! Owning a MotorHome isn't for the faint of heart I have 50 grand in the 7 years I've owned Ours. Over 10grand in the first 6 months ( a major chunk was a radiator that failed after 5,000 miles and checked ok when bought) many aren't that unlucky, but you should have no illusions going in. We have considered switching to a new gas Bay Star since we don't travel as much currently but it would cost us way more than even a new engine on the old coach at this point, for now we just suck it up. there's going to be a lot of "new' rv'ers in old and new RV's who are going to be disenchanted in the next year or two for a lot of reasons. JMO