how long do you own

[Long Island Mac]

Bought new at the Hershey Show. Very happy with MH. Dozen issues fixed at Alliance in FL. 5 years, minor DYI issues. Now in the last 4 months:
1 Drag link did not pass insp. Proprietorship to REV. Could have shipped link to another mfg. cost about same. Had to be made.
2 problem with bedroom slide, some water intrusion.
3 Air compressor for air brakes. Pulled into Maxwell AFB, and alarm for low presser. Gauge shows only45#. Luckily, got to site. Called a few "mobile mechanics, but they don't work on air systems. Found mechanic, compressor need replaced. Good Sam only will with rebuilt or new if I pay difference. New have one next day. Rebuilt 7-10 days. I pay difference? $2000, NOT. Stranded here until rebuilt comes. Was thinking of getting newer, maybe smaller rig. I will repair all before selling/trading. Perplexed as to change or keeping. What next?? How long have you owned your unit. This is our third and enjoy the life. Not full time, but spend 5-6 months in winter/spring, 3-6 weeks in Fall. Advice is always good here at IRV2. Thanks for replys

[plasma800]

Well.. the compressor seems premature to go out, that for sure.

stopping Water intrusion is something one must always be on guard for and check your seals and dicor every year or 6 months, that will be with any rig.

Drag link was just unlucky.

Starting over could start a fresh batch of problems, when you already know your own rig so well. Tough choice.

Those big rigs are meant, and can, and will go easy 20 years, but all rigs will require some money along the way keeping them up.

In a shorter rig, I'd want 36 foot. Nimble! but that's just me. my wife and I get along REALLY well and are attached at the hip.

[Dav L]

If you like the RV...stick with it.
And anticipate / plan / budget that more stuff will be needed in the future. They all seem to need TLC.

[stepside454]

I’m going thru a similar quandary, only with less dollars involved .
Our rig is a 96 36 ft gas Bounder that we’ve owned for 4 yrs & we are now fulltiming in it .
It’s in overall nice shape for its age , everything mostly works properly , a few glitches & surprises here & there . Other than s blow out , it’s never left us on the sid of the road.
Of course I’d like to have something a bit newer, with more power etc , I’m always on edge for every little new noise , just waiting for the transmission to come apart etc .
But I try to remind myself, we live the floor plan , while a bit more room would be nice , it is enough , it’s been reliable , & it’s basically paid for .

[zekethomas]

As one response says, 'paid-for' .... a key for all thinking. If you spent $10,000 per year over the next 4 years, rebuilding, refurbishing, replacing and making the little things better, you could not buy a coach for $40,000 and get as much as you have with your current one.
Sure, we all like the new shiney ones, good paint, no oxidation, ... but I smile each time I turn the key... "it's paid for"... and then watch the pretty ones go by... content....

Put money in the devil you know... as you will put that money into a devil you dont know as well.... FWIW....

[plasma800]

Originally Posted by zekethomas

As one response says, 'paid-for' .... a key for all thinking. If you spent $10,000 per year over the next 4 years, rebuilding, refurbishing, replacing and making the little things better, you could not buy a coach for $40,000 and get as much as you have with your current one.
Sure, we all like the new shiney ones, good paint, no oxidation, ... but I smile each time I turn the key... "it's paid for"... and then watch the pretty ones go by... content....

Put money in the devil you know... as you will put that money into a devil you dont know as well.... FWIW....

Great way to put it.. and I LOVE paid for...

[chuckftboy]

I feel your pain but getting a new coach doesn't mean you won't have future issues. If your floor plan works for you. make repairs and keep it. They all break at some point. Even new coaches can have issues. A drag link and compressor on a 13' coach is just bad luck so maybe that luck will get better.

[marjoa]

Hey Tom...hi Jan,
Ok, so your coach is now or is approaching 5 yrs. old, the warranty is basically gone, and now some things are beginning to show the need for repair. You've been used to a new coach, basically everything has been working fine and now some things are showing up that need attention.

I'm not being a smart arse here but I have a question for you:
If you bought a S&B for say 150K-200K and after 5 yrs. you discovered you had to replace the roof. And that new roof would cost 5K, 6K or 7K....would you be contemplating selling the house and move into another house that didn't need a new roof?

You've been in this rig for 5 yrs. You know this coach. You know how it's been maintained. You know it's little quirks and you've probably already spent a small fortune getting it exactly the way you want.

FWIW...the grass is NEVER greener on the other side. I sense from your post, that maybe you're feeling a little discouraged and that you think maybe this is the beginning of many other repairs down the road and your considering of cutting your loses now while the going is good.

IMO...I think it's more like a marriage. You're entering into the next phase of ownership of this coach which requires a little more TLC than you've had to put out in the past. If you KNOW, that the major things of this coach are sound, and you've maintained it well up to this point, I say, repair these items and con't to enjoy her regardless of what GoodSam or anyone else does .

You'll come out much better no matter which way you look at.

Now if you haven't been taking care of this baby, and now things are beginning to show up and you're afraid that, "oh boy the chickens are fixing to come home to roost"...then maybe yeah...it may be time to move to another coach. But that WILL have it's own set of financially consequences too, as I'm sure you know.

My 2 cents.

[bluepill]

Suggestion:

Call some major truck repair shops within an hour of where you are, and shop for a rebuilt compressor. Some one must stock rebuilt units, or at least be able to source one that can be quick shipped.

[G Schulz]

Geez, your coach is a 2013, mine is a 2009 and I have updated most things that I would like. I have owned it for 5 years this summer. I wouldn’t dream of selling mine at this point, just getting comfortable with it now. At least it’s the devil that I know.

[saddlesore]

True Custom build in '02
Paid cash. writing that check will put a pucker in ya...
16 years young with 100k on the clock,yes have updated a few things and replaced a few more as they wore out. (went to res fridge, replaced both 15k A/C's, Aqua Hot stuff, toilet stuff)
feel that this one should last until I'm unable to continue driving..10 or 15 more years me thinks.

[Gary RVRoamer]

You are bound to encounter an occasional "hump" in repair needs, but once over it you should be good for awhile. My 2004 coach needed a bunch of things around 2008-2010 but smoothed out after that. Not zero, of course, but much less than buying another. Would you buy a new house just because you had a roof leak or a water heater quit? Of course not.

You didn't mention any interim maintenance, but the air system on any coach needs some TLC. Replacing the compressor at 5 years is really unusual and make me think that it was either (1) not really needed, or (2) a result of a dirty air dryer or failed regulator. Likewise, the roof needs an annual check and usually touch-up of the caulk (sealer) on seams and such. Nor can I imagine a drag link needing replacement unless there was road damage.

[jelag]

I used to own a Clutch/Brake/compressor/industrial friction business that dealt with class 8 trucks... we easily could turn around a customers air compressor in 2 days if we didn't have one on the shelf.... and we stocked maybe 100 of the most popular numbers... remember the compressor is designed for the engine and typically mounts to the modern engine drives with a gear....

If I can suggest a company who does a lot of compressor rebuilding and has a great stock... Power Brake Sales in Sacramento CA... 800-624-8185.... I don't know the all the posting regulations... if I've over stepped someone email me....

They are a second generation company and either Kathy or Sandra can help on the phone.. these ladies are very capable of getting the right compressor.... and I'm betting they can supply one shipped to your location for under $750 with 3 day UPS shipping....

I'm so surprised that so many mobile technicians can't understand and diagnose the common air compressor problem... which is the contamination of the air line between the compressor and the air drier.... the excessively hot air leaving the compressor can easily cook off any tramp engine oil in the head of the compressor during the idle mode(not pumping)... as its starts to build pressure the excessive oil cooks off in the hose and cakes on the ID of the hose... thus making it hard to pump up the tanks in a reasonable amount of time.... thus the low air pressure warning....

A lot of mechanics will change the compressor, than find the problem when they put the new compressor back on the engine.... and will clean the hose...

One last thought before I post this.... we used to test compressors returning as cores... and found that 85% had no problems... they were diagnosed incorrectly and the customer was sold something they really didn't need... of course we would fully re-manufacture to better than OE specification's.... using a higher quality piston/ring configuration to add longer life...

Sorry for the long post... hope it helps to understand whats going on....

BTW - always, always change the air dryer cartridge every other year in dry climates and every year in humid climates no matter how many miles on the vehicle each year... as you move into colder weather make sure the heater in the bottom of the dryer is functioning so that the dryer can purge the excess water...

At least once a year, open the drains on the air tanks and drain any water that condensed that's gotten past the air dryer.....

[mike brez]

We tend to keep everything for long periods of time.
We are still in our first house 34 years
My last gas class a 14 years. I'm going on my third year with my DP and so far costs almost nothing to maintain and its 20 years old.