IF you were going to buy a 15 year old DP.....which one would it be??

[ralphie]

Back around that timeframe I was looking for a DP. After lots of research, I concluded Newmar and Tiffin were in the mid-price range I could have afforded and built very good units. I have no opinion, however, on which chassis is better..

[bneukam]

Like you, but back three years. I wanted a short DP. Test drove many, and spent hours on the road looking for the right one. I ended up with a 36'. The extra 4' all goes into the wheelbase, with double amount of outside storage. If your going to be driving as much as you say, go with a 36'. One thing you can't predict is the weather, and you don't want it to be making your travel plans for you.

[RV-Writer]

My 98 HR Endeavor is a nicely built rig. Had / has some problems but it is 37 ft on a Freightliner chassis with a cummins isb 5.9 275hp motor. Plenty of power on hills towing a Honda CR-V. Had a guy with a newer rig blow by me towing a jeep. 5 miles later he was crawling up a hill and i blew by him on cruise control.

Inside is well built with a full wall kitchen slide. Bedroom is tighter than I like but we are very comfortable.

I have to replace grey tank valve, fix a leaking hwh jack, and service batteries. After an expensive fuel leak that is about it. Nice rig. Other diesels pass me and I don't feel it.

[Motor7]

For those with 98-02 Cummings 5.9's, do you have the #53 block or were not all during those years built with that block?

[RV-Writer]

Originally Posted by Motor7

For those with 98-02 Cummings 5.9's, do you have the #53 block or were not all during those years built with that block?

Not sure if I have the 53 block or not. How would I find out? I have heard of the thin block wall issue for those made down in Mexico or somewhere down that way, but no issues so far with mine.

[mike brez]

Originally Posted by RV-Writer

Not sure if I have the 53 block or not. How would I find out? I have heard of the thin block wall issue for those made down in Mexico or somewhere down that way, but no issues so far with mine.

Cummins' Fatal Flaws - Diesel Power Magazine

[Motor7]

In a search holding pattern now....headed to Manitoba in Wanda next week. The search will resume in a couple of weeks..........

[RT 41]

you might like at a travel supreme

[mpierce]

LOVE the 1990 Bluebird Wanderlodge we bough three years ago. The quality is unbelievable, compared to most MH's.

[Roy1]

Found and bought a 2002 dual slide 32 ft country coach with the 350 engine with only 16,000 miles on it. Climbs mountains like a scared rabbit good fuel mileage and handles great for such a short wheelbase . Had to do a fair amount of work converting to flat tv's,fixing the water connections,shower valves ,refrigerator internals, step etc. but I couldn't pass on it for $48,000. Great coach in my opinion.

[Smitty77]

OP - Lots of input here, and here is a bit more!

Pick your budget range, do reserve some funds for catch up maintenance and minor modifications to make it our coach.

Then go look, online (PPL does a good job of pictures and floor plans, and look under the sold sections too.) and hit a few larger dealers to go kick some tires.

Make a list of Must Have's and Nice to Have's that matters to the two of you. Narrow down your target coaches to manufacture, models and years that you feel matches what the two of you want.

Then go shopping.

IMO, drop years to remain within budget range, and buy the highest quality coach that you can. I'd rather have a few years older Monaco Signature or Executive, then a Diplomat. (Just and example naming those two.).

Higher end coaches, usually have higher end chassis (Spartan and Freightliner and Roadmaster - come in many different levels of quality and components.)

A short list of manufactures and models that we had narrowed our search down to (Which may not at all match what you two come up with!):
-Alpine
-Beaver (Patriot Thunder was the sweet spot for us, but also looked at Marquis)
-Monaco (Executive/Signature (And the Holiday Rambler Equivalent.)
-Newmar (Mountain Aire and above. Though we liked the Mountain Aire, as it had less 'bling'.)
-Foretravel (U270, U295, U320)
-Country Coach (Allure, Intrigue, Monaco - Intrigue seemed to be the sweet spot for us in the model line up. As it had the optional CAT C12 available.)
-Travel Supreme

We also liked the hard to find Tripple E, and Rexhall had a very safe DP, with the T-Rex slides. So this makes smaller length coaches much more easier to live in.). We also saw several National DP's that we felt were, like the Rexhall, very good bang for the bucks!

Ended up with the 40' Allure, because my DW loved the non slide kitchen (More overhead cabinet space without the slide.) - so Happy Wife was more important then me getting the BIG BLOCK engine I preferred. (The mid size ISL does fine in this coach, but the C12 or C13 in an Intrigue or Magna, would have pleased me more. Yes for the power, but more so for the larger block's Braking Horsepower of the Jake Compression.)

The danger of going out shopping before you two have your short list - is you could come home with a coach that you later regret buying.

Happy hunting,
Smitty

[GeeWillakers]

Originally Posted by Smitty77

OP - Lots of input here, and here is a bit more!

A short list of manufactures and models that we had narrowed our search down to (Which may not at all match what you two come up with!):
-Alpine
-Beaver (Patriot Thunder was the sweet spot for us, but also looked at Marquis)
-Monaco (Executive/Signature (And the Holiday Rambler Equivalent.)
-Newmar (Mountain Aire and above. Though we liked the Mountain Aire, as it had less 'bling'.)
-Foretravel (U270, U295, U320)
-Country Coach (Allure, Intrigue, Monaco - Intrigue seemed to be the sweet spot for us in the model line up. As it had the optional CAT C12 available.)
-Travel Supreme

We also liked the hard to find Tripple E, and Rexhall had a very safe DP, with the T-Rex slides. So this makes smaller length coaches much more easier to live in.). We also saw several National DP's that we felt were, like the Rexhall, very good bang for the bucks!

Happy hunting,
Smitty

This would be my shopping list too (but probably under 40') including the Triple E Empress.

[mike brez]

Triple e

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vLi4LOThs-g

[BigD629]

We searched for over a year for our 36' DP. Ended up with an 05 Foretravel with 400hp Cummins. Highly recommend Foretravel. Motorhomes of Texas has a good selection of quality motorhomes in your price range. Good Luck in your search.