 |
|
01-20-2019, 02:57 PM
|
#1
|
Member
Join Date: Mar 2018
Posts: 44
|
Need some advice...buying used
I'm looking for some advice in purchasing a used class A with a budget of 25K.
Back story:
I live in Alaska and our home room some damage during the 7.0 earthquake on November 30th. My home is going to be under repair for 4-6 mo and the insurance gave me money for living expenses. Renting a home really isn't an option because we have 4 dogs.
My questions are: what is my best option in that price range? Workhorse chassis vs Ford? Realistic mpg between the V8 and V10 (I'll fly to the lower 48 and drive back what I buy). Are there any manufacturer I should stay away from? What issues should I be looking for?
I want to consider resale as well. Any RV goes for a premium up here, the local dealer had a 2006 (don't know the mfg) Hurricane with 48k miles, it was reduced from 79,998 to 54.995. I'm not looking to rip anyone off, just would like to know what would hold its value better than another.
I know that's a lot of questions and if anyone would like to take the time to answer I'd appreciate it. I dont want to make a mistake considering the shortest distance from Portland, Oregon to here is just shy of 2300 miles and buying something in Florida and driving up is a but intimidating not knowing what I'm getting in to.
Thanks
|
|
|
 |
Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free!
iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? Do you need advice on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!
You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more!
|
01-20-2019, 03:17 PM
|
#2
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 662
|
I have the Workhorse classic 33.6 feet Allison 1000 8.1 Vortec 2004 my average at 65 MPH is 7.0 to 7.5 new plugs and wires. It has 91000 miles on it. National SeaBreeze LX8321.
__________________
Larry and Sheila 2008 Fleetwood Discovery 39R
Retired U.S. Air Force (SAC) Vietnam Veteran
2020 Jeep Gladiator Overland
|
|
|
01-20-2019, 03:34 PM
|
#3
|
Member
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Corona, CA
Posts: 37
|
The workhorse chassis rides better than the F53. I was able to drive a Winnebago Adventurer 35U with dual slides, basement ac, fiberglass roof before it was sold from under me and it was a way nicer ride than the pace arrow vision I have now. If you can, search from Sacramento down to San Diego for one. The market seems to be holding steady at around 20-25k on "high end" class a's with low mileage between 1999 and 2004. That adventurer was going for 24,500. I picked up my Pace Arrow Vision 36B for a hair under 20
|
|
|
01-21-2019, 04:49 PM
|
#4
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 662
|
__________________
Larry and Sheila 2008 Fleetwood Discovery 39R
Retired U.S. Air Force (SAC) Vietnam Veteran
2020 Jeep Gladiator Overland
|
|
|
01-22-2019, 12:39 AM
|
#5
|
Member
Join Date: Mar 2018
Posts: 44
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by lrsses
|
Thanks for the tip, just joined. 👍
|
|
|
01-23-2019, 01:07 AM
|
#6
|
Member
Join Date: Mar 2018
Posts: 44
|
Just did a long distance purchase of a Forest River Georgetown 340TS SE, flying down to Orlando first week of February to begin the drive back to Alaska.
|
|
|
01-23-2019, 08:22 AM
|
#7
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Lenexa KS
Posts: 1,795
|
Awesome!
Looks like a great coach! Enjoy your maiden voyage.
__________________
Bill & Kelli 2015 Dutch Star 4366
2002 Safari Zanzibar 3906
1995 Fleetwood Bounder 36JD
|
|
|
01-23-2019, 09:10 AM
|
#8
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 662
|
Good looking coach is it the Workhorse or Ford
__________________
Larry and Sheila 2008 Fleetwood Discovery 39R
Retired U.S. Air Force (SAC) Vietnam Veteran
2020 Jeep Gladiator Overland
|
|
|
01-23-2019, 09:25 AM
|
#9
|
Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club Winnebago Owners Club Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Kingman Az
Posts: 1,603
|
First of all stick with a gasser, they just cost less. Maintenance is like 40% less too. Ford is still being produced, work horse is kaput and parts, well, you know how that story goes... Resale value???hahahahaha....cough.. cough... cough....  
RV's break down, get use the idea, it is the nature of the beast   .... it starts the day the are driven off the assembly line.....
4 dogs, living in an RV?? it will be worth less when you are done with it unless you sell it to your kids... RV's interiors are not as durable as a house is, sorry..
but they sure do beat paying rent for some ones else's house... I'd look at a trailer as you will loose less$$ when you resell.
__________________
May your black water hose never break!
|
|
|
01-23-2019, 07:18 PM
|
#10
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Alaska in Summer Snow Birds in Winter
Posts: 2,001
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by lrsses
Good looking coach is it the Workhorse or Ford
|
Looks like an F53 chassis.
I would budget 7mpg for an average from Florida to AK.
The shortest route from Orlando to Anchorage is about 4800 miles. That is close to 10 days on the road. This time of year there will be very few campgrounds open north of I 20 so you should just plan to stay at Walmarts or truck stops and rack up the miles. If you drive hard for 12hrs per day you should be able to get 650 miles a day in. That puts you at about 7 days on the road.
Budget at least $3.50 per gallon for the trip. Obviously fuel will be less in the US but way more in western Canada. Plan on spending $2500 on fuel.
Winterize the coach before you leave Orlando. Use jugs and bottles of water for the bathroom and drinking. Buy and use 1 gallon of RV antifreeze for every day you will be on the road. You could easily see below zero weather before you get out of the states and if you aren't freeze protected you could freeze the entire coach up and that could cost you thousands. You are gonna want to drink bottled water anyway until you get the coach home and super chlorinated.
Inspect the date code on the tires before you leave Orlando. IF they are 5 years old or older you should consider replacing all of them before you start your trip up. Buy a spare tire. Find a place to keep it. Even if it isn't mounted you need at least 1 spare tire for this trip.
I've made the trip up in an RV many times summer and winter. It's no fun during winter but being from AK you know how to drive. If you run into more than 6" of snow you might as well just find a place to park until the roads are cleared. I've taken my Moho to Arctic Man for 15 straight years. Snow/ice on the road is no fun.
__________________
Tom and Sherry W.
06 Winnebago Adventurer 38J Workhorse W24 Lots of motor and suspension mods in the works
02 Itasca Suncruiser 35U. Workhorse W22 w/Safe-T-Plus, Koni FSDs, UltraTrac, etc, etc.
|
|
|
01-23-2019, 11:51 PM
|
#11
|
Member
Join Date: Mar 2018
Posts: 44
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by lrsses
Good looking coach is it the Workhorse or Ford
|
Ford....I couldn't be too picky, I was looking for something in good shape and clean. This had been garage kept, one owner.
|
|
|
01-24-2019, 12:09 AM
|
#12
|
Member
Join Date: Mar 2018
Posts: 44
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by AKIQPilot
Looks like an F53 chassis.Why yes it is. 😉
|
I would budget 7mpg for an average from Florida to AK.
Planning on that
The shortest route from Orlando to Anchorage is about 4800 miles. That is close to 10 days on the road. This time of year there will be very few campgrounds open north of I 20 so you should just plan to stay at Walmarts or truck stops and rack up the miles. If you drive hard for 12hrs per day you should be able to get 650 miles a day in. That puts you at about 7 days on the road.
We're taking a longer route. Stopping in Alabama to see my dad, Kirksville, Missouri to see our son and daughter inlaw, SLC to pick up my wife, Rexburg, ID to see her sister and pick up a few things, then north to Alaska!
Budget at least $3.50 per gallon for the trip. Obviously fuel will be less in the US but way more in western Canada. Plan on spending $2500 on fuel.
✔ Already way ahead of you and you forgot to mention the Milepost 😉
Winterize the coach before you leave Orlando. Use jugs and bottles of water for the bathroom and drinking. Buy and use 1 gallon of RV antifreeze for every day you will be on the road. You could easily see below zero weather before you get out of the states and if you aren't freeze protected you could freeze the entire coach up and that could cost you thousands. You are gonna want to drink bottled water anyway until you get the coach home and super chlorinated.
thanks for the tip on that one👍
Inspect the date code on the tires before you leave Orlando. IF they are 5 years old or older you should consider replacing all of them before you start your trip up. Buy a spare tire. Find a place to keep it. Even if it isn't mounted you need at least 1 spare tire for this trip.
Codes were checked, 2016
I've made the trip up in an RV many times summer and winter. It's no fun during winter but being from AK you know how to drive. If you run into more than 6" of snow you might as well just find a place to park until the roads are cleared. I've taken my Moho to Arctic Man for 15 straight years. Snow/ice on the road is no fun.
Never been to Arctic Man, seen videos though.
I'm planning on picking up a set of dually cable chains. I drove over the road through snow so it's not at all foreign to me.
|
|
|
01-24-2019, 12:13 AM
|
#13
|
Member
Join Date: Mar 2018
Posts: 44
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by lonfu
4 dogs, living in an RV?? it will be worth less when you are done with it unless you sell it to your kids... RV's interiors are not as durable as a house is, sorry..
|
They're never left alone to roam about. They either in a doggy daycare or they're crated when we're gone for short periods of time.
|
|
|
01-24-2019, 12:34 AM
|
#14
|
Senior Member
Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Anchorage, Alaska
Posts: 622
|
If you're in or near Anchorage (I am too) I highly recommend that you go see Great Alaskan Holidays on Old Seward Highway. Their primary mission is RV rentals, but after three seasons they pull units out of the rental fleet, spruce them up, and sell them for a significant discount from the original MSRP. A year and a half ago we bought one of their Class C Winnebago Minnie Winnie 27Qs, a 2016 model, which was in nearly new condition despite an odometer reading of about 38,000 miles. The original MSRP was just under $90,000 and we bought it for about $48,000. They have models both longer and shorter too. You could also look them up on the internet at greatalskanholidays.com. Again, I highly recommend them.
Sorry, I missed the post about buying a rig from Florida before I wrote the post above.
|
|
|
 |
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
|
|
Thread Tools |
Search this Thread |
|
|
Display Modes |
Linear Mode
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
» Recent Discussions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|