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Old 12-01-2020, 11:17 AM   #1
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Need some input on Pre Owned Class A

We are looking at Class A in the 34 foot range.
Looking at pre owned 3-4 years old. We are looking at Tiffin, Newmar, and Winnebago.

What others should we look at ?

With the F53 Chassis V10 will I be able to flat tow our Jeep 4 door on the hills will I be happy with the performance ? I see a lot of 2 doors being flat towed.

Thank u
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Old 12-01-2020, 12:36 PM   #2
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To know if any RV will pull your vehicle, first get the weight of your car.
Get the following two numbers for the RV:
GCWR
GVWR

GCWR - GVWR = how much you can tow.

Our 4 door Jeep is 4500 pounds empty weight.

See if your car is lighter than the amount you can tow.
Those numbers are different for every RV.
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Old 12-01-2020, 01:41 PM   #3
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If it were me, I'd stick with one of the three you've mentioned. I think it's hard to beat the quality of Newmar or Tiffin, and Winnebago depending on the model.

Our Newmar has a 5K limit on towing capacity, which is typical. As you look at rigs, check carefully the hitch and ratings.
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Old 12-01-2020, 02:59 PM   #4
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Joe,
No matter what make you choose that has a V-10, stay at 2009 or newer.
Has a thicker cylinder head casting and does not blow spark plugs out of the hole.
Count on buying a $500,00 "chip" to wake up the V-10. And try to get a 6 speed Tx rather than a 5. Big performance difference. Also 19.5 tires are a whole lot less $$$ than 22.5's.
I'm looking too and I require a driver's door, so the Winnie's are in the lead.

Mike in Colorado
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Old 12-01-2020, 03:09 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JosephA View Post
We are looking at Class A in the 34 foot range.
Looking at pre owned 3-4 years old. We are looking at Tiffin, Newmar, and Winnebago.

What others should we look at ?

With the F53 Chassis V10 will I be able to flat tow our Jeep 4 door on the hills will I be happy with the performance ? I see a lot of 2 doors being flat towed.

Thank u
Have you considered a diesel pusher in that size range?
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Old 12-01-2020, 03:51 PM   #6
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Just bought a 2016 Tiffin 32SA (34’ 3”). We love it so far. We looked at well over 100 coaches of every brand (except Thor), and our top 3 were your top 3. You won’t go wrong with any of them.

We didn’t find any other brands with the quality of the three you named, and we looked at them all. Fleetwood (Bounder) and their sister/clone Holiday Ramblers are close, and we considered them as an option, but passed when we decided we could afford a Tiffin.

We tow a ‘17 JKU with no trouble. Slow going up and down hills, but no issues. If you go with Tiffin, be sure to get the 24,000 lb chassis. You’ll be at or over weight limits with the other option, the 22k.

Good luck in your search. Shoot me a note if I can answer any questions.

Regards,

Randy
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Old 12-01-2020, 05:48 PM   #7
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For those who recently purchased used MH's, what kind of inspection process did you go through? Did you hire an independent inspector? If it was a diesel Cummins for example, did you bring it to a Cummins service center for an inspection?
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Old 12-01-2020, 06:02 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ludmilla View Post

GCWR - GVWR = how much you can tow.

Would that not be the worst case? GVWR minus OCCC is what the RV actually weighs empty. Now load it up for your trip and what ever is left over under GVWR can go into the trailer weight as long as you don't exceed GCWR and hitch ratings.
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Old 12-01-2020, 06:30 PM   #9
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For those who recently purchased used MH's, what kind of inspection process did you go through? Did you hire an independent inspector? If it was a diesel Cummins for example, did you bring it to a Cummins service center for an inspection?
Funny, I just talked with a Cummins Coach Care Center today about almost the same question. What can they do to tell me the health of my engine. I have an ISM500 and just turned 100k miles. I want to know just what shape it is in. Their reply was, is there an issue? No, was my response. They have a 17 point visual inspection for the general stuff. So from what I learned from them is the run, or they don't. I made an appt. to do the 17 point, put it on the dyno to make sure it's making the power and have the ECM checked for codes or updates. I am considering an "ugly fix" maybe to trick the EGR, maybe.
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Old 12-01-2020, 06:40 PM   #10
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The v10 will tow no issue. but on any class a you want the best ride a banks power system is still worth every penny. Make sure the coach has a steering stabilizer front & rear trac bars as well as sway bars
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Old 12-01-2020, 07:29 PM   #11
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Originally Posted by Roadmiester View Post
Funny, I just talked with a Cummins Coach Care Center today about almost the same question. What can they do to tell me the health of my engine. I have an ISM500 and just turned 100k miles. I want to know just what shape it is in. Their reply was, is there an issue? No, was my response. They have a 17 point visual inspection for the general stuff. So from what I learned from them is the run, or they don't. I made an appt. to do the 17 point, put it on the dyno to make sure it's making the power and have the ECM checked for codes or updates. I am considering an "ugly fix" maybe to trick the EGR, maybe.
Interesting reply from a Cummins Dealer.... an engine can be past spec for a rebuild, or have issues not readily obvious... man things that would take more than a visual inspection...

In the marine world, when you buy a large and/or expensive used boat... you do several things prior to handing over any money..

Along with a Boat "Survey", which is an 8 hour ordeal, including a haul out, to ascertain the condition of the vessel...

You also do an Engine survey... A diesel shop will inspect both main engines, both main gears, and the generator... it too is about an 8-10 hour ordeal, that includes running it during a sea trial to insure it is performing within specs... There are oil samples taken, compression checks, borescope of cylinders, and a host of other stuff...

Back in 2000, the engine survey on my twin screw 46' Hatteras cost me $800.00. It was a comprehensive report. After owning & maintaining that boat for 16 years... it turns out their assessment was dead on...!

I am surprised that most dealers don't offer an "Engine Survey" on large diesel motorhomes... A Cummins Dealer has the knowledge, technology, and ability to do a comprehensive inspection... Seems to me, it would be a money maker..

Perhaps you could ask them specifically, if they do "engine surveys"....???
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Old 12-03-2020, 04:16 PM   #12
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We have a 2019 Tiffin 32SA, that we tow a 2 door Jeep JKS with. No issues in towing with the V10 and the 6 speed tranny. Can the engine make noise going up a grade, yep. Disconcerting - nope. IMO, there is no need to spend a bunch of money on Banks, or other performance improvers, as the engine does a good job with the 6 speed. Prior to the 6 speed, these were viable options, it seems. Tiffin or Newmar, and Winnebago are good units. Suspension upgrades for better handling and ride comfort seem to be a very personal item. Some people swear that their F53 chassis is the best handling thing pout there with zero modifications done to it. Others do minor to major mods. We bought out rig new and after several trips figured out that we needed to do some things to make it ride better, handle better and safer to drive. At a minimum, I would recommend a steering stabilizer and a rear trac bar. Beyond that you get into Koni shocks, better front and rear sway bars. You can spend anywhere from $500 to $8K or more, depending on what you want, or feel you need to do.
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Old 12-03-2020, 06:55 PM   #13
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Quote:
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For those who recently purchased used MH's, what kind of inspection process did you go through? Did you hire an independent inspector? If it was a diesel Cummins for example, did you bring it to a Cummins service center for an inspection?
On my recent purchase I contracted with a nrvia.org certified inspector. It was a comprehensive inspection but didn't include fluid analysis; the Cummins and Allsion had documented service and inspection paperwork so I was comfortable with both of them. It cost a few bucks but was definitely money well spent. I had a 700+ mile trip to get the Bus and wanted to prevent any hiccups. Strongly encourage pre-purchase inspections...
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Old 12-05-2020, 09:16 AM   #14
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You can expect that your RV will be close to its GVWR when you are loaded up for a trip. There are exceptions, but generally you are very close. Therefore, when purchasing an RV, you should expect that and use the math I had in my post to determine what you can pull.
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