Community Forums

rubberduckie · 03-07-2019, 03:50 PM

Retiring soon, looking to buy a DP 40 or above. We will snow bird in the winter months. Want to stay around 180.000.00 price range. Do I buy new or used? I figure if buy new it will be worth something in ten years verses buy used and ten years it will be worth much. Only want to do this once all advise is appreciated.

MSHappyCampers · 03-07-2019, 03:54 PM

I would much rather buy a higher-end DP maybe 3-5 years old that the original owners have gone through all the hassle of getting the bugs out from shoddy work at the factory! JMHO

TonyMac · 03-07-2019, 03:57 PM

How good are you at fixing stuff? These things are built to be lightweight and mobile, and these two features do not mix well. Stuff breaks all the time and taking it to the shop to fix it is a nightmare; fixing it yourself is so much better.

Your rig will lose a lot of its value in the first few years, and that depreciation begins to taper off, but it never quits. Bottom line, you lose more dollars in 10 years with a new rig than a used rig. And you can get more rig for 180K used than 180k new. I almost never buy new. I would rather invest my mechanical skills than my money. But that's me.

oscarvan · 03-07-2019, 04:05 PM

You're going to need your mechanical skills whether you buy new or used. Stuff breaks, all the time. New they will fix it under warranty, for a while. IF you can find a dealership with some integrity that doesn't park you for weeks making excuses.

I buy some things lightly used some things old and some things new. I bought our coach new. I am glad I did. Maintenance is EVERYTHING. Keeping up with it is the difference between ordeal and adventure. And there is a LOT of maintenance. MOST owners don't do it. If you are lucky enough to find a coach that has been cared for by a KNOWLEDGEABLE owner you are going to pay top-used dollar. Almost as much as a new last year's model sitting next to this years, or even better next year's model. I got a heck of a deal and 2-1/2 years later it is as clean as the day we brought it home. And ALL maintenance is up to date.

So you're going to get 100 responses with 105 opinions. If you get used, get the best one you can find. If you get new, shop around there are SERIOUS deals out there. I think you'll save MAYBE 10% on the used.

Isaac-1 · 03-07-2019, 04:19 PM

I say buy used, the first coach is often a learning tool, and it is very hard to get it right the first time around, as you simply don't know what you don't know.

I could probably ask your opinion on a dozen things that experienced owners will tend to have strong feelings about, that as a first time shopper are things that have likely never crossed your mind. Ranging from wheel cut, and off tracking, to top hinge or side hinge cargo compartment doors, or slam lock vs twist lock latches...

Crasher · 03-07-2019, 04:27 PM

Our first two coaches we used and the last six have been new. We had some construction issues with a new 96 Discovery that the dealer took back as a trade-in giving us most of our investment back. The other five were fine with very few problems. The best one is our current 2013 Allegro Bus. We do an annual service on the chassis and coach, and just add fuel in between. At 10,000 miles per year, it will serve us for another 10+ years when we will be in our late 80's and maybe settle down.

450Donn · 03-07-2019, 04:28 PM

Thats a lot of money to spend of 4 or 5 months a year. Why not buy a house or condo for the money and have something that apprecuates in value?

oscarvan · 03-07-2019, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 450Donn

Thats a lot of money to spend of 4 or 5 months a year. Why not buy a house or condo for the money and have something that apprecuates in value?

Because they don't drive worth a crap.

Not everything has to be an investment. Mohos certainly aren't. Some disposable income is.... disposed of in return for travel, vacation. This is one way. 8 weeks in a resort isn't cheap either and again, you're stuck in one place.

Now if you wan't to talk investments we gotta go to another forum.

Jim_HiTek · 03-07-2019, 06:52 PM

Sales of new RVs have dropped -40% because, it's widely believed on the RV horror story threads I follow because of the insanely poor quality of new builds. Much of this caused by one company that owns several brand names and types of RVs. Including some older names that use to mean quality. Airstream is an example. Thor is widely blamed for the tanking of quality the last few years.

Buy used.

Outbound · 03-07-2019, 07:12 PM

My choice is to buy as new as possible but not brand new, there are still some great deals on brand name high end motorhomes with tens of thousands in savings from new. Your going to have maintenance with new or used.

jcussen · 03-07-2019, 07:29 PM

These guys have a pretty good handle on what used coaches are worth.
You will notice some 2 year old coaches are close to the same price as some coaches built 10 or 12 years ago. There is a reason. Check out the construction, amenities, and quality of some of the older high line coaches, and then some of the newer entry level ones, before you buy.
http://motorhomesoftexas.com/

Ivylog · 03-07-2019, 07:37 PM

Last winter I looked at a bunch of new big rigs...what a disappointment in the quality department. OK, it saved me a lot of money as it confirmed I could pay 1/3rd and have a better built rig. Buy a pre 2010 42’ tag axle coach. Depreciation will be half of a new rig and new enough to have nice features.

AKIQPilot · 03-07-2019, 08:12 PM

$180k will get you a very nice 4-5 year old, 42', tag axle, dual bath, quad slide DP with +400HP from Tiffin or Newmar and it will have very low miles.

Let the first guy eat the 40% depreciation in the first 5 years.