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View Poll Results: If you purchased your coach new, are you
Happy with your decision to purchase new. 77 81.05%
Thinking, in hindsight, that you should have purchased used. 18 18.95%
Voters: 95. You may not vote on this poll

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Old 03-28-2019, 04:52 PM   #71
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Old 03-28-2019, 05:02 PM   #72
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Buying new or used

I have done it both ways and will not buy another new Diesel pusher because I have moved up/laterally to a converted Semi. Technically a Class 8 conversion. It is a semi tractor with a stretched frame and MH house built on that. I traded my 2007 Amer Trad tag axle for the big truck because I burned up the dif in only 100K in the Amer Trad miles pulling heavy race car trailers.The truck looks like a stretched delivery truck, plain white, but the interior is fantastic and it has 650hp, 1800ft lbs of torque. Less glitz but a lot more grunt.

Back to the question of new vs used. I am now convinced that the thing to do if buying a pusher MH(any MH for that matter), buy one that is one year old and used. Buy it at a big dealer(like Lazy Days) and plan on staying in the area of the dealership for two weeks or more. Drive it a lot and push every button. Try to make anything close to failing to fail on their ticket. The reason for getting a one-year-old is that by that time most of the problems will have been fixed but the owner has said screw it and traded it in right when the bulk of the problems were about to be fixed. When I picked up my "last" diesel pusher, one couple had been there 6 months sorting their new MH out. They did not mind because they ate and drank in the Crown Club every day free. No sweat for the dealership as the markup on the big MHs was ~40%. That % may have dropped the last few years but the quality has dropped as well.
Buy a used one about a year old.
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Old 03-28-2019, 05:12 PM   #73
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When we were looking at Rv’s, we started with a budget in mind and knowing what we wanted we initially started looking at used. After looking at used class a’s for a while we came across a new leftover 2016 Newmar at a dealer in Colorado at the end of 2017, so the 2018’s were already starting to roll in. It’s a bunk model which is what we wanted and they gave us an amazing deal on it, a little over 40% off of MSRP. So that brought the price down into used territory. So needless to say I flew to Colorado and drove it home.

I’ve had to bring it out to Indiana twice for warranty work, but Newmar has been great each time so I really don’t mind. Now that it’s out of warranty I’ll be doing most of the repairs myself.
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Old 03-28-2019, 05:14 PM   #74
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New or used. Choice or budget. Buy quality whether used or new.
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Old 03-28-2019, 05:18 PM   #75
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Our first was a used model that seemed very solid. After tow years of about 20 nites per year and maybe 10 k miles we decided on a bigger unit.
We got a good trade in allowance and shelled out a healthy sum for a new model 5th wheel.
After a very short time I became real disappointed. Things like the fake granite counter tops and really cheap stereo (why anyone would take the time to manufacture it) were buyer faults. Things like the mis-aligned shower drain and faulty front jacks were builder faults. One half of the electric system would just stop working.
So we had warranty work , no out of pocket. We just didn't have a dependable coach.
After 5 years we had all the bugs worked out and tired of all the labor involved in 5th wheeling so I went to a 30ft class A.
No value at all in our rig. About 25%.
Our Class A is 15 years old with 40,000 miles, runs great, everything works. The previous owner told us about the things repaired or replaced.
I keep it maintained. New tires last year. Plain white with some stripes, no colorful graphics or fancy paint schemes.
The big one is I own it. It's paid for. A new one would have cost 4-5 times as much.
I have become a big fan of previously owned.
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Old 03-28-2019, 05:28 PM   #76
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We purchased new, and after sorting out the initial build quality issues (a process that took nearly two years), it's been a solid and reliable coach. So, in hindsight, I don't regret buying new. However, if I ever buy another I'll buy used. I'll buy a coach that comes at a much higher initial price point, so I'll let someone else swallow that initial depreciation. I'll shop long and hard for a 3-4 year old lightly used unit, and I'll go into it with the full intent of putting some $$ into after purchase to make it like new again. Since neither of your poll answers didn't really cover my thoughts I refrained from voting in the poll.
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Old 03-28-2019, 05:59 PM   #77
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Buying a motor home new or used depends on a number of factors, just like a boat or yacht!
All will require repairs and preventive maintenance throughout their lifetime. Just like personal relationships owners need to determine how much love, energy, care, learning, and patience is a new owner willing to exert? Personally I chose used to avoid certain newer features such as DEF fluid, particulate filters and other systems that I observed commercially to initially be problematic or un reliable when first released.

Once this is accepted the minute you drive a coach off the lot it is “used”.

Therefore the search should be for a well built quality coach, built with reliable serviceable components. Not one off pumps that are not serviceable or have no parts availability.

A well maintained coach, and owners not willing to do preventative maintenance or minor repairs them selves should prepare to pay between $125 and $150 an hour on average and ownership costs will sky rocket because of costs associated with paying “experts”.

Just remember all service personnel put their pants 👖 on one leg at a time just like you do.

Don’t be afraid to learn new skills and try !

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Old 03-28-2019, 06:53 PM   #78
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What I wanted in a RV, new or used

Quote:
Originally Posted by Outbound View Post
I bought used but new is still King.
I had a 25 ft 30 years ago, now retired, wanted a larger M/H to travel in. Wanted 4 things in M/H, 1) to be able to use everything when closed up. 2) Diesel pusher, tired of sitting on the motor, noise, and no power on hills. 3) High rail for storage and pass through. 4) a tag axle for stability when a 18 wheeler passes you. It had been 30 years since I had a RV, and a lot of new conveniences are now available, that I did not know, or contemplate.

I chose to look for a high quality manufacture with a good reputation, find a floorplan I liked, and started to walk back the years till I found one that I could afford. I found a Newmar Essex, 8 years old, 35,000 miles, in CA., and I live in FL. I ask them to make it worth my while to travel 3,000 miles to see it, and they did. It was spotless, not a scratch on it, inside or out. And everything worked. The high quality of the manufacture, and a uper end coach that had all the amenities I could not even dream of, and the high quality workmanship, and equipment, made, for me, the best decision. 3 years in, and still extremely happy camper. I have never seen a RV that has been worn out, just neglected.
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Old 03-28-2019, 07:05 PM   #79
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We bought a new 2016 Thor Four Winds 33SW Super C. Lots of issues worked out with dealer and Thor. Love the diesel power and the space in the coach. Love the king bed, residential fridge, and inverter. All in all we are happy with buying new. But the DIY in me longs for an older unit I could rebuild using quality parts and construction techniques.
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Old 03-28-2019, 07:37 PM   #80
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New vs used

Budget has a lot to do with purchase decision. If you can find a good used rig that has what you want you will avoid the first year heavy depreciation. If you are new to MH's it's best to have a professional go through it.
It's all about enjoying life not giving yourself head aches.
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Old 03-28-2019, 08:12 PM   #81
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It doesn't matter what you buy, as long as you understand pros and cons of both.

If you think about it, everyone is driving a used coach.
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Old 03-28-2019, 10:22 PM   #82
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I appreciate folks that buy a new RV; otherwise I would never be able to buy a nice used RV!

We bought our current RV about 8 months ago, a 2005 with 17k miles on it and we paid ~2/3 of fair/book value; about 20% of MSRP (I know high) back when new.

I would have a hard time justifying a new price; if I could afford it or not.
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Old 03-29-2019, 05:05 AM   #83
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My grandfather had "two foot itis." Every two years he bought new, two foot bigger. We, however, have owned 3 class A coaches in 20 years. The first was OK, the second was a complete disaster (example, the furnace was installed backwards), and the third, a Winnebago Itasca 2005, has been wonderful and we love it. Minimal maintenance, excellent quality, and nothing in a nice gas unit we can find now to match it. In comparison, most new upper level gas coaches have been "dumbed down" to keep prices lower, and it shows. Were we looking now, we would probably look gently used.
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Old 03-29-2019, 05:44 AM   #84
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Used is the way to go....

Having bought two new we are now thinking a used from a good owner would definately be the way to go.

Itasca Sunova 33 2015 new gasser. Tons of just gross crappy productions issues. Some were sooo wrong you just have to wonder how in the world the company can survive with such a poor product.

2017 Thor Aria 3401 DP. This coach was even worse that the Itasca.....ex. the bedroom engine access hatch was grouted shut. Must have been the guys first time working with tile. REALLY bad quality. Really.

Our dealer, Camping World in Tampa off I-4 was on par with the coaches. Horrible. ex. An appointment there means you drop it off and maybe in 3 months you get warranty approval. We have thrown in the towel and will never go there again. Service department is a joke.

It takes a good owner two years to work out most of the issues. That would be the timeline to buy a used one. Or if you have the $$$ buy a better coach....do it!
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