Community Forums

bulldog2655 · 05-10-2013, 12:29 PM

Hello all !

I am new to this forum and need some help. I am currently in the hunt for a 1998 - 2004ish Diesel Pusher, with a price limit in and around the $50k mark. This will eventually (2 years) become our Full timer rig. I have seen a Monaco Windsor, a Safari Cheetah, and a Winnie Ultimate, all in the 38-40ft. range. Back in these earlier years, which were the high end / Top of the Line units ? If you had to rank rigs of this age whcih are at the top end and which are at the bottom. Any to stay away from all together ??What about engine size ?? Back then 38-40 footers had 275 / 300 / 330 HP motors and I notice the newer ones have much higher HP ratings. I plan to tow a Ford Edge. Another thing is I have to have a King bed which is very limited, mayybe non-existent in these years. My thought was to find a unit that does not have a Queen slide, but has a North-south Queen (front to back), eliminate one of the night stands, and modify the usual overhead hanging cabinet to get a King mattress in there. Has anyone tried this. Pics please if you have. What other things should I be concerned about in models these years. I know serive / Maintanence records will tell the story of most drivelines and the cleanliness / condition will tell how it was taken care of. How long are Tires good for from the date stamp ? What is the cost of a set of new tires ??

That is all I can think of right now. I thank you all in advance for your help sorting this out. By all means if you are in the Michigan area and know of or have this type of rig for sale, let me know !

Mike

slick60 · 05-10-2013, 12:39 PM

I would stick with the Winnie mainly because they still exist

. Monaco would be out because they no longer

exist and the current new "Monaco" owner is not what the old company was. You want at least a 330 and to get a nice unit for 50 K you probably will have to stay in the 1998 to 2002 range.

Good luck!!

Steve Ownby · 05-10-2013, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slick60

I would stick with the Winnie mainly because they still exist

. Monaco would be out because they no longer

exist and the current new "Monaco" owner is not what the old company was. You want at least a 330 and to get a nice unit for 50 K you probably will have to stay in the 1998 to 2002 range.

Good luck!!

Couldn't disagree more with this post. Unlike him, I won't post a opinion that I don't have a clue about in order to plug my brand. The Ultimate coaches were the best of the Winnie's during the years they were produced. I had a '97 Winnebago Vectra Grand Tour. I needed 2 chassis parts and the OEM maker of those parts go longer made them. Winnebago not only could not supply me with those parts, they were not interested in helping me find or adapt anything else. I decided at that moment that my full timing coach would not be a Winnie.

I now have a ten year old Monaco that I've lived in for 6 years now. Unlike suggested by this previous post, I have had excellent support from Navistar RV tech support on a coach they did not build and never made a dime on.

The Monaco Dynasty has always been a lot of bang for the buck. Here is one in your price range:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2000-...-/310620154800

steveclv · 05-10-2013, 01:43 PM

Just sent you a pm about a 2002 Monaco Dynasty, 42' with tag and 2 slides for $55k.

Steve

Moxy · 05-10-2013, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Ownby

Couldn't disagree more with this post. Unlike him, I won't post a opinion that I don't have a clue about in order to plug my brand. The Ultimate coaches were the best of the Winnie's during the years they were produced. I had a '97 Winnebago Vectra Grand Tour. I needed 2 chassis parts and the OEM maker of those parts go longer made them. Winnebago not only could not supply me with those parts, they were not interested in helping me find or adapt anything else. I decided at that moment that my full timing coach would not be a Winnie.

I now have a ten year old Monaco that I've lived in for 6 years now. Unlike suggested by this previous post, I have had excellent support from Navistar RV tech support on a coach they did not build and never made a dime on.

The Monaco Dynasty has always been a lot of bang for the buck. Here is one in your price range:

2000 MONACO DYNASTY REGENT 41' 350HP 2 SLIDE DIESEL RV MOTORHOME - EXCELLENT- in RVs & Campers | eBay Motors

could not agree more

Moxy

FormerBoater · 05-10-2013, 04:02 PM

Tire age is a big discussion here. Most seem to think you need to look very closely at replacement around the 7 year old mark unless you see physical signs of abuse or sidewall cracks etc.

There is quite a lot to choose from. I am partial to American Eagles having owned one for 4 years plus.

Here is an example of what is out there and looks like a screaming deal to me:

1998 American Eagle By Fleetwood 40EVS for Sale - D200NB - PPL Motor Homes

The Eagle was the flagship of the entire Fleetwood line-up in 1998 and the support from American Coach and Spartan is outstanding.

DaveS
1998 American Eagle 40EVS

slick60 · 05-10-2013, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Ownby

Couldn't disagree more with this post. Unlike him, I won't post a opinion that I don't have a clue about in order to plug my brand. The Ultimate coaches were the best of the Winnie's during the years they were produced. I had a '97 Winnebago Vectra Grand Tour. I needed 2 chassis parts and the OEM maker of those parts go longer made them. Winnebago not only could not supply me with those parts, they were not interested in helping me find or adapt anything else. I decided at that moment that my full timing coach would not be a Winnie.

I now have a ten year old Monaco that I've lived in for 6 years now. Unlike suggested by this previous post, I have had excellent support from Navistar RV tech support on a coach they did not build and never made a dime on.

The Monaco Dynasty has always been a lot of bang for the buck. Here is one in your price range:

2000 MONACO DYNASTY REGENT 41' 350HP 2 SLIDE DIESEL RV MOTORHOME - EXCELLENT- in RVs & Campers | eBay Motors

Whoa Steve no offense intended to Monaco. Obviously you have had a bad experience with Winnebago but Bulldog asked for opinions and I gave mine which he can do with as he sees fit. I do know that Winnie keeps a supply of body parts for several years after production stops but I do not know about chassis parts which they do not make. I apologize for not being as informed as you I simply was giving my input which is what I thought Bulldog wanted.

Parkers · 05-10-2013, 07:58 PM

Mike, my wife and I bought our first MH last fall....a 2002 Holiday Rambler Endeavor in the $50K ballpark. It is a 330 horsepower diesel pusher. 38' long with 2 slides. 55,000 miles and good tires. Good maintenance records. Everything works like it should. I plan on a few upgrades but basically I think it is a good unit as is. It is 10 years old but it suits us just fine. We will be snowbirds starting in December. We looked at other units in this price range and this one just struck our fancy. Lots of good units to be had in this age and price range, just find one that trips your trigger. You can afford to be "picky" because there are plenty to choose from in this price range and age. I think they are a real value, especially when you factor in the depreciation that a new unit suffers for the first few years. Hope this helps and good luck.

Phil and Katie

AGP · 05-11-2013, 05:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slick60

I would stick with the Winnie mainly because they still exist

. Monaco would be out because they no longer

exist and the current new "Monaco" owner is not what the old company was. You want at least a 330 and to get a nice unit for 50 K you probably will have to stay in the 1998 to 2002 range.

Good luck!!

Over the years I have owned 3 new Winnebago's,2 new Fleetwood's and 1 new Monaco. It has been my experience that the Monaco/Navistar support has been head and shoulders above Winnebago and Fleetwood. IMHO.

Steve Ownby · 05-11-2013, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slick60

Whoa Steve no offense intended to Monaco. Obviously you have had a bad experience with Winnebago but Bulldog asked for opinions and I gave mine which he can do with as he sees fit. I do know that Winnie keeps a supply of body parts for several years after production stops but I do not know about chassis parts which they do not make. I apologize for not being as informed as you I simply was giving my input which is what I thought Bulldog wanted.

I certainly have no issue with you giving your opinion and I respect the fact that you have had good service from your Winnebago. I know Winnie well. Aside from owning the Vectra, our best friends and travel buddies have had 2 Winnebagos and we spent a week in Forest City back in 2010. I made quite a stir when I was parked in the WIT lot when they opened on Monday morning. I did learn however, that owning a coach built by one of the largest companies and built on a Freightliner chassis does not protect you from repair and replacement issues. I don't believe your remarks concerning Monaco/Navistar customer service are from first hand experience because my first hand experience is opposite your opinion. Monaco will most likely chance ownership again within the next 30-90 days. One of the things any future owner of Monaco will hope to capitalize on is a reputation for customer care.

becks · 05-11-2013, 09:08 AM

Like Steve above we too owned a Winnebago in the past and were happy with it. However, when we decided to move up in coach, Winnebago did not offer all the things we wanted in a coach, and still does not at this time. When we went shopping for a new to us coach our list was Monoco, Travel Supreme, Country Coach, and a few others. That said ,there are many great DP's for sale today in all price ranges. Good luck shopping.

Mike Thomas · 05-11-2013, 09:27 AM

I have a 1999 American Eagle. Bought it last year with 50,000 miles on it. Great looking coach, everything worked. It came with no service records at all. It is a great coach, but age is my enemy. The cooling unit went out of the refrigerator. That is all about steel tubing and age, no amount of service will save that. The toilet needed rebuilt, again rubber materials that deteriorate with age. Some electrical connections with corrosion, age related, not a service issue. Tires, air bags, and anything rubber is going to give you trouble unless you replace them.

If you buy an older coach, it is a hobby, trying to stay ahead of old man time. If you don't mind working on them, and can do the work yourself, buy it. If your not handy and like the work, buy a much newer coach and trade often.

The most important thing to ask, is where was it stored? Indoors, saves years off wear and tear. Outdoors and everything is soon gone.

deandec · 05-11-2013, 10:45 AM

"Back in these earlier years, which were the high end / Top of the Line units ?"

IMHO, the list for Diesel Pushers in no strict order would be:

Foretravel
Newell
Country Coach Affinity & Magna

Monaco Signature & Executive & Dynasty & Windsor
Holiday Rambler Navigator & Imperial
Beaver Marquis & Thunder & Patriot

American Eagle & Dream
Travel Supreme Select
Newmar Mountainaire

Although not as big a manufacturer (hence fewer customers), I have a fairly high opinion of Rexhall which makes mostly gas rigs but does do some DP.

Peralko · 05-11-2013, 10:59 AM

Dean has it on the money on high-end coaches. Something to consider if you want a king bed, is instead to look at a olympic/California queen bed. It is six inches wider than a regular queen. We haven't done it, but I have measured the distance between the nightstands, and a California queen should fit. Of course you could modify the nightstands as well. There are a lot of good motorhomes out there at very reasonable cost--when we put ours on the market we'll probably ask around $35-40k for it. But if you want to full-time, you may want someting with slides.