NEW VS OLD - Is there any real difference?

[Milford 47]

It will be interesting for those around 10 years from now to hear the comments then based on the same question

If it truly was fact then the best and better coaches will be 30 years old or so and makes you wonder just how many will still be on the road that are vintage

We have quite a few vintage coaches come into Branson several times per year but they are outnumbered about 500 to 1 with all the newer models

I think the fact is that there are truths on both sides of the argument and a lot of it simply comes down to budget

[Dutch Star Don]

Originally Posted by Milford 47

It will be interesting for those around 10 years from now to hear the comments then based on the same question

If it truly was fact then the best and better coaches will be 30 years old or so and makes you wonder just how many will still be on the road that are vintage

We have quite a few vintage coaches come into Branson several times per year but they are outnumbered about 500 to 1 with all the newer models

I think the fact is that there are truths on both sides of the argument and a lot of it simply comes down to budget

Absolutely agree, I've been on here for over ten years and the same arguments were made about older coaches when I first joined. The fact is, we're all limited by a budget and few will admit that they can't afford something. Instead they have a hundred reasons why they bought used. They always tell you that an older Foretravel or Newell is the best and I agree. But new Foretravels and Newells are just as well built, so why didn't they buy a new one.....budget, budget, budget.

Buy what you can afford, fix it up so it's how you like and enjoy it. Life is too short!

[smp005]

I prefer to buy new and our next coach will be a new one. We bought our current coach used simply to verify it was something we really want to do and enjoy. Admittedly I think we knew but wanted to make sure and understand what we truly wanted before dropping 200k+ on a new rig :-)

When I bought my JD tractor I bought it new, when I bought my Ranger bassboat I bought new, trucks and cars - new.. OK - I did buy an older Jeep YJ to pull as our toad but I did not want the new style Jeep..

To me its simple - I dont want someone else's problems or improperly cared for junk. If it starts out mine, I know exactly how it is cared for... at least I only have to deal with the manufacturer when working out the bugs..

Now I am not going to buy a new coach just because I want new - we will buy to upgrade to a larger coach, king bed, side radiator, more room, etc.. That is the WHY we will buy - the what being "a new one" is for the reasons stated above..

Not knocking buying used and if I could not afford new then I would do the same. I run into very, very few people that would not or do not buy new if they truly can afford to do so and I know many that justify not buying new for all kinds of reasons that, if someone handed them 200 grand, would not think twice about buying new :-)

[TeJay]

When we decided to buy a gas RV in 2014 I did consider buying used and doing an extensive renovation. I turned 70 that spring and was not sure I could upgrade to a point where the DW or myself would have been happy.

Anything built within reason can be upgraded, changed and improved. Some upgrades to the MH market have been good and doing some of these to an older RV can be a challenge.

We decided to start with a newer RV and get more of what we wanted. We did a year of research and picked Winnebago. We ordered the interior and exterior basic colors. We did not want carpet. We did not want a booth dinette since at the time we had never tried or owned one that was in the least way comfortable. The dinette space is fixed and we did not need another uncomfortable bed for sleeping. We did want a pull out dinning table and folding chairs. That increases the flexibility of the main living area.

We had a 1999 RV 34' with the V-10 & 4-speed. Since then Ford made changes like 5 and 6 speed. A front track bar and 3 valve engine. Buying older in a gas rig does not make available recent engine or transmission improvements as we are seeing today. We have a 2013 chassis with the 5-speed. The 1999 4-speed was slipping when I had to back it up our hill into its parking space. It had less than 20,000 miles at the time.

Would I like the 6-speed or new V-8 and 11 speed? Yes if it's as bullet proof as the V-10. The older V-10 and 5-speed are just fine. Some of todays improvements and changes might be good but some bells and whistles are just cool and not really necessary. I do like the backup camera and side cameras for passing traffic. Good safety change!!

All our interior lights are LED. That is IMO a great (must) improvement. They can be easily retrofitted in older RV's. We really like the 3 way (engine, propane, electric) water heater. We have 3 slides and 2 have failed under warranty. We should be good for some time.

There's no getting around how much better any RV is if it has slides. We have several in our RV club who don't have slides. There's only two adults and their rigs are 39' or longer. What they loose with no slides is made up by the length.

Hind sight is always 20/20. I retired at 62 in 2006. My DW retired in 2010.

We should have bought a good used MH say a 2008 to 2012 and taken 1 to 2 years to do a really good interior and exterior renovation.

Oh Well!!!!

[Ken Thompson]

I would take my 18 year old Monaco over any and all of the over priced sloppily assembled new coaches made today. There was pride in the construction of the older coaches. The real craftsmen have long retired!

[Johnynorthla]

Originally Posted by Alan_Hepburn

Or the original owner finally got tired of dealing with all the bugs and dumped it for something different...





This is the ONLY advantage we can see with buying a decent, slightly used model!

That’s the one thing that scares me about buying used, Getting someone else’s headaches. Although now that I’m on my third RV if we ever go full-time, I would consider a higher end class A. Just to save on the depreciation. My thinking is if you you bought a 5 to 10-year-old Prevost from a reputable Prevost dealer, at that level the coach should be well taken care of. Just my opinion.

[lucky55616]

We like to buy things new and then keep them for a long time. We bought our RV new 5 years ago and hope to keep it for another 5 to 10 years. We were fortunate and had zero problems with a new unit so have never had it in the shop. If we traded every 3 or 4 years then I would be going used on my trades.

[danking49]

New means you have repairs ahead to complete the production line for the manufacturer. Used means someone else already finished the production line for you. IMHO and experience.

[dans1999f-53]

2008 or older was the very best in quality under $200,000. Fact!

[grrr16]

With the Rv company’s trying to make the Rv’s lighter for better fuel economy I don’t think they are as strong as my 2003 or older rv’s. And what will happen when traveling down our nice smooth roads with a lighter Rv

[B Bob]

The best coach is the one that is paid for. That is the one where the title is in your hands.

If money were no object I would want a brand new Prevost and a full time driver/butler/bus washer.

If money were an object I would do the same thing I did ten years and three months ago. I would do a bunch of research to find the best made coaches with excellent design/assembly/component quality/and after sales service. That were a few years old so much of the depreciation was already over and were sold at a price I could afford.

At that time there were a number of coaches that were built with very high quality even production type coaches. Now unless you get up in the very high end all new RVs are built to a price. When you build to a price you cut corners. Most of the new coaches that my wife and I go into at RV shows are much cheaper made than ours. So we don't look much any more. And we just fix stuff that occasionally goes wrong.

To get a really well made motorhome today I think the starting price is about a million.

I like that 13 years old Newell. Newell's are very good rigs.

[Dlanders9789]

That is what I did - twice. A 2006 Travel Supreme in 2009 & a ‘14 Essex in’17. Both for less than 1/2 MSRP & only 20,000 miles. Bugs were mostly all worked out

[dsavage74]

If this 625 is the ISX 15 with dual cam shafts be very careful. These engines sucked valves in the number 6 cylinder. Check to see if it has this engine. If it’s the single Cam ISX THEN it is great !

[BruceDeville]

Originally Posted by gpounder

I am at the FMCA Rally in Indio CA parked next to 20 new DP's wondering if the industry has improved upon the machine in 20 years. If money were no obstacle would there be a good reason to buy new?

If I had all the money in the world, I would buy a 20 -30 year old MCI, Prevost or equal and have it custom outfitted as I desire. The way I wanted.