Seeking opinions on a new purchase

[Gary RVRoamer]

In my opinion that coach is typical of what you are likely to find for an under-$40k budget. That price range is pretty much rock-bottom for a DP. If you hunt long enough you may stumble over a nice clean one of vintage 1999-2001, but it will take awhile.


If you want assurance of better condition and less future maintenance cost, I feel you would be much better off making the budget $50k, even if that means waiting longer. Alternatively, buy a coach similar to this one and plan on spending $7k-$10k to bring it up to your standards.

[Spdracr39]

We purchased a 2004 DP for $42,500. Initially it seemed to be in great condition with some minor cosmetic issues. After taking delivery and closely inspecting and running all systems there were a number of issues we didn't notice. I knew about tires and batteries and most cosmetics but the little things add up quickly. I am not dissatisfied because in the end we will have a quality built coach in great condition for under 55k. I would definitely keep a reserve of around 10k for unforeseen repairs and if you don't use it it can be kept in the emergency fund. IMO unless you are getting a professional inspection paying more doesn't necessarily eliminate problems that will pop up when you really start using it. Folks don't often sell things because they are perfect.

EDIT : If you settle on this one and the dealer replaces the tire be sure to inspect the date code on them before they install them. Just because they are new doesn't mean they weren't manufactured 2-3 years ago and the dealer will try to get out as cheaply as possible.

[Fltwood Mac]

If you do buy this coach I would recommend this place for your tire replacement, very close to I-17 North headed towards Flagstaff and I-40 which is the route you will most likely take going home.

https://www.firebirdtire.com/index.htm


wanted to add I don't know where you live so you may take I-10 home and this place would only be about 20 miles or so out of your way to get your tires so I would still use them even if using I-10 vice I-17 going home

[dirt33]

Current update is, I will not be purchasing the Discovery referenced at the beginning of this thread. The inspection did reveal that the rust issue is severe enough to call things off from my end.

I appreciate everyone that is offering help in this thread, very much. I do understand that having a desire to spend somewhere in the $30s is going to get me a rig almost certain to have issues such as the unit mentioned. Upping my price range into the $40s and even $50s is absolutely doable, and I understand that doing so will open up many more avenues in terms of build quality, condition, etc.

Ljwt330, thank you again for giving me your thoughts on the rust issue. It was indeed "as bad as we had feared". Truthfully, I probably could have saved the $$ spent on the inspection if I had just analyzed those photos sooner. But, without the inspection, and with me being 1000 miles away, I would have never known with absolute certainty, and would have wondered... So, I don't mind spending for the inspection at all (as it gave me a firm answer), and I will do it again on the next candidate.

ivylog, your point is not lost on me. I am coming to terms with the fact that I need to broaden my focus, and lose my Fleetwood Discovery-only visions. No problem at all. That is part of the process. Without a doubt, I firmly believe that my research and searching is going to lead me to something that will someday make me think, "Man, I can't believe I almost jumped the gun and went with (insert any of the few unsuitable options from my early stages of thinking)". I appreciate your advice, and will be digging into it thoroughly later today once I am done with work. I have very briefly done some looking this morning, and I do know that your info is good. Almost certainly, I will have many questions as it pertains to the Monaco's, and specifically what years I should limit my focus to. (I will search this forum as best as I can to hunt for that info, when I free up more time later today)

Gary RVRoamer, thank you for the help. I do know that being willing to spend closer to $50 will increase my chances of finding a "good" unit. I do need to be patient, and I am looking far and wide, and hard. Overall it should be (and is) a fun process. Processing all of the info can get to be nearly overwhelming, but to handle that I know that patience and "taking your time" is important.

spdracr39, thank you. Keeping a reserve budget definitely is what I plan to do, and of course keeping my initial purchase a bit lower is what I need to do in order to keep funds on hand. I agree with everything you have said, it is hard to find a great deal, as most times, things aren't sold unless there is some underlying reason. We just hope that, as the buyer, the underlying reason(s) are at least manageable.

Fltwood Mac thank you for the recommendation of a tire shop. As it turns out, a potential trip to PHX for this particular unit is off the table. But, I definitely appreciate your help.

[Ljwt330]

Originally Posted by dirt33

Current update is, I will not be purchasing the Discovery referenced at the beginning of this thread. The inspection did reveal that the rust issue is severe enough to call things off from my end.

I appreciate everyone that is offering help in this thread, very much. I do understand that having a desire to spend somewhere in the $30s is going to get me a rig almost certain to have issues such as the unit mentioned. Upping my price range into the $40s and even $50s is absolutely doable, and I understand that doing so will open up many more avenues in terms of build quality, condition, etc.

Ljwt330, thank you again for giving me your thoughts on the rust issue. It was indeed "as bad as we had feared". Truthfully, I probably could have saved the $$ spent on the inspection if I had just analyzed those photos sooner. But, without the inspection, and with me being 1000 miles away, I would have never known with absolute certainty, and would have wondered... So, I don't mind spending for the inspection at all (as it gave me a firm answer), and I will do it again on the next candidate.

ivylog, your point is not lost on me. I am coming to terms with the fact that I need to broaden my focus, and lose my Fleetwood Discovery-only visions. No problem at all. That is part of the process. Without a doubt, I firmly believe that my research and searching is going to lead me to something that will someday make me think, "Man, I can't believe I almost jumped the gun and went with (insert any of the few unsuitable options from my early stages of thinking)". I appreciate your advice, and will be digging into it thoroughly later today once I am done with work. I have very briefly done some looking this morning, and I do know that your info is good. Almost certainly, I will have many questions as it pertains to the Monaco's, and specifically what years I should limit my focus to. (I will search this forum as best as I can to hunt for that info, when I free up more time later today)

Gary RVRoamer, thank you for the help. I do know that being willing to spend closer to $50 will increase my chances of finding a "good" unit. I do need to be patient, and I am looking far and wide, and hard. Overall it should be (and is) a fun process. Processing all of the info can get to be nearly overwhelming, but to handle that I know that patience and "taking your time" is important.

spdracr39, thank you. Keeping a reserve budget definitely is what I plan to do, and of course keeping my initial purchase a bit lower is what I need to do in order to keep funds on hand. I agree with everything you have said, it is hard to find a great deal, as most times, things aren't sold unless there is some underlying reason. We just hope that, as the buyer, the underlying reason(s) are at least manageable.

Fltwood Mac thank you for the recommendation of a tire shop. As it turns out, a potential trip to PHX for this particular unit is off the table. But, I definitely appreciate your help.

This post convinces me you have your head screwed on correctly!


From my own experiences, the hunt for "new" MHs always started out with a seemingly abundance of available coaches in my price range and quality. However, in every case, it always took nearly a year, sometimes more, to finally find the ones purchased. During that time, I did more research, asked more questions, and sometimes changed criteria. My point is, this will take time but that time will fly by.


I think you are especially wise to be willing to spend for an inspection and consider that part of the cost of the hunt. In the long run, as in your recent case, it is a money saver. Part of your budget should be costs of inspections and/or travel expenses to view the coach in person. Personally, I never put those expenses in my purchase budget, but willingly paid them as part of the quest. However you account for those costs is your decision, but they are necessary, IMO.


Finally, flexibility of your purchase budget is a good idea. With a budget of, say, $50K, you can still seek out lower priced coaches with the knowledge you have ample funds to cover the obvious flaws as well as the usual unexpected expenses. With additional knowledge from your own research and asking questions to professionals, you can get an idea of what it would actually cost to bring a flawed coach up to your standards and use that as a negotiating point. Hopefully, you will also have an idea whether or not it is better to fix one or bail out and find a higher priced coach that has different issues. I used to own vintage Porsche 911s, and the saying back then was, "All 911s are $20K cars." This was when you could find them for sale in the four digit range, but getting them repaired and street-worthy always pushed them over the $20K mark. The same can be said of older, quality DP motor homes, but with a different dollar amount.



Finally, each coach manufacturer and model have different issues that members of this forum can offer enlightenment. Radiator issues on one model coach may not be the issue on another model of the same make, for example. Ask here, often, and continue to be flexible.



I predict success for you in your hunt!

[dirt33]

Ljwt330, I am very appreciative of your advice and thoughts. Very well written post, and you have hit the nail on the head, for sure. I have several things "in my favor" or "going for me" while conducting this search. Money in hand, no rush, no reason to hurry, no reason to gamble (any more than a person has to, that is), no reason to settle (again, within reason...). I am looking forward to equipping myself with more and more knowledge, thereby making the search process more "fun" and less overwhelming and/or confusing.

Forgot to add to the list of "positives" above... My truck and travel trailer still sit beside the house, and will until sometime after a motorhome sits next to them. So, the urge to go camping can still be easily satisfied, any time. I am thankful for that.

Thanks again.

[dirt33]

Originally Posted by Ivylog

Vito.a tried to lead you in the right direction. Your statement in red above had me shaking my head. A little background might help...I've owned every type of RV made except TH fifth wheels (had not been invented back then) and yes this will sound like you should own the brand that I own BUT all you have to do is study the brochure below as the Dynasty gives the most bang for the buck in the Monaco lineup...Dynasty, Executive, and Signature. The Roadmaster chassis was the safest, best handling chassis made without going to a Foretravel, Newell, or Prevost (they all use outboard airbags) on custom built chassis.
https://library.rvusa.com/brochure/02Dynasty.pdf

I would suggest you wade through this thread as it has some very good advice on quality and safety: http://www.irv2.com/forums/f258/how-...er-436463.html

"Certainly, being patient and holding out for "the right one" will be way more important"...there is hope for you.
The only reason I sold my Dynasty was my son wanted it instead of buying a new class C...smart boy and no he was not adopted

Ivylog,

I have looked over the 02Dynasty brochure that you linked, and it is very impressive. This evening, I am going to immerse myself in specifically looking at Monaco motorhomes, to see what I think. You mentioned Dynasty, Executive, and Signature, and indicated that the Dynasty provides the most bang for the buck. To be clear, were you suggesting I focus solely on looking for Dynastys, or indicating that Executive and Signature should be considered as well?

This morning, I indicated to my wife that our research would now shift away from solely Fleetwood and would now include other makes as well, with Monaco being the first. She pretty quickly emailed me the following unit. Please take a look at that ad, and let me know your thoughts (this is open to anyone reading as well, of course). I haven't yet had any time today to dig into any research, so I figure perhaps the Camelot shown in that ad can be a bit of a "reference point" for me, based off of not only my own thoughts, but also the opinions of others (who know much more about the brand). In other words, I guess I am looking for a "starting point" when it comes to my Monaco "thoughts".

https://www.rvtrader.com/listing/200...DST-5007051038

Thank you.

[Ivylog]

Nice looking rig but I’m not a fan of the bath and half floor plan...many people are and it’s the current fad in DPs. Camelot is one down from Dynasty and the reason I didn’t include it is because of the alum house structure that’s bolted to the frame...not as strong/safe as the welded structure of Dynasty, Exe, & Sig. Does have the 8 airbags RR8S Roadmaster chassis. A Dynasty is more likely to have AquaHot and Girard Awnings... Exe & Sig will as standard. There are a lot of little things the top 3 will have: Keyless entry that locks/unlocks basement doors, a air seal around the door, slide tray in the basement, 6-8 way front seats (they are not pilot or copilot seats), the quality of the fixtures is better.

By 2003-04 Beaver and Holiday Rambler were pretty much Monaco clones...made on the same assembly line. Those years are when most big DPs started getting bloated resulting in very little Cargo Carrying Capacity so tag axles were added. Everyone with a tag axle say they will NEVER go back to a non tag coach...the handling is that much improved. Some Monaco products have a Shepherd steering gear box that is not adjustable (making for sloppy steering) unlike a TRW box.

There are a few other manufacturers that build there own chassis with the welded upper structure...Country Coach and maybe American Eagle???

Have I confused you enough??? Good thing you’re not in a hurry.

[EZRider800]

Originally Posted by dirt33

Ivylog,

This morning, I indicated to my wife that our research would now shift away from solely Fleetwood and would now include other makes as well, with Monaco being the first. She pretty quickly emailed me the following unit. Please take a look at that ad, and let me know your thoughts (this is open to anyone reading as well, of course). I haven't yet had any time today to dig into any research, so I figure perhaps the Camelot shown in that ad can be a bit of a "reference point" for me, based off of not only my own thoughts, but also the opinions of others (who know much more about the brand). In other words, I guess I am looking for a "starting point" when it comes to my Monaco "thoughts".

https://www.rvtrader.com/listing/200...DST-5007051038

Thank you.

Nice looking coach. I have a 2006 Holiday Rambler Ambassador that looks almost exactly like that Monaco on the inside. I highly recommend the Monaco or Holiday Rambler coaches from the early to mid 2000's. Good solid coaches and good floor plans and you can find them for a good price. My 2006 was $66,000 and only had 36,000 original miles. I bought it from the original owner after her husband died. She couldn't drive it and wanted rid of it. If you went back a couple more years you could find one in your price range.

Not sure what your requirements are for creature comforts but I have changed out the Norcold 'fridge for a stainless steel residential Samsung because the Norcold crapped out soon after I bought the coach. I have also swapped out all those old 70 pound TV's for new flat screen smart TV's. I also had an air conditioner go out so I replaced both units with the new design and new digital thermostat. What I'm saying is.......be prepared to spend some more money for things that fail or need replaced on this age of a coach. I did all the work so the actual cost wasn't all that much but if you can't do it yourself be prepared to spend some cash.

Good luck!! Keep us in the loop on what you find.

[vito.a]

The Monaco Camelot is a big step above what you were looking at. It has a rear radiator, Cummins engine, and a custom built Roadmaster chassis with outboard airbags and shocks. Monaco built both the chassis and coach so they had total control over the finished product. The Camelot is just under the Windsor and Dynasty in the lineup and is a very nice coach.

Monaco was the #1 RV manufacturer back in the day for good reason. They provided more for your money and that still applies.

Best of luck!

[Ivylog]

Originally Posted by vito.a

The Monaco Camelot is a big step above what you were looking at. It has a rear radiator, Cummins engine, and a custom built Roadmaster chassis with outboard airbags and shocks. Monaco built both the chassis and coach so they had total control over the finished product. The Camelot is just under the Windsor and Dynasty in the lineup and is a very nice coach.

Monaco was the #1 RV manufacturer back in the day for good reason. They provided more for your money and that still applies.

Best of luck!

The pictures show it has a side radiator but it does not have Aqua Hot heat. For $6000 you would get a lot more Motorhome and I do not see any noticeable rust:

[vito.a]

Originally Posted by Ivylog

The pictures show it has a side radiator but it does not have Aqua Hot heat. For $6000 you would get a lot more Motorhome and I do not see any noticeable rust:

Sorry, yes a Camelot has a side radiator.

[dirt33]

Thank you for the continuing good info. My wheels are still turning on looking and researching. I appreciate all of the feedback, and look forward to how much knowledge I am going to be able to gain from this forum.

[Fltwood Mac]

Originally Posted by dirt33

Thank you for the continuing good info. My wheels are still turning on looking and researching. I appreciate all of the feedback, and look forward to how much knowledge I am going to be able to gain from this forum.

Not sure what your budget is but as someone who had a 2001 pusher and now has a 2015 pusher I can tell you the differences are amazing with the newer Diesels. Everything from king sized beds standard, LED lighting, new technology in everything from the dashboard electronics, the engine, navigation and entertainment systems, its like night and day. So much roomier, better designs and just overall more comfortable. Lots more conveniences and sure you pay for them but they sure are nice! For between $120K and $150K you can find some sweet newer Diesel pushers out there.