Used DP/Age/Miles?

[Tractor16]

Ok this is for all you experts that own DP's. We are thinking about getting a used Dp 2008 & Up what should we be looking at? We have a 2001 Gas motorhome and want to upgrade. What is the average MPG that you get? Do we need to add a T bar to the front if not on there for Wind. Should we ask for service records for the Coach?

We bought our 2001 new so we do not know what to look for. We have not had any problems with our old coach except for the parking break that went out last year on a trip to Illinois. That was a Bad thing. DH would jump out of the Driver Seat and i had to Jump in till he put blocks to keep us from rolling............ Any Help as to what you know would be such a Blessing to us. We are on the Road in Up state New York and home is in Arizona. We will be back there sometime in late September. There is a Dealer in Texas that we have seen some used DP on line not sure about how good they are. I think we may change our trip to go and see what they have to offer but we need your advice soo much. Thanks for your Help..............Frank & Teri

[Our Time]

If you are looking in the 2008 model years the first item would be age of the tires. Five to six years seems to be the point to start replacing.

A DP with the air suspension will handle dramatically different then your gasser. A steering assist bar may or may not be needed.

Fuel mileage depends on lots of things but in general terms you should expect something in the 7-8 range if not better.

Take one for a test ride and get it up to highway speed and some 2 lane roads and see how it feels to you. Lots of dealers try and limit you to a 5 mile test drive. It's your money, so drive it until your comfortable with it.

Good luck in your search.

[docj]

My suggestion is that you first determine your budget and then decide how old a coach you are willing to accept in order to be able to afford the quality you desire. Only then can you decide what features you want to have. We chose a 10-yr-old MH because we wanted a high quality one; we could have bought almost new if we were willing to settle for less.

As for things you definitely should want:
--A compression brake (or at least an exhaust brake)--this is an absolute must
--At least 350 HP and 1200 ft-lbs of torque (that translates to a Cummins ISL engine or larger)--some people will say they do fine with smaller engines; I don't like to be the slowest one up a hill.
--Hydronic, diesel-fuel fired heating (AquaHot or equivalent)--not only does this provide great heat, but it also gives you unlimited hot water, something your DW will really appreciate.
--Air suspension--easier on your butt and back and a lot better for your dishes.

A good DP doesn't need additional "T-bars" or stuff like that for stability. If the chassis doesn't track well, find one that does; I can drive with crosswinds up to ~30-40 without issue. We get a very honest 8 mpg with ours under all kinds of driving conditions.

Service records are essential if you want to have any peace-of-mind about the vehicle. Of course, lots of MH's sold through dealers don't come with records. In that case you should hire a competent inspector and hope for the best.

[RickO]

We have a 2007 40DP w/400hp Cummins. Towing a Ford Explorer and with our dash air almost always on and cruising at 62/65 mph... we average 7.5 mpg.

I wasn't at all happy with how it handled from the factory and added some after market stuff and now it's a dream to drive.

Best of luck

Rick

[H. Miller]

If the "Texas dealer" is PPL in Houston, we hear good things about them though we've never purchased from them (except parts)

[FLYING BUTCH]

I agree with all that Docj posted. We went with the higher grade "Beaver Marquis 04" and have never been sorry. Everything from the toilet to the driver seats are of better quality. We have some things in common. We are in Texas headed to New York and back home to Airzona in September. We may be selling our current coach as we are looking to get a newer Marquis. Good luck and safe travels.

[JimM68]

we were faced with the same choices, upgrading from a '99 gasser.
I'm very happy with our 08 monaco.
steep rocky mountain passes do tax the 360hp isc, but no where near as bad as the old v10.
ride and handling of the 8 air bag roadmaster chassis is without equal.
and fit finish and overall quality of the inside of a monaco product is without equal in its price range.

[buck454]

Originally Posted by docj

My suggestion is that you first determine your budget and then decide how old a coach you are willing to accept in order to be able to afford the quality you desire. Only then can you decide what features you want to have. We chose a 10-yr-old MH because we wanted a high quality one; we could have bought almost new if we were willing to settle for less.

As for things you definitely should want:
--A compression brake (or at least an exhaust brake)--this is an absolute must
--At least 350 HP and 1200 ft-lbs of torque (that translates to a Cummins ISL engine or larger)--some people will say they do fine with smaller engines; I don't like to be the slowest one up a hill.
--Hydronic, diesel-fuel fired heating (AquaHot or equivalent)--not only does this provide great heat, but it also gives you unlimited hot water, something your DW will really appreciate.
--Air suspension--easier on your butt and back and a lot better for your dishes.

A good DP doesn't need additional "T-bars" or stuff like that for stability. If the chassis doesn't track well, find one that does; I can drive with crosswinds up to ~30-40 without issue. We get a very honest 8 mpg with ours under all kinds of driving conditions.

Service records are essential if you want to have any peace-of-mind about the vehicle. Of course, lots of MH's sold through dealers don't come with records. In that case you should hire a competent inspector and hope for the best.

Certainly agree with those things mentioned above by Doc plus might add since I just went through this.....do not settle for anything other than what you want. Example, if coach is just almost what you want but has a queen instead of your desired king, don't buy. Carpet not the desired tile, don't buy. Trust me, you will always want those items. Just know what you want in floor plan and small things from side hindge compartment doors to ceiling fan in bedroom to a certain size motor. The disappointment for settling on a good buy without your desires is no fun in the long run.

I get around 6.5mpg but probably get over 65mph for to much and run generator quiet often on the road because it is so hot in Texas that cab air just will not keep us comfortable.

Some big RV dealers on I35w just south of Ft Worth near Alvarado and a very nice family owned and operated Newmar dealership in sort of a remote spot near DFW airport in Colleyville (Professional RV Sales).

Bill

[stink]

My DW and I purchased an 02 discovery for about 30k Needed some cosmetic work and tires but we love it. Had less than 57k miles and a 330 cat 6 sp alison. Drives like a dream. If you look, older DPs can be had, just be carefull and insist on maint records. If your budget allowes

[Jack1234]

Originally Posted by docj

My suggestion is that you first determine your budget and then decide how old a coach you are willing to accept in order to be able to afford the quality you desire. Only then can you decide what features you want to have. We chose a 10-yr-old MH because we wanted a high quality one; we could have bought almost new if we were willing to settle for less.

As for things you definitely should want:
--A compression brake (or at least an exhaust brake)--this is an absolute must
--At least 350 HP and 1200 ft-lbs of torque (that translates to a Cummins ISL engine or larger)--some people will say they do fine with smaller engines; I don't like to be the slowest one up a hill.
--Hydronic, diesel-fuel fired heating (AquaHot or equivalent)--not only does this provide great heat, but it also gives you unlimited hot water, something your DW will really appreciate.
--Air suspension--easier on your butt and back and a lot better for your dishes.

A good DP doesn't need additional "T-bars" or stuff like that for stability. If the chassis doesn't track well, find one that does; I can drive with crosswinds up to ~30-40 without issue. We get a very honest 8 mpg with ours under all kinds of driving conditions.

Service records are essential if you want to have any peace-of-mind about the vehicle. Of course, lots of MH's sold through dealers don't come with records. In that case you should hire a competent inspector and hope for the best.

Personally, I think the sweet spot (depreciation wise) for MH's is around 5yrs old (2008/09) or greater than 10yrs (2003 or older). I also agree that it is better to go older & get better quality than newer. The easy choice is the 5yr one. By 2008/09 all higher quality MH's were coming from the factory with ISL's .....that have the HP, the Torque & Compression Brakes....in addition most will also have 4 slides, LCD TV's, etc. In my opinion, I would also rather have a residential fridge than Agua-Hot.

I wouldn't be very concerned about MPG. While a DP gets pathetic mileage, it is not a daily driver! It is simply another way to get from one destination to another (carrying all your toys, your bedroom, your living room & your kitchen). Most of the time the MH is sitting parked, while you drive your towed vehicle. Every year we move from the Southern USA to Canada and driving a MH is still much cheaper than buying 2airline tickets and paying for 2 dogs.

I am not a believer in performance or handling aftermarket "stuff". If it needs these things, I would keep looking as these would be a deal breaker for me. On the other hand, if you are buying "used", I think you will have to compromise on some things.....you just need to be sure you are clear about what you can and cannot live without. You will also have to decide whether or not to go with an Extended Warranty. There are lots of threads on this subject and at the end of the day it is a very personal decision.

Good luck.

[stink]

Jack1234 I get about 11 mpg with my DP but I rarely drive over 58mph well tuned and the latest software for my cat 330 and yes my wife likes doing the math for the MPG

[Mr_D]

Cummins studies and testing show that it takes 140,000 miles to establish a baseline fuel mileage figure. We still have 100,000 miles to go!

[Tractor16]

Originally Posted by H. Miller

If the "Texas dealer" is PPL in Houston, we hear good things about them though we've never purchased from them (except parts)

It is Motorhome Specialist out of somewhere near Dallas, Tx www.mhsrv.com They have lots of Motorhomes from what we can see from the Website.

[Tractor16]

Originally Posted by buck454

Certainly agree with those things mentioned above by Doc plus might add since I just went through this.....do not settle for anything other than what you want. Example, if coach is just almost what you want but has a queen instead of your desired king, don't buy. Carpet not the desired tile, don't buy. Trust me, you will always want those items. Just know what you want in floor plan and small things from side hindge compartment doors to ceiling fan in bedroom to a certain size motor. The disappointment for settling on a good buy without your desires is no fun in the long run.

I get around 6.5mpg but probably get over 65mph for to much and run generator quiet often on the road because it is so hot in Texas that cab air just will not keep us comfortable.

Some big RV dealers on I35w just south of Ft Worth near Alvarado and a very nice family owned and operated Newmar dealership in sort of a remote spot near DFW airport in Colleyville (Professional RV Sales).

Bill

Thanks Bill for your info. We are looking at that RV dealer south of Ft worth. They seem to have alot to choose from. I know we don't want Carpet for sure as we travel with Pets now and it is a Pain. In Arizona we get dust storms and even if we park the MH in the Barn it is a mess some times. We had not planned to head back to Arizona through Texas but we may just go that way to take a look.