Newbie Question

[buzzbill]

Folks,

We are in the process of purchasing a 2015 Anthem 42DEQ, our first foray into the RV world. As such, we have been researching almost to the point of analysis paralysis. We have learned that there are no perfect coaches and feel as though the Anthem best fits our interests going forward. That said, we have read more than enough on the potential problems with the steering to prompt a question to those with far more experience.

The coach has 33K miles on it and is being sold to us from a dealer on consignment. Is it reasonable to ask the dealer to check the torque on the castle nuts on the steering linkages prior to settlement?

Thanks in advance for any insights you might share.
Bill

[brobox]

If no maintenance records are available, then I would ask the dealer. If the cost has to be passed on to the seller, that is part of the negotiations. Also check to see of the ball joint recall has been done, that is covered by Spartan.

[buzzbill]

Thanks! I will ask the dealer whether the ball joint recall work has been performed. He has all the records out there. If the recall hasn't been performed, then I will try to identify a Spartan shop nearby. Probably better to have the torque checked by Spartan anyway. Appreciate the help!

[Matt D]

Bill, just my .02¢ but very few dealers will have the capability (or specialty tool) necessary to correctly perform the ball joint recall.

Spartan is covering that anyway, so we are really just talking about who gets to smoke a day in the waiting room while it's done. In addition, I'd probably take it to Spartan for the recall and to check all front end fastener torque. I'd also have them check the torque box on the rear suspension to ensure you aren't buying a headache with that. I'm not sure I'd be comfortable asking a consignment dealer to commit to that in depth of an inspection. Some things should just be done for piece of mind, regardless of who pays the tab.

Here are the things that would occupy my short list prior to delivery:

-Tires. With your age coach, it's probably going to be ok to drive on them for another year or two, then it's time to change them out at roughly $7-800/Ea. Take the time to have a qualified professional tire store provide an inspection. This will hopefully detect any unroadworthy conditions.
-Generator service, not super expensive but it needs to be done more frequently than the engine if it has seen heavy use.
-Aquahot service, experts suggest 12 month service. With today's bio diesel, we started seeing malfunctioning at around 11 months. My policy is every 6 months.
-Engine air filter. The recommended maximum interval on this is 24 months due to breakdown of the binding adhesive for the filter media. I swap it out each year.
-Engine fuel filters, back to bio diesel. I personally believe most coaches adhering to a strict 12 month PM schedule are running at reduced power output for the last few months. I've had a fair amount of experience on MH engines with bad fuel, and I feel changing them at 6 months isn't too much of a burden.
-Engine oil and filter service, this is a 12 month or 15,000 mile interval.
-Chassis lube, generally an annual deal with a special 5,000 mile interval for the driveline (driveshaft). Frankly, it's hard to grease these beasts too much.
-Roof inspection, specifically looking for failed caulk. This will result in a soggy wet mess when you can least expect it. Caulk is cheap. Talk to Chuck (Brobox) about his Eternabond fix.
-Battery condition, both house and chassis. Frankly, you're getting to that magic age where you're probably need to buy a new set of batteries.
-License. Yup, the dealer doesn't care, your insurance company won't ask, but you need to investigate the legal requirements to operate a vehicle 26,000 pounds or greater. Most states require a Non-Commercial Class B with Air Brakes, or a full blown CDL. Frankly, the vast majority of coach owners gloss over this step. Learning the inner workings of your coach's systems is a great benefit.

The Anthem is one heck of a coach, you've chosen wisely. A little effort now will help you realize your dream.

We have really enjoyed RVing, and our Entegra. They build a very nice coach, with a lot of baked in quality carried forward from the Travel Supreme days.

Welcome and congratulations,

-Matt

[BigTone]

Matt D.,

Thank you for sharing your wisdom! I'm not the OP, but as someone who shadows this blog and hopes to join "the Entegra club" some day, I really appreciate the information that you and the rest of the group shares! It is an invaluable resource.

[MoHoGo]

Agree with Matt / Chuck.... I would also call Spartan and Entegra with the serial numbers of the coach (the chassis ser no and the coach ser no. will be different) and ask for a list of the recalls as well as the service advisories that were performed on the coach. They have that info and if they will not give it to you I would request that the dealer contact them and get it. You have to contact both BTW, Entegra and Spartan may not know what the other has done.

We had the ball joint recall done at Spartan in Charlotte, MI. I have heard mixed reviews about the recall being done at other locations including Entegra.

When we had the recall done we also had our annual service done by Spartan.

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f278/very...ce-337674.html

[buzzbill]

Thanks for all the great replies! Sorry I didn't reply sooner, but still working these days. The information available by the contributors in the forum is remarkable! Am really looking forward to starting our adventure, especially with support from a community like this. All the best!

[brobox]

Welcome aboard! Hope the purchase goes well. We are here to help anyway we can.

[rbr]

We have a '15 "Classic" Anthem DEQ and love it. There are some potential issues, like _all_ coaches, but with the prep work you're doing: if you like the floor plan (we think it's the best [emoji51]), condition, and price, you'll probably be very happy