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Old 10-22-2014, 04:54 PM   #15
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Anyone have any experience/advice about a portable garage for my rv? Where can I get a decent price?
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Old 10-22-2014, 05:04 PM   #16
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I think for family traveling, you are going to find more choices with better sleeping arrangements in a C-class. You'll probably be able to find something newer than what you'll find in an A.

If your heart is set on an A, the time period you mentioned is very problematic for finding a good one. In that period of time, there were many sold that were overloaded for their chassis and have dangerous driving characteristics. You can find many posts on here of people modifying them to get more performance and better handling.

I'd be VERY cautious with any Fleetwood products of that era.

Good luck in the search!
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Old 10-23-2014, 01:21 PM   #17
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The bigger they get the nicer they get and more expensive! I was perfectly happy in a small gas rv no slides, until the next one 40 ft diesel with four slides, then happier with a 45 ft with four slides. You won't miss what you don't have, but boy these things sure can spoil you! There is also a huge difference when you fuel up too! How does 2.5 mpg strike you? After a little backing off the pedal I've gotten almost up to 5 mpg. That makes a big hole in the wallet at the fuel stop! Don't forget to take in account the price of a new tire if you have a flat or blowout. Would you believe $600 plus for one tire. But you will learn as you go along, and don't forget we are all here for you! There are no stupid questions here! Ask away! Glad to have you here!!!
Wow. Here I thought that DP's had the advantage over gassers on gas mileage. I suppose it's all relative to the weight you are moving down the road...but damn, 2.5 mpg is pretty eye opening. I was expecting 7 to 10 mpg (hwy) as pretty standard for most RVs. I suppose RV's and boats are similar holes in which to throw one's money. I appreciate everyone's willingness to share their experience, as I do have so many questions during this learning curve. Thank you!
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Old 10-23-2014, 01:42 PM   #18
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I think for family traveling, you are going to find more choices with better sleeping arrangements in a C-class. You'll probably be able to find something newer than what you'll find in an A.

If your heart is set on an A, the time period you mentioned is very problematic for finding a good one. In that period of time, there were many sold that were overloaded for their chassis and have dangerous driving characteristics. You can find many posts on here of people modifying them to get more performance and better handling.

I'd be VERY cautious with any Fleetwood products of that era.

Good luck in the search!
wincrasher, thank you for your response! No we aren't set on a Class A. In fact we toured several Class C's last weekend, and I was pleasantly surprised that the 30'-34' units had somewhat comparable living space amenities (especially with a slider) to some of the 34'-36' A's we toured but an extra bed over the cab, which was very appealing and the kids were already vying for who got to have the "upstairs" bed. lol. I think my wife was less intimidated by the more familiar cockpit and visibility of the C's cab too. Unfortunately, the pricing didn't seem to be any different from the A's in our area. So we are keeping our options open for whatever unit is affordable and has the right number of beds.

Another poster warned me about a frame width change in the mid-late 90's class A's, is this related to the handling/safety problems you spoke about? Does that mean 98,99,2000 bodies are safer? Is there a year where all the coaches were of the wider design? And can you speak more towards your warning about fleetwood coaches, they seem to be everywhere. Is it just the pre-1997 fleetwood coaches or...? I appreciate any specifics you can provide, and thank you again for sharing your knowledge!
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Old 10-26-2014, 06:14 PM   #19
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Tom13, I can't give you "experienced" advice, but we took the plunge only two months ago and have now camped three times with a dog and two kids. We chose a 2002 Fleetwood 36ft. I would say it is the PERFECT size for us. On a rainy day, we have a little room and everyone seems to find a corner to hang out in. We avg about 5-6mpg on a good day with the gas engine. We've now been up mountain ranges and down valleys with strong headwinds and cross winds. I've heard the early 2000 fleetwoods have an issue with floating on the road because of weak axle braces. My rig has this problem fixed and drives very nicely down the road.

I would recommend looking very hard at this era or older. We bought a very well kept rig yet I have noticed some natural wear in key areas such as the refrigerator and generator. They need a bit more than a touch up at this point to be really reliable. Corrosion and mold are slowly taking a permanent hold in some crevices. If I were to do this again, I would probably be looking at 2005 or newer. We were in the 34-36K range budget wise and are still smiling. Best decision we made was to stop over-thinking and get on the road. Good luck!
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Old 10-26-2014, 06:40 PM   #20
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Wow. Here I thought that DP's had the advantage over gassers on gas mileage. I suppose it's all relative to the weight you are moving down the road...but damn, 2.5 mpg is pretty eye opening. I was expecting 7 to 10 mpg (hwy) as pretty standard for most RVs. I suppose RV's and boats are similar holes in which to throw one's money. I appreciate everyone's willingness to share their experience, as I do have so many questions during this learning curve. Thank you!
2.5MPG is not the norm. Your thought on 7-10 is right on.
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Old 10-26-2014, 08:50 PM   #21
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I would also look at some older DP's. The ride and handling are usually better, fuel mileage is roughly the same. While it may cost more for servicing it may be made up in comfort and drive-ability. There are some older ones out there without alot of mileage that may fit your price point. Good luck in your search.
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Old 10-27-2014, 08:32 AM   #22
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No matter what you get,,, check the tire Date codes,,, not just the tread depth !!! We learned the hard way... 6 tires are not cheap... But worth their weight in gold for peace of mind !!! By the way,, our 95 class A 28' averages 12 mpg.. So things can vary...
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Old 10-27-2014, 12:21 PM   #23
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I would also look at some older DP's. The ride and handling are usually better, fuel mileage is roughly the same. While it may cost more for servicing it may be made up in comfort and drive-ability. There are some older ones out there without alot of mileage that may fit your price point. Good luck in your search.
You are right slickest1, there are some good deals out there for both Gassers and DP's. I was actually kind of surprised to find some reasonably priced older Diesel rigs out there with some cool extras inside. I like the oil burners myself, so we are keeping our minds open to all possibilities, and are absorbing as much information as possible so we can make an informed decision when we purchase next year. Thanks for your input
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