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10-17-2014, 01:51 PM
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#1
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Junior Member
Fleetwood Owners Club Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 25
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Can you help a newbie with your opinions and experience on buying an RV
Hello Everyone,
I appreciate any help you all can provide in the form of warnings or advice about purchasing a used RV...our first RV. We are excited to get one, but I would like to be as informed as I can before we start kicking tires, and maybe your advice will help to manage my expectations a little bit too.
We are hoping to purchase a used Class A Motorhome, probably gas (as they seem to be cheaper than the diesel pushers). It is going to be older, probably from the late 90's early 2000's as that seems to be our price range. I personally want it to be in the neighborhood of 30' as we would like to use it to travel cross country, and we have 3 boys aged 15, 10, and 5, so I don't want it to be too small.
Any particular manufacturer/year that I should avoid...other places for the info I'm going to need...things that should make me run away from a unit...anything will help.
Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge with a (pre) newbie.
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10-17-2014, 02:00 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Snowbird - Waterford Mi and Citrus Springs Fl.
Posts: 3,609
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Regarding late 90's gassers. Look into the difference between conventional (pre late 90's contruction) and what became known as a "wide body". They were switching back then. Difference in wheel track for handling, difference in body width for roomier interiors.
__________________
1997 37' HR Endeavor, 275hp Cat, Freightliner
03 CR-V Blue Ox, Ready Brake
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10-17-2014, 02:18 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Solo Rvers Club
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Ham Lake, MN
Posts: 3,038
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Glad you're aboard.
Check this link out for some pertinent info. Then most suggest finding a floor plan that you like and doing a search for the RVs available with that floor plan. Go out and look at all the RVs you can find to do that. RV shows, dealers, private parties, etc. You can find those in the classifieds here on IRV2, on eBay, on Craigslist, at RVTrader.com, at RVT.com., your local classifieds. Best of luck in your search and decision.
Enjoy your adventures and be safe.
__________________
Have a wonderful day!
Ken (RVM 87)
FT DP Wanna B The journey is the destination!
Retired & perfecting procrastination!
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10-17-2014, 04:23 PM
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#4
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Junior Member
Fleetwood Owners Club Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 25
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Thanks Ken! I appreciate the info
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10-17-2014, 04:24 PM
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#5
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Junior Member
Fleetwood Owners Club Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 25
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thanks ahicks, I didn't know about the frame width change in the 90's.
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10-17-2014, 04:36 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Winnebago Owners Club
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Seeing the USA
Posts: 2,646
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With 3 children you may want to consider a 30' to 34' BH (bunk house). Winnebago is a great entry level MH. You will also want at least one slide. And lastly, figure out the floor plan you like.
__________________
Neal and Deb + Mya and Gizmo, the pup's
2003 Winnebago Sightseer 30B
May the roads rise up to meet you, May the winds be always at your back...
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10-17-2014, 05:05 PM
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#7
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Junior Member
Fleetwood Owners Club Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 25
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Very true Pepper2, I like the idea of bunks for two younger ones, just hard to find that floor plan in the 90's vehicles. I would love that tho.
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10-18-2014, 01:31 AM
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#8
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Moderator Emeritus
Country Coach Owners Club Appalachian Campers Gulf Streamers Club
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Chattanooga, Tn.
Posts: 12,060
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Hopefully you are starting this research a few years from the time you will actually take the plunge. This may open up the avenue of a little later model year as well. Don't be in a rush and you can find the perfect coach at a price that will surprise you. Expand your search to cover the entire nation and you can save the cost of flying to pick it up and then some. The market is extremely flooded with used coaches but it has started to turn the corner and I predict in a couple of years there will be a deficit and the prices will go up. Good luck and keep us posted.
__________________
Mike, RVIA & RVSA Certified Master RV Technician
Amy, Dr. Assistant - Roxie & Mei Ling, four legs each
2000 Gulf Stream Scenic Cruiser 450 hp & 1330# torque
06 Saturn Vue, 06 Chevy Z71 4x4 & 2014 Corvette Z51 M7
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10-18-2014, 05:36 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Conway, SC
Posts: 2,557
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You have to consider the fact that with a 30' motorhome you don't really have 30' of living space. Approx. 5', maybe a little more is taken up from the windshield to the back of the two front seats. Bunks are a good idea, but that still leaves a couch or dinnette for the other boy to sleep on. It's doable, but consider spending 3 or 4 rainy days stuck inside...who's going to be the referee?
__________________
2000 Dutch Star Pusher
2009 Saturn Vue Towed
Full timed for 6yrs.
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10-20-2014, 07:00 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: KENNER, LOUISIANA
Posts: 131
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10-20-2014, 07:03 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Enjoying the Western States!
Posts: 19,674
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You didn't state your budget but look at the PPL consignment site to get some general ideas of what's out there and for what price. They handle diesel and gas. Look at both.
Diesel Motorhomes for Sale - PPL Motor Homes
__________________
Full-timed for 16 Years . . .
Traveled 8 yr in a 2004 Newmar Dutch Star 40' Diesel
& 8 yr in a 33' Travel Supreme 5th wheel
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10-21-2014, 01:09 PM
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#12
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Junior Member
Fleetwood Owners Club Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 25
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Thank you for the welcome and the info Rabbitfish! We are located in Washington State, near Seattle. Our desire is to take an RV on a big looping trek around the US. The initial "dreaming" phase marked a path about 7600 miles long. So the hope was to find a vehicle up to that task, with enough space for all of us, but something that doesn't cost so much we can't afford to take it anywhere. Finding that middle ground will be tough, and the research is going to prove whether or not that's even possible. You are right though, the search and research phase it exiting! We went to a couple dealerships last weekend to get a feel for the interiors that we had been seeing online. The kids went nuts...they loved it, and wanted to buy an RV right then so we could go use it somewhere.
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10-21-2014, 01:17 PM
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#13
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Junior Member
Fleetwood Owners Club Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 25
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Thank you for the info twogypsies, I appreciate getting the inside scoop from all of the RV veterans. That is a great site, I like how they have the floorplans included. We are still a bit up in the air about our final budget tho. My wife is ok with the old style RV, but now that I've sat in an RV with sliders...I really want one with the extra room afforded by at least one slider...such a huge difference.
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10-22-2014, 04:38 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: KENNER, LOUISIANA
Posts: 131
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