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tipaulfla · 01-03-2014, 11:41 AM

I recently went from a 34ft gasser to a 40ft DP. It is a 2006 Coachmen Sportcoach. The dealer just replaced the house batteries and then my inverter quit work. It seems like a lot of little things are always needing fixing or changing.
My point I am at is, 1) trade it in for a new class c or B plus or 2) hang in there and iron out the problems and have a DP.
We bought it to travel out west to visit my daughter in Wyoming, but I am not very mechanical, so I am afraid once the month warranty passes I will be paying out of pocket for all these repairs.

Any suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks in advance
Tipaulfla

doc · 01-03-2014, 11:48 AM

ride it out: you will lose your donkey if you do it now

SlyFox · 01-03-2014, 11:54 AM

Sorry to hear of your troubles

yikes. From your post I assume you bought this used and the dealer has a 30 day warranty? If so, also assuming you have some time left and will be using it until then, I suggest just ride it out and see, or take it in to another independent RV shop for a full review. Even if you trade it in for another RV, new or used, you run the risk of the same potential issue. You have a DP which I am sure you will not regret in the future, as long as the drivetrain and mechanical of the unit are strong. As for the rest of the issues while frustrating as it is....it's all part of owning these things.

We now have a the unit we wanted in the first place, but we traded a few times and there is cost to it. Couldn't afford what we have now in the beginning, but if you look back, it would have be thousands cheaper in the first place to have gone with that

:facep alm:. It's all part of living the dream/camping so no regrets anyway.

Anyhow, if you really like your unit, think about riding it out as long as the drive train will not start causing you issues, then you are looking at a lot more money going out. Wish you all the best, have a safe and hopefully uneventful new year.

pagosajoe · 01-03-2014, 11:56 AM

Since you have a one month warranty, use the heck out of it, see what "breaks", and take it to the dealer for repairs...and yes, you'll find that maintenance/repair is part of the equation when you own a motor home.

Wayne M · 01-03-2014, 12:25 PM

Have you considered an Extended Service Plan, if available. A little pricy but considerably less that repairing/replacing some parts on the MH.

I consider it a hole in the road that I just keep pouring money into. I'd like to trade it in but I haven't found any that don't have some type of problem.

Clayobx · 01-03-2014, 12:38 PM

Ride it out, you won't be sorry. I like Wayne's suggestion regarding an EW. Be sure if you purchase an EW you understand EXACTLY what is NOT covered in the warranty. It, the EW is written in legal jargon. If you have a question find an attorney friend or individual versed in contractual writing, ie, insurance agent.

MSHappyCampers · 01-03-2014, 01:45 PM

I too would recommend you ride it out! You'll probably get through the "surprises" pretty quickly and be VERY happy to have that DP! JMHO!

Good luck, happy trails, and God bless!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Mr_D · 01-03-2014, 01:49 PM

If you aren't mechanically inclined and don't have money for repairs it's possible an RV isn't for you.
I do almost all my own work and it save a bunch of $$

R2Home · 01-03-2014, 02:10 PM

I would also suggest that you ride it out! No matter if the MH is new or used, there are going to be on going things that need to be addressed. I would also be a good idea to get some training on how to do maintenance your self. There will be times that a repair person/shop is not close by and you will need to do some repairs.
Once the 'issues' get taken care of you might be happily surprised on how much better the DP is then the others.
As has already been stated, you might want to look into get an extended warranty. We did on the MH we purchased this spring and glad that we did.
Hang in there though.

EDALLSAILS · 01-03-2014, 02:51 PM

when we purchased our New MH (used) we stayed at dealership. 1st morning we had absolutely NO Power. No 12 volt, did I mention no 110 either? they showed us their check list and how everything was serviced and checked (ya rite). they ended up replacing 4 house batteries and 2 chassis batteries no change. we stayed another nite. In morning NO Power. seems the bad batteries caused a problem with the invertor convertor. that had to be replaced to. another 1800 bucks. Now we're up to over 3 thousand dollars. We stayed yet another nite. Praise the LORD, no problems in the AM. We've had 3 years without any problems since then. Use the MH, Pump the Pumps, dump and refill tanks. turn everything on and off. . Once your 30 days are up you'll always have everyday maintenance. fixing things is a whole lot cheaper than trading and getting screwed by an RV dealer. unless you just happen to like the abuse. Safe Travels... ed

TeJay · 01-03-2014, 03:09 PM

Well you may not be mechanically inclined now but you might be when you ride it out. Most of this stuff is not that difficult. Read, ask a lot of questions and just dive in. If something is broken and you don't fix it then it's still broken and you'll have to pay somebody else to fix it. If you pay somebody the first time you've learned nothing. Eventually you will begin to have some success. Once you have success things will become easier. I've been a tinkerer for about 60 years. Even today when I attempt to build or fix something I often go on the net and ask questions and do a lot of searches.

Good luck

TeJay

GaryKD · 01-03-2014, 03:49 PM

Hi tipaulfla,
My coach is an 05 and purchased new. You purchased a pre owned 06. I know my coach from the factory. You do not have the intimate history of how your coach was treated. Replacing batteries and the inverter is business as usual. Hopefully, what you replace will last a long time. However, get used to it until the coach settles down and you have a history from where you began.

vsheetz · 01-03-2014, 05:36 PM

Ride it out. Cheaper and likely easier in the long run.

Superslif · 01-03-2014, 05:59 PM

Just use it to the max during your 30 day warranty to fish any more bugs out. Try every system you have. Just think of it as your already ahead with the dealer footing the bill for those two fixes....Even a new DP is going to have bugs and the day after a new warranty expires there for sure will be something to replace....