Community Forums

KakNSak · 10-22-2017, 11:09 AM

Hello Everyone,

The Mrs. and I are looking to jump into the RV lifestyle early. (We're still under 30

) My work sometimes requires me to travel and we want to live a more minimalistic lifestyle, so we felt full-time RVing might be the best path for us.

We've been doing our research and have decided on class A, Diesel-pusher, less than 36', and with a Cummins engine.

After searching the last couple months we may have found a winner, it's slightly out of our price range but I think we can make it work. It's a 2006 Holiday Rambler 34' PBD. Looks very well maintained and is priced at just under $50K. We plan on getting the rig fully inspected before purchase. Is there anything specific we should also look for or do before pulling the trigger? Also, what would be a fair offer price for a private seller?

There is no washer/dryer or hookups and we would really love to have one. Is this a pretty standard upgrade or will there be issues with this? If for some reason we could NOT have one installed down the line this might be a deal breaker.

Anyway, we just wanted to say Hi, and we thank you for all the great advice we've read so far. Hope to be seeing you on the road... Sooner than later

TonyDi · 10-22-2017, 02:11 PM

Glad to have you here in the forum with us.

If your're having it inspected before you buy they will most likely point out any issues that may need to be attended to. Make sure tires are not outdated same with the batteries. These are two simple things that can cost a lot to replace.
Let us know what you decide.

Happy Trails!!!

WILDEBILL308 · 10-22-2017, 02:31 PM

Welcome to the forum. Before you pull the trigger on that coach I would look at some outer ones. That is a really small coach to full time in. Most people I know who full time think 38 + is better. You give up to much storage and thee 38 and up coaches tend to ride and drive better. On the smaller coaches you may not have room for a washer/drier.
I would look at places like ppl.com to get a idea of floor plans that work for you.
But tell me your thoughts.
Bill

Stever53 · 10-22-2017, 02:34 PM

Hi

this place is great

Safe travels

MSHappyCampers · 10-22-2017, 02:40 PM

Hi !

Welcome to IRV2! We're sure glad you joined the gang!

I would look for a slightly older, slightly larger diesel pusher for fulltiming. Look closely at the floorplan and be sure it's one that you can live with. I would not consider any DP that does not have fairly complete maintenance records. The washer/dryer would be a dealbreaker for me! Don't believe it if the salesman says a W/D could be easily installed!

Good luck, happy trails, and God bless!

APhotoWizard · 10-22-2017, 02:46 PM

Welcome KaknSak - People from Sin City are also (or should I say especially) welcome here :-)

Your chosen unit is from one of the better manufacturers and is on a RoadMaster chassis. It should be good for many thousands of miles.

No matter what the current owner says, unless there are complete service records, plan to immediately take the unit to the repair shop preferably one that is certified by Roadmaster to get a complete service. Oil, transmission fluid, check rubber parts, etc. Most manufacturers suggest a mileage and a time limit on service. Most owners find they reach the time limit before they come close to the mileages. So if the unit has been sitting for a year since the last service it is still time for the next service. This service could be 1-3 thousand dollars depending on how much it has been neglected.

Next check the service date on the tires. If the rig still has the original tires, they are out of date and will need to be replaced for safety. Check the Michelin web page for the location of the required DOT date code. The code has the year and the week of the year the tire was manufactured. Most suggest at least a wheel-off inspection after 5 years and yours are likely way past that.

Next, there will be problems with the unit. Plan for some repairs and some honey-do's before you start. A motorhome is a house that is bounced down the road on a truck. It has all the problems of a house that has been shaken repeatedly and a large truck.

The other thing many people miss is a motorhome is not created by one company no matter what is says on the label. Even the truck part is not by a single company. The chassis manufacturer for example purchases the front axel, rear axel, engine, transmission etc and assembles them with steel rails to make a chassis which goes to the body manufacture which constructs the body and purchases refrigerator, heater, generator etc from others. It is a wonder they all work together as well as they do.

As to the ability to add a washing machine. Not many units under 40 Ft have room for a washer. Even the single unit washer/ drier combination units require a cabinet 26 inch wide by 36 inch high by 24 inches deep. The other problem is the cargo carrying capacity of the chassis and the tires. Will the washer weight overload the unit with all the other items you intend to carry. If those item can be met, then adding a washer is not impossible. You need to prep the cabinet, Add water connection for both hot and cold water, a drain, 120 VAC power and a 3 inch hole in the wall for a dryer vent. Not really a job for the inexperienced, but depending on the location of the cabinet and the other resources it could be easy or a nightmare to install.

My advice, if you really want a washer, is to find a unit with one already installed. It took me almost 12 months to find the right rig for my wife and I and we found it by accident while walking across yet another dealer lot.

There are benefits of purchasing from a dealer and others for purchasing from an individual. The individual is likely to be cheaper, and tell you the truth about the condition, but if you drive it away and discover the generator does not work, that is your problem. The dealer on the other hand will likely help you get it working for free or a small charge, but the salesperson you encounter is not likely to know anything about the unit.

Clearly your experience and the experience of other will be different from mine, but I hope this helps find the perfect unit for you and your wife.

- Jerry

TravelFish · 10-23-2017, 06:05 PM

Ditto on all the tire comments. Keep an eye on dates and replace them regularly. Can't stress it enough. We had bilateral blowouts on new looking tires. We were scheduled to replace our tires later in the year so had our tires rotated/balanced before heading to Yellowstone one April. The shop that did the work grossly overinflated the tires so we now check tire pressure often -- especially after having tire work done. Good luck and enjoy!