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Reenieanne · 12-26-2009, 08:01 AM

Happy Holidays, everyone. We are Maureen and Jerry Valley. We went fulltiming in 1998...loved it in our 2000 Dutch Star...then settled down in Florida and dug roots. NOW we want to fulltime it again...this time purchasing something a bit more modest and gas, rather than diesel. I'm joining this forum as we've been out of the loop of the RV world. We're looking at Fleetwood products this time around, specifically the Pace Arrow Vision...two slides. But we're open to anything that comes our way in our price range. We hope to hit the road in spring of 2010 and perhaps work kamp along the way. We'd like to start in CA and have applications in at KOA's in Pescadero and Morgan Hill.

Does anyone have any thought on the Fleetwood products....such as the Pace Arrow circa 1999 or 2000?

Looking forward to hearing from you:
Maureen Valley
Leesburg, Florida formerly of Minnesota

Jim Stewart · 12-26-2009, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reenieanne

Happy Holidays, everyone. We are Maureen and Jerry Valley. We went fulltiming in 1998...loved it in our 2000 Dutch Star...then settled down in Florida and dug roots. NOW we want to fulltime it again...this time purchasing something a bit more modest and gas, rather than diesel. I'm joining this forum as we've been out of the loop of the RV world. We're looking at Fleetwood products this time around, specifically the Pace Arrow Vision...two slides. But we're open to anything that comes our way in our price range. We hope to hit the road in spring of 2010 and perhaps work kamp along the way. We'd like to start in CA and have applications in at KOA's in Pescadero and Morgan Hill.

Does anyone have any thought on the Fleetwood products....such as the Pace Arrow circa 1999 or 2000?

Looking forward to hearing from you:
Maureen Valley
Leesburg, Florida formerly of Minnesota

Your story sounds familiar! My DW and I retired in 1998 and started full-timing in a Newmar Mountainaire. The fun lasted a little over 3 years and I got bored, we ended up in Florida and we started another business. We decided to sell the business again and retire. We kept the sticks and bricks and bought a low mileage Safari 38 PDQ Diesel Pusher.

We did wrestle a little with the gas verses diesel question, but wanted the load capacity, towing capacity and four slides. In most of the gassers, you have virtually no load capacity with multiple slides. I will say that the cost benefit case can't be made for diesels. The cost of diesel maintenance verses gas is higher and if the gas engine blows, just replace it. Many of the major repair bills for a diesel equal the gasser engine replacement cost.

If you had a Dutchstar DP, it may be hard to be happy with a gasser if you are going to drive it much!

Gassers depreciate faster but are much lower on initial cost. There are a lot of good low mileage gassers out there with pretty good prices. Look on e-bay, that's where we bought ours. Consider an aftermarket extended warranty/service contract. They're worth the price on an unknown used unit for at least peace of mind. Look to the brake problems with the Workhorse Chassis on this forum before you make any decision.

Reenieanne · 12-27-2009, 07:23 AM

Thanks for writing, Jim. I have a cousin, Jim Stewart.....ironic.

I appreciate your good advice. Our pockets aren't as deep as they were in 1998 (who's are??) so we're really stuck with our gas decision. Even if we DID find a diesel at a ridiculously low price....there's always that fear of a breakdown and getting stuck in someplace like Utah and not having the $$$ to bail out.

We'll continue to look for our dream machine for 2010 and I'll continue to post on this forum.

Good talking to you.
Maureen Valley
Leesburg, Florida