1999 Pace Arrow Vision 33L

[scubapc]

Hi,

I saw this 1999 Pace Arrow Vision 33L motorhome at the dealer. It is in showroom condition. Everything works, the paint is in perfect condition, the roof is good, the engine and transmission purrs, 65K miles, and has many upgrades and all-new tires. However, the dealer wants $29K for it. Do you guys think it is worth it?

Paul

[Flyer15015]

Paul.
What does RV Trader say it's worth? Find a listing there for your coach, or at least something similar for a price comparison. Gives you a starting point for your negotiations.
New tires can be north of two grand so you are in good shape there.

Mike in Colorado

[scubapc]

Originally Posted by Flyer15015

Paul.
What does RV Trader say it's worth? Find a listing there for your coach, or at least something similar for a price comparison. Gives you a starting point for your negotiations.
New tires can be north of two grand so you are in good shape there.

Mike in Colorado

Well, the RVTrader range for this model is only around $25K, so there is a pretty big gap. However, based on the condition and the number of upgrades that were done, it may be worth above the $25K range. I have already tried to engage the dealer to lower the price, but they just won't budge. It is either the $29K or nothing scenario.

Paul

[Flyer15015]

Paul,
So they are at 29, and you are at 25 and the new tires are north of 2 grand.
Looks like you folks are meeting in the middle, and you are actually paying 27 for the coach, because with the "average" coach, you know tires come first.

IF everything works AND the DW likes the floor plan (a must have) and she looks brand new, I would say go for it.

The seller is going to say "where are you going to find another one like this".
You COULD keep looking but that takes some effort.
Can you make them a CASH offer. A stack of Bengiman's can talk pretty loud when they see them in your hand.

I looked all over the place for mine and it took 6 months to find just the right one. Had to find one in a state of disrepair that I could handle at a price I could afford.

Mike in Colorado

[Argosy]

Have you checked it out thoroughly? At 65,000 it's had use, and unless the dealer has something otherwise you've got to assume everything in it is 25 years old, and that's pretty much the life expectancy of any appliance or system. What are the upgrades and how well were they done?


No matter how well it cleans up you need to focus more on the age and the problems from that. Where is it located? Have you been underneath it to see the condition of the chassis? Salt is worse on these than cars.

[scubapc]

Originally Posted by Argosy

Have you checked it out thoroughly? At 65,000 it's had use, and unless the dealer has something otherwise you've got to assume everything in it is 25 years old, and that's pretty much the life expectancy of any appliance or system. What are the upgrades and how well were they done?


No matter how well it cleans up you need to focus more on the age and the problems from that. Where is it located? Have you been underneath it to see the condition of the chassis? Salt is worse on these than cars.

The coach is in very good shape, but you are right—it is still 25 years old. It still has the original ACs, refrigerator, and probably the furnace. Anything that old can die at any time. That is what is keeping me from pulling the trigger. Since the dealer is unwilling to negotiate, I think I will keep looking.

[d23haynes57]

The Pace Arrow was Fleetwood's higher end gasser for the time. This is likely on the earlier V-10 Chassis, 275 HP engine and 4 speed trans. There were a few different weight ratings. Check what you have. Probably want the 20,500 for that size rig.
As you are looking at a dealer there is premium that you will pay and will lose if you quickly decide to unload it. So, if being "worth it" is of high priority rethink things. Is this a rig you really want or is this a rig you're looking at due to price?
How experienced are with RV's
That price is a good down payment on a smaller Diesel pusher. The Pace Arrow as a gasser was close to entry level Diesels and later it was offered as a Diesel.
If a few thousand dollars will stop you from purchasing then this isn't the deal you want. You also need to consider is that if something happens such as an engine or transmission failure you will need to deal with that. Could you absorb that expense?
If no records or brake caliper-hose replacement I would consider at inspecting those as next order of business. The Hydraulic brake booster and Anti locks are also high-cost items that go bad from age. How often was the brake fluid changed?
If you are not fully knowledgeable of all things RV consider getting an inspection. Then you can put together the repair and upgrade plans.

[scubapc]

Originally Posted by d23haynes57

The Pace Arrow was Fleetwood's higher end gasser for the time. This is likely on the earlier V-10 Chassis, 275 HP engine and 4 speed trans. There were a few different weight ratings. Check what you have. Probably want the 20,500 for that size rig.
As you are looking at a dealer there is premium that you will pay and will lose if you quickly decide to unload it. So, if being "worth it" is of high priority rethink things. Is this a rig you really want or is this a rig you're looking at due to price?
How experienced are with RV's
That price is a good down payment on a smaller Diesel pusher. The Pace Arrow as a gasser was close to entry level Diesels and later it was offered as a Diesel.
If a few thousand dollars will stop you from purchasing then this isn't the deal you want. You also need to consider is that if something happens such as an engine or transmission failure you will need to deal with that. Could you absorb that expense?
If no records or brake caliper-hose replacement I would consider at inspecting those as next order of business. The Hydraulic brake booster and Anti locks are also high-cost items that go bad from age. How often was the brake fluid changed?
If you are not fully knowledgeable of all things RV consider getting an inspection. Then you can put together the repair and upgrade plans.

I am being very stingy with the price because I wanted this coach to inform me if RVing is for me. I have watched many YouTube videos and the RV life fascinates me. However, I am not sure it is for us. That is why I am looking for a cheap(er) entry-level RV that is in good condition that I can try RVing out. Even if I can't resell the coach down the road, the only outlay is only the $29K-ish, which is a much better deal than investing in a much more expensive rig. Am I making sense?

Paul

[92LandYacht]

You know you could always rent an RV to try it out. We rented several RV's before we purchased one. Everything from a Class B, Class C and several Class A motorhomes. It taught us what we liked and what we didn't like.