Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
RV Trip Planning Discussions

Go Back   iRV2 Forums > MOTORHOME FORUMS > MH-General Discussions & Problems
Click Here to Login
Join iRV2 Today

Mission Statement: Supporting thoughtful exchange of knowledge, values and experience among RV enthusiasts.
Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on iRV2
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 04-13-2019, 08:00 AM   #1
Senior Member
 
MidMichHunte's Avatar
 
Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Michigan
Posts: 223
What do we give up with an older MH vs newer?

Been lurking around here for a while and finally signed up, a lot of great info here. We have been looking for a MH for a few years and we’re closer to pulling the trigger on one, or at least we thought we were. We’re not in a hurry and will wait if needed to save more to get what we should; doing it right is more important to us than doing it right now.

In a few posts I see people saying the quality of new(er) MH have degraded and the older ones are a better bet. So that begs the question, what would we give up going with a 10-20yo MH vs a newer one? What should we expect to deal with in terms of repairs and updating in an older one?

Here’s our details, we’re in our early 50s looking for our first MH, we will want to tow our Jeep and most of the time it will just be myself and wife. For the next 7-10yrs we’ll probably just use it for weekend trips and a week or two a few times a year. Once we retire we plan to use it more and maybe, do FT for a year of so, but we’ll see how the next 7-10yrs go. We are looking at a 30’-36’ one because we can store it in our 40’ pole barn. We have never had a diesel vehicle and aren’t knowledgeable on them, but in past post it looks like we should be considering one. One other point, while I am somewhat handy/not afraid to get my hands dirty, I feel comfortable making adjustments as needed, but would probably pay an expert to do anything more than that to a MH.

So any info and advise you can provide would be appreciated. TIA.
MidMichHunte is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? Do you need advice on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 04-13-2019, 08:24 AM   #2
Registered User
 
Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: NW Ohio
Posts: 7,114
I am a DIYer, comfortable doing the majority of mechanical work on my motorhome. In fact, I'd almost say it a hobby.

Older will be less expensive and may be a better fit into a financial equation, especially considering the unknown of where and how the MH will be used.

Older will not have some of the technology that may be found in newer, i.e. HDMI, Satelite radio/TV, remote controls of various equipment.


The more you know about what your looking at, the better position you'll be in to identify a good deal.


i.e. if you don't know to check tire dates, you may purchase a MH that has tires that need to be replaced, NOW.. Tire replacement could easily add several thousand dollars to the cost.



Older is generally proven. i.e. systems that are well built are still serviceable. systems that are not have been identified as problematic, AND perhaps solutions have been identified.

The one issue with older MH is maintenance.,.

Components may be approaching end of life. i.e. furnace blower motors may start squealing. Awning braces may be cracking. dual pane windows may be fogging.

I have a 20 year old Southwind gasser. This was Fleetwoods top of the line gasser. I do a lot of what I call "Preventive replacement / maintenance"

I subject the equipment, mainly the chassis, to this test.

What is the cost of replacing a functional piece of equipment verses what are the consequences of it failing.. i.e. replacing a 20 year old $15 cam position sensor. If it fails, the engine quits until I install a new one.. So I replaced the original, even though it was still working.
Waiter21 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-13-2019, 09:29 AM   #3
Senior Member
 
lrsses's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 665
I gave up that big payment and taken it back to a dealer that in many cases has a for hire sign RV Technician needed. Oh in my my case a smaller Class A gets in to the National Parks 33’ 6”.
__________________
Larry and Sheila 2008 Fleetwood Discovery 39R
Retired U.S. Air Force (SAC) Vietnam Veteran
2022 RAM 1500 5.7 HEMI
lrsses is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-13-2019, 09:53 AM   #4
Senior Member
 
Thor Owners Club
Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 289
I have heard at the very minimum at least look for one a couple years over new. A lot of the newer ones are being put out quickly they figure they will fix everything once it is out there.

I bought a 2005 this year and I have an issue with the heater, that when I take it in it works perfectly but when I bring it home it does not want to kick on. They also resealed the window and now it is leaking, but they are taking care of all of it even though it is used. The dealership has been great with working with us on it. Just take your time and find the one that is right for you.
__________________
Waldo
2005 Thor Four Winds Hurricane 33'
foundwaldo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-13-2019, 10:27 AM   #5
Senior Member
 
Isaac-1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: SW Louisiana
Posts: 8,849
I have a 2002 28 ft class A Safari Trek that I bought in 2016, which was a relatively upper end model when built. In my experience what one gives up is very little, many of the bells and whistle technology items can be retrofitted, though many of them I could care less about. I don't need color changing lighting, central control of everything on a touch screen, etc. old fashion light switches and wall mounted thermostat work fine for me, though I have upgraded the old florescent tube light fixtures to LED, and added some technology upgrades, things like TPMS tire monitors, replaced the old low res backup camera with a modern HD unit, I may even replace the 6 year old flat panel TV installed by a previous owner with an updated model this year.


As to the downsides, there is likely going to be some added maintenance, dealing with differed maintenance issue, there is a lot of stuff that can slip through the cracks on an older coach, even ones that are seeming well cared for. Much of this comes down to dry rotting of rubber components, everyone thinks about tires and radiator hoses and fan belts when it comes to aging rubber, what people tend to forget about are all those other rubber bushings, hoses, etc. that tend to age out every 10-12 years Here are just a few to consider, rubber brake lines, the diaphragm in the propane regulator, the rubber seals in the dual pane windows, the rubber fuel line running to the generator, all those rubber suspension bushings (sway bar, bump stops, ball joints, etc.), then there are all sorts of even more out of sight out of mind bits of rubber, like the running light bulb sockets. They all age out, and if the previous owners have not replaced them, sooner or later you will have to deal with these parts failing. This is not to say that all of these parts are instantly bad as 12 years of age, the hardening, dry rotting, etc. is a gradual process, and some parts are more prone to showing issue than others. An old dry rotted running light socket may work fine for years before crumbling in your hand when it is time to replace a burned out bulb, by contrast a dry rotted sway bar bushing which is under constant flexing action may crumble to dust and leave the sway bar rattling around in it brackets doing little to help the handling...


Of course at some point the term switches from older to vintage, antique, etc. and over the years there have been advancements in engines, transmissions, chassis, design, etc. Personally for me I put the dividing line on gas coaches at around the year 2001 with the introduction of the 8.1L engine on Workhorse chassis coaches, and 1999 with the introduction of the 6.8L on Ford F53 chassis coaches. Good years and bad years for diesels get a lot more complicated, and newer is not necessarily better due to all the complicated emissions compliance stuff that was added to diesels after 2007.
__________________
2002 Safari Trek 2830 on P32 Chassis with 8.1L w/ 400 watts solar 420Ah LiFePo4
2017 Jeep Cherokee Overland & 2007 Toyota Yaris TOADs with Even Brake,
Demco Commander tow bar and Blue Ox / Roadmaster base plates
Isaac-1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-13-2019, 05:36 PM   #6
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 3,026
All good info. As far as basic features you won’t give up anything. They all have indoor plumbing, heating and cooling, bathroom, kitchen, dining table, couch, TV, etc. There could be some advanced technology convenience features that are not present. Sometimes these become an inconvenience and may be costly to repair. A used coach will not have a warrant, however Extended Service Plans are available in some cases for coaches up to 18 years old. We’ve had one for the past 2 1/2 years for about $1100/yr. it covers major mechanical and all house systems. Pretty much everything except normal wear and tear items.

Many 8-12 year old or older coaches have received upgrades over the years such as HDTV, inverter, AC units, etc. Ours had 6 month old tires and house batteries and a newer inverter and shocks as well as some coach specific upgrades we considered important.

Cosmetically most new coaches seem to be either sterile industrial or Vegas casino, neither of which appeals to us. Ours is more neutral and we plan to change the window treatments, the sofa upholstery and remove the carpet.

In the ballpark of $100K you will find hundreds of 8-12 year old Class A diesels that originally listed for $350-500K or more. For $100K new you’re looking at the lowest quality entry level gassers.

I’d categorize myself as you have in terms of being handy. I’ve done some thing on the coach that I wasn’t sure I could do. At a rally next year I’m going to every gear head seminar offered to learn more.

Caution should be used when looking at a coach that has spent all or most of it’s life in Michigan or other areas that salt the roads. At the risk of sounding insensitive, there are many people who sell a coach due to health reasons. Often times these are well maintained and loved coaches that can no longer be used by their owners. This was the case with our purchase from a private party. We were not aware of the situation until we arrived and it was obvious from the condition of their home that they were meticulous in everything they did. They bought it from a neighbor and had complete maintenance records.

We’re a couple of years older but in a very similar situation. My wife will be 90% retired next month, then we’ll both be fully retired in 2 years. We’ve enjoyed the coach for several weekend and week long trips and one trip of one month. We’ll use it more in 2 years and honestly don’t plan to buy another coach.
RVPioneer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-13-2019, 06:33 PM   #7
Senior Member
 
Winemaker2's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Western NY
Posts: 6,140
If those week ends + couple of weeks are relatively short distance I would say a gasser will work fine for you. I'd be looking for a used one that has an OCD owner that takes care of stuff and has records to prove it. 10 yr old units cared for well should get you started and not Barca major $ hit later on when you get ready to do more / longer trips. You will learn a lot in the interim and can decide later if diesel is your preference when traveling more and driving longer distances.
If you have bought used cars and been happy used MH should work fine if you are patient and look for s good one... they are out there.
If you always buy new cars and wouldn't consider used you likely will want a newer MH.
We had 2 gassers 28-31 ft and they worked fine for 2 of us up to 2-3 mo trips.
If you full time or 6+/- mos at a time you will likely want a larger unit.
So bottom line think 2 purchases... short term and later longer term to suit 2 different uses. It's very hard to buy your ideal/ final MH the first time.
__________________
Don & Marge
'13 Newmar Ventana 3433 - '14 CR-V TOAD
'03 Winnebago Adventurer 31Y - SOLD
Winemaker2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-13-2019, 07:23 PM   #8
Senior Member
 
bizzerbiz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2018
Posts: 477
Keep in mind, you buy a MH that's 20 years old, by the time of your proposed retirement it'll be possibly 30 years old. We have a MH that's 20 now and I bought it 6 years ago when I retired. I have the bug to go newer but still love this Dutchstar too much. And what I mean of newer is 2004-2007. I think it's only natural after owning one for many years to want to go newer. Good luck in your endeavor and choose no regrets.
bizzerbiz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-13-2019, 08:25 PM   #9
Senior Member
 
mikeh2obury's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 420
Quote:
Originally Posted by MidMichHunte View Post
Been lurking around here for a while and finally signed up, a lot of great info here. We have been looking for a MH for a few years and we’re closer to pulling the trigger on one, or at least we thought we were. We’re not in a hurry and will wait if needed to save more to get what we should; doing it right is more important to us than doing it right now.

In a few posts I see people saying the quality of new(er) MH have degraded and the older ones are a better bet. So that begs the question, what would we give up going with a 10-20yo MH vs a newer one? What should we expect to deal with in terms of repairs and updating in an older one?

Here’s our details, we’re in our early 50s looking for our first MH, we will want to tow our Jeep and most of the time it will just be myself and wife. For the next 7-10yrs we’ll probably just use it for weekend trips and a week or two a few times a year. Once we retire we plan to use it more and maybe, do FT for a year of so, but we’ll see how the next 7-10yrs go. We are looking at a 30’-36’ one because we can store it in our 40’ pole barn. We have never had a diesel vehicle and aren’t knowledgeable on them, but in past post it looks like we should be considering one. One other point, while I am somewhat handy/not afraid to get my hands dirty, I feel comfortable making adjustments as needed, but would probably pay an expert to do anything more than that to a MH.

So any info and advise you can provide would be appreciated. TIA.


We were fortunate to get a 1 owner 1993 Fleetwood for our first MH. The owner took great care of her and we made some neat upgrades and had fun for 3 yrs. we sold it and our toad and after 3 years decided to buy a new class C.
The first one taught us a lot and gave us many opportunities to learn about the MH Systems. If you can find an older one in good shape and has great tires, grab it and get the experience. Check out all the systems before the purchase and make sure they work. You can start now without a big investment and allows you time to save for a newer unit.
mikeh2obury is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-14-2019, 03:53 AM   #10
Senior Member
 
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: reynoldsburg, ohio
Posts: 432
one downside of older one's is you don't have all the electronic gizmo's, the benefit of an older one is you don't have all the electronic gizmo's.............example, dumping gray and black tanks is a piece of cake manually..........with some newer ones, you might get one that has electronic valves that allow you to dump the tanks from a tablet........just more electronic crap to go wrong.........and controlling the entire coach from a tablet, when did we get so lazy...............and unless you are an electronic/computer genius, what do you do when the tablet goes on the fritz?........do things manually?...........we have an 07 monaco knight, we plan on keeping our knight until we decide to give up traveling.......we have made it comfortable for us, so why buy a new one.................AND i do not have to tear out a coupon once per month and mail a check..................now, don't get me wrong, we do spend money on it, just dropped another 2 grand two weeks ago............this lifestyle isn't cheap, especially when you pay someone to do everything.............best of luck...............
jsmmonaco is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-14-2019, 04:20 AM   #11
Junior Member
 
Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 1
Boy, this is some scary reading. I bought a 94 Country Star,one owner,82 K Ford gasser. Paid 6 K for it & first rattle out of the box is a complete rubber roof replacement [4K] So before I go camping for the first time I am 10K down. Guess I'm stuck like Chuck,but happy. I have to buy 2 new house batteries Monday. Any suggestions for a somewhat limited budget?
SteveDavis58 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-14-2019, 05:20 AM   #12
Senior Member
 
Lifemember's Avatar
 
Damon Owners Club
Vintage RV Owners Club
Oklahoma Boomers Club
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Bartlesville Oklahoma
Posts: 1,300
Another down side to older is if the company went out of business. Or Thor bought them out. Replacement parts become very limited and any kind of information on the unit also. The company that makes my battery control box is long out of business. So any control board that goes out will be a problem too replace.

RV salvage yards become a valued source. With the older one I own her without having a bank as a partner.
__________________
1996 Damon DayBreak 454 P37 Chassis
Lifemember is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-14-2019, 06:44 AM   #13
Registered User
 
Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: NW Ohio
Posts: 7,114
Quote:
What do we give up with an older MH vs newer?
Payments.
Waiter21 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-14-2019, 08:22 AM   #14
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 3,026
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lifemember View Post
Another down side to older is if the company went out of business. Or Thor bought them out. Replacement parts become very limited and any kind of information on the unit also. The company that makes my battery control box is long out of business. So any control board that goes out will be a problem too replace.

RV salvage yards become a valued source. With the older one I own her without having a bank as a partner.
This is not always accurate. Our coach manufacturer went out of business in 2009. All the major component manufacturers are still in business and there is a tremendous amount of information here in our owners forum.
RVPioneer is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply



Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Opinions wanted buy an older 04,05 Essex or newer 07,08 Ken326 Newmar Owner's Forum 7 12-08-2013 03:54 PM
Seat cover alternative for older (or newer?) coaches. emoney Vintage RV's 5 02-21-2013 11:32 AM
Older Vs Newer, What would you do. bobioknight Country Coach Owners Forum 7 01-06-2013 12:25 PM
Older or Newer? lwestbro Winnebago Industries Owner's Forum 7 03-18-2012 03:14 PM
older camper , newer pickup bt97236 Truck Camper Discussion 2 04-23-2007 06:40 AM

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 10:18 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.