Gaylene & Rick
Central Tennessee
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Joined: 01/30/2006
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Excellent points, all.
We did MOST of what you subscribe to, but we bought a slightly used unit that we had researched thoroughly. It only had 7K miles on it and the previous owner discovered he had parkinsons and needed to settle into a home prior to it getting bad, so sold the unit they loved so. Their loss was definately our gain since it had everything we had decided was what we NEEDED as well as the things we 'wanted'.
In addition to what you have said (though you did touch on it) we felt it important to think into the future and choose a unit that would work when our son married and had children. We needed enough comfortable, safe seating and sleeping for a small family as well as ourselves. There were no plans for him marrying at that point, he didnt even have a girlfriend, but he was in his upper 20's and I assumed there would some day be more room needed. We have bought a coach that will sleep 6 total.. 4 adults and 2 kids.. and we bought a folding blowup bed just incase. We also assured the bathroom layout would give privacy for both ends of the coach.
We visited a number of rv forums - asked questions, determined where certain problems were indigenous to most coaches and accepted those flaws as possible trouble later on. We began to understand that every brand of coach has little things go wrong and that some coaches have more problems than others. It was a learning experience that helped guide us in our choices.
Rick, Gaylene and LadyPup the travelling beagle
2004 40' Alfa Seeya #1909
Not yet retired.. can't wait!
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JohnnyT
On The Road
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Joined: 07/15/2003
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It sounds like you folks did your homework.., Congratulations and good luck with your coach.
JohnnyT
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wolfman01
Williston, ND.
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Joined: 01/29/2006
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WOW, I just finised reading ALL 24 PAGES!!! Lots of awesome info. JohnnyT, I've printed a copy of your initial post, and will be using it as part of my inspection process of the Safari Sarenghetti that I'm eyeballing.
I know I don't have the time expenditure in my searching that many here have, but the coach I've found simply meets all of my requirements. I'll be using the massive quantity of advice here to make sure that I get the best deal possible once I'm ready to pull that trigger on the purchase. I still have a few things to clear out of my place so that I'll have room for the "new" coach.
2011 Hyundai Accent SE (8k)
1996 Tiffin Allegro Bay 31' ga$$er motorhome (42k)
Bear, my four legged, furry companion.
RVing is an obsession more expensive than drugs. ">
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Lars C
Copenhagen, Denmark
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Joined: 02/02/2006
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Hi JohnnyT
It was really nice to read how to do, when bying a motor home. I'm working on a plan to travel through Europe next year with my three kids (all girls!) The problem is that we are not able to buy this kind of motor home shown on this forum, in Denmark - I believe the cost would be 250.000$ - so I have to find something smaller. Have any of you an idea of how much space you'll need on a travel in 6-8 weeks time with three teenagers in the same motor home?
Best regards
Lars C
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jdshep
illinois
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Joined: 11/19/2002
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Johnny T
Good job, I think your plan will help first time and all buyers. The list of questions you have cover most issues, however I did not see much coverage for the area I find very important. As a prior owner of 7 diesel pushers and as one who has owned a large selection of DP's all the way from my first a 1998 38 foot Diplomat, thru a 1999 40 foot Windsor, a 2001 40 foot Signature a 2000 45 foot Monaco Prevost Royale. a 2002 45 foot Monaco Prevost Royale, a 2004 40 foot American Eagle, and now a 2005 Winnebago Journey I too have a few likes and dislikes and I have had disappointments. The details you point out and the questions you put forward cover living in and living with the RV very well. Most of the the areas are personal preference items, floor plan, seating, slides, storage, convince etc. All these items are very important and they must be given great deal of consideration. As you point out, how the owner will use the coach should influence most of those choices. I have found all of those points important, but most were only of minor importance to me in my usage.
We are travelers, we are not campers, I enjoy being on the road, I would rather not drive at night for fear I might miss some great highway scenes. I drive my coaches 15000 to 20000 miles a year, yet I spend almost no time in camp grounds. My coach has to be a great driver, we sleep in it and on rare occasions we have cooked in it (once or twice). I want a coach that drives straight, does not wander, does not rattle, has a good CD player for audio books, and has no or little restrictions to the view forward, to the "A" pillars, out the walk door, out the drivers window and out the window behind co-pilot seat. I need good acceleration and good brakes and I need good ground clearance with good entry angles and departure angles. I started with a 98 Diplomat that cost $125K steered and tracked so bad I invented the TruCenter device sold by Blue Ox to fix the steering, it worked but a hunk of concrete in a parking lot forced me to trade for the 99 Windsor (nice coach) after big eyes and to many rally's got me into the Signature, the two Prevosts and then the American Eagle. All those coaches were nice, but each had issues that for me took away my enjoyment of the drive. One had a "A" pillar 17.5" wide (big blind spot) others were great for going from down town hotel to downtown hotel, but were too long and too low for urban roads, one was too tech smart with too many issues. In my 7 coaches I went from 125K all the way to 850K and now back to 200K list. However I now have a coach I feel does suite my RVing to a "T", it is a 2005 Winnebago Journey 36G. It has a great view from drivers seat, forward to the corners and out the sides. It has great mirrors, a great color backup camera that will work in total darkness, it sits high with good entry and exit, ramps and driveways are never a issue. It drives straight, handles cross winds and it has a smooth ride. And when we get to the items on your list, floor plan, slides, storage, washer dryer, bells and whistles it scores high there too.
For me (now after 7 not quite there RV's) the way the coach rides and drives, the view from the drivers seat, the access the higher coach gives me is much more important then floor plan, storage access or other details. I drive so driving is number one, to others camping might be number one, but please remember your family will be in the coach, to keep them safe you need to be able to control the coach under all conditions. Some RV designers cannot have ever driven or camped in the coaches they are designing. RV builders brag about their large one piece windshields while at the same time they make the "A" pillar larger and larger. I lost a semi behind the "A" pillar on my 2001 Signature (large one piece windshield) with 17.5" between windshield glass and walk door glass. I was making a left turn onto a four lane and the sliding semi just stopped before he hit us (just luck). Low long wheel base coaches will hang up on the smallest inclines and you will do damage. They will ride like you are on a cloud, but enter a restaurant parking lot with a incline (even small 330" wheelbase) and you loose something under the coach costing big dollars.
This has gone on too long, but I hope some get the point don't forget you are buying a truck (bus) first, you want to drive and then camp, it has to be setup so you can see, it should go and stop well, and to enjoy the drive it needs to drive straight, do what you tell it and have a smooth ride. Safety on the road and quality of the ride is number one for me.
Thanks
John D
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Texasanne
TX
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Joined: 08/18/2005
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Hi John,
Thank you for your lengthy post. I needed every word of it so don't think it was too long for everybody. You sound so knowledgeable about RV machinery and the features that make DP RVs driver friendly. Please give me your opinion about our situation.
My husband knows little to nothing about vehicles and I'm the one who gets the oil changed etc. Yet he thinks he wants an RV. We rented one and had a wonderful experience with the rental company and living a week in tiny quarters. Our rental was a new Class C 26' Dutchmen. My husband drove and I followed in our car because our destination wasn't far and towing behind a rental is expensive to set up. Now we are going to rent a 31' Dutchmen with a slide and see if we feel less cramped. We're going from Tx to Az so I'll ride along in the RV this time. You can see we're going at this VERY SLOWLY. We don't have money to waste on a bad purchase. We found out the company who rents has a program whereby you can buy an RV (they like Thor Industries products) and put it in their "program". You get it whenever you want. When you're not using it they rent it out and you get half the rental fee mailed to you monthly. So if you only use it 3x a year you can defray the payments by renting it. The company totally maintains the unit which is where I see a real advantage to people like us. But we get little choice in the unit selection other than size. Cost is something like $60,000 (including all taxes) for a new 26' Dutchmen. It goes up from there as the units get larger. They are very STRICT about deposits for rentals. People must not abuse them or the company has a knack for cleaning them because ours was immaculate.
For people as naive about equipment and RVing in general, what opinion do you have on how we should proceed? Also, the choices out there are mind boggling for newbies. Don't you lose a lot of money when you get rid of one?
Any info would be SO-O helpful and I would greatly appreciate your time.
Texasanne
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jdshep
illinois
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Joined: 11/19/2002
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Texasanne,
If you are only going to RV three weeks a year you might consider continuing to rent.
Trading in the first couple years is not a good idea. Buying a one or two year old coach is a good idea. Class C coaches are easy to drive in the 22 to 24 foot size, but when looking a 31 class C seems like you might also look at a Gas type A in the 32 to 34 foot range. The small class A is easy to handle and I suspect (not sure) a 32 foot class A might be a better driver than a similar sized class C. I say this because the A is built on a real truck chassis and the C I think is still a modified van chassis. Others will be better at comparing the two. Time share will not work for me or the wife, but others think it is great. People renting coaches are sometimes beginners and being so they are not likely to take as good care of the coach as the owner wood. It is easy to drag bottom, rub branches and trees for beginners. I would not want just anyone to use my coach even if they did keep it clean, it is not a house, you drive it down roads and if it is not yours you may not drive or take care of it as I would. A novice might not understand it is not a off road unit, might do damage to engine or trans or genny without knowing. As I said time share not for me. As for first time buyer Johnny T has done a great job explaining most of what you need to know, make sure it drives good and you feel good driving same and you are not hindered when you are driving. Good mirrors, nice open windows, small window posts good ground clearance in a coach you like.
John D.
Texasanne wrote:Hi John,
Thank you for your lengthy post. I needed every word of it so don't think it was too long for everybody. You sound so knowledgeable about RV machinery and the features that make DP RVs driver friendly. Please give me your opinion about our situation.
My husband knows little to nothing about vehicles and I'm the one who gets the oil changed etc. Yet he thinks he wants an RV. We rented one and had a wonderful experience with the rental company and living a week in tiny quarters. Our rental was a new Class C 26' Dutchmen. My husband drove and I followed in our car because our destination wasn't far and towing behind a rental is expensive to set up. Now we are going to rent a 31' Dutchmen with a slide and see if we feel less cramped. We're going from Tx to Az so I'll ride along in the RV this time. You can see we're going at this VERY SLOWLY. We don't have money to waste on a bad purchase. We found out the company who rents has a program whereby you can buy an RV (they like Thor Industries products) and put it in their "program". You get it whenever you want. When you're not using it they rent it out and you get half the rental fee mailed to you monthly. So if you only use it 3x a year you can defray the payments by renting it. The company totally maintains the unit which is where I see a real advantage to people like us. But we get little choice in the unit selection other than size. Cost is something like $60,000 (including all taxes) for a new 26' Dutchmen. It goes up from there as the units get larger. They are very STRICT about deposits for rentals. People must not abuse them or the company has a knack for cleaning them because ours was immaculate.
For people as naive about equipment and RVing in general, what opinion do you have on how we should proceed? Also, the choices out there are mind boggling for newbies. Don't you lose a lot of money when you get rid of one?
Any info would be SO-O helpful and I would greatly appreciate your time.
Texasanne
* This post was
edited 02/15/06 10:47pm by jdshep *
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TUFAW
Victoria BC
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Good topic and well presented. I would offer only one comment. I believe before anything, even 'Budget', should be a heading of SAFETY. Personally I prefer an all steel coach over anything else. I'm sure others can offer recommendations that maximize safety as well.
Rob
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jdshep
illinois
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Rob said: Personally I prefer an all steel coach over anything else.
Rob,
Your choice of coaches will be very limited if you want all steel, even Blue Bird used Alu-a-bond a panel type aluminum skin. I do not think there is a real steel coach out there, Prevost ElMirage is now Fiberglas and Stainless Steel.
Good Luck you might have to buy a school bus.
John D
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TUFAW
Victoria BC
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John D said
Rob,
Your choice of coaches will be very limited if you want all steel, even Blue Bird used Alu-a-bond a panel type aluminum skin. I do not think there is a real steel coach out there, Prevost ElMirage is now Fiberglas and Stainless Steel.
Good Luck you might have to buy a school bus.
I hear ya John, that's why I bought an older Wanderlodge. It isn't all steel but hopefully enough. The end caps are fiberglass with the front one being over a steel cage. The bay doors are aluminum skins over a steel substructure. The rest of the body cladding is steel with two layers on the roof. I wouldn't want to but it's nice to know that upside down the roof will support the entire weight of the coach.
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