emzee
california
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Joined: 10/22/2006
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kay, if all motorhomes were like that there wouldn't be a market for them! granted they all can have problems from time to time, but remember they are basically a house on wheels, things happen.
the mechanic is just trying to justify all the problems yours seems to have.
maybe take it to another mechanic and get an unbiased opinion of whats going on.
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Gale Hawkins
Murray, KY
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Joined: 07/22/2007
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Kay your post points out the weakness of this industry and the lack of any standards with teeth. While many new motor homes have some issues that can take a couple years to work through it never the less is troublesome to hear stories like yours when in good faith placed your hard earned money down for a home that is not meeting the performance level one would expect after spending $185K per one ad I saw. The first hit on Google when searching “Sportscoach Elite quality complaints” provides you a story similar to your story for a 2005 Elite. http://www.epinions.com/content_173887622788 2005 Coachman Elite story
According to http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/recalls/recallresults.cfm?start=1&SearchType=QuickSearch&rcl_ID=07V341000&summary=true&PrintVersion=NO Recall there is a potential engine failure with the CM 850 diesel engines but that is not likely a concern for you since it only applied to 49 units of the 2007 model year. While Freightliner is a wonderful company it just goes to show you they got let down by Cummins who supplied the engine.
Coachmen 2007 Sportscoach Elite motor coach
August 6, 2007 - On certain motor coaches built with Cummins ISL CM850 diesel engines, the connecting rod contains a machining defect in the wrist pin bushing of the rod that could cause a seizure of the piston pin. If allowed to progress, this can lead to engine failure with the possibility of the rod rupturing the lock cavity, spilling oil and debris onto the roadway increasing the risk of a crash.
I know a guy who bought a brand new mobile home from Fleetwood (a motor home less the truck) and he fought with them for years over major quality issues. I know some that work in a local Fleetwood factory and the stories you can hear about quality is not good. The ones building mobile homes often are not tradesmen with skills but just people hired off the street to push them out the door and let the dealers fix what should have been fixed in the factory right the first time. Even from down under we hear the same stories http://www.motorsm.com/complaints/caravans/default.asp Stories from down under
http://www.my3cents.com/showReview.cgi?id=14807 tells of a person who went 640 miles to save a mint with less than great results but with Google no one would buy anything if they researched their future purchases. Low cost dealers
It is true there are many happy campers out there who do not post how excited they are. Many wait out the first owner buy at steep discounts after the bugs get addressed during the first few years or go ahead and spend the same about of money as you did and get a Prevost that cost the same as the lower quality mobile home based motor homes. Slides are nice and at some point the hardware manufactures will perfect the slide technology and the bad ones will go out of business hopefully but they add complexity to an already complex machine. They are really nice if you are looking for a house instead of a rolling hotel.
The problems you have should get addressed in time and you will have a nice MH for years to come. The more you use it the faster you will find the defects and quirks. Try to stay positive. Your initial objective was valid and while RV’s are not for masses there are now 8 million households now in the US with one or more types of RV’s so it is huge. Remember there are people that live in units like yours so the bugs can be addressed even if you have to do it at your expense. Motor homes are very different and there is a learning curve to both maintaining them and enjoying them. You post can be very helpful to others that dig deep on the internet before spending on their first box on wheels.
As an added point you can find cases of about all brands of MH's where there were quality workmanship and dealership issues.
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CRA492
TN
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Joined: 06/13/2007
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That was about the worst "How to buy" information sheet I have ever encountered.... and My first coach was a 24 ft Winnie. and I've had many many coaches since those days I now have a 40' Beaver. but 'nuff said. The brain will only absorb.... What the seat will endure! so said an old college professor of mine. Take all that information and break it down into palatable segments... your going to have this coach a long time .... spend a long time thinking about all the different facets! Most people are not going to go out and spend a quarter to half million on there first coach (yes there are a few nuts around who will) but having said that when you buy "used"... make sure the dealer is reputable and if the coach is on conseignment make very sure that you get a clear title before you part with any cash, DO A TITLE SEARCH.. In the pasts few years there was a dealer in Leesburg Florida who took some 40 customers to the cleaners... They are now in jail. Charles Alexander [email protected]
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Gale Hawkins
Murray, KY
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Charles while to you or I might not spend big bucks for our first MH and go with a used one to learn the ropes it does not make one a “nut” if they have the money to spend on an expensive new MH. Some people may be at the age when they have the time to hit the road where they expect to only buy one nice MH to last them as long as they want to being involved in the RV world so why not get what you want up front. They may have not spent 100 hours reading the forums on this site to know the pitfalls of buying new or used. Most do not know it can take a couple years for the dealer to fix the defects in material and workmanship. Some just do not want a used MH. After all how are we going to find a like new HM with the defects fixed for a price at 50% off of the purchase price if no one buys new?
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retiredlife
USA
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Joined: 06/12/2007
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I agree with Gale, and as a matter of fact, I am purchasing a new MH and plan on buying only one of these expensive beasts, living in it until I am sick of it, then parking it, so that when I get the bug, I can at least travel occassionally. It will no doubt last me my lifetime. Is it a waste of money buying it new, perhaps, but in my case I got all the options that I wanted, my expected usage is 5 years of full-time rving, and if you divide the depreciation on the unit over the 5 years you find that it was one cheap 1,825 day vacation. On a $200,000 purchase price (round number used for simplicity) a depreciation of $100,000 ends up costing me $54.79 a day excluding meals and gas. My current home costs me in taxes and utilities cost me at least $54.79. So, although I may not be any further ahead, I am surely doing what I want to do, in places I want to be, and loving it. So is there really a loss?
Frank & Carmela
2008 Monaco Diplomat
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wcb5300
Virginia
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Joined: 04/18/2007
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Let's see Charles, you said that you have a 40' Beaver now, but have had many motor homes in the pass? Add up the amount of money you have paid over the years and see who the "nut" might be. I've only bought one MH in my life, and I bought new, and I got what I wanted. I finally got an '07 Monaco Dynasty that was optioned out with everything you could put on it. I did my homework, and was able to work out a deal that the dealer and I could live with. People talk about the "loss" from buying a new coach, well the loss is only on paper ( like the stock market) unless you plan on selling right away. Also, when I look up the N.A.D.A. book price it values the coach at more than I paid new for it (I was able to get 27% off of the MSRP). Under these conditions I really don't see the loss, and I've got a new coach with warranty to enjoy.
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Mr.Mark
Out West and Mid South
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Joined: 09/24/2006
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wcb5300, I did the same as you. I bought my first coach new exactly the way that I wanted it and I had changes made while it was on the assembly line.
I have friends who bought the wrong coach from the start and sold it rather quickly. That loss alone would have allowed them to get the right new coach from the start.
I have an '08 Dynasty and these are the things that I wanted after years of reading magazines, reading on sites, etc.
-full tile floor
-leather seating
-dishwasher
-stacked washer and dryer
-all electric coach (no propane)
-king bed
-four separate slides
-two euro recliners w/ottomans across from the sofa (didn't want two sofa's)
When I ordered, I was on the cusp of which year to buy, an '07 or '08. The '08 Dynasty had the larger grey tank added at 70 gl. from 56 gl. Monaco incorporated the side camera's into the side mirrors, the front TV and bedroom TV's were larger. I also got the outdoor TV that slides downward from a credenza behind the passenger side sofa. When the slide is out, a motor lowers the TV for outside viewing. This set-up allows the bay storage to freed up for other things. The dash changed slightly, the radio is closer to the driver and the air controls are where the radio was located (insignificant changes really).
I feel that I'll be much happier with a new coach even though there are always 'adjustments' rather than settling on another coach because of price, etc.
You got a better deal as I got mine for 22% off MSRP. But, I'm happy with everything so far, I'm just anticipating my next trip!
Happy Travels!![[emoticon]](http://www.coastresorts.com/sharedcontent/cfb/images/cool.gif "cool")
* This post was
edited 09/17/07 06:13pm by Mr.Mark *
Mr.Mark
2021.5 Pleasure Way Plateau FL Class-B on the Sprinter Chassis
2018 Mini Cooper Hardtop Coupe, 2 dr., 6-speed manual
(SOLD) 2015 Prevost Liberty Coach, 45 ft, 500 hp Volvo
(SOLD) 2008 Monaco Dynasty, 42 ft, 425 hp Cummins
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Gale Hawkins
Murray, KY
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One has to wonder if a custom ordered coach with the name of the new owner already known may not get a little better attention than one being pushed out to go into inventory?
I have heard quality only cost once and that is up front.
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retiredlife
USA
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Perhaps if you are close enough to the factory and are able to watch in go through production it might be better. I would think that unless you already had a self-contained unit to park at the factory, it doesn't matter. Anyone have any other thoughts?
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bigdogxray
Caledonia Ontario
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Joined: 09/25/2007
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Great information, my wife and I have just sold the big boat and are looking at Class A MH's. I must say the number of makes / models, options etc can be quite confusing. One thing I have noticed is the large number of 1 year old coaches with around 5-6000 miles for sale. Is this attributable to people who choice the wrong make/model, or jumped in and then didn't like the lifestyle?
We are down to choosing between the 41 ft. Forest River Charleston and the Holiday Rambler Endeavor. Any thoughts anyone may have would be appreciated. Also any thoughts on towing either our 2007 Caddy Escalade or our 2006 Ford F150 King Ranch as well.
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