Bounder

There are differences between a 2004 and a 2006. The 06 is higher inside. Has a nicer rear cap and some other changes. All of those units will have the Cat C7 but the 07 might have a dpf. If it does do not buy that unit. cat never did figure out the emission system and their DPF has lots of problems. The 06 will be DPF free. Bounders give you a lot of bang for the buck. The cabinetry is one of their weak points. Vinyl wrap that is very thin. The inner walls ( like the bathroom) can be flimsy. But overall most owners are very happy. We had an 02 and an 05. Loved them both. Also very easy to work on. Unlike newer units not too many computer boards. The 05 still used Power Gear jacks and slide outs. Good units. Many newer units may have electric jacks and those darn Lippert slide outs. FW has amazing tech support . Even for older units. The Cat fuel injection pump is another weakness as is the fan hub bearing.

Moisheh

We love our Bounder. It's a 2007. Has it's usual comparible problems like any other coach, but the nice thing is it's more about function than luxury. I mean, an RV is pretty much a luxury anyway in the scheme of things... but still it's not the fanciest.

Thank you all for the replies. I have 3 Bounders near me to chose from so hopefully I can get a deal worked out.

I have an 06 Turbo Diesel with about 55,000. I have been acting like a snow bird for last 6 years with it - living full time for 3 months at a time (Mar-May and Sep - Nov). I drive it from Tampa FL to Yuma AZ. I had a coolant probelm on the road and I had to ge service. I have replaced Batteries - but overall nice vehicle.

I would buy another one.

Well look at my signature. I have had this one for nearly 3 years. I put 10,000 miles on last year. I have had no problems. You will hear about BOUNDER being a starter coach mostly by people who don't own one. You will have to spend several times the asking price of a Bounder to see any measurable difference in quality. With buying any coach do your do diligence in checking it out. If you don't have the maintenance records, you should start with a complete annual service so you have a base line.
Bill

rfsod48 wrote:
Any known concerns with the Fleetwood Bounder 38 N years 2004 thru 2007? This floor plan and price fit our budget.

My brother bought a 2006 Bounder from a Craigslist seller in Dallas and I flew in to help him drive it back to Miami.

It was the first time he'd ever driven a motorhome and he wasn't sure about doing the drive alone.

As it turned out, my brother enjoyed driving the Bounder, actually said he was surprised at how easy it was to drive. It handled well, cruised comfortably at 65mph, was easy to park, and we encountered no problems on the 1,300 mile trip.

We got around 9mpg (mostly flat roads).

You can find good deals on them in Florida (where I live).

Example: http://sarasota.craigslist.org/rvs/4901222435.html

Bill

I own a 2008 Bounder 38v. Bought it 2 years ago with 19K on it and I now have 38k. Other than routine maintenance the only problem was the electric fan hub stopped working, which caused high heat during hard climbs. This turned out to be a Freightliner part not Cummins. About $1,500 to fix. Welcome to the Bounder Family.

Looks pretty nice:

38N Bounder 2006