Choice: Entry Level DP or High End Gas

From your description of how you'll use the coach, I would go with a high end gasser. Many people are under the belief that DP's ride substantially better than a gasser, but that's not true in this day and age. First, the Ford chassis has been refined and gives a pretty nice ride. Second, a short, entry level DP. will not ride much better than a well built gasser. The smooth ride that many talk about in a DP comes with a long, heavy DP (think limousine). A rough road is a rough road no matter if you're in a gasser or DP.

We went through many years of analysis. Started off looking at used and quickly resigned ourselves to new. What we have a habit of doing is purchasing once and not thinking of upgrading.

People say "Buy used and you avoid the 1st year depreciation hit!" Sort of good advice if you don't plan, or cannot imagine trading it in or selling it within a few years. If you "under buy" you will pay that first year depreciation multiple times over.

We thought that we would be happy with a 28'-31' gasser. After looking into it, we found a washer/dryer was important. Then bath and a half.

Then the quality kicked in. We quickly learned that you get what you pay for. I don't want to offend anyone but we found that Winnebago's, Forest River and Thors are not in the same class as Tiffin. Actually, we found them to have very poor fit and finish.

So we gravitated toward Tiffin. To the casual observer, Tiffin may seem expensive for the same thing, but you get what you pay for! Then we realized that we were creeping up to "too big for a gas engine."

Then the leap... Diesel Pusher. Tiffin Phaeton, Allegro Red, Allegro Bus. OOPS! You get what you pay for!

Went to Hershey for the second time to cement our decision.... Tiffin Phaeton 40QBH. About to pull the trigger when something told me to look at the Newmars.

Bottom line.... The Tag Axle on the Dutch Star 4018, the quality of Newmar and the Comfort Drive, etc... said to us, "This will be the first and last motorhome you ever buy! Buy it now and you will have it for 20 years! You will never wear out the engine, and never need or want any additional feature worthy of the $10s of thousands to get it in a trade in. If you want a feature in future years, have it added on later."

So I don't care about 1st year depreciation. My advice... Stretch your budget as much as you can. If you buy with the intention to trade up many times, then your friend is sweat equity! Buy low, fix and sell higher. If your intention is like mine, to buy once, go BIG and NEW!

Branson in Tucson wrote:
I would look at different DP's maybe not a brand new one. There are a lot of used DP for a good price that are low miles. My friend purchased a new Tuffin for 201 K 40 Ft.

We are looking at used, but we are limited to less than 38 ft so it will fit in our garage. Hard to find many at that length. Plus the wife is a little germaphobic especially with the bed mattress.

We are looking at other brands as well. Just looked at those since they were local to us. Will be branching out a couple hundred miles to see others. Possibly further once we are ready to actually make a purchase.

I'm with Don on this. There is little difference in amenities between the two. Why pay extra for fueling at the diesel pump? Now if you wanted to tow 15k, liked Aqua-Hot and the straight line stability of a tag axel, etc., then an ISC/L/M/X makes sense.

JCGibson wrote:

Branson in Tucson wrote:
I would look at different DP's maybe not a brand new one. There are a lot of used DP for a good price that are low miles. My friend purchased a new Tuffin for 201 K 40 Ft.

We are looking at used, but we are limited to less than 38 ft so it will fit in our garage. Hard to find many at that length. Plus the wife is a little germaphobic especially with the bed mattress.

We are looking at other brands as well. Just looked at those since they were local to us. Will be branching out a couple hundred miles to see others. Possibly further once we are ready to actually make a purchase.

A new mattress costs very little. You didn't state your price range. There are many used motorhomes under 38'. Here is one site just to give you an idea. There's also a 'clicky' for diesels:

PPL Consignments

For me, your situation would do very well with a gasser.

Will this be something you will try out and then move up when you both retire? Will this likely be the only MH you buy? Will you full time soon or intend this to be the full time MH when you do?

2gypsies wrote:


A new mattress costs very little. You didn't state your price range. There are many used motorhomes under 38'. Here is one site just to give you an idea. There's also a 'clicky' for diesels:

PPL Consignments

Our budget would be around 175k for new. If we went with used, would depend on how much we would have to fix, replace, etc. We don't want to go older than 2009 or so. Mainly when there were LCD/LED TVs and not old CRT TVs. Fitting an LED tv into an old space just doesn't look right. Furthermore, wouldn't want any brass that was in older units. Just not our taste.

Not sure if we would be happy with used is a problem. If we had to make a lot of repairs and couldn't enjoy it, that would really be discouraging especially if we paid a good chunk of $$$ for it. I know there can be a lot of repairs (under warranty at least) for a new rig as well, but at least everything would be new and up to date and wouldn't have to sink any additional money into it.

Really I haven't seen many DPs under 38'. I am on RVTrader, RVT, RVUSA, and others daily.

AllegroD wrote:
For me, your situation would do very well with a gasser.

Will this be something you will try out and then move up when you both retire? Will this likely be the only MH you buy? Will you full time soon or intend this to be the full time MH when you do?

This will be our next step in our progression we have made since we started camping when we lived in Alaska. We started with tenting while stationed in Anchorage and did that for two years. Then on to a pop up for a couple of years. Next was a travel trailer toy hauler for a few more years. Got a Big Horn fifth wheel for the last couple years we were in Alaska and it was great. Should have stayed with that one for longer, but got disillusioned into wanting a Fiver toy hauler. Big mistake with that and didn't have it long. So went back to our current Bay Hill Fifth Wheel. Really nice, however, we are ready to make the jump into motorized RVing. It will most likely just be another step before we move up to something bigger and better in about 5-7 years.

We are both 45 so the wife won't be retiring anytime soon plus she enjoys teaching so can't blame her if she loves what she is doing.

JCGibson, just to mention that our previous '08 Dynasty had the new TV's..... put on the production line in January of 2007, took delivery in April 2007. New owners got a sweet diesel pusher with a like-new interior and maintained to the max.

If you decide to go used, an upper-end used unit that listed for upwards of $500K would go for the price range that you are looking for. It will have Aqua-Hot, 3 or 4 slides, tile floors, leather furniture, possible washer and dryer, etc.

Good luck,
MM.

Have a look at a new Tiffin 36 LA. take 25-30% off list price and there you have it.
Bath and half, w/d combo, second to none outside storage, vented supply and return air ducts, electrical outlets located on wall of kitchen where needed, no slides to hit your head on patio side or obstructions, visible water tank(amazing how much I like this feature)No guessing. Rides amazingly in stock form.