Let's beat this horse once again
I know this subject must have come up many times, but I'm still wanting opinions from this great group of RVer's. With a budget of $75k, which way is the best to travel...an older diesel pusher, or...
Forum Discussion
Hello again!
I suppose there is one option which usually doesn't get mentioned, and it involves a bit of extra research for each specific model brand.
Most people put a dividing line between diesel pusher and gasser. Fair enough. But WAY BACK in 2002/3/4 when we were doing our research, I did notice something. And that is there are several manufacturers which produce a "low end" diesel which didn't cost much more than their "top end" gasser, or perhaps, a higher quality manufacturer's "top end" gasser. I found this to be curious...I could almost purchase a new DP for the cost of a gasser. Then I looked closely at the cheaper DP.
Yes, it was a DP. BUT...what struck me first was the quality of the interiors and appliances. They were basically similar to what you found in the low-end to mid-end gassers. Looking at the mechanicals, things like airbags, leveling, tow ratings and other things were well below the quality of what was normally assumed to be found in a DP.
So, I guess what I'm saying, is that make sure you look at more than just being a "DP" or a "gasser". Do some research to see where that model fits into the manufacturer's offerings. After 15-20 years, I would really expect one of those "low end DPs" to be pretty "beat up" inside. The engine might be low mileage, but the house construction is basically the same as the low end gassers, which is definitely in the same league as the high-end gassers or most DPs.
As always, Buyer Beware! But if you limit your searches to the gasser upper-end manufacturer lines such as (Newmar, Tiffin, Monaco, etc.) you might be able to find a good used, gasser built with quality, yet having the gas platform.
Just a thought!
Good Luck in your search!
~Rick
I suppose there is one option which usually doesn't get mentioned, and it involves a bit of extra research for each specific model brand.
Most people put a dividing line between diesel pusher and gasser. Fair enough. But WAY BACK in 2002/3/4 when we were doing our research, I did notice something. And that is there are several manufacturers which produce a "low end" diesel which didn't cost much more than their "top end" gasser, or perhaps, a higher quality manufacturer's "top end" gasser. I found this to be curious...I could almost purchase a new DP for the cost of a gasser. Then I looked closely at the cheaper DP.
Yes, it was a DP. BUT...what struck me first was the quality of the interiors and appliances. They were basically similar to what you found in the low-end to mid-end gassers. Looking at the mechanicals, things like airbags, leveling, tow ratings and other things were well below the quality of what was normally assumed to be found in a DP.
So, I guess what I'm saying, is that make sure you look at more than just being a "DP" or a "gasser". Do some research to see where that model fits into the manufacturer's offerings. After 15-20 years, I would really expect one of those "low end DPs" to be pretty "beat up" inside. The engine might be low mileage, but the house construction is basically the same as the low end gassers, which is definitely in the same league as the high-end gassers or most DPs.
As always, Buyer Beware! But if you limit your searches to the gasser upper-end manufacturer lines such as (Newmar, Tiffin, Monaco, etc.) you might be able to find a good used, gasser built with quality, yet having the gas platform.
Just a thought!
Good Luck in your search!
~Rick
