Let's beat this horse once again

Rick Jay wrote:
. . . . 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.

~Rick

Are you saying the lower end DP's from the upper class (Newmar, Tiffin, Monaco, etc.) are not the same quality as other models in their own line?

Or are you saying the DP's from "the others" (Forest River, etc), which are the upper end of their lines, aren't built to last?

Or both?

Toyota and Lexus are basically the same manufacturer, just with different amenities. Both lines, from Corolla to Lexus LX are built with quality.

And then there's the combinations - Thor Industries (Thor, Damon, Dutchmen, Entegra), REV Group (American Coach, Fleetwood, Holiday Rambler, Monaco), Forest River Group (including Coachmen), Winnebago (including Newmar). It's hard to keep up - who makes who and when were they purchased by their conglomerates.

BTW - Last month Thor Industries bought Tiffin for $400M :-o

Back to the original question . . . Would a lower end DP from (Newmar, Tiffin, Monaco) be the same build quality as the upper end?

Best,
- bob