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

Hi Bob,

My memory isn't good enough to remember which brands did what, and since my wife at the time specifically said "No diesels", I didn't spend too much time with the issue any way.

I think there's something to be said that a quality manufacturer is likely to have higher quality in ALL of their products than those manufacturers who mostly cater to the entry level rigs.

Your question: "Would a lower end DP from (Newmar, Tiffin, Monaco) be the same build quality as the upper end?"

I would think the answer to that is no, that there would definitely be better quality in the higher end rigs within the same manufacturer's offerings. What I was trying to say is that I noticed that a high-end gasser from those "quality" manufacturers might be better built (cabinets, appliances, windows, conveniences) than an entry level diesel from, say, Fleetwood. (OK, I just chose "Fleetwood" as an example. I could be all wet, and I know they have higher level lines too! Insert your favorite "entry level mfg in place of Fleetwood if you must! ;) ) I don't know if, for example, a high end Tiffin gasser has better interior construction & appliances than a low end Tiffin DP. I'm sure someone who actually has experience with those model lines could answer much better than I.

One technique I used to use when physically shopping for rigs, I would look at the cabinetry. The quality of the woodwork will tell you volumes. Then open a drawer or cabinet and look inside. If the drawer glides are sloppy, uneven, of the drawer doesn't operate smoothly, those are all signs of either shoddy construction (when new) or lack of maintenance or neglect on used rigs. Ditto cabinet doors which are crooked or loose. Screws don't hold as well in pressboard construction as they do in REAL solid wood, and after being tightened over and over, they tend to strip-out and require some additional attention.

You are correct though, trying to sort out manufacturers, models and years, especially when going back 10-20 years, can be a challenge.

Good Luck,

~Rick

My current Monaco DP is 20 years old and sold new for $234,000, actual price from Lazy Days. It has never sat out side except when in use, shines like new, has had regular maintenance, and everything works. Original owner lives near by. I bought it for $35,000 4 years ago and we have put about 12,000mi on it trouble free. they are out there

Need to ask . . . did you find that deal on a public site or was it through a connection?

Our Fleetwood is 19 this year and sold new for $89,000 LOL, purchased 8 yrs ago for $17k, a good deal at the time but I had to do minor fix-ups for full functionality (microwave was the biggest item). Put 14,000 miles on it last year alone. And everything works . . . sorta! Microwave turntable doesn't turn, turn signals don't automatically return, tach sometimes sticks, windshield molding needs replacing, real nit-picky stuff.

Would like to find a deal like you had. Don't think it's there in today's market. Maybe when everyone gets their kids back to organized sports, restaurants open up, theaters open up, etc. people will get distracted or tired of RV'ing creating excess inventory. Of course then it will be that much harder to sell a 20-21 yo 160,000 (projected) mile not perfect RV. Gonna suffer on one end or the other.

Best,
- bob

We are considering Type A vs Type C. I like this idea of buying an older Diesel Pusher. I looked in classifieds locally and see a 2001 Holiday Rambler (Monaco) that has been garage kept and looks in very good condition. Only 52k miles on it - selling for basically book value. I'm curious what folks think about something like this?

It seems like a very good value. However, it scares me a bit to consider such a large rig. I have been thinking something smaller more nimble rig would be better. It is just my wife and I, but likely one or two visitors might come along now and again. We'd like to visit state & national parks and boondock. It seems like this would be way too big for those uses. However, I'd really like to hear what everything thinks about the value and utility of something like this?