Looking at buying a 2010 Fleetwood Discovery 40K

Lots of good solid advice in this thread, but a couple of comments to consider:

The buyer should be arranging and paying for any inspections, just as in buying a house, or any other property. If the inspection uncovers problems, then you have reason to negotiate down the price, to cover needed repairs.

It was mentioned that this particular motorhome has been garage kept, has seen low use (not necessarily always good), and priced fairly (to the OP). Those are pretty hard to find. Although I agree that oil samples should be taken, a very desirable coach may be sold to someone else before the test results are back from the lab. Depending on the lab, that could take from days to several weeks. So ask the lab before sending samples. The labs I've used can take weeks to mail a report, but will call if something concerning has been found.

Having purchased many, many vehicles over the years, I thought I would add to the conversation.

First off, in my experience, it is better to have the seller test drive it while you sit in the passenger seat and listen and observe.

• This is especially true if you are not experienced and/or comfortable driving the vehicle. The reason is that when you drive, you are so focused on the road, that you will not observe a lot of the other important items.
• Observe how the driver steers the vehicle. Is the steering wheel centered? Is he/she holding it one way or the other? Does it return to center after turning a corner?
• Observe how the vehicle accelerates from a full stop. Is there any delay?
• Observe how the vehicle handles on the highway. Is it easily blown sideways by passing trucks? Can it accelerate and maintain highway speeds easily on moderate hills?
• Observe any shimmy or unusual vibration at different speeds.
• Walk down the length of the vehicle and listen for unusual sounds from the engine back to the drive axle.
• Have the driver make a tight turn in both directions. Is the turning circle the same? Any binding or scraping of the steer tires?
  

I could list lots of other things, but you get the point. IMHO it is better to observe than to drive during the test drive(s). If you are unsure you can handle the vehicle, that is a different question and you need to address that with a driving school... Not someone else's coach.

Next, have it inspected.

• This is normally up to the buyer to arrange and pay for.
• For an RV, you may need to use 2 different inspectors. One for the house systems (Fridge, heater, Aquahot, etc.), and one for the chassis (engine, transmission, etc.)
• Have the chassis inspector take samples. Typlically, this will be engine oil, engine coolant, transmission fluid, generator oil and/or generator coolant. Usually not necessary to take differential samples unless you heard weird or unusual noises from the drive axle during the test drive.

If items are identified during the inspection(s)....

• Decide what needs to be fixed for you to purchase the vehicle. Remember that for a used coach, some wear and tear is normal and not everything needs to be fixed today.
• For the items that you feel need to be fixed before you will buy the vehicle, get an estimate for the repair from a reputable shop. Always add 10% - 20% for things that might be discovered during the job.
• For some items that need to be repaired, you may decide to push back on the owner to have repaired at his expense.
• IMPORTANT: The oil and coolant samples are critical as they will tell you if there are dissolved materials or metal particles that are invisible to the eye. This can tell you that bearings are damaged or gears etc. are worn.

Once you understand the true condition of the vehicle, you can then negotiate with the seller for a price that you both can accept. If you have a good understanding of the vehicles condition and issues and have documented evidence, then it is much easier to negotiate for a position of strength. If kept on a professional basis, both you as the buyer and also the seller will be happy with the final price.

vjstangelo wrote:
We brought our class A and never drove until we left after signing the papers. The owner did the test drive and I was passenger. I listened carefully to the motor (V10), and shifting (5R110). No regrets.

With the last one sold, I took the buyer for a ride, once I knew he was serious and a price was agreed upon. Went down a safe quiet rode and after turning around, asked if he'd like driving it back, for which he declined. He was well satisfied and even more anxious for going after the cash.
With a previous sale, they weren't even interested in a ride and just took off with it. With a later phone call, they were more than satisfied on the ride home.
With our present coach, all else was done, including a deposit, before going for a drive and was with just the distance of one interstate ramp and an exit.
I must say, that if a potential buyer first wants to drive, without really looking it over and without talking price or other, it's a red flag for me.

We brought our class A and never drove until we left after signing the papers. The owner did the test drive and I was passenger. I listened carefully to the motor (V10), and shifting (5R110). No regrets.

We had never driven a class A before and didn't expect that someone would let us drive their motorhome around with no experience. It was inspected though and we purchased. We have had no regrets. From reading the forums, it seems that it is customary in most places for the buyer to have the rv inspection done and pay for it.(If they want one) They then use any repairs or mainteinence issues noted to negotiate the price. If an agreement can not be reached, they then decline to purchase. Or an offer is made pending the results of the inspection, which again, the buyer is paying for.

Trackrig wrote:
If this is true, I don't think I'd buy a MH in that state. It sounds like a (legal) scam for inspectors to find every little thing wrong that they possibly can to generate repair revenue

Or country, perhaps? Its a Canadian thing.

tropical36 wrote:

Blossom18 wrote:
Yes we agree!

This unit has been in a heated garage since new. One owner who has his own business and states he has no more time for it. It's got low miles . Its been out a handful of times. But very difficult to deal with this seller. One road block after the other with him and his wife. We feel we're just going to walk - they announced this morning in a email they're not going to safety it for us now - if you were selling a unit for 125k wouldn't you be covering for the safety? Sounds to me like they're hiding something?

Say what and about $85 - 90K would be a better price.
Sounds like a mid-summer vacation to FL is in order here and especially when the trip will be more than paid for, if those kind of prices are common place in your area.

Canadian Dollars, I presume.

I know they've decided to pass on this rig but I'll point out that that rig requires a Class B license in some states as it is over 26,000 pounds. That said, once I think someone is really serious I'll drive it away from congested traffic and let them drive it.The TV programs that have everyone test driving every rig they walk into make me laugh.

Repairs at the safety inspection for the last coach I bought were $2900. The biggest thing I remember was a new air brake mechanism for one wheel at about $900 installed. It was in for about 3 days as the part had to come from New Jersey. The invoice was about 4 pages with a lot of items on it. Not really a big deal but if you are paying $125,000 for the coach it should pass inspection with flying colors.

His concern over letting you drive it may relate to insurance coverage, or him being uncertain of your driving skills, a combination of both...but, who knows.
As Lantley noted, let him know you're a serious buyer and then it's up to him.
Make him aware that driving it is a condition of sale. Although, if you ride up front with him at the wheel, surely you'll notice if there are any handling type issues by how he handles the controls/steering wheel. Ask him to make a quick stop as well as full throttle acceleration. Also, consider making him aware that you would like to have the unit inspected.
I don't know what "safety" entails but, maybe you can factor that in to your offer.
Good luck,
Gary