Thinking about changing class A's

westernrvparkowner wrote:
Two old saws come to mind:

1. Caskets don't come with pockets.

2. You don't want to be the richest guy in the graveyard, but it would be nice to be able to afford the price of admission.

Like you implied, you are not getting any younger. Enjoy every day!!!!

I like that. :p

westernrvparkowner wrote:
Two old saws come to mind:

1. Caskets don't come with pockets.

2. You don't want to be the richest guy in the graveyard, but it would be nice to be able to afford the price of admission.

Like you implied, you are not getting any younger. Enjoy every day!!!!

The OP did not mention $. Far from it.......

Mr.Mark wrote:
Tropical, when we bought our '08 Dynasty in January '07 (taking delivery in April '07) we heard that Caterpillar was going to stop over-the-road engines. It's certainly their business and I know that people have many years of trouble free service with CAT engines.

But, it makes me wonder about all the other companies that have over-come the hurdles with the new emission standards. It seems Volvo is the leader in OTR trucks/engines world-wide.

CAT seems to be behind on R and D. I bet they will be scrambling when off-the-road equipment will be required to have pollution controls.

Safe travels,
MM.

CAT, hasn't been an over the road trucking competitor for almost twenty years now. Cummins, is the clear American MH coach builder's choice for a very long time now.

Two old saws come to mind:

1. Caskets don't come with pockets.

2. You don't want to be the richest guy in the graveyard, but it would be nice to be able to afford the price of admission.

Like you implied, you are not getting any younger. Enjoy every day!!!!

I've had no issues getting the 3126 CAT serviced. We have a local CAT equipment facility that does anything CAT specific (like the valve lash adjustment) and the local RV shop does chassis work on the no-longer-produced Magnum chassis. When I took the Sahara to the CAT shop last year, there were 2 older OTR buses and another motor home in the bays.

There are also rumblings in the industry about CAT getting back into roadable engines. I think they missed the boat though. Heck, even Freightliner is coming out with a gas chassis.

tropical36 wrote:

Mr.Mark wrote:
Tropical, when we bought our '08 Dynasty in January '07 (taking delivery in April '07) we heard that Caterpillar was going to stop over-the-road engines. It's certainly their business and I know that people have many years of trouble free service with CAT engines.

But, it makes me wonder about all the other companies that have over-come the hurdles with the new emission standards. It seems Volvo is the leader in OTR trucks/engines world-wide.

CAT seems to be behind on R and D. I bet they will be scrambling when off-the-road equipment will be required to have pollution controls.

Safe travels,
MM.

Yeah, I get what you're saying and I think that decision was prompted by them already having spent a 1/2 billion dollars on the ACERT technology, which was like no other and then with the gov. requiring even more in 07. They put some band aids on the engine, so I made sure to get an 06 engine and one of the last of the slobber tubes. One must remember that CAT is really heavy in the industrial business and most likely responsible for the majority of their sales, so a financial decision was made to make the numbers add up. Other engine manufactures, such as Cummins aren't that involved in the industrial market, if at all and have to compete with the over highway sector. Naturally they helped Cummins even more, when they left the scene. Still, there's tons of them out there and especially in a lot of the older high end coaches. As to what they'll do if industrial standards change, I think they have the resources and bank account to combat it, if need be. Clickity... CAT
Meanwhile, I've talked to some truckers out there on the road and some are running diesels, that I've never heard of, so there's always going to be competition and especially now, in a global market. Hello, China!!!

Ya know, if I was to choose an engine, above all, I'm still partial to the old Detroit series 60 and I guess it's now Mercedes Benz. I've seen quite a few, but as yet, not very large and certainly not like the beasts that Detroit was always famous for.
Now speaking of support, they still have the S-60 covered, as well as others, for the many, that are still on the road.
OK, I guess I've now crossed over the subject matter line, so please forgive, if I've hijacked the OP's thread somewhat.

Mr.Mark wrote:
Tropical, when we bought our '08 Dynasty in January '07 (taking delivery in April '07) we heard that Caterpillar was going to stop over-the-road engines. It's certainly their business and I know that people have many years of trouble free service with CAT engines.

But, it makes me wonder about all the other companies that have over-come the hurdles with the new emission standards. It seems Volvo is the leader in OTR trucks/engines world-wide.

CAT seems to be behind on R and D. I bet they will be scrambling when off-the-road equipment will be required to have pollution controls.

Safe travels,
MM.

Yeah, I get what you're saying and I think that decision was prompted by them already having spent a 1/2 billion dollars on the ACERT technology, which was like no other and then with the gov. requiring even more in 07. They put some band aids on the engine, so I made sure to get an 06 engine and one of the last of the slobber tubes. One must remember that CAT is really heavy in the industrial business and most likely responsible for the majority of their sales, so a financial decision was made to make the numbers add up. Other engine manufactures, such as Cummins aren't that involved in the industrial market, if at all and have to compete with the over highway sector. Naturally they helped Cummins even more, when they left the scene. Still, there's tons of them out there and especially in a lot of the older high end coaches. As to what they'll do if industrial standards change, I think they have the resources and bank account to combat it, if need be. Clickity... CAT
Meanwhile, I've talked to some truckers out there on the road and some are running diesels, that I've never heard of, so there's always going to be competition and especially now, in a global market. Hello, China!!!

Tropical, when we bought our '08 Dynasty in January '07 (taking delivery in April '07) we heard that Caterpillar was going to stop over-the-road engines. It's certainly their business and I know that people have many years of trouble free service with CAT engines.

But, it makes me wonder about all the other companies that have over-come the hurdles with the new emission standards. It seems Volvo is the leader in OTR trucks/engines world-wide.

CAT seems to be behind on R and D. I bet they will be scrambling when off-the-road equipment will be required to have pollution controls.

Safe travels,
MM.

GHOST1750 wrote:

tropical36 wrote:

GHOST1750 wrote:
To begin with I might say I'll never see 80 again and thinking about doing something I may have thought foolish a few years ago. My 2003 National Tradewinds has had a streak of bad luck over the past couple years. This time when it comes out of the shop I'm gonna look for a Newmar Canyon Star to replace it. Some may think at my age that is foolish but I have only one life to live and I want to enjoy it. We use our motor home often and I want to do so without the worry of major problems. The Tradewinds is 15 years old and still beautiful, been babied and kept under cover for life, everyone says she looks like new. We may never have another problem but to tell the truth I just want a new one.:W

I''m curious as to why you are going from a DP to a gasser and would it be because of expensive problems with the Tradewind's engine?

YES, National was a great company but
finding parts for repairs is very difficult. and they don't build the CAT any more. I had a Triton 10 before and liked it, changed to diesel for the ride. The gas ride has improved in the last 17 years. Besides that we that love the Newmar.

All that's fine and Newmar is an excellent choice. Almost went that route ourselves, instead of our present, but after looking deep, we found that there was no comparison and even spent less with our choice.
Anyway, I'm a little perplexed with your statements concerning parts, when the body panels are about the only thing unique on any coach. Then with CAT who is very much in business and with parts as readily available as a small block Chevy. All they did, was to get out of the over the highway business, rather than fight continuing gov. emission control standards.

GHOST1750 wrote:

jplante4 wrote:
I'll have to go with Doxie on this. I see it all the time at the RV shop. People come in with brand new units that need something fixed that wasn't done right at the factory. The dealer can't get them in for weeks because they're too busy fixing the units sold last moth and the new coach owner is leaving next week for Florida, with non-cancelable reservations all down the east coast. They end up paying us to fix their coach and negotiating with the dealer to reimburse them.

And lest you think the it won't happen to a Newmar, we had one in last month, along with Tiffins that they couldn't get back to Red Bay and even Arlo Guthrie's Newell Bus.

And they all say the same thing - "We bought new because we didn't want to deal with someone else's problems". There have been several threads recently about how low the quality of the new rigs is. With everyone and his brother buying coaches, the manufacturers are just blowing them out the door.

You have a good coach that you love. You know how it was maintained. The only reason I'd consider buying another is to downsize because it will be easier for you to keep going on a smaller rig.

We bought brand new twice before and had no problems with either until the second one and that didn't start for 14 years.

I too, have had far fewer problems buying new. Some brands' warranties are not transferable anyway. Buy new if you can. Buy used and take your chances. Esp. when there's no warranty.