What's the best bang for my 20k?
I am overwhelmed and need some expert advice on the best RV I can get for 20K cash or less. There are too many options in the used market to wrap my little brain around. We (us two) are hitting the ...
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Safari360 - For 20,000 + 10 grand fix, if that is it, meaning that is all you have to spend I would suggest not getting a diesel pusher unless you are a skilled mechanic who can work on diesel motors, transmissions, and air leveling systems. If you blow a transmission when on a trip you will be stuck. A replacement mid range Allison is 7,000. I know. Mine blew a year ago for no reason. Heaven forbid your motor goes. A Cat or Cummins might set you back 15-20,000. The exception might be the 5.9 Cummins motor which they sold by the many thousands for motorhomes and pickup trucks. Likely that would be cheaper to repair/replace. Besides the motor and transmission you have a very expensive air suspension system in most diesel pushers. To replace the tires on a 1990's DP assuming no tag would be $3,000.
Yes Monaco are one of the better brands. Country Coach and Beaver are similar.
Here is what I would do knowing what I know - 33 years of motor homing. We belong to a small RV club in the San Diego area. Of the 20 coaches in the club about half of them are 32' - 36' class A gassers. Fleetwood, National, Monaco, Winnebago, Tiffin, Newmar all made very good coaches in this size range. In our club most are either National or Fleetwood because those makers used to be in S California. These motorhomes have 1 or 2 slides. They have either big Chevy or Ford motors. Almost all that standard spring suspension. They are very! roomy and represent a huge bang for the buck. My personal favorites in these coaches are Dolpins (National) and Bounders (Fleetwood). There are thousands and thousands of these models on the road. They are easy to fix and low cost to fix. I have several close personal friends with these models. They are very well built, sturdy, and comfortable.
Good luck on your search. I spent over your entire budget on our coach fixing it up the first 3 years i had it. And I had an extended warranty. Yes we have a very nice motorhome. But most big expensive motorhomes are money pits. Fun but expensive. The only reason I am not sour about it is I owned a big sailboat before the motorhome and anything is cheap after that.
Yes Monaco are one of the better brands. Country Coach and Beaver are similar.
Here is what I would do knowing what I know - 33 years of motor homing. We belong to a small RV club in the San Diego area. Of the 20 coaches in the club about half of them are 32' - 36' class A gassers. Fleetwood, National, Monaco, Winnebago, Tiffin, Newmar all made very good coaches in this size range. In our club most are either National or Fleetwood because those makers used to be in S California. These motorhomes have 1 or 2 slides. They have either big Chevy or Ford motors. Almost all that standard spring suspension. They are very! roomy and represent a huge bang for the buck. My personal favorites in these coaches are Dolpins (National) and Bounders (Fleetwood). There are thousands and thousands of these models on the road. They are easy to fix and low cost to fix. I have several close personal friends with these models. They are very well built, sturdy, and comfortable.
Good luck on your search. I spent over your entire budget on our coach fixing it up the first 3 years i had it. And I had an extended warranty. Yes we have a very nice motorhome. But most big expensive motorhomes are money pits. Fun but expensive. The only reason I am not sour about it is I owned a big sailboat before the motorhome and anything is cheap after that.
