2005 Coachmen Leprechan 317KS

[Owinsmom]

We are going to look at a 2005 Coachmen Leprechan 317KS. I really like the layout better than anything I have seen yet. They want $32,900 for it and it is from a small dealer. It is a little longer than I would like, but again, the layout really piqued my interest. My question is, it only has 8,500 miles on it. Everything I have read tells me that, that is bad, because it must mean it's been sitting for years? Is this a big mistake to even consider looking at it?

[Owinsmom]

Thank you very much for your reply. There is so much to think about. I actually still want to keep it under 30' but we are going to look at another unit and thought we would just take a peek at this one too. All of the other ones we are looking at are smaller. We want something smaller because we do not want to tow a vehicle, because then we would also have to buy a tow vehicle. We have 2 fusions that wouldn't work. I will take heed of what you said about the weight issue. The other units we are going to look at are a 2005 Winnebago Aspect 26A (23k miles), a 2007 Cambria 26A (41k miles) and a 2004 Coachman Concord 274DS (41k miles).

[Rick_Jay]

Hi,

I did a fair amount of research on Class C's and A's about that time, as we were in the market to buy our first RV....which we still have. So, the moral of the story is if you do your research before you buy, it can really pay off in the long run.

Anyway, rigs of that size on the E-450 chassis with a slide (I believe that model had a slide) were very easy to overload Ford's chassis weight ratings, especially the rear axle weight rating and the gross vehicle weight rating. This bothers some people, and doesn't seem to bother others. I knew I was the type it would bother, so I passed on this and similar long E-450 based class C's with slides. If you do not know about the weight ratings, that is an area you owe it to yourself to do some research on. It seems ironic, and probably is, but there were various rigs of this type which came from the factory with the rear axle almost at maximum rated load capacity with just the fuel and fresh water tanks full, yet still have cavernous storage bay space available. Unfortunately, if you put anything other than feathers in it, you'd be overloaded. Again, buyer beware. Putting more weight behind the rear axle leverages weight off the front axle, and that can lead to handling problems. Perhaps THAT is why the mileage is so low? They were afraid to drive it! Best bet: Take it out on a test drive to a CAT weigh station and get the front and rear axle weights with full fuels and water tank, THEN see how much capacity you have left for people, food, clothes & stuff.

Someone mentioned tires over 5 years old as being ready to be replaced. I don't agree with that, necessarily, BUT on a rig you don't know the history of, it wouldn't be a bad idea. (I went 12 years on the tires on my class A without issue. BUT I knew they're history, I knew they'd never been run under inflated or over loaded, or subjected to any real road hazards.) Most people use 7-10 years as a guide to replace tires which have had decent & known care.

Low hours on the generator can commonly lead to carburetor issues due to the fuel remaining stagnant in the float bowl and carb parts. This tends to put a coat of "varnish" over the small passages and cause problems. Again, something that would be a good idea to become knowledgeable about.

I can't really comment on the price, though I might think it to be a bit on the high side, but IF it was clean, no leaks, fully serviced, new tires & batteries, and in EXCELLENT shape, it might not be a bad deal in your market, IF you were OK with the potential weight issues.

Good Luck in your search,

~Rick

P.S. I believe in some of your previous posts (in the class B forum?) you mentioned that size (too small) was an issue and that you were hoping to keep the length under 30'. Since you're already looking at units longer than 30', if I may, I might suggest you include gas Class A rigs up to about 36' in your search. It will give you MANY more units to look at, with the majority of them, you won't be as likely to have over-weight issues, you'll have much larger storage areas, holding tanks and that extra 4-6' of interior space is nice. PLUS the driver & passenger seating area becomes part of the living area when parked. Just something to think about. Obviously, for us, that is where our research led us, and 13 years later, we're still very pleased with our rig. Good Luck. 🙂

[jorn]

Just be sure that the generator runs, and can do so for a while under a load. They suffer most from lack-of-use. 😉

[tobydad]

Check with NADA online to get the value of the unit. Look inside for signs of a water leak - such as stains on ceilings, around vents, inside cabinets, skylights, around the windows, and especially above the cab and under the mattress if the bed is over the cab. Check DOT numbers on tires anything around 5 years old need to be replaced even if the tread is good. Try all appliances to see if they work correctly. Ask owner if you can take it to a mechanic to check out the engine and chassis. If no, then be very skeptical.

[Owinsmom]

jorn wrote:
I’d be concerned about the genny. Oh, and budget for 6 new tires.

Being that we are very new at this, could you give a little more detail as to what could be wrong and what to look for. I have been told they are very expensive to replace. Thank you

[jorn]

I’d be concerned about the genny. Oh, and budget for 6 new tires.

[klutchdust]

That's a new one for me. You need to look at the whole coach and to see if everything works. Have a mechanic look at the drivetrain, look at the date codes on the tires, not the tread but the actual codes. If you know nothing about coaches hire a mobile mechanic to inspect it for you, that is the best money you will ever spend. Remember, the seller knows little to nothing other than he wants your coin. Maybe the owner was a short trip taker or sat for a month in one spot. Many purchase coaches then find it's not for them or illness scales them back. With that said ,who cares what the owner did before you, what is the items condition.