advice on purchase

[gonesouth]

I am looking at a 2000 Country Coach Allure with a 330 HP Cummins engine.
Is this a good idea?
First, is the 330 HP Cummins a good engine?
Second,it has Dunlop 11 Radial 22.5 tires. Is anyone familiar with these tires? What would you recommend replacing them with? I expect to travel about 8,000 miles this year and about 3,000 a year afterwards, as I don't find Florida hospitable anymore.

Thanks
Jim

[ferndaleflyer]

My 8.3 325 has a Jake Brake, the 300 has a Pac brake which I don't like near as well. I also once had a 450 hp Cummins and it performed no better because of the added weight of that coach. So weight to power also means something.

[oldave]

gonesouth wrote:
The existing tires are Dunlop 11R22.5 circa late 2012, so either the second or third set from new. My plan is for an immediate replacement, based on comments here probably with Toyos or Dunlops. Over the life of the tires I will put on this month, I expect to drive about 25,000 miles.

I'm saddened by Cat not making highway engines any more, But that was true before I bought my 98 Beaver in 2010 which had a 425HP with full Jake Brake, and performed flawlessly.

With that new info I'm sure you realize this is a smaller engine
and probably will not perform as powerfully as your big Cat engine .
You won't have that great engine Jake brake either .
I loved our Cat engine too and maybe they will come back into
the market when pollution regulations are a little friendlier .

[gonesouth]

The existing tires are Dunlop 11R22.5 circa late 2012, so either the second or third set from new. My plan is for an immediate replacement, based on comments here probably with Toyos or Dunlops. Over the life of the tires I will put on this month, I expect to drive about 25,000 miles.

I'm saddened by Cat not making highway engines any more, But that was true before I bought my 98 Beaver in 2010 which had a 425HP with full Jake Brake, and performed flawlessly.

[navigator2346]

The coach has a ISC motor and the Allison 3000 transmission, nothing wrong with either one. Coach could have come with Toyo 11R 22.5 tires. They are a little old and I would replace them with either Continental or Hankook if you don't want to spring for Michelins

My ISC in a 40ft CC Intrigue just turned 180,000 miles

[oldave]

Assuming it is an 8.3 Cummins it is probably the most used engine
in motorhomes . I would say it has an excellent reputation .
Its not the biggest engine but will do the job very well .
For what its worth Cat is no longer making Hiway engines .

[gonesouth]

tire codes show production in late fall of 2012. I am planning on replacement but I am wondering what brand people are recommending these days. i have had Michelins in the past, but the price was pretty high.

I've always had Cat engines and had good results with them, so I'm wondering if the Cummins 330 HP is a good choice.

Thanks

[oldave]

Country Coach made great coaches but of course that doesn't mean that
one is great .
Try to at least get someone to help you check it out . As buyers we
tend to fall in love with a coach .

I'm pretty sure it will have an 8.3 ISC engine which has more torque
than the 5.9 ISB . Both engines have been rated 300 and 330 hp

11R tires sounds like semi trailer tires . Nothing wrong with them
except they may ride a little harder . They are also cheaper and can
be bought at any truck stop . Sometime people use them on the rear .
I recently put 4 TOYO 295 / 80 /22.5 tires on the rear TOYOs are getting
good reviews on most forums and I like them .

[ferndaleflyer]

I have a 300hp 8.3 in one coach and a 330hp 8.3 in the other one. Neither is the 5.9. Excellent engine as I have put over 100k mi on the 330 towing my race car with never a problem. That is a nice coach

[John_Wayne]

I think the 330 engine is the different then the 300 which is the 5.9 that goes in the Dodge pickups if so it's a plus. Which allison trans does it have I'd prefer the 6 spd over the 5spd.
As to the tires look for the date code on the side of the tire you should find the letters DOT then in a box behind the letters will be 4 numbers the first two are the week the second two are the year ( example 1316 would be 13 week of 2016, 2406 would be 24th week of 2006) The numbers are only on one side of the tire so if you can't find them on the outside of the tire you need to look at the inside. Most replace their tires when they are about 7 years old.

[Bruce_Brown]

Lots of questions to ask, but CC was a good unit.

Depending on price and condition, why not?

The tires would depend on age and condition.

[Lwiddis]

“I am looking at a 2000 Country Coach Allure with a 330 HP Cummins engine.
Is this a good idea?”

Are the maintenance records available? Complete?

“Second,it has Dunlop 11 Radial 22.5 tires.”

Age of the tires is/are?