Average Maintenance Costs?

[DanLee]

I'm still in the market for a ~$75K 2001-2006 "higher-end" (Newmar, American Coach, Holiday Rambler) DP Coach and I want to pay cash for it because I hate payments. However,that will not leave me with a lot of money for recurring costs and "the unexpected." So, I'm getting cold feet.

So, not counting tires and batteries, how bad is it regarding recurring maintenance and "the unexpected" for a Coach this old?

thanks in advance for your replies.

[Skid_Row_Joe]

DanLee wrote:
I'm still in the market for a ~$75K 2001-2006 "higher-end" (Newmar, American Coach, Holiday Rambler) DP Coach and I want to pay cash for it because I hate payments. However,that will not leave me with a lot of money for recurring costs and "the unexpected." So, I'm getting cold feet.

So, not counting tires and batteries, how bad is it regarding recurring maintenance and "the unexpected" for a Coach this old?

thanks in advance for your replies.

Count on a minimum of at least $1,000 a year, with a more reasonable number being $2,000 per year.

Worst case scenario - $10,000 in one year.

[DoubleVeteran]

"The OP asked for ANNUAL maintenance budget...$900/yr X 7 = $6300......Dennis"

Makes much more sense.... 😉

[Mr_Mark1]

Executive wrote:

DoubleVeteran wrote:

Executive wrote:
Annual maintenance:

Oil, filter change-oil and fuel X2 incl SCA check $300 - SPEEDCO
AquaHot - nozzle and service - every other year - $125 MASTERTECH AZ
Detailed wash and wax - $300 - PRIVATE
Tires - X8 - every 7 yrs - $900 FMCA
Generator - Filter/oil Fuel + oil - $ 125
Misc: $1000

Budget $ 3000 / 12 = $250/mo

We full time..YMMV....Dennis

"Tires - X8 - every 7 yrs - $900 FMCA"

$900 for 8 22.5 tires I think is way underestimated. I paid $2500 for six, and that was a good deal.

The OP asked for ANNUAL maintenance budget...$900/yr X 7 = $6300...:W...Dennis

Dennis, your post caught me off guard just for a second and then I realized you were talking 'annual'. Your $6,300 is pretty exactly what we paid for new tires in May of 2013.

MM.

[Executive45]

DoubleVeteran wrote:

Executive wrote:
Annual maintenance:

Oil, filter change-oil and fuel X2 incl SCA check $300 - SPEEDCO
AquaHot - nozzle and service - every other year - $125 MASTERTECH AZ
Detailed wash and wax - $300 - PRIVATE
Tires - X8 - every 7 yrs - $900 FMCA
Generator - Filter/oil Fuel + oil - $ 125
Misc: $1000

Budget $ 3000 / 12 = $250/mo

We full time..YMMV....Dennis

"Tires - X8 - every 7 yrs - $900 FMCA"

$900 for 8 22.5 tires I think is way underestimated. I paid $2500 for six, and that was a good deal.

The OP asked for ANNUAL maintenance budget...$900/yr X 7 = $6300...:W...Dennis

[DoubleVeteran]

Slojoe72 wrote:
2500 ... WHAT SIZE ... I JUST GOT A 3600 ESTIMATE FOR 6 TIRES 275-70-22.5 MICH

Firestones: FS-560 275-70-22.5 16 ply

[keurig]

Quote:AquaHot - nozzle and service - every other year - $125 MASTERTECH AZ

Depends on how much diesel you put thru it and where its located.U can go 3 or 4 years if all u use is electricity 80% of the time
Also the location of the unit will determine the cost.If the motor/nozzle is right at the front its easy. If the unit is in the middle of the MH and the hose reel has to be removed etc it costs a lot more than 125.00. the nozzle and filter is around 35$

[Slojoe72]

2500 ... WHAT SIZE ... I JUST GOT A 3600 ESTIMATE FOR 6 TIRES 275-70-22.5 MICH

[DoubleVeteran]

Executive wrote:
Annual maintenance:

Oil, filter change-oil and fuel X2 incl SCA check $300 - SPEEDCO
AquaHot - nozzle and service - every other year - $125 MASTERTECH AZ
Detailed wash and wax - $300 - PRIVATE
Tires - X8 - every 7 yrs - $900 FMCA
Generator - Filter/oil Fuel + oil - $ 125
Misc: $1000

Budget $ 3000 / 12 = $250/mo

We full time..YMMV....Dennis

"Tires - X8 - every 7 yrs - $900 FMCA"

$900 for 8 22.5 tires I think is way underestimated. I paid $2500 for six, and that was a good deal.

[JetAonly]

Make sure you don't confuse scheduled maintenance with unscheduled maintenance. Scheduled ~$300 at Speedco. $200 if you do it your self. Unscheduled can be high, make no mistake. But don't succumb to the hysteria, you won't have to sell your MH due to a failure. :R

Have ~$2-3k, a towing service like Coach Net, and a credit card for the unforeseeable. Make sure you do due diligence like oil samples and a pull of the ECM codes, etc. If you are handy with a wrench, you can reduce costs dramatically.

[DanLee]

Wonderful information, thanks!

[John_S_]

The issue you will find is not on longevity of older coaches but repair costs based on time. Most of the people responding with newer coaches will have more in maintanence coming. I know my coach is in great shape but this last year I had to replace the radiator and my fuel lines. Shocks are done and airbags come this year. Now I am 14 years old but repairs have been not so much a cost as a hassel in the past. Radiator hose hit by a rock and new coolant as a result. I have put a lot more into remodel then repairs over the years. I replace my tires every 6 years and that is a cost that adds up too. The biggest expense is fuel my a long shot though. I love my Foretravel and would look older and save some cash and just budget the replacements of the stuff. Of and batteries last about five years. Sure you can go longer but their usefulness is less.

[keurig]

DanLee wrote:
I'm still in the market for a ~$75K 2001-2006 "higher-end" (Newmar, American Coach, Holiday Rambler) DP Coach and I want to pay cash for it because I hate payments. However,that will not leave me with a lot of money for recurring costs and "the unexpected." So, I'm getting cold feet.

So, not counting tires and batteries, how bad is it regarding recurring maintenance and "the unexpected" for a Coach this old?

thanks in advance for your replies.

you will not buy a higher end 2005 or 2006 newmar,american coach or HR for 75K. That being said the cost of maintaining a Decent DP is minimal. in 4 years and 20K miles I have spent $500.00 changing oil,fuel filters, service gen set once,hyd filter,grease cartridges,
new 32 inch wiper blades,etc doing things myself.

[Gjac]

My experience has been $.15/mile over 80k miles in 10 years of ownership. That includes major mods like headers, front end repair,autopark repair,HD springs,tires 2 sets of batteries etc. Roughly 1/2 for major mods and major repairs and 1/2 for maintenance like oil chgs every 5000 miles. 3 transmission changes, 2 rear end changes, 3 brake fluid changes, 5 radiator flushes and refills, HWH jacks,refer, and WH repairs,every nut and raw material for minor repairs. $6000 for mods and $6000 for general maintenance. Most of the work I did myself with a lot of help from people on this forum. From my experience I would buy slightly older and less money and saved $10k for repairs and mods.

[horizon36]

For the last 3 years we have averaged $389/month for maintenance and repair. This amount includes new tires, batteries, regular maint., some remodeling, do-dads etc.

We just did our annual servicing: Lube, Oil all filters for the engine, trans and genset and that cost us $700.

You might consider getting an extended warranty for the coach. I have the Good Sam one and even though I've only had two claims, they were good.