Best used DP value for 100K?

[Pico2011]

In about two months our house will be sold and it will be time to make a decision...

We plan to full time in this coach and looking at units in the 38-40 foot range with a large fridge and preferably king bed, washer/dryer.

Most I see online are 2005-2008 models with less than 40K miles.

Given a choice what models should I be looking at in this range?

Thanks in advance!

[mike_brez]

smlranger wrote:
We owned a Journey for 8 years, a 2002 so not with the more up to date features of the newer Journey's. It was a good coach but the Journey is not on the level in terms of overall build quality and features as the higher end rigs made by Country Coach, Monaco, Travel Supreme, Entegra, Newmar and others. The greatest weakness, IMO, of the Journey is it is a rear radiator coach. That seems to be no issue for many but it can become an expensive issue if/when you need to do some work on the engine. Even simple tasks like changing a belt or hoses are difficult and expensive on rear radiator coaches. Hard for you if you are doing the work and expensive if you are paying someone else. Before you buy a coach, raise the engine hatch and see for yourself. With a rear radiator coach, you can't even see the motor from the hatch.... think about working on it.

X2 on the side radiator. Someone had a thread going top 5 must haves and a side radiator was number one of my five followed by full body paint. Actually I wouldn't get a coach without either.

[smlranger]

We owned a Journey for 8 years, a 2002 so not with the more up to date features of the newer Journey's. It was a good coach but the Journey is not on the level in terms of overall build quality and features as the higher end rigs made by Country Coach, Monaco, Travel Supreme, Entegra, Newmar and others. The greatest weakness, IMO, of the Journey is it is a rear radiator coach. That seems to be no issue for many but it can become an expensive issue if/when you need to do some work on the engine. Even simple tasks like changing a belt or hoses are difficult and expensive on rear radiator coaches. Hard for you if you are doing the work and expensive if you are paying someone else. Before you buy a coach, raise the engine hatch and see for yourself. With a rear radiator coach, you can't even see the motor from the hatch.... think about working on it.

[KampingKris]

Just a quick note as I see you are from california....(like us)
Anything with a tag axle will require a different license...Class B.
If it has airbrakes, you're supposed to get an "endorsement" which is a written test. We are in the process of that requirement...

[guardrail53]

Pico2011 wrote:
these Winn Journeys have very nice modern woodwork in them..very nice. Thanks Rail! anything mechanical I should look for?

Pico2011, As in all coach's at any price or trim level, the #1 thing is water intrusion! Then the mechanical side, which can be checked by oil samples, and a good inspection!
The Journey's have a 1 piece fiberglass roof, which it very good! Also, it has the auto start feature for the generator, if you leave, and it gets too hot or cold inside or your battery's get low!
You have many choices, in your price range, it will come down to which one jumps out and grabs you! Then you will have to decide if it is the one with the best records, and care! I would be looking for a one owner, with all the maintenance records available!
The reason I said the Journey, was it had all the things you wanted, and had the big motor, which also got very good fuel mileage!
I also like Country Coach's, Foretravel's, Monaco's, Beaver's, Newmar's, Tiffin's, in that order. JMHO Rail!:C

[mike_brez]

wolfe10 wrote:

Pico2011 wrote:
no air brakes? is that good or bad handling wise?

Here is a copy of the reply I posted to that exact question recently on the Alpine forum:

No clear "one is better"-- could easily turn into a "Chevy" vs "Ford" debate.

The reason most DP's have air brakes has nothing to do with their superiority/inferiority. The axles under most DP's are pretty much "off the shelf" truck components. Trucks use air brakes because it a LOT easier to connect/disconnect air lines from truck to trailer than to connect/disconnect and them bleed the air out of the connection on a hydraulic system.

Air brakes are used on vehicles over 100,000 pounds. But, hydraulic brakes are used on jets weighing in just under 1 MILLION pounds (and going a LOT faster).

There are some better designed air brakes vs standard-- same for hydraulic. The best hydraulic use 4 piston fixed calipers, so the pads are pressed against the disk evenly and are much better at retracting than floating caliper designs where the "lazy side" often hangs up, particularly on RV applications where rust can build up in the slide area. Beginning about 2001, Alpine used the 4 piston calipers.

Hydraulic brakes need slightly different "care and feeding" than air brakes. Main Preventive Maintenance is to change the brake fluid every couple of years-- no big deal.

I have had coaches with both, and would not use it as a criteria for ruling in/out a coach. Others may have stronger feelings.

Jets use reverse thrust to slow/stop.

[Pico2011]

Thanks so much! You guys are great.

[sdfriesen]

Hope your search is going well, here's a query of similar units on RVT.com that meet your specs....might help.

[RayChez]

Hydraulic brakes can get so hot that the fluid will boil, and that is not good. While air brakes do not have that problem. Nothing to boil out, just air.

I would take air over hydraulic anytime. Since airplanes were brought into the discussion as to using hydraulic over air brakes. On airplanes brakes are applied just for a few seconds, vs a train going down a mountain which could take a long time. So then why do trains which are a lot heavier use air brakes. I worked with them for 42 years and can tell you all about air brakes. Because they are better.

[deandec]

You might like a Country Coach.

2005 CC Allure

Maybe a higher level model but older?

2002 CC Intrigue

[wolfe10]

Pico2011 wrote:
no air brakes? is that good or bad handling wise?

Here is a copy of the reply I posted to that exact question recently on the Alpine forum:

No clear "one is better"-- could easily turn into a "Chevy" vs "Ford" debate.

The reason most DP's have air brakes has nothing to do with their superiority/inferiority. The axles under most DP's are pretty much "off the shelf" truck components. Trucks use air brakes because it a LOT easier to connect/disconnect air lines from truck to trailer than to connect/disconnect and them bleed the air out of the connection on a hydraulic system.

Air brakes are used on vehicles over 100,000 pounds. But, hydraulic brakes are used on jets weighing in just under 1 MILLION pounds (and going a LOT faster).

There are some better designed air brakes vs standard-- same for hydraulic. The best hydraulic use 4 piston fixed calipers, so the pads are pressed against the disk evenly and are much better at retracting than floating caliper designs where the "lazy side" often hangs up, particularly on RV applications where rust can build up in the slide area. Beginning about 2001, Alpine used the 4 piston calipers.

Hydraulic brakes need slightly different "care and feeding" than air brakes. Main Preventive Maintenance is to change the brake fluid every couple of years-- no big deal.

I have had coaches with both, and would not use it as a criteria for ruling in/out a coach. Others may have stronger feelings.

[Pico2011]

no air brakes? is that good or bad handling wise?

[mike_brez]

tankcj wrote:
Alpine is another nice coach...

http://www.rvonline.com/single-ad.asp?Recnumber=63717

Some years had a steering bracket problem but there are after market kits to fix and is no big deal. They don't have air brakes they use hydraulic.

[Pico2011]

these Winn Journeys have very nice modern woodwork in them..very nice. Thanks Rail! anything mechanical I should look for?

[guardrail53]

If it was me looking and I had 100,000 to spend, I would be looking for a 2009 Winnebago Journey with the 350 hp cummins! Wow, what a nice coach! rvtrader.com has 5 or 6 of them for sale, 34' and 38' long, and they have everything you want and more!! Prices from 100,000 to 147,000! Most around 100,000 thou! The 350 hp was only available the one year, and was a real performer, and got great fuel mi. Worth a look? You do not see many for sale!
Rail!:C

[Pico2011]

the bad part is B of A will only finance 2006 or later models...