Buying a Former Rental Class C. How many of us out there?

[IAMICHABOD]

While researching these pages for my next Motor Home I saw a few threads discussing Rentals, most were Pros and Cons but very few posts from people who had purchased one.

I thought it may be a good resource and helpful to hear from these people. The good, the bad, what they liked and what they didn’t. Also if they had any problems, things they changed, if they would recommend this to others or do it again.

Here is my story: I am not a novice, having owned a Class A for more than 15 years and doing the camping thing with my wife and two daughters, I can say “been there done that” But life changes, and I sold everything so I have been away from this for several years. Starting over I lurked here for a while and got a lot of good insight then went looking.

My criteria was: A Class C within by budget, less than 30 feet so I can keep it at home, saving storage $, a rear bed, and a lot of storage space.

What fit that was Winnebago, Fleetwood and a few others, what I found mostly was Jamboree / Tioga 26Q. In the year models 2002 thru 2006. I did my home work looking at NADA and other sites to find the fair prices for the models that I was looking for.

After several months of searching the internet, Craigslist, private ads and Dealerships for a Class C that suited my budget and needs, this is what I found. Of the dozen or so I inquired about.Most were upsidedown in their payments, owing more than they were worth. All were on Ford Chassis, 7 needed tires, all had the original 7 to 10 year old tires, and they all needed repair of the awning and most needed some work inside or out and the maintenance records were sketchy, but most had low mileage. The Dealerships offerings were better but they had a profit margin to maintain so I got older models within my budget or huge up sales that didn’t work for me.

My next step was looking at the rental market for sales. In my area there are 2 large companies that have rental sales, Cruise America and El Monte RV,who also sell Class A RVs.

First up was El Monte RV Their units are production RVs that are made by major manufactures, with TV antennas and hookups inside and out, Ducted A/C and heat, 2 house batteries, a rear ladder and parts are readily available from those manufacture’s. I looked at their web site and it detailed their warranty and what was checked and serviced by their factory trained technicians. The unit I looked at was like new inside, the upholstery on all the seats was new as was the floor mat in the driver’s area, it had a new mattress, still in plastic and a new bedspread. All of the curtains were new also. Newer (2010 mfg date) tires with 98% rubber and the mileage was ninety thousand (90,000).

Then there was Cruise America: Their units that I looked at seemed to be Spartan,no TV antenna or hookups for one,non-ducted A/C,small counter space and only one battery, no rear ladder for inspection and maintenance of roof and built just for them, they were all “refreshed” their words not mine. They offered extended warranties at a huge cost. All had high mileage, one hundred and thirty thousand (130,000) or more and the price range seemed a little high. The sales staff had a take it or leave it attitude and were not very forthcoming when asked about maintenance records and service,they claim to have proprietary info in those records,It doesn't seem to be a problem for El Monte RV.

At El Monte RV I took a test ride; This Unit was a 2006 Tioga 26Q on a Chevrolet Chassis it rode
Drove and handled much better than the Fords that I had driven. It also had more leg room and was quieter. We got back and I asked about the service and maintenance on it, the salesman, Joey, handed me a 28 page single spaced document asked if I wanted some coffee or something to drink and said “read this and if you have any questions I will answer them”.

It detailed everything that was done before and after each rental, the mileage, generator hours and hours billed. Each time it was washed and detailed inside and outside, all fluids were checked and replenished if needed, the holding tanks were washed, LP system was checked for leaks, all torque on wheel lugs were checked, brakes front and rear checked for wear and cracks, pressure in tires, all appliances, generator oil, lights inside and outside, the list goes on and on.

It also listed all oil changes,coolant change,trans service,fuel injector service and cleaning,fuel filters,air filter, new brakes, all repairs and replacements all with date, mileage and time spent in complete detail from day one to when it was pulled from the rental fleet and was refurbished. I have a complete service record on this vehicle.Also the service records on the Onan Generator,all oil changes,air filter and spark plug replacement with hours and date. I negotiated a good deal with them and am very happy with my purchase.

It came with a 1 yr. 12000 mile power train warranty and 30 day on all appliances. It also came with a 28 page maintenance record that detailed everything. Also the original sales packet from Fleetwood with the manual and serial numbers on all appliances,refrigerator, microwave,furnace, AC, water heater, etc. and the manual for the Chassis. I have had no problems with it so far.

(ON EDIT) 5 Years and close to 14000 miles.Just Scheduled Maintenance and new tires,old ones were at the 5 year mark and I wanted new Michelin LTX M/S2s.

There were a few things that it didn’t have as it was a rental and the ones from private parties did have.
• Power steps, outside Stereo/CD don’t need or want them.
• An Awning, this I wanted and had installed. A Swivel Seat and a new Window in The Door that I installed.
• Wheel Simulators, I like the looks so I had them installed and at the same time had Tire Man valve stem kit put on.
• Replaced the Chinese WFCO with a US Made converter/charger
• It came with mini blinds and not the day/night that most have, these are more practical and have a lot less failure.

• It also came with Stainless Steel sinks,easier to maintain than the cheap plastic ones that come in the noncommercial units.
  

I am very happy with my Rig, it suites my needs and it was in my Budget range, I think I got a good deal.

So if you bought a rental please share your experience here for others to use as a resource.
Or if there are any other questions that have not been covered in these pages, just ask, there are many helpful people on this thread.

[IAMICHABOD]

That is awesome to hear,thanks for coming back and giving a account of how your first outing with your new rig went,it seems to have gone well and doing it without hookups that is a real test.

It is nice to hear that it drove great,sometimes RVs on a Ford Chassis will have handling problems.

Now it is time for you to do the Mods that will make it more user friendly and to your taste,I know that it was one of the most fun parts of owning my RV,other than all the adventures that I have had since I bought mine.

Good luck on your camping season and thanks for the update and keep them coming.:B

[sachilles]

Finally got to use our 23a for the purpose it was intended.
I was able to take it to a race weekend with my son and wife.
48 hours of getting to know our RV. No hook ups.
Seemed to have plenty of water, and black/grey water capacity. Battery lasted well enough. Needed the heat and A/C.

Only problem(s) we encountered.
Microwave turntable doesn't seem to work. I'm fairly certain it worked on the lot.
This is the big one ;), the toilet paper roll holder is too tight. Keeps it from spinning.

It was good to have a full weekend to see how we will use it, and now we feel a bit more comfortable buying what we need to outfit it a bit more to our taste.

We put the ikea bed slats, under the mattress that came with the unit. I found it more comfortable than my home mattress. Of course that isn't a high bar to reach.

Drove great, about an 1.5 hour drive each direction, on twisty, hilly roads. Had to pay more attention to my speed than I thought I would in an RV.

[BoxinTheCompass]

Wow here we are 94 pages later.... great thread and very informative through and through.

Not sure if I can post URL but rvtrader shows a Majestic updated and refurbished interior. I would jump on this one but its over 1000 miles away...

Refurbed Thor Majestic Former RV Rental

They took out the dinette and put in a counter... painted the cabinetry all white...

This is along what I would like to do with refurbishment. Not sure how hard it is to paint the cabinets.. I guess start with good base coat of Kilz primer and then go from there.

[radiojeffrv]

Has anyone ever added an external shower to their 28A? I am thinking about it but would like some advise on cutting an opening for it.

[sachilles]

Canuck_Hauler wrote:
I asked the guy about the tow wiring harness and the salesman told me that there is no +12 or brake wire installed. This tells me it's just a drop wire off the tail lights. I also have no standard 4 or 7 pin connector on the 28A, just the box with spring terminals for wiring up lights. I'll be fishing a pair of wires from the battery and I'll install the brake controller myself.

That is what I thought, and what I prepared for....was pleasantly surprised to find what I had.
The one head scratcher is that there was another piece of black conduit zip tied in place, inside I found 4 black 16 gauge wires that were cut. Not sure what they were there originally for. The bumper has capped hole for what looks like rear radar sensors....but no sensors. Wondering if it might be related.

Canuck plug in your controller first to confirm no power before you go crazy running wire to the back. My controller powered up, and you could hear the relay click on when brake is applied.

[Canuck_Hauler]

I asked the guy about the tow wiring harness and the salesman told me that there is no +12 or brake wire installed. This tells me it's just a drop wire off the tail lights. I also have no standard 4 or 7 pin connector on the 28A, just the box with spring terminals for wiring up lights. I'll be fishing a pair of wires from the battery and I'll install the brake controller myself.

[sachilles]

By way of helping others:

My question as I was getting ready to buy my magestic 23A was whether it had the factory tow harness. The Ford could be shipped with or without it. Knowing that info dictates what wiring you buy to install a towing brake controller. Sales at CA didn't really know.
If not present, you connect into the always present towing connector in the dash to find it doesn't have power. You then add connections to give it power etc, which is a bit of work.
I was pleasantly surprised to find that it does have the factory wiring activated. I was able to connect into the plug behind the coin tray in the dash and have power present.
It had a 4 pin trailer connector already installed. I was able to find a square grey 4 pin plug(with only 3 wires) on the driver side frame rail just behind the black/gray water drain valves. Using the wires from that plug I was able to convert the 4 pin trailer set up, to the 7 pin setup, with active tow controller. It saved me from fishing some wires which is always nice.

[Canuck_Hauler]

sachilles wrote:
I had seen posts about delayed titles in this thread.
Title arrived yesterday, with spare keys to all locks(ignition/van door, main door, belly lockers). So a two week turnaround time.

I got my 28A on April 6th and still no title yet. I did receive my check for the Airfare though. 🙂

[justinhscott]

Canuck_Hauler wrote:


As for the RV part, It's coming along nicely and we are now outfitting it with all our goods and I think I'll test all the coach systems completely this week as it's still winterized. I noticed that CC uses an air compressor and not anti freeze in their units, I haven't found all the drains and valves and it looks like I'll have to add in an anti-freeze "T" or learn how to use the air compressor to do it. Any one have tips for me on this one?

My lacks at T, so I bought a $20 manual pump to force the pink stuff in. A little slower, a little messy, but easy enough.

[sachilles]

I had seen posts about delayed titles in this thread.
Title arrived yesterday, with spare keys to all locks(ignition/van door, main door, belly lockers). So a two week turnaround time.

[sachilles]

Two weeks in. My only real "issue", is a minor one, the green light indicates that the battery is solar charging does not seem to work. I took out the tamper proof allen screws from the panel, and replaced with standard philips head screws. I found the panel is producing power and gets to the led, but the led doesn't illuminate. Almost looks like someone tried to re-solder the led to the mini circuit board it's on. I don't need the light, but wonder if they sell a replacement board and LED. I swear I read somebody has had the problem recently.

[Photomike]

Canuck_Hauler wrote:
As for the RV part, It's coming along nicely and we are now outfitting it with all our goods and I think I'll test all the coach systems completely this week as it's still winterized. I noticed that CC uses an air compressor and not anti freeze in their units, I haven't found all the drains and valves and it looks like I'll have to add in an anti-freeze "T" or learn how to use the air compressor to do it. Any one have tips for me on this one?

Also, underneath where the old decals were is nice and shiny and the older exposed areas are oxidized a fair amount, is it possible to polish the exposed areas up enough so that the old decal outlines are not so noticeable? I'm also working with a decal company and I'm going to remove the Majestic Branding and go with something else, I just haven't decided what graphics to use. The wife and I call the unit "The Rental" as we usually find a name for all of our RV's but I don't want the RV to scream RENTAL to the world. Maybe we should decal it in Oilers colors. 😄

Look for the water tank, mine had a T inside the cupboard at the water tank. There should be a low point drain towards the rear and back (at least it is on my 19G).

I used a 3m product for boats to polish mine. That helped to smooth out the old and new finish.

Oiler's colors would automatically lower resale :B :B

[Canuck_Hauler]

sachilles wrote:

calcanrver wrote:


One last comment to Canuck Hauler...I certainly understood your reference to #99. Being from Calgary I hated him...and yet loved his unequaled skill level at the same time. 🙂

Off Topic, but you'll appreciate.
My son is 9, and has been playing hockey since he was 3. He had to have jersey 99. Everybody figured it was for Gretzky. Nope, my race car is #66, and so as to not copy me, he wanted his go-kart to be 99. The kart number then translates to hockey.

#99 is still very much loved up here in Edmonton. We now have Connor McDavid and we still can't get into the playoffs! LOL

As for the RV part, It's coming along nicely and we are now outfitting it with all our goods and I think I'll test all the coach systems completely this week as it's still winterized. I noticed that CC uses an air compressor and not anti freeze in their units, I haven't found all the drains and valves and it looks like I'll have to add in an anti-freeze "T" or learn how to use the air compressor to do it. Any one have tips for me on this one?

Also, underneath where the old decals were is nice and shiny and the older exposed areas are oxidized a fair amount, is it possible to polish the exposed areas up enough so that the old decal outlines are not so noticeable? I'm also working with a decal company and I'm going to remove the Majestic Branding and go with something else, I just haven't decided what graphics to use. The wife and I call the unit "The Rental" as we usually find a name for all of our RV's but I don't want the RV to scream RENTAL to the world. Maybe we should decal it in Oilers colors. 😄

[sachilles]

calcanrver wrote:


One last comment to Canuck Hauler...I certainly understood your reference to #99. Being from Calgary I hated him...and yet loved his unequaled skill level at the same time. 🙂

Off Topic, but you'll appreciate.
My son is 9, and has been playing hockey since he was 3. He had to have jersey 99. Everybody figured it was for Gretzky. Nope, my race car is #66, and so as to not copy me, he wanted his go-kart to be 99. The kart number then translates to hockey.

Back to the RV stuff. Keep in mind, my mountains are big for New England, but they are not the long grades like the rockies, that being said I don't think you'll find an issue. The transmission will hold the gears for a while, so it may rev higher than other automatics you are use to, but that is how it is suppose to function.

[Photomike]

calcanrver wrote:
Also thanks to you Photomike for your response. I will be sure to take it on a good roadtest before making a decision. Did you find that CC did the full refurbishment that they advertise they perform? I am not that mechanically inclined and really wouldn't know what to check for to determine whether the seals are good etc. Would it be a good idea to pay for someone to come and check it over? A previous post a while back said it was not necessary with CC (or maybe it was CA) because of their refurbishment process.

From what I found and what my mechanic found checking it a week or so after I got it home the mechanic part was all done, but the house part was lacking. I think the mechanic part was done as they do have to do an out of province inspection before selling it and they do warranty the vehicle part of it for 12 months and if that was not done according to what was suppose to be done that would be an issue. I also think the coach part is a different crew that looks after that. They even put a new rear bumper on it as there was a dent in the old one.

I did take it to my mechanic as soon as I bought it (actually bought it, tossed in some gear and spent a night at Chain Lakes then came home), not because anything stood out but I just wanted piece of mind and wanted to get anything wrong claimed on warranty ASAP. As I mentioned in other posts other than the alignment that was all he found (now that I think about it there was a bulb on the license plate burnt out as well). CC covers some things on the engine but not everything Coverage If you have a mechanic locally that you trust I would run it past him if you are not confident. For a couple hundred bucks you would have an experienced eye to set your mind at ease.