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.

[Booner]

MtnBikeMarty wrote:

quasimatter wrote:
Thanks Chris for the above answers - Makes sense - I will plan on getting 2 identical batteries.

Another quick question for Majestic 28A owners, What is the compartment in front of Master Bed - It is solid metal box with metal cover screwed on with special pin-in Hex screws. I opened it up and voila - there is nothing in there. Was it supposed to house something? Attaching a picture.



As you can see - there is another metal box inside with sides open (nothing inside that either). Maybe it used to house something which was removed (or an option that was not installed)? It looks a bit odd being right at the foot of the bed and also just being big metal plate which does not match other flooring.

PS: Is there a forum anywhere that is specific to Majestic (or even 28A)?

I remember asking my CA salesman, and he said something about it was an access panel to the transmission, maybe the differential. I just took it at that and never opened it up. Maybe someone else has better information. MtnBikeMarty

I don't know if that access hatch is the same in my unit (23A) as your larger unit, but I was told it was an access panel for the fuel pump.

Enjoy your new toy!
Booner

[MtnBikeMarty]

quasimatter wrote:
Thanks Chris for the above answers - Makes sense - I will plan on getting 2 identical batteries.

Another quick question for Majestic 28A owners, What is the compartment in front of Master Bed - It is solid metal box with metal cover screwed on with special pin-in Hex screws. I opened it up and voila - there is nothing in there. Was it supposed to house something? Attaching a picture.



As you can see - there is another metal box inside with sides open (nothing inside that either). Maybe it used to house something which was removed (or an option that was not installed)? It looks a bit odd being right at the foot of the bed and also just being big metal plate which does not match other flooring.

PS: Is there a forum anywhere that is specific to Majestic (or even 28A)?

I remember asking my CA salesman, and he said something about it was an access panel to the transmission, maybe the differential. I just took it at that and never opened it up. Maybe someone else has better information. MtnBikeMarty

[quasimatter]

Thanks Chris for the above answers - Makes sense - I will plan on getting 2 identical batteries.

Another quick question for Majestic 28A owners, What is the compartment in front of Master Bed - It is solid metal box with metal cover screwed on with special pin-in Hex screws. I opened it up and voila - there is nothing in there. Was it supposed to house something? Attaching a picture.



As you can see - there is another metal box inside with sides open (nothing inside that either). Maybe it used to house something which was removed (or an option that was not installed)? It looks a bit odd being right at the foot of the bed and also just being big metal plate which does not match other flooring.

PS: Is there a forum anywhere that is specific to Majestic (or even 28A)?

[SJ-Chris]

quasimatter wrote:

SJ-Chris wrote:
But when I need batteries from time to time, I have been buying from Walmart. You can get what appear to be pretty good 29Ds for less than $100 each which seems like a good value.

-Chris

Quick question - If I want to add a second battery - do I need to replace them both (i.e., get matching ones?) (Current one is 100AH and seems OK - the Walmart one is 85AH - is it OK to connect two different capacity batteries in parallel?).

If you are adding a 2nd battery, most people will tell you that you should make sure both batteries are identical in terms of size, AH, and purchase date. Basically, you should buy 2 identical batteries at the same time.

I would imagine if they were of different sizes/capacity/AH it would present an issue. It could be that two different batteries will likely have two different charging requirements and since there is only one charger charging BOTH at the same time it becomes problematic. Could this be the biggest reason for them to be identical? Quite possibly.

There could be another issue if you are using batteries of different ages. Eventually, the older one will likely die. When it does, since it is connected in parallel with your "good" battery, there is a good chance that it will damage/kill the good battery. For example, lets say that eventually your bad battery stops holding a charge. Well, that is going to drain your good battery since they are connected and soon your Good battery will no longer be good.

So.....If you are adding a 2nd battery I would replace both with new ones at the same time. I suppose if your existing battery is only a year old and you could buy another identical one right now, you'd probably be (mostly) okay.

Note: Walmart has different sized deep cycle RV/Marine batteries. The larger ones are 29D sized and I believe have 100-110AH of capacity. I've seen these recently for $89 each.

Good luck!
Chris

[SJ-Chris]

quasimatter wrote:

SJ-Chris wrote:


Hope that's helpful to someone. I enjoy helping others, so if you have any questions feel free to PM me or post them here.

-Chris

Thanks Chris - It DEFINITELY did help. I have put all items on my list on Amazon and will tackle them one by one (though I already did the USB, TV and RearCamera (wired one)). I will certainly install Aili and additional battery as per your instructions. Just trying to decide to stick with AGM or jump to Lithium.

Everyone is going to have their own personal opinion about Lead Acid/AGM vs Lithium. If you are like me, I tend to add WAAAAY more stuff to the RV then is actually warranted vs the times I actually go out in the RV....LOL. I guess it's just kinda fun to tinker around. Regarding batteries, my opinion has been that cheap lead acid batteries from Walmart seem to last for a reasonable amount of time and when they go bad it costs me less than $200 to buy two brand new ones. AND, once I add solar I expect that the batteries will last even longer because they will have a much lower chance of ever getting below 50% SOC and even if they do they will get charged back up the very next day.

I would personally never spend $800-$1000 per Lithium battery. To me, the value does not seem to be there.

-Chris

[quasimatter]

SJ-Chris wrote:
But when I need batteries from time to time, I have been buying from Walmart. You can get what appear to be pretty good 29Ds for less than $100 each which seems like a good value.

-Chris

Quick question - If I want to add a second battery - do I need to replace them both (i.e., get matching ones?) (Current one is 100AH and seems OK - the Walmart one is 85AH - is it OK to connect two different capacity batteries in parallel?).

[quasimatter]

SJ-Chris wrote:


I used to be a little intimidated with the thought of adding solar. I wasn't sure about putting holes in my roof. I also wasn't sure about how to run the wiring. I asked my RV mechanic once how he would do it and he said they usually route the wires down through the refrigerator exhaust vent. Recently I did a refrigerator repair (replaced the cooling unit) and when I had the refrigerator out I saw how easy it would be to route the wires.

Solar will be a project very soon. I already purchased a 200w WindyNation system. I've got 200AH bank and an Aili monitor which has proven to be a great monitor so far.

-Chris

Solar was relatively easy for me - though instead of hard-wired version, I went with quick connect/disconnect foldable panels. I store my RV under cover so panels need to be outside. I think it is better setup that way - I put them up when/where needed and then fold them up and put them in the back storage.

[quasimatter]

SJ-Chris wrote:


Hope that's helpful to someone. I enjoy helping others, so if you have any questions feel free to PM me or post them here.

-Chris

Thanks Chris - It DEFINITELY did help. I have put all items on my list on Amazon and will tackle them one by one (though I already did the USB, TV and RearCamera (wired one)). I will certainly install Aili and additional battery as per your instructions. Just trying to decide to stick with AGM or jump to Lithium.

[SJ-Chris]

eldel wrote:

SJ-Chris wrote:
But if wires need to be routed a long way through walls or ceilings I'm not comfortable and would hardly know where to begin.
Chris

I resemble that remark. I just booked my 28A into the local shop to get the solar system fitted.

Victron invertor & controller, 200AH of lithium batteries and 250W of panels. Not doing that lot myself.

I used to be a little intimidated with the thought of adding solar. I wasn't sure about putting holes in my roof. I also wasn't sure about how to run the wiring. I asked my RV mechanic once how he would do it and he said they usually route the wires down through the refrigerator exhaust vent. Recently I did a refrigerator repair (replaced the cooling unit) and when I had the refrigerator out I saw how easy it would be to route the wires.

Solar will be a project very soon. I already purchased a 200w WindyNation system. I've got 200AH bank and an Aili monitor which has proven to be a great monitor so far.

-Chris

[TwistedGray]

SJ-Chris wrote:

TwistedGray wrote:

SJ-Chris wrote:
I enjoy helping others, so if you have any questions feel free to PM me or post them here.

-Chris

Well, I'll cruise on up to San Jose shortly 😉

I definitely want to do what you did in order to have access to 110v and USB while in motion, so I'm very interested in that.

I was thinking of having the local RV shop deal with the headache of wiring. Although, I am perfectly capable; however, crimping is a different story. Any issue with just soldering the wires and heat shrinking them...I wonder how this compares to the reliability of crimping (which I am horrid at, but then again I don't have a crimping tool...I use pliers and sometimes a nail and usually just end up wasting crimps).

I'm just a normal guy with probably a slightly higher than average knowledge regarding fixing things and DIY projects. I'm no expert though.

I am a busy guy and I have the means to have my RV(s) worked at by RV specialists, but.... I kinda feel like most of the time I'm being ripped off and taken advantage of by the repair shops. And since RVs are constantly needing things fixed (especially if you have more than one) I have made it a point to try to do what I can to work on them when the issue is easy enough. It's also a hassle dropping off an RV, getting back home somehow, then getting back to the repair shop to pickup. Not to mention, often times the RV repair shops can't fit you in for 1-5 weeks!

Here is a crimping tool I bought:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07V6V7XZC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
It makes crimping SIMPLE.

I assume that soldering would be great for making an electrical connection, but I don't know how strong physically it would be. There is probably a good reason why battery cable connections are always physically crimped (...but who knows, maybe is it just a cost thing).

Regarding projects that require wiring: If the wiring is local (ie. tapping off a dome light to put in USB ports, or tapping into the rear top running light to add a wireless backup camera) then I find it pretty easy to do. But if wires need to be routed a long way through walls or ceilings I'm not comfortable and would hardly know where to begin.

Happy to help! Good luck!
Chris

I think soldering is comparable to crimping as there is a mechanical connection (the solder). My thought process was that solder is what holds down nearly every component on a PCB; therefore, it has to be structurally sound. Lol, one way to find out 🙂

But yeah...I am very interested in repeating what you did for tapping into the coach battery to draw some power without having the genny doing work or being plugged in. The outlet(s) that you put next to the table support tube, how are those wired into the surge protector? I know it's all wired up now so hard to show (?), but do you have a basic napkin sketch?

[eldel]

SJ-Chris wrote:
But if wires need to be routed a long way through walls or ceilings I'm not comfortable and would hardly know where to begin.
Chris

I resemble that remark. I just booked my 28A into the local shop to get the solar system fitted.

Victron invertor & controller, 200AH of lithium batteries and 250W of panels. Not doing that lot myself.

[SJ-Chris]

TwistedGray wrote:

SJ-Chris wrote:
I enjoy helping others, so if you have any questions feel free to PM me or post them here.

-Chris

Well, I'll cruise on up to San Jose shortly 😉

I definitely want to do what you did in order to have access to 110v and USB while in motion, so I'm very interested in that.

I was thinking of having the local RV shop deal with the headache of wiring. Although, I am perfectly capable; however, crimping is a different story. Any issue with just soldering the wires and heat shrinking them...I wonder how this compares to the reliability of crimping (which I am horrid at, but then again I don't have a crimping tool...I use pliers and sometimes a nail and usually just end up wasting crimps).

I'm just a normal guy with probably a slightly higher than average knowledge regarding fixing things and DIY projects. I'm no expert though.

I am a busy guy and I have the means to have my RV(s) worked at by RV specialists, but.... I kinda feel like most of the time I'm being ripped off and taken advantage of by the repair shops. And since RVs are constantly needing things fixed (especially if you have more than one) I have made it a point to try to do what I can to work on them when the issue is easy enough. It's also a hassle dropping off an RV, getting back home somehow, then getting back to the repair shop to pickup. Not to mention, often times the RV repair shops can't fit you in for 1-5 weeks!

Here is a crimping tool I bought:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07V6V7XZC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
It makes crimping SIMPLE.

I assume that soldering would be great for making an electrical connection, but I don't know how strong physically it would be. There is probably a good reason why battery cable connections are always physically crimped (...but who knows, maybe is it just a cost thing).

Regarding projects that require wiring: If the wiring is local (ie. tapping off a dome light to put in USB ports, or tapping into the rear top running light to add a wireless backup camera) then I find it pretty easy to do. But if wires need to be routed a long way through walls or ceilings I'm not comfortable and would hardly know where to begin.

Happy to help! Good luck!
Chris

[TwistedGray]

SJ-Chris wrote:
I enjoy helping others, so if you have any questions feel free to PM me or post them here.

-Chris

Well, I'll cruise on up to San Jose shortly 😉

I definitely want to do what you did in order to have access to 110v and USB while in motion, so I'm very interested in that.

I was thinking of having the local RV shop deal with the headache of wiring. Although, I am perfectly capable; however, crimping is a different story. Any issue with just soldering the wires and heat shrinking them...I wonder how this compares to the reliability of crimping (which I am horrid at, but then again I don't have a crimping tool...I use pliers and sometimes a nail and usually just end up wasting crimps).

[SJ-Chris]

quasimatter wrote:

SJ-Chris wrote:

- Added 3 USB charging ports (over couch, over dinette, over rear bed)
- Added a 2nd battery (in 2nd from rear on driver's side small bay)
- Added a TV/DVD player
- Added a Aili battery monitor

-Chris

Hi Chris - looks like we are within few miles of each other!

I want to make the above mods myself.. Could you please share links to what you bought (and installation instructions if you can).

Meanwhile - I am half way to Solar installation: I got the following

Victron MPPT controller

Folding Solar Panels

For backup camera - I went for wired version which also serves as dash cam - not installed yet (since I need extra length cable which I have ordered).

VanTop Dashcam ($59.99 at VanTop website)

Also got the following - which is actually pretty awesome:
Front Privacy Screen/Shade

More later..

Sorry...just saw this reply/request...

I have two 2015 Majestic 28a Class C RVs from Cruise America...

Here are the USB outlets:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07ZQJPJMB/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
$12 each. I have used others in the past, but these are BY FAR the easiest to install. You just need a drill bit the right size and you can install these close to a dome light by tapping off the dome light wiring behind the panel (there is plenty of space). Each one only takes me about 10 minutes to do now that I know how!

When installing a 2nd battery: I'm surprised that the 28as only have one coach battery. Adding a 2nd battery to double capacity seemed like a no-brainer. I put it in the small, otherwise pretty useless compartment on the driver's side near the rear (this is on a 28a Majestic). I drilled holes for ventilation in the compartment. I purchased these 20' long super heavy duty jumper cables and then I cut off the ends and crimped on some connectors. I ran the cables under the coach and it was pretty easy to zip-tie it up along the way.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FZWBKNZ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
(~$35 which was a cheap solution for thick wires).
and this crimper:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07V6V7XZC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
and these connectors:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B083QC122B/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I also used one of these trays ($9) that I bolted down so I could strap the battery in place:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00E3ALEQM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

If you are just doing one, see if you know anyone with a crimper and save yourself the $$$. I knew I was going to need it for several RVs and projects so I didn't mind buying it. I didn't need to buy any new batteries as I had what I needed already. But when I need batteries from time to time, I have been buying from Walmart. You can get what appear to be pretty good 29Ds for less than $100 each which seems like a good value.

For the TV and DVD player that I added, I put them in the most obvious place in the 28a Majestic (above the cab on the driver side). There is already an outlet there. I installed a painted wood 1x3 trim around the top and the bottom of that upper window. This gave me a surface to mount a long-extension TV mount such that it could be opened well into the visual space.
Here is the TV mount:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B082W8JX6R/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I put a 32" TV on it. I put a shelf in the front compartment above the dinette on the driver's side where I mounted a DVD player. Then I drilled a circular hole through to the front where the TV is mounted. I finished it off nicely with some of these that you can pick up at Home Depot:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Commercial-Electric-1-1-2-in-Furniture-Hole-Cover-Black-COVER-BK-1-5/203717844


I added an Aili Battery Monitor. I posted about it in the tech section. (Search Aili). Here is a link to buy one:
https://www.amazon.com/AiLi-Voltmeter-Ammeter-Voltage-Motorhome/dp/B07FGFFHC6/ref=sxts_sxwds-bia-wc-drs1_0?cv_ct_cx=aili&dchild=1&keywords=aili&pd_rd_i=B07FGFFHC6&pd_rd_r=9fefbcae-ff9a-421a-998e-c090894c6ed6&pd_rd_w=aWWrp&pd_rd_wg=Cm0IK&pf_rd_p=c33e4373-edb9-47f9-a7e6-5d3d6a7a4ad0&pf_rd_r=2B71883T48WB1GJ4XT2G&psc=1&qid=1606961959&sr=1-1-5e875a02-02b1-4426-9916-8a5c26cd5a14
$44. So far, I LOVE IT. I'm kind of a nerd and it allows me to know all about the electrical usage (and charging). I have always wondered...
- How much power does each device use?
- How much battery do I use per day?
- How much is drawing on the batteries when I *think* everything is off?
- Also...I had lots of charging questions...like...
- If I'm charging by shore power (or generator, or alternator), how quickly does the battery get charged?

All of these questions also help with my planning for adding solar and determining how much solar I should add. Since I only use the RVs (or let others use the RV) recreationally, I've decided I'll put 200w on each RV and see how it goes. I'm guessing I'll probably end up putting 300w on one of them and use that one "when boondocking". If I have two 200w systems, I think I'll actually put 100w on one of my RVs and 300w on the other.

For backup camera, I've added one to each of the 3 RVs I've owned. I have found these to be very easy to install (WIRELESS):
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078PDH6Z8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
You can install it up high by the running lights and tap off the wiring for the running lights. On the dashboard, you just need to plug the monitor into the cigarette lighter. Then, all you need to remember is that to have the camera on you need to have your headlights on (so the running lights have power). Cost: $140.

I'll see if I can get some photos to add to this post.

Hope that's helpful to someone. I enjoy helping others, so if you have any questions feel free to PM me or post them here.

-Chris

[quasimatter]

cencerrita wrote:

If the fresh water drains you have found are small diameter then it is only for the pipework and not the tank. Also when built a standard length with presssure end fittings seems to get used for the water pipes after the pump and consequently they will not drain down fully due to uphill sections:( I always used a air compressor to clear the lines via the shrader valve connection. Amazing the amount of water you get out. Water drain down and winterize

WOW - thanks a lot for the link and the write up with pictures. I also went through your entire travel-blog; such fascinating stories/trips. THANKS.