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]

Yes El Monte RV still has their 1 year/12 month warranty,Cruise America discontinued theirs and now only has a 30 day 3000 mile warranty.

I was told when I bought my RV at El Monte RV that they would get a extended warranty if you wanted one,but they didn't push it as Cruise America does.

I was also told the reason being that they did not push it is that most times the extended service contract did not perform as promised giving El Monte RV a bad name.

El Monte RV does their own repair and maintenance at 2 locations one in Los Angeles CA and one in Orlando Florida They also will make arrangements for warranty work at many locations across the US.

[Floridastorm]

El Monte rental purchases I believe still come with a 12 month/12,000 mile power train warranty. Do they offer any other service warranties that one can purchase, similar to Cruise America, since high mileage RVs are generally not eligible for extended warranties or service contracts? Also, does El Monte do repair and maintenance work similar to a regular RV dealer? If not or you don't take it to El Monte, who does your repair and Maintenance? The same question applies to a former Cruise America rental unit.

Thanks Much,

Dave

[pnichols]

Majestic31 wrote:
I purchased a four winds Majestic 2011 28a last year, 120.000 miles on it I had to replace all of the tires, all new Bilstein shocks.rear camera,TV mount, 3 Vent covers, Roadmaster Reflex Steering Stabilizer Best addition so far, Sumo Springs bump stops Rear HEAVY DUTY, Front regular, Wheel alignment Looking to buy Sumo springs heavy duty rear fake air bag to try to stop the heavy bang in rear going over bumps, water empty rv unloaded still bangs going over bumps Sumo bump stops helped 50%,New passenger side mirror,Water filter system, Screen door bar, All new valve stems,

Wow ... why did you need to do all of that on a 2011??

By the way, I stopped the banging in the rear of our small (24ft) Class C on it's overkill E450 Ford chassis by having installed in just the rear two of Koni's (expensive) Frequency Selective Damping shocks. We have a much, much better ride due to the FSD shocks' light damping on potholes and road surface cracks. (These shocks switch to stiff heavy damping in other situations.)

The ride in the front has always been good with the E450 coil springs. Our chassis has always sat level regardless of how we load it. The front suspension shocks and steering shock are still original OEM after around 86K miles on the chassis. The E450 chassis also came stock with both front and rear anti-sway bars.

Since I first started looking for a Class C before we bought ours new in 2006, I wanted a chassis rated for a much higher loading than what the coach of a small Class C would require, and it has paid off. Unfortunately the combination of a chassis rated for considerably more weight than what is actually needed for a Class C coach is becoming very difficult to find nowadays. However, I think that for sure both Coach House and Lazy Daze still offer 22-24 ft. Class C motorhomes based on the Ford E450 cutaway chassis with the new V8 engine. This approach kindof goes along with ... "if you want a tool to be reliable and last a long time, buy a heavy duty one but use it in a light duty way".

[cencerrita]

IAMICHABOD wrote:

socal77 wrote:
Hi Gang,

I'm up in Pismo with my 2009 28A for a couple days. Went to turn on the heater tonight and will not turn on. I think I hear a "click" but the blower doesn't kick on. My propane indicator says 2/3 full and the stove burners work fine. Any troubleshooting suggestions?

I just saw your post,as you know I don't have the same RV but I would first check and see if your batteries are up and they have a good connection to the furnace,the blower runs on 12 volt.

My next suggestion would be to post this in the Tech Section and ask there,include your make and model of the furnace,I am sure someone will come along with some help.

Good Luck and I hope the rest of the trip will go well.

Definitly check battery power. I know in the past if overnight whilst boondocking and the power dropped before the sun came up (11.7V) the fridge used to click and then not start.

[IAMICHABOD]

socal77 wrote:
Hi Gang,

I'm up in Pismo with my 2009 28A for a couple days. Went to turn on the heater tonight and will not turn on. I think I hear a "click" but the blower doesn't kick on. My propane indicator says 2/3 full and the stove burners work fine. Any troubleshooting suggestions?

I just saw your post,as you know I don't have the same RV but I would first check and see if your batteries are up and they have a good connection to the furnace,the blower runs on 12 volt.

My next suggestion would be to post this in the Tech Section and ask there,include your make and model of the furnace,I am sure someone will come along with some help.

Good Luck and I hope the rest of the trip will go well.

[socal77]

Hi Gang,

I'm up in Pismo with my 2009 28A for a couple days. Went to turn on the heater tonight and will not turn on. I think I hear a "click" but the blower doesn't kick on. My propane indicator says 2/3 full and the stove burners work fine. Any troubleshooting suggestions?

[quasimatter]

IAMICHABOD wrote:
:B The subject comes up quite often here On The Forum

WOW - thanks for the link. Some of the horror stories about Fuel Pump issues with E-450s and how expensive it is to getting it replaced (needing to drop the tank etc). If that metal plate/housing indeed to be able to access fuel pump (which seems to go bad regularly on Ford E-450s based on forum links), and given the location of fuel tank right below it - I am 99% sure not that plate opens up over the fuel tank; that would be awesome.

It would make a difference between $1500 job or buying a pump yourself for under $100 and replacing it through that opening! My respect for CA Majestic build has gone higher after reading this. Despite the ugly black plate (we put a rug over it anyway) - reading from other RV owners wanting to cut up the floor to be able to access the fuel pump from the top make me think this is a neat idea and a great foresight of the builder.

[quasimatter]

Booner wrote:
Got Dust?

Since I purchased my former rental, I spend a lot of time on this and other forums trying to learn from others; what problems they have and how they fixed them. I've come to the conclusion that I did the right thing in buying my first RV from CA. Reading the problems buyers have had with their "factory new" motorhomes, people who've spent 3 times what I spent and still have major issues with their new motorhome, only confirms that my decision was the right one.

Thanks for the details and ideas to seal the unit. I also see a big opening next to tire well for the black tank connector (I can see two heating ducts going through same space - one for bedroom and one for bathroom). Would look into sealing that.

I also think it was a good idea to buy CA rental - despite miles, it seems like a solid unit designed in such a way that not much would break. BTW - what are the other forums you recommend?

[quasimatter]

IAMICHABOD wrote:
Looking at the picture there seems to be screws in the lower plate,maybe unscrew them and look under it.Inquiring minds want to know...:B

I tried already - couple of screws refused to budge and head got damaged. Also the plate it holds seem to be sealed underneath with some black rubber like material - so decided to leave it as it is. But looks like on should be able to store something in there!

[TwistedGray]

SJ-Chris wrote:

Booner wrote:

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

I was told also that it is access to the fuel pump in the event it needs to be changed. Made me think, "Gee, how often does the fuel pump have to go out such that they design a floor panel like that?"...

-Chris

+1

[IAMICHABOD]

:B The subject comes up quite often here On The Forum

[SJ-Chris]

Booner wrote:

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

I was told also that it is access to the fuel pump in the event it needs to be changed. Made me think, "Gee, how often does the fuel pump have to go out such that they design a floor panel like that?"...

-Chris

[TwistedGray]

Okay, so I was really excited until I popped the screws off to only find this. I was hoping to get lucky like some of you and find power access so that I can put in a few outlets and run them off the aux battery while in motion. I'm not sure I can do that without running wires directly off the aux battery, unless I'm missing something in this otherwise empty space?

...and yes, I cleaned that dust up really well, and I routed the wiring a bit better than how they had it just laying about.

Edited to add: This is a Majestic 19G, left seat as related to the dinette seating. The right seating area housing the water tank, pump, and wiring, and that has very limited space to do just about anything functional. Maybe you can put a throw blanket down there, but that's about it.

[Booner]

Got Dust?

I picked up my 23A at the end of September and have put around 4,000 miles since I purchased it.
New heavy duty Bilstein shocks all around with a Bilstein steering stabilizer stopped the little "wandering" problem I had. Experimenting with tire air pressure helped the ride comfort lever too. Keeping as much weight forward as possible also helps. The gas tank, gray and black tanks are all behind the rear axel and that takes weight off of the front end and promotes the wandering. There's no reason to haul around the contents of the gray and black tank so I empty them as often as I can.

My biggest problem is collecting dust in the house section from driving on gravel roads. I'm not talking about a little dust. I talking about "OMG, doesn't this guy every clean the dust out of his motor home?" kind of dust with one drive down a gravel road.

CA and Thor did a good job of sealing the outside of the unit. I've looked the whole unit over and have only had to add a small amount of sealant on the roof and tail light area. Where someone dropped the ball was sealing the underside of the unit. If dust is coming in, then I'm loosing my A/C and heated air through these holes too. So I've spent a lot of time under my unit sealing things up with expanding foam. The area on the inside of the rear wheel wells had a very large gap between the floor and side walls on both sides. To do the job right, I should have removed the rear tires and then crawled into the wheel wells to do my sealing. Instead of that, I used a small piece of wood paneling as a paddle to hold some expanding foam on and then reached in from the outside and spread/pushed the foam into the gaps. It's not a pretty job, but only I and my tire shop will know about it. Also there are holes in the bottom of the unit were gas and electric lines run through and these areas needed some additional foam to seal the holes. The area around the steps was not sealed, and calking was used to seal that area. I'm working on the shower now. I don't want to take the shower apart to seal things correctly, and I'm sure there is no insulation under the shower pan considering how cold the shower floor is, but a lot of dust comes in between the fiberglass sides and the floor pan. I think I will apply some caulk where the fiberglass side panels meet the floor pan and use some short shank screws to tighten the side walls to the floor pan. To do all of this, I need to take the stool out of the bathroom. I'm really looking forward to that! One can only wonder what I'll find there. I also want to put a raised floor in front of the toilet as it sits pretty high.

I'll admit I'm rather anal about this, and I'm not some kind of clean freak either. I'd like to think I'm more interested in fixing something that should have been done at the factory, and when/if I ever sell this thing, the new buyer will get a better unit. Since I purchased my former rental, I spend a lot of time on this and other forums trying to learn from others; what problems they have and how they fixed them. I've come to the conclusion that I did the right thing in buying my first RV from CA. Reading the problems buyers have had with their "factory new" motorhomes, people who've spent 3 times what I spent and still have major issues with their new motorhome, only confirms that my decision was the right one.

[IAMICHABOD]

Looking at the picture there seems to be screws in the lower plate,maybe unscrew them and look under it.Inquiring minds want to know...:B