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.

[quasimatter]

eldel wrote:
Got the right hand side of the 28a just about done. Once we get the final positioning of the table (folded down in this picture) sorted out then we finish the electrics and the dinette goes and is replaced by work area and cupboards. Oh - and the wine rack 🙂

Hi Eldel - if you could provide some details and links for where did you get those chairs; I would really appreciate it. This would be the mod I would love to do (i.e., get rid of that couch and replace with two swiveling chairs). Thanks in advance.

[BalluffBucket]

SJ-Chris wrote:
Gray/Black waste tank upgrade???

I have two 2015 Thor Majestic 28a units purchased from Cruise America.
I've made many upgrades and find them to be well built/maintained.

One thing I wish was different is the waste water storage tank capacities. I believe they are about 25 gallons each (black/gray). With just a few people camping they fill up pretty quick. Has anyone upgraded these to larger capacities? Just curious if that is something easily doable and if anyone had any experience to share on the subject.

Thanks!

-Chris

I am in the same boat and wondering the same thing. I didn't see any replies on this topic. Any progress? Our family was able to go three days with very mindful monitoring but it was a pain!

[Pepi_s_Mom]

Eldel, I like your project a lot. It looks really good.

SJ-Chris, thank you very much for the offer. I will holler if need be.

[IAMICHABOD]

eldel,Very nice.Thanks for the picture, Looks like you have done a great job on the Mods that will truly make this unit your very own.

Are those all new seats? That table apparatus in the foreground of the picture looks pretty heavy duty,I have not seen anything like that,Is also used to lift something? How does it work?

Great job on all of this,please keep us updated on all the Mods that you make.I am sure that these will be very helpful to the others here.

[SJ-Chris]

Pepi's_Mom wrote:
Well golly. I just finished reading all 154 pages and many, if not most, of my questions have been answered. I've truly enjoyed reading about all the fixes and changes and whatnot. Thanks to all for the info.

My husband and I are seriously considering the Majestic 28a. We would like to go talk to someone and considered going to Newark on Friday. Then I remembered the holiday. We'll wait. I would guess that they would be too busy.

I have several questions that deal with the bedroom. We're full timers and have two cats and a dog. Pepi, the dog, is a dachshund/beagle mix. Short legs. Any suggestions to make it easier for her to get on the bed? I figure I'll have a better idea of what I can do once I get a better look. I'll probably have to build something.

Also, is there any way to make a cat-sized opening for access from the bedroom to the rear storage? Keeping the litterboxes in the storage bay would be so much nicer.

Thanks in advance.

I'm in the South Bay and have two 28a RVs from Cruise America. If you have any questions or would like to see one and ask lots of questions feel free to send me a private message.

-Chris

[eldel]

Got the right hand side of the 28a just about done. Once we get the final positioning of the table (folded down in this picture) sorted out then we finish the electrics and the dinette goes and is replaced by work area and cupboards. Oh - and the wine rack 🙂

[Kemel]

I also faced the problem while working with my table saw, It's working slow sometime, But after doing oil on some area its work properly.
But now I thought their 15-amp motor causes error.

[Pepi_s_Mom]

Booner wrote:
I can't speak exactly about the unit you're buying, as mine is the smaller 23A.
I'm going to assume your problems with mounting a TV in the bedroom area will be these two; routing a cable for an antenna and powering the TV. mounting the TV shouldn't be a problem, a flat screen isn't that heavy depending on the size. If you mount it under an overhead cabinet, for example, you could tap into a light fixture for 12 volts. If you get a TV that runs on 110 volts, you'll have to either be on shore power or the generator to run the TV. So buy a TV that runs on 12 volts and you'll bypass that problem. (TV's that run on 110 volts have a transformer in them to convert it to 12 volts anyway).
I will assume you'll have an antenna on the roof, which means you'll have to add that. You'll have to run an coax cable from that antenna to the TV, and you'll probably want to power that coax to amplify the signal so you'll need power for that (12v). The roof vent for the refrigerator will give you a path from the roof down to underneath the unit so that's a good way to run the coax. From underneath the unit you can go into the storage area and then up to the bed.

A bedroom TV can be done, but you'll need a antenna that rotates to get a signal and you have to be within 50ish miles from the TV transmitter or stay in campgrounds that have cable available. If all you be using the TV for is to watch DVD's, then the installation will be much simpler.

Or, you could get a tablet that operates on 4g and then anywhere you get a cell signal you'll have entertainment from anywhere in or out of the TV. It's what I do.

Thank you! I currently only use the cable hookup in my trailer for my internet and we use the tv for dvds and streaming. Once, the tv was wired into the dvd player that came with the trailer. It quit working soon after we got it (used). When I pulled the player, I found a mess of wires that reminded me of matted dog hair. I've never seen anything like it before or since. I disconnected from that without regret. However, I wouldn't mind having an antenna again so I'm saving this info for now and for later. Thanks again

[Booner]

I can't speak exactly about the unit you're buying, as mine is the smaller 23A.
I'm going to assume your problems with mounting a TV in the bedroom area will be these two; routing a cable for an antenna and powering the TV. mounting the TV shouldn't be a problem, a flat screen isn't that heavy depending on the size. If you mount it under an overhead cabinet, for example, you could tap into a light fixture for 12 volts. If you get a TV that runs on 110 volts, you'll have to either be on shore power or the generator to run the TV. So buy a TV that runs on 12 volts and you'll bypass that problem. (TV's that run on 110 volts have a transformer in them to convert it to 12 volts anyway).
I will assume you'll have an antenna on the roof, which means you'll have to add that. You'll have to run an coax cable from that antenna to the TV, and you'll probably want to power that coax to amplify the signal so you'll need power for that (12v). The roof vent for the refrigerator will give you a path from the roof down to underneath the unit so that's a good way to run the coax. From underneath the unit you can go into the storage area and then up to the bed.

A bedroom TV can be done, but you'll need a antenna that rotates to get a signal and you have to be within 50ish miles from the TV transmitter or stay in campgrounds that have cable available. If all you be using the TV for is to watch DVD's, then the installation will be much simpler.

Or, you could get a tablet that operates on 4g and then anywhere you get a cell signal you'll have entertainment from anywhere in or out of the TV. It's what I do.

[Pepi_s_Mom]

Thank you for the nice welcome. I haven't posted on a forum in a very long time, so I have to learn how it works again. Please forgive any errors.

The couch will come out regardless as it wouldn't be needed and I can make better use of that space. I can put the litterbox there, if need be. The dog crate will go there too.

One final question for now. Is there any cable and/or electrical to put a tv in the bedroom? Is the wall strong enough? I'm sure I can ask when we see one. I don't need one in the front of the house.

Eldel, thanks for the battery info and thanks to IAMICHABOD for the links. I'm now off to read them.

At this point we're 99% certain that we're going for a 28a, especially after reading this thread. The info is terrific. I will certainly provide an update when we get the ball rolling on this.

[IAMICHABOD]

Pepi's Mom,
Welcome to the Forum and a future member of the Former Rental Owners Club.

There may be a way to have access to the storage area thru the night stand,as One member did for a laundry chute,it is something to check out.

There may be another place to use,under the couch by opening it up as
STEVE-OTR did to store shoes,it may have room for the litterboxes.

Just some suggestions to look at.

Please come on back and tell us how it all went and your thoughts.

Again Welcome and thanks for the post and also going thru all those pages....:B

[eldel]

Pepi's_Mom wrote:
Well golly. I just finished reading all 154 pages and many, if not most, of my questions have been answered. I've truly enjoyed reading about all the fixes and changes and whatnot. Thanks to all for the info.

My husband and I are seriously considering the Majestic 28a. We would like to go talk to someone and considered going to Newark on Friday. Then I remembered the holiday. We'll wait. I would guess that they would be too busy.

I have several questions that deal with the bedroom. We're full timers and have two cats and a dog. Pepi, the dog, is a dachshund/beagle mix. Short legs. Any suggestions to make it easier for her to get on the bed? I figure I'll have a better idea of what I can do once I get a better look. I'll probably have to build something.

Also, is there any way to make a cat-sized opening for access from the bedroom to the rear storage? Keeping the litterboxes in the storage bay would be so much nicer.

Thanks in advance.

The water tank and much of the plumbing are under the bed so I doubt that you can make an accessible opening into the rear storage bay.

Also the 'nightstands' extend about 40% of the way down the bed and the gap between the bed and the wall is only 14". It's a little tight in there. Hmm - thinking about it - you could make a cat door in the front of one of them - I have no idea how structural that bulkhead is though.

If you are full timing and want/need more house battery the space under the fridge is big enough for a pair of 100 AH batteries and an inverter.

[socal77]

Pepi's_Mom wrote:
Well golly. I just finished reading all 154 pages and many, if not most, of my questions have been answered. I've truly enjoyed reading about all the fixes and changes and whatnot. Thanks to all for the info.

My husband and I are seriously considering the Majestic 28a. We would like to go talk to someone and considered going to Newark on Friday. Then I remembered the holiday. We'll wait. I would guess that they would be too busy.

I have several questions that deal with the bedroom. We're full timers and have two cats and a dog. Pepi, the dog, is a dachshund/beagle mix. Short legs. Any suggestions to make it easier for her to get on the bed? I figure I'll have a better idea of what I can do once I get a better look. I'll probably have to build something.

Also, is there any way to make a cat-sized opening for access from the bedroom to the rear storage? Keeping the litterboxes in the storage bay would be so much nicer.

Thanks in advance.

Hi Pepi's Mom,

Welcome to the group! We have a 28A and also a dachshund/beagle mix named Oscar. Love the pesonality. He's my favorite pooch!

Sorry, no tips on a way for your dog to get up on the bed on their own. We manually lift Oscar up and down.

We love our 28A and highly recommend them.

[Pepi_s_Mom]

Well golly. I just finished reading all 154 pages and many, if not most, of my questions have been answered. I've truly enjoyed reading about all the fixes and changes and whatnot. Thanks to all for the info.

My husband and I are seriously considering the Majestic 28a. We would like to go talk to someone and considered going to Newark on Friday. Then I remembered the holiday. We'll wait. I would guess that they would be too busy.

I have several questions that deal with the bedroom. We're full timers and have two cats and a dog. Pepi, the dog, is a dachshund/beagle mix. Short legs. Any suggestions to make it easier for her to get on the bed? I figure I'll have a better idea of what I can do once I get a better look. I'll probably have to build something.

Also, is there any way to make a cat-sized opening for access from the bedroom to the rear storage? Keeping the litterboxes in the storage bay would be so much nicer.

Thanks in advance.

[TwistedGray]

If anyone is in the market for the 19G, we will be selling ours soon.

It's a 2017, 87k miles or so, and I've painted the interior white (among some other beautifications). We bought it late last year, used it a few times locally, and worked out all the kinks 🙂

The best thing we did was to add a surge protector that will operate without the need for the generator or being plugged into shore power.

Otherwise, it has new tires, new 12v, new house battery, and lower hours on the genny. With the power converter and surge protector set-up, we have eliminated the need to rely on the generator when out in the boondocks : )

There are NO 19G units via Cruise America at this time...