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.

[bghouse]

Thanks Snowman9000, that all sounds very promising. I don't intend to keep the overhead area for sleeping, and plan to turn into storage instead - so that should help find a spare space for the inverter.

[Snowman9000]

Bghouse, I would go agm anyway. Ford makes a bracket for putting a battery underneath. Or so I've read. I had a welder make a bracket to mount a second battery underneath the Trail Lite B Plus we had. When it's hard to get to like that, an agm is essential. Run big enough cables between the two. Both should be matching agm.

We have a 600 watt inverter with our two battery system. I mounted it in the kitchen cabinet, within 3 feet of my batteries. I'm sure you can find a place. Ask on the tech forum for help when the time comes. The farther from the batteries, the larger the cable, basically.

No, I don't have the same model as you are looking at. But it's the same size and has the same stuff on top.

[Harvey51]

510dogmom wrote:
I'm looking a a small trickle charger for the engine battery. Does the CA 23A have an always live cigarette lighter socket? If so, can anyone recommend a plug in trickle charger that has a charge controller? Also, I use a CPAP machine and wondere if there is a way to use it when boondocking. Do I have to have a inverter? If the cigarette socket is live, I think I can use a 12 volt adapter for it.

I need trickle chargers in winter because we have several vehicles and one or two get very little use. I bought several automatic shutoff motorcycle ones on eBay at $5 that work well except the cord insulation fails in our cold weather. I put new cords on mine but it was a tricky little job. My most recent purchase was a $15 one at a discount auto store. No problems with it. I don't think the auto shutoff or charge controller feature is necessary because the current is well under an amp and does no harm to the battery if left on for a day or two. In my situation a battery cutoff switch fastened to one of the battery posts solves the problem of the parasitic draw discharging the battery when not used for a week or more.

We recently bought a used wheelchair van which had a trickle charger installed permanently with a power cord hanging out the front. This is very handy.

I would suggest connecting your CPAP machine to the house battery rather than the engine battery; that way you won't be left unable to start the engine and can use solar charging. Use an adapter (small inverter) and cigarette lighter type connector. If the house battery can't handle the job add a second one.

[bghouse]

IAMICHABOD wrote:

That is one advantage of buying a production line RV,they come with 2 batteries and room inside to mount a converter along with roof space for solar.
I would suggest that you visit each lot and look them over. You said you are in Baja, both companies have dealerships in the LA area,check them out when you come north.

Thanks IAMICHABOD - yeah, I was just re-reading and seeing that. Currently just looking at the websites - the CA prices are lower than comparable age ones at El Monte. So i was trying to figure out what was possible on the CA units to meet what I believe I will need, before ruling out and accepting the higher prices. 🙂

[IAMICHABOD]

bghouse wrote:

I'll definitely go read up more on the solar, but I'm concerned on the single battery and lack of inverter. I will probably start at campgrounds, so don't want to be running a generator and annoying neighbors to be able to get onto my laptop and work. Then I'll eventually try some boondocking also - but even the simple "I need to park overnight at this Casino" still has me needing to get online with my laptop.

That is one advantage of buying a production line RV,they come with 2 batteries and room inside to mount a converter along with roof space for solar.
I would suggest that you visit each lot and look them over. You said you are in Baja, both companies have dealerships in the LA area,check them out when you come north.

[510dogmom]

Photomike wrote:

Mocoondo wrote:
Not "reconditioned" to your satisfaction? Well why did you buy it then? Were you forced or coerced? The only included warranty is one of limited powertrain...engine, trans, rear axle. An aftermarket service contract is available for purchase.

No but I did drive 3 hours for the unit that I was told would be reconditioned, took the day off work and my wife took the day off as well to do that - I was just hoping that they would have lived up to what they advertise and the fact I was told the extra keys would be here in a month. The repairs were easy for meto do as there were not a lot but someone that was not comfortable in doing them would have been in trouble.

For me it's about the salesman selling me an RV that is unfit to drive. It needed new brakes, new shocks and a serious front end alignment. These items should have been replaced during refurbishing process. It was a danger to drive.

[SkiMore]

kirbymurphy wrote:


Did a bit more poking around and found several posts that mounting inside the cabin is not a good idea due to outgassing. Several mentioned that it has been done successfully when vented properly, but unless one is an expert it's not recommended.

Kirby,

Look into AGM type batteries. As far as I know they don't need venting.

[bghouse]

Snowman9000 wrote:

Bghouse, I have the exact same items on top of my Sunseeker 2300. I installed 2x 100 watt and 2x 50 watt panels, each far enough away from objects so as not be shaded at a 45 degree angle. I could have put quite a bit more up front where the antenna could shade them if it was cranked up. 300 watts does an EXCELLENT job for my two batteries.

If you search posts older than one year, Tech Forum, my username, keyword solar, you should find a post showing the sketch I drew of my roof. It shows how to plan the locations where you can put solar without too much shading. I am confident the 23A would have enough usable space.

Hi Snowman9000 - is the Sunseeker 2300 the same as the Cruise America Thor Majestic 23A? The Thor Majestic seems to be the only model at CA at this time.

I'll definitely go read up more on the solar, but I'm concerned on the single battery and lack of inverter. I will probably start at campgrounds, so don't want to be running a generator and annoying neighbors to be able to get onto my laptop and work. Then I'll eventually try some boondocking also - but even the simple "I need to park overnight at this Casino" still has me needing to get online with my laptop.

[IAMICHABOD]

drumz wrote:
Okay so, I'm new to this thread. We just recently purchased a Thor/ Majestic 23A from cruise America. So far we love it. Have only one issue so far and that's the hot water heater. I've yet to look at it, probably will today.

drumz, welcome to the Former Rental Club! You will be #91.

I hope you get your hot water heater and black tank problems solved.

[kirbymurphy]

bghouse wrote:

kirbymurphy wrote:

bghouse wrote:
So I think all my questions were answered now (or I found in other threads) except for :

3.) Is there room in the CA 23A to add in an inverter and additional batteries / solar?

Any space you want to give up is space for batteries and inverter. In an exterior storage compartment, under a sink, in or under a cabinet, etc. Just remember you'd like to be close to the generator or mains panel to tie in. Is one battery enough or do you need four? It's all a tradeoff

Thank you. Since I need to be able to work, I think the inverter is going to be something I must put in. Need to keep thinking....

Did a bit more poking around and found several posts that mounting inside the cabin is not a good idea due to outgassing. Several mentioned that it has been done successfully when vented properly, but unless one is an expert it's not recommended.

[Snowman9000]

Mocoondo wrote:

bghouse wrote:
So I think all my questions were answered now (or I found in other threads) except for :

3.) Is there room in the CA 23A to add in an inverter and additional batteries / solar?

You would probably have to remove the generator and/or do some significant modifications. The battery box fits a single Group 32 battery. Also, the configuration of the roof with three vent domes, shower dome, sewer vents(x2), fridge vent, RTAC leave very little contiguous real estate left for an array of solar panels substantial enough to offer any benefit.

You have to remember that these vehicles are purpose built for a rental mission and are designed with economy already in mind. There is plenty of opportunity to modify if you are creative, but the cost to do such modifications will greatly outweigh the benefit in very short order.

Bghouse, I have the exact same items on top of my Sunseeker 2300. I installed 2x 100 watt and 2x 50 watt panels, each far enough away from objects so as not be shaded at a 45 degree angle. I could have put quite a bit more up front where the antenna could shade them if it was cranked up. 300 watts does an EXCELLENT job for my two batteries.

If you search posts older than one year, Tech Forum, my username, keyword solar, you should find a post showing the sketch I drew of my roof. It shows how to plan the locations where you can put solar without too much shading. I am confident the 23A would have enough usable space.

[path1]

If it does have one live, you might want to also see what fuse is in it. My 03 came with a real small fuse. Charging phone and GPS was all it could handle when we got it. Turns out CA put smaller fuses in because people were plugging in everything they could. I changed it out for regular size and no more problems.

Maybe different in recent years and undersize fuse might be thing of the past...(hard to believe we've had ours 8 years)

[510dogmom]

I'm looking a a small trickle charger for the engine battery. Does the CA 23A have an always live cigarette lighter socket? If so, can anyone recommend a plug in trickle charger that has a charge controller? Also, I use a CPAP machine and wondere if there is a way to use it when boondocking. Do I have to have a inverter? If the cigarette socket is live, I think I can use a 12 volt adapter for it.

[bghouse]

kirbymurphy wrote:

bghouse wrote:
So I think all my questions were answered now (or I found in other threads) except for :

3.) Is there room in the CA 23A to add in an inverter and additional batteries / solar?

Any space you want to give up is space for batteries and inverter. In an exterior storage compartment, under a sink, in or under a cabinet, etc. Just remember you'd like to be close to the generator or mains panel to tie in. Is one battery enough or do you need four? It's all a tradeoff

Thank you. Since I need to be able to work, I think the inverter is going to be something I must put in. Need to keep thinking....

[IAMICHABOD]

johnrettie wrote:
I purchased a salvaged 2016 Majestic 23A in January with 58,000 miles on it. It was a crashed Cruise America rental that had the cabover totally smashed from hitting something lower than 12 feet high! There was nothing wrong with the cab/chassis so all I had rebuilt was the cabover coachwork/roof. I plan to finish the interior myself and I've already added a power awning and roof ladder. My wife and I just completed a 4,000 mile road trip and had zero problems. I'm very happy with the way it's worked out for us so far.

johnrettie,Welcome to the Forum and the Former Rental Club. You will be #90 on the list.
You had to do it the hard way,by rebuilding one

From your Profile Picture it looks like the rebuild came out very nice and without that telltale Majestic logo.

More pictures would be nice so others can see, a before and after of all your work, inside and out.
Thanks for posting.