Considering a well aged class A

[newsomer]

Up front, is there any sense in buying a one or two decade old class A and expect it to reliably carry and operate long trips for another decade or two without it costing more to maintain than buying something built in the last five years?

Before I even set out with the idea I'm looking for a sanity check. As I am about to set aside full time employment for a more "retired" attitude we are looking to purchase an RV that will allow us to explore the US. I have located a used class A that seems to be a nice candidate even though it is rather long in the tooth. It's a 1998 Coachmen Santara 370MBS being sold locally so I can easily get a hands on viewing before getting serious.

[Mondooker]

When you say "Beaver Coach" are you talking about a "Prevost Beaver Coach" because there's a world of difference?

[jplante4]

Did 6 months on the road in our '96 Sahara. I did some preventative Mx before we left, but zero mechanical issues during the trip. Fixed a seam leak in the roof and replace every moving part in the toilet. Replaced a vent fan and a seal in the rear A/C. That's it.

I believe the key is to pick a class A that was of high quality when built. We looked at Harney, Safari and Beaver coaches. The older coaches seem to have more class. Not just another paper bag bus.

[Mile_High]

I couldn't do it - age was too intimidating for me on a DP so I went 4 years old and it has been a great coach over the last year. I also don't think my DW would have been happy giving up a 4 year old 5er we ordered new to step into a 20 year old coach, even if it was top of the line.

I admit, at some point there is a break over between old and classic, and that is a different area of interest! I could definitely feel sporting in a 30 year old Foretravel or Blue Bird or something like that, as they just draw in a special interest crowd with a love for motorcoaches.

[K_Charles]

We got an '04 Winnebago about 2 years ago. Previous owner was serious about maintenance and kept all the records or I wouldn't have bought it. We went 14,000 miles the first year with no trouble. Second year a rear wheel bearing, an AC clutch (for dash air) and one jack solenoid. Even in great shape, everything is 13 years old. Plan on fixing something if you buy anything out of warranty.

[Tom_Barb]

No matter how well the mechanical things have been maintained, the stuff that can be effected by the sun, or rotted probably already has.

We are starting to feel the effect on our 2000, roof air covers, replaced. roof seams already repaired. plastic covers in many places already replaced. tires, hoses, belts, already replaced. old electronics up graded already. doing some of these replacements was pretty spendy.

Appliances stand by.. $

many of the old parts do not have direct replacements, thus you get to do the modifications to retro fit.

[newsomer]

Thank you for the replies, all great information and direction that I will keep in mind as we explore our possibilities. I am mechanically inclined, maybe not professional grade but I can safely work electrical or fix a PEX system. The Coachmen unit is a DP so I was hoping that this would extend the life of the warp drive. Thanks for the wisdom.

[STBRetired]

In an older class A it all comes down to how well it was maintained. We bought our 1999 Mountain Aire gasser a little over 2 years ago. We have taken a couple of 3000 mile trips and will be taking an even longer trip next year after we do our usual 3000 mile trip this winter. The people we bought it from were vary particular about the maintenance on the MH. We have had very few issues with this MH. I replaced the ATS and converter and had one roof A/C replaced under the extended warrantee. The original owners had replaced the other one the year before they sold it. The interior was immaculate and the exterior was repainted in 2009.
I would expect that we could get another 10 or maybe 15 years out of this MH as long as we keep up with the maintenance and exercise some reasonable care. While this nice of an old MH might be rare, they are out there.

[rgatijnet1]

It is impossible to tell the future of any motor home, either new or used. You can have a complete inspection and still have something major break during the first trip. If you search back through the posts you will see that even new coaches are not free of problems.
RVing is a gamble where you have to weigh the rewards with the challenges that you may face.
If you are mechanically inclined, and also know plumbing and electrical, then you can minimize the hassles. If you have to find and pay someone else for all work done on your RV, then the costs can quickly get out of hand.
Every one of us has weighed the consequences and have determined that the pro's exceed the cons.
The best you can do with a coach that age is get LIMITED protection from an extended warranty.
Without that, I would say that it would be a good idea to keep $10,000-$15,000 in a reserve account for POSSIBLE repairs needed while on the road. After your first few long trips you may have a better idea of whether you have a gem or a lemon.

[Mondooker]

Mr.Mark and Cranemec have it right... Especially when thinking about something like an 87 through 94 Prevost conversion. Find a good one and know the money you put into it to bring it to 2017 standards you'll likely get back out of it.

[Cranemec]

I think if you are going to go with something that old, you need to look for a higher end model. Foretravel, Newell, Prevost conversion.
Anything is going to cost money to repair sooner or later. My pops just spent $30,000 on his 12 year old Newell on repairs and updates.

[Mr_Mark1]

Newsomer,

You don't mention a budget, but if I were you and you wanted an older 'good' motorhome. I would go with the 'Top-Of-The-Line' well maintained older Newmar, Monaco, Beaver, Tiffin, Winnebago, etc., which means you would be looking at a diesel coach. They usually have better construction. Some items may have been updated already.

Good luck,
MM.

[Chris_Bryant]

Chassis wise, most any modern with fuel injection should be fine- I would worry about the body. I've seen way too many of that particular coach with serious delamination problems. *Any* softness or bubbling of the body or roof is serious.