First Time Buyer...Updated 03/06/2006
This post is intended to be helpful to the first time buyer of a motor home. For those of you who don't fall into that category or believe this post is incomplete or off the mark, do us all a favor, a...
Forum Discussion
JohnnyT
Fabulous post! I have printed this off and review it often. In retrospect, I have followed your suggestions, although not in order. Your order would have shortened the “adventure”, but heck, the adventure is part of the fun.
The recent price hikes in the 2005 models have moved us from the new to the “experienced” market, since I do believe in your first step. But, I do believe one point we experienced still belongs in the “new buyers” guidebook. That is: Look at a used coach representative of the new one you want to buy new.
Based on several people’s input on this site and others we had a working shortlist even before we went “coach hunting”. Then we happened across 3 2003 models of one of the coaches that was the top of our list. In all three of the coaches we found mid-coach torque damage that was clearly unacceptable to us. The torque damage showed up as shower doors that would not open and close, toilet doors that no longer hit the door stop molding or did not align with the latching mechanism. In one coach the trim on the rear end closet had been ripped loose from twisting in the coach. In another the wood trim had already scuffed some of the wallpaper and was working on digging a hole in the wall. Seeing the same cheap shower stall configuration on the 2005 models at a local RV show, confirmed for us that this coach would be excluded from consideration.
From what I have seen, most manufacturers do not make substantial changes from year to year. So looking at a coach about 2 to 3 years older than the one you want to buy will give you some idea of how your coach might look in 2 years. It certainly had an impact on us even though my wife really likes one of the 2005 models.
Thanks again for your wonderful post. It has helped immensely.
Fabulous post! I have printed this off and review it often. In retrospect, I have followed your suggestions, although not in order. Your order would have shortened the “adventure”, but heck, the adventure is part of the fun.
The recent price hikes in the 2005 models have moved us from the new to the “experienced” market, since I do believe in your first step. But, I do believe one point we experienced still belongs in the “new buyers” guidebook. That is: Look at a used coach representative of the new one you want to buy new.
Based on several people’s input on this site and others we had a working shortlist even before we went “coach hunting”. Then we happened across 3 2003 models of one of the coaches that was the top of our list. In all three of the coaches we found mid-coach torque damage that was clearly unacceptable to us. The torque damage showed up as shower doors that would not open and close, toilet doors that no longer hit the door stop molding or did not align with the latching mechanism. In one coach the trim on the rear end closet had been ripped loose from twisting in the coach. In another the wood trim had already scuffed some of the wallpaper and was working on digging a hole in the wall. Seeing the same cheap shower stall configuration on the 2005 models at a local RV show, confirmed for us that this coach would be excluded from consideration.
From what I have seen, most manufacturers do not make substantial changes from year to year. So looking at a coach about 2 to 3 years older than the one you want to buy will give you some idea of how your coach might look in 2 years. It certainly had an impact on us even though my wife really likes one of the 2005 models.
Thanks again for your wonderful post. It has helped immensely.
