First Time Buyers (Used)

[Sdyer1357]

First off please excuse any stupid questions i may ask. We are very new to Rv-ing both my Wife and i are in our late 50s and still working. We both are self employed so getting away at short notice is not a problem. We would like to do many long weekends and at least one long stay (60 days) per year. The 60 day trips being 1500 miles each way and park. The long weekends maybe 1000 miles total. We have a small dog and a parrot(best friends) the parrot can stay home for the long weekend trips :). Apart from that it will be for the most part just my wife and i. We know that we want to go with a class A but maybe on the shorter side, We have a small budget of $25,000 to buy a used coach. So far we have looked alot on Craigslist and a few local dealers. Not test driven yet. i looked at a ITASCA (29ft) last night and liked what i saw although i know nothing about this ( or any other maker. I have room at my home to park and store so that wont be a problem. We live in New Hampshire where the weather can be extreme ( Cold and Hot) so i think we will need GOOD heating and cooling as well as insulation.
Some questions i have for you all are

What are your thoughts on ITASCA 27 - 30 ft, 2000 - 2004
Where are the best places to buy Dealers or Private
What are the biggies to look for when buying
I am seeing a lot of deals in Florida, Is it worth going down to buy? (one of the places we want to spend some time )
We are not set on ITASCA, So do you have any recommendations in the 27ft - 30ft range.

Thank you all for your help Steve and Carol (New Hampshire)

[Kidoo]

I bought a 2003 Monaco Cayman 34 foot Diesel 2 slides and love it, paid 35,000$. I would say that if you stay more than a few weeks, a couch is nice to have and an extension, they might not have it in the 27 foot long. I find mine not too long, not too short, we just fit in two car space at the shopping centers, it is accepted at most state and RV park, I got 10.5 MPG on my last 7000 miles trip, rear engine is very quiet, Allison transmission is a charm.

In Florida I went to a Dealer in Cocoa Beach, did not buy there, I am Canadian eh, and taxes where a bit complicated in Florida. I do not remember the name but he has a RV repair shop called Ron Osburn, 4117 on US-1 phone 321-638-4496. He could even bring you to the auction near his place. He has many used RV, small and big, older MH probably in your price range.

Another place I checked often was PPL in Texas. http://www.pplmotorhomes.com/diesel/diesel-motorhomes.php
He has many consignment and some in your price range, diesel and gaz. You can have some good deals, it all depends on how hungry the seller is. I did offer 8,000 less for a 60,000 dollars MH one time and it was accepted, did not buy finnaly but you get the picture.

I had a few problems with mine. One with the turbo, this year model has a mechanical VGT and it is not repairable, as per Cummins, but I did repaired it myself for a few dollars but the cummins dealer wanter 3500 dollars for the turbo itself. My leveling jacks are the Kwikee brand, a pain in the butt, sometimes they would work, sometimes they don't. I fixed them and hope the repair will last. I have one window fogged up, but it is the one over top of the driver side. The tire where old, did not check when I bought.

I tried it this winter below 0 F and no problem lots of heat from the heater. The engine has a block heater but I need to plug it in only when it gets below zero. I did install a curtain between the driver area and the kitchen just it case it gets very cold, it keeps us very warm, and cool in the summer. The window curtains will also help in keeping warm or cold air in. Good insulation is a must both for winter and summer.

Double pane windows makes a big difference. But be sure to check if they have fog in it, if so, they are a few hundred dollars each to replace. The Monaco has a 2 inch high density insulated foam floor and the roof is very thick with insulation. The walls have foam and fiber.

A heated basement is very nice to have when camping in the cold. Mine has a little furnace and the fresh water has a heat pad. I did routed an extra heat vent to the basement through the floor, from under to cabinet. I installed a valve to direct heat in the basement when it gets below freezing.

I also installed an Olympian catalytic heater, no fan, and use it during the day, it keeps the RV warm and we use less battery when boonducking. Batteries are the heart of the RV system when camping without shore power, like staying at wallmart or truck stop on the way down.

For the night, we just close the room door so we heat only the room area, I found some magnet that you put over the heat distribution plate in the kitchen so you direct the air only in the room, and in the basement with the little flapper that I installed in the heat duck to the basement when below zero.

[Sdyer1357]

Ivylog wrote:
Best advice I can give you is to buy more motorhome than you think you need, one time. 27-30' is very small for snowbirding in Fla. A rig with a fiberglass roof is better than one with a rubber roof. It's a buyer's market when you do not have a trade making a private sale easier. Some chassis handle better than others but I do not keep up with which ones. Do not get in a hurry and did I say 30' is kind of small.

I was kinda second guessing myself on the size also, My thoughts were that it may be easier to park / camp and also maybe better gas mileage ??. I do know for a fact that i would not want to go over a 36. i am seeing better deals on the over 30s though.

[Ivylog]

Best advice I can give you is to buy more motorhome than you think you need, one time. 27-30' is very small for snowbirding in Fla. A rig with a fiberglass roof is better than one with a rubber roof. It's a buyer's market when you do not have a trade making a private sale easier. Some chassis handle better than others but I do not keep up with which ones. Do not get in a hurry and did I say 30' is kind of small.

[Squealers]

Most every class A or C will have both air and heat. The mentions about checking systems is important. When dealing with a rig in that age range, I'd spring 350+ or so dollars on an independent RV inspection, both mechanical and interior components. Then get the list of repairs needed and use that to negotiate price.

Take a small flashlight and look in every closet and cabinet for water damage or leaks. Check for softness of the floors, roof (yes you can walk on the roofs) as well as walls. Water damage, especially if undetected or ignored can be a cancer that can drain your wallet. Delamination is the devil too. Google delamination to see pictures of tell-tell signs of the bubbling that delam causes. It is an expensive repair, sometimes not worth the repair due to exceeding the value of the rig in question.

I like records. A well maintained rig should have an advantage over one not servied. Be aware of very low milage rigs and those with very low hours on the genset as both the rig and genset need to be exercised their life to help mitigate breakdowns.

Use your nose and your eyes, a lot. They will tell you volumes. Dealers will upcharge and you will probably find your best deal with a private sale. Google is your friend. Find an older couple looking to leave the RV lifestyle. In those deals you may get a rig fully loaded with all the camping gear and accessories you ever need. We did that with our first Class A. It was a great deal, and we even got a tow vehicle tossed into the deal.

Good luck and ask plenty of questions.

[Sdyer1357]

Thank you Bumpyroad, THAT is something i needed to know.

[Sdyer1357]

Thanks for all the helpful words of wisdom, i am very careful when buying a car but don't know enough about motor-homes. That's why i am here asking advice. I am finding this forum VERY helpful. Like i said i have met a couple of Dealers already but i fear they know a rookie when they see one. They all seem to tell me that they have a tech. that has gone through the whole coach already lol. I will defiantly look into how to read tire dates (Great advice thanks) and pay attention to dry rot. I think i know what the previous poster is saying when he states "Best time to look for a used RV is when its raining." You can prob. see leaks better but i was told NEVER buy a used car in the rain (It always looks better). I do need a motorhome that will stay cool inside, Is there a better system to look out for as far as Air?? Do they all have heat?. I am NOT looking to camp here in New Hampshire in the Winter in fact that will be when we go to Flordia or someplace warm. I am excited about buying a Motorhome but at the same time scared of making a bad decision. Thank you ALL. Steve and Carol

[TragedyTrousers]

Best time to look for a used RV is when its raining. Ask me how I know.

[Bumpyroad]

the Itasca will have a fiberglass roof. that puts it head and shoulders above much of the competition.
bumpy

[Oasisbob]

Welcome. A great adventure awaits. Having camped for many years and owned several RV's may I strongly suggest that whatever you purchase prior to purchase take it to a qualified non biast RV service center and have everything checked out. An honest sales person will be fine with this and it will minimize problems later after money has changed hands while there is motivation to fix problems. And most of all have fun with it all.

[nevadanick]

I just traded in a Winnebago Sightseer that is like what you would want. Its a 2006 model 26p. I paid 20k and it had new Michelins all around. They are out there if you look.

[10forty2]

Definitely test EVERYTHING yourself! Don't take their word for it...whether private sale or dealer/broker sale. Insist on a test drive on the highway. Look closely inside the coach for evidence of leaks. Check the ceiling and along the walls. Check the floors for weakness near joints. Look inside cabinets and around pipes. Make sure the fridge works on both electricity and LP if so outfitted. Verify maintenance records like oil changes and general maintenance items. Check tire date codes....if you don't know how to, then do a quick Google search on reading tire date codes. Tires are expensive and like said earlier, they go bad from age faster than they wear out.

Believe me when I say check everything yourself and don't take their word for it. I bought mine from a couple I've known all of my life and I took their word for the tire dates and several pieces of equipment. They didn't intentionally mislead me, but I found that their perception of working and mine were two different things. Fortunately, I'm pretty handy with most repairs, so I have been able to fix things without a whole lot of expense. Have fun and good luck with your search!

[darsben]

No recommendations and I believe you will get a better deal in Florida.
that said you will not survive a winter in New Hampshire in the average Class A it gets just too cold. Any rig in the price range you are looking at will NEED NEW TIRES. RV tires rot(simplistic term) out before they wear out usually lasting 5-7 years. A term you must learn and know the meaning of is delamination.Take no ones word that anything works INSIST on seeing it function. Be prepared to spend money on repairs every year. Make sure the genny works as they go bad if not exercised enough.
LOTS more but somewhere there is a good check list for RV's I hope someone posts it.
By the way remember the dealer IS NOT YOUR FRIEND he is out to make you pay as much as possible for the rig. At least with an owner you stand a chance of coming out ok. You can tell right away when you walk into a rig with a long time owner whether he babied the rig

[the_vfox]

Welcome!

First, it has to be appealing to both of you, floor plan, kitchen etc.
Second, I look at condition and maintenance. Check for records and ask the owner a ton of questions if you buy private party. From a dealer, same questions. In both cases, I would pony up the bucks and get it professionally inspected.
Third, do your research on the net for the models you have an interest in for common problems and other information.
Fourth, take it for a long test drive. Preferably with all types of roads and check how the rig feels to you.

Its a large investment,take your time and don't let yourself be rushed into a decision.