How Did You Get Your First Ride In A DP?

[mtofell1]

Basically, my situation is that I/we (wife & a herd of kids) are TT/5th wheel campers. My wife is much less into the camping aspect but likes to travel. My current TT is 90% me and the kids with my DW coming along every once in a while.

Some day when we have more time and $$ to travel I'd love to get a DP but am wondering how to be sure my wife likes it. She hates sitting in the truck, gets motion sick on curvy roads and jokes that if it's more than a 2 hour drive she'll fly and meet me there.

All of this makes me wonder how people decide to drop The big $$ on DP? I thought of renting a class A gasser but have heard the ride is nothing like an air suspension DP so it could backfire.

How did you folks with the big DPs get started and decide it would work? It seems like a lot to ask of a dealer to take me out for a ride when I'm really not that serious of a buyer. I guess I don't even know if I should start planning for a DP and am wondering where to start. The good news is I have plenty of time to figure it out since the kids are still fairly young.

Thanks for sharing any past experiences.

[glamisorbust]

Several years ago I was towing my 5th wheel toyhauler with my duramax diesel pickup. Long story short, the trailer got damaged and it went to a collision repair shop. They told me it would be 2-3 weeks to repair, ended up taking them about 3 months.

Being dune season(nice and cool), we wanted to go use our trailer, but they kept dragging their feet. The owner let us rent his 2004 38' georgie boy DP for the weekend free of charge. It had a CAT 330 with allison 6 speed and two slides. Wow, what a ride. Loved it so much I was trying to figure out a way to buy one.

Fast forward a few years to about 2009, my dad buys his first DP, a 2001 holiday rambler endeavor. He also got the CAT 330 and allison. So I got to drive two different DP's for lots of miles. I started looking for one and found the one I wanted. A 1999 holiday rambler endeavor. Mine has the 5.9 cummins 275HP. No, it's not a 330 CAT, but it's a close second.

I sold the gas class A I had a week after I bought the DP. I agree with the others. Drive one and you'll own one.

[mpierce]

If you are serious, the dealer should let you drive, or at least ride, on a test drive. If not, walk away. And tell them why. "Not spending $150k without being able to test it out."

[WILDEBILL308]

If they won't let you drive anything you are at the wrong lot leave. I drove several at different lots. Drive more than a short test drive so you can become a little accustom to the coach you are driving. Drive on more than just freeways. If you are interested in a coach drive it gain in a day or so. Don't be bashful about it. You are the one spending the money and you should be satisfied.
One thing if you are test driving a Diesel with the Allison transmission, be aware you don't have "PARK" like in your car or SUV. You have to set the parking brake when you stop shift into "N" or it can roll on you when you take your foot off the brake.
Bill

[nomad_289]

Drove 1st pusher last week at dealer. 35' Surprisingly easy on roads. Navigating tight campgrounds YMMV. Think I could drive larger now...

Gas and Brake are both on right side of steering column. So you must use right foot for both, as you were taught in driving school or with a stick-shift. IF you've gotten in the habit of left-foot brake right foot gas it won't work. Those air brakes are touchy! I'm retraining my right foot for the upgrade.

[C20]

Dennis,
Your exactly right. I drove a fire truck for years and sat ahead of the front wheels. New officers would be going your going to hit the curb. Same with the dw in the coach. Amuses me to hang it out!!!

[Skid_Row_Joe]

Valkyriebush wrote:
I bought mine from RV world in Yuma. I had previously bought a 32ft gasser from them as well. When we went looking, the sales
man ask me If I wanted to take it for a test drive. I had never driven a diesel motorhome w/air and 40ft ever. He handed me the key, I didn't even know the start up procedure, jacks, slides, etc... I drove all the way from Yuma to Dome valley and back. Scared to death while he taught me about the air brakes and compression brake. It sold me and I bought it. I noticed his left forward lean in my direction from the passenger seat the whole trip. Good folks at RV world. Oh, I had an accident the day after I took delivery, and ripped the side and awning poles up a bit. I can laugh now, but felt like crying then.

Reminds me of the time the sales rep. that told me the DP handles really well told me to swerve it a few times in a large, open parking lot we were test driving it in. He almost fell out of the front passenger seat because he wasn't wearing the seat belt device. The guy's deceased now, but I still remember it well.

[Bruce_Brown]

How?

We had been warned, DO NOT DRIVE A DP UNTIL YOU'RE READY TO SIGN THE PAPERS!

They were right. :B

Local dealer was debating getting into selling them, we were debating buying one. They used our build sheet to order the first one for inventory.

When it came in they tossed me the keys and said "see you when you get back".

It worked, we bought it.

Now drive one with Comfort Drive and it takes the driving pleasure to a whole new level.

[Skid_Row_Joe]

I shopped the Foretravel company sales lots in Texas is where I first drove bus, going on 17 years ago. 40'ers and 36' DPs. I'd like to test drive a few 45' Prevosts, Newells and possibly a Country Coach too.

[Empty_Nest__Soo]

I first drove a DP (or any motor home, for that matter) when I “test drove” the coach in my signature, below. The previous owner gave me some useful tips, but I can’t say that I’ve had any issues driving it. I find it much easier to back into a campsite compared to the TT/truck combo we had before. You have to understand that the geometry is different and you need to make allowances for sitting overtop the steering wheels and for tail swing on tight curves. Be careful, but don’t be intimidated!

Biggest issue with driving it, I guess, is that it is 8.5 feet wide and some state routes here in WV seem to have lanes only about 9 feet wide, and often there is little or no shoulder. Looking in the mirrors, the lines in the middle and edge of the road are often hugging both sides of the coach. That took some getting used to!

Wayne

[koda55]

We started out with a 35 ft gasser. My wife refused to sit in the passenger seat. Because the seat was close to the wall, she was afraid of it. She always sat in the seat behind the passenger seat. Now that we have a DP she sits in the passenger seat. The seat is farther in and it has a place to store books and a cup holder so she sits farther in. Of course the smooth ride of the air ride helps a lot.

[2gypsies1]

Don't tell the sales person you're 'just looking'. If YOU don't feel comfortable driving it at your first look-see just tell the salesperson. No harm done.

Go the first time WITHOUT the kids as a distraction. Then you can concentrate on the ride and feel itself. Let your wife sit in the passenger seat on this test ride. It's a different feel than sitting on the sofa or dinette.

Be careful. That first ride will sell you!! 🙂

[Mr_Mark1]

Our first trip was in a rented 2005 Fleetwood Expedition in 2005 (38 ft., 3 slide)....then the next year a rented 2006 Fleetwood Expedition (38 ft., 4 slide).

So, when it came time to order our first coach in 2007, I felt comfortable driving a Diesel Pusher (2008 Monaco Dynasty, 42 ft., 4 slide).

When driving a coach, like Dennis said, you have to stay a little more left (the way it feels) to actually be centered. It's the way the driver's seat is positioned. On our new coach, the driver's seating position is actually closer to the windshield and I find that when I feel centered driving it, I'm actually centered in the lane.

Safe travels,
MM.

[bluwtr49]

I had never driven one before we bought our 40' 2000 Beaver PT. I made the offer contingent on an acceptable test drive.......WONDERFUL, and never looked back.

[Born_To_Travel]

My first time driving a DP was when I got a job working as a mechanic for a bus company in the 80's... We had quite a few Prevost motorcoaches as well as a couple Eagle 5 and 10's and a few humpback GMs.. We even had a GM 4106.. Fun times..