How old is too old?

[Empty_Nest__Soo]

We're looking to buy a used motorhome (our first.) I'm leaning toward an older higher-end MH, such as Newmar, in order to get the features we would like within our budget.

I would like the MH we buy to last for 10 years and be reliable if we give it good care. I don't mind doing the simple maintenance items and repairs, but I'm not looking for MH renovation to become a hobby. I will probably hire all significant work done.

Right now, I have a reasonably good comfort level with buying a 10 or 12 year old Newmar or equivalent MH that has been cared for and is in good condition. I feel that it should last another 10 years without maintenance issues becoming enough of a problem to cause me to sell it. Is this a reasonable expectation? How old is too old before it figures to become too much of a pain in the backside?

Thanks.

Wayne

[RFCN2]

stoutz429 - Bounders are great motorhomes. I have a number of friends with gas ones and also a diesel one. The RVCG rates them as vacation rigs not full time rigs.

[stoutz429]

I have a question I think fits in this thread rather than as a new topic. My wife and I have been out of RVing for ten years and are about three years from retirement. We are considering fulltiming after retirement.

A motorhome caught our collective eye on the internet within the last few days - a 2001 Fleetwood Bounder 36U, gas engine on a Ford chassis. It has all the amenities we want and is being sold by a reputable dealer in Iowa. We live in Pennsylvania.

Before making the 850 mile trek to Iowa to look at this rig, we want to know if other forum members feel this class A that the dealer claims has no negative mechanical history, 56,000 miles on the odometer, stored indoors by the previous owner, and a $35,000 list price would be a good choice for our RVing needs.

We would use it for weekend camping, trips to visit family, and some extended travel for vacations lasting two weeks or more, with the potential for fulltiming upon retirement in perhaps three to five years.

After having owned three new motorhomes over the years, we are definitely not interested in buying new, but are looking for a less expensive way to get back into RVing.

Would the expenses associated with owning and operating a motorhome this old make this prohibitive?

[RFCN2]

Wayne - I owned a 2004 S2000 sports car and also several motor homes. Motor homes have WAY more parts than the S2000. Likely your S2000 was made like mine, jewel like. We have a beautiful Country Coach Affinity from 2002. It is also jewel like similar to the Honda. But again, lots more parts and lots more stuff to go wrong.

[dvg045]

TALE OF WOE! Bought a 1997 Monoco Dynasty with an 8.3 Cummins with 59,000 miles from PPL Motorhomes in New Braunfels, Tx the middle of June. It looked well taken care inside and out. Picked it up on Wednesday and on Friday night we were on our way out West. Made it as far as Grant,New Mexico. This is my third MH (all from PPL). Had trouble holding it on tne road (thought it was wind)and when applying the air brakes the back end would try to come around. Got under it and all the trailing arms that hold the rear end in place did not have bushings in them (a common Monico problem according to Monico in Oregon). Contacted PPL and all they said was ("well,you made it 800 miles without a problem and you bought it as is".) Four days and $2200. later turned around and headed back since my son-in-law was in critical condition in ICU. Blew a tire outside of Socorro,NM and after four hours and $200. for a used tire made it to Las Cruses,NM where we spent the night. The next morning and $2700. later for six tires from Big O we headed home to San Antonio. Now, I can't get it to storage since I have no throttle response (electronic throttle).

[northmeck0255]

No plastic buses! 🙂

[Mr_LeMans]

As a newbie, I went the used route as well. After seeing what it would cost to rent, I took my time and found a nice '92 Holiday Rambler Aluma Lite. All aluminum construction-no spec of rust anywhere. Well maintained. So well, infact that the dealer gave us a 30-day warranty on all systems and the drive train. This thing is a peach. A top of the line model in it's day, and it shows and drives well. I can use it for 3-4 years and probably sell it for 80-90% of what I paid for it ($7000).

[UltraKen]

It's not the age, but the condition that counts.

I bought this one in 1991 when it was 23 years old and sold it in 2007 when it was 39 years old. It's still travelling and winning trophies at car shows.



And I bought this one in 2007 when it was 11 years old and it still looks and drives like new.



:C

[RayChez]

Well, I am not a Cummins person, but that engine is good for 300k before it needs an overhaul. Still better then a gasoline engine.

[dcbopp]

Hi Wayne and Michele, I'm sending you a PM

David

[ed_andersen]

I am looking at used DP's. Currently interested in a 2001 Newmar Dutch Star 3852. Sparten chassis w/ the Cummins 330hp and Allison electronic 6 spd. 97K miles. Excellent condition. All records and manuals. Prior to this I have been looking at lower miles coaches. What reasonable life can I expect from this drive train? Experienced input appreciated. Ed

[Smitty77]

I'm in the camp that quality lasts. Buy as nice a coach quality wise as you can, dropping years to remain in budget.

Agree that a coach that is used and cared for, may have some miles on it.

Save some budget money to cover any 'baseline' maintenance needs, and any mod's to make it 'your coach'. (TV's mentioned is quite common, if not done already. Many are also jumping over to a Pure Sine Wave system to support all of the electronic toys people like to carry now. And some coaches don't age as well as others, from a design view point. (Orange rugs, one example:)!))

Another advantage of a pre 2005 DP coach (but go by engine, as some 2005 had 2004 engines in them), is the engines had less smog and were KISS'er.

Keep researching, narrow down your list of manufacturers and models you like, then go kick some tires. I like private owned, with documentation coaches. Though some consignment units will also have good documentation.

Best of luck, have fun,
Smitty

[DailyDriver]

Bought our old rig when it was 12 years old, have had it for 5 years and it has a low 60k miles. When I bought it, the heater core was bad, the electric step motor had quit, and the tires were past due to be replaced. I just replaced the frig cooling unit a couple of months ago, and pretty much everything else has just been normal preventative maintenance/upgrades. There is a fair amount of maintenance on one, and I'd hate to have to pay someone else to do it all.... Ouch..!

I have replaced the main TV with a 32" LED and installed a large solar panel with associated controller and meter. The bathroom skylight will need replaced at the end of this season. Sunlight makes them brittle over time and they will crack with marble sized hail.

The first owner took excellent care of our unit, and luckily the 2nd owner didn't have it very long. However, it has never been abused and always received good cosmetic care. I would agree that condition and care a unit has had are the most important factors. I have a great old unit, and getting rid of it is the last thing I think about since it meets our needs perfectly. That thought is validated when reading through all the problems others have had with much newer rigs.:B

[Snomas]

MY 02 Dutch Star is 11 years old and being that I just put a new exhaust manifold, new head, new turbo charger, and new fuel pump and fuel lines on it I would say it should go at least another 10 years without any serious problems. It now has 84K miles.

[michelb]

Empty Nest, Soon wrote:
...

I would like the MH we buy to last for 10 years and be reliable if we give it good care. I don't mind doing the simple maintenance items and repairs, but I'm not looking for MH renovation to become a hobby. I will probably hire all significant work done.

...

One word of advice I'd give is that you go in with realistic expections. There's a lot of different systems in a mh (mechanical, electrical, water, sewer, heating and cooling, appliances, framework / carpentry, etc) and since they move around and go over bumps, etc, it's not uncommon for various things to break. It's often not major issues but I think many motorhome owners, particularly of older motorhomes, quickly become handy(wo)men and are used to routinely fixing / patching various things that break. Obviously it depends a lot on the age, condition and quality of the unit you buy but I don't think it's unresonable to expect that you'll have 'some problem' every time or second time you go out in it ...