Interior renovation

[Janss]

We have nearly 75,000 miles on MH in signature. We love the MH, but the furniture, etc. is getting tired inside. Thinking if we want to renovate (not DIY) at this mileage. In a quandary if we should buy a newer used MH or keep what we got and renovate. Budget would probably allow around year 2010 from looking online. Would stay at this size or possible increase a couple feet.

On one hand, we know our motorhome. No leaks, good engine, new fuel pump, etc. On the other hand, wouldn't it be nice to have a newer MH?

Just want to hear from others who have thought about this and which action you took and why.

[pkunk]

garymunson wrote:
HAs anyone replaced carpet with vinyl when renovating? I'd like to get rid of the carpet in my 04 Fleetwood Flair but am concerned about where the slide runs on the existing carpet. It looks like it has nylon 'skids' that slide over the carpet but will they tear up vinyl?

I replaced the carpet with heavy sheet vinyl and have no problems with the slide rollers. I do use scraps of the vinyl as runners when I run the slide in but even they have not been scratched.

[xctraveler]

We were in a similar place 3 years ago. Our '04 Southwind was 8 years old and we had put 110,000 miles on it including driving to Alaska and back (no Marine Highway). The interior was beat.
I was lusting after diesel and given our age I thought this would be the last major update we would be doing (figure another 10 years).
We could afford it so we bought the Phaeton in the signature and the Jeep to go with it.

[BUB1988]

We removed the carpet and put in vinyl planking from Lumber Liquidators. On the slide we did not remove the carpet from under the slide rail. If you remove the carpet from that area it will drop the slide and damage the flooring. Another option we have started looking at is chalk painting and waxing our fabric furniture. We have some friends that did it and it looks like leather and appears to be durable. If not then we will replace it

[ILVMYGT]

I would suggest that you hire an RV interior decorator to assess the coach. Then work with them to come up with a plan. There are lots of places you can have the work done. Talk to people in RV parks and ask them who did their work. We that some doors built for a cabinet we had redone. The shop specializes in RV interior work and you can't tell they are not original.

Good Luck

[Janss]

Thanks everybody for your input!

[JFC]

garymunson wrote:
Jello JFC! Did you install one of the
'hot rods' in your water heater to make it electric? Did that work well? I was wondering how the recovery rate is compared to running on propane? With gas, by the time my wife is done with her hair, there's enough hot water for my shower. Was concerned about electric.

My coach came with the aqua hot so hot water and coach heat are diesel. With the residential refrigerator, the stove was the only propane user in the coach, so no inputs on the hot rods, sorry.

[garymunson]

Jello JFC! Did you install one of the
'hot rods' in your water heater to make it electric? Did that work well? I was wondering how the recovery rate is compared to running on propane? With gas, by the time my wife is done with her hair, there's enough hot water for my shower. Was concerned about electric.

[Kayteg1]

You have lot of things to consider.
First if you want to spend money and LOT of your time for interior remodeling, you have to make sure you have good base.
No matter how much remodeling you do to school bus, it is still going to be a school bus.
Coaches like Prevost, MCI, Airstream, Eagle, Bart are getting remodeled forever as even 50 years old Airstream trailer is stronger than factory new wood and particle board trailer.
Check how much you can buy replacement cabinets for.
Almost anything in RV is custom and that does not come cheap.

[JFC]

We have a 2007 Scepter that we bought in 2007. It has about 65K miles so far. We love the coach, so we've made interior improvements rather than even consider a new coach. We have mostly tile, but replaced the factory carpet in the bedroom and the slides with one we like better. We had a residential refrigerator and pure sign wave inverter installed a few years ago. We had a larger air conditioner installed in the living room to improve comfort. The propane stove was the only propane user on the coach. We recently had the stove replaced with an induction cook top and the propane tank removed with that bay converted to a storage bay. The coach is now all electric. We know and like the coach. The cost for these improvements was an order of magnitude less than a new coach, so for us interior improvements are the only way to go. If you really like your coach, check the cost of the improvements you want and compare that to the cost of a new unit.

[garymunson]

HAs anyone replaced carpet with vinyl when renovating? I'd like to get rid of the carpet in my 04 Fleetwood Flair but am concerned about where the slide runs on the existing carpet. It looks like it has nylon 'skids' that slide over the carpet but will they tear up vinyl?

[Bill_Satellite]

Keep it and update it. This come from a guy who loves his 1988 Prevost Bus. So many updates and upgrades it would be impossible to list them all. I would love to buy something newer but most newer coaches can't touch my current coach and, oh yeah, I don't owe a dime!

[tommy_g]

The newer ones have a lot of extras the our older ones don't. The most standout extra?......PAYMENTS!!

[gemert]

If you like the MH why spend all that money on a newer one? Renovate it the way you want it and have fun. A new one may not have the perfect furniture either making you want new furniture anyway in a few months.

[chuckftboy]

75,000 miles on a gas motor isn't all hat much. the motor and transmission should easily do well over 200,000 miles. If you like your coach, upgrading it isn't a bad idea.