Used Class A's

[FlintlockCG]

Hi Folks,

New User here; my wife and I are contemplating retirement next year and we are seriously thinking about buying a used Class A and taking some trips. NC to Maine and NC to Alaka would probably be our first destinations.

I have done a little research and have been very surprised about pricing for used Class A units; if you do a search on RVTrader for Class A's with less than 40k miles, 10 years old or newer, you find a bunch of units priced in the mid 30's. I am sure I can buy a lot of problems but what should I look for (and what should I avoid)?

I should mention that I am an RV Park owner in western NC, so I am gathering opinions from my customers also.

Opinions appreciated. Campers are such a shy group 😉

[RVER]

I would say look at Newmar, Winnebago, Tiffen, Fleetwood Bounder. They all come in gas and diesel. Do not buy the Tiffen FRED( front engine diesel) they are so loud you cannot hear yourself talk.Country Coach are great but extremely expensive. I buy used but check for maintenence records and how it was maintained, have a RV tech check it out and a motor mechanic, test all electricals and appliances and water. Check for water leaks with staining on ceiling, check walls on outside for warping. Get up on roof and check the caulking, and tears etc. There are check lists on the net for Pre Delivery Inspection (PDI) they help!

[RVER]

I would say look at Newmar, Winnebago, Tiffen, Fleetwood Bounder. They all come in gas and diesel. Do not buy the Tiffen FRED( front engine diesel) they are so loud you cannot hear yourself talk.Country Coach are great but extremely expensive. I buy used but check for maintenence records and how it was maintained, have a RV tech check it out and a motor mechanic, test all electricals and appliances and water. Check for water leaks with staining on ceiling, check walls on outside for warping. Get up on roof and check the caulking, and tears etc. There are check lists on the net for Pre Delivery Inspection (PDI) they help!

[tropical36]

Greyghost wrote:
Another coach to consider is the American Coach by Fleetwood. We've had Winnebago, Newmar and now an American Tradition, the Tradition is much better built than the previous two coaches.

I hopefully agree and have had my eyes on an older Revolution for some time now. Made a deal on an 07 Fleetwood LE 40E and for those who aren't aware, it's pure American coach. You even get directed to American, when calling Fleetwood with questions. Seems that Fleetwood wanted a higher end coach in their line at the time and didn't really need another American model, so they just built it on the American platform and adopted it, as one of their own, so no American name, anywhere. However, they have since 2012 dropped it from the Fleetwood line and added it to their entry model American line, by cheapening it some, IMO.
This super large company can really be confusing at times and now Fleetwood itself is a seperate line of RV's and owned within the... REV RV GROUP

[Greyghost]

Another coach to consider is the American Coach by Fleetwood. We've had Winnebago, Newmar and now an American Tradition, the Tradition is much better built than the previous two coaches.

[Bumpyroad]

Tom/Barb wrote:

tinkerer wrote:
Yep, a motorhome will last longer if driven often.

Well Maybe, we bought a coach that sat 9 years in storage. We went thru the wakeup period where we replaced the rubber stuff like tires and belts hoses but we have had no big problems caused by age or usage.

YEP, I think a lot of this high mileage is OK blather is made by folks who have a high mileage unit and may want to sell it or to justify their purchase.
bumpy

[Tom_Barb]

tinkerer wrote:
Yep, a motorhome will last longer if driven often.

Well Maybe, we bought a coach that sat 9 years in storage. We went thru the wakeup period where we replaced the rubber stuff like tires and belts hoses but we have had no big problems caused by age or usage.

[Kidoo]

tinkerer wrote:
Like myself when I purchased my first used class A I concentrated to much on mileage. In my opinion is to wary of a coach that has been left idle for long periods of time. Like a boat in my opinion the worst thing is not use them. I would first concentrate on floor plans and other things. Mileage is a consideration but shouldn't be the top priority. I have a DP but a budget of $40,000 I would recommend concentrating on a gas powered coach as you will get a better floor plan than an older DP without or no slides. JMHO good luck and enjoy!:)

Yep, a motorhome will last longer if driven often. Like a guy in a big rig shop in Florida told me when I went to have my brakes checked in late March. 2 weeks before I touch it, this is a bad time to break down, the snowbirds starts to go back north with their RV that did not move for months and hell brakes loose.

[tinkerer]

Like myself when I purchased my first used class A I concentrated to much on mileage. In my opinion is to wary of a coach that has been left idle for long periods of time. Like a boat in my opinion the worst thing is not use them. I would first concentrate on floor plans and other things. Mileage is a consideration but shouldn't be the top priority. I have a DP but a budget of $40,000 I would recommend concentrating on a gas powered coach as you will get a better floor plan than an older DP without or no slides. JMHO good luck and enjoy!:)

[FlintlockCG]

TNGW1500SE wrote:
Hey! We just stayed with you. The people you have working there are really nice and you have a nice campground. My dog had a blast in your creek.

I am glad to hear it! The creek is good place to be this time of year-

[TNGW1500SE]

Hey! We just stayed with you. The people you have working there are really nice and you have a nice campground. My dog had a blast in your creek.

[Tom_Barb]

Bumpyroad wrote:

Tom/Barb wrote:
$40 k budget? I'd be all over THIS.

what do you think about the "new roof"? leaks/damage/??
bumpy

Most likely preventive but you'd half to look.

Some are now applying Rino truck box liner to their roofs just because t looks better than other stuff.

[Kidoo]

FlintlockCG wrote:
Thanks so much everybody for the great comments. Our budget is right about $40k and based on these comments we are going to focus on Monoco, Tiffin, or Newmar as our first choices. RV Trader has a lot of 10 year old units in these brands with very low mileage.

We are looking in the 34-36 foot range and I expect we will buy a Gas MH (but would consider a diesel if the right deal came along). My wife certainly agrees with the idea that we need the right floor plan and the other thing we have noticed is that some 10 year old units look pretty dated, while others look classic. The classic look is a definite.

One other question, are there companies that do pre-purchase inspections of MH's? I have bought cars sight unseen using a service and if we spot a MH 1000 miles away I would like an expert opinion. Probably would be smart to have it inspected even if it's close to home.

Thanks again.

Inspection is a must, no matter how far it is. Even at 1000 miles, I would go myself, if satisfied, then take it to a independent shop. Many things can be checked by yourself like:
Smell as you get in, yep it says a lot
Slides are working
Water system is functionning
Heater is working, electric and propane
Furnace is working and wait until it stops
Fridg, must be ice cold
All lights working, internal and externa
Air cond.
Charging of batteries, check before and after you start engine
Generator, starting, checking charge, start Air cond. to check good orperation
Age of batteries
Age and wear of tires, misalling wear, scallop like bumpy wear, the date is written on the tires, more than 8 years should be replaced, no craks, watch Michelin tires, they all crack after a few years.
Leaks, from chassis, engine, rad., brakes, roof, tranmission, Axle, steering
Drive it, check vibrations, pull, brakes, steering oscillation.

Inspect, inspect, inspect, a class A can be a money pit.

[Bumpyroad]

Tom/Barb wrote:
$40 k budget? I'd be all over THIS.

what do you think about the "new roof"? leaks/damage/??
bumpy

[Tom_Barb]

$40 k budget? I'd be all over THIS.