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 ;-)

Try being a little more specific as to what your inclinations are. Class A's run from gas to diesel, short to long. What you can tow, what you can do your laundry in.. so much to consider, and you can narrow it down a lot.

Welcome to the forum. Check for evidence of leaks, a small leak can cause a lot of damage if not fixed quickly.Anything you look at, check the age of the tires. RV tires usually age out before they wear out. Many buy new tires when they reach 5-7 years old.It goes by the manufacture date, not the date they were installed. If the tires are old, factor New tires into your price negotiations.With any used RV, condition is the important factor. A low end unit in good condition is usually a better buy than a high end unit in poor condition.If the interior is dirty and not maintained, it's a good indication the engine an mechanicals were not service properly.There's a lot more but, this will get you started.

Hi Flintlock,Great question, but there may be no answer to it, at least not a specific answer. You may find, for example, that many people had problems with the 300hp Cat overheating. But, that may not be the case with all applications.There are (have been) many rv manufacturers who choose parts from many component manufactures (Freightliner, Ford, Dometic, etc.). They may select good parts one year and fail the next.

Your budget is a big factor in choosing the coach.

You hav a tremendous resource with your park. As you know, rv'ers love to show and tell about our units. Take advantage of that. Study floor plans, I promise you that if mamma does not like it neither will you! Decide whether slides are important to you or not. If so make sure all is well there,

Used Class A's | Good Sam Community

RVER
Explorer
Jun 26, 2016
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
Explorer
Jun 26, 2016
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
Explorer
Jun 23, 2016
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
Explorer
Jun 23, 2016
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
Explorer
Jun 23, 2016
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
Explorer
Jun 23, 2016
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
Explorer
Jun 23, 2016
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
Explorer
Jun 23, 2016
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
Explorer
Jun 23, 2016
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
Explorer
Jun 22, 2016
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.