The Monaco Lineup

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an RV or an interest in RVing!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
See posts with no answers
B

breezie

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 5, 2018
Posts
63
After considering floorplans, build quality, aesthetics and reliability, I am drawn towards a used (early 2000s) Monaco as my first RV purchase.

There are so many different model names. Some of the differences are obvious (length, fuel type) but I am not sure where some of the names fall in terms of good-better-best, or layout, or chassis, or why they exist as a model name at all, etc.

Is there a chart I can refer to when comparing prices and features?

From time to time I see what appears to be a good deal, but I am not 100% sure if I am looking at an apple or an orange.
 
At that age, I think its more a matter of how well theyve been taken care of through the years moreso than whether they are top of the line or in the middle or at the bottom.  When you find something that has been well taken care of, then consider if the floor plan is something you like. Also whether the bells and whistles are on your list of must haves or wants.
 
The lists are out there, I've seen one.  We bought a used 2009 Monaco Dynasty Regal IV and love it.  Build quality is excellent.  You will notice right away going down the road.  For the most part the roads now days are terrible and will shake a poor build motorhome to pieces in a short amount of time.  On a smooth highway there is absolutely no rattles, squeaks or anything sounding like it's about to fall apart.  We'll get pans banging around on the poor roads and some noise as the coach heaves from side to side when the roads are bad.  Going on memory so don't take my word for it but there is a Signature and Executive model that are above the Dynasty, as I recall the Dynasties were in third from the top.
 
About that time Monaco's top of the line was the Signature then the Executive, Dynasty, and Windsor.  We had a 1999 Windsor 34' DP that we loved, then moved up to our current 2004 Executive 40' DP and love it too.  Before they declared bankruptcy in 2009, Monaco was a quality brand and some people owned five or more over a period of years.  If you can find one that has been well maintained and seems to be a reasonable price in a floor plan you love, then go for it.

ArdraF
 
Thanks to the bankruptcy and change of ownership, the online Monaco brochures for that era are no longer available. Ardra provided a good list. Below the Windsor was the Camelot, knight, and Cayman (gas). Monaco changed the lineup a few times, e.g. they eliminated the Windsor and upgraded the Camelot. They also eliminated the Executive and upgraded the Dynasty. They introduced names for their optional Dynasty floorplans (they previously used letters such as PST = had 3 slideouts).

Which ones are you looking at?
 
Just bought a used 1997 Dynasty Monaco
Love the floor plan and has been in excellent condition
 
We have a Monaco La Palma which is at the bottom of the line with a gas engine.

If it was stolen from me I'd go buy the exact same year and model again.  The Monaco's were put together pretty good.
 
Just passed two of the Pre-bankruptcy Monaco's on the highway yesterday.  The have always looked like a well built coach.  We were looking at a 2006 pretty serious that was put together very well, but the DW didn't want to go back to oak interior it had.
 
Keep in mind that Monaco also bought out Safari in the summer of 2001, so many 03+ Safari's are Monaco designs, at the time Safari also owned Beaver, so I think those too may have became Monaco designs.  Beaver was marketed as Safaris large diesel pusher luxury line before the Monaco buyout (I think all Beavers were tag axle 40+ ft models).
 
One very noticeable change in the "Monaco'ization" of Beaver was the slideout design. Beaver's slideout walls were flush with the exterior walls of the coach when retracted (for a 'clean' line); Monaco slideouts sealed against the exterior coach walls, and so protruded, albeit by a small amount; But they "stuck out".

Custom cabinetry for several brands was initially done by Davis Cabinets in Junction City. But, when Monaco bought Safari, they turned the Safari plant in Harrisburg into a service center, and made the cabinets for all Monaco brands (Monaco, Beaver, Holiday Rambler) at the Safari cabinet shop in Harrisburg.
 
We have had our 2008 Monaco Dynasty Renaissance IV for almost 1.5yrs and are the 4th owner and probably the last...yes we looked at some recent new ones and even some 15-20yr old Prevost/Newells but nothing "matches up" to what we have. Secret: I will always dream of owning a Prevost no matter how new/old.  ;)
We took money we would have spent and made some upgrades gradually and still have a few more we want to do.
To us we are spoiled in our 10yr old Monaco.
 
Our Beaver was built by Monaco at the old Beaver plant in Oregon. It doesn't have a tag axle. The only tag axles for the Monterey models were built in 2009 for the Canadian market only.

We are the second owner of the coach, and it has served us extremely well for 6 years. A few times we have almost pulled the trigger on a newer one, and then we go back to our coach, and look at the woodwork and cabinetry, and realize its just not the same. Our bathroom door is 3 inches thick and is solid cherry. Doesn't make a sound, except for the latch catching. The new ones are 1-1/2 inches thick, cost 3 x as much, and rattle when you close them, while they're sitting on the dealers lot.

Pretty easy decision after just that one comparison.
 
Like Sultan1966 we love our soon to be 10 yr. old Dynasty.  Because of the build quality we are having no second thoughts about making upgrades even though all the original appliances were still working we've already replaced the washer/dryer/dishwasher and new controls for the sleep number bed.
We pick up the coach today, been in the shop getting the appliances installed, full service of the AquaHot and all roof penetrations and end caps scraped clean and re-sealed.  Since we are the 4th owners we had the shop go through and check everything and make any repairs, and luckily there was nothing major at all.  Biggest surprise problem, a hole in the muffler.  Having an Air Force One brake system and Roadmaster towing system installed.
We plan to have this coach for many years, I think we would only consider a Prevost as an upgrade, which would cost at least 10 times what we paid for the Dynasty.
 
Now have a 2004 Dynasty Monaco and am liking it after owning a 98 Safari.  Both are well constructed and quality noticable at first sight.  Full timing and now living in the Dynasty at Hilton Head Motorhome Resort on lot purchased and rentable when not here.  Needless to say -- Life is Good ---
 
We are on the first trip since the upgrades on the washer/dryer/dishwasher, and the DW is thrilled with the new appliances.  Not too thrilled on the labor to install all three, $850.  The washer weighs 160 pounds, no way I could have done it and stayed out of the hospital emergency room.  Turns out there is concrete as a counter balance in the thing???  The new machines had an inch or so more depth than the old, shop wanted $500 to put on a new face frame on the cabinet, uh, no, I'll do it myself.  Cost me $60 for the cherry wood and stain to build out the face frame an inch and a half.  Looks perfect.  Next, bought 4 new Trojan 8D AGM batteries to replace the old worn out house batteries.  We new this going in so no big deal.  Need to replace the remote control panel for the inverter, didn't expect that, but oh well.  A couple more grand I think for any more surprises and we'll have basically a new coach that should last for our lifetime.  A guy down the street in this RV park has a mobile RV repair shop there tearing apart his AquaHot in a fairly new Tiffen Bus, everything wears out sooner or later.  But we're a couple of happy campers loving our Monaco.
 
Turns out there is concrete as a counter balance in the thing???
Click to expand...

Sure is, a large concrete disc. I used to hate the weight of these things when I used to repair them (in the 60's). However, the weight didn't always prevent the machines from occasionally hopping across the room  :eek:
 
ZinLuvR,
That cherry cabinetry in the 2000's Monacos is SPECTACULAR.
I'm still shopping, but after seeing a couple with those cabinets, its now a must have for me......which is a bummer because that will make the perfect Dynasty even harder to find.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Members online

Total: 534 (members: 9, guests: 525)

Forum statistics

Threads
131,954
Posts
1,388,153
Members
137,708
Latest member
7mark7
Back
Top Bottom