2000 Itasca Suncruiser 32V

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John Z

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 21, 2008
Posts
91
Location
NJ
Kind of new to the RV world...I've rented for the past few years, but now want to own a unit so we can go away a few more times a year.
I have a family of 5 (3 kids under the age of 10).  I've been looking for the past month or so..Hoping now is a good time to buy (slow economy, high gas prices).
Found a dealer in PA with a 2000 Suncruiser 32v with 25,000 miles.  Worked him down to 44k.  I kind of feel like I should be able to get to just under 40, but maybe I'm dreaming.
Any thoughts on this unit and the price?  The unit looks in great condition, but then again i'm not sure of what i should be checking out.  Didn't appear to be any leaks

thanks for any advice.
 
For the Ford chassis version the NADA Guide shows a low retail of $38,759 and an average retail of $46,703. The Workhorse chassis version runs about $750 less. So yes, you should be looking to buy it in the $38k range rather than $44k. I would not pay above low retail in this market. Make a firm offer and don't be afraid to walk away.

NADA Guide for RVS
 
So hopefully i will get lucky and get them to come down to 38 ish.  I also want to get a bumper to bumper warranty as it is a few years old and i would expect some things might break in the near future.  My next question is "is it a good idea to invest in a model that is 8 years old?"...I would like to think it would last another 10 years at least without huge problems...is that a realistic expectation?
 
I bought a 93 in 03 and have had very little problems with it. Of course mine had a new fridge, awnings,  and some other stuff. Your largest cost repair/replace items are the fridge, generator, awning(s), and furnace so make sure those are in good shape. A fridge will last generally 10 yrs., same with awnings. A generator will last forever if properly cared for.
If you were going to be fulltiming I would say go for something newer but for weekends and vacations there is nothing wrong with a unit that is 8 yrs. old. You didn't say whether it had a slide or not but with the size of your family I would definitely go with a unit with a slideout.
I agree with others, show the guy the NADA quote and offer him around $38,000. If he doesn't take it walk away. It is definitely a buyers market right now and he is high.

Woody
 
Thanks for the quick replies...
The unit has 1 slide and the generator must be fairly new (only has 7 hours on it).
I noticed 2 things when test driving:
1) The A/C in the cab did not work
2) the brakes seemed a bit soft, but maybe just because I'm not used to driving a big rig

 
zinkjo said:
The unit has 1 slide and the generator must be fairly new (only has 7 hours on it).
I noticed 2 things when test driving:
1) The A/C in the cab did not work
2) the brakes seemed a bit soft, but maybe just because I'm not used to driving a big rig

A genset with only 7 hrs on it in 8 years is going to be a problem. They should be run for at least 1/2 hr every month. Did you start and run it with a load? If not, definitely run it before you go any further.

The cab air may have the same problems as the genset, if it hasn't been used that much. Only 25,000 miles in 8 yrs is a little over 3000 per year. The cab A/C can't have many hours on it and is a potential problem.

You should have the brakes looked at by a professional brake mechanic. At the very least the fluid needs to replaced and the system flushed with new fluid.

I think you should offer $35,000, in light of the potential problems above.

In addition, be sure and check the dates on the tires. I would guess they are the originals and definitely will need to be replace all around. Do not go by their appearance!

Good luck.

Richard
 
When i took it for a test drive the generator was running to power the a/c in the coach.  It seemed to be doing ok.
 
Zinkjo,

There is a check list for buying used coaches in our libaray.  You can find it Here

This will at least point out some things to check into and be cautious of. 

Marsha~
 
Woody & Richard gave good advice, especially on the tires. They will look fine but at 8+ years of age they are just waiting for the least opportune moment to blow out unexpectedly.

If the generator ran fine for 30 minutes under load (the a/c), then I would not worry about the lack of use. I'm surprised that it did with so few hours on it, but sometimes you get lucky.

You will have to purchase an "extended warranty" to get the coverage you want. Dealers charge a very high mark-up on them and it is a big profit item for them, so shop elsewhere for prices (online). However, you can sometimes get the dealer to sweeten the deal by throwing in the extended warranty. He'll claim it at twice its true value, so don't get mislead by his supposed generosity, but sometimes dealers are more willing to throw in things than to admit to a lower sales price. If you need a tow bar or other accessories, you might try negotiating for those as well. You may have to feel around a bit to see what works with a given dealer.
 
Any thoughts about the overall quality of the Itasca Suncruiser?
I kind of prefer the Winnebago's, but I'm no expert.
 
Isn't an Itasca a Winnebago?
Make sure you have the brakes checked. I had the same problem when I bought my Suncruiser last year and this past weekend on the way out of town lost the brakes totally. Bad master cylinder. Everything ended ok, but it was a scarry experience to say the least. Now, I suppose they aren't all bad, but since I just lived this 3 days ago, it's still rather fresh in my mind!
 
I had "soft" brakes on my 93 Pace Arrow too. I took it to a truck repair shop and had the front pads rotors and one caliper replaced along with the master cylinder. Total cost was over $1500.00 and the brakes were still kind of soft. The repair place said that is just the nature of the beast because of the long brake lines to the rear. Not believing them I took it to another truck repair shop where they checked everything out that had been done and, even though they didn't care for their competitor who I had first took it to, they said the same thing.
Don't get me wrong, the brakes work fine, when you stomp on them they stop the coach. Its just that the first time you apply them they seem to go down farther than on my van or pickup, if you pump them a second time the pedal is harder.

Woody
 
Yes the Itasca is a Winnebago...just wondering if anyone had any opinions on them (the suncruiser in particular)
 
Lots of them around and pretty decent rigs. Every marque has their share of horror stories, but Winnebago/Itasca seems to do fairly well in customer reviews. And they get repeat buyers too. It's as good as any in its price range.
 
Does anyone have the wholesale NADA range for a 2000 Itasca suncruiser 32v?
I just spoke with the salesman again and he said that an offer of 38K is a joke.  They currently have it listed for 47 and i was able to get him to 44 when i spoke in person.  The unit appears to be in excellent condition and only has 26000 miles, but it is still a 2000 and with gas prices...

 
Walk away.  If the dealer insults your offer (that we know is reasonable) then you don't want to do business with them anyway.  Here's the link to the NADA values (Gary posted it earlier too), where you can look up market prices on any used RV:

NADA Guide for RV's

Don't get hung up too early on a specific make and model, unless there's some specific reason you absolutely must have a Suncruiser.  There are dozens and dozens of models in the RV repertoire, and it's a buyer's market all the way around right now... and that probably will continue to be the case for quite awhile.  Stick to your guns, and you'll find the perfect rig for your family!  :)
 
I just spoke with the salesman again and he said that an offer of 38K is a joke

So laugh and walk away. There are lots of Itascas (and its Winnebago sister) so shop around til you find somebody who will deal. And who knows, the salesman may call you back in a few days.

Seriously, you might decide to pay a few thousand extra to save yourself the wear and tear of more shopping, but $6000 is more than a drop in the bucket in this price range. You should be able to get a newer and larger rig for $44k. A private seller would love to see your offer.
 
its quite possible the dealer has it on consignment too and he might call you
back to accept your offer.
When I bought my fifth wheel it was on consignment at a local well known
place and they had it listed at 29,000, but my friend only wanted 12,000
and I did my own deal through the bank but my friend was appalled at
how much the dealer was trying to make off HIS rig. He immediately called
them and told them he was coming to get it and canceling his consignment.
Just don't allow them to pressure you because like you said, its a buyers
market right now.
 
Would be good to know how much the dealer paid for it?

Here is a link to it if you are interested in taking a peek:

http://imm.rvamerica.net/showinv/imm_detail.cfm?clientid=69&id=6421969
 
At a guess, he has invested 40-60% of the NADA average value. Usually closer to 40 than 60, but sometimes dealers make mistakes too and get in deeper than they should. Many dealers, especially smaller ones, try to get within 10% of the NADA average retail. And in a small market they might get it from a local buyer - they are counting on you not shopping very far away. A savvy buyer will shop further afield and pocket the savings, but that's a personal call on your part, i.e. shopping convenience vs your dollars.
 
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