1993 Thor Motor Coach Pinnacle

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BobOB

BobOB

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 19, 2013
Posts
66
Location
Gig Harbor, WA
Can anyone provide me with information regarding this older model RV? We've never owned an RV and saw the 1993 which looked in great condition. My first concern was weather or not I'd be able to get it my my driveway. We have a slight grade going through our front gate and I can't tell from the photos if the rear end will clear the asphalt. We have a nice RV garage that holds a 33' RV and this one is 30', but it sure looks like there is some distance from the rear wheels to the angle of departure on this RV.

The price is right for a first RV but wanted to know what experts like you thought.
 
Many gas chassis motorhomes have a long rear overhang, but nobody here can guess what that particular coach is likely to do on your driveway.

If you are asking if it's possible the tail will drag, the answer is Yes.  You could calculate the rise of the front end and how much rear end dip it causes, but that is painstaking work. Much easier to ask for a test run and bring it home to try it.
 
I'm sure there is a formula to figure it out but haven't found it yet. If I get enough information on the RV and the price would be agreeable to myself, I would be tempted to ask the owner if he'd drive the 5 hour trip and pay for his gas, with the stipulation that if we can't get it up the driveway, we pay his gas back home.

At this time however I am interested in hearing from anyone that has owned (or owns) this model to get feedback. I like what I've seen on-line and know it will fit in our RV garage. The layout is acceptable at this time. I really don't want to spend a lot of money on our first RV knowing that it will be our introduction to traveling. My guess is that we will like RV'ing and will want to upgrade to a real nice one with everything on it once we have the budget for it.
 
Some long 2x12's laid down at the lowest part might give you enough height to keep the tail from dragging.  My 30' TT clears my driveway by a mere 3"......the first time taking it in was a bit nerve racking. 
 
Did you take any measurements before bringing the RV home the first time to make sure, or did you have to figure it out once you arrived at the driveway the first time. I bet it was nerve racking.
 
When you say the garage "holds a 33' rv" do you mean a 33' rv will fit or a 33' rv has been parked in there in the past? If one has been parked in there in the past, the question is was the previous rv a gasser or a dp. If it was a gasser, yours would also likely clear, being 3' shorter.

Bill
 
I believe the last owner's RV was a 32' unit. I have just about 34' door to back wall. Being new to RV's, I've been looking on line to see what is available and what will fit the garage but from the pictures I'm seeing, its too hard to tell if this one model will have the ground clearance. It seems like the back hangs out further past the rear wheels than most of the 32'er's I've seen, but it just might be my perception.
 
gwcowgill said:
I had a 1993 Pinnacle which would drag te rear going into some gas stations. As Gary mentioned, I would test drive it to see if it would clear going into and out of your drive.
Click to expand...

Did you have many problems dragging bottom during your ownership of the Pinnacle?
 
Yes, in some Gas stations with very steep inclines going in and out. The distance behind the wheels on gas MH's causes the problem. They do make rollers you can install but if you have enough dip the rollers will lift the rear wheels off the ground. It was not a problem for us as we live in FL with a level entrance to where we parked the RV. We really enjoyed our pinnacle which happened to be home right after Hurricane Andrew.
 
BobOB said:
Did you take any measurements before bringing the RV home the first time to make sure, or did you have to figure it out once you arrived at the driveway the first time. I bet it was nerve racking.
Click to expand...

No. 

I just had the wife spot me as I was backing it in for the first time and had the lumber ready just in case.  We use a set of walky talkies and she gives me data as I back in.  The first time I told her if the bumper got within an inch of the ground to holler at me to stop.  The spot where I park it next to my house clears the rock wall and the eve of the house by about a foot in either direction, so she usually spots me anyway.  I can back it in solo now using the G.O.A.L. method (get out and look). 

Just have the 2X12's ready just in case, and have a spotter.  You'll be fine.
 
The departure angle problem occurs when the front end rises quickly while the rear is still on the level. A long, gentle slope is rarely a problem, because the front doesn't rise much before the rear wheels also start climbing the grade. A short, quick step up, as in a curb cut for a gas station, is more likely to cause drag than a sloping driveway, but its impossible to guess without some idea of how far the grade climbs and how quickly.

Some gas coaches have a longer rear overhang than others. This occurs when the manufacturer buys a (less expensive) short wheelbase chassis and extends the length, so that he can build a longer coach for less money.
 
The more I'm hearing from members via PM, I'm thinking this is not a good choice for us. From what I can determine, it will not make it up our driveway without scraping bottom. I think there will be much better and newer choices out there for our first RV. This thread has been very helpful and I appreciate everyone's comments.
 
Bob, if your mind is not yet made up and if it has not already been suggested in a PM, have the current owner take 3 measurements forming a triangle:

(1) from the rear contact of the rear tires sloping up to the lowest point of the bumper/chassis
(2) strait down from there to the ground, and
(3) back to the starting point.

You can transfer these measurements to your driveway/road to get a rough idea of how close you might be. Won't be exact and it is dependent upon the other guy's measuring skills but it's a thought.
 
I still haven't heard back from him yet but that is a good idea. Once I get additional information and if it looks like it will make it up the driveway without hitting, he's going need to come down on his price. His unit is very clean compared to the three others I've seen on the Internet, but he's at $15K OBO and the others are between $6K and $9K.

Its not really that much money but I'll have to weigh the overall condition and how many more years of use it has left. My wife and I have purchased new vehicles our entire marriage and I hate the thought of potentially buying someone's headache. I know buying a brand new one, I'll take a huge hit when it starts devaluing right away. My other thought is, take a chance on an older unit, spend less money, then figure out what we really want in a few years. Lots to think about. I'm so thankful for this forum because I'm learning a lot about RVs that I would have never considered before.
 
I have a 30 ft Challenger like the one I have linked to. I have a pretty good transition going in my drive. I only scrape when I'm pulling my race trailer. Some coachs have a tapered rear like this one. Only way to tell is try it in your drive way.

http://grandrapids.craigslist.org/rvs/3935300725.html

The lowest part on mine is the hitch. The only part that drags is the ball mount and bars.
Longer coachs generally have more over hang, at least that's what I found when I was shopping. Some of the 35 to 37 fters have a longer wheelbase, and I couldn't get them in the drive with my trailer, so I pretty much had to stay 30 ft or less.
 
BobOB said:
His unit is very clean compared to the three others I've seen on the Internet, but he's at $15K OBO and the others are between $6K and $9K.
Click to expand...

$15k is a lot of coin for a motorhome that old.  Last year I sold our 1994 Thor Residency for $8000, and it was in good working condition with just a few small issues related to age.  I bought it in 2007 for $12,000 after the buyer had it listed for $14,000.  Keep in mind that was 6 years ago when the rig was only 13 years old, instead of its 18-19 year age when I sold it.

Any rig of that age WILL need maintenance and upkeep, no matter how nice it looks on the internet.  Remember RV tires should be replaced every ~7 years regardless of tread.  Other high dollar items like roof A/C, generator, fridge, engine/transmission, and roof (for leaks) should be thoroughly checked as well.
 
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