Looking to move up to Class A

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GT928 said:
One other question. Horsepower seems all over the place on the units I have looked at. I have seen 300 - 525. How important is this in the 36-40 foot range? Should I rule out 300 or 330? I expect to be traveling all over the U.S.
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Well I'm glad to see that your at least considering a 40ft unit.  I've never heard someone saying I bought too large a unit,
but plenty say "we need to upgrade again"  even when there are only 2 people using it.

When I was looking for a MH I would only look at (accept) a unit with at least 330 hp minimum.  I knew I would be towing a trailer
and going over some mountain areas.  I ended up with 350 hp and it works well.  I doubt you will find a 500+ hp unit in a 36' unit.

As far as slides go there is a difference between slides that go out 12-14 inches vs. a 34-36 inch slide out.
So 2 slides that are deep are about as big as 3 or 4 slides that only go out a foot or 2.  Something to keep in mind.

If you find a unit that is really close to what you want - take some pictures a post them here and I'm sure you will get
advice on whether to buy it or not or at least what else to look at on that unit.

Good luck 
 
Not sure in what year most changed to the 55 deg wheel cut, but after experiencing the difference, it would be one of the more important requirements for me. We upgraded from a 2001 36' gaser to our 39'6" diesel in 2008.
 
GT928, Don't get to hung up on HP or length. I have a 2003 38 ft bounder with a 300hp Cummins. I have been  in every state in the lower 49 and 3 Canadian provinces. Never had a problem related to not enough HP. You have to learn how to drive a bigger vehicle. Now it just so happens I also have a 45' 2008 Newmar Mountain Aire with a 450 HP Cummins. I will bet you you can't tell the difference in length when driving or maneuvering. You need to drive a Newmar diesel with Comfort Drive. 

I also love the people saying you need a small coach to get into some parks. I have never not been able to find a place to stay in the area I wanted to be in. I have looked at some of these campgrounds, just to see. The small ones were built back during WPA for tent camping or tiny tow behind campers. They have no services except some have electric. They also want nearly as much to dry camp as outher places do for full hook ups. You also may not be able to get reservations regardless of how small of a RV you show up in.
Where are you looking online  for coaches? Try hear at NIRVC  https://www.nirvc.com/Sales?gclid=Cj0KCQiAtOjyBRC0ARIsAIpJyGPwI6ZG6G0nwHujgTFqSISXzdihqFlyIXSBSuKHUMgS86pAYm5yMV4aAm84EALw_wcB
or
https://www.pplmotorhomes.com/used-rvs-for-sale/diesel-motorhomes
Allso be aware of the towing capasity and CCC.
Bill
 
Since 2015 We have a 2005 Winnebago Vectra 40FD  (40 ft), it is our first RV and maybe our last too. I'm not selling it unless absolutely necessary.

When we were looking for an RV we did read up on all there was about slides, engine, chassis,  floorplans, washer dryer, generator, you name it, it was overwhelming and a lot of stress but reading all the valuable information on this website we knew what to look for.

* The floorplan was one of my wife's important issues. She needed counter space, good convection/microwave and a TV NOT in front and on the ceiling but eye hight when sitting on the couch and optional a washer/dryer.
* My requirements were (Non DEF) Diesel with enough power, enough storage, and sufficient tow capacity. 

We found all of the above in the 40ft Winnebago 2005 Vectra FD with 400hp Cummins diesel, wheel-cut 55 degrees, 7.5 KW quiet Onan Diesel generator The coach has 4 slides and a TV in the right place. It has a washer/dryer. It has a queen bed with a memory foam mattress.   

See for more specifications and pictures our website here: Winnebago 2005 Vectra 40FD (Includes a list of upgrades we already did)

We are still very pleased with our choice and have no regrets. 
 
Nice work on the Vectra 40FD. I also anticipate making some changes to whatever I buy. Layouts for 10+ year old coaches don't always work so well for us. TV in the front over the drive seats, are your kidding? We have located several units in the 36 to 40 foot range within 125 miles of us. Quite a few very close by. We have looked at an older Monaco Knight that didn't do much for us. It looked like it had been a little neglected the last few years. The ad and our inspection did not match.

We may be looking at a couple other Monaco's and a Holiday Rambler this coming weekend. One Monaco is 40' with an aft office area. The first floor plan like that I have seen. Another is 36' and looks like it is in good condition with a lot of recent maintenance/repairs. New batteries, tires and big awning. I has over 100K miles but I don't see that as a discriminating fact.

Question: One of the units I am going to look at listed over $300K new and according to the sticker had as an option an Aqua Hot 450. Is that a good thing? Bad? The up charge was nearly $7K.
 
...an Aqua Hot 450. Is that a good thing?
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Very good, IMHO. I had that in my Beaver, and I have the Newmar equivalent (Oasis) in my Ventana. Hydronic heating is great. The Aqua Hot registers will likely be quieter than typical propane furnaces, and the same heating provides hot water (unlimited, essentially, on full hookups). Also, running down the road heats the AH so no extra fuel is required. Some models (my Beaver for example) also have an engine heating function (obviously for cold mornings, etc.) in addition to the electric block heater that most diesels have. On both rigs, basement heat registers also keep the basement at 40? or above, even in 0? weather.

Personally, I'd hate to go back to propane furnaces and water heaters, and iffy heat in the basement and short showers even on hookups.
 
TV in the front over the drive seats, are your kidding?
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That was one of my other requirements.  I hated the thought of looking up at a TV in between the front seats.

My Rose Air has it at an angle facing the sofa at eye level and is swing-able to pivot some too.
I can see it fine from the kitchen area too.
I never understood why they (manufacturers) thought that was the only place to mount a TV up front as many many
MH's have them there, especially older ones.

Keep looking you'll fine one.  I think my MH was around 250 miles away, if you can expand your search area .........
 
Just a quick update. We saw a fastidiously maintained 2008 Monaco Camelot 36 foot last weekend. Even though it was one of the first ones we looked at we were considering an offer until Monday. We were planning on using sale of stock for a cash purchase. Well the recent losses in effect raised the price of an $80K MH to $95K. Needless to say, we are postponing purchase until things improve or we find a less expensive MH at a real good price.
 
My suggestion is to forget all the various mechanical specs and comparisons and concentrate on what is really important... THE FLOOR PLAN! If you?re not happy with your living space, no mechanical feature is going to fix that. Once you get into the market where you will be, there are not that many mechanical differences between various models any way.

I would agree with others here that you should be looking at coaches from 2000 through 2007. When the economy tanked in 2008, many manufacturers started getting cheap in an effort to cut costs as sales dried up. With $75,000 to spend, you can buy a high end coach from that era that was a $400,000+ coach when it was new.
 
Good advice from A Traveler.  Too many buyers get immersed in the tech stuff or worry about engine specs, but that stuff is more of a tie-breaker than a primary consideration.  My shorthand advice is to think like you are buying a house rather than a vehicle.  The house stuff has to be first and foremost, while the vehicle stuff merely needs to be adequate.  Some of the vehicle-related stuff my yield some extra satisfaction to the driver and is therefore a plus in the buy decision, but none of them are totally insufficient.
 
Well I have continued my search for a Class A, albeit virtually. I haven't seen one in person since the 2008 Monaco Camelot 36 a few weeks ago. It is a little above the top of my price range right now at $89K. Some of the most interesting possibilities are:

A 2006 40ft Monaco Camelot with a rear office configuration @ $70K.
A couple 36-38 foot Holiday Ramblers in my price range
A couple 38 ft Fleetwood Bounders (2007 & 2008) one with a rear bath and a 1/2 bath
A 2004 Monaco Diplomat 36PDQ with many owner upgrades including 960Watts of tilting solar panels, well set up for boondocking for $60K
A 2006 Fleetwood Discovery 35ft, 35K miles, one owner and stored indoors for $50K (Looks extremely well kept in pics)

I like the floor plans of the Fleetwood Bounder and the size and price of the Fleetwood Discovery. Any thoughts on any of these? I hope to be able to do some in person looking in a week or two. They vary in distance from me between 100 and 300 miles.
 
Nice, good price but a little far away. Thanks. I'll keep looking as I am not in a big hurry.
 
When the economy has trouble, the value of your investments may go down temporarily, but so will the price of toys (including RV's). So I wouldn't get too hung up on that, since those factors ought to even out.

GT928 said:
I'll keep looking as I am not in a big hurry.
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And that will definitely serve you best, in terms of finding the right rig and right price for you.
 
Since we have been "sheltering in place" for the past 6 weeks, I have had plenty of time to look at RV ads, but little opportunity to actually look at any in person. That should change in May. I have list of 20+ possibles, with a half dozen or so that I would plan to see. As my wife and I looked at endless photos and floor plans we identified some things that we seem to both be attracted to. It appears that 90% of class A's of a given year half similar floor plans with only minor, but sometimes appealing differences. The things we rate high are: rear bathrooms, W/D's located somewhere other than bedroom, generous night stand surfaces (not interested in king bed as it appears to impact the space too much), side radiator (not many have), Sani-con, TV located somewhere convenient in the living area other than overhead (or plan would allow me to modify), large kitchen countertop or side bar for coffee maker/toaster, tile, vinyl or wood floor in lieu of carpet, reasonably new tires, an oven. I know it is unlikely to have all our wishes met, but it is a target. I am trying to limit our search for higher end models in the 2004-2008 range.

Some questions about some specific things we have seen:

1. We have seen a few National Pacificas (2005-2008) that had a great layout and decent prices. What about the general quality of these units?

2. We have been impressed by a few of the Winnebago Vectra's we have seen. They appear to be quality well designed coaches. Any negatives on these?

3. How important is a side radiator?

4. How about mileage? Too low? Too high? How does a person only put 19,000 miles on a 15 year old coach? Any concerns with ones over 100K I should be aware of?

We are presently considering Winnebago Vectras, Monaco Camelots, National Pacificas, Fleetwood Revolutions, Itasca Meridians, all 40 footers. We have seen a few 36-38 footers we like including a really nice Country Coach, but it was sold before we could see it. We should be getting out and doing some serious looking in May and June. Would like to get something by July.
 
A couple years ago we made a round trip to Maine from California in out 32' motor home.  We were gone four months.  We took a lot of clothes and so we didn't have to use the laundromat more than a couple times.  I've heard RV washer dryers are not that good.  A couple things to consider is if you get an RV over 32' you may not be allowed in some state parks.  I would also think twice about getting a gasser over a diesel pusher.  You will get a little more gas mileage in a DP, but the maintenance is lot more expensive.  If you don't believe me check out how much to just change the oil.  I just spoke to a neighbor who has a fleet of diesel panel truck.  He complained about the up keep and told me he was switching over to gas.  It's just my two cents worth.  Good luck.
 
Well, about oil changes. Yes, my diesel takes twice as much oil than my old V8 but I only change it 1/3 as often so, actually less expensive in that way.

To the OP, where are you located?
I remember a member here in AZ with a country coach for sale.
 
I am in Cumming, GA just a bit north of Atlanta. I haven't been looking that far afield yet, but who knows for the right unit. I did buy a car from someone in Tucson one time and had it shipped to me.
 
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