Researching 40' - 45' diesel pusher RV. Looking at Monaco ?

[JEM ADV]

Hello, We are researching 40' / 45' diesel pusher, tag axle, RV and would like to ask your opinions. Have a CDL-A so more concerned with max combo length laws then if 40-45' is too much coach. There will always be trade offs. We are Considering 42' /43' due to N.C. max 60' combo law where we live. For now I'll list our known wants / desires and see if we are missing anything.

We like the quality/design of 2007-2008 Monaco Executive 45' tag axle with shaker style interior. Don't care for the higher end palace/renaissance fabrics found in Monaco "Signature Series" as beautiful as they are, we are looking for a simpler style.

King bed, Center bathroom, shower, toilet. washer, dryer, large fridge, kitchen with standard layout like Executive, dishwasher and plenty of storage. Would prefer pull down blinds including front windows vs curtains. 4 slide outs, really like the enclosed roof of 2007+ models is another reason for executive. Cummins appears to own the RV market. We are towing 5000 lb. in the mountains. Much steeper than any interstate grades. Only real concern about overall size is tight twisty back roads.

We are looking around the $100k to $150k range. Have seen some really nice ads/videos closer to $100 - $125k that we now feel is something we should have jumped at but didn't know enough at the time. A nice Monaco Executive just sold in AZ for $99,900. Price dropped to move and it did.

We are seeing Manaco - "Holiday Rambler" priced a little lower and many, many more available then Monaco Executive. The 2007-2008 Executive 45' is becoming very hard to find. Prices are going up as demand increases so we may wait this out till summer of 2021 and see if prices level out. We are in a bubble right now due to COVID.

Why 12 yr. old motorhomes? Videos talking about them being better built before the crash of 2009. I watched the price of vehicles double, triple and quality of vehicles decline for the money. So our LLC is going to purchase older model and register in a state with perm tag, etc. Put all the savings into restoring coach as needed.

Are there any models you would suggest we look at based on above description ?

Thank you very much and if you know of any For Sale... a point in the right direction would be much appreciated.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Have you looked at American Coach (Tradition,  Allegiance) of that same era?  Also Newmar Dutchstar & Mountainaire?

The HR models are clones of their Monaco sisters - no reason to avoid them at all. If priced lower, that makes them a relative bargain!

 

[donn]

Monaco name brand has gone through a number of owners.  Some great, some OK, and some horrible.  Do your research which family they belonged to before plunking down your money.
Are you looking strictly at MH length or total length including a toad?  Since you say you have a CDL, which BTW is unnecessary for a private motor coach you should know how to look up current length laws.  All states will have some roads with length restrictions.  In those cases you will need to study local routes first so as to not get into trouble.

 

[Tom]

My memory may be failing me, but I don't recall a Holiday Rambler equivalent to the Monaco Executive. Maybe Ardra will chime in (she and Jerry have an Executive).

I agree with Gary's suggested options - all nice coaches.

 

[ArdraF]

And here I am, Tom!  I never knew all that much about the Holiday Ramblers.  Lorna would know more about them.  I was looking for a model line-up such as we had with Monaco (Signature, Executive, Dynasty, etc.).  I see one list of MSRP prices with lowest being Admiral and highest being Navigator.  The Imperial is next highest.  So I guess we'd have to know which models were the high end and the low end to help figure out the good deals.  But, I do believe you're correct.  I don't recall any HR model that was considered as high end as the Executive.  Their highest end may have been similar to a Dynasty which was a great coach.  If the OP finds a good Executive, ours certainly has been a good solid performer.  Some of the techs told us they thought it was the best model they ever produced.  I think we passed 115,000 miles on our last trip.  About two years ago we had a major "tune-up" (by Performance Diesel in St. George UT) because we were losing power but felt it was money well-spent after all these years.

ArdraF

 

[Becks]

I think a Holiday Rambler Navigator would be close to a Executive.

 

[ArdraF]

The interesting thing about Monaco "back in the day" was the number of modifications they were willing to make at a reasonable cost.  For example, we liked the Dynasty bedroom but wanted the Executive which we liked better overall.  They said they would give us the Dynasty bedroom if it would fit because the diesel engine space couldn't be changed.  Fair enough.  So we have a Dynasty bedroom in an Executive and love it.  They also removed the lounge chairs and cocktail table so we could have a computer desk (a new concept at the time), modified the galley for a propane oven, changed the Corian counters to a style we preferred, made a flat ceiling instead of the glitzy mirrored kind, and a number of other things  We also wanted blue so they went back to year 2000 colors and did that too.  We've had many compliments on the exterior.  We've loved our modified Executive and still do!

ArdraF

 

[Larry N.]

We've had many compliments on the exterior.

It's gorgeous!

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

A big confusion factor is that Rev Group (which now owns the Monaco, HR, Beaver, Fleetwood, American Coach, Renegade, & Lance brands) has shuffled many of the model names around over the past few years, moving some brands upscale and others well downscale. Today's brand hierarchy is much different than it was in 2005-2008.

 

[Tom]

The original Monaco Coach also shuffled some models in/around the 2007 time frame, e.g. they eliminated the Windsor, and significantly upgraded the Camelot to fill its place. Meanwhile, the Dynasty received a significant upgrade.

As Ardra experienced with their Executive, Monaco was quite flexible with layout/features when ordering new from the factory. Friends of ours each ordered a Signature at the same time, with their own customizations. So you might find a Signature without some of the features you don't want/like.

 

[timjet]

In the price range you're looking at you have a lot of options. When I was looking my first priority was floor plan so I stuck to those coaches that had the specific floor plan I was looking at. Like others have mentioned the higher end Monaco's/HR, American Coaches, Dutch Stars and Tiffin Busses. All those will probably have IFS and side radiators and that's essential if you plan on maintaining it yourself. A slip mate just sold his '05 County Coach for around $99k and it was pristine. Coaches prior to '08 didn't have DEF or DPF's. I wouldn't shy away from one that did, but that's just one thing less to worry about.

Any coach over 40' will probably have a tag but if you can live with a 40 footer sans tag you will have more cargo space, less tires to buy and find more campground availability. I'm very happy with the handling characteristics of my non tagger but have never driven a tag.

Of course everything being equal, the newer the better.

 

[WILDEBILL308]

"We are looking around the $100k to $150k range. Have seen some really nice ads/videos closer to $100 - $125k". I think you are doing yourself a disservice when You are limiting your self to one brand/make.
I would start at some better quality coaches like this one.
https://www.motorhomesoftexas.com/Pre-owned-Inventory-2007-Foretravel-Motorhome-Phenix-45-Phenix-8753756?ref=list
Pre emission 600hp coach. 

Tell me what you think of this one?
https://www.nirvc.com/Sales/Inventory/6326CC
I am giving you fair warning about going to look. I did and something followed me home.?
Bill