Usual questions

[gayle marlowe]

Hi to all the current members. We are new to the site and have a few questions that probably thousands have asked already.
We have had a couple of small bumper pull trailers and have decided we want to take the plunge for a diesel pusher. Figured we would start used, reasonably priced, to see if it fit our wants. Thinking 35-40 ft, major brands such as Tiffin, Monaco, Newmar, Fleetwood Dream, etc.
Our question is: buying an older DP is certainly much less expensive than one a couple of years old, but what would it be worth after us owning it for maybe 3-5 years, and could we even sell a coach that is closing in on 20 yrs old? We have noticed the ones for sale that get past 15 years old are seemly very difficult to sell for any amount of money.
Second question: we live in the Colorado mountains and should we be looking for something that has more than the usual 300-330 hp? Have noticed a lot of overheating problems posted that relate to lugging the engine down.
Third: slide or not? We have critters at home and can't get away for more that 2-3 weeks at a time. Do we really need a slide for short trips that will involve more travel than parking. Will the no slide units be sellable in the future?
Thanks in advance to all you experts out there for any comments you can give us.
We are trying to make a reasonably correct decision.
Gayle & Linda Marlowe
Beulah, Co

 

[Lowell]

Welcome!  Some of your questions will be responded to quite soon, I have no doubt.  But you might also get some help by clicking the library  buttom near the top of the page.  And the Search function works well for  specific threads.  For example,  There was recently lots of discussion on "slides or not".

 

[Dan Walters]

Hi Gayle and Linda and welcome to the RV Forum.  I'll try to answer your questions the best I can and I'm sure you will have others that will reply with some good advice.

We bought an older diesel pusher a little over a year ago and went through some of the same questions that you have.  We bought a 2000 American Dream with one slide and a 330 hp Cummins engine.  I don't know what it will be worth in 3-5 years but I do know that if you keep it in good condition it will depreciate much less (or should I say much slower) than one that is only 2 or 3 years old.  The blue book value on mine has gone down about $10,000 since I got it 15 months ago if that gives you an idea on book depreciation.  The actual value if I were to sell it will depend on the area of the country, the condition of the coach and the market at the time I would try to sell it, so it's kinda hard to say what the real depreciation is.  I just know it won't depreciate as fast as a newer one.

As far as the mountains go, a good rule of thumb is to get a coach with at least 1 horsepower for each 100 pounds of weight.  Our coach has a GVWR of 32,000 pounds and actually weighs in at just over 29,000 pounds loaded for travel.  Add the weight of our toad at 3,800 pounds and we are traveling at 32,800 pounds.  Our 330 hp should be adequate for that load and we have found it it be so when traveling.  We have been on some fairly steep grades with it and while it doesn't storm up the mountain, it performs adequately for us.  If you want to go uphill faster, get a higher horsepower to weight ratio.  We have a side radiator on ours and have not had any problems with overheating.

Having a slide out does give you much more living space.  We have had 2 previous motorhomes that did not have a slide and it does make a big difference in the space to move around, even if you are only gone 2 or 3 weeks at a time.  I think once you have a slide out you won't want to go back to a coach without one.  I think coaches with slides are easier to sell than those without and may bring a bit more money.  I know I wish mine had a second slide in the bedroom, but it's not bad with just the living room/kitchen slide.  I think finding a coach with a floorplan that you like and one that fits your needs is the most important thing to look at when buying new or used, so look at a lot of them.

Hope some of this has helped.  We love to travel in Colorado and hope to be up there again soon.  Good luck with your search for a coach and have fun shopping.

Dan

 

[Kim (skyking4ar2) Bertram]

I think it is safe to say it is next to impossible to predict the market on used vehicles, but especially motorhomes. I think there are some indicators and some support for buying a used coach that was a quality coach when it was new, but maybe the more important question is how much are you willing to risk, knowing it will depreciate at a rapid rate?

We purchased our first coach when it was four years old, bought it at a good price, then traded it for a new one two years later at a reasonable price. We know we are taking a hit, but also are getting a tremendous amount of use out of it as full timers. We will be in it for some time to come, which makes that kind of decision easier, too.

As for horsepower, our first coach was a 300 hp Cat and pulled our Honda throughout the West with ease (not speed!). We never crawled a hill but we never shot over the top either. Personally, I was never embarrassed to get over a hill slowly but surely and we never overheated. You should also appreciate that time of day and time of year can make a huge difference in the mountains. Our solution was to run the hills in the cool of the early morning.

Both of our coaches have been four slides, and the room is a requirement for us as full timers. My first coach was sold before it hit the trade in lot because it had four slides. Deduce what you will about the slides and their effect on resale.

Do your homework, listen to the opinions and experiences of others, but make your own decisions. What works for me or others, may not be anything near the way it will work for you. And there is not just one way to do it.

Enjoy the process ? it?s half the fun! Welcome to the Forum!

 

[gayle marlowe]

Thanks for the input. I looked thru the library and got some good info on slides and other items.
Dan, I appreciate your response concerning the HP, age, and slides also. In our process of looking for a good value, it seems to be that a DP, well taken care of, about 6-10 yrs old, is a really good value right now. One thing I did not think of, that the liberary mentioned, was the difference between a fiberglass roof and a rubber roof. Good info to be aware of.
Well, on to our search for the perfect buy!!!
Thanks guys.
Gayle & Linda Marlowe

 

[Jammer]

We have had a couple of small bumper pull trailers and have decided we want to take the plunge for a diesel pusher. Figured we would start used, reasonably priced, to see if it fit our wants. Thinking 35-40 ft, major brands such as Tiffin, Monaco, Newmar, Fleetwood Dream, etc.
Our question is: buying an older DP is certainly much less expensive than one a couple of years old, but what would it be worth after us owning it for maybe 3-5 years, and could we even sell a coach that is closing in on 20 yrs old? We have noticed the ones for sale that get past 15 years old are seemly very difficult to sell for any amount of money.

In my opinion you're looking too far back unless you are comfortable doing your own chassis (and coach) maintenance.

With older RVs much depends on how they have been used, stored, and maintained over their service life.  If they're kept indoors, used lightly, and caught up on maintenance then there's still some value left. 

Second question: we live in the Colorado mountains and should we be looking for something that has more than the usual 300-330 hp? Have noticed a lot of overheating problems posted that relate to lugging the engine down.

Much depends on how slow you're willing to tolerate and whether you'll pull a toad.

Third: slide or not? We have critters at home and can't get away for more that 2-3 weeks at a time. Do we really need a slide for short trips that will involve more travel than parking. Will the no slide units be sellable in the future?

I don't like slides but am in the minority.  I see them as a critical part prone to leakage and failures that can disrupt a trip.

Thanks in advance to all you experts out there for any comments you can give us.
We are trying to make a reasonably correct decision.
Gayle & Linda Marlowe
Beulah, Co

If it's just the two of you, and you're more travel than destination oriented, take a look at the Airstream Interstate, which is large B van built on a Sprinter chassis with a diesel engine.  No slides, reasonably priced, and might be a better fit for you that would allow you to get into a much newer RV for the same money.

 

[bucks2]

I just have a few observations. They may or may not make sense to others, but they seem to do ok for me.

How many new motorhomes do you see on the lots without slides? Does anyone suppose the MFG's put them in because they're cheaper than a solid wall or because they sell MH's? While some people may prefer not to have one, the vast majority, IMHO, want them and will not even look at a rig without them.

If you buy a $30,000 MH and a big component, refer, furnace, engine, trans, etc goes bad how much are you willing to put into it to make it run? Would you expect to ever get your money back on that type of expense? I'd guess not, so you're taking a gamble on too old of a rig. With any gamble, some win and some lose, how would you feel if you were the loser on this type of loss? Would it ruin RVing for you?

You can't have too much horsepower. Period. End of story. You can live with less HP, but it's not as much fun. Opt for more if there is a choice.

Slide outs one more time. When it's pouring rain outside would you rather sit in a small closet or the living room at your stick and brick? If you think you'll always be in the sunshine and a day of rain won't dampen your spirits then maybe you can live without a slide. If you go camping and sometimes it rains for a week straight, you'll kick yourself every day. Just my opinion, but I lived 53 years in the Pacific Northwet. (not a typo)  I know about rain and grey sky.

And last but by no means least. Why on earth would you buy something with the idea that you might not like it and have plans to trade for something else? You have experience with camping in your trailers. You know if you like the lifestyle. Now you're interested in upgrading to more comfort, some more room, etc. Look at MH's on lots, on craigslist, on the corner with a for sale sign. Walk around in them, sit in them, close the door and imagine you're there for the week. This will give you a good idea what you want. Read about hydro-hot's, heat pump AC units, Allison transmissions, diesel engine maintenance, carpet versus tile floors, east/west and north/south beds, and so on. Then, sit down and talk about what you need, now and 20 years from now.

Then, go looking for what you really want and can afford. Make an educated guess and buy something that will last and make you happy for years to come, not something that you'll live with until you can trade up again. You will lose money buying and selling RV's unless you are a real whiz which most of us are not. The fewer times you buy and sell, the better rig you can buy when you do need to.

Ken

 

[dave61]

Ken,

Exactly! Couldn't have said it better.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

All good advice here so far, so I'll try to add to it rather than repeat.

You said...

We have noticed the ones for sale that get past 15 years old are seemly very difficult to sell for any amount of money.

"For any amount of money" are the operative words. Older motorhomes sell easily enough when the price is right, but the price is often lower than the seller might wish. If you sell privately, the buyer is looking for a bargain and expects a substantial discount vs dealership prices. And if you sell/trade to a dealer, you are getting only wholesale value. So yes, you are going to lose money when you sell.  You can mitigate that to some extent in a private sale by keeping it in good condition and keeping service records, but that has little effect in a dealer trade.

The "floor" price for a working diesel pusher is probably around $15k and probably more like $20k for the nicer models in decent condition. So if you buy a $30k coach and keep it up, you don't have much downside risk. And a slide definitely adds to the value vs non-slide units. I would suggest one of the more upscale models, which are always attractive to cash buyers looking for something nice.  The elegance of an older luxury-class unit has a cachet all of its own.

 

[Dan Walters]

Gayle and Linda,

Lots of good advice from everyone.  I didn't mention the roof, but that is something to look at.  Both of my previous motorhomes had rubber roofs and my current American Dream has a fiberglass roof.  I can tell you that I like the fiberglass roof much better.  It's easier to keep clean and I think it's more durable and requires less maintenance than rubber.  Most motorhomes prior to about 2000 had rubber roofs except some of the higher end coaches.  About that time more and more started using fiberglass roofs, so it's just something to consider when shopping. 

I think you are correct about the good value found in DP's in the 6 to 10 year old range.  Like Gary said, I think a more upscale model will be easier to sell later, but like Ken said try to find one you will be happy with for a long time.  It doesn't mean you'll never sell it, but the longer you can keep and use it the more value and enjoyment you will get from it.

Dan

 

[gayle marlowe]

WOW!
I knew we had hit the right website. You guys are really good at getting right to the points that matter, especially to us. I really like the input from all of you, especially the issue of how old and how much to spend. I guess I am still up in the air about the dependability of slides, but they are all coming with them, probably because everybody wants them. Wife likes the idea.
I think we are going to try to raise the amount we had planned on spending to try to get a slightly newer unit, well taken care of, a premier brand, and see what pops up. We are definitely not going to jump at first sight. It's hard, but we are going to take our time looking, even if it takes a few long distance trips to kick the tires.
Thanks again guys, terrific info. Will keep you posted on our hunting success.
Gayle & Linda Marlowe