Motorhome must haves and nice to haves

[2gypsies]

Also keep in mind that many 'wants' can be added after market when you can objectively decide if you really want them. Zero in on some quality manufacturers first then start comparing options and standards on different floorplans. We would highly recommend Newmar if you're buying used. Keep in mind that Tiffin (Allegro) has had some bad years with problems that should have been fixed or should have not happened in the first place such as roof problems and wet bay rot. You might want to go on an owner's forum to find out the bad years for them. IRV2.com has some good owner forums. Read. Read. Read. and talk to owners in campgrounds. We chose our Newmar by doing that and getting top recommendations for the Newmar company. We haven't been disappointed in 10 years. They build mostly to order so you won't find masses of them on RV lots. If you purchase used you will likely have many special things added as they will customize their motorhomes. Good luck!

[BarbDan17]

Thanks to everyone for all your feedback. I've begun making a list of all your suggestions and you've provided some things I hadn't thought about. Once you bought your Class A, whether it was Gas or Diesel, what things did you say gee, I wish had thought about this? As 2gypsies said, "many wants can be added after market". So what kind of things didn't you get that you added after market?

 

I agree about the floor plan being critical for two reasons, 1-you have to live in it, 2-what can you live in without the slides out. I found with our TT, with no slides in the BR, I really don't like having to walk sideways to get around the bed. So I've learned the hard way about floor plans.

 

I'm seriously interested in your valuable learning experiences and hope to someday repay the experience by sharing with other newbies in the future.

 

Keep those "must haves" and "nice to haves" coming.

 

Barbara and Dan

[LFDR3116]

We only have one thing that we really don't like. 1) The position of the tv

 

The thing we do like is that walk thru bathroom area that is not in our bedroom. There is a sliding door between the main living area and the bedroom bathroom area. One can close off the rear of the motorhome with that door and have privacy to shower, dress, sleep or whatever using the bedroom and bathroom. Also with the shower being away from the bedroom, all that humidity can be let out of the ceiling fan and not saturate your bedding. This would matter if you are in a humid climate. We only have the 1 bathroom, but that is penty of the 2 of us. We very seldom need to use it at the same time. It hasn't been a problem when we had family staying either.

[Kirk W]

We've fulltimed in our Super C for 3 years....................

I have friends that have windshield problems with their class A's. One was sitting for a couple of months then one evening crack the windshield broke. Is this common?

I envy you just a little bit. The Super C is what we would own today, had our budget been large enough. Both Pam & I look at those with some degree of envy, I think because they are uncommon and perhaps just a little bit of macho. On the windshield issue, it is not common for that kind of windshield issue but can happen to any windshield. The only time that I ever had that happen to a vehicle of mine it was in the Jeep we used to own.

I've begun making a list of all your suggestions and you've provided some things I hadn't thought about. Once you bought your Class A, whether it was Gas or Diesel, what things did you say gee, I wish had thought about this?

The one big item that Pam opted not to get that we would absolutely require is a convection oven/microwave combo. And we would then dispense with having any gas oven and simply have the cook-top and the combo oven.

 

We also didn't have a washer/dryer and would probably reconsider on that one, if it didn't short us on space in some other area. With the motorhome that we had, the washer/dryer would have meant a much smaller bathroom and that we would not give up to get the washer dryer. We consider the roomy bathroom to be a must have.

 

One other thing that we had which I don't believe has been mentioned is that our coach was a "side aisle" model which means that the passage by the bathroom to the bedroom was out along the outside wall and at the foot of the bed, and any view into the bedroom from the living area was blocked by our kitchen. That gave us a totally separate bedroom, meaning that when one was sick the other could use the living area with no disruption or disturbing of the one who was ill.

 

Remember that even when living in an RV, all of the problems that you experience now will happen on the road as well. All too often people believe that going on the road will leave any problems that they now have behind, but things do have a way of following us. Illness is only one of those things. In our years on the road we experienced injury, illness, surgery, and the death of a parent and of a friend.

[The Quiet Assassin]

If you have slides be sure you can use the toilet and the kitchen with the slides in.

 

Leveling jacks

 

A generator that can be started from inside the coach. Memories of watching a fellow boondocker unlocking his stowage filling it with fuel and carrying the Honda well downwind before starting it. All in the rain.

 

Basement heating.Beats lighting diesel soaked newspaper under the frozen water pump.

[Jimalberta]

Good points Assassin, I agree with those. Our MH can be used with slides in and we love that while travelling. Sometimes in heavy rain I will bring in the slides as well just to avoid leaks.

 

A gen that you can start from inside is very nice to have. Didnt have that on my fiver and had to get out my Honda all the time although it wasnt that big of a deal. Going out late at night to shut it off was a pain though. My DP has a set up where the gen will auto start if the batteries get low...havent tried using it though.

 

To the OP ........as you can see even people on here with lots of experience disagree on some things so at some point you have to just bite the bullet and decide after sifting through the best advice and some of the recycled ignorance on here. What you are doing on the forum here by ask g questions is a good start. I even have done that in RV parks by walking up to owners and asking them about their unit they have always been very friendly and open about that.

[SWharton]

Someplace to put your laptop, printer and personal files, plus a built-in safe.

[Jim & Alice]

A generator that can be started from inside...

 

Little thing, I know, but when you've been driving all day, and the rain has started... it is great to pull over into a Days End Boondock area, crank up the genny, slides out, Satellite Dish up, and microwave supper.

 

Also, the Gas vs. Diesel thing... My experience after close to two years fulltiming, is that we are quite happy in a 36' USED gas motorhome. We have plenty of room, the problems are fixable, costs on the road are minimal, and we still have the bulk of 30 years of 401k/403b savings in place... along with our S & B house. in other words, we did not 'break the retirement bank' by buying a fine Class A motor home that happens to be on a Ford F53 Gas Chassis. And it handles mountains quite well (Try I-15 between Phoenix and Flagstaff!).

 

I would not argue that a Diesel is not a good thing... but I would argue against any notion that a couple could only be happy in a Diesel. Simply ain't true, folks.

Jim

[nana25k]

Yes we also can set our power center to start the Genny when the batteries hit a certain level. However the best part is that Ron has a start switch right on his night stand. And I can hit the rear heat pump from my side. Pure heaven when we a boondocking in the desert and wake up to a chill in the air!!!!

[Solo18]

I wasn't going to respond to this because I didn't think I could add anything, but in my next motorhome, I would REALLY like a more accessible sewer connection. (I am a short, older female, and my arms are not as long as apparently the manufacturer thought they would be, so I end up sticking my head in the utility compartment to reach connection.) Would also like to be able open the utility area without unhooking the water hose!

 

This is stuff newcomers never look at.

 

Also, it would be nice to have light fixtures where short people like me can turn on and off without standing on their toes or jumping up and down! Light fixtures with the controls on the ceiling fixture itself also means children cannot turn lights on or off. Luckily I have enough lights that I can easily reach.

 

Other than these small annoyances, my Class C fits me very well and is very comfortable to live in.

[skp51443]

Solo18, We fixed the too tall light problem with a 1/2 inch dowel and a rubber chair leg protector. Wife could easily reach any of the tall lights, also the fantastic fan switches and with the rubber grippy leg cap even turn the knobs.

[Ropeshaft]

There have always been and will always be anecdotal stories of people who have this kind of experience, but the new sales continue to be successful because most of the new buyers are actually satisfied.

My positive new buying experience may also be anecdotal but it's the only experience I have. New 2011 Coachmen Mirada 35DS had 2 minor issues that were addressed to my satisfaction by dealer while I waited in their customer lounge. New 2014 Tiffin 36LA had 12 minor issues that were addressed to my satisfaction by dealer while I waited in their customer lounge. To each his own when it comes to buying new or used. I like new stuff but I am thankful there are people who buy used so there is a market for mine when it is time to sell. I don't fulltime like the OP plans to do but if I did fulltime, I would have no concerns about doing it in my 36LA. It does have all the "must haves" the OP mentioned.

[Medico]

For aftermarket additions, I would consider an induction cooktop such as the Nuwave (I thinks that's the name). Our neighbor has 2 and just loves them. Cooks fast, uses less electricity, and no propane.

 

If I could find a bath and a half that I could make a good deal on, that would be great. A single bathroom can be a chore when you have guests. A single bathroom can even be a problem with just 2 of you.

[Dutch_12078]

I wasn't going to respond to this because I didn't think I could add anything, but in my next motorhome, I would REALLY like a more accessible sewer connection. (I am a short, older female, and my arms are not as long as apparently the manufacturer thought they would be, so I end up sticking my head in the utility compartment to reach connection.) Would also like to be able open the utility area without unhooking the water hose!

 

As others have said, aftermarket additions and alterations can often fix the shortcomings of an otherwise good coach. Our new to us Landau Class A, for example, had a really awkward sewer connection setup that used up almost 4 feet of hose just to get to the outside of the coach! And even then the hose exit point was a couple of feet under a slide. Also, the fresh water hose entry was right under the sewer hose connection in the bay, making that awkward to access as well. I did notice the awkward setup before buying the rig, but it was obviously not a deal killer. I've since relocated the sewer connection and water hose entry to much more convenient locations. I also relocated the water pump from a bedside cabinet (What were they thinking!) to the wet bay, along with adding flexible hose loops to quiet it to a whisper inside. With a few hours work and a few new parts, the coach is now much nicer to setup and live in.

[Smitty77_7]

OP - You are where many of us have been at one time or another. You know you want an RV, and now you are going thru the process to decide what kind, and with what kind of equipment. Keep on researching, reading posts like this on this board and others. Both of you go attend a few larger RV shows if you can, or visit several RV Dealers and go sit in, kick tires, crawl around. (Take ear plugs when you go to the dealers as you are in a fact gathering phase, and sometimes what comes out of a salesman's mouth may not be factual:)!). Start listing your 'Must Have's' and 'Nice to Have's'. (We put ours in an Excel Spread Sheet, and added a scoring column. Each item a coach had was defaulted to 1 point. Each of us were given up to 5 areas to 'weight' an item higher (we used up to 5 additional points max for an item. For example, I wanted to have Side Radiator, so that got 5 points. DW wanted a large galley, so that got 5 points. This way the items that are important, get reflected in the total grade of points, if the coach has them.)

 

After kicking several tires, and walking in many coaches, come up with a short list of manufactures and models and years that meet both our list of items important to you, and remain within the budget range. That budget range, should allow you to buy a gently used few years back higher end coach.

 

I also am a big believer in buying the highest quality coach that you can, while remaining within budget. Drop years as needed, to remain within budget while buying the higher quality coach. Quality lasts. And, keep a bit of budget set aside for both catch up baseline maintenance, if needed. And also any minor changes and upgrades on interiors, if needed.

 

And have fun doing all of this!!!

 

Some things to consider, and many are repeats, in no particular order:

 

-Side radiator vs rear

-Tag vs non tag (Yes for more CCC, but also for more stable ride)

-Mid Size Block engine, or Large Size Block engine (Calculate Power to Weight Ratio, and look for at least 1HP for each 1K of weight. More is better. And add our toads weight into this, and also add some weight include what you may carry with you. IMO, a larger BIG CAT or ISM/ISX Cummins or BIG Detroit engine, will often times give you the same MPG as a medium size block (Cat C7 or C9, Cummins ISC or ISL) engine, as the are working harder to move you down the road, or up that hill.)

-Jake Brake vs Exhaust Brake (And another advantage of Big Blocks, is you get more Braking HP from the Jake Compression, sometimes also get 3 Stage vs 2 Stage.)

-On braking assist, Retarder or not? (If transmission retarder braking assist, a nice option, pretty much points you at Foretravel, a fine coach.)

-Air suspension, and how sophistication of the suspension. In general the higher end coaches will have good suspension systems in them. But like in the Monaco line, the Roadmaster 4 "RR4" in the entry level coaches, will not give you as good or a ride as in the higher end Executive/Dynasty/Etc. suspensions with RR8 or RR10 or RRS chassis. (More air bags, inner and outer air bags, and more shocks. All just using the Monaco line as an example. Other builders use different levels of Spartan or Freightliner chassis. And again others have their own speciality chassis like Alpine has the respected Peek, Country Coach has the fine Dynamax, etc.)

-Generator on slide vs non slide. And diesel vs propane.

-How many slides on the coach? More slides make more living space. But more slides also add weight and complexity, and can impact accessibility to underneath storage. Compromises are two or three slides, with usually the passenger front area being non slide, to allow better access to underneath.

-On slides, some National and State Parks and older RV Parks can be tight with slides all around.

-Remaining on slides. Kitchen in a slide, or not? While not a real big deal, kitchens in slides do have moving plumbing, and also lose upper cabinet storage space.

-Queen vs King bed

-Good access to important areas while slides are in

-Tank size large enough? Water/Grey/Black/Fuel

-All electric or combo electric and propane and diesel

-If all electric, battery house bank total capacity needs to be higher

-Inverter MSW or PSW (Not a deal breaker on an older higher end coach, as they can be upgraded, or smaller PSW added for specialty areas.)

-If you plan on a percentage of Boondocking, think about Solar Panel. (Again not a deal breaker, as they can be added.)

-Hydro/Aqua Hot or not

-Floor heating or not

-Quality of wood working high, or stapled glued together? (Usually not a problem on higher end coaches)

-You mention water closet, and desire for 1 1/2 baths

-Cargo bay size, sliding trays or not

-Air leveling or hydraulic. Both can be automatic, and both have pro's and con's

-Solid one piece roofs or not

-Independent Front Suspensions or not

-TV viewing area in relation to sitting area

-Dual couches or combo chairs and couches

-Dishwasher or not (Dishwashers take space, but usually consume less water/grey tank usage then manual washing of dishes

-Smog controls on engine era? Newer coaches have DEF as an example. Some feel dropping years to a higher quality coach with less smog controls on the engine - is an advantage. (I did, as I was looking for pre 2006 smog impacted engines.)

 

Also ask yourselves and research if you want to 'self insure' for potential problems that may popup, or spend the funds for an extended warranty. Budget accordingly. Man take the funds that an extended warranty would costs, and park it as the start of a 'contingency fund', then add a bit each year to this. As with moving homes, it's not if - it's when - something will pop up!

 

I'll stop here, but you get the idea to start coming up with lists that meet your needs for both a 'mechanical/chassis' and 'house' section.

 

You can also find other searches on IRV2 and RV.Net ando ther forums, opinons on 'high end' Class A's. All good reading and adds to your knowledge base to go hunting for your coach. One last comment on shooting for a higher end coach, quality lasts, and these rigs make a great foundation to work with. Interiors can be changed over to your two specific needs, and if factored into the purchase up front - you're ready for it. Old saying buy your last RV first is a great thing to strive for:)!

 

Have fun, and good hunting when the time becomes,

Smitty

[BarbDan17]

All-

 

Thank you so much for all your comments. I've compiled a spreadsheet. While we may not need or want everything, or want to add to it, the list at least gives us things to check off while looking at motorhomes. Sometimes we get so dazzled we may not pay attention to all the details, so the list helps keep us grounded and makes us pay more attention.

 

I was going to attach the spreadsheet, but don't see a way to do it. Maybe I just missed it. Anyway, if any other newbies could benefit from this thread they can read through it. There is a lot of information.

 

Thanks again. Safe travels!

 

Barbara & Dan

[Roger & Karen]

I sure as heck would not want to be the buyer of the DP that we traded in on our new coach. We told the dealer everything that wrong with it, but they put lipstick on the pig and sold it.

 

Karen

[Falcon]

Unless you have a strong desire to buy new and can handle the severe depreciation, for $150K you can get a real nice gently used DP with all the bells and whistles. We're in our fourth year of FT, the first three in a TT. Our new to us Monaco has all the features we want and couldn't come near to affording if new. We wanted, and got, stacked W&D, res refrigerator, built in desk, air suspension/ brakes, Aqua Hot, and a tag axle among other things. Take your time and look at new and used to get a better feel for what's out there.

[BarbDan17]

Karen-

 

Your comment is my deepest concern of buying used. While you told the dealer every issue on the rig, I'm certain the information was not shared with the next purchaser and makes me only want to buy new. :-(

 

On the other hand, Dan and Arlene, your comment are exactly why we are considering a gently used DP.

 

Plus.....you made me learn something new. I had no idea what a tag axle was, but after googling it I am now smarter than I was the day before. :-) Momma always said if you learn something new you don't get any older that day. THANKS, I needed that!

 

Safe travels all!

 

Barbara & Dan

[SWharton]

We like to buy new but we seriously vet our dealers. Our last purchase was a 38' 5th Wheel, dealers PDI lasted a week, he tested every system including filling the tanks with water and looking for water leaks. We had a list of our personal wants that he completed inclucing installing solar(we sent him the solar system).

 

We had no problems with the trailer, went back once for a Dometic recall, scheduled the appt, drove down, he gave us his car, went to lunch at a fast food place, drove back and trailer was ready.

 

We are beginning to think MH for us and would like to buy from him, we want a gas but he only carries Jayco and Newmar(he won't carry junk) and this year none of the floor plans are to our liking.

 

Hopefully the 2015 will be better but for now we are liking the Winnebago 36y.

[Roger & Karen]

BarbDan17:

 

I just wanted to put out my experience. I agree that there are wonderful pre-loved RVs out there. As long as one understands that all used RVs are not the same, an intelligent decision may be made.

 

Best of luck.

 

Karen

[BarbDan17]

Karen-I appreciate your input. Thanks!

 

SWarton-yes, we will be giving a lot of time to this decision and finding the best fit for the MH, the dealership, the person inspecting it for us....etc., Best wishes in your search!

[Zulu]

My DH and I have decided on a Class A motorhome for FT. Our next decision is Gas or Diesel.

 

My vote is for a used DP. My first Class A was a new gasser, but my current RV is a DP. While you certainly can travel in a gas Class A (or Class B, C, Fifth Wheel, etc), I'd suggest a Class A DP over a Class A gasser for several reasons: typically a DP will have a better ride, more torque for easier hill climbing, and more cargo carrying capacity.

 

Must haves? This is very dependent on individual tastes. That said, I'd need . . . 2000W inverter/charger . . . some type of basic solar setup (maybe a couple of 240W panels) . . . Auto-generator start (AGS) system . . . washer/dryer . . . Winegard Travler . . . good water filtration system . . . basement slide out trays (aging diminishes one's ability to climb into an RV basement), . . .

 

However, several of the things I mentioned could be installed after the purchase -- if you're handy (or by someone else).

 

Post Script:

 

I saw your budget and did some RV "window shopping" or what I'd look at for your $100-150K budget:

• 2005 Country Coach Magna 630 ($144k)

• 2006 Newmar Mountain Aire ($106k)

• 2005 Country Coach Inspire ($83k)

 

Regardless, make sure to leave $$$ in your RV budget for upgrades/repairs.

[Roger & Karen]

Zulu: I wish that I could "like" your post 1,000 times.

 

 

Karen

[BarbDan17]

Zulu-great list! Thanks for the AGS too. Since you wrote out what is stood for it's one less thing I have to look up. I'm learning a lot from these posts. Whether they are must have's or nice to have's, if I don't know what it is, I've gotta look it up. So I'm more informed in the long run.

 

Kirk-I forgot to thank you for the link to your site with the write up of Extended Warranties. Thanks a bunch. Very helpful!

 

BTW-Zulu, I think I see a Personal Shopper job in your future. I had been going to PPL several times (since a lot of people recommend them) and was intrigued by the Inspire. I usually bounce the listings against the RV Consumer Group Price & Ratings Guide. While a lot of people have told us to find a quality manufacturer, no one said who these manufacturers were. The guide helps me to discover this.

 

Safe travels.

 

Barbara & Dan