buying used & replacement timetable

[Kiltedpig]

For coaches 6 years and older you probably need to purchase new tires.

For coaches 10 years and older you probably need to plan on fixing or replacing the refrigerator, heater, water heater and a/c.

For DP coaches over 10 years old you probably need to plan on changing air bags etc.

 

Am I on the right track, is there anything you can add. I am trying to evaluate the purchase of a gasser or a DP. For the same money up front there are other costs I need to consider.

[Bill w/bus]

For the same price I'd go diesel. Reasons: Carrying capacity, power and longer life. As an experiment install a manifold vacuum gauge on a gas engined motorhome. You will find that on a level road at, say, 60 MPH that the engine will be pulling about 12 to 14" of vacuum. That is an indication that the engine is really working.

Anyway my $0.02.

Bill

[Kirk W]

There is no way to accurately predict the life span of an RV appliances since there are too many factors involved. The typical RV is used only for vacations and weekends and so the appliances are used 30 to 60 days per year and so if well cared for they might last far more than 10 years. Even full time there are many factors that play into things such as how much a refrigerator is operated when off level, the mineral content of the water used in a water heater, and the maintenance that each has been given.

 

It is true that RV appliances do typically begin to fail somewhere beyond 10 years of life, especially if used full-time, but that don't mean that they will fail, only that it the degree of probability has begun to rise. It is also very common for RV shops to replace some appliances, especially refrigerators and air conditioners that could have been repaired, if they had qualified technicians. The quality of power supplied to the RV also plays a part and those which have wired in line monitor devices tend to mean longer lived appliances.

 

We did experience a major refrigerator failure at 11 years of age and a water heater tank failed at 12 years, both with more than 10 years of fulltime living. At year 13 we had some indications of issues brewing with one air conditioner. We had a few summers in those years where we experienced many summer days when the front a/c would run constantly from 10 am to 8 pm or so every day so it had a lot of use and had given some hints of problems to come.

 

The entire issue is a gamble and especially so with any used RV because you do not know what sort of maintenance the RV has received and what kind of use it has been subjected to. Probably the biggest advantage of buying new is that you then know the entire history of the RV and all of it's many parts.

 

On tires, I tend to agree with your view as most modern class A tires will run 7 to 10 years if treated right and kept at proper inflation and not overloaded, but with used you just do not know and a blown tire can easily cause damages costing hundreds or even thousands of dollars to repair.

 

The wise RV buyer always allows for the possibility of needing to replace or repair his appliances as the alternative could mean that you are unable to continue to travel. That same thing is true for the engine and running gear. Even when you have owned the RV since it was new there are some who experience some very expensive repairs in their early years of travel. There are no guarantees and no sure ways to know but being prepaired for a major repair is always the best plan, particularly if buying used.