Purchasing a used motor home that the manufacturer went out of business.

[rad]

Hi All,

 

We are looking at some different used Class A's to purchase. Some the manufacturer went out of business.

 

Can getting parts for a motorhome that the manufacturer went out of business be difficult? I understand there would be some difficulty...just how difficult maybe a better way to put it. Or another way is what brands sold there parts to an aftermarket supplier and have stock.

 

I understand a Cummins is a Cummins, an Allison is an Allison and a Cole Hersey switch is a Cole Hersey.

 

I'm talking coach specific parts around a 2008 vintage. This may be a vague question but I'd rather ask than be stuck somewhere with a nice coach that is dead in the water.

 

Are there some horror stories or maybe what brands are the hardest to get parts for?

 

 

Thank You

 

 

 

[TXiceman]

We seem to specialize in orphans and never had an issue. All of the components are made by someone else. Where you will have an issue is if you damage some of the trim pieces, like skirting, ends caps and such. A good boat shop can easily repair the fiberglass and a lot of the plastic pieces.

 

Have fun shopping.

 

Ken

[Kirk W]

I would mostly agree with Ken's view. Should you need major body repairs or structural issues, it could be very expensive but things like the appliances, chassis and power train, furniture, and such are all vendor supplied and so are available. Keep in mind also that as you look that far back there are many brands that are available today but the company that built them originally doesn't exist, but the name and assets were bought out by some other company. As an example, Fleetwood Mfg. was the largest company in the RV industry for many years but went into bankruptcy in 2010 and was dissolved by the courts with new owners taking most of the motorhome brands while the towable products just disappeared. Monaco Coach Corp. did that same thing in 2011 and while most of the brands that they built are still around as part of Allied Specialty Vehicles, the second owner since bankruptcy. Thor Industries has been buying up many smaller RV manufacturers as well and while some of those still operate as independent manufacturers, others have been combined. The result is that support for many currently available brands of RV is tenuous if it exists at all and not all that different from what one might have with an orphaned brand RV.

 

There are very few RV builders who keep much by way of parts for products that they built beyond 10 years or so and most don't build major body parts once a major design change has taken place. Even recently built RVs can be expensive to the point of insurance totaling them if much by way of major body parts are required. As long as you are able to buy insurance that will replace the RV in the event of a major accident, the risk is only a little greater with orphans than with current models which are 10 years or more old, with few exceptions.

[rad]

OK....Thank you for the knowledge. It helps me whittle the decision process down some more.

 

The Evergreen TT we sold a few months ago, i heard, just went out of business about a month ago. Nice TT and would still have it if we didn't want an all in one unit...a motorhome. We may ask some more questions but we think we are real close to a decision.

 

Thanks again

 

Ranney

[Smitty77_7]

Alpine, Country Coach, National, Travel Supreme are three examples of good quality orphan motor homes - and of course, many others.

 

On the coach you are looking into, suggest visiting a Owner's Forum, say on IRV2, and researching specifics for that brand and model.

 

Best of luck to you,

Smitty

[rad]

Thanks Smitty,

 

I'll go to that forum and check that out.

 

Ranney

[Barbaraok]

We own an orphan coach. The owners forum on iRV2 is invaluable in finding parts - usually it is someone who found the part and has the corresponding part number from the OEM, or from another manufacturer who now makes the part. Often small companies in the area where the coach was made have expanded their business to take on repairs of these coaches. Once you zero in on the coach you want, go to the Owner's Forums and ask questions of those who own that make/model of coach - - you will get the good, bad, and ugly answers that you need to make an informed decision.

 

Barb

[cactus]

We own an orphan coach. The owners forum on iRV2 is invaluable in finding parts - usually it is someone who found the part and has the corresponding part number from the OEM, or from another manufacturer who now makes the part. Often small companies in the area where the coach was made have expanded their business to take on repairs of these coaches. Once you zero in on the coach you want, go to the Owner's Forums and ask questions of those who own that make/model of coach - - you will get the good, bad, and ugly answers that you need to make an informed decision.

 

Barb

 

Great reply! And good advise!