Please help us decide on our 1st Motorhome :)

[MikeysNewRide]

Hello All,

This is my very first post! My name is Mike. I live here in California, and I'm married with 3 beautiful young girls. My wife and I have been talking about buying our very first RV for a little over 2 years now. I have a ton to write but will "TRY" to keep it detailed and short. Looking to everyone's expertise here to help us out and I'm TOTALY open to suggestions.

Recently our family conversations about getting a Class-C Motorhome is becoming a hot topic and we are getting ready to pull the trigger WE ARE REALLY NOT IN A HURRY, WANT TO TAKE TIME TO ASK QUESTIONS AND FIND A KILLER DEAL. There is just soooooooooo much information out there that honestly your head can spin. Over the last couple weeks we looked at Travel Trailers and then realized ya we can buy new but I need to buy a truck then we are talking easy $60k again. We originally set our limit to $45k, but realized if we want to be really happy for years to come and have the most convenience, we need to spend a little more so we now raised it to a FINAL MAX of $62k and we know that we'd rather buy from Private party not only to be able to negotiate a little better but also not pay sales tax like we would if we bought at a RV dealership. We are looking for a unit with auto-leveling jacks and the floor plan that has the couch across from the table to make conversation easier on trips.
So we have definitely decided on a Class C and we know for sure we want a Bunkhouse because that's where we will stick 2 of the 3 little ones if we ever bring my mom and dad or my inlaws on a camping trip and when we don't have anyone else, I'm sure they will sleep up top in the front.

So here is our "little" dilemma. We LOVE the Jayco Greyhawk 32FS model which has the bunkhouse. We don't want to buy new just because we don't want to lose a ton of money driving it off the lot. It's also a TON of money that we don't want to spend. We also loved the Winnebago Minnie Winnie bunkhouse model I believe 31G. However the Winnebago's are even harder to find than the Jayco's. We'd like to stay 2012 and newer and really stay under 35,000 miles if possible. I want it to have somewhat of a good resale if/when I decide to sell and upgrade or downgrade you know.

I can tell you that we do want the E-450 chassis with the Trinton V10 motor also.

I've been told by people I've spoken to and what I've read in forums here and there to stay away from the following brands either because roof leaks or lots of problems, but there are also happy owners so it's confusing as you can image. Here is what I've been told to stay away from is it true? I know some will say it's preference and this and that but what is real world saying out there? There are for models 2012 and newer:

1.)ALL Thor Class C motorhomes?
2.)Coachmen Freelander? But Leprachaun model is decent?
3.) Forest River - All junk

There were some great prices I found on newer used Coachmen Laprachaun Bunkhouse models, but again are they up there in reliability and quality as the Jayco's or Minnie Winnie's? Same goes for the Forest River, we love how the bunkhouse bottom bunk turns into a couch when not in use, but afraid of reliability and build quality.

The ONLY 2 things holding me back right now are these:
1.) RV Financing - We have good credit above 720 and applied at SouthEast Financial for a 20 year loan, but nobody has gotten back to us and we applied last Wednesday. When I call it just goes to voicemail and I've left 2 messages already. Any other places that do 20 years that anyone can recommend?
2.) Storage - We unfortunately don't have RV parking at our home, so we need to find a place and here in my town in California and surrounding towns there is NOTHING available and the list is at least 3-5 months wait! What do I do? I obviously need to get this situated before buying , but would hate to pass up a GREAT deal if I see one.

So to bring forward the final questions I have for now and I'm sure I'll have more later:

1) Is it wrong to want something newer (2012-2015) with low miles or should I not worry so much about that? I've seen 2010's with very low miles under 15k but is that bad? Wondering if it sat for to long with that low of miles?

2.) Besides finding a Motorhome and getting the usual inspection down at a local garage to ensure the motor and frame are in good working order, is there anything else I should check for that could pose as a issue later? I already know that I should ensure the slideouts should have awnings attached to them to ensure branches and debris don't get in the way of the slide out and then damage the gaskets etc..

3.) Is it true I can have any oil changes or motor work done on a Ford Triton V-10 at any mechanic that is familiar with the motors and has good ratings or is it recommended to take it to a Motorhome dealership repair shop?

Sorry if this is all over the place, but it was really my FIRST brain dump and current concerns we had. I'm sure I missed a lot of things and if you all ask questions, I'm sure I'll have answer for you.

Thank you in advance to all of you here that can help guide us and direct us to purchasing our FIRST motorhome.

-Mike

[RVermont]

Mike,
First off you have made a good choice coming here, the people on this site are passionate about their motorhomes. Welcome. You have listed a lot of items and I am sure you will get a lot of varied responses. I went through a similar issue over the past couple years. My suggestion if you have not already done this is look at the listings on RVtrader.com. This will allow you look at tons of different options, manufactures and asking prices on various years. You have already made many of the important decisions and really it is just a matter of narrowing it down. Unfortunately I don't really know anything about the Ford chassis units but I am confident that you will have tons of opinions.

Good luck on your search.

[Subaru297]

Anyone can do the oil change if they have a large enough bay/garage. Some businesses may turn you away as they can't accommodate something that large. Or you can do it yourself in your driveway.

A lot of RV's sit and don't get used much. As long as there are no water leaks or obvious problems I wouldn't worry about getting an older unit. I would also worry about the living portion more than I would the chassis if it is older.

Get on the roof and inspect it closely. Water leaks will be the biggest (invisible) problem you will likely face. Awnings over the slides is not a big deal. They can be added for relatively cheap.

Some other things to consider.......
Class C insurance and maintenance. You are buying another vehicle to insure and maintain. I would rather this was a pickup that I can use for other things as well.
Insuring just a trailer is very cheap (in Canada).

Are you planning to tow a second vehicle with you? With a trailer you obviously have a vehicle that you can use to get around. With a class c you are stuck unless you want to pack up, bring in your slides and drive your home around. Or tow a vehicle.

Some more stuff to ponder if you haven't already.

And welcome to the forum!

[MikeysNewRide]

Hey RVermont...thanks so much for the warm welcome! *Ya I've been looking at rvtrader.com , rvt.com, searching all of Craigslist search engines and even ebay. Area there any other sites I may have missed? *I have missed a few good killer deals already such as a guy in southern California selling his 2014 Greyhawk 31FS loaded for $62k with only 7300 miles because he was moving out of country. *It was exactly what we were lokking for too. It was loaded even with auto leveling jacks.


But as I mentioned I'm not to much in a hurry, but don't want miss another killer deal like that. *


I've already started contacting Outdoor RV storage facilities in my area to be put on a list and if something becomes available before I buy one at least I know I have a guaranteed spot to park it for $75-$85/month which is what the places I call are telling me.*


Thanks gain for the info!


Mike

[MikeysNewRide]

Hi Subaru297 thanks for info. I have called my insurance already and full coverage with towing was $515/year....which to me doesn't seem bad is that about normal?
Trust me we went back and forth for a long time on trailer or Class-C and having a Class-C where the little ones can lay down and take a nap on long trips or get something out of the fridge and make a quick snack for them without having to pull over over get inside of a regular SUV all dirty is worth it. I would need a SUV instead of truck because if my parents go with us then I need 7 seats and a truck is only 6 max.
I figured if we tow our small car behind for 5 then at least we have that and if we need to move 7 or more then we drive the rv.
As for the roof leaks, one reason I wanted to go with higher end models was because they will have a all fiberg lass roof vs. TPO....from what I've been told and read was to stayaway from TPO as it can rip on a branch easily and also maintaining it with UV coating once a year. I don't mind occasional sealing around vents etc. But I don't want told worry about UV Coats. Am I right in thinking that way?

Thank you for the great info. Appreciate all the info.

-Mike

[pconroy]

Originally Posted by MikeysNewRide

Hello All,

we now raised it to a FINAL MAX of $62k and we know that we'd rather buy from Private party not only to be able to negotiate a little better but also not pay sales tax like we would if we bought at a RV dealership.

$62K seems like plenty to me. We bought a nearly-new 2016 31FK for just a smidge more. Before that we were seeing 2014 models, on Craisglist, for 50's.

Are you sure you'll duck sales tax?
Colorado's DOT catches it if you don't out here.

We are looking for a unit with auto-leveling jacks and the floor plan that has the couch across from the table to make conversation easier on trips.

So in the older Jayco Class C's - that probably means a Greyhawk. But bear in mind if you found one you loved without the jacks, the could be added later. Maybe not a DIY job, but it can be done.

I want it to have somewhat of a good resale if/when I decide to sell and upgrade or downgrade you know.

Buying used then means you duck the initial horrific depreciation. But these things are NOT investments. Unless you doggone near steal the thing initially, you'll probably lose some money. Plus, you won't get the $$$ you spend on license and registration back.

I've been told by people I've spoken to and what I've read in forums here and there to stay away from the following brands either because roof leaks or lots of problems, but there are also happy owners so it's confusing as you can image. Here is what I've been told to stay away from is it true

After reading these forums for three years, I think all you can do is hedge your bets. They can all make great coaches and they can (and do) make some real duds.

Folks tend to think Jayco's among the better mass produced motorhomes. And other folks like the 2 year warranty.

While I'm thinking of it - also remember that the Jayco warranty is for the original owner only. It doesn't transfer.

1.) RV Financing - We have good credit above 720 and applied at SouthEast Financial for a 20 year loan, but nobody has gotten back to us and we applied last Wednesday. When I call it just goes to voicemail and I've left 2 messages already. Any other places that do 20 years that anyone can recommend?

We did Good Sam for the almost new one. In the end it worked out - but it was a ton of extra work and waiting and paperwork that is done by the dealer.

The fastest way for us with Good Sam (and it was still slow) was Cash Recapture. We wrote a check for the unit and then Good Sam financing reimbursed us.

Our previous coach was financed by US Bank.

2.) Storage - We unfortunately don't have RV parking at our home, so we need to find a place and here in my town in California and surrounding towns there is NOTHING available and the list is at least 3-5 months wait! What do I do? I obviously need to get this situated before buying , but would hate to pass up a GREAT deal if I see one.

Similar situation for us. Spaces are almost non-existent. And since we're in an HOA, we had no choice. In the end, we found an open spot about 30 mins away.

But, unless you can park this *someplace*, you'd better solve this one soon.

1) Is it wrong to want something newer (2012-2015) with low miles or should I not worry so much about that? I've seen 2010's with very low miles under 15k but is that bad? Wondering if it sat for to long with that low of miles?

2012 and up - I wouldn't worry about it. Just check everything. Make sure the generator starts.

2.) Besides finding a Motorhome and getting the usual inspection down at a local garage to ensure the motor and frame are in good working order, is there anything else I should check for that could pose as a issue later? I already know that I should ensure the slideouts should have awnings attached to them to ensure branches and debris don't get in the way of the slide out and then damage the gaskets etc..

You can do what I did - spend hours going over every inch of a coach and then after you buy it find a problem buried someplace deep that you never would have found.

Or - just jump in the darned pool. The water's fine.
Rest assured most stuff that's broken can be fixed.
And know that lot's more stuff is going to break in the coming months.

3.) Is it true I can have any oil changes or motor work done on a Ford Triton V-10 at any mechanic that is familiar with the motors and has good ratings or is it recommended to take it to a Motorhome dealership repair shop?

Good garsh - DON'T take it to a dealership. Anyone (yourself included) can do the oil changes on the beast. It's super, super easy. Gobs of room underneath.

When pressed, I took our old coach to Walmart for an oil change once.

AFAIC - there's really nothing related to the Ford Part of the motorhome that I'd trust to a RV dealer.

[pconroy]

Originally Posted by MikeysNewRide

Hi Subaru297 thanks for info. I have called my insurance already and full coverage with towing was $515/year....which to me doesn't seem bad is that about normal?

Progressive has three tiers of RV coverage. We picked the middle and pay much less than that.

Shop around, would be my advice.

[MikeysNewRide]

Wow you guys are great! PConroy...thank you for the advice...a lot of it I've gone over in my head a million times already but good to here it again to assure myself it's all normal lol.

On the financing side I don't have $60k upfront to write a check and then have financing kick in, just not there yet lol. So hopefully someone will come through soon.

I will certainly shop around see what I find for insurance. We are the beginning stages of starting to buy and want to line all my ducks up.

So what do you think of other brands especially Coachmen Leprachaun? Here anything that I really need to know or do I just stay away from it? I understand the Jayco warranty won't carry over to me and that's ok as long as I don't pay full new price

Thanks again!

Mike

[pconroy]

Originally Posted by MikeysNewRide

On the financing side I don't have $60k upfront to write a check and then have financing kick in, just not there yet lol. So hopefully someone will come through soon.

Home equity loan for us...

So what do you think of other brands especially Coachmen Leprachaun? Here anything that I really need to know or do I just stay away from it?

Our first coach was a 2008 Coachmen. It was fine.

To me, this is a lot like when some folks would say "I'll only buy a Chevy, never a Ford!" Or even stranger "I'll never buy a Buick, only an Olds..."

Personally, I wouldn't get hung up on a brand. If you're going for 2012-2015, seems to me the major stuff that would have broken - has.

And all you're going to be dealing with is all of the little stuff that will break, and continue to break on any model.

If you buy a coach, pay super close attention to the joints and caulking. Leakage is the number one concern.

All-fiberglass-coaches aside, I don't think any one brand stands out as being especially more leak-proof than another.

[MikeysNewRide]

Ok ok ok...I know I said I wouldn't be in a hurry but didn't mean I wouldn't look for what I believe to be a decent deal.

Found this today on RVTrader . https://www.rvtrader.com/listing/201...31FS-121162106
I already spoke with the owner really cool guy and he agreed to sell it to me for $59,000 flat. He agreed and gave me his work to hold it there until next Monday. He is currently California with it and is selling it so cheap because he and his family are moving out of the country.

There is nothing wrong with the Motorhome and he's done the oil changes himself on both Generator and RV. He is the 2nd owner and bought it last May from a guy who really took care of it. It also has auto leveling jacks which is what we were looking for

If all checks out to be good and true and I fly down there this weekend to pick it up, is $59,000 a great deal for a 2014 Greyhawk 31FS that has 57,000 miles on it? Or is this something that I should see come again? Do I jump on it?

Also does anyone know if I have to pay sales tax on this when I register it with DMV here in California? It is currently registered in Arizona. I'll be calling DMV but just curious if anyone knows and if so what %.

Thanks!

[lonepalm]

I have no knowledge of California DMV regs but here in NY a motorhome is treated as any other motor vehicle. Transfer of ownership means new title and sales tax due based on the sale price.

[rgolding]

Your research is very worthwhile and certainly part of the fun and excitement. As much as you try, I don't think you are going to be able to make the perfect choice for you and your family, until all of you experience the space and lifestyle. What you think may be very important, may eventually not be a factor.

I would suggest, you look for a hold over inventory. A unit that is a 2016 as the 2018's are coming on the market. If you want new, that's where the deal is. Other people have also thought they had the perfect unit and traded within the first year. Purchasing the pull vehicle can also be a situation where you can get a good deal, if you look for a unit that is slightly used. My personal thoughts are that Jayco's 2 year warranty is a good deal, as far as getting the kinks worked out. Find a great dealer and you'll do good. And finally, the best deal is not always the cheapest price.

[jvteach77]

Originally Posted by MikeysNewRide

Ok ok ok...I know I said I wouldn't be in a hurry but didn't mean I wouldn't look for what I believe to be a decent deal.

Found this today on RVTrader . https://www.rvtrader.com/listing/201...31FS-121162106
I already spoke with the owner really cool guy and he agreed to sell it to me for $59,000 flat. He agreed and gave me his work to hold it there until next Monday. He is currently California with it and is selling it so cheap because he and his family are moving out of the country.

There is nothing wrong with the Motorhome and he's done the oil changes himself on both Generator and RV. He is the 2nd owner and bought it last May from a guy who really took care of it. It also has auto leveling jacks which is what we were looking for

If all checks out to be good and true and I fly down there this weekend to pick it up, is $59,000 a great deal for a 2014 Greyhawk 31FS that has 57,000 miles on it? Or is this something that I should see come again? Do I jump on it?

Also does anyone know if I have to pay sales tax on this when I register it with DMV here in California? It is currently registered in Arizona. I'll be calling DMV but just curious if anyone knows and if so what %.

Thanks!

I recently traded up to Seneca. I tried to sell my 2015 Greyhawk 31DS via private seller and got only a couple calls about it over 3 months. I had it priced at 79k to start, but marked it all the way down to 63k and never got any real interest in the coach. It was in immaculate condition, I had all the paperwork on maintenance and I still got nothing. I ended up trading it into a dealer for my Seneca for 59k. The dealer who had bragged that he could sell it in 3 weeks took another 3 months to finally sell it for $59,200. He said it was a buyers market and that coaches weren't selling very well right now. I saw that first hand myself, since I thought I'd get some calls about my coach since I had it on rvtrader, but still it was very tough.

As for your deal. My personal belief is that if 59k is a good deal to you, then you should consider it. I think you could likely do much better on the deal though, but you'd have to be prepared to finish the deal if you offered 52k and the seller accepted it. How long has the coach been for sale? That should tell you if it is currently overpriced. You can use the NADA values, but those same values told me that my coach was worth 75k, when obviously it wasn't.

Also, a few things to look for:

1- How many hours are on the generator. Low hours are not necessarily a good thing. A generator has to be used monthly or it will develop problems and be difficult to crank.

2- Is there any water damage? I looked a used coaches before we bought our Greyhawk and I smelled water damage in each one, so be careful.

3- A coach that has been garage kept is much more valuable than one that has been sitting in the sun.

4-57,000 miles on a 2014 is a lot of miles. We drove our 2015 from Georgia to Arizona one summer, Wyoming the next, Key west, Daytona, Tennessee and several smaller trips and we only had 21,000 miles on it. Did they live in it full time? That can reduce the value.

5- Did they have pets in the coach? That could reduce its value.

6 - My biggest concern.....did they smoke in the coach? That one is a deal breaker for me.

My bottom line is that I think you could do better than 59k.

Good Luck!

[MikeysNewRide]

Jvteach77...thanks for the reply. I don't know if it's the Greyhawk 31FS model I'm looking at because it has a bunkhouse or what, but there seems to be very few of them out there and the units I did find and called about already were sold....sold...sold...it's like I'm lucky if they last a few days.

I was thinking the 57k miles was a lot too so I'll be calling him today to let him know I'm going to pass.

Upon further research I found another 2014 Greyhawk 31FS bunkhouse model with auto leveling shocks etc.. for $59k at a dealer. It has 22,434 miles on it and looks to be in good shape. If everything checks out, does this sounds like a fair deal? All the Greyhawk 31FS that I'm finding online that are 2013 and above are all easily $65k -$79k easily.

Thanks again!

[Jagiven]

Lots of things have been discussed.

Mechanically, I would very carefully inspect the coach, or any other used TT. check the roof for cracks in the caulking. If you see lots of patches that is a good sign, as it shows someone cared, inspected, and maintained. Even with a fiberglass roof, there are joints between the walls and the roof that need to be inspected, and caulked, also any penetrations such as vents. Also check sidewalls for caulking, My 2012 I had to start touching up at about year 3, and my tt stays in doors for about 6 months each year.

Make sure the generator has many hours on it. it should be ran at least 1 hour each month, even during the off season, so expect at least 40 hours on the generator. If not fully expect the carb will need to be rebuilt (actually replaced due to the CA CARB rules).

[MikeysNewRide]

So I just spoke to the dealer and the generator has 25 hours on it. He says it fired right up just now when he had to check the hours, because it required him to fire it up to see them. He says it doesn't smell like there was smoking or pets onboard. The owners traded it in to upgrade to a Class A. The tires look great he said and there is no known issue. He wants $2k to hold it and is willing to drop the price to $57k. He did mention that the $2k IS refundable only if I find something wrong with it, not just because I don't like it.

What to do?

[Jopopsy]

I would check the cargo capacity on anything you purchase; make sure you understand what cargo capacity actually means (ask if you don't), and make sure you can live within those limits.

There is a WIDE swing in cargo capacity, often times even on the same model coach in the same model year. Class C's are notorious for being limited in carrying capacity; make sure you understand what you're buying.

[pconroy]

Originally Posted by MikeysNewRide

What to do?

So this is *just* me, but I'd never, ever, ever give anyone $$$ to "just hold it..."

I'd be thinking - "Well in the span of 24 hours, I just ran across 2 good choices. That's a choice popping up every 12 hours... I can wait..."

How long has that motorhome been on their lot?
If it's that great of a deal, there will be lots of interest.



We almost pulled the trigger on the 2014 because is was a great deal and "it wasn't going to be there long!" Well, then a better deal on a 2016 showed up.

That one we jumped on.
YMMV.

[MikeysNewRide]

Jopopsy....cargo capacity are you meaning like passengers or what I can store underneath?

[Jopopsy]

Cargo capacity is the weight of all your 'stuff', INCLUDING passengers, that can be put in the rig. The number on the yellow sticker in the driver door jamb will tell you what your rig can hold. The number assumes a full tank of gas and a full tank of propane. ANYTHING else you put in the rig counts as cargo.

You, your passengers, every dixie cup and beer can, any water in your holding tanks, ANYTHING you put in there. It all comes off your cargo capacity.