NGC - motorhomes

[breva750]

I may purchase one with about 22,000 miles, gas, V10... anyone have experience with this?

2006 Ford Coachmen Motor Home
Mirada MH 358TS-F
It has a 6.8 Liter V-10 Engine
It is 35' long
It has a generator on-board.

[rodekyll]

Unless it floats it's too big.     

[John A]

Roof leaks and water incursion need to be taken care of immediately , I like the 24 footers because I can get in places I like to go and a longer one may have trouble there. That extry length sure is nice though. Watch out for cracked exhaust manifolds, I don't know if that's still a problem or not. If you are going to tow make sure it has a full frame to the back. Otherwise they are great!

[Stormtruck2]

The V-10 have a history of popping exhaust manifold bolts.  Dissimilar metals of the manifold and the heads cause differential cooling rates causing stress on the bolts and they pop.  I just put new headers on my V-10 because of this problem. The motor itself is is stout and strong.Our 38 foot motorhome had one. If I were to buy another one though I'd go diesel pusher.

[LowRyter]

Some of them would blow out sparkplugs (I think it's the early 2V head design).  They are considered to be stout engines, good power and torque.  Drinks lots of gas but you know that. 

[charlie b]

35ft is getting to the limit of what I'd use with a gas engine.

Depending on use you may want a toad.  That means you'll struggle up mountains.  Don't know if that is an issue for your use.

Finding water damage is the most important thing to look for on the coach side.  Roof condition is critical.  Check for cracks around all joints up there and on the coach sides.  Check sides for delamination.  Check all the windows and vents for good seals.

The appliances will depend on how much it was used.  Need to check things like the furnace burner chamber for cracks/leaks, etc, etc.

Check generator hours.  They are usually very reliable.

22,000 miles it may be very good mechanically.

I looked up the model and saw one for $160k.  At that price range I'd spend a little more and get a diesel pusher.

[Noguzznoglory]

thought I'd throw in my 2c on motor home vs travel trailer having owned both.
Motor home means you have to tow a vehicle to use at your destination. MH gives you another vehicle requiring maintenance and repair(filters hoses TIRES! Brakes,etc). I switched back to the trailer because the only maintenance is tires(less expensive) and wheel bearing repack. If you tow with on of your daily drivers your maintenance is an expense you already have not something added to the budget.

If that motor home is 5-6 years old it's soon going to need $1200 or more worth of tires no matter how good the trad looks. They'll start getting dry rot cracks in the sidewall. No one ever wears out motor home or trailer tires, they just get too old to be serviceable.

Of course other factors will determine wether the MH is a better fit for your situation than the travel trailer but the above mentioned factors are what I've dealt with

[charlie b]

And you forgot insurance costs.

[jas67]

With a motorhome, you've always got the option to tow a motorcycle (or more than one) on a trailer behind it.

If you go the trailer route, a pickup + tag (bumper pull) trailer allows you to carry a motorcycle in the bed of the truck.
5th wheels pull nice, but, unless you get a toy hauler, it's going to be harder to take a motorcycle with you.

We have a 34-foot trailer trailer, which we pull with an F350 that has an 8' bed.    I often take a motorcycle with me in the bed.

[Bill Havins]

In my opinion, a motorhome is a lifestyle that can quickly turn into a money/time hole.  So, if you have lots of both (money and time, that is) you may enjoy it.

We bought a used Pace Arrow in 2005; it was outfitted with a 454 Chevy engine and automatic transmission.  It had two air conditioner units and a 1.5kW generator; the generator drew gas from the fuel tank for the engine.  The stove in the kitchen ran off of propane; the refrigerator could run on propane, 120 volts AC, or 12 volts DC.  Just behind the front grille were three 12 volt batteries - one for the engine and two "deep cycle" batteries for "the house."  The dash had three electrical/other switch panels on it.  It was outfitted with an air-adjustable "auto-leveling" system (air bladders) that was used either when parked or when going down the road.

We had a 60(?) gallon fresh water tank.  The water heater ran on propane.  The shower was nice-sized and could double as a closet.  The waste water system worked okay when we bought it - I eventually had to replace the toilet, the water faucet in the bathroom and kitchen, and the dump valve.  All of the plumbing was plastic (of course).

We pulled our Ford Ranger pickup behind the Pace Arrow.  We used a "Blue Ox" hitch.  I installed the attachment plate on the front of the Ranger myself.  Each time we moved the motorhome I had to crawl under the Ranger and disconnect the driveshaft.  I carefully suspended it so it wouldn't bounce around as we went down the road.

For internet service we used a portable satellite receiver system.  That meant we had to subscribe to Hughes.net satellite internet services - just a little faster than "dial-up" and way more expensive.

You might ask why I have listed all of the above.  The reason is this - if you choose to buy a motorhome you are taking on a long, long list of maintenance concerns and issues that, in my opinion, can turn into a "lifestyle" rather than a pleasure.  And then when gas prices go back up....  Remember when the economy collapsed in 2008?  Gas prices approached $4 a gallon around here - we parked our Pace Arrow and sold it as quickly as we could.  We have a neighbor down the street who has a diesel pusher parked in his driveway.  Even with diesel prices as low as they are I have seen the motorhome out of the driveway one time in two years.  That's six expensive tires slowly rotting and $250K sitting in the same spot, losing value.

My advice is this - get a list of all of the equipment that requires periodic maintenance on the motorhome.  Don't forget the propane tank regulator.  List everything that has to be done to it when you park and set up, daily, weekly, yearly, and "as needed."  Then decide how you want to spend your time and money.  If you decide to buy the motorhome have a good technician go over everything with a fine-toothed comb before you finalize the deal.  As mentioned above, roof leaks are a deal-breaker because they can destroy the integrity of the "house."  Then, if you buy it, go have fun with your new lifestyle!

Good luck!

Bill

[Stormtruck2]

Seriously , most folks should probably rent a motorhome for the once or twice a year they get used . The old adage about boats apples to motorhomes also .

  Dusty

Not really.  Boat:  A hole in the water you pour money into.   Motor Home/Travel trailer: A box in the yard you pour money into.  Completely different sayings.     

[John A]

Now if a guy would get into aviation , the savings versus a boat or motor home would be incredible!!!

[LowRyter]

each his own.  I have a small toy hauler 5th wheel.  I can haul a couple of bikes with no trouble (unless one falls over).  But it is so small, I have to take the bike out to open up the couches and tables. Most RVs are pretty much the same appliances.  5th wheel is fairly easy to hitch and pull. 

I don't think the V10 will have any issue with power.  Diesels pull at lower rpms, a little more relaxing, and get better mileage. 

[canuguzzi]

The sweet spot for an infrequently used motorhome is 34" or less. Be honest with yourself and determine how often and how long you'll really use it. People tend to get more RV/Motorhome than is really useful for their needs.

Floorplan is more important than length. A well designed 30-32 footer is heads and tails more functional that a 35 with a bad floor plan.

The way to tell a good floor plan? When you walk in if your mouth drops and you think "this is it" it probably is. If you need to walk around to think about if the floorplan will work, it probably won't.

Unless you're putting a lot of miles on it or towing a heavy vehicle behind it - up a lot of hills, a diesel is a lot of money going to waste. Yes, they are quiet, powerful and a bit more relaxed in running but it comes at a cost. For many people who use the motorhome during vacation seasons mostly, a diesel is added complexity and cost you will be hard pressed to extract the benefit from.

Remember, when the thing is parked, who cares what engine it has? What you will care about is the floorplan.

[breva750]

Thanks for all the great info...

“I would never want to belong to any club that would have someone like me for a member.” ... "except this one!"

[rboe]

Buy the Randall Eaton RV comparison guide. I got the RV and the Travel Trailer versions. Cheaper than renting and a real eye opener. Has more data points than this forum (pretty much the same advise, will just raise your confidence factor  ).

But if still insist on getting one, it will let know which brands are better than others; common failure modes (some you may be willing to deal with, others, not so much).

I've never owned one, looked at a ton, still get cold feet. But I agree, 35' is a lot of RV. Great to live in. Bitch to drive, turn and fight the wind with. It's all about compromises, so it depends on which ones you want to make.

[Arizona Wayne]

And you forgot insurance costs.

Not to mention registration cost that varies widely from 1 state to the next.   Never had a class C or larger MH but travel trailers are cheap to insure at least in the states I've lived in.

No matter what MH, PU/trailer you get figure 6 mpg.  Then figure $25? a night w/hookups @ a KOA(may be higher now).  Forget about economy when you go this route.  It's going to cost you more than motelling no matter what.   The only thing you don't have to do is move your stuf in/out the motel room.   You will even see RVs in motel parking lots for the night.

I have RV'd since the `80s.  Started out w/a Toyota Chinook pop top.  Then a 16' TT, then a 23' 5th wheel I lived in for 10 mo. going thru a divorce. Now have a 24' toy hauler which get's used little. Recently put a roof/wall over it to protect it from the elements.   It's worth more to me as an extra guest room than what it's worth now.

[father guzzi obrian]

We had a 22 foot motor home and found it to be ideal, could go where we wanted, had everything we needed, got 11 miles a gallon and was dirt cheap.  The big ones are quite the investment and I know we would not use a big un near as much as our small sucker.  YMMV

[oldmxdog61u]

Please rent several different models first.  Nothing like finding out if your family likes it before you sink big bucks into a motorhome....

[LowRyter]

Not to mention registration cost that varies widely from 1 state to the next.   Never had a class C or larger MH but travel trailers are cheap to insure at least in the states I've lived in.

No matter what MH, PU/trailer you get figure 6 mpg.  Then figure $25? a night w/hookups @ a KOA(may be higher now).  Forget about economy when you go this route.  It's going to cost you more than motelling no matter what.   The only thing you don't have to do is move your stuf in/out the motel room.   You will even see RVs in motel parking lots for the night.

I have RV'd since the `80s.  Started out w/a Toyota Chinook pop top.  Then a 16' TT, then a 23' 5th wheel I lived in for 10 mo. going thru a divorce. Now have a 24' toy hauler which get's used little. Recently put a roof over it to protect it from the elements.   It's worth more to me as an extra guest room than what it's worth now.

I got about 5-7 mpg towing with my gas truck and I get about 11 mpg pulling with a diesel (@ 65 MPH).  The Ford V10 is a powerful gas engine and shouldn't have any problem towing but I would guess about 6 mpg for it.

[mgfan]

I bought the smallest class a that Winnebego made. A 23 ft class a has a much better use of floor space and amenities than a 28 ft class c. Because you sit above and in front of the engine, you're not wasting the space lost to the engine compartment and hood. Nice little touches like shelves on rollers, way more storage space and a great unobstructed view without a bunk over your head.   

[wymple]

When I shopped I asked my much experienced older brother. He said get the biggest one you don't mind navigating, because the all get the same sh*tty mileage. I got a 34 footer. Now there is a 19 footer in my yard, and it's big enough. It has a 460 Ford in it, no mileage there. With plates and insurance, I think I could like a 17 foot pull behind. The bigger they are the more houselike when parked. If you got the dough, the diesel pushers for distance.

[charlie b]

Yep, we used to have a small class A, 27ft with a 454 Chevy.  Towed a Ford Ranger behind it.  6-8mpg and less in a headwind (saw 4mpg one day).  Convenient, but, convinced me never to get another MH.  Even drove friend's diesel pusher.  Nicer but still a boat, and really horrible at gas stations.

We have a small fifth wheel (25ft).  It is perfect for us.  If I were to get another RV I'd get a small 5th wheel toy hauler, like LowRyter's.  FWIW, I average 10mpg.  Even in a strong headwind (40-50mph) I get 8mpg.  And, yes, a fifth wheel pulls fine in strong winds.  Unless you buy a really big RV (motor coach) then winds are an issue.

Would I ever buy a MH?  Yes, IF and only if, I was driving more and stopping less. They are perfect for overnight stops where you just want to park, level, eat and sleep.  Anything else, I like my trailer  :)

PS no I would not get a bumper pull.