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I am more interested in the Jensen Interceptor Convertible!
Although if I did RVing I may start with a carefully used ~30 foot Class A diesel. That option seems most attractive to me as a starting point.
We test drove a Seneca...I don’t know about others but a Diesel engine under the drivers compartment was hideously loud and we immediately ruled it out.
We bought a 32 ft Class A (gas) instead and it was too loud as well a just not powerful enough to easily pull the big western passes and we wanted more braking on the way down.
Which is when we decided to get the DP.
Having lived fulltime in RVs twice before, I wouldn’t want to do it in a 32 foot.
Following a comment from the salesman at the dealer where we looked at a new Entegra Anthem, we are exploring the possibility of a 2006 Beaver Marquis or Monaco. Why? Because apparently these are one of the best made Mhs and the best quality for price available. (Also the beaver Maquis is trimmed out in birds eye maple - one of my favorite wood finishes.) Each one was made with a custom frame for the drive train. And they are/will be in our price range. Some of them even come with my Dad's engine.
The salesman explained we could buy one of these, update, upgrade or repair/replace as necessary to make it essentially new, and end up with a far better quality for a far lower price - plus it would be essentially custom. He actually kind of hinted this, he did not say it directly, obviously he wanted to sell us a $350,000 Anthem.
Digging into this idea, I have learned some things (still have to confirm they are true). Apparently the entire RV industry nearly tanked in 2008. Many of the companies went BK, nearly went BK, or got bought out by big companies like Thor (including Entegra). Purportedly, by 2008, the companies that were struggling to survive were producing lower quality due to cost cutting and QC cutbacks. The big companies that bought up many of the smaller companies then reduced quality to increase profits. Further some sort of diesel emissions law required the addition of some messy expensive or otherwise undesirable thing that I do not yet understand to diesel engines after 2006. However at least in the case of the Monaco/Beaver they added some very neat features in 2005/2006, so that specific year is probably the target.
I am surprised how expensive they are (and for the Beaver Marquis how hard to find). I was also surprised how little would need to be updated, a few things but not much, it woudl mostly be about replacing wear items.
There are some other brands that apparently were simlar in quality in 2006. We will look at those as a possibility as well (except: Bird's eye maple. . .!). I saw an American Coach that is reportedly excellence quality. I forget the other brands one was Tiffin, one was Newmar, pre-Thor Entegra (It had a different name at some point) - but there were some concerns about Tiffin that made sense. Still I am mostly excited about Beaver Marquis at east right now. When the time comes it may be very hard to find one that has been properly cared for and not over-used or abused.
Not sold on this idea yet, but it is definitely worth further investigation.
We keep running into people all over the place (at our church, work etc) who are doing or are working on the same plan (i.e. retire, sell the house and go full time). It seems to be becoming a trend. Things might start to get crowded. Also the governments may change their laws so they can collect more taxes from full timers.
Definitely an idea to look into further. We thought about it too, but wanted to use ours right away. We love the old Bluebird Wanderlodge buses. No slides, but everything is set up perfectly without them.
Not having slides is also a good thing and bad thing. A lot can go wrong with them but they do provide a lot of room. A lot seems to go wrong with all of them now. We fulltimed right after we got married back in 1987 in a new 34 foot Pacr Arrow. Neither of us remember spending time fixing things in the first year like we have on the two recent motor homes we’ve owned.
My husband can fix about anything and carries a full complement of tools underneath us, but most people apparently can’t so one of the odd rites of passage for Tiffin owners is to make the pilgrimage to Red Bay, Alabama to the factory for repairs.
Which seems utterly ridiculous to me. But other Tiffin owners regularly ask if we have been to Camp Tiffin yet.
There are Facebook groups for most of these coaches. You should check them out.
Also, one of the casualties of the RV business when it tanked I believe, was Teton Homes fifth wheels. People claim they were the best built fifth wheel ever made and I see pristine Tetons on the road now and then. So if you prefer the idea of a fifth wheel and want to redo one...might check out old Teton Homes.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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Originally Posted by mistyriver
Definitely an idea to look into further. ... We love the old Bluebird Wanderlodge buses. No slides, but everything is set up perfectly without them.
Not having slides is also a good thing and bad thing. ...
There are Facebook groups for most of these coaches. You should check them out.
Yes, the Wanderlodge definitely has a cult following (as do most 'unique / long service' makes).
And 'simple and old' just keeps on working. You find the really serious Wanderlodge owners are often workampers. (for decades).
You bring up good points about interior noise. THAT (quiet) is very nice to get used to. Fortunately, we... (senior retirees) are at the same time losing our hearing. BTDT from yrs of herding a 'Screaming Jimmy' down the road, Detroit 2 cycle diesel bus engines were probably a major incentive to get that engine as FAR from the driver as possible! Some of the Early Greyhound coaches had twin counter rotating V8 diesels. (engines were mounted On 'slide-out-trays' at the rear of the bus. )
How can you carry Kayaks with a 5th wheel? The cannot go on top - too high. Cannot go on the sides, too wide. No doorway to put them inside. I guess they would have to go on the truck but is there room? What does that do to MPG?
Are the old ones better? (Maybe Thor bought them and ruined the quality?)
I love the look of the old ones. Also, slides can be a real weak point. We deliberately stayed away from coaches with single huge slides. Ours has four smaller ones and we can get them in manually if we needed. We think, anyway.
I’ve heard stories of coaches stuck out in the boonies with slides that won’t go in. Not a good scenario.
I like the room that slideouts provide and I don’t. We fulltimed years ago in a Pace Arrow that was pre-slide and it was great. Sometimes it seems almost cavernous inside the living room area with the slides out.
Speaking of slides: One thing that I made sure of when we bought ours was that the bed didn’t fold up when the slides came in. If you need to sleep in a truck stop or something when you’re on the road, you don’t want to have to extend a slide just so you can sleep.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Coldjensens
How can you carry Kayaks with a 5th wheel? The cannot go on top - too high. Cannot go on the sides, too wide. No doorway to put them inside. I guess they would have to go on the truck but is there room? What does that do to MPG?
MPG is not gonna change adding Kayaks to a High Profile 5r.
"Frontal area" / pushing wind is REALLY hard on a whimpy pickup (including 3500 series +)
Heavy wind can 1/2 your mileage, (from 12 to 6) better to pull off for a few days and wait it out,
Thus I prefer a Class 8 as a 5r toter. 80mph into an 80 mph headwind... no problem. 9-10 mpg (Except I have seen the fiberglass and aluminum sides and top AC's ripped off a 5r by heavy wind + sustained high travel speed.)
Yes, keep the slides least disruptive (no furniture / bed moving, and EZ to move manually if needed.)
How can you carry Kayaks with a 5th wheel? The cannot go on top - too high. Cannot go on the sides, too wide. No doorway to put them inside. I guess they would have to go on the truck but is there room? What does that do to MPG?
Look into Toy Hauler style 5th wheels.
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