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I was open to getting used but it's the warranty that concerns me. Can you purchase a warranty if you buy used?
That's a shame that something so expensive could have so many bugs in the first place. Based on reading and talking to people, RV's in general can be unreliable, even good brands. Breaking down on the way to the Grand Canyon or yellowstone doesn't sound like fun.
I was open to getting used but it's the warranty that concerns me. Can you purchase a warranty if you buy used?
That's a shame that something so expensive could have so many bugs in the first place. Based on reading and talking to people, RV's in general can be unreliable, even good brands. Breaking down on the way to the Grand Canyon or yellowstone doesn't sound like fun.
Some of them do not have any problems however it seems like most have various issues to resolved during the first year to 18 months.
Warranties are available, but they are not a good buy for the risk involved. You can minimize the lieklihood of breakdowns:
Engine - get a diesel and make certain it was well maintined.
Suspension - do nto overload your RV, be anal about weight limits.
Slides - donot have any. then they cannot break and leave you stuck.
Computer/auto leveling systems. do not have them or at least be certain there is a mechanical manual override.
Misc items. Very few will leave you stuck anywhere, but some are going to break. Someone made an apt description to me once, they said imaging having your house in a nonstop earthquake for five hours a day. that is what an RV goes through. Also be careful about brands. Thor is the Walmart of the RV world, you increase the likelihood of things breaking. A lo of major names are now owned by Thor and employ the same cheapest possible products. Simpler is always better. Computer controlled things are nifty, but a light that turns on via simple switch is far less likely to fail. In general wood will hold up better than most plastics and pressboard will not hold up at all.
Get a one piece (seamless) roof if you can and maintain whatever rood you have. Roof leaks not only ruin your trip, they ruin your RV.
Avoid rigorous activity inside your RV - take it outside. Space is too tight for horseplay, things will break (especially if it involves goats - keep the goats outside).
Maintenance of everything is pretty critical. Get the books, do all the things it may seem like a hassle, but it is well worth it in the long run.
Have it inspected yearly and ficx everything that is failing or bad. This way you avoid an inconvenient breakdown of some kind.
Keep water outside the RV as much as possible. Water is one of the most destructive forces int he world, especially in an RV. That means close doors and windows when ti rains or when you leave. Dry off before going inside. Keep a towel handy to catch or clean up spills immediately. If someone does get wet remove the water and dry it right away. If you are cooking something that will generate a lot of steam, cook it outside if possible. Take short showers and open all the windows when showering. Al of these are especially critical if you ignore the point above that says avoid pressboard.
Thanks! I was confused about that. Why some Winnebagos have the Mercedes emblem in the front. I think we'd stick with the Ford. I didn't know if the Mercedes part really made the RV so much better or is it just for show? I'd rather not spend that much money.
Ford, Mercedes, Freightliner etc. all manufacture the stripped chassis but do not make the RV part. That is done by Winnebago etc.
I think the two most reliable brands are Newmar and Tiffin. I have no experience with Tiffin as I have a Newmar but Newmar does not make a class C. I believe Tiffin does so I would start there.
Agree avoid Thor and any of their subsidiaries.
There are many RV repair places. Some are at dealers while some are independent. There can be wild swings in quality and IMHO most tend toward the lesser end.
You cannot assume if you buy a Ford they will work on it. This can vary by dealer and their capabilities even though the chassis is a Ford. No dealer will work on the RV part. I bought a 33' Ford class A and no local dealer would work on it. One dealer that did work on RVs had a 27 foot limit. I found a local independent who would work on it.
You'll need two service places-one for the chassis and the other for the RV part so keep that in mind.
I think the two most reliable brands are Newmar and Tiffin. I have no experience with Tiffin as I have a Newmar but Newmar does not make a class C. I believe Tiffin does so I would start there.
We eliminated Tiffin from our consideration, mostly because they just do not suit our style, but also in part because of references in Tiffin owners forums discussing their "summers [or weeks, or months] spent at Camp Tiffin" which is a reference to the Tiffin repair center and campground. They indicated it was just part of the Tiffin ownership experience that every Tiffin owner gets to share at some point. People said they loved their Tiffin even if it does break a lot more than some other brands.
I do not think any of them have real good quality. Prevost may be the best. Newell should be, but if you examine them they appear to be a mix of high and mediocre quality. Bluebird supposedly had superior quality before they got bought out or whatever happened after 2008.
You can see the quality or lack thereof fairly easily if you inspect any motorhome carefully. Do not look at the siney lights or computer controlled things, cool ideas etc. Look at the materials and anything that moves. watch for plastic gears, press-board anything, look at how drawers are held together (nails, screws, or especially staples, are bad. you want to see dovetailed or at least keyed joints, real wood.) Look at hinges, drawer tracks, plumbing fixtures, switches, light fixtures, fans, etc. . Examine the slide mechanics, are the gears chains etc exposed to the elements? Are there places for water to leak in when the slides are out? Look at the pumps, are they cheap tiny plastic things? Do they run right at their maximum capacity?
Things like chassis and drivetrain you can figure out quality by looking them up. It is the house items you need to examine.
Most of the higher end brands/lines seem to have fairly decent quality at least in most of the build. Entegra was one example where we found most things to be good quality but oddly random things were super cheap. Monaco seemed pretty decent as long as all the plumbing fixtures have been replaced. Every brand even Prevost, Newell, and Foretravel have their weaknesses.
Many times we have seen folks buy a motorhome because they "didn't want to tow anything". After they had it for a short time they ended up buying a small car/jeep so that they wouldn't have to move the "house" when they wanted to run an errand or go sightseeing.
I was a road warrior for 20 years, it is much nicer to sleep in your own bed in a trailer than in a motel. Some motels suck big time.
My husband is semi retired after selling his company. We moved to California a couple of years ago and have never been to any western state other than CA and Nevada. We planned on spending the next couple of years taking trips to campgrounds in national parks- Colorado, Idaho, south Dakota, Vancouver, etc. We aren't going to be gone for the entire time. We planned on every month taking a different trip and staying in the RV. I do not do ground camping! My husband has done a lot of camping and backpacking and tent sleeping. I want the RV. So our agreement was as long as he doesn't have to go outside and work on it, he'll agree to it.
Class C was a better size since it's just the two of us. Class A's, while beautiful, just looked too big. I want something I can handle and I definitely have no problems handling Class C's.
I just want something reliable. I read so many horror stories about RV lemons.
If he doesn’t want to do general maintenance go for a ford or Chevy. Most any dealer can handle a class c. Mercedes is much harder and more costly. Yes, better gas mileage but if you break down you are more apt to find a ford or Chevy dealer who can get you back on the road and an oil change won’t cost an arm and a leg. We found with our new RV the biggest issue was cosmetic. Screws not put in correctly, door hinges off. I think even your software hubby could address those problems. With new most things should be covered under warranty. Also look to smaller dealers, better pricing. We own a Forest River Sunseeker 2290 we purchased last year. Unfortunately Covid has restricted our travels this year.
I was open to getting used but it's the warranty that concerns me. Can you purchase a warranty if you buy used?
That's a shame that something so expensive could have so many bugs in the first place. Based on reading and talking to people, RV's in general can be unreliable, even good brands. Breaking down on the way to the Grand Canyon or yellowstone doesn't sound like fun.
That shouldn’t happen new anymore than a car or truck. A class c is just a truck chassis and engine. Most of the complaints I have read is leaks, but remember like anything those who are unhappy post more than those with no issues. Most complaints I see are cosmetic rather than systems but occasionally you might get problems with a/c or refrigerator or generators.
Goats? Um... Okay. I think maybe I have a couple of questions, Coldjensens.
I was with her up until the goats. My goats are house goats!
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Says you. I love mine and wouldn't have anything else.
