Looking for feedback

Marinelender · 06-22-2010, 01:57 PM

Wife and I currently negotiating from home in FL to buy an '03 WINN DP in AZ. I'm talking with a surveyor in Phoenix who will examine coach....I'm looking at several extended warranty plans (anyone suggest a good one?)....I'm negotiating with the seller for new tires...am I missing anything?

We've never owned a MH before. I've driven Class A's a total of 10 miles. Our plan is to fly to Phoenix and drive 2200 miles home....are we nuts?

smlranger · 06-22-2010, 02:21 PM

First, welcome to the forum

. We found and bought our current rig used in 2005 from a dealer 850 miles from our home. It involved a lot of time on the phone, many pictures sent via email and the opportunity to back out if things were not as presented when we got there to take delivery. It worked for us. It was not our first RV or motorhome so I had some prior experience.

I would certainly insist on seeing all the maintenance records. Tires on an '03 coach will certainly need to be replaced so good that you are negotiating for that. If you can verify that the surveyor/inspector you've hired is reputable and you get a favorable report, you should be OK.

I would say not to get in a hurry. In the current economic environment, there are many used rigs for sale and good deals to be had. Don't be reluctant to walk away from the deal if anything is not right. There are plenty of choices available.

I can't tell you much about extended warranties since I have never purchased one for an RV. I prefer to put some money aside for repairs amd take my chances.

Whatever you end up with, you will find lot's of helpful info on this web site and many folks who will assist and advise whenever asked.

Good luck and come back and tell us how it works out.

Chuck 1935 · 06-22-2010, 03:52 PM

I have Good Sam Extended Warranty and have been very happy with it just for the peace of mind. If you buy the MH call Good Sam before you take off and then your covered if the transmission goes out, or the refrigerator quits or any other major problem. You can also cancel the policy after you are comfortable that everything is in good shape. My policy cost about $900

RickO · 06-22-2010, 03:52 PM

That's some great advice. Even though this is your first post, it sounds like you've done some homework and are on the right track. Don't worry about "being nuts". Although we bought our new coach from a local dealer, it was our first RV on any kind and it was a 40'DP. I remember asking the sales guy if we were nuts. That was three years ago and now we're full timing!

I don't think we would be able to do this without the help found on this forum.

If the deal goes through, have fun on your trip home. You may want to take really go notes (or even video tape) your walk through with the owner so you can be sure to know how to make stuff work. Take your time and enjoy the journey.

denochs · 06-22-2010, 04:14 PM

I think we're all a little nuts. We took our used motorhome on it's maiden voyage one week after buying it. NC to CA and back in a little over a month. Yes, we had some problems. But nothing that left us dead in the water, so to speak. So, one thing to consider, how much time do you have? It's the best way to get acquainted with you MH and all it's systems.

I don't and never have purchased an extended warranty plan. Like smlranger, we put money aside for repairs. Thus far, we're ahead.

Dave

1ciderdog · 06-22-2010, 05:08 PM

Pat
Abut three months ago we purchased a 2004 Winnebago Journey, low mileage, very clean, etc. I opted to go with AmericanRV Warranties. They have a lot of information on the website. I talked on the telephone with the representative three maybe four times. Before this purchase I used to feel the like the other writers mention above - that I could put a little $ aside - that nothing major would go wrong but I was wrong. I lost a diesel engine on my previous motor home and the repair cost would have paid for a lifetime of warranty coverage. As mentioned above it would be good to have it initially and you can cancel after a few months after you get to know your vehicle and if you are comfortable that it will not have problems. I mostly purchased it for peace of mind - Kind of like health insurance is hopefully for peace of mind and not for use. I hope you enjoy the RV and have many happy years of travel and fun.

Marinelender · 06-22-2010, 09:00 PM

Thanks to you all......we made a deal, the current owner is going to transfer the remaining 4 years of warranty, the survey will be done in a few days, a little more wrestling with the broker over the cost of tires and we are done. Then a couple of one way tickets from West Palm Beach to Phoenix and the adventure begins. We've got a road service contract from Good Sam, a fuel card from Flying J.........and a little less $ in the bank. What are we forgetting?

Suncircles · 06-22-2010, 10:04 PM

Don't forget to test drive it for a day or so around the Valley. Many, many RV parks are empty in Mesa, so spend a night in one checking out all the "mechanicals" including the plumbing and air conditioner. You might want to skip the testing of the heating system--Thursday temp. is predicted to be 110. Take the 101 and 202 loops, testing brakes, steering alignment, listen fo any vibrations and noises, check out lights, etc. that might not be covered under the warranty and could bite you on the way back to FL. Get use to the feel of the vehicle, mirror positions and other driving essentials. Also bring sheets and pillowcases for the trip and have a safe trip back to FL.

RickO · 06-23-2010, 07:52 AM

Find yourselves a good audio book for the looooonnnnngggg trip through the desert. We've found that being able to connect our iPod to the radio is a must. Have fun and welcome to the club!

micd · 06-23-2010, 09:04 AM

Hi,

We just bought our first RV, never having used one before. Here are some tips that may be useful.

Go to your local dealers and test drive some coaches similar in length to what you are looking to buy. If you can find the same make with in a few years all the better. Ask the dealer for tips on driving them. The new Itasca dealer who showed me coaches gave me some excellent driving tips like watching the rear wheels in my lower mirrors as I went around corners so I could calibrate how close I could get. He also mentioned checking out the lane lines in both mirrors also to get a feel for when you are in the center of the lane. He mentioned that almost everyone hangs to the right at first.

If at all possible try to find someone in Phoenix to look at the coach who has a sense of smell (this is usually a female from my experience). One of the most off-putting things was the mildew smell of some of the used coaches we looked at. They should open each and every cabinet. If the coach has had any ceiling leaks there is a possibility that it smells bad.

Look up the VIN on autocheck or carfax. I got the all you can check service from autocheck and found it invaluable to see the vehicles history. However for a single VIN check carfax may be better as from the reviews it appears to be more thorough.

Best of luck,
Michelle