Class A Motorhome recommendations for single woman
Diamond girl said
05:15 PM Oct 16, 2013
Hi,
I have been researching 5th wheels and class A's and am leaning toward a 2014 motorhome. The motorhome seems easier to drive, pull over and sleep in, and their floor plans are right up my alley with features like great storage capabilities, pet friendliness, tan leatherette furniture, cushioned dinettes (don't like the new modernized chairs), solid flooring throughout, residential fridges, fireplace, king bed, etc. Although I drove a 40' bus for many years in Boston, ease of use makes me feel better given that I will be solo with my two small dogs, splitting the year between FL and southern ME. Given my preferences, can anyone recommend a great coach?
I currently live in York, ME, preparing to put beautiful waterfront home on market. Any interested buyers?
Thanks, in advance,
Jeannie
-- Edited by Diamond girl on Wednesday 16th of October 2013 05:36:39 PM
Jake62 said
07:28 PM Oct 17, 2013
Jeannie,
We've been researching Class A DPs quite a while and Entegra is one of the leading brands right now. We looked at these, Newmar, as well as Tiffin, at the Hersey RV show. For $300K, you can buy a new-used Entegra Anthem, which is a step up from the Aspire. Different features, depending on your wants/needs. I've included a link regarding a forum where Entegra owners furnish their opinions and reviews. There's also terrific reviews on a guy named "Cruzer" about the Entegra and Tiffin products, and this guy knows more about Class A DP than anyone I've met.
And yes, any RV depreciates very quickly. That's why a good 1-2 used DP will save you since the highest depreciation occurs in the first couple years.
-- Edited by GENECOP on Thursday 17th of October 2013 07:59:32 PM
-- Edited by GENECOP on Thursday 17th of October 2013 08:00:40 PM
Edit by moderator: Activated link. Terry
-- Edited by Terry and Jo on Friday 18th of October 2013 07:18:36 AM
MarkS said
08:03 PM Oct 17, 2013
I have experience with this. After being married so long our DNA is the same, I feel qualified to say, Jeannie, stop looking. None of them have a closet large enough for your shoes and purses.
Just sayin'
GENECOP said
09:09 PM Oct 17, 2013
Foretravel, if you are committed to an A get a nice used or new Foretravel....
Diamond girl said
12:04 AM Oct 18, 2013
Hey Mark, the shoes and bags are the least of my problems. Downsizing this 3500 sq ft home is the challenge. I look forward to losing much of the needless shtuff.
Thanks Genecop, great foretravel. I'm quite interested at this point in the Entegra Aspire. Have you heard anything , pro or con regarding this rig? 45' might be challenging but think I can do it.
Also, what is the depreciation rate of motorhomes?
Thanks for input.
Jeannie
French Bikers said
12:16 AM Oct 18, 2013
You mentionned your preference but no budget???? therefore sky could be the limit but I could say that I went to the last RV show in Hershey and I was surprised by two models built by the same manufacturer Thor. The Miramar floor plan 34.2 and the Challenger 37 GT and 37 KT. They are gas motorhome unless you look for a Diesel Pusher like, Forest River Berkshire or Thor Tuscany XTE
My best suggestion would be to tell you that you should attend an RV show it is the best place to be able to compare and to have a look at all the floor plans.
Terry and Jo said
12:23 AM Oct 18, 2013
Jeannie,
I really can't answer to the question about the Entegra, however with any RV, the depreciation is horrendous just about as soon as one drives or pulls it off the lot. If one wants to be assured that their RV is not old and perhaps full if issues, then one wants to buy new. However, even new ones can have problems, but at least they come with warranties and extended warranties are available should one want to be protected beyond the original manufacturer's warranty. Many of those may only be a year or two.
Jo and I fall into that category because in our planning we decided that our fifth wheel would be our home for years to come. A lot of research went into our decision and to this day, I have to say that we are pleased with our choice. Research came in the form of looking at all that we took an interest in along with registering on forums that were associated with owner's groups and associations and asking questions there. A major question that I asked a number of times was, "If you were to be in the market to buy another RV, would you purchase (the same brand) again and if not, why?" While many owners may complain about their RV's and/or be looking for solutions to a number of problems, most said that they would buy their same brand again.
On the other hand, one can save a lot of money by buying a used RV. The money saved from buying knew will more than pay for a good RV tech to check out the used RV when one narrows it down to the one they want to purchase.
Good luck with your research and planning. If you approach this process with the right attitude, it can be quite a bit of fun.
Terry
Diamond girl said
12:57 AM Oct 18, 2013
Yes, Terry, there is a lot to consider. How long do you figure a brand new rv to last as a fulltimer plunking down for app 6 months at a time between ME and FL?
French bikers, I would consider something in the 300k range but wonder whether giving up such a considerable portion of the equity of this house and plunking it down on an instantly depreciated steel home on wheels is daunting. I do love Thor but cannot find one equipped with what I need. Maybe by the time I'm ready to purchase, there shall be such a beast. The Boston show is early next year. Maybe I should consider renting one, in the meantime.
The Restless Youngs said
01:27 AM Oct 18, 2013
We're currently looking for a class A as well and have been doing lots and lots of research. We are leaning towards buying a slightly used (2-4 years old) model and there seems to be some good value out there between the various websites (ebay, rvt.com, rvtrader.com), etc. We are leaning towards the Tiffin Phaeton, Allegro Bus, Newmar (a couple diff models), and Winnebago Tour. The Entegras look nice as well. The Hershey RV show was very helpful for us in helping us narrow it down and now that we have a better idea, we're going to go to the Tampa show in January and hopefully be able to make a final decision. We also purchased a RV guide from rv.org which was recommended to us by another forum member. This was extremely helpful for us to get some information about construction, safety, price, rating, etc. Best of luck...and keep us updated!
bjoyce said
02:20 AM Oct 18, 2013
I find this interesting since right now we are helping my recently widowed mother-in-law get used to being a solo fulltime RVer in a 40' diesel pusher. It is a lot of RV for one person, especially maneuvering in campgrounds.
I don't feel qualified to say which brands to buy since so much has changed since when we bought new in 2004.
GENECOP said
02:55 AM Oct 18, 2013
Entegra is a good Coach......Foretravel is built in Texas, Go to the website they have a good list with photos of new and used.....check it out....as far as holding value, Motorhomes are a disaster......Foretravel and Entegra do pretty well compared to others....
Jake62 said
12:04 PM Oct 18, 2013
Definitely agree with Gene,
Foretravel is a terrific DP, but it's more on the "upper" end of DP. For $300K, you'll have to purchase an older unit than an Entegra, but it may be worth it. Newell is actually one step above foretravel, but again, in that price range, it would have to be at least a 10-year old coach to get it to $300k.
el Rojo and Pam said
12:26 PM Oct 18, 2013
Not sure older and used is the way she wants to go but a 10 year old Prevost would fit that budget. If new is the way to go, look at the Winnebago tour also.
I agree with Jake62...a used 1 to 2 year old DP will save you around 40% of new and many will have the bugs worked out of them. We traded in a 2004 Winnebago Vectra with 32000 miles on it. Nothing was wrong with it. We just changed our minds and went to a 5th wheel. We took a beating and somebody got a deal. Overall, we do believe it was a good move for us.
Red
Terry and Jo said
02:22 PM Oct 18, 2013
Just to add to Red's comment, when researching on forums and such, see if anyone will provide an answer as to how much a dealer will discount a new coach in order to sell it to you. In the world of some of the fifth wheels, a 25% to 30% discount off of MSRP is not unusual on a brand new unit. If you can find a motorhome with a similar "selling discount," that will help defray some of the depreciation costs. With that in mind, I'm wondering if one shouldn't consider comparing prices of used units to a discounted new unit.
Terry
Hdrider said
02:39 PM Oct 18, 2013
We have a 2007 Tiffin that we bought new and have lived in it a couple different times while building houses and now have been fulltime in it for 15 months and it has been very good to us. We have done our share of modifications as well.
As far as new unit discounts,, we have been looking at new the last few months. Not because ours has anything wrong with it but it was our first motorhome and after having it this long and living in it we know we want a few different things.
In the brands we have looked at we have found that 25% off MSRP is a minimum and if a dealer want to deal 30% is most certainly doable. This may vary with other brands that we have not looked at.
I didn't think we would ever move away from a Tiffin but we have made a deal on a Entegra at this point. There are a lot of good rigs out there.
RVRon said
04:08 PM Oct 18, 2013
Jeannie, if you can drive a 40' bus in Boston, you can drive anything anywhere! I have never been so awe-struck at driving skills as I have been riding buses in Boston. The streets are so narrow there is usually only inches to spare between parked cars and oncoming traffic. I would think a single person could live very comfortably in a 40' coach, with plenty of storage and room to spread things out BUT the bigger you go the more there is to take care of too. Most single women that we have come in contact with (but not all) are in smaller units - 30-36' coaches or trailers because they are easier to navigate, set up and maintain as a single person. Our preference was to go with a 34' motorhome because it gave us a wider range of available parking places when we're traveling. Keep in mind also that if you tow a vehicle behind the motorhome you now are at almost 60' in length going down the road. It's really all about personal preferences though and the right floorplan is the #1 reason to choose an RV - you will be stationary a LOT more than you will be driving.
SnowGypsy said
04:35 PM Oct 18, 2013
Terry and Jo wrote:
Just to add to Red's comment, when researching on forums and such, see if anyone will provide an answer as to how much a dealer will discount a new coach in order to sell it to you. In the world of some of the fifth wheels, a 25% to 30% discount off of MSRP is not unusual on a brand new unit. If you can find a motorhome with a similar "selling discount," that will help defray some of the depreciation costs. With that in mind, I'm wondering if one shouldn't consider comparing prices of used units to a discounted new unit.
Terry
Seriously, what we have seen over the last 30 years is that your best bet is to decide what you want to pay and then go and find it but stay focused on what you want to spend. We have yet to not see a "hungry" salesperson whether it be for used or new. And, those selling their own units are usually wanting to get rid of those also and willing to deal since I think everyone puts the price a little higher because they expect "bargaining". The biggest thing is sticking to what you want to pay. You know, they do that thing where they just know their supervisor won't do "that" deal, but they are really going to try to get that for you and they run over to the partitioned area/office and sometimes come back with a "yes" and other times, "Well, what if we do this or that with the deal." Unless what you offered was really out of line I think they'll deal. There are tons of used units on the lots right now and lots of units are on the consignment lots too. I have been watching "left-overs" the 2013s that did not sell and there is a nice variety of those also. Don't fall so much in love with a floorplan that all of those really important structural elements get overlooked though.
Diamond girl said
12:29 AM Nov 4, 2013
Thank you all for sharing your experiences and suggestions. My house will officially go on the market tomorrow. Let's see what happens from there. If all goes in the rv gypsy direction, I will hopefully be purchasing something in the 36' to 40' range and will look for hungry salespeople and/or a great rig being sold elsewhere by those who took good care of it. A friend knows of a gently used Provost (sic?) marked down from 140 to 90k and will be getting back with more info. For now, I am just in the research stages.
Being a pet person, my criteria is very specific. No carpeting, ick. I like to wipe up anything from outside or beyond easily. No steam cleaning rugs for this girl.
Oh, speaking of which, is it easy to find nice campgrounds/rv parks that are adult oriented and pet friendly? I like kids but not so much the noise.
Ron, Joan and Callie, thank you for reminding me how crazy I was to drive that thing through Boston and the north shore for so many years. The first year was the scariest because my training and many subsequent routes were in East Boston. Talk about narrow streets. In retrospect, I am pretty grateful to have learned in the most harrowing area - piece of cake after that. Well, not always...dealing with some of the people seemed more challenging than the roads.
Thanks again for the keen advice.
Jeannie
1 diamond girl said
10:10 AM Feb 11, 2017
Hi,
Coincidently, while just now researching new owner rv info - ie where to store, camp, what accessories to buy - I see these posts of mine from over 3 years ago while in buying mode. I'm happy to report, not with trepidation, that The 34.2 Thor Mirimar thormotorcoach.com/media/documents/2015-Miramar-Flyer-05-30-2014.pdf will be my home away from home starting Monday. Since last here, the Maine home has sold, I bought a pretty villa in southern FL (Port St Lucie) and am now ready to explore other parts of this state along with the real possibility of becoming a New England snowbird with my two dachshunds, Spirit and Sage. Hope to see you on the road. Thanks again for all your help way back when.
-- Edited by 1 diamond girl on Saturday 11th of February 2017 10:11:41 AM
LarryW21 said
07:00 PM Feb 11, 2017
In my opinion you are moving too fast and spending too much money on a lifestyle I'm not sure you really understand.
Barbaraok said
09:13 PM Feb 11, 2017
LarryW21 wrote:
In my opinion you are moving too fast and spending too much money on a lifestyle I'm not sure you really understand.
X2
heyjohnm said
10:46 AM Feb 12, 2017
Barbaraok wrote:
LarryW21 wrote:
In my opinion you are moving too fast and spending too much money on a lifestyle I'm not sure you really understand.
X2
Good for her! Glad she was able to successfully implement a 3yr+ plan to sell a waterfront home in ME, move 1500 mi south to a lovely part of FL, purchase a replacement property, and now, complete the plan by purchasing a Class A motorhome. She has apparently done due diligence in making her selection, as she covered many of the salient points in her original postings. Her points of value and timing might differ from that of other folks but they are her considered choices. We are happy for her!
Hi,
I have been researching 5th wheels and class A's and am leaning toward a 2014 motorhome. The motorhome seems easier to drive, pull over and sleep in, and their floor plans are right up my alley with features like great storage capabilities, pet friendliness, tan leatherette furniture, cushioned dinettes (don't like the new modernized chairs), solid flooring throughout, residential fridges, fireplace, king bed, etc. Although I drove a 40' bus for many years in Boston, ease of use makes me feel better given that I will be solo with my two small dogs, splitting the year between FL and southern ME. Given my preferences, can anyone recommend a great coach?
I currently live in York, ME, preparing to put beautiful waterfront home on market. Any interested buyers?
Thanks, in advance,
Jeannie
-- Edited by Diamond girl on Wednesday 16th of October 2013 05:36:39 PM
Jeannie,
We've been researching Class A DPs quite a while and Entegra is one of the leading brands right now. We looked at these, Newmar, as well as Tiffin, at the Hersey RV show. For $300K, you can buy a new-used Entegra Anthem, which is a step up from the Aspire. Different features, depending on your wants/needs. I've included a link regarding a forum where Entegra owners furnish their opinions and reviews. There's also terrific reviews on a guy named "Cruzer" about the Entegra and Tiffin products, and this guy knows more about Class A DP than anyone I've met.
And yes, any RV depreciates very quickly. That's why a good 1-2 used DP will save you since the highest depreciation occurs in the first couple years.
Good luck! Tim
www.irv2.com/forums/f278/
www.rvcruzer.com/2012_anthem.php
-- Edited by Jake62 on Thursday 17th of October 2013 07:32:47 PM
http://www.foretraveloftexas.com/view-inventory.php?id=552
-- Edited by GENECOP on Thursday 17th of October 2013 07:59:32 PM
-- Edited by GENECOP on Thursday 17th of October 2013 08:00:40 PM
Edit by moderator: Activated link. Terry
-- Edited by Terry and Jo on Friday 18th of October 2013 07:18:36 AM
Just sayin'
Thanks Genecop, great foretravel. I'm quite interested at this point in the Entegra Aspire. Have you heard anything , pro or con regarding this rig? 45' might be challenging but think I can do it.
Also, what is the depreciation rate of motorhomes?
Thanks for input.
Jeannie
My best suggestion would be to tell you that you should attend an RV show it is the best place to be able to compare and to have a look at all the floor plans.
Jeannie,
I really can't answer to the question about the Entegra, however with any RV, the depreciation is horrendous just about as soon as one drives or pulls it off the lot. If one wants to be assured that their RV is not old and perhaps full if issues, then one wants to buy new. However, even new ones can have problems, but at least they come with warranties and extended warranties are available should one want to be protected beyond the original manufacturer's warranty. Many of those may only be a year or two.
Jo and I fall into that category because in our planning we decided that our fifth wheel would be our home for years to come. A lot of research went into our decision and to this day, I have to say that we are pleased with our choice. Research came in the form of looking at all that we took an interest in along with registering on forums that were associated with owner's groups and associations and asking questions there. A major question that I asked a number of times was, "If you were to be in the market to buy another RV, would you purchase (the same brand) again and if not, why?" While many owners may complain about their RV's and/or be looking for solutions to a number of problems, most said that they would buy their same brand again.
On the other hand, one can save a lot of money by buying a used RV. The money saved from buying knew will more than pay for a good RV tech to check out the used RV when one narrows it down to the one they want to purchase.
Good luck with your research and planning. If you approach this process with the right attitude, it can be quite a bit of fun.
Terry
French bikers, I would consider something in the 300k range but wonder whether giving up such a considerable portion of the equity of this house and plunking it down on an instantly depreciated steel home on wheels is daunting. I do love Thor but cannot find one equipped with what I need. Maybe by the time I'm ready to purchase, there shall be such a beast. The Boston show is early next year. Maybe I should consider renting one, in the meantime.
I don't feel qualified to say which brands to buy since so much has changed since when we bought new in 2004.
Foretravel is a terrific DP, but it's more on the "upper" end of DP. For $300K, you'll have to purchase an older unit than an Entegra, but it may be worth it. Newell is actually one step above foretravel, but again, in that price range, it would have to be at least a 10-year old coach to get it to $300k.
I agree with Jake62...a used 1 to 2 year old DP will save you around 40% of new and many will have the bugs worked out of them. We traded in a 2004 Winnebago Vectra with 32000 miles on it. Nothing was wrong with it. We just changed our minds and went to a 5th wheel. We took a beating and somebody got a deal. Overall, we do believe it was a good move for us.
Red
Just to add to Red's comment, when researching on forums and such, see if anyone will provide an answer as to how much a dealer will discount a new coach in order to sell it to you. In the world of some of the fifth wheels, a 25% to 30% discount off of MSRP is not unusual on a brand new unit. If you can find a motorhome with a similar "selling discount," that will help defray some of the depreciation costs. With that in mind, I'm wondering if one shouldn't consider comparing prices of used units to a discounted new unit.
Terry
As far as new unit discounts,, we have been looking at new the last few months. Not because ours has anything wrong with it but it was our first motorhome and after having it this long and living in it we know we want a few different things.
In the brands we have looked at we have found that 25% off MSRP is a minimum and if a dealer want to deal 30% is most certainly doable. This may vary with other brands that we have not looked at.
I didn't think we would ever move away from a Tiffin but we have made a deal on a Entegra at this point. There are a lot of good rigs out there.
Jeannie, if you can drive a 40' bus in Boston, you can drive anything anywhere! I have never been so awe-struck at driving skills as I have been riding buses in Boston. The streets are so narrow there is usually only inches to spare between parked cars and oncoming traffic. I would think a single person could live very comfortably in a 40' coach, with plenty of storage and room to spread things out BUT the bigger you go the more there is to take care of too. Most single women that we have come in contact with (but not all) are in smaller units - 30-36' coaches or trailers because they are easier to navigate, set up and maintain as a single person. Our preference was to go with a 34' motorhome because it gave us a wider range of available parking places when we're traveling. Keep in mind also that if you tow a vehicle behind the motorhome you now are at almost 60' in length going down the road. It's really all about personal preferences though and the right floorplan is the #1 reason to choose an RV - you will be stationary a LOT more than you will be driving.
Seriously, what we have seen over the last 30 years is that your best bet is to decide what you want to pay and then go and find it but stay focused on what you want to spend. We have yet to not see a "hungry" salesperson whether it be for used or new. And, those selling their own units are usually wanting to get rid of those also and willing to deal since I think everyone puts the price a little higher because they expect "bargaining". The biggest thing is sticking to what you want to pay. You know, they do that thing where they just know their supervisor won't do "that" deal, but they are really going to try to get that for you and they run over to the partitioned area/office and sometimes come back with a "yes" and other times, "Well, what if we do this or that with the deal." Unless what you offered was really out of line I think they'll deal. There are tons of used units on the lots right now and lots of units are on the consignment lots too. I have been watching "left-overs" the 2013s that did not sell and there is a nice variety of those also. Don't fall so much in love with a floorplan that all of those really important structural elements get overlooked though.
Being a pet person, my criteria is very specific. No carpeting, ick. I like to wipe up anything from outside or beyond easily. No steam cleaning rugs for this girl.
Oh, speaking of which, is it easy to find nice campgrounds/rv parks that are adult oriented and pet friendly? I like kids but not so much the noise.
Ron, Joan and Callie, thank you for reminding me how crazy I was to drive that thing through Boston and the north shore for so many years. The first year was the scariest because my training and many subsequent routes were in East Boston. Talk about narrow streets. In retrospect, I am pretty grateful to have learned in the most harrowing area - piece of cake after that. Well, not always...dealing with some of the people seemed more challenging than the roads.
Thanks again for the keen advice.
Jeannie
Hi,
Coincidently, while just now researching new owner rv info - ie where to store, camp, what accessories to buy - I see these posts of mine from over 3 years ago while in buying mode.
I'm happy to report, not with trepidation, that The 34.2 Thor Mirimar thormotorcoach.com/media/documents/2015-Miramar-Flyer-05-30-2014.pdf will be my home away from home starting Monday.
Since last here, the Maine home has sold, I bought a pretty villa in southern FL (Port St Lucie) and am now ready to explore other parts of this state along with the real possibility of becoming a New England snowbird with my two dachshunds, Spirit and Sage.
Hope to see you on the road.
Thanks again for all your help way back when.
-- Edited by 1 diamond girl on Saturday 11th of February 2017 10:11:41 AM
In my opinion you are moving too fast and spending too much money on a lifestyle I'm not sure you really understand.
X2
Good for her! Glad she was able to successfully implement a 3yr+ plan to sell a waterfront home in ME, move 1500 mi south to a lovely part of FL, purchase a replacement property, and now, complete the plan by purchasing a Class A motorhome. She has apparently done due diligence in making her selection, as she covered many of the salient points in her original postings. Her points of value and timing might differ from that of other folks but they are her considered choices. We are happy for her!