Since our coach is used. And since there is an oil change sticker on the drivers side window that says the last oil change was three years ago, I've been scrambling to find a place to service the coach in the Dallas area before I drive back to Arkansas. This sound simple enough right? Not. Nobody has appointments available.
I've posted about this on several RV forums and have been directed several times by to consider using a Speedco Service Center for getting this done.
However, the as I checked out Speedco and called their closest service centers (Oklahoma City and Joplin) I see how they do things. If you bring all of your own filters it's no problem but if you go to their service centers and expect them to have what you need in stock ....well, that's another story.
They only change the filters and fuel filters they have in stock and the associated fluids. If they don't have it, they notify you and you still have part of your service not done. They do give you the option of bringing all the filters and they will install them.
So, what I have done is opted to travel back to Arkansas after checking fluid levels carefully and then get it serviced here. It shouldn't have to be this hard to find a place to service this beast.
On a somewhat brighter note we are due to pick up our RV again, for the second time. Hopefully without golf cart/RV destruction. They said five days for the repairs which would put it ready to pick up on Thursday. We'll see but if it isn't ready we'll have a problem because we are booked for space at the Ladybird Johnson Municipal Park in Fredricksburg, Tx.
Saturday, November 12, 2016
Friday, November 11, 2016
The Universe Has Spoken
On Thursday morning Martha and I departed for Alvarado, Texas from our home in Fayetteville. All that remained was a close inspection of the RV followed by a test drive and we would sign the dotted line, become once again cash poor and then drive away in our beautiful coach.
After the test drive (I really liked how well the big beast handled) we returned to the dealership. Following the instructions of the sales guy I snaked my way through a rather expansive dealership and given instructions as to where I was to park.
We were positioned adjacent to the dealerships office and the salesman told me to make a right hand turn and park in front of a line of new motor homes. As I committed to making the right I swung out wide to clear a Fiver that was parked on the corner. About that time a guy in a golf cart accelerated in front of me and turned hard right and paralleled us heading toward the rear of our coach. He then proceed to stop hard and sort of jumped off the golf cart as it was coming to a stop.
We were positioned adjacent to the dealerships office and the salesman told me to make a right hand turn and park in front of a line of new motor homes. As I committed to making the right I swung out wide to clear a Fiver that was parked on the corner. About that time a guy in a golf cart accelerated in front of me and turned hard right and paralleled us heading toward the rear of our coach. He then proceed to stop hard and sort of jumped off the golf cart as it was coming to a stop.
Where he parked was exactly in the turning radius of our coach and his golf cart ended up to near the side of our coach resulting in the right rear of the coach striking the golf cart and gouging two storage doors and the wheel cover. It turns out that stopping 28,000 pounds of mass isn't instantaneous.
Since this happened in front of the office the owner of the dealership came out to see what had happened. He simply said "Are you out looking for coaches?" I told him this is the one we're buying.
He never skipped a beat and said "well in that case let me send the coach to our body and paint shop and we will repair everything like new and for your trouble, I will have our cleaning crew detail the outside and inside of your coach free of charge (this was a consignment unit and as such they do not clean them unless the owner wants it done)."
I was very pleased to hear him say that and we decided to go ahead with sale. This results in my making yet another trip to Alvarado to pick up the coach. The Universe has spoken....sheesh.
Wednesday, November 9, 2016
More On Insurance - What I Found Out Today
If you read my post regarding what you need in the way of insurance, then you probably figured out that I was shopping for the right policy. Since we required a loan for our coach we decided to use USAA. They gave us an excellent interest rate so it that part was a no brainer.
The folks at USAA suggested their insurance (Foremost) for the RV so we got a quote from them. We received what we thought to be a very good price on an annual policy and were going to call them tomorrow during the closing to put the policy in force.
Today I decided to stop by our State Farm agent's office and see about a quote from them. I was pretty sure based on their loan interest rates the quote for insurance would be much higher than Foremost. I was floored to find out with all the same coverage's and deductible's State Farm was almost $1000 a year less. No need to look further.
To be fair we have been with State Farm for our entire marriage (working on 26 years) and we have our vehicle, motorcycle and renters insurance with them.
So, what's the moral of the story? Well, I just found out that loyalty pays off.
The folks at USAA suggested their insurance (Foremost) for the RV so we got a quote from them. We received what we thought to be a very good price on an annual policy and were going to call them tomorrow during the closing to put the policy in force.
Today I decided to stop by our State Farm agent's office and see about a quote from them. I was pretty sure based on their loan interest rates the quote for insurance would be much higher than Foremost. I was floored to find out with all the same coverage's and deductible's State Farm was almost $1000 a year less. No need to look further.
To be fair we have been with State Farm for our entire marriage (working on 26 years) and we have our vehicle, motorcycle and renters insurance with them.
So, what's the moral of the story? Well, I just found out that loyalty pays off.
Holding Our Breath - RV Pickup Day Is Tomorrow
We've had so many obstacles and other barriers thrown at us during this search it seems that we've been holding our breath since we settled on the Northern Star two weeks ago.
All the barriers seemed to be removed. The owner of the coach has given final approval, the roof is being resealed today, the loan is approved, we've several insurance quotes to consider and all that remains is to decide what RV insurance carrier we want and then go pick up the Coach tomorrow.
I will post more photos of the coach by the weekend. We intend to camp Sunday and Monday night at nearby Lake Ft. Smith about 40 minutes from here. We want to do a proper "shake down" and enjoy what will become our life after next June.
Wish us luck.
All the barriers seemed to be removed. The owner of the coach has given final approval, the roof is being resealed today, the loan is approved, we've several insurance quotes to consider and all that remains is to decide what RV insurance carrier we want and then go pick up the Coach tomorrow.
I will post more photos of the coach by the weekend. We intend to camp Sunday and Monday night at nearby Lake Ft. Smith about 40 minutes from here. We want to do a proper "shake down" and enjoy what will become our life after next June.
Wish us luck.
Monday, November 7, 2016
Ok, I Think This Is It!
This afternoon I finally got the call I was waiting on. We go to Alvardo, Texas on Thursday to get our coach. Finally!
Still lots to do after we get it home. Today I rented a space at a local storage facility and got it cheap too! Most of the ones we looked at wanted $80 a month. We got this one for $45 a month and it is a very secure facility.
Next up is getting the beast serviced. Since there are few or no maintenance records I think it's prudent get the chassis lubed, oil and all filters changed before going to Florida in December.
Let the fun begin!
Still lots to do after we get it home. Today I rented a space at a local storage facility and got it cheap too! Most of the ones we looked at wanted $80 a month. We got this one for $45 a month and it is a very secure facility.
Next up is getting the beast serviced. Since there are few or no maintenance records I think it's prudent get the chassis lubed, oil and all filters changed before going to Florida in December.
Let the fun begin!
Saturday, November 5, 2016
Just Out Of Curiosity I Would Like To Ask A Question
If you read this blog why aren't you making comments? I meant for this to be interactive and I haven't had one comment. Please, let me know what you think about the blog.
Thanks
Thanks
Instant Gratification Isn't Instant
As most of you know we looked for a long time to find the coach we felt fit us best. We found our dream coach at Motor Home Specialists in Alvarado, Texas. Once we were sure this was the "one" we put earnest money on the coach to show intent to purchase. The owner was contacted and the offer and our terms were accepted last Wednesday.
So, we set up our closing at Motor Home Specialist's (MHS) this coming Monday the 7th. We are/were very excited to finally nearly at the point where we can drive away in our "new to us" coach.
Well that's not going to happen now, at least on the 7th. We are bummed out to say the least. Why the delay? As radio personality Paul Harvey used to say "And this is the rest of the story."
As I understand it, the coach was consigned to MHS to sell. Shortly before our offer the owners departed for a cruise and were due back to port yesterday the 6th. MHS reached them at sea last Wednesday for the deal offer and they subsequently approved it.
But here is where it gets sticky. The owners of the coach evidently traded for a new coach with MHS and then consigned our coach with them. Since the owners have been at sea it has been difficult to reach them for further correspondence. Making a long story short the owners still owe money on the coach we are purchasing. So, MHS needs to collect the difference from our agreed purchase price and the amount the owners actually owe on the coach. Since they are sea this payment has not been made. The salesman and MHS finance office are both as frustrated as we are.
So, we can do nothing but wait until the owners contact MHS and everything is settled.
Meanwhile at least we don't have to pay for a storage spot. Ugh, feeling frustrated.
So, we set up our closing at Motor Home Specialist's (MHS) this coming Monday the 7th. We are/were very excited to finally nearly at the point where we can drive away in our "new to us" coach.
Well that's not going to happen now, at least on the 7th. We are bummed out to say the least. Why the delay? As radio personality Paul Harvey used to say "And this is the rest of the story."
As I understand it, the coach was consigned to MHS to sell. Shortly before our offer the owners departed for a cruise and were due back to port yesterday the 6th. MHS reached them at sea last Wednesday for the deal offer and they subsequently approved it.
But here is where it gets sticky. The owners of the coach evidently traded for a new coach with MHS and then consigned our coach with them. Since the owners have been at sea it has been difficult to reach them for further correspondence. Making a long story short the owners still owe money on the coach we are purchasing. So, MHS needs to collect the difference from our agreed purchase price and the amount the owners actually owe on the coach. Since they are sea this payment has not been made. The salesman and MHS finance office are both as frustrated as we are.
So, we can do nothing but wait until the owners contact MHS and everything is settled.
Meanwhile at least we don't have to pay for a storage spot. Ugh, feeling frustrated.
Friday, November 4, 2016
Choosing An Insurance Carrier For Your New RV
Which Insurance Carrier Do We Choose?
Your choices are nearly endless. But keep in mind that you will want some kind of Roadside Assistance Coverage alongside your standard coverage. You can do that through your insurance carrier or through clubs like Good Sams.
I think insurance is one of those personal choice issues and I won't pretend to advise you as to which company or coverage's you should choose (plus I am not licensed to advise you). But. you do need need to select from a myriad of options like Bodily Injury Liability, Property Damage Liability, Uninsured and under insured Motorist, Comprehensive coverage, collision, personal property, vacation expense protection, emergency expense, scheduled medical benefits and towing and roadside assistance.
Most of us will wind up with similar coverage to our auto insurance. Some of us will not. You will in any case need insurance. Don't take possession of an RV without it.
Do I need Towing and Roadside Assistance?
In a word, yes. Think flat tire without a spare and no way to fix the tire. Most roadside coverage include the responder bringing a new tire that will fit your rig. Yes, you will need to pay for the tire. But if you are on a lonely road in east BFE and you run out of fuel, you flat a tire or your engine quits you will be glad to have this coverage. Most RV insurance will also have towing included to the nearest Certified RV service center or the nearest engine or chassis facility that works on your particular brand.
What About Comprehensive? Why Would You Need That?
Well lets see? How much is that windshield that a rock or truck lug nut just went through? Think about that. RV windshields are huge and so are their prices. I just read a blog where just one half of their divided windshield caught a rock. That half cost the owner $1200 dollars. Yep, for just one half.
What about this scenario. You are parking at a rv park and head out for the evening. On your return you find that your door was forced open and your laptops, tv's and other valuables have been stolen. Is the insurance worth it now?
Educate Yourself About Coverages - Ask Your Agent Or Would-be Agent Questions
You need to know what the various coverages include, know your budget and pick your deductibles accordingly. As what is included in each type of coverage. After you've done your homework then purchase the policy of your choice.
Your choices are nearly endless. But keep in mind that you will want some kind of Roadside Assistance Coverage alongside your standard coverage. You can do that through your insurance carrier or through clubs like Good Sams.
I think insurance is one of those personal choice issues and I won't pretend to advise you as to which company or coverage's you should choose (plus I am not licensed to advise you). But. you do need need to select from a myriad of options like Bodily Injury Liability, Property Damage Liability, Uninsured and under insured Motorist, Comprehensive coverage, collision, personal property, vacation expense protection, emergency expense, scheduled medical benefits and towing and roadside assistance.
Most of us will wind up with similar coverage to our auto insurance. Some of us will not. You will in any case need insurance. Don't take possession of an RV without it.
Do I need Towing and Roadside Assistance?
In a word, yes. Think flat tire without a spare and no way to fix the tire. Most roadside coverage include the responder bringing a new tire that will fit your rig. Yes, you will need to pay for the tire. But if you are on a lonely road in east BFE and you run out of fuel, you flat a tire or your engine quits you will be glad to have this coverage. Most RV insurance will also have towing included to the nearest Certified RV service center or the nearest engine or chassis facility that works on your particular brand.
What About Comprehensive? Why Would You Need That?
Well lets see? How much is that windshield that a rock or truck lug nut just went through? Think about that. RV windshields are huge and so are their prices. I just read a blog where just one half of their divided windshield caught a rock. That half cost the owner $1200 dollars. Yep, for just one half.
What about this scenario. You are parking at a rv park and head out for the evening. On your return you find that your door was forced open and your laptops, tv's and other valuables have been stolen. Is the insurance worth it now?
Educate Yourself About Coverages - Ask Your Agent Or Would-be Agent Questions
You need to know what the various coverages include, know your budget and pick your deductibles accordingly. As what is included in each type of coverage. After you've done your homework then purchase the policy of your choice.
Getting Back To The Purpose Of This Blog
What A Ride
If you have been with us from the beginning then you know this blog is and will continue to be about our journey from sticks and bricks to actually living in our RV. Up to this point months of research has taken us from considering:
Class B vans
Class C gas coaches
Class A gas coaches
Class A diesel coaches
Are We There Yet?
How'd we get here? Well, it was a trip to be sure. We started with the intent of being very mobile with a Class B. We liked them so we actively traveled around looking at them. We are creatures of comfort at our age and having said that we quickly realized that they were too small for our lifestyle.
Plus for their size they extremely expensive. Used ones ranged in the $70,000 to $85,000 and new ones up to $140,000.
We chewed on that for a while and then got practical about the fact that we probably needed something bigger.
Fit And Finish - Yeah, It's Big Deal - Be Aware While You Search
We have owned a Class C and it fit our lifestyle really well as a weekend and vacation vehicle. These were also considered. The ones were able to find that fit our idea of a well laid out coach had terrible fit and finish so we quickly abandoned the idea of Class C's. Really I think we both knew without saying it out loud that this time we wanted a Class A
Amenities And Horse Power
Now we knew what we needed in a coach to fit our requirements for comfort with the main consideration being a King Bed and if possible zoned living quarters.
Since we were looking at Class A Gas coaches I needed to do homework on what power plant I would consider. Once again our budget kinda pointed me in the right direction. It turns out the most desired gas power plant on gas powered Class A's and Class C's is the Chevy Workhorse chassis with the 8.1 V-10. I was told that these were discontinued in 2006 so our target years would all have that engine.
So, we started searching in earnest for a Class A gas coach. One thing we found about the gas coaches right away was that they were much more affordable both used (within our budget) and new. However, we never quite found the "right" one.
We thought we wanted a Forest River Georgetown primarily for the floor plan that was available. They have sort of a zoned floor plan with living area in the front, dining and kitchen in the middle and bathroom and bedroom in back. This kind of fit us because we take turns being insomniacs and having zones would let each of us be up without disturbing the other. Besides, King beds were available.
Once we physically saw several Georgteown's coaches that we thought fit the budget but once we started viewing them up close and personal. What we found was that fit, finish and durability was sorely lacking. In fact there were down right poorly appointed with cheap everything especially in the quality of coach furniture and cabinets.
This is when we happened on the Gulfstream Sun Voyagers that had similar floor plan arrangement's including King bed options. These looked and felt like a quality coach however, we found out that they must be a very popular unit because in the three months leading to our current purchase we only saw three for sale nationwide. So that idea was scrapped.
Changing Directions
Once again our ideas, likes and need for certain amenities migrated our search to the next tier, Class A diesel coaches. Like everything else on this journey this proved to be a learning experience. Since our targeted budget made it clear that we had to consider coaches from 2003-2005 model years we quickly learned that most of the coaches in this price range were either beat up, used up and not worth the asking price.
On the flip side we saw a few coaches that were really nice but the asking price was inflated beyond NADA High values (excellent condition values). If you are borrowing, this is a scenario that lenders will not lend money on. It took a while to register but most of these coaches (inflated value coaches) were owned by people that just wanted to sell them. The inflated value was most likely what they owed on the coach to just "get out of it."
Snobbish Coach Shopping
After viewing so many mediocre coaches with bad fit, finish and durability we started setting our sights on quality built coaches. This was harder than our other searches because finding a quality coach that we could afford was as my Dad used say "harder than finding a hen with teeth,"
We looked at and considered Tiffin, Newmar, Monaco coaches. These are widely viewed by many RV Associations and clubs to be the best built and most durable of all motor coaches. So, we set out shopping for high end used coaches. Our first trip out we traveled to Springfield, Mo. to view a Tiffin Allegro Red that fit our budget and certainly our concerns about fit and finish. Once there we were underwhelmed. Not because it was an ill kept coach but because neither of us had our "trigger tripped". During this process my wife told me over and over, "when I see the right coach I will know it's the one" (paraphrased). It wasn't the one.
So, we moved on and a week later my wife found the "one" online at Motor Home Specialists in Alvarado, Texas. And here we are.
Thoughts On What's Next
This entire journey began in June 2016 and we found our coach at the beginning of November 2016. So, yeah it takes a while.
What's next? Well practice camping for sure. We intend to use the coach during Thanksgiving week and we are headed to Florida for the entire month of December.
Of course there is the matter of ditching 25 years of stuff before June 1st of '17 but that is another blog entry.
If you have been with us from the beginning then you know this blog is and will continue to be about our journey from sticks and bricks to actually living in our RV. Up to this point months of research has taken us from considering:
Class B vans
Class C gas coaches
Class A gas coaches
Class A diesel coaches
Are We There Yet?
How'd we get here? Well, it was a trip to be sure. We started with the intent of being very mobile with a Class B. We liked them so we actively traveled around looking at them. We are creatures of comfort at our age and having said that we quickly realized that they were too small for our lifestyle.
Plus for their size they extremely expensive. Used ones ranged in the $70,000 to $85,000 and new ones up to $140,000.
We chewed on that for a while and then got practical about the fact that we probably needed something bigger.
Fit And Finish - Yeah, It's Big Deal - Be Aware While You Search
We have owned a Class C and it fit our lifestyle really well as a weekend and vacation vehicle. These were also considered. The ones were able to find that fit our idea of a well laid out coach had terrible fit and finish so we quickly abandoned the idea of Class C's. Really I think we both knew without saying it out loud that this time we wanted a Class A
Amenities And Horse Power
Now we knew what we needed in a coach to fit our requirements for comfort with the main consideration being a King Bed and if possible zoned living quarters.
Since we were looking at Class A Gas coaches I needed to do homework on what power plant I would consider. Once again our budget kinda pointed me in the right direction. It turns out the most desired gas power plant on gas powered Class A's and Class C's is the Chevy Workhorse chassis with the 8.1 V-10. I was told that these were discontinued in 2006 so our target years would all have that engine.
So, we started searching in earnest for a Class A gas coach. One thing we found about the gas coaches right away was that they were much more affordable both used (within our budget) and new. However, we never quite found the "right" one.
We thought we wanted a Forest River Georgetown primarily for the floor plan that was available. They have sort of a zoned floor plan with living area in the front, dining and kitchen in the middle and bathroom and bedroom in back. This kind of fit us because we take turns being insomniacs and having zones would let each of us be up without disturbing the other. Besides, King beds were available.
Once we physically saw several Georgteown's coaches that we thought fit the budget but once we started viewing them up close and personal. What we found was that fit, finish and durability was sorely lacking. In fact there were down right poorly appointed with cheap everything especially in the quality of coach furniture and cabinets.
This is when we happened on the Gulfstream Sun Voyagers that had similar floor plan arrangement's including King bed options. These looked and felt like a quality coach however, we found out that they must be a very popular unit because in the three months leading to our current purchase we only saw three for sale nationwide. So that idea was scrapped.
Changing Directions
Once again our ideas, likes and need for certain amenities migrated our search to the next tier, Class A diesel coaches. Like everything else on this journey this proved to be a learning experience. Since our targeted budget made it clear that we had to consider coaches from 2003-2005 model years we quickly learned that most of the coaches in this price range were either beat up, used up and not worth the asking price.
On the flip side we saw a few coaches that were really nice but the asking price was inflated beyond NADA High values (excellent condition values). If you are borrowing, this is a scenario that lenders will not lend money on. It took a while to register but most of these coaches (inflated value coaches) were owned by people that just wanted to sell them. The inflated value was most likely what they owed on the coach to just "get out of it."
Snobbish Coach Shopping
After viewing so many mediocre coaches with bad fit, finish and durability we started setting our sights on quality built coaches. This was harder than our other searches because finding a quality coach that we could afford was as my Dad used say "harder than finding a hen with teeth,"
We looked at and considered Tiffin, Newmar, Monaco coaches. These are widely viewed by many RV Associations and clubs to be the best built and most durable of all motor coaches. So, we set out shopping for high end used coaches. Our first trip out we traveled to Springfield, Mo. to view a Tiffin Allegro Red that fit our budget and certainly our concerns about fit and finish. Once there we were underwhelmed. Not because it was an ill kept coach but because neither of us had our "trigger tripped". During this process my wife told me over and over, "when I see the right coach I will know it's the one" (paraphrased). It wasn't the one.
So, we moved on and a week later my wife found the "one" online at Motor Home Specialists in Alvarado, Texas. And here we are.
Thoughts On What's Next
This entire journey began in June 2016 and we found our coach at the beginning of November 2016. So, yeah it takes a while.
What's next? Well practice camping for sure. We intend to use the coach during Thanksgiving week and we are headed to Florida for the entire month of December.
Of course there is the matter of ditching 25 years of stuff before June 1st of '17 but that is another blog entry.
Getting Back To The Purpose Of This Blog
What A Ride
If you have been with us from the beginning then you know this blog is and will continue to be about our journey from sticks and bricks to actually living in our RV. Up to this point months of research has taken us from considering:
Class B vans
Class C gas coaches
Class A gas coaches
Class A diesel coaches
Are We There Yet?
How'd we get here? Well, it was a trip to be sure. We started with the intent of being very mobile with a Class B. We liked them so we actively traveled around looking at them. We are creatures of comfort at our age and having said that we quickly realized that they were too small for our lifestyle.
Plus for their size they extremely expensive. Used ones ranged in the $70,000 to $85,000 and new ones up to $140,000.
We chewed on that for a while and then got practical about the fact that we probably needed something bigger.
Fit And Finish - Yeah, It's Big Deal - Be Aware While You Search
We have owned a Class C and it fit our lifestyle really well as a weekend and vacation vehicle. These were also considered. The ones were able to find that fit our idea of a well laid out coach had terrible fit and finish so we quickly abandoned the idea of Class C's. Really I think we both knew without saying it out loud that this time we wanted a Class A
Amenities And Horse Power
Now we knew what we needed in a coach to fit our requirements for comfort with the main consideration being a King Bed and if possible zoned living quarters.
Since we were looking at Class A Gas coaches I needed to do homework on what power plant I would consider. Once again our budget kinda pointed me in the right direction. It turns out the most desired gas power plant on gas powered Class A's and Class C's is the Chevy Workhorse chassis with the 8.1 V-10. I was told that these were discontinued in 2006 so our target years would all have that engine.
So, we started searching in earnest for a Class A gas coach. One thing we found about the gas coaches right away was that they were much more affordable both used (within our budget) and new. However, we never quite found the "right" one.
We thought we wanted a Forest River Georgetown primarily for the floor plan that was available. They have sort of a zoned floor plan with living area in the front, dining and kitchen in the middle and bathroom and bedroom in back. This kind of fit us because we take turns being insomniacs and having zones would let each of us be up without disturbing the other. Besides, King beds were available.
Once we physically saw several Georgteown's coaches that we thought fit the budget but once we started viewing them up close and personal. What we found was that fit, finish and durability was sorely lacking. In fact there were down right poorly appointed with cheap everything especially in the quality of coach furniture and cabinets.
This is when we happened on the Gulfstream Sun Voyagers that had similar floor plan arrangement's including King bed options. These looked and felt like a quality coach however, we found out that they must be a very popular unit because in the three months leading to our current purchase we only saw three for sale nationwide. So that idea was scrapped.
Changing Directions
Once again our ideas, likes and need for certain amenities migrated our search to the next tier, Class A diesel coaches. Like everything else on this journey this proved to be a learning experience. Since our targeted budget made it clear that we had to consider coaches from 2003-2005 model years we quickly learned that most of the coaches in this price range were either beat up, used up and not worth the asking price.
On the flip side we saw a few coaches that were really nice but the asking price was inflated beyond NADA High values (excellent condition values). If you are borrowing, this is a scenario that lenders will not lend money on. It took a while to register but most of these coaches (inflated value coaches) were owned by people that just wanted to sell them. The inflated value was most likely what they owed on the coach to just "get out of it."
Snobbish Coach Shopping
After viewing so many mediocre coaches with bad fit, finish and durability we started setting our sights on quality built coaches. This was harder than our other searches because finding a quality coach that we could afford was as my Dad used say "harder than finding a hen with teeth,"
We looked at and considered Tiffin, Newmar, Monaco coaches. These are widely viewed by many RV Associations and clubs to be the best built and most durable of all motor coaches. So, we set out shopping for high end used coaches. Our first trip out we traveled to Springfield, Mo. to view a Tiffin Allegro Red that fit our budget and certainly our concerns about fit and finish. Once there we were underwhelmed. Not because it was an ill kept coach but because neither of us had our "trigger tripped". During this process my wife told me over and over, "when I see the right coach I will know it's the one" (paraphrased). It wasn't the one.
So, we moved on and a week later my wife found the "one" online at Motor Home Specialists in Alvarado, Texas. And here we are.
Thoughts On What's Next
This entire journey began in June 2016 and we found our coach at the beginning of November 2016. So, yeah it takes a while.
What's next? Well practice camping for sure. We intend to use the coach during Thanksgiving week and we are headed to Florida for the entire month of December.
Of course there is the matter of ditching 25 years of stuff before June 1st of '17 but that is another blog entry.
If you have been with us from the beginning then you know this blog is and will continue to be about our journey from sticks and bricks to actually living in our RV. Up to this point months of research has taken us from considering:
Class B vans
Class C gas coaches
Class A gas coaches
Class A diesel coaches
Are We There Yet?
How'd we get here? Well, it was a trip to be sure. We started with the intent of being very mobile with a Class B. We liked them so we actively traveled around looking at them. We are creatures of comfort at our age and having said that we quickly realized that they were too small for our lifestyle.
Plus for their size they extremely expensive. Used ones ranged in the $70,000 to $85,000 and new ones up to $140,000.
We chewed on that for a while and then got practical about the fact that we probably needed something bigger.
Fit And Finish - Yeah, It's Big Deal - Be Aware While You Search
We have owned a Class C and it fit our lifestyle really well as a weekend and vacation vehicle. These were also considered. The ones were able to find that fit our idea of a well laid out coach had terrible fit and finish so we quickly abandoned the idea of Class C's. Really I think we both knew without saying it out loud that this time we wanted a Class A
Amenities And Horse Power
Now we knew what we needed in a coach to fit our requirements for comfort with the main consideration being a King Bed and if possible zoned living quarters.
Since we were looking at Class A Gas coaches I needed to do homework on what power plant I would consider. Once again our budget kinda pointed me in the right direction. It turns out the most desired gas power plant on gas powered Class A's and Class C's is the Chevy Workhorse chassis with the 8.1 V-10. I was told that these were discontinued in 2006 so our target years would all have that engine.
So, we started searching in earnest for a Class A gas coach. One thing we found about the gas coaches right away was that they were much more affordable both used (within our budget) and new. However, we never quite found the "right" one.
We thought we wanted a Forest River Georgetown primarily for the floor plan that was available. They have sort of a zoned floor plan with living area in the front, dining and kitchen in the middle and bathroom and bedroom in back. This kind of fit us because we take turns being insomniacs and having zones would let each of us be up without disturbing the other. Besides, King beds were available.
Once we physically saw several Georgteown's coaches that we thought fit the budget but once we started viewing them up close and personal. What we found was that fit, finish and durability was sorely lacking. In fact there were down right poorly appointed with cheap everything especially in the quality of coach furniture and cabinets.
This is when we happened on the Gulfstream Sun Voyagers that had similar floor plan arrangement's including King bed options. These looked and felt like a quality coach however, we found out that they must be a very popular unit because in the three months leading to our current purchase we only saw three for sale nationwide. So that idea was scrapped.
Changing Directions
Once again our ideas, likes and need for certain amenities migrated our search to the next tier, Class A diesel coaches. Like everything else on this journey this proved to be a learning experience. Since our targeted budget made it clear that we had to consider coaches from 2003-2005 model years we quickly learned that most of the coaches in this price range were either beat up, used up and not worth the asking price.
On the flip side we saw a few coaches that were really nice but the asking price was inflated beyond NADA High values (excellent condition values). If you are borrowing, this is a scenario that lenders will not lend money on. It took a while to register but most of these coaches (inflated value coaches) were owned by people that just wanted to sell them. The inflated value was most likely what they owed on the coach to just "get out of it."
Snobbish Coach Shopping
After viewing so many mediocre coaches with bad fit, finish and durability we started setting our sights on quality built coaches. This was harder than our other searches because finding a quality coach that we could afford was as my Dad used say "harder than finding a hen with teeth,"
We looked at and considered Tiffin, Newmar, Monaco coaches. These are widely viewed by many RV Associations and clubs to be the best built and most durable of all motor coaches. So, we set out shopping for high end used coaches. Our first trip out we traveled to Springfield, Mo. to view a Tiffin Allegro Red that fit our budget and certainly our concerns about fit and finish. Once there we were underwhelmed. Not because it was an ill kept coach but because neither of us had our "trigger tripped". During this process my wife told me over and over, "when I see the right coach I will know it's the one" (paraphrased). It wasn't the one.
So, we moved on and a week later my wife found the "one" online at Motor Home Specialists in Alvarado, Texas. And here we are.
Thoughts On What's Next
This entire journey began in June 2016 and we found our coach at the beginning of November 2016. So, yeah it takes a while.
What's next? Well practice camping for sure. We intend to use the coach during Thanksgiving week and we are headed to Florida for the entire month of December.
Of course there is the matter of ditching 25 years of stuff before June 1st of '17 but that is another blog entry.
Tuesday, November 1, 2016
It's Official - We Are Now Owners Of A New To Us 2005 Newmar Northern Star
After months of searching we have decided on what coach, made our offer, the previous owner agreed, we completed our loan application, were approved for the loan, lined up our RV insurance and will travel to Alvarado, Texas and Motor Home Specialists (the dealer) on Monday next to become the owners of our "new to us" Newmar Northern Star. We will own a 2005 Newmar Northern Star next Monday.
It is a relief to have the research, search, decision on what manufacturer, model and year coach we wanted finally done. Next on the list is to bring home the coach from Alvarado, Texas, and get it back to Fayetteville, Arkansas where we will rent a slot at a nearby storage facility.
Our plan is to use MHS's own customer campground for our first night in the coach. There we will familiarize ourselves with the various operations of the coach and be within reach of the service departement should we need to ask questions. Tuesday we will motor home.
We've decided to give the coach a deep cleaning, do any maintenance or repairs that are required and consider what else we need to do before departing for parts unknown during Thanksgiving.
Our next outing will be for the entire month of December, starting by spending two weeks at Ft. Pickens State Park on Santa Rosa Island and Pensacola Beach Florida. The next two weeks is still up in the air but now we will pursue finding another temporary home in Florida for the last two weeks of December.
So, this is our new money pit! Isn't she beautiful?
It is a relief to have the research, search, decision on what manufacturer, model and year coach we wanted finally done. Next on the list is to bring home the coach from Alvarado, Texas, and get it back to Fayetteville, Arkansas where we will rent a slot at a nearby storage facility.
Our plan is to use MHS's own customer campground for our first night in the coach. There we will familiarize ourselves with the various operations of the coach and be within reach of the service departement should we need to ask questions. Tuesday we will motor home.
We've decided to give the coach a deep cleaning, do any maintenance or repairs that are required and consider what else we need to do before departing for parts unknown during Thanksgiving.
Our next outing will be for the entire month of December, starting by spending two weeks at Ft. Pickens State Park on Santa Rosa Island and Pensacola Beach Florida. The next two weeks is still up in the air but now we will pursue finding another temporary home in Florida for the last two weeks of December.
So, this is our new money pit! Isn't she beautiful?
Saturday, October 29, 2016
We May Have A Winner - 2005 Newmar Northern Star.
We may have some news in the next few days. We found a consignment coach at "Motor Home Specialist" in Alvarado, Texas that we made an offer on. It is a 2005 Newmar Northern Star. She is a beauty. Now we wait for the owner to give a thumbs up or a thumbs down on our offer.
The coach has below normal wear for it's vintage and it has obviously been pretty well kept. The tires are all brand new, the batteries are three years old, the slides don't show signs of leaking and the roof needs minor sealing here and there. All appliances, receptacles, heat, air, and other mechanical systems work. Engine was recently serviced. All doors and cabinets open and shut as they should. No scratches or signs of abuse on the cabinetry. Overall, it's the conditions we have been looking for.
Living area
Kitchen
Bedroom with King Bed
Cockpit
This coach is a diesel pusher with a 350hp Cat engine, 6 speed Allison Transmission on a Freightliner chassis with 39,259 miles on it. The basement is heated, 100 gallon fuel tank (scary as hell), 105 gallon fresh water tank, 65 gallon grey water tank, 45 gallon sewage tank and a 45 gallon LP tank.
We think this will make a great coach for us. Now we wait and hold our breath while the owner is contacted.
Monday, October 24, 2016
Once Again We Didn't Find The Right Class A
Well we spent the better part of 8 hours hunting for the perfect Class A. No love again today. So, the search continues. I will post again once we are ready to restart the search.
"Once More, Into the Breach" - Heading Out To View More RV's
Today we are headed toward Springfield, Mo. to look at RV's. We've found several we are interested in. The bonus is that we found a Tiffin Allegro Bay that is priced reasonably. We really like Tiffin but financially they've been out of reach. While we are in Springfield we will also look at a Gulfstream Crescendo and a Damon Ultrasport. Wish us luck and stay tuned.
2007 Tiffin Allegro Bay
We'll also be viewing a Gulfstream Crescendo and a Damon Ultrasport that both seem to fit what we are trying to find
2007 Gulfstream Crescendo
2000 Damon Ultrasport
Wednesday, October 19, 2016
Went RV Shopping Today - No Love
We went to three RV Dealers looking for "the one" today. Our hopes were to find a used 2009-2010 Forest River - Georgetown 373 in good condition. We did find one but it was in really bad shape. The faux leather seating on driver, passenger, euro recliner and couch were all in deteriorating condition. This was something we have found in two cases now. Fit and finish in these units is also not good. So, scratch these as a candidate for full timing at least for us.
The first dealer Coachlite RV Sales turned out to be a complete bust for us. We found the Georgetown which we quickly dissed as poorly built. The second RV was a Newmar Canyon Star toy hauler that I wanted to see but couldn't get in. I walked to the office and asked for sales to meet me at the RV I waited 20 minutes and nobody showed up. When leaving I saw a sales person and said out loud "excuse me" and he stopped, turned to look at me and then turned on his heels to talk to a friend in a car and never made an effort beyond looking at me. That's no way to treat a customer. We left.
The second dealer Colaw RV sold RV's on salvage titles, they buy them with repairable damage from insurance losses at auction and rebuild them. I decided that a salvage title might not be best as we will have to finance and I really don't want to jump through those hoops.
The third dealer Consignment RV Sales had several we were interested in but pricing wasn't where we wanted them and the owners weren't likely to come down in pricing.
During the day we once again eventually realized that we still were leaning toward a Gulfstream Sun Voyager 8389 and have decided to divert the search to finding this particular unit (for the moment).
We still have time. We are looking to purchase prior to the last week in November so that we can use our reservations at Ft. Pickens National Park in Pensacola during the first two weeks of Decemeber. Wish us luck.
The first dealer Coachlite RV Sales turned out to be a complete bust for us. We found the Georgetown which we quickly dissed as poorly built. The second RV was a Newmar Canyon Star toy hauler that I wanted to see but couldn't get in. I walked to the office and asked for sales to meet me at the RV I waited 20 minutes and nobody showed up. When leaving I saw a sales person and said out loud "excuse me" and he stopped, turned to look at me and then turned on his heels to talk to a friend in a car and never made an effort beyond looking at me. That's no way to treat a customer. We left.
The second dealer Colaw RV sold RV's on salvage titles, they buy them with repairable damage from insurance losses at auction and rebuild them. I decided that a salvage title might not be best as we will have to finance and I really don't want to jump through those hoops.
The third dealer Consignment RV Sales had several we were interested in but pricing wasn't where we wanted them and the owners weren't likely to come down in pricing.
During the day we once again eventually realized that we still were leaning toward a Gulfstream Sun Voyager 8389 and have decided to divert the search to finding this particular unit (for the moment).
We still have time. We are looking to purchase prior to the last week in November so that we can use our reservations at Ft. Pickens National Park in Pensacola during the first two weeks of Decemeber. Wish us luck.
Tuesday, October 18, 2016
It's final - The car has been sold - Let the search begin
It finally happened. The Optima sold 35 days after starting our advertising blitz! Yay, us. Now the fun/work begins in earnest. We have to locate the models we've settled on and view them to see what condition they are in. We still have the goal of having all of this done and the unit purchased prior to the end of November.
To add to the confusion we've now started considering certain Gas powered Class A's. Martha has taken a liking to the Forest River Georgetown Model 373 which has a three zone plan. The front of the coach is living space with couches and or recliners, a proper TV location and on board fireplace/heater and mid entry, The second zone is the kitchen with table and chairs adjacent to the counter top/kitchen. And lastly the bathroom and bedroom.
Today, we are heading to Carthage, Missouri to view the model depicted below. It is a consignment unit so I will have to be diligent with my inspection and if it meets my expectations I will be making an offer. We'll see how this goes. More later.
Georgetown 373
To add to the confusion we've now started considering certain Gas powered Class A's. Martha has taken a liking to the Forest River Georgetown Model 373 which has a three zone plan. The front of the coach is living space with couches and or recliners, a proper TV location and on board fireplace/heater and mid entry, The second zone is the kitchen with table and chairs adjacent to the counter top/kitchen. And lastly the bathroom and bedroom.
Today, we are heading to Carthage, Missouri to view the model depicted below. It is a consignment unit so I will have to be diligent with my inspection and if it meets my expectations I will be making an offer. We'll see how this goes. More later.
Georgetown 373
Sunday, October 16, 2016
Almost ready to pull the trigger
Those of you that are following this blog know that I have been trying to accomplish a few things prior to purchasing our RV. The biggest thing for us is selling our nearly new Kia Optima. I am almost certain it's sold now. We've got earnest money with the potential buyer coming Monday comin on October 17th to verify the condition of the vehicle and hopefully drive away with it.
We are excited to say the least (well, me for sure).
Like the Three Stooges said in "Gents without Cents," "Slowly I turned. Step by step, inch by inch."
After quoting the Stooges, I had to search for the scene. Amazingly I found it on Youtube. You will enjoy this if you like slapstick comedy).
We are excited to say the least (well, me for sure).
Like the Three Stooges said in "Gents without Cents," "Slowly I turned. Step by step, inch by inch."
After quoting the Stooges, I had to search for the scene. Amazingly I found it on Youtube. You will enjoy this if you like slapstick comedy).
If things fall into place tomorrow, maybe this weekend we will find an RV we can live with. Wish Us luck.
Thursday, October 6, 2016
My Favorite RV Vlogers - Vlogers I Follow Daily
Snake River Canyon & Shoshone Falls
How To Eat Cactus & Not Get Stuck
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Drivin' and Vibin'
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Less Junk, More Journey
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My Favorite RV Vlogers - Vlogers I Follow Daily
Nomadic Natives
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Drivin' and Vibin'
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Less Junk, More Journey
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Waiting Is Hard To Do - An update on our future purchase
We have patiently viewed RV after RV online and in person. This process was necessary to identify our needs and enabled us to figure out what class RV we needed. We've decided on purchasing a Class A manufactured between 2003 and 2006. These seem to fit our proposed budget. With that out of the way we started looking at what amenities we wanted aboard our RV.
In no particular order, this is what we decided to look for.
Mechanical
Diesel pusher 300-400 hp
Allison transmission
Freightliner chassis (preferably)
5000 pound towing capacity
Preferably recent engine servicing (preferably)
Tires no older than three years
Batteries no old than three years (house and chassis)
Working leveling jack system
House Systems
10 Gallon hot water heater
Preferably whole house water filter
Working water pump
Working furnace
Working AC units
Working exhaust fans
Working Stove
Working Microwave/convection oven
LED light conversion (not a deal breaker if not)
Working Washer/dryer
Working Refrigerator
One slide in the basement
Large water and waste tank capacity
Amenities
Table and chairs (no dinette)
TV not mounted up front (not a deal breaker)
King bed (not a deal breaker)
Room kitchen counter
Four door fridge with ice maker
Leather couches and euro recliner
Leather swiveling driver and passenger seat
Mid entry
Dining room (similar to Gulfstream Sun Voyager 8389 see photo below)
Condition
Used but in above average condition
No water damage anywhere (this is a deal breaker)
No smells (this is a deal breaker)
We've still got some work to do before we purchase. I have a 2015 Kia Optima that is for sale at the present time. We will finally be able to purchase the RV once the car has been sold.
In no particular order, this is what we decided to look for.
Mechanical
Diesel pusher 300-400 hp
Allison transmission
Freightliner chassis (preferably)
5000 pound towing capacity
Preferably recent engine servicing (preferably)
Tires no older than three years
Batteries no old than three years (house and chassis)
Working leveling jack system
House Systems
10 Gallon hot water heater
Preferably whole house water filter
Working water pump
Working furnace
Working AC units
Working exhaust fans
Working Stove
Working Microwave/convection oven
LED light conversion (not a deal breaker if not)
Working Washer/dryer
Working Refrigerator
One slide in the basement
Large water and waste tank capacity
Amenities
Table and chairs (no dinette)
TV not mounted up front (not a deal breaker)
King bed (not a deal breaker)
Room kitchen counter
Four door fridge with ice maker
Leather couches and euro recliner
Leather swiveling driver and passenger seat
Mid entry
Dining room (similar to Gulfstream Sun Voyager 8389 see photo below)
Condition
Used but in above average condition
No water damage anywhere (this is a deal breaker)
No smells (this is a deal breaker)
We've still got some work to do before we purchase. I have a 2015 Kia Optima that is for sale at the present time. We will finally be able to purchase the RV once the car has been sold.
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