Motorhome cost and comparisons.

[sbnewhampshire1]

I have only heard good things about Tiffin also..

 

[DISNEY FIX]

In just looking around Ive seen Tiffin and Fleetwood floorplans that i like. Please keep your experiences rolling in.

 

[englishteacha]

When purchasing any RV, make sure to figure in the cost of ownership as well: registration fees, inspections, insurance, maintenance, fuel costs, etc. Those contribute greatly to the long-term expenses.

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

The final selling point pushing the Tiffin Company over the top is their son (Van Tiffin) kicked for the Alabama Crimson Tide in the mid-80's with the field goal in the final seconds of the '85 Iron Bowl being his signature moment (I was there).

Their grandson (son of the player from my time above) (Leigh Tiffin) kicked for Alabama in the national Championship game against Texas in the Rose Bowl two years back.

So that should go in their favor right?

Bama ED

PS - 14 and counting, aight?

Don't forget that Van Tiffen was a walk on. His daddy told Bama to give that scholarship to somebody that needed it.

Roll Tide!

 

[North of Mouse]

When purchasing any RV, make sure to figure in the cost of ownership as well: registration fees, inspections, insurance, maintenance, fuel costs, etc. Those contribute greatly to the long-term expenses.

This! I was just about to post the same thing when I saw this post! There is lots of maintenance to a MH. That sucker even holds LOTS of oil Plus the generator maintenance also. We just paid $800 in taxes and pay approx. that much annual ins. But, saying all that, if you can afford it, to us it's still the best way to go, and we've owned lots of kinds of trailers in the last a 40+ years. My DH is fanatical about keeping it in top-notch condition. The tires cost a fortune - and ours is garage kept, but the tires have to still be changed after so many years, not miles - not trying to discourage you - just make you aware before making a big purchase - now I need to go back and read the rest of the posts Good luck!

 

[super_camper]

Could you guys point me in the right direction of where I could find a few good sites for motorhome(30ft+) shopping and comparisons. I figure I need to start get educated now for if we plan on buying one in the future instead of vacation home. When I google the search it comes with a bunch of stuff to filter through and it becomes cumbersome just to get at some basic and straight information. There has to be a few reputable sited out there that you guys know about.
Thanks for the help,
Chris

There are many good resources on the Internet for RV and motorhome buyers, the important thing is to know what you get from the various resources and use them accordingly - I recently went through this and can think of 4 great sources for info

RV Manufacturers websites are obviously a great source of accurate information, some include pricing but not all. Google something like "list of rv manufacturers" and you have it, if you narrow that down to those which make motorhomes its a manageable list

Dealer sites, including the big ones are a great source for pictures and pricing and availability. Look at local dealers and others like lazydays, some consignment dealers like pplmotorhomes are also a great source - there are lots of sales sites out there

Forums and blogs, like this one (and rv.net, irv2.com) are a great source for asking specific questions but be prepared for all sorts of answers including fact and fiction and of course opinion - at times its hard to sift through it all to get to the real experienced based answers. The most common theme to think about when reading these forums is people will defend their choices and respond accordingly. The responses above on tiffin are just one such example.

The absolute best source of information in my experience is to get out there and look for yourself - there is no substitute. For new buyers one of the best ways to get lots of information quickly is to visit an RV show and see whats available- just google rv shows and your city name. My advice here would be to first focus on the type of RV you want and then drill down into manufacturers and models of that type only - this applies to motorhomes as well - class a, b, c, etc

Good luck with your shopping

 

[mikron]

Best motor coach to buy is the one with the floor plan you love. All the MFGs have good and bad reports just like cars, washing machines etc. You have to live with and in the floor plan you buy.

 

[Jaklackus]

My current Powerball fantasy involves buying an RV and traveling full time for several years...so I do 'research' in my spare time...so I am prepared for the day I win..lol.

I read the above named forums as well as RVnetwork.com which us mostly populated by older full timers with a large handful of younger digital nomads thrown in for balance.

From this site I found a link to a blog of a gentlemen that traveled to Alaska in a caravan of other RVers http://rvdrivingschool.blogspot.com/ .....he talks a lot about the mechanical issues his rig and other rigs in his group experienced just from normal wear and tear...tears in air bags, fried A/C units, refrigerators breaking down, etc. I read his blog from May 2011 to the present ...and it seemed like there was a lot of time spent getting things fixed... most for him was covered under warranty...and from his writing it seemed like he and his wife handled it all in stride...like it was any other normal day owning an RV... like mowing the lawn at your house. He doesn't drive a Tiffin like most people are discussing in this thread...but another top brand I think Newmar. Reading his blog helped me understand that maintenance/repair/working the bugs out might be a little more involved than changing the oil.... even on a new RV that cost 100's of thousands of dollars.

 

[jeepfreak]

We also own a Tiffin. It's a gas coach and we bought it new in 07 and it's been a great coach. Be getting ready pretty soon for another trip to the Fort on 4/25 and arriving 4/27. Take your time and don't let the heat of the moment make you do something you might regret. When you make an offer and you think it's reasonable don't be afraid to walk away. And make sure they have your phone# because they will call you. These gas prices are going to really hurt them, and that puts you in the drivers seat. Good luck.

 

[univmd]

To get a general idea of how much RVs cost, here are 3 sites to get you started:

http://www.mhsrv.com/inventory.asp?sort_id=2

http://www.rvonline.com/motorhomes-5th-wheels.asp?Searchmethod=1&SortedBy=7

http://themotorcoachstore.com/showroom

 

[cruising spud]

Chris,

Are you only looking at Class A's?

Do you have kids that will be traveling with you?

Kathy