03-28-2016, 05:25 PM
Hi Tammy and welcome to the group! You are one the very few brave women treading these waters. My wife and I have been full-time on/off for over 15 years and have owned #478 for about 6 months. We have put in way over $10k in our first year (just the new tires and upgraded rims which are HIGHLY recommended for our vintage) were close to $10k... Don't let this scare you though, I look at it as insurance, a blow out on the road will cost way more than a tire/wheel does! You are getting good advice for the slush fund. Plan to spend $10-15k the first year fixing what the previous owners did not fix (there WILL be some things you or an inspector will not see!) and then after that I always figure $1/mile for maintenance and that has always worked for us. I will say this MOT is honest and David the owner is a very nice guy! We were dealing with Mel Cordray and he was just awesome to deal with. If we hadn't have found this coach sitting in a barn waiting for us we would have definitely bought from Mel!
They have a 'PDI' Pre-Delivery Inspection that you can pay to have done or take it across the street to Foretravel and have one done (or do your own). These coaches and systems are very similar (other than the basement airs and the PDI would cover 90% of the problems easily. Tires (7 years max) and batteries (have them stress tested independently) are the big money gobblers along with the slide seals. We are finally breaking down and buying awnings for our slides from ZipDee because they have newer ones that do NOT lock down (they get ripped off the coach if you forget to unlock them). There are a ton of systems on these coaches. Bring a VIDEO camera (or your phone) and video the whole coach while someone walks through showing you everything! You can review it on the plane ride home if nothing else!
Have you considered RENTING a coach to find out if you really like living in one or have you been in one for weeks on end? As far as knowing about diesels you are getting into the right vintage, these S60 Detroits are awesome beasts and don't have many problems (get the fan checked on the coach and the radiator too), the transmissions are pretty much bullet proof and honestly the drive train is the least (although expensive) piece of the pie...
Good luck and let us know how it all comes out - just remember there are lots of coaches out there and you will find the perfect one for you!
They have a 'PDI' Pre-Delivery Inspection that you can pay to have done or take it across the street to Foretravel and have one done (or do your own). These coaches and systems are very similar (other than the basement airs and the PDI would cover 90% of the problems easily. Tires (7 years max) and batteries (have them stress tested independently) are the big money gobblers along with the slide seals. We are finally breaking down and buying awnings for our slides from ZipDee because they have newer ones that do NOT lock down (they get ripped off the coach if you forget to unlock them). There are a ton of systems on these coaches. Bring a VIDEO camera (or your phone) and video the whole coach while someone walks through showing you everything! You can review it on the plane ride home if nothing else!
Have you considered RENTING a coach to find out if you really like living in one or have you been in one for weeks on end? As far as knowing about diesels you are getting into the right vintage, these S60 Detroits are awesome beasts and don't have many problems (get the fan checked on the coach and the radiator too), the transmissions are pretty much bullet proof and honestly the drive train is the least (although expensive) piece of the pie...
Good luck and let us know how it all comes out - just remember there are lots of coaches out there and you will find the perfect one for you!
Karen & Adrian Abshire
1998 2 slide 45' Newell Coach 498
Prior: 1985 Foretravel ORED 35, 1988 38' Foretravel U280, 2000 Foretravel 42' U320, 1990 Bluebird Wanderlodge WB40