[Jmueller]

I agree with Richard, Newell's new labor rate at $138/hr even little items add up quickly. We recently went full time and I am still working. With my fix list running long and time running short, not to mention no garage to work on the coach, I chose to go to Newell for a long list of fix-it items, plus yearly PM ($3000).

While most everything is fixed, I paid for it! I also found out that Newell is not without flaws, they broke a few items in the repair of others, and had to work through those. I do have to mention in their defense, they have a lot of knowledge and know-how that I and even other service providers do not have, which can save time and money.  They also made right the broken items.

While I hope to do more of my own work in the future, there are things I don't want to do or would not even attempt, and I appreciate Newell is there in those situations.

I read in an earlier post where somebody put a $1000 per month figure on maintenance. I thought that was double what I wanted to spend, but after my first year of owership, and being very picky to fix things correctly, that number seems about right if you are not going to do a lot of the work. Mileage varies widely from those that do all their own work to those that do none.

Thank you everyone for your valuable input!

[Jmueller]

Appreciate everyone's input! You are all so giving of your experience and advise!

[ccjohnson]

We have found that the fuel burn to get to Newell & back is about what is burned in labor costs elsewhere because people have a learning curve when working on our coach. Although Newell is more than helpful when outside service folks call them for information, the outside folks never seem to want to call for info until they are truly stumped. Labor costs for the educational experience can easily run $600-$1K. That is why we always try to schedule the stuff I can't or don't want to tackle with Newell. The folks at Newell built the coach and know it inside & out. Also, Miami makes a nice little getaway vacation spot.

[Jmueller]

I have wanted to own a tag axle, luxury coach, like Newell or Prevost for 20 years. My mom and dad had a 25' motorhome when we where kids. So now my wife and I are in our late 50's and the urge is strong to purchase one before we get to old to enjoy it. But after reading all the comments from full timers and part timers I've come to Some conclusions- 1. Unless you're rich, never buy new, they're way over priced. 2. Offer way below asking for a used coach, even one that is only 3 years old, because they're also overpriced and there are is a very small group that want to purchase the product. 3. You better be handy with tools. 4. 2 slides max and make sure they're Valid slides 5. Rent it. Weather it's a "Park and use" or let a well vetted rich person rent it and let them drive it. It's an asset, use it.
I'll keep posting on our journey to a purchase and renting business when it starts and any info, advise or opinion you can give us is always appreciated!

J Mueller

[encantotom]

I will be interested in how renting goes. I can't imagine trusting my baby to a renter

Tom

[afrench]

Unless you are going to traveling a lot and not going to extend them the slides, might as well go big and get 4 slides. When opened they are great. And still roomy going down the road. Went from 3 slides to 4 slides and it was much more comfortable to stay in when camping. Wouldn't go back now.

[Jmueller]

Unless you are going to traveling a lot and not going to extend them the slides, might as well go big and get 4 slides. When opened they are great. And still roomy going down the road. Went from 3 slides to 4 slides and it was much more comfortable to stay in when camping. Wouldn't go back now.

Isn't walking back to the master suite difficult with 4 slides?

---

I will be interested in how renting goes. I can't imagine trusting my baby to a renter

Tom

I'll keep you all posted Tom.

[Dallas2254]

Before we bought our first motorhome I did my research on what others thought of the experience of RV purchases.  The most influential article I read was written by a lady in her 80’s who had with her husband been RV’ing most of their life together.  He had passed on and she had sold their last RV.  Her article was entitled  “Buy your last RV first”.  This was in reference to the number of times they replaced their RV over their life time starting with tents to class A motorhome including trailers and campers until the last number of class ‘A’s.  

I cruised the RV blogging websites like this one and found that the biggest engines, tag axles, more slides, big trailer towing capacity, two bathrooms (for guest and when the slides are all in), 220 volt cloths dryer, dishwasher, etc etc, were many of the reasons why they bought, sold or traded into all that depreciation.  Our first motorhome had most of these features and thought we would never find something that would replace it.  And quite frankly I did not want to waste money on depreciation for the limited use we get out of it.  We are in our 50’s and not full timers.  Last year I had the unfortunate timing of walking into a Newell ‘show coach’ in Indio CA.  Game over.  I could not afford a new one but we eventually found one we could afford.  And yes, we have spent another $30k fixing and replacing items that were hidden problems or worn out in our 2004 newell.  Expensive learning curve.  But it is what it is and we are hopefully optimistic that the Newell will be ‘it’.

I have rented our other coach a few times to relatives who are financially responsible and carry additional ‘insured’ coverage.  I think they are smarter for having a relative like me to carry the depreciation and have a nice motorhome to borrow.  Would not consider this option to someone not already familiar with driving a 50,000 lb rig that can easily highcenter, bottom out, clip corners and get stuck.

We will probably get another coach in a number of years but safe to say it will most likely be another Newell and it will only be a few years old and well maintained unlike the one we just bought that we are unfortunately having to repair and replace a lot of hidden maintenance problems the previous owners caused by neglect and deception.  I do have the ability to do much of the work myself so in the end we will have just overpaid for what’s will be a good coach for us.

One big piece advice.  If you are going to live in this coach for extended time periods, you can never go wrong with more slides.  That was the advice of that 80 year old lady that wrote that article in the FMCA magazine that got me thinking about buying my first motorhome that lasted me 10 years and 40,000 miles.

[Jmueller]

Before we bought our first motorhome I did my research on what others thought of the experience of RV purchases.  The most influential article I read was written by a lady in her 80’s who had with her husband been RV’ing most of their life together.  He had passed on and she had sold their last RV.  Her article was entitled  “Buy your last RV first”.  This was in reference to the number of times they replaced their RV over their life time starting with tents to class A motorhome including trailers and campers until the last number of class ‘A’s.  

I cruised the RV blogging websites like this one and found that the biggest engines, tag axles, more slides, big trailer towing capacity, two bathrooms (for guest and when the slides are all in), 220 volt cloths dryer, dishwasher, etc etc, were many of the reasons why they bought, sold or traded into all that depreciation.  Our first motorhome had most of these features and thought we would never find something that would replace it.  And quite frankly I did not want to waste money on depreciation for the limited use we get out of it.  We are in our 50’s and not full timers.  Last year I had the unfortunate timing of walking into a Newell ‘show coach’ in Indio CA.  Game over.  I could not afford a new one but we eventually found one we could afford.  And yes, we have spent another $30k fixing and replacing items that were hidden problems or worn out in our 2004 newell.  Expensive learning curve.  But it is what it is and we are hopefully optimistic that the Newell will be ‘it’.

I have rented our other coach a few times to relatives who are financially responsible and carry additional ‘insured’ coverage.  I think they are smarter for having a relative like me to carry the depreciation and have a nice motorhome to borrow.  Would not consider this option to someone not already familiar with driving a 50,000 lb rig that can easily highcenter, bottom out, clip corners and get stuck.

We will probably get another coach in a number of years but safe to say it will most likely be another Newell and it will only be a few years old and well maintained unlike the one we just bought that we are unfortunately having to repair and replace a lot of hidden maintenance problems the previous owners caused by neglect and deception.  I do have the ability to do much of the work myself so in the end we will have just overpaid for what’s will be a good coach for us.

One big piece advice.  If you are going to live in this coach for extended time periods, you can never go wrong with more slides.  That was the advice of that 80 year old lady that wrote that article in the FMCA magazine that got me thinking about buying my first motorhome that lasted me 10 years and 40,000 miles.

Great letter and great advise! If you're ever visiting the Coachella Valley please call on me! I would love to pick your brain further over dinner and adult beverages. 
JMueller

[Jmueller]

I agree with Richard, Newell's new labor rate at $138/hr even little items add up quickly. We recently went full time and I am still working. With my fix list running long and time running short, not to mention no garage to work on the coach, I chose to go to Newell for a long list of fix-it items, plus yearly PM ($3000).

While most everything is fixed, I paid for it! I also found out that Newell is not without flaws, they broke a few items in the repair of others, and had to work through those. I do have to mention in their defense, they have a lot of knowledge and know-how that I and even other service providers do not have, which can save time and money.  They also made right the broken items.

While I hope to do more of my own work in the future, there are things I don't want to do or would not even attempt, and I appreciate Newell is there in those situations.

I read in an earlier post where somebody put a $1000 per month figure on maintenance. I thought that was double what I wanted to spend, but after my first year of owership, and being very picky to fix things correctly, that number seems about right if you are not going to do a lot of the work. Mileage varies widely from those that do all their own work to those that do none.

Thank you for your insight Mike!