Experienced input requested!


wanderingbrits

New Member
Hi

We're about to embark on a 2 year tour of the US and have whittled down our choice of motor homes we think will fit our needs to 3. We'd appreciate any input - good or bad - on the quality, reliability & manufacturer's after care service on our choices to help us make a final selection. We are very comfortable with all the floor plans, storage & amenities & have elected to go the Diesel pusher route & will probably buy new (unless a really good condition used one came along):

Freedom Providence (39V)
Tiffin Phaeton Class (40 QSH)
Alfa See Ya So Long (40LS)

Thanks & look forward to hearing from some of you!

Elaine
 

hertig

Senior Member
Re: Experienced input requested!

Keep in mind, that any diesel engine manufactured in 2007 must be a new low design which can only use the ULSD fuel. New engine design = high probability of problems with low probability of getting them fixed 'free'. I would not buy a new design engine until all the bugs were proven to be worked out, probably at least 2 years.

If you can find one with a pre 2007 engine, the engine will be a known factor. However, the long term effects of USLD fuel on old style engines are not known, and the odds of finding a reliable source of non-USLD fuel are virtually non-existant. There are stories already about the gasket in fuel pumps being 'eaten' by the USLD. I think I'd try to get a written guarantee that any such problems would be covered, but suspect the odds of that are slim.

New is nice, and warranteed. Nowadays, the odds of having significant manufacturing defects is unpleasantly high. A good repair shop and a good manufacturers warrantee can often overcome this, but it is still a pain. Used can be nearly as nice and someone else has eaten the huge initial depreciation. Often the manufacturing defects have been dealt with. On the other hand, they may have 'modified' it, and the warrantee is less.
 
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