I did NOT see that coming. Your wonderful analysis and strong critical thinking skills are greatly appreciated. Caveat to all of this of course you really have to get that 30% off MSRP :)
Hey, thanks for watching! The real corker is since this video was produced, we spent another FORTUNE on things that needed to be taken care of. I think if you work with your dealer, expecting 26% to 30% is doable depending on the position of the moon on any given day. Even more that ever now, if I could go back in time, we would have bought NEW, we would have bought for NIRVC and we would have bought the Campers Edge Extended Warranty that NIRVC sells. Trust me,.....I am a lot smarter now than when I first started out. Oh, by the way: We have been in repair at NIRVC-Atlanta since Oct 8th 2023. It is 01--04-2024 today.
FYI with regard to the extended warranty. I too purchased my first RV used a 2017 Newmar Canyon Star in 2019. The original extended warranty expired in June 2022. I purchased a new exclusionary policy for two additional years. I was shocked the warranty provider did not inspect the unit which at the time had 96,000 miles on it and the new policy was approximately $6,000. Since then I have had approximately $17,000 worth of repairs covered. So you can purchase high quality extended warranties on used coaches.
Excellent research. We bought a new 5th wheel and Duramax diesel truck. We lived in it 2 1/2 years when we bought a property now we just take 2-3 month trips. One suggestion. We did buy a 7 year extended warranty. The dealer wanted about $3300. All I did was call the warranty company they used directly and purchased the next level up for just over $1700, 7 years $100 deductible. If you live in California you will need an out of state address.
Mark, you out did yourself on this video. A truly thorough analysis covering all costs of ownership that goes way beyond just the cost of a new vs. the cost of a used rig. This was a Brett Davis-esque analysis of new vs. used. He would approve of your analysis. In the end, knowing you and Sue, as two people who know what they are talking about, one can go to the bank on this information.
Glad it was helpful James......it's even more convincing now in our case,.......I forgot to include the $5000 in tires I put on the tag and drive axle in year #4. Yikes. Comparing this to a Brett Davis analysis made me feel light headed. Mine is like a kindergarteners. His is would be awesome, and like a college thesis paper. I would LOVE to get a full length expose from Brett on this subject. I would pin it as the first comment in this video, like yours is now, until of course we knock it out with Bretts writeup!
I watched this episode again, I totally agree with you on your reasoning. Like you and Sue we were newbies as well but we didn't know how selling our home would be a good idea for us. Hind sight is wonderful, and in 2016 we bought a used 2013.... We flew to Dallas from Milwaukee to look at a used Winnebago that seemed fine by pictures and asked the lady if it was really clean or my wife would go nuts, so we passed, I don't need to describe the unclean parts we found...I found a really clean 2005 Win Journey and my wife choked on the cost but it was immaculate, 1 owner always stored indoor, guy was a fire chief and worked part time at an RV dealer. So waiting in Dallas for a flight back I found our RV in East Troy on line. I kept looking at NewMars that were 1 year old that would have been the ticket for us but a stretch for us. In retrospect I wish we would have gone that route but like you talked about back then would we really like it. So our gas Vista does the basic job . I think your analysis in right on....
The information contained in this video should get a lot of traffic and many thanks 👍🏼because you've done the homework for those in the buyers market. On my 2023 Sprinter 3500XD AWD, I paid for the extended complete five year, 100K miles warranty @ $10, 340. The total cost of just the van was $99K with another $67K for the conversion, including the 600w of solar + 270ah lithium battery. Motorhome, Travel Trailer or Van, the total cost of ownership is staggering, with the only hope being the residual asset sale somewhere down the road is equivalent to enjoyment it gave making the bottom line priceless.
We bought a quality 12 year old Class A for $220.000 less than a comparable new rig. After spending another $30,000 at Freightliner and other reputable shops, we have a unit that is perfect for us. All running gears are new or inspected. Tires and brakes are new. Awnings are new. Best of all we dont need DEF. With the left-over savings, we were able to 'tick it out' with 2,000 watts of solar, 900-amp hours of Lithium and converted refrigerator to residential. Now we optionally camp off grid and save more money. At this price we didn't have to borrow, and we had less than half the taxes. Now three years later, I have no regrets and would never buy new. Let someone else eat the depreciation. I'll admit the repairs were higher than expected. but we are still at half the price of our best price for a new comparable rig.
I'm now looking to buying a 2014 Tiffin Alleged RED 33 AA. The rig has been meticulously maintained. The price is attractive. I get a feeling now I should get a certified inspector look at it. Now you have given me a lot to think about buying used.
Hey Steve. That is a really old rig in RV Years,........but a great one and a great brand. Protect yourself and spend the dough to get a professional inspection. nrvia.org/locate/
Top your oil off with Marvel mistre oil Ron for about 10. -15 min to get engine hot it will keep the oil sensor Kleenex so it won’t start and shut every time but this fixed mine.
Bought our Tiffin Allegro Bus used 2 years ago. 2015 with less then 15K on the ODO and less than 100 hours on the 10KW Gen. Drove it 1,500 miles back to our base camp and went through absolutely everything. Everything looked fine except the engine air filter which by the vacuum gauge and mileage was fine but it had aged out. Paper ages and they should be replaced every 2-3 years and this one was the original. Don't want to suck paper into the turbo! $$$$ Low mileage is awesome but some things will need replacement due to age as well as miles. After going through everything, it was as good as new. Did we save buying used? Absolutely! Especially since I do my own work. Tires ~ According to Michelin you can safely use their tires for up to 10 years WITH annual inspections. Most RVers use the 5 year rule. Ours are now at year 9 and will be replaced very soon even though they pass inspection. (bus was kept in an interior storage environment and that limited the UV exposure). Monitor your tire pressures with a TPMS set-up. Pricing ~ More typical is 20-25% off MSRP depending on demand. During the covid demand, folks were not getting these discounts but they are now back with the current economic conditions. Batteries ~ Previous owner just replaced all the house batts with good AGMs. I replaced the 2 starting batts with AGMs since they handle vibration better than wet cells and are maintenance free. Myles = 'Magic Carpet' / Our rig =' Seasonal Time Traveler '...as we escape winter and chase 70 🙂 Looking forward to your stainless trim install video 👍
Hey Dean! Great comment. We are excited about visiting Summit Products, and hope we can film the shop, production, measuring and install process. We will see what happens.
Being a do it yourselfer is a great way to go. It’s not rocket science, but a guy does need a few tools. Now with all the RUclips do- it- yourself videos on maintenance, it’s especially easy to do most of the work yourself. Even the new ones are gonna require maintenance at some point.
Wonderful! Enjoy the excitement of the NEW RV SMELL and feel. Get the extended warranty & relax! If you didn't get one, consider the CampersEdge one that NIRVC sells. Now that they are a Tiffin Network Dealer, that's about as much peace of mind as you can get,...... Right now we are at NIRVC Atlanta with my gray tank leak repair. Yikes!
I would also say you keep great records. I too keep records in great detail, e.g., each invoice line item has an entry in my software with part numbers. As I mentioned in my other comment, I have an extended warranty. Even with an exclusionary warranty not everything will be covered. I too use NIRVC exclusively, but I find the hours the warranty allows for diagnostics is often less than the hours required in addition the amount the warranty will cover is sometimes less than the actual cost. Thus, I think the new rig analysis should have some cost for repairs which in my mind based on what you have shared would made buying new versus used about the same. One other thought about assuming the original owner has worked out all the bugs. I think that is often not the case and not tending to one issue could cause a different issue down the road so buyer beware. I guess I'm kind of talking out of both sides of my mouth with these two comments since one would see to support used and the other support buying new. Oh also, in the four years I have had the Canyon Star repairs, excluding consumables and maintenance, e.g., this cost does not include tires, windshields (I'm on number six) or maintenance was just over $55,000.
Glad it was helpful Joe......it's even more convincing now in our case,.......I forgot to include the $5000 in tires I put on the tag and drive axle in year #4. Yikes.
Excellent video as usual. My wife and I are about to embark on our fulltime "Journey" next month. I have experienced replacing many of the items that you mentioned in this video. First thing on our new (to us) '13 Thor Palazzo was rear tires. The front tires had been replaced and were just a year old. The rear tires had a date code of 2012!! That made them 9 years old when we bought the coach. Next was replacing coach batteries with Lithium as the existing batteries were very tired and did not perform well. Our rig had 39k miles on it when we bought it, and after driving 50 miles up the road from where we bought it (individual) it threw a serpentine belt due to a defective idler pulley. Pretty scary to have your rig towed to a repair shop right out of the box. We took advantage of having it in for the repair and had the shop go ahead and perform all of the service items on the engine. The generator had 400+ hours on it when we bought the rig, and I am ashamed to say we didn't get it serviced until over 800 hours, but it never gave us a problem and the oil and coolant that came out of it looked close to new. We leave for Appleton, WI in a couple of days to have the full length slide on the drivers side upgraded to a Vroom system since the Schwintech system failed on us coming back from Alabama in April. Looking forward to hitting the road soon and hope we cross paths with you somewhere down the line!!
Wow! This is the only video to come to this conclusion! But the Chan-Man's detailed thinking and accounting proves it. I'm not sure if we would have changed our minds on our purchase, but we certainly would have thought more about it. A big howdy from Alpine, Wyoming this month as we explore Grand Teton & Yellowstone NP. Happy, safe, & healthy travels! Brendan & Lena
Hey guys,..........it's even more convincing in our case,.......I forgot to include the $5000 in tires I put on the tag and drive axle in year #4. Yikes.
Have you been talking to Brett? I have found start battery's at the Freightliner store that were a good deal. Original equipment AGM start batteries for $89.00 each.
I had a conversation with Brett a few years ago about which was the best way to buy an RV. He essentially predicted exactly how it turned out. It just took me 6 years to learn it the hard way. Both ways of buying have their place, for different reasons. A person needs to decide what lane they will take down the same road, while having a much different experience.
Great information.... My pro tips..Buy new one model year old. Buy at the end of the quarter. Buy out the door price. Offer multiple dealers the same deal.. I bought a 2018 KZRV 315rkd 5th in March 2019. The list was 72k on sale 62k offered 50k OTD final negotiation ended at 45k OTD... Did not buy extended warranty. Thanks OJM
@@OurJourneyInMyles Hi . I planned two years ahead. I made sure my first RV is my last. Plan included buying the truck well before buying trailer so I wouldn't have two payments.. Thanks for these behind the scenes videos.. OJM
Great suggestion! In three videos, I actually talk about it a little while I am actually driving down the steep grades. Check out episodes #191, #238 & #245. If you only watch one of them, #238 might be the best.
Here’s the kicker: if your used RV would have been 10 yr old, depreciation would not be as much. I’d like you to redo the calculation using your final depreciated price vs a new one, you’d be well ahead, with about the same maintenance costs…
One of if not the best video I've seen on the trip wizard. Looking at yours and several others I haven't found one that explains how to import the trip into my GPS. I noticed you have the same Garmin we have any info would be greatly appreciated. Safe travels to you!
We plan our rest stops in real time with Google Maps along the way. When traveling in the rig, Sue has Garmin, Trip Wizard, Google Maps and some RV Truckers App going at the same time. I follow what she says. I ONLY CONCENTRATE ON DRIVING, and do not have any more bandwidth in my brain to help navigate. We are a team. I never hear anyone importing the Trip Wizard route into any other device. Trip Wizard is its own "GPS router" and you must use it on a separate GPS enabled device. If this is incorrect, someone, please advise! Remember, this is Mark , but Sue is the Navigator.
@@OurJourneyInMyles thanks Mark, I have seen and read where you can download the trip out of Trip Wizard on to a SD card and then import it into a Garmin. Just haven't had any luck doing it. Thanks again and keep up the good videos.
Excellent review Mark! Every diesel Class A Rver should watch this one. I don’t even want to calculate my costs. I don’t want to know. But my 43,000 miles since 2020 can’t be valued. We did everything and went everywhere, still going. Starting a 6 week fall trip Sept. 4th. Already paid for out 2024 winter trip to Florida, 130 days Jan- Mid April.
Our EXACT sentiment as well. That is why we always tell folks we are not complaining, we are just reporting the facts. We are making memories for the rocking chair days now,......
Mark, Great analysis . I have heard Brett say the same thing, but your breakdown was very good. Say hi ti Sue and we are looking forward to catching up with y'all in a few months
Thank you kindly Ken! I was surprised,...........sort of! I have been living through all the repairs, and I could tell I was finally paying the price for the savings I had in the used pricing when I bought it. Live and Learn,.....
Excellent analysis, Mark. Prior to watching your video, I had contemplated, but never got around to, doing a comparison such as this. An important cost that would be equal to a new or used rig is the value in the experiences you've had vs. not having a rig at all and attempting the same - the differences would be astronomical So many people advise against buying new and even buying a relative antique pre-DEF unit, that it is hard to put aside the noise from those camps. But yeah, someday when it comes time to pack back into a sticks and bricks is the forgotten part of the equation: will a new or used rig better set you up to go back to that lifestyle? GREAT WORK! BRAVO to the OJIM channel - I don't think I've seen this comparison on any other channel!
Glad it was helpful guys......it's even more convincing now in our case,.......I forgot to include the $5000 in tires I put on the tag and drive axle in year #4. Yikes.
Thank you for this video. Once my wife and I ready to buy, I'll reference this video and other's you and Sue have. I want you to know I'm glad you bought used. The amount of information your channel has given your followers is priceless. Buying new may have been economically better for you, but buying used made us richer!
Glad it has worked out for you guys! I readily admit, my data point is just that. ONE DATA POINT experience, in our unique situation. You can always rely on us reporting in the facts,.....
If all 40,000 subscribers got (1.2500125) friends to subscribe, we would realize the elusive RUclipsrs dream,...... getting the coveted "Silver RUclips Play Button" with 100,001 subscribers!!!!! Pass the word on!
Thank you for this video. I don't own an RV - Yet, but I watch a lot of RV videos. This one is very educational and "eye opening" in regards to actual pricing. I have been tossing around the idea of used or new and this is very helpfull. Regards to you and Sue on your travels.
Great info to know for folks who have yet to purchase a rig (like me). Lot of details you shared to help the next person. Thanks for sharing...........
Glad it was helpful Bryan......it's even more convincing now in our case,.......I forgot to include the $5000 in tires I put on the tag and drive axle in year #4. Yikes.
I like to thank you for all the videos I was in the Air Force 1966 to1973 station Travis Air Force Base, California had orders go to Alaska purchase open Road 1 ton truck, and here we go got almost to white horse Canadian mounted police pulled us over and told us that our orders got canceled so we decided to go back to Travis Air Force Base so take a lot of videos for me my wife died four years ago. We had good memories in our open road. Backs and a lot of gravel roads and a lot of damage RVs coming back to the US big trucks got too close to them. Thank you again I wish both of you well Kentucky,
Glad it was helpful. When you are actually ready to go, if your still on the fence, contact Angie Morell, Director of Sales, at amorell@nirvc.com and set up a call with her to explain the pluses and minuses!
Great job on the video. It was amazing that your final list of what you would do again matched exactly what we did just a couple of years ago except the 4369. We ended up going smaller since we were newbies with a 4081. Again great job on all of your video's. We really enjoy watching them.
Once again, kudos to a most informative session. Your attention to detail and just plain down home manner of presenting the info is appreciated. Until your next video...be well.
❤❤i cried watching your mom’s reaction to your pregnancy, and Trent’s family as well. Congratulations! m I’m a grandma in salt lake and in Washington DC! We watch your shows every week and look forward to seeing your family and home grow.
Thanks you for settling my argument with Hubby. NEW has the better way to go. I so appreciate your honesty on your experiences and can't wait to meet you guys on the road!!!!
Glad it was helpful Susane!! ......it's even more convincing in our case,.......I forgot to include the $5000 in tires I put on the tag and drive axle in year #4. Yikes.
Your analysis was very insightful and detailed. I’m glad I viewed this video, it really put things into perspective. While used isn’t off of the table, new is looking like the way to go. Especially since there are deals to be had. 30% potential discount is an eye opener. Thank you
Glad you enjoyed it! I have since spent another ton more on things. If you can swing it, buy new, have a better RVing experience, overall during your years of use and when it's time to sell, you will end up with "nominally" the same out of pocket. There is no such thing as a free lunch on the RV World.
Awesome job Mark! Some very good advice was shared. It's funny every one of your bullets is the same that I share as well. Thanks for helping us figure all this out. I will be well informed when it is time to buy. A good topic I think would be good to discuss would be extended warranties, the good and bad, and what to look out for when looking for extended Plans! Again great job! Enjoy your time off. Walt
We would talk more about extended warranties if we had one, and had experience with one. We DO KNOW, buying new or used, if I could do it over, I WOULD GET ONE, even though I have no first hand knowledge. Its just what I hear from folks. And it has to be an EXCLUSIONARY POLICY, not an INCLUSIONARY one.
I have been binge watching your videos. After years of watching RV RUclipsrs, your channel just popped up in my RV search. What great content and I really enjoy the voice-over parts that explain things in such detail. Why your channel does have not hundreds of thousands or even a million subscribers... I have no clue. Each video does provide great value in content and entertaining to watch. I appreciate the hard work and time put into your channel. 👍
Great video explaining your experience and thoughts from today. Thank you for taking the time to compile the data. My only comment from all your data is it is very tough to get 30% off MSRP and new RV prices jumped far to quickly, driven by greed.
Thanks for sharing! You know, I tend to agree with you Curtis,.......but,..... I have had a number of folks say they have done better than that! Some guy reported in at 33% on a New Aire. RV prices are crazy now. For me, with a used rig, I hope the new prices continue to skyrocket! PS: I forgot to include $5000 in the used column in year #4 when I replaced the Tag and Drive axle tires! Yikes.
Thanks Mark for going through your analysis. You’ve confirmed to me what I’d been tossing back and forth about purchasing our retirement rig. I’d pretty much landed on getting a new one with warranty, but you’re analysis helped greatly. Thank you so much and love the videos you and Sue put out.
Glad it was helpful Kenny......it's even more convincing now in our case,.......I forgot to include the $5000 in tires I put on the tag and drive axle in year #4. Yikes.
I want to thank you for the informative and thoughtful comparison of New vs Used. As we prepare to enter the lifestyle it has been helpful. There is one other consideration that warrants discussion. In looking at the financial aspects of beginning you have to consider the big “what if?”. What if we buy a new coach then don’t like the lifestyle or can’t continue for some other reason after a short period of time, you will sustain a huge loss if buy new. For you, you can compare retrospectively because you have been doing it now for 5+ years. But what if……? I think we are going to look for 1 to 2 year old coach when the time comes.
That is a great compromise,........but cover yourself with getting the longest exclusionary extended warranty you can get on the rig being that new. As of today, 09-09-2023 we are looking at having to replace our gray tank,........since you have to remove the fresh water tank to do it, I am going to replace them all. They are 10 year old plastic. This is going to be super expensive,... Episode to follow in late October.
Hi! This Lourdes, It was such a nice surprise to run into you at the meet and greet today at the RV show. I'm the full-time RVer that is solo now. Love your channel❤
Thank you for stopping to say hi! Hope your love of travel will flourish as a solo in the new, and as yet unfamiliar, different way. Things will continue to brighten with your great attitude!
I hear the roads to Alaska are much better and folks say it's a great trip. I look at it as one long out and back which I'm not a fan of. Looking forward to seeing the updates when you go.
If we do video along the way, they would have to be unedited, without music, or anything fancy. Folks might not like this, and they would look amateurish. We simply won't have the time to work on them because we will be traveling with other folks. Not sure what we are going to do. We may have to go for every other week for a while again. (Each video takes 40 hours work now, believe it or not.)
Thanks much Mark. I've been back and forth on the new used thing. Lots to consider in the video. I hope to get something done this fall - so the video was very timely!
Glad it was helpful Erik......it's even more convincing now in our case,.......I forgot to include the $5000 in tires I put on the tag and drive axle in year #4. Yikes.
Great video! I've been using the app for about a year and after watching your video I have a much better understanding. Now to work planning a cross country trip!
Glad it was helpful! If others want to learn how to use RV Trip Wizard, check out our "Step by Step" training tutorial at: ruclips.net/video/ugPjInuX3QI/видео.htmlsi=3DUJclN27V6WnXyJ
8:10 we swapped out our 4 year old AGMs with Bluetooth BMS equipped Lithium phosphate batteries and its a world of difference., and the price if you shop sales is not that much more than high end AGMs, definitely worth the increased price over time
What brand of tire covers do you have? Do you have a solid shade for the outside of the windshield? My rig will be in PHX this winter and I’m think it will Be a good purchase. BTW- trip to AK you will love!
We have the BLACK tire covers we use in the "Tire Safety Equipment" section on our Amazon Store. We LOVE the metal hoop spring mounting scheme, they go on super easy. www.amazon.com/shop/ourjourneyinmyles We also have Magna Shades on ALL the front windows. Those are a game changer. You can order them, have them shipped to you, and take them to a NIRVC and they will install them.
That is wonderful the number is that you have displayed with what would be cheaper or watt would be better. I am so happy that I still have a 2007 Monaco 400 horse Cohens 3000 hours in and superior build. Thomyt
Great information!!! We appreciate all the time and effort you put in to make this comparison. We have been back and forth with new and used on a Ventana 4369 - I appreciate this information. Thank you again and safe travels!
Hey Steve. Since I made this video I have a SECOND water leak I am dealing with while in Wisconsin. In two unrelated areas.If you can swing it, buy new with a 7 year extended warranty and live your life stress free compared to me. I RV 75% and get my RV fixed the other 25%.
Best of luck! Study and learn and take your time buying. Make certain to buy from a place that will let you test drive a few styles first before you commit to spending so much dough!
Thank you mark so much for this advice and analysis. Great video mark! Glad you did this video! It helped me out. I’m glad you are good doing the math! I wouldn’t be good at doing that part of rving! Lol! Hope you have a great night and week and see you next week!
I agree with Jim Martinson below here. You really nailed all the points, and you bought at the right time. You could sell your coach for close to what you paid for it...The point about how we go into a new phase of life not knowing if it going to be agreeable to us, does the romance of this life meet up to the reality? All things considered is the coaches are extremely expensive compared to the "golden years" , even with a30% discount ( these days on a Billy Bobs Motor Coach) and Newmar isn't that deep yet....You have taken care of your coach so well that it will be one of your strongest selling points...I always like what you said in the beginning, we will do this until circumstances dictate otherwise. And you started out young enough on that life curve... We really appreciate all that you do, keep up the good work...Alaska is cool but I would be nervous too, good thing you are not going in a 2024 DutchStar....
Thanks for the great comment John. I wish I would have started RVing with the family 20 years earlier. Better late than ever. My youngest son bought his second 5th wheel a few months ago! He is 38! I am 71!
Mark, you did such a great job (Sue too...) on this one. It is a serious discussion that couples need to make. Monday morning quarterbacking is so easy, you have to make a decision and go with it. I camped for years but the last 5 to 8 years it has to be self contained, age 73 now, wife 71, 72 next jan. Having to get up and whizz a couple times is not cutting in a tent or tent camper any more, not to mention sleeping on the ground.... Now that prices are to the point that the new price point to acquire new makes it impossible for a lot of working folks.The Thor and Winnebago take overs leave one wondering.... I hope we run into you guys at Barbierres on on the road somewhere one of these days.
Folks should always refer to the free, online PDF documents, that the Family Motorcoach Association compiles (The Dingy Towing Guides) listing all the approved cars and trucks by model and year, that you can pull behind a motorhome. Additionally, it proves notes on any added preparation needed before towing can start for the day. www.fmca.com/motorhome/videos/player/24/38 I would probably NOT RECOMMEND pulling a Honda Odyssey. We are taking a chance,….we have a lot of money on the line with the faceplate mod and Air Force 1 Braking Mod. We paid top dollar to get an extremely low mileage 2013 EX-L, (about 23k miles) so the transmission was in as good a shape as possible. Are you willing to risk this like we have? We corresponded with someone on irv2.com in June of 2017 that was pulling a 5 speed Honda 2013 Odyssey for over 25k miles. This prompted us to “go for it!” He has since (about 1 year ago, had a trans failure.) He maintains he thinks it was NOT related to towing it. He liked his Honda enough he put a rebuilt trans in! We love our Honda and will do the same if we have an issue. WE CHANGE THE TRANS FLUID every year! We needed to pull a garage for our expensive bikes! After many conversations, WE DECIDED TO TAKE A CHANCE, AND PULL ONE AS WELL. We tow a 2013 EX-L Honda Odyssey. This is the latest year model (2013), and highest trim level (EX-L) model you can THEORETICALLY tow. Honda DOES NOT recommend towing it. Yes, I know, you are not supposed to tow it! Honda decided it wasn't worth the warranty claims of damaged Odyssey transmissions when NOT shifted into neutral following the EXACT instructions they provided way back in 2004. (YOU MUST SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL FROM DRIVE ONLY, NOT FROM REVERSE!) They gave up on the Odyssey towing public, because of this Odyssey peculiarity and said you can’t do it. I corresponded with a few other brave souls that had over 20,000 miles towed on their Odysseys before I was man enough to do it. We have PULLED it about 50,000 miles since June of 2017, and we have DRIVEN it 70,000 miles. SO FAR, SO GOOD. The 2013 Honda Odyssey Touring was a 6 speed, and CAN NOT be towed. In 2014, EVERYTHING went to 6 speed. You can search for the Honda Vin number decoder on the internet to make certain your Honda is a 5 speed to see if you would be OK. Any other years you would want to buy, you would want to research the internet and vin # to make sure you are not buying another 6 speed! We liked our (2) 2015 6 speed Honda Odysseys so much, that we sold them to get our (1) 2013 5-speed Odyssey. We are Full Time, and just need one car now. YOU DO NOT NEED ANY ADDED LUBE PUMPS! THIS IS THE TOWING PROCEDURE WE USE,…….EASY AS PIE,….. It has been simplified, directly from the 2004 Honda Odyssey towing instructions, which is the last year they "allowed" towing. The "PV1A Transmission” is the ONLY Honda Odyssey Automatic transmission you can tow, IF YOU FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS from Honda back in 2004 when they allowed the PV1A to be towed. It MUST be this 5-speed transmission. I left in a lot of the Honda legal jargon at the end just for your info. • Start the engine and get it to operating temperature. (I am usually still packing something up.) • Press on the brake pedal. Shift the lever through all the positions (P,R,N,D,2,1). • Then shift up from 1, 2, Shift to D, then to N. DO NOT GO INTO REVERSE! Let the engine run for at least three minutes, then turn off engine. THIS IS THE KEY, AND THE ABSOLUTE ISSUE THAT MUST BE FOLLOWED. SHIFTING TO NEUTRAL FROM REVERSE WILL SET YOU UP FOR PROBLEMS, AND/OR TRANSMISSION FAILURE. How many times you can do it wrong, I don't know. I am absolutely vigilant on this procedure. You must shift to neutral from DRIVE. • Make sure parking brake is OFF. • Leave the ignition switch in ACCESSORY (1) so the steering wheel does not lock. Make sure the radio and any items plugged into the accessory power sockets are turned off, so you do not run down the battery. (Our tow electric cord has a trickle charger line to keep the battery from going dead. We have an SMI Air Force One brake system,.......Honda is around 4,600 lbs. loaded.) If you travel more than 8 hours in one day (including stopping time), you must stop and repeat the above procedures. NOTICE: The steering system can be damaged if the steering wheel is locked. Always leave the key in the ACCESSORY (1) position to prevent damage to the steering system when towing behind another vehicle. CAUTION: Severe automatic transmission damage will occur if the car is shifted from reverse to neutral and then towed with the drive wheels on the ground. NOTICE: Improper towing preparation will damage the transmission. Follow the above procedure exactly. If you cannot shift the transmission or start the engine, your vehicle must be on a flatbed truck or trailer. If you tow a Honda/Acura vehicle with automatic transmission, the fluid must be changed every two years or 30,000 miles, whichever comes first. Although experience has shown that the Honda/Acura transmission and powertrain are capable of being "motorhome towed", America Honda does not assume responsibility for any vehicle damage or liabilities incurred due to the towing device, towing vehicle, lighting hookup, or other towing equipment or towing procedures; any responsibility for these items is assumed by the owner/operator. If you have additional questions, please call American Honda Motor Co. Inc. (National Consumer Affairs) at 800-999-1009. Good luck,…..as I said,…….I would think it is not a good, sound, financial idea,……although we are taking the chance!
If I understand ? The green interstate batteries were not AGM . They were wet cell. And yes they require Distilled water only. If they get ignored they die.
Well done Mark. I really thought this was going to go a totally different direction. Me and my wife are in a similar situation where I plan to retire in a year or so and we plan to get a Diesel pusher and travel all over the place but not full time. I was figuring used was a way better option but when you figure in repairs and tires and then the value after 5 or 6 years it makes sense. Now I can do quite a bit on my own as far as maintenance but sometimes things happen on the road and you don't have that option. You can also put some value in having the new safety features and conveniences plus if you maintain it like a NASA engineer and keep records it may add value at the end. Thanks for making the effort and the video.
I just wanted to lay out how it worked out for us. Everything is always subject to change. The new ones now are CRAZY expensive. But labor rates for repairs are now up to $200/hour! My tires are $1000/each. It is a tough call to know which way to go.
Get you some Battleborn price is a little high but I have mine for 3 yrs and the are so light they weight like 37 pounds and if you watch them only charge up to 80-90 percent and don’t discharge no les than 20 percent and they will be that last batteries you ever buy. Hope that helps nice looking rig .
Hello Mark and Sue, we own a 2019 Ventana 4369 purchased new. I think you are right on with your costs and evaluation. It's not really a loss it's no different than when you were young and had to rent an apartment or house. That's why I have always said we are just renting this Condo on wheels. It's not a financial investment but an investment in retirement and life.
Thanks for sharing Mike! You are so correct. Without the RV and the shared vision we both have to "get out there before it is too late", we wouldn't have had 2% of the life we have had the last 6 months, much less the past 6 years.
@OurJourneyInMyles No, there is so much to see. We took the Alaska ferry to Haines and drove back after 5 months. We worked 3 days a week and were exploring the other 4. We also spent everything we made. Kayaker in Glacier Bay was my highlight.
Well that WILL be an episode someday,..........hoping that happens after we get a RUclips Silver Play button! Need 100k subscribers! Everyone,.....please subscribe!
Glad it was helpful David......it's even more convincing now in our case,.......I forgot to include the $5000 in tires I put on the tag and drive axle in year #4. Yikes.
Interesting--but I still think it's hypothetical. I may have missed it--but did you calculate your out-of-warranty maintenance costs on the 2018? I think you'd still have some significant costs on the 3-year newer rig.
That is why I included the $9500 high quality 7 year extended warranty in the 2018 column of the chart. Best I could do. I didn't want to make stuff up. Most folks I have met that had a name brand, expensive, high quality, EXCLUSIONARY warranty did pretty well with them paying if they let the system work, which is slow and takes time.
We also are looking to Buy used. I don't think our budget is going to be quite as much as yours was Which kind of eliminates buying new but my question to you is, I also like the idea of having a tag axle Which I know probably limit some of the parks and places you can go in , Knowing what you know now would you still have bought a tag axle. I believe I would like the stability of the rig the weight capacity that can be carried Not mentioning the extra room. We want you to know we always enjoy your videos that are very informative and are really helping us getting ready for the life changing process of going full-time. ( thanks!!! )
Tag eliminates porpoising, and getting blown around. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. If you are buying Newmar, get 2008 or newer so you have Comfort Drive. 2016 or newer to have the fire door. (Make sure 2016 front axle was upgraded.) Don't worry about too big,.....worry about too small when going Full-Time.
Hi Mark and Sue, Great video and production on comparing New vs. Used! You bring up some very good points on making the comparison between the two. Just wondering if you are comparing apples to apples here. Did you factor in the upgrades you have done over the years that a stock brand new Dutch star may not normally have on it? Those retrobands you have installed are not normally on a new unit as well fire protection systems. Adding those improvements to the cost of a new unit may bring the bottom line costs for each much closer together and possibly make it swing the other way to the used unit. Just throwing this out there for consideration. Thanks for doing these videos for the RV community. Safe journeys to both of you and enjoy the cool weather in Wisconsin!
Hey Michael. Rettrobands and Proteng Fire Suppression System were not included. We did not include the interior furniture changes either, but quite honestly we could of bought closer to what we would have wanted by buying NEW, so it would have been additional savings for the NEW column. But here is the real corker. I FORGOT TO ADD THE $5K for tires of the tag & drive axles a few years ago! The new analysis would look even better.
Myles has been a great coach for you two. He’s safely transported and housed you comfortably for thousands of miles and several years. That’s worth something. We bought a new 2018 Tiffin Allegro RED in 2017 because we couldn’t find a used one. Many of the used Tiffins on the market back then were purchased sight unseen by cash buyers. We were newbie’s back then, and hesitant to purchase sight unseen, so we ordered a new coach. We had an Air Force 1 supplemental braking system installed along with a Blue Ox baseplate and lighting kit in our 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee. There were many issues addressed under warranty during our first year of ownership, including one serious problem with one of our large hydraulic slides. Before our warranty expired we purchased an extended exclusionary warranty, good for three more years. When we bought, we were not yet retired, and used the coach only on weekends or vacations we took a few times a year. We stored our motorhome in an RV storage facility near our home. We were not full timers, as are you and Sue. We have since retired, sold our home in Tampa and built a lakefront home in Mount Olive Shores North, with an RV garage to house our Tiffin. We are not full timers and enjoy having a home base to return to after a few months (three to five) traveling. Regardless whether you buy used or new, these rigs depreciate. It’s an expensive lifestyle, as you well know, but worth every penny to us.
Great video as always. I don't over analyze our purchase that much. We got a well maintained older unit that had a lot of money spent on upgrades and maintenance with a warranty that we used to repair some things. Nothing major but still good money. We are happy and that's all that matters. You are happy and that's all that matters. Congrats on your adventures and l look forward to future videos.
I should have talked about the reality for us was that we had no experience RVing, so if we had went "ALL IN" on a new rig, I might have had an aneurysm!
What a great analyis! I'm very analytical so enjoyed it immensely. I guess where i do still struggle here is the emotional "what if." What if we are wrong and dont like it fulltime. What if we buy wrong. In my mind, it seems as if the less expensive buy protects against that? Definitely gives me more to think about !
We just wanted to report in on how our Journey has landed us 6 years down the road, to give our viewers some perspective to make decisions with more facts than we had!
If we do video along the way, they would have to be unedited, without music, or anything fancy. Folks might not like this, and they would look amateurish. We simply won't have the time to work on them because we will be traveling with other folks. Not sure what we are going to do. We may have to go for every other week for a while again. (Each video takes 40 hours work now, believe it or not.)
As always, great video and I appreciate your perspective on things. We just got back from a 3 month trip to Alaska, you will hear a lot of different opinions on the roads and the journey. For us, it was a great trip, the roads, while challenging were manageable. The only thing I would of done differently would be to allocate more time to the trip, we were in Alaska itself for 3 weeks, could of easily of been 2 months to see & experience everything that is out there. Thanks again for the great content, safe travels.
Great job with regards to VO. Have owned 2 A’s and now Super C, and all used. I would never ever buy new. Twice the rig for 70% of the cost. He helps that I do my own work. 😅😅😅😅
Thanks for sharing! Yes,.....if you can fix your own rig, AND you have somewhere to do it, AND you have the time to do it, AND the physical flexibility to do it, AND your not on the road in the middle of nowhere, that is a huge difference! Wish that was me!
Great video Mark. The one thing I hadn't thought about when debating new vs used was the sale value at the end. The higher sale value offsets some of the higher depreciation that occurs in the first couple of years. This is making me rethink our purchase strategy.
I totally agree! But don't make the decision from what I have said here. I think if a person wants the straight talk on if they should buy new or used, for their own situation, you should work with someone who has ALL the answers. This is a BIG decision, and is a LOT of money. I would suggest starting at the TOP with Angie Morell, the Director of Sales at NIRVC at amorell@nirvc.com. Pour your heart out in a letter on what you are looking for, and all the concerns you have. She WILL follow up. And she WILL hook you up with the best person in the corporation to help make your RV Dream a reality without it becoming a nightmare! Tell them Mark & Sue sent you and you will get free popcorn in the customer lounge!
Yes, you are correct,......... Right now, Sept 4th 2023 I am now dealing with a grey tank leak. It is cracked in the thinned down area where the frame rails pass thru. I'm thinking I am going to have to replace them all,.....water, black and gray. God only knows at this point what it is going to cost!
Excellent coverage. We did exactly what you recommended in hindsight. Bought new, 5 year extended coverage, did all the warranty work in the first year, installed retroband, and traveling the country. One other helpful tip for new buyers is to spec out the rig you want and submit it to 5 different reputable dealers for competitive bidding. I was able to get 26% discount off MSRP for a 2022 London Aire. Ordered in Oct 2021 for April 2022 delivery. There were 4 price hikes in the contract period. Contract stated Newmar would not raise the price in the contract. After 3 price hikes for non contracted buyers, Newmar called Uncle and passed the price hikes on to the dealers for contracted buyers. Dealers were left holding the bag and didn't know if they should pass the price hikes on to the contracted buyer or take the hit. Well some dealers like NIRVC and Midway RV in Grand Rapids, MI honored the contract. Most other dealers passed the price increase on to the consumers. When we took delivery in June 2022, we probably could have sold it for more than what we paid for it. Very unusual and a one time lucky break in the RV buyers market. I will add that if you can find a two year old rig with meticulous maintenance records from an original buyer, you may be better off and be able to capitalize on some depreciation.
EXCELLENT REPLY RoadHog. We understand that our analysis was just how it turned out for us, in this "pretend" scenario. But since we had the data, I wanted to run the numbers, and this is how the chips layed out! NIRVC was a standup act when they didn't pass on those price hikes to the customers. Everyone need to remember that. Thanks for bringing it up!
I did NOT see that coming. Your wonderful analysis and strong critical thinking skills are greatly appreciated. Caveat to all of this of course you really have to get that 30% off MSRP :)
Hey, thanks for watching! The real corker is since this video was produced, we spent another FORTUNE on things that needed to be taken care of. I think if you work with your dealer, expecting 26% to 30% is doable depending on the position of the moon on any given day. Even more that ever now, if I could go back in time, we would have bought NEW, we would have bought for NIRVC and we would have bought the Campers Edge Extended Warranty that NIRVC sells. Trust me,.....I am a lot smarter now than when I first started out. Oh, by the way: We have been in repair at NIRVC-Atlanta since Oct 8th 2023. It is 01--04-2024 today.
Thanks for the reply! Have you done a video on RV "Show Price?" I'd love to hear your insight there. @@OurJourneyInMyles
FYI with regard to the extended warranty. I too purchased my first RV used a 2017 Newmar Canyon Star in 2019. The original extended warranty expired in June 2022. I purchased a new exclusionary policy for two additional years. I was shocked the warranty provider did not inspect the unit which at the time had 96,000 miles on it and the new policy was approximately $6,000. Since then I have had approximately $17,000 worth of repairs covered. So you can purchase high quality extended warranties on used coaches.
You sir made a genius move securing that warranty contract. Bavo for you!
Excellent research. We bought a new 5th wheel and Duramax diesel truck. We lived in it 2 1/2 years when we bought a property now we just take 2-3 month trips. One suggestion. We did buy a 7 year extended warranty. The dealer wanted about $3300. All I did was call the warranty company they used directly and purchased the next level up for just over $1700, 7 years $100 deductible. If you live in California you will need an out of state address.
Excellent advice D! Thanks,.....
Mark, you out did yourself on this video. A truly thorough analysis covering all costs of ownership that goes way beyond just the cost of a new vs. the cost of a used rig. This was a Brett Davis-esque analysis of new vs. used. He would approve of your analysis. In the end, knowing you and Sue, as two people who know what they are talking about, one can go to the bank on this information.
Glad it was helpful James......it's even more convincing now in our case,.......I forgot to include the $5000 in tires I put on the tag and drive axle in year #4. Yikes. Comparing this to a Brett Davis analysis made me feel light headed. Mine is like a kindergarteners. His is would be awesome, and like a college thesis paper. I would LOVE to get a full length expose from Brett on this subject. I would pin it as the first comment in this video, like yours is now, until of course we knock it out with Bretts writeup!
I watched this episode again, I totally agree with you on your reasoning. Like you and Sue we were newbies as well but we didn't know how selling our home would be a good idea for us. Hind sight is wonderful, and in 2016 we bought a used 2013....
We flew to Dallas from Milwaukee to look at a used Winnebago that seemed fine by pictures and asked the lady if it was really clean or my wife would go nuts, so we passed, I don't need to describe the unclean parts we found...I found a really clean 2005 Win Journey and my wife choked on the cost but it was immaculate, 1 owner always stored indoor, guy was a fire chief and worked part time at an RV dealer. So waiting in Dallas for a flight back I found our RV in East Troy on line.
I kept looking at NewMars that were 1 year old that would have been the ticket for us but a stretch for us. In retrospect I wish we would have gone that route but like you talked about back then would we really like it. So our gas Vista does the basic job . I think your analysis in right on....
The information contained in this video should get a lot of traffic and many thanks 👍🏼because you've done the homework for those in the buyers market. On my 2023 Sprinter 3500XD AWD, I paid for the extended complete five year, 100K miles warranty @ $10, 340. The total cost of just the van was $99K with another $67K for the conversion, including the 600w of solar + 270ah lithium battery. Motorhome, Travel Trailer or Van, the total cost of ownership is staggering, with the only hope being the residual asset sale somewhere down the road is equivalent to enjoyment it gave making the bottom line priceless.
The residual asset sale down the road times the enjoyment it gave you along the way = priceless memories > Watching TV! Love it Adam
We bought a quality 12 year old Class A for $220.000 less than a comparable new rig. After spending another $30,000 at Freightliner and other reputable shops, we have a unit that is perfect for us. All running gears are new or inspected. Tires and brakes are new. Awnings are new. Best of all we dont need DEF. With the left-over savings, we were able to 'tick it out' with 2,000 watts of solar, 900-amp hours of Lithium and converted refrigerator to residential. Now we optionally camp off grid and save more money. At this price we didn't have to borrow, and we had less than half the taxes. Now three years later, I have no regrets and would never buy new. Let someone else eat the depreciation.
I'll admit the repairs were higher than expected. but we are still at half the price of our best price for a new comparable rig.
If it is working perfect for you than you have rung the bell my friend! Bravo!
I'm now looking to buying a 2014 Tiffin Alleged RED 33 AA. The rig has been meticulously maintained. The price is attractive. I get a feeling now I should get a certified inspector look at it. Now you have given me a lot to think about buying used.
Hey Steve. That is a really old rig in RV Years,........but a great one and a great brand. Protect yourself and spend the dough to get a professional inspection. nrvia.org/locate/
Top your oil off with Marvel mistre oil Ron for about 10. -15 min to get engine hot it will keep the oil sensor Kleenex so it won’t start and shut every time but this fixed mine.
We used to use that at work.
Bought our Tiffin Allegro Bus used 2 years ago. 2015 with less then 15K on the ODO and less than 100 hours on the 10KW Gen. Drove it 1,500 miles back to our base camp and went through absolutely everything. Everything looked fine except the engine air filter which by the vacuum gauge and mileage was fine but it had aged out. Paper ages and they should be replaced every 2-3 years and this one was the original. Don't want to suck paper into the turbo! $$$$
Low mileage is awesome but some things will need replacement due to age as well as miles. After going through everything, it was as good as new. Did we save buying used? Absolutely! Especially since I do my own work.
Tires ~ According to Michelin you can safely use their tires for up to 10 years WITH annual inspections. Most RVers use the 5 year rule. Ours are now at year 9 and will be replaced very soon even though they pass inspection. (bus was kept in an interior storage environment and that limited the UV exposure). Monitor your tire pressures with a TPMS set-up.
Pricing ~ More typical is 20-25% off MSRP depending on demand. During the covid demand, folks were not getting these discounts but they are now back with the current economic conditions.
Batteries ~ Previous owner just replaced all the house batts with good AGMs. I replaced the 2 starting batts with AGMs since they handle vibration better than wet cells and are maintenance free.
Myles = 'Magic Carpet' / Our rig =' Seasonal Time Traveler '...as we escape winter and chase 70
🙂
Looking forward to your stainless trim install video
👍
Hey Dean! Great comment. We are excited about visiting Summit Products, and hope we can film the shop, production, measuring and install process. We will see what happens.
Being a do it yourselfer is a great way to go. It’s not rocket science, but a guy does need a few tools. Now with all the RUclips do- it- yourself videos on maintenance, it’s especially easy to do most of the work yourself. Even the new ones are gonna require maintenance at some point.
wonderful video, I’m glad I saw it! It confirmed our decision to buy a brand new Tiffin, we take delivery next week. Happy travels.🤗
Wonderful! Enjoy the excitement of the NEW RV SMELL and feel. Get the extended warranty & relax! If you didn't get one, consider the CampersEdge one that NIRVC sells. Now that they are a Tiffin Network Dealer, that's about as much peace of mind as you can get,...... Right now we are at NIRVC Atlanta with my gray tank leak repair. Yikes!
I would also say you keep great records. I too keep records in great detail, e.g., each invoice line item has an entry in my software with part numbers. As I mentioned in my other comment, I have an extended warranty. Even with an exclusionary warranty not everything will be covered. I too use NIRVC exclusively, but I find the hours the warranty allows for diagnostics is often less than the hours required in addition the amount the warranty will cover is sometimes less than the actual cost. Thus, I think the new rig analysis should have some cost for repairs which in my mind based on what you have shared would made buying new versus used about the same. One other thought about assuming the original owner has worked out all the bugs. I think that is often not the case and not tending to one issue could cause a different issue down the road so buyer beware. I guess I'm kind of talking out of both sides of my mouth with these two comments since one would see to support used and the other support buying new. Oh also, in the four years I have had the Canyon Star repairs, excluding consumables and maintenance, e.g., this cost does not include tires, windshields (I'm on number six) or maintenance was just over $55,000.
LOVE your comment Richard, and agree with it all!
A lot of information thanks. It helps a lot
Your welcome,....
One of your very best episodes.
Glad it was helpful Joe......it's even more convincing now in our case,.......I forgot to include the $5000 in tires I put on the tag and drive axle in year #4. Yikes.
Excellent video as usual. My wife and I are about to embark on our fulltime "Journey" next month. I have experienced replacing many of the items that you mentioned in this video. First thing on our new (to us) '13 Thor Palazzo was rear tires. The front tires had been replaced and were just a year old. The rear tires had a date code of 2012!! That made them 9 years old when we bought the coach. Next was replacing coach batteries with Lithium as the existing batteries were very tired and did not perform well. Our rig had 39k miles on it when we bought it, and after driving 50 miles up the road from where we bought it (individual) it threw a serpentine belt due to a defective idler pulley. Pretty scary to have your rig towed to a repair shop right out of the box. We took advantage of having it in for the repair and had the shop go ahead and perform all of the service items on the engine. The generator had 400+ hours on it when we bought the rig, and I am ashamed to say we didn't get it serviced until over 800 hours, but it never gave us a problem and the oil and coolant that came out of it looked close to new. We leave for Appleton, WI in a couple of days to have the full length slide on the drivers side upgraded to a Vroom system since the Schwintech system failed on us coming back from Alabama in April. Looking forward to hitting the road soon and hope we cross paths with you somewhere down the line!!
EXCELLENT decision to switch to Vroom! Didn't know you could get that done anywhere but Arizona & Red Bay Alabama!
Thank you I appreciate you alot I looking and what you said I will buy a new one. Thank you again 😊😊😊😊😊😊
Tell NIRVC I sent you and you will get FREE POPCORN in the customer lounge!
Wow! This is the only video to come to this conclusion! But the Chan-Man's detailed thinking and accounting proves it. I'm not sure if we would have changed our minds on our purchase, but we certainly would have thought more about it.
A big howdy from Alpine, Wyoming this month as we explore Grand Teton & Yellowstone NP.
Happy, safe, & healthy travels!
Brendan & Lena
Hey guys,..........it's even more convincing in our case,.......I forgot to include the $5000 in tires I put on the tag and drive axle in year #4. Yikes.
Have you been talking to Brett?
I have found start battery's at the Freightliner store that were a good deal. Original equipment AGM start batteries for $89.00 each.
I had a conversation with Brett a few years ago about which was the best way to buy an RV. He essentially predicted exactly how it turned out. It just took me 6 years to learn it the hard way. Both ways of buying have their place, for different reasons. A person needs to decide what lane they will take down the same road, while having a much different experience.
Great information.... My pro tips..Buy new one model year old. Buy at the end of the quarter. Buy out the door price. Offer multiple dealers the same deal.. I bought a 2018 KZRV 315rkd 5th in March 2019. The list was 72k on sale 62k offered 50k OTD final negotiation ended at 45k OTD... Did not buy extended warranty. Thanks OJM
It's good to have a plan, and know your pricing up front. This literally was the first, and only, and maybe last RV we will ever have!
@@OurJourneyInMyles Hi . I planned two years ahead. I made sure my first RV is my last. Plan included buying the truck well before buying trailer so I wouldn't have two payments.. Thanks for these behind the scenes videos.. OJM
Mark, would you please do a video on how you use the engine brake on your coach. Thanks
Great suggestion! In three videos, I actually talk about it a little while I am actually driving down the steep grades. Check out episodes #191, #238 & #245. If you only watch one of them, #238 might be the best.
Worth the new coach smell!!! Honesty you're right on.
Yes,.........in my next lifetime. Then again, I did just but a Mega Millions Lotto ticket today (08-07-2023) !
Great video! Lots of great info
Glad it was helpful Allen!
Here’s the kicker: if your used RV would have been 10 yr old, depreciation would not be as much. I’d like you to redo the calculation using your final depreciated price vs a new one, you’d be well ahead, with about the same maintenance costs…
I will wait until I actually sell our 2014 RV someday, and then will do another video on how that went!
One of if not the best video I've seen on the trip wizard. Looking at yours and several others I haven't found one that explains how to import the trip into my GPS. I noticed you have the same Garmin we have any info would be greatly appreciated.
Safe travels to you!
We plan our rest stops in real time with Google Maps along the way. When traveling in the rig, Sue has Garmin, Trip Wizard, Google Maps and some RV Truckers App going at the same time. I follow what she says. I ONLY CONCENTRATE ON DRIVING, and do not have any more bandwidth in my brain to help navigate. We are a team. I never hear anyone importing the Trip Wizard route into any other device. Trip Wizard is its own "GPS router" and you must use it on a separate GPS enabled device. If this is incorrect, someone, please advise! Remember, this is Mark , but Sue is the Navigator.
@@OurJourneyInMyles thanks Mark, I have seen and read where you can download the trip out of Trip Wizard on to a SD card and then import it into a Garmin. Just haven't had any luck doing it.
Thanks again and keep up the good videos.
Mark, A perfect comparison. I was surprised at the outcome. But it makes sense. Thank you for all your work. Richard and Virginia.
Thanks for watching Richard!
Excellent review Mark!
Every diesel Class A Rver should watch this one.
I don’t even want to calculate my costs. I don’t want to know.
But my 43,000 miles since 2020 can’t be valued. We did everything and went everywhere, still going.
Starting a 6 week fall trip Sept. 4th.
Already paid for out 2024 winter trip to Florida, 130 days Jan- Mid April.
Our EXACT sentiment as well. That is why we always tell folks we are not complaining, we are just reporting the facts. We are making memories for the rocking chair days now,......
Mark,
Great analysis . I have heard Brett say the same thing, but your breakdown was very good. Say hi ti Sue and we are looking forward to catching up with y'all in a few months
Thank you kindly Ken! I was surprised,...........sort of! I have been living through all the repairs, and I could tell I was finally paying the price for the savings I had in the used pricing when I bought it. Live and Learn,.....
Excellent analysis, Mark. Prior to watching your video, I had contemplated, but never got around to, doing a comparison such as this. An important cost that would be equal to a new or used rig is the value in the experiences you've had vs. not having a rig at all and attempting the same - the differences would be astronomical So many people advise against buying new and even buying a relative antique pre-DEF unit, that it is hard to put aside the noise from those camps. But yeah, someday when it comes time to pack back into a sticks and bricks is the forgotten part of the equation: will a new or used rig better set you up to go back to that lifestyle? GREAT WORK! BRAVO to the OJIM channel - I don't think I've seen this comparison on any other channel!
Glad it was helpful guys......it's even more convincing now in our case,.......I forgot to include the $5000 in tires I put on the tag and drive axle in year #4. Yikes.
That is good detailed info. Eye-opening.
Thanks for watching!
Thank you for this video. Once my wife and I ready to buy, I'll reference this video and other's you and Sue have. I want you to know I'm glad you bought used. The amount of information your channel has given your followers is priceless. Buying new may have been economically better for you, but buying used made us richer!
Glad it has worked out for you guys! I readily admit, my data point is just that. ONE DATA POINT experience, in our unique situation. You can always rely on us reporting in the facts,.....
Y’all don’t lack much to the 100000 subscribers mark.
If all 40,000 subscribers got (1.2500125) friends to subscribe, we would realize the elusive RUclipsrs dream,...... getting the coveted "Silver RUclips Play Button" with 100,001 subscribers!!!!! Pass the word on!
Thank you for this video. I don't own an RV - Yet, but I watch a lot of RV videos. This one is very educational and "eye opening" in regards to actual pricing. I have been tossing around the idea of used or new and this is very helpfull. Regards to you and Sue on your travels.
Glad it was helpful William!
Great info to know for folks who have yet to purchase a rig (like me). Lot of details you shared to help the next person. Thanks for sharing...........
Glad it was helpful Bryan......it's even more convincing now in our case,.......I forgot to include the $5000 in tires I put on the tag and drive axle in year #4. Yikes.
I like to thank you for all the videos I was in the Air Force 1966 to1973 station Travis Air Force Base, California had orders go to Alaska purchase open Road 1 ton truck, and here we go got almost to white horse Canadian mounted police pulled us over and told us that our orders got canceled so we decided to go back to Travis Air Force Base so take a lot of videos for me my wife died four years ago. We had good memories in our open road. Backs and a lot of gravel roads and a lot of damage RVs coming back to the US big trucks got too close to them. Thank you again I wish both of you well Kentucky,
Thanks Ralph. We will have the cameras on for sure. Hope the roads are better!
Thank you, thank you, thank you. I couldn't agree more with your final thoughts. Great amazing work in this video.
Glad you enjoyed it! Hindsight is 20/20!
Mark and Sue, your best video ever.
Thanks for your honesty and wisdom.
Wishing you health, happiness and prosperity in your future travels.
Thanks Scott!
that was a lot of detailed work....thanks so much
Glad it was helpful!
Marc this was a very good analysis. For someone like me that has your dream as well. I have been trying to analyze which would be better new or used.
Glad it was helpful. When you are actually ready to go, if your still on the fence, contact Angie Morell, Director of Sales, at amorell@nirvc.com and set up a call with her to explain the pluses and minuses!
Great job on the video. It was amazing that your final list of what you would do again matched exactly what we did just a couple of years ago except the 4369. We ended up going smaller since we were newbies with a 4081.
Again great job on all of your video's. We really enjoy watching them.
Thanks for such a kind comment guys!
Once again, kudos to a most informative session. Your attention to detail and just plain down home manner of presenting the info is appreciated. Until your next video...be well.
Glad it was helpful! Thank you for the kind comment.
Very interesting you do a great job thanks
Thanks for watching Domenick!
❤❤i cried watching your mom’s reaction to your pregnancy, and Trent’s family as well. Congratulations! m
I’m a grandma in salt lake and in Washington DC! We watch your shows every week and look forward to seeing your family and home grow.
You must have been watching Trent and Allie!
Thanks you for settling my argument with Hubby. NEW has the better way to go. I so appreciate your honesty on your experiences and can't wait to meet you guys on the road!!!!
Glad it was helpful Susane!! ......it's even more convincing in our case,.......I forgot to include the $5000 in tires I put on the tag and drive axle in year #4. Yikes.
Your analysis was very insightful and detailed. I’m glad I viewed this video, it really put things into perspective. While used isn’t off of the table, new is looking like the way to go. Especially since there are deals to be had. 30% potential discount is an eye opener.
Thank you
Glad you enjoyed it! I have since spent another ton more on things. If you can swing it, buy new, have a better RVing experience, overall during your years of use and when it's time to sell, you will end up with "nominally" the same out of pocket. There is no such thing as a free lunch on the RV World.
Awesome job Mark! Some very good advice was shared. It's funny every one of your bullets is the same that I share as well. Thanks for helping us figure all this out. I will be well informed when it is time to buy. A good topic I think would be good to discuss would be extended warranties, the good and bad, and what to look out for when looking for extended Plans! Again great job! Enjoy your time off. Walt
We would talk more about extended warranties if we had one, and had experience with one. We DO KNOW, buying new or used, if I could do it over, I WOULD GET ONE, even though I have no first hand knowledge. Its just what I hear from folks. And it has to be an EXCLUSIONARY POLICY, not an INCLUSIONARY one.
Thanks for sharing your experience with the rv information
You are welcome William.
Excellent break down video! Thx
Glad you enjoyed it!
I have been binge watching your videos. After years of watching RV RUclipsrs, your channel just popped up in my RV search.
What great content and I really enjoy the voice-over parts that explain things in such detail. Why your channel does have not hundreds of thousands or even a million subscribers... I have no clue. Each video does provide great value in content and entertaining to watch. I appreciate the hard work and time put into your channel. 👍
Welcome aboard! We need exactly 60,100 more subscribers just like you! I DREAM of retiring with a Silver RUclips Play button on the wall,.....
Thanks for confirming my future purchase
Our pleasure Peter!
Great video explaining your experience and thoughts from today. Thank you for taking the time to compile the data. My only comment from all your data is it is very tough to get 30% off MSRP and new RV prices jumped far to quickly, driven by greed.
Thanks for sharing! You know, I tend to agree with you Curtis,.......but,..... I have had a number of folks say they have done better than that! Some guy reported in at 33% on a New Aire. RV prices are crazy now. For me, with a used rig, I hope the new prices continue to skyrocket! PS: I forgot to include $5000 in the used column in year #4 when I replaced the Tag and Drive axle tires! Yikes.
Mark, great video and cost analysis.
Thanks 👍
Thanks Mark for going through your analysis. You’ve confirmed to me what I’d been tossing back and forth about purchasing our retirement rig. I’d pretty much landed on getting a new one with warranty, but you’re analysis helped greatly.
Thank you so much and love the videos you and Sue put out.
Glad it was helpful Kenny......it's even more convincing now in our case,.......I forgot to include the $5000 in tires I put on the tag and drive axle in year #4. Yikes.
I want to thank you for the informative and thoughtful comparison of New vs Used. As we prepare to enter the lifestyle it has been helpful. There is one other consideration that warrants discussion. In looking at the financial aspects of beginning you have to consider the big “what if?”. What if we buy a new coach then don’t like the lifestyle or can’t continue for some other reason after a short period of time, you will sustain a huge loss if buy new.
For you, you can compare retrospectively because you have been doing it now for 5+ years. But what if……? I think we are going to look for 1 to 2 year old coach when the time comes.
That is a great compromise,........but cover yourself with getting the longest exclusionary extended warranty you can get on the rig being that new. As of today, 09-09-2023 we are looking at having to replace our gray tank,........since you have to remove the fresh water tank to do it, I am going to replace them all. They are 10 year old plastic. This is going to be super expensive,... Episode to follow in late October.
Hi! This Lourdes, It was such a nice surprise to run into you at the meet and greet today at the RV show. I'm the full-time RVer that is solo now. Love your channel❤
Thank you for stopping to say hi! Hope your love of travel will flourish as a solo in the new, and as yet unfamiliar, different way. Things will continue to brighten with your great attitude!
I hear the roads to Alaska are much better and folks say it's a great trip.
I look at it as one long out and back which I'm not a fan of.
Looking forward to seeing the updates when you go.
If we do video along the way, they would have to be unedited, without music, or anything fancy. Folks might not like this, and they would look amateurish. We simply won't have the time to work on them because we will be traveling with other folks. Not sure what we are going to do. We may have to go for every other week for a while again. (Each video takes 40 hours work now, believe it or not.)
Thanks much Mark. I've been back and forth on the new used thing. Lots to consider in the video. I hope to get something done this fall - so the video was very timely!
Glad it was helpful Erik......it's even more convincing now in our case,.......I forgot to include the $5000 in tires I put on the tag and drive axle in year #4. Yikes.
Great video! I've been using the app for about a year and after watching your video I have a much better understanding. Now to work planning a cross country trip!
Glad it was helpful! If others want to learn how to use RV Trip Wizard, check out our "Step by Step" training tutorial at: ruclips.net/video/ugPjInuX3QI/видео.htmlsi=3DUJclN27V6WnXyJ
8:10 we swapped out our 4 year old AGMs with Bluetooth BMS equipped Lithium phosphate batteries and its a world of difference., and the price if you shop sales is not that much more than high end AGMs, definitely worth the increased price over time
That is great to hear,............we may be heading towards making a lithium video!
What brand of tire covers do you have?
Do you have a solid shade for the outside of the windshield?
My rig will be in PHX this winter and I’m think it will
Be a good purchase.
BTW- trip to AK you will love!
We have the BLACK tire covers we use in the "Tire Safety Equipment" section on our Amazon Store. We LOVE the metal hoop spring mounting scheme, they go on super easy. www.amazon.com/shop/ourjourneyinmyles We also have Magna Shades on ALL the front windows. Those are a game changer. You can order them, have them shipped to you, and take them to a NIRVC and they will install them.
Great Video thanks so much. I always look forward to seeing each of your videos.
Thanks Jeff.
That is wonderful the number is that you have displayed with what would be cheaper or watt would be better. I am so happy that I still have a 2007 Monaco 400 horse Cohens 3000 hours in and superior build. Thomyt
I am trying to get my rig in shape to be a classic as well!
Great information!!! We appreciate all the time and effort you put in to make this comparison. We have been back and forth with new and used on a Ventana 4369 - I appreciate this information. Thank you again and safe travels!
Hey Steve. Since I made this video I have a SECOND water leak I am dealing with while in Wisconsin. In two unrelated areas.If you can swing it, buy new with a 7 year extended warranty and live your life stress free compared to me. I RV 75% and get my RV fixed the other 25%.
Great video we are gonna be first time class a buyers right now coming from luxury class B. So many options to weigh
Best of luck! Study and learn and take your time buying. Make certain to buy from a place that will let you test drive a few styles first before you commit to spending so much dough!
thank you for this!! you answered many of my questions that i have been thinking about. Great video and wishing you guys all the best.
Thank you!
Another great and informative video. Thank you!
Glad it was helpful Edward!
Thank you mark so much for this advice and analysis. Great video mark! Glad you did this video! It helped me out. I’m glad you are good doing the math! I wouldn’t be good at doing that part of rving! Lol! Hope you have a great night and week and see you next week!
My pleasure!
Mark, are you going to offer a copy of your spreadsheet so that we may make an educated decision of a new or used class A?
Yes,.......send an email to ourjourneyinmyles@gmail.com
I agree with Jim Martinson below here. You really nailed all the points, and you bought at the right time. You could sell your coach for close to what you paid for it...The point about how we go into a new phase of life not knowing if it going to be agreeable to us, does the romance of this life meet up to the reality? All things considered is the coaches are extremely expensive compared to the "golden years" , even with a30% discount ( these days on a Billy Bobs Motor Coach) and Newmar isn't that deep yet....You have taken care of your coach so well that it will be one of your strongest selling points...I always like what you said in the beginning, we will do this until circumstances dictate otherwise. And you started out young enough on that life curve... We really appreciate all that you do, keep up the good work...Alaska is cool but I would be nervous too, good thing you are not going in a 2024 DutchStar....
Thanks for the great comment John. I wish I would have started RVing with the family 20 years earlier. Better late than ever. My youngest son bought his second 5th wheel a few months ago! He is 38! I am 71!
Mark, you did such a great job (Sue too...) on this one. It is a serious discussion that couples need to make. Monday morning quarterbacking is so easy, you have to make a decision and go with it. I camped for years but the last 5 to 8 years it has to be self contained, age 73 now, wife 71, 72 next jan. Having to get up and whizz a couple times is not cutting in a tent or tent camper any more, not to mention sleeping on the ground....
Now that prices are to the point that the new price point to acquire new makes it impossible for a lot of working folks.The Thor and Winnebago take overs leave one wondering....
I hope we run into you guys at Barbierres on on the road somewhere one of these days.
Hello, quick question is your Honda automatic?, I would like to know if you can tow an automatic car with the RV.
Folks should always refer to the free, online PDF documents, that the Family Motorcoach Association compiles (The Dingy Towing Guides) listing all the approved cars and trucks by model and year, that you can pull behind a motorhome. Additionally, it proves notes on any added preparation needed before towing can start for the day. www.fmca.com/motorhome/videos/player/24/38
I would probably NOT RECOMMEND pulling a Honda Odyssey. We are taking a chance,….we have a lot of money on the line with the faceplate mod and Air Force 1 Braking Mod. We paid top dollar to get an extremely low mileage 2013 EX-L, (about 23k miles) so the transmission was in as good a shape as possible. Are you willing to risk this like we have?
We corresponded with someone on irv2.com in June of 2017 that was pulling a 5 speed Honda 2013 Odyssey for over 25k miles. This prompted us to “go for it!” He has since (about 1 year ago, had a trans failure.) He maintains he thinks it was NOT related to towing it. He liked his Honda enough he put a rebuilt trans in! We love our Honda and will do the same if we have an issue. WE CHANGE THE TRANS FLUID every year!
We needed to pull a garage for our expensive bikes! After many conversations, WE DECIDED TO TAKE A CHANCE, AND PULL ONE AS WELL. We tow a 2013 EX-L Honda Odyssey. This is the latest year model (2013), and highest trim level (EX-L) model you can THEORETICALLY tow. Honda DOES NOT recommend towing it. Yes, I know, you are not supposed to tow it! Honda decided it wasn't worth the warranty claims of damaged Odyssey transmissions when NOT shifted into neutral following the EXACT instructions they provided way back in 2004.
(YOU MUST SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL FROM DRIVE ONLY, NOT FROM REVERSE!)
They gave up on the Odyssey towing public, because of this Odyssey peculiarity and said you can’t do it. I corresponded with a few other brave souls that had over 20,000 miles towed on their Odysseys before I was man enough to do it.
We have PULLED it about 50,000 miles since June of 2017, and we have DRIVEN it 70,000 miles. SO FAR, SO GOOD.
The 2013 Honda Odyssey Touring was a 6 speed, and CAN NOT be towed. In 2014, EVERYTHING went to 6 speed. You can search for the Honda Vin number decoder on the internet to make certain your Honda is a 5 speed to see if you would be OK. Any other years you would want to buy, you would want to research the internet and vin # to make sure you are not buying another 6 speed! We liked our (2) 2015 6 speed Honda Odysseys so much, that we sold them to get our (1) 2013 5-speed Odyssey. We are Full Time, and just need one car now. YOU DO NOT NEED ANY ADDED LUBE PUMPS!
THIS IS THE TOWING PROCEDURE WE USE,…….EASY AS PIE,…..
It has been simplified, directly from the 2004 Honda Odyssey towing instructions, which is the last year they "allowed" towing. The "PV1A Transmission” is the ONLY Honda Odyssey Automatic transmission you can tow, IF YOU FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS from Honda back in 2004 when they allowed the PV1A to be towed. It MUST be this 5-speed transmission. I left in a lot of the Honda legal jargon at the end just for your info.
• Start the engine and get it to operating temperature. (I am usually still packing something up.)
• Press on the brake pedal. Shift the lever through all the positions (P,R,N,D,2,1).
• Then shift up from 1, 2, Shift to D, then to N. DO NOT GO INTO REVERSE! Let the engine run for at least three minutes, then turn off engine. THIS IS THE KEY, AND THE ABSOLUTE ISSUE THAT MUST BE FOLLOWED. SHIFTING TO NEUTRAL FROM REVERSE WILL SET YOU UP FOR PROBLEMS, AND/OR TRANSMISSION FAILURE. How many times you can do it wrong, I don't know. I am absolutely vigilant on this procedure. You must shift to neutral from DRIVE.
• Make sure parking brake is OFF.
• Leave the ignition switch in ACCESSORY (1) so the steering wheel does not lock. Make sure the radio and any items plugged into the accessory power sockets are turned off, so you do not run down the battery. (Our tow electric cord has a trickle charger line to keep the battery from going dead. We have an SMI Air Force One brake system,.......Honda is around 4,600 lbs. loaded.)
If you travel more than 8 hours in one day (including stopping time), you must stop and repeat the above procedures.
NOTICE:
The steering system can be damaged if the steering wheel is locked. Always leave the key in the ACCESSORY (1) position to prevent damage to the steering system when towing behind another vehicle.
CAUTION:
Severe automatic transmission damage will occur if the car is shifted from reverse to neutral and then towed with the drive wheels on the ground.
NOTICE:
Improper towing preparation will damage the transmission. Follow the above procedure exactly. If you cannot shift the transmission or start the engine, your vehicle must be on a flatbed truck or trailer.
If you tow a Honda/Acura vehicle with automatic transmission, the fluid must be changed every two years or 30,000 miles, whichever comes first.
Although experience has shown that the Honda/Acura transmission and powertrain are capable of being "motorhome towed", America Honda does not assume responsibility for any vehicle damage or liabilities incurred due to the towing device, towing vehicle, lighting hookup, or other towing equipment or towing procedures; any responsibility for these items is assumed by the owner/operator.
If you have additional questions, please call American Honda Motor Co. Inc. (National Consumer Affairs) at 800-999-1009.
Good luck,…..as I said,…….I would think it is not a good, sound, financial idea,……although we are taking the chance!
Excellent Vlog!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I am too old and done buying anything used motorized. I am not buying anyones headaches.
I have finally learned.
Life is short...
Those are golden words to live by at this point in both our lives.
If I understand ? The green interstate batteries were not AGM . They were wet cell. And yes they require Distilled water only. If they get ignored they die.
Yes, the second set of batteries the previous owner ruined were the Green Interstate Batteries. I replaced that set with Lifeline AGM.
Very informative.Thanks!
You are welcome.
Well done Mark. I really thought this was going to go a totally different direction. Me and my wife are in a similar situation where I plan to retire in a year or so and we plan to get a Diesel pusher and travel all over the place but not full time. I was figuring used was a way better option but when you figure in repairs and tires and then the value after 5 or 6 years it makes sense. Now I can do quite a bit on my own as far as maintenance but sometimes things happen on the road and you don't have that option. You can also put some value in having the new safety features and conveniences plus if you maintain it like a NASA engineer and keep records it may add value at the end. Thanks for making the effort and the video.
I just wanted to lay out how it worked out for us. Everything is always subject to change. The new ones now are CRAZY expensive. But labor rates for repairs are now up to $200/hour! My tires are $1000/each. It is a tough call to know which way to go.
Get you some Battleborn price is a little high but I have mine for 3 yrs and the are so light they weight like 37 pounds and if you watch them only charge up to 80-90 percent and don’t discharge no les than 20 percent and they will be that last batteries you ever buy. Hope that helps nice looking rig .
Battleborn is high on our list.
Hello Mark and Sue, we own a 2019 Ventana 4369 purchased new. I think you are right on with your costs and evaluation. It's not really a loss it's no different than when you were young and had to rent an apartment or house. That's why I have always said we are just renting this Condo on wheels. It's not a financial investment but an investment in retirement and life.
Thanks for sharing Mike! You are so correct. Without the RV and the shared vision we both have to "get out there before it is too late", we wouldn't have had 2% of the life we have had the last 6 months, much less the past 6 years.
Don't worry about Alaska. We did it and are so glad we did. The roads are good and we drove through the Yukon in April. Very informative video.
Thanks for the encouragement Mike. Did you do the Top of the World Highway between Dawson City and Chicken?
@OurJourneyInMyles No, there is so much to see. We took the Alaska ferry to Haines and drove back after 5 months. We worked 3 days a week and were exploring the other 4. We also spent everything we made. Kayaker in Glacier Bay was my highlight.
😅 wow, I thought for a minute there that you and Sue were giving it up and going into an assisted living home!
Well that WILL be an episode someday,..........hoping that happens after we get a RUclips Silver Play button! Need 100k subscribers! Everyone,.....please subscribe!
WOW...never saw it broken down so clearly. Thx
Glad it was helpful David......it's even more convincing now in our case,.......I forgot to include the $5000 in tires I put on the tag and drive axle in year #4. Yikes.
What a great analysis Mark between buying new or used. Great insight! Enjoy the rest of the time in WI and hope to see ya on the road in 2024!
Thanks Shane,.....
As always, very informative.
Thanks Dan.
Have always enjoyed your channel. Thanks
Awesome! Thank you! We love, and need to get the encouragement to forge onward!
Interesting--but I still think it's hypothetical. I may have missed it--but did you calculate your out-of-warranty maintenance costs on the 2018? I think you'd still have some significant costs on the 3-year newer rig.
That is why I included the $9500 high quality 7 year extended warranty in the 2018 column of the chart. Best I could do. I didn't want to make stuff up. Most folks I have met that had a name brand, expensive, high quality, EXCLUSIONARY warranty did pretty well with them paying if they let the system work, which is slow and takes time.
We also are looking to Buy used. I don't think our budget is going to be quite as much as yours was Which kind of eliminates buying new but my question to you is, I also like the idea of having a tag axle Which I know probably limit some of the parks and places you can go in , Knowing what you know now would you still have bought a tag axle. I believe I would like the stability of the rig the weight capacity that can be carried Not mentioning the extra room. We want you to know we always enjoy your videos that are very informative and are really helping us getting ready for the life changing process of going full-time. ( thanks!!! )
Tag eliminates porpoising, and getting blown around. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
If you are buying Newmar, get 2008 or newer so you have Comfort Drive. 2016 or newer to have the fire door. (Make sure 2016 front axle was upgraded.) Don't worry about too big,.....worry about too small when going Full-Time.
Thanks for the analysis of your situation, very detailed. Wont be long till its time to ride to the beach!
You bet! Sounds like the Gulf water will be 95 degrees by the time we arrive.
Hi Mark and Sue,
Great video and production on comparing New vs. Used! You bring up some very good points on making the comparison between the two. Just wondering if you are comparing apples to apples here. Did you factor in the upgrades you have done over the years that a stock brand new Dutch star may not normally have on it? Those retrobands you have installed are not normally on a new unit as well fire protection systems. Adding those improvements to the cost of a new unit may bring the bottom line costs for each much closer together and possibly make it swing the other way to the used unit. Just throwing this out there for consideration. Thanks for doing these videos for the RV community. Safe journeys to both of you and enjoy the cool weather in Wisconsin!
Hey Michael. Rettrobands and Proteng Fire Suppression System were not included. We did not include the interior furniture changes either, but quite honestly we could of bought closer to what we would have wanted by buying NEW, so it would have been additional savings for the NEW column. But here is the real corker. I FORGOT TO ADD THE $5K for tires of the tag & drive axles a few years ago! The new analysis would look even better.
Myles has been a great coach for you two. He’s safely transported and housed you comfortably for thousands of miles and several years. That’s worth something.
We bought a new 2018 Tiffin Allegro RED in 2017 because we couldn’t find a used one. Many of the used Tiffins on the market back then were purchased sight unseen by cash buyers. We were newbie’s back then, and hesitant to purchase sight unseen, so we ordered a new coach. We had an Air Force 1 supplemental braking system installed along with a Blue Ox baseplate and lighting kit in our 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee.
There were many issues addressed under warranty during our first year of ownership, including one serious problem with one of our large hydraulic slides. Before our warranty expired we purchased an extended exclusionary warranty, good for three more years.
When we bought, we were not yet retired, and used the coach only on weekends or vacations we took a few times a year. We stored our motorhome in an RV storage facility near our home. We were not full timers, as are you and Sue.
We have since retired, sold our home in Tampa and built a lakefront home in Mount Olive Shores North, with an RV garage to house our Tiffin. We are not full timers and enjoy having a home base to return to after a few months (three to five) traveling.
Regardless whether you buy used or new, these rigs depreciate. It’s an expensive lifestyle, as you well know, but worth every penny to us.
You guys are doing it 101% right! Congrats on buying into MOSN. Absolutely 1st class.
Great video as always. I don't over analyze our purchase that much. We got a well maintained older unit that had a lot of money spent on upgrades and maintenance with a warranty that we used to repair some things. Nothing major but still good money. We are happy and that's all that matters. You are happy and that's all that matters. Congrats on your adventures and l look forward to future videos.
I should have talked about the reality for us was that we had no experience RVing, so if we had went "ALL IN" on a new rig, I might have had an aneurysm!
What a great analyis! I'm very analytical so enjoyed it immensely.
I guess where i do still struggle here is the emotional "what if." What if we are wrong and dont like it fulltime. What if we buy wrong. In my mind, it seems as if the less expensive buy protects against that?
Definitely gives me more to think about !
We just wanted to report in on how our Journey has landed us 6 years down the road, to give our viewers some perspective to make decisions with more facts than we had!
@@OurJourneyInMyles
And I GREATLY appreciate it !!!
Super analysis. Quite helpful as usual. Can’t wait to see more about your trip to Alaska.
If we do video along the way, they would have to be unedited, without music, or anything fancy. Folks might not like this, and they would look amateurish. We simply won't have the time to work on them because we will be traveling with other folks. Not sure what we are going to do. We may have to go for every other week for a while again. (Each video takes 40 hours work now, believe it or not.)
great info
Thanks AGAIN Allan!
As always, great video and I appreciate your perspective on things. We just got back from a 3 month trip to Alaska, you will hear a lot of different opinions on the roads and the journey. For us, it was a great trip, the roads, while challenging were manageable. The only thing I would of done differently would be to allocate more time to the trip, we were in Alaska itself for 3 weeks, could of easily of been 2 months to see & experience everything that is out there. Thanks again for the great content, safe travels.
Thanks Gary. I will pass this info on to our trip planner,......
Excellent review 👌👌👌👌👍👍👍👍
Thank you Eric!
Great job with regards to VO. Have owned 2 A’s and now Super C, and all used. I would never ever buy new. Twice the rig for 70% of the cost. He helps that I do my own work. 😅😅😅😅
Thanks for sharing! Yes,.....if you can fix your own rig, AND you have somewhere to do it, AND you have the time to do it, AND the physical flexibility to do it, AND your not on the road in the middle of nowhere, that is a huge difference! Wish that was me!
Fantastic data, we're 10 years from retirement but want to buy an entry level class A to have for trade at retirement (and to help us learn the ropes)
I do wish we had started our RVing life as early as you guys are. Bravo to you,....
We bought new in 2019. 2019 NewAre. Lost a ton when we sold in 2022. Bought a used 2022 MountainAire in 2022 and saved us $125,000.
Wow! Sounds like you are even Steven now! Awsome.
Great video Mark. The one thing I hadn't thought about when debating new vs used was the sale value at the end. The higher sale value offsets some of the higher depreciation that occurs in the first couple of years. This is making me rethink our purchase strategy.
I totally agree! But don't make the decision from what I have said here. I think if a person wants the straight talk on if they should buy new or used, for their own situation, you should work with someone who has ALL the answers. This is a BIG decision, and is a LOT of money. I would suggest starting at the TOP with Angie Morell, the Director of Sales at NIRVC at amorell@nirvc.com. Pour your heart out in a letter on what you are looking for, and all the concerns you have. She WILL follow up. And she WILL hook you up with the best person in the corporation to help make your RV Dream a reality without it becoming a nightmare! Tell them Mark & Sue sent you and you will get free popcorn in the customer lounge!
You could spend thousands on a new unit to fix it as well. Warranty only covers so much.
Yes, you are correct,......... Right now, Sept 4th 2023 I am now dealing with a grey tank leak. It is cracked in the thinned down area where the frame rails pass thru. I'm thinking I am going to have to replace them all,.....water, black and gray. God only knows at this point what it is going to cost!
Excellent coverage. We did exactly what you recommended in hindsight. Bought new, 5 year extended coverage, did all the warranty work in the first year, installed retroband, and traveling the country. One other helpful tip for new buyers is to spec out the rig you want and submit it to 5 different reputable dealers for competitive bidding. I was able to get 26% discount off MSRP for a 2022 London Aire. Ordered in Oct 2021 for April 2022 delivery. There were 4 price hikes in the contract period. Contract stated Newmar would not raise the price in the contract. After 3 price hikes for non contracted buyers, Newmar called Uncle and passed the price hikes on to the dealers for contracted buyers. Dealers were left holding the bag and didn't know if they should pass the price hikes on to the contracted buyer or take the hit. Well some dealers like NIRVC and Midway RV in Grand Rapids, MI honored the contract. Most other dealers passed the price increase on to the consumers. When we took delivery in June 2022, we probably could have sold it for more than what we paid for it. Very unusual and a one time lucky break in the RV buyers market. I will add that if you can find a two year old rig with meticulous maintenance records from an original buyer, you may be better off and be able to capitalize on some depreciation.
EXCELLENT REPLY RoadHog. We understand that our analysis was just how it turned out for us, in this "pretend" scenario. But since we had the data, I wanted to run the numbers, and this is how the chips layed out! NIRVC was a standup act when they didn't pass on those price hikes to the customers. Everyone need to remember that. Thanks for bringing it up!
As always detailed and thoughtful. Thank you for passing on your experience.
That is our mission,........thanks for watching.
Thank you for the video.
We hope it was helpful and informative! Right after I made this video, I had a $10k repair on my gray and fresh water tanks!