Which preowned Class B

[65Tuxedo]

We like the Class B size and would like to have another one.

Not sure which manufacturer to shop. Concerned about eventual resale values of Roadtreks.

Our budget would be less than 30K.

I read the string about Pleasure Way and that sounds like a good possibility.

Suggestions? Reasons?

Thank you for any responses.
JB

[rowiebowie]

If your budget is <$30,000, you're considering 12-15 yr. old units. I would not worry about brand and instead find one in good condition with the features you want.
.

[AZ ADVenturist]

Any "B" on a Ford, Dodge or Chevrolet. Chassis. Older Roadtrek (in good cond.) should hold value. We paid $20k for '02 RT in 2010.
Sold for $24k in '14. Buy from private seller, not dealer!
Good luck, happy hunting. They are out there,!

[Doneworking]

65tuxedo, if you are not familiar with them, try out rvt.com and rvtrader.com to get an idea of what is available around the country. There are lots of them out there. Like was said earlier, if you stick with something on a Dodge, Ford or Chevy chassis you should be fine and virtually all the rv "stuff" is off the shelf regardless of the name on the rig.

Buying a B of that vintage you should plan on checking out lots of things including the age of the tires as well as condition, how many hours are on the generator (big mistake by Newbies is thinking lower hours is better. The opposite is most usually true on gensets), how many owners and how it was stored over the years. Check all systems carefully and spend a couple of hundred bucks having an independent mechanic inspect the chassis stuff if you don't feel qualified yourself. If you have not owned an rv before, find someone that has and make him/her your best friend. They can be invaluable in helping you determine any potential problems.

Some brands you might not be familiar with pop up occasionally like this one:
https://www.rvt.com/Coach-House-192Q...10219-UX249891

Coach House is an upper end rig and there are few of them around.

Roadtreks? The older ones on the Chevy or Dodge chassis will run forever and were very well engineered. Some Dodges had a few issues with swaying and steering in a limited number of years. We owned a 1996 Roadtrek 190P on a Dodge and traveled all over the country in it and had a ball.

You may have to travel a ways from home to find what you want but they are certainly out there.

[captainbling]

There can be some good buys out there. I recently bought a 2012 Pleasure Way Lexor sight unseen at $29,500. I knew it needed gen set work and was high mileage at 110K. I went with gen set replacement at 3000 rather than repair at $1500. New tires $800, new batteries $200. I think I've now got a good class B at a reasonable investment. I wouldn't recommend buying without looking as I did but I was lucky. I wouldn't shy away from a older Roadtrek because of their recent problems.

[Pam G]

I've owned a 1998 Coach House Wide Body, a 2001 Coach House Wide Body, and now a 1999 Roadtrek 190 Popular. I have a friend who has a 1994 Pleasure Way. All four are the Dodge chassis. The main difference to me is the layout. Otherwise, they were/are all good vehicles. I liked my first Coach House's layout better, and I really liked the floor panel for the shower (panel that you pick up and move to expose a dropped floor and drain for the shower). I also really liked the slideout pantry and the day/night blinds. I had that one for 5 years and drove across half the country in it. The Roadtrek has more cupboard and storage areas (it has the optional armoire and the slideout drawer above the cab) than the Coach House, but I don't like the floor/shower drain design since water goes all over the floor. The Coach House always seemed like I needed to be more careful turning it, as if it was top heavy, but that could have been my imagination. The Roadtrek handles well and turns in town well. A brochure from that time showed that they did rollover tests with Roadtreks, and the water tanks are centered under the Roadtrek to make them less likely to be able to roll over. My friend's Pleasure Way seems to be a cross between the Coach House and the Roadtrek. It's interior is more like a Coach House with an enclosed shower instead of the aisle shower. It doesn't have as much storage as my Roadtrek though. It seems like they've wasted some space where they could have had cupboards. I think I would have liked to have gotten a RT 200P just for the little extra length. So, my suggestion is to look at the layouts of each of the brands and see which one you prefer, as well as looking at the condition, mileage, etc.

[Skipmcomber]

Thinking of buying a 2015 Leisure Travel Van Free Spirit SS, can anyone provide a fair price for this model. I have read that RVs depreciate 25-30% immediately and a 4 year old RV should depreciate 36-40%. Would appreciate any advice.

[AZ ADVenturist]

Don't buy from a dealer! Buy used from private party. Let the "other" guy take the big depreciation hit. You might have to travel a bit to find the right one. Both of ours were clear "across" town! Guess we were lucky, but also patient.
And Craig list can be your friend, or not.

[mrq3883]

I would say do lots of research, know what you want (particularly floor plan), and be ready to move when something becomes available. My experience says that good class Bs don't sit long. We recently picked up our 2005 Pleasure-Way Excel TS, Ford V10, 112K miles, for $26000. Good Luck!

[somuch2see]

Don’t overlook the VW Rialta Great rig with super gas mileage . Prices Anywhere from 25,000-32000. Couple different floor plans. We love our 03 QD. Only problem is that I cannot pull my Lund fishing boat behind it. I’ve been looking at the larger hp models (Dodge and Ford) but can’t find a floor plan that we like as well
Ron

[Roadtrek Adventuous RS1]

Originally Posted by Skipmcomber

Thinking of buying a 2015 Leisure Travel Van Free Spirit SS, can anyone provide a fair price for this model. I have read that RVs depreciate 25-30% immediately and a 4 year old RV should depreciate 36-40%. Would appreciate any advice.

Sorry, I think they stopped making the Free Spirit after 2014.....


https://www.nadaguides.com/RVs/2014/...6532299/Values

They are really nice....the slide is the only thing that would make me hesitate....it's nice, BUT, it can fail and possibly leak? They do give a lot more space....I would proceed cautiously.

Depends on condition and miles.. although miles are less important than condition and maintenance.

[Brad1998RD]

The Rialta's are great rigs. They are not a class B however like they are passed off to be. They are a C cab only with coach built on to them they were not even a call chassis. They were shipped to Winnebago bolted back to back of cab.
Parts can be challenging to get at times and they do need maintained and driven. But fantastic little machines if you watch your weight and don't pull things with them

[bigfelipe]

Agree with others that Make shouldn't factor in much in anything over 6-8 years old. Buy what you like. Decide what that is and what you want to spend, and be ready to jump if one pops up on the market. Consider the layout and be honest with yourself about your needs and what you will and won't enjoy being with/without while traveling.

[swadia]

As stated earlier by someone, check your possible purchase of an older class B. We knew most of the problems of our CH. Thank goodness my husband is pretty smart with fixing things. The CH sat for a while, and the tires had dry-rotted.

Still need to get a set of tires. We have had the brakes redone. We have stripped most of the fabricky stuff out. Will replace with a nice lighter colored vinyl fabric. There were a few leaks. The biggest expense so far is a rebuilt transmission.

Even after all that, we will have about $ 16,000 in it. I hope to post pics, but could not, for some reason.

Any suggestions are appreciated. Thanks.

[Nutsy_squirrel]

I have a 1994 Pleasure Way STW and can tell you they have excellent build quality. No squeaks, rattles, etc. Cabinetry and carpets in good shape. No appliance issues. PW and RoadTrek both have great build quality.

[SteveWolf]

Acquired my Roadtrek 2016 190 in August and have been spinning the wheels off it visiting state parks, family and vacation spots. Flipping awesome!

I am not at all concerned with Roadtrek going out of business but I know which end of a wrench turns nuts. A little concerned about seeing the nuts as I get older but so far so good.

I'd buy it again, probably still paying more than I should. The thing has value to me that transcends the market value.

So friggin' satisfied!

Steve

[NFRicaS]

Originally Posted by 65Tuxedo

We like the Class B size and would like to have another one.

Not sure which manufacturer to shop. Concerned about eventual resale values of Roadtreks.

Our budget would be less than 30K.

I read the string about Pleasure Way and that sounds like a good possibility.

Suggestions? Reasons?

Thank you for any responses.
JB

I love my OLD Pleasure Way, Canadians know how to make a good product..

[Mr.California]

Originally Posted by 65Tuxedo

We like the Class B size and would like to have another one.

Not sure which manufacturer to shop. Concerned about eventual resale values of Roadtreks.

Our budget would be less than 30K.

I read the string about Pleasure Way and that sounds like a good possibility.

Suggestions? Reasons?

Thank you for any responses.
JB

We bought a beautiful (looks like new inside and out) 2004 Pleasure-Way that had the
misfortune of the previous owner not winterizing the unit. Now we have all new expensive plumbing. I would advise having a qualified RV mechanic check all the water pipes inside and under the motorhome before purchasing it.

[NAZCamperVan]

Skipmcomber, The last production year for LTV Free Spirit was 2015. LTVs are well designed and well-built rigs, and usually well-cared for by their owners. Good luck.