zeddy
Canada
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Joined: 01/16/2008
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Two years ago in January I bought my first Class A, which was a big step up from our TT. I bought a 1999 Trailstar tracker, Which is basically a Fleetwood product, closest to a Flair with a few extras. It's 30ft long with a GM p32 chassis under it with a 454 and 29000miles.
Well I thought this was a great buy since it looked basically new with low miles. But I ran a Carfax on it to be safe and everything seemed to be in order.
The problem is, every single time I use it something breaks. I am not one to cheap out with repairs, I usually pick the absolute best way to repair it.
When I purchased it I did a full tune up on it and replaced all the fluids, and everything looked great from the rad to the tranny to the rear end.
Here are a few of the things I have fixed
House water pump-replaces with a shur-flo 5.7 extreme---TWICE!
Hot water pump curcuit board
Converter-replaced with Xantrex prosine 2.0 inverter/charger
Front air bags
Bell crank
tierods
shocks
balljoints
wheel bearings
Front brakes/calipers and rotors--seized!
Starter
Cap/rotor/plugs and wires-after original tune up
water pipes breaking-twice
awning-replaced
all tires-two blowouts!
all batteries house and coach
resealed windshield
resealed roof-twice
replaced every hinge on cabinets
stereo quit!
guages quit
Thats about I can think of right now
Did I get a lemon or is that the norm with these things?
Would a brand new coach be the same once it gets a few miles on it?
I just returned from a 20 mile trip! thats right twenty miles and have two new problems, I have a squeek in the drivers front wheel that is rotational but not brakes? I thought wheel bearing but it's not hot at all? Also I found a 2 foot piece of gm 5/16 fuel line with the factory style clamps hanging from the fuel tank but I cannot find anything missing anywhere? any Ideas?
This thing is killing me, I am not sure if I should be running out of things to fix or if I buy a brand new coach will it be the same? or should I just go back to a TT or 5TH OR look for a new hobby!
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bpassmore
Houston
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Joined: 11/15/2009
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i just bought a 98 DP. I am into it about $2500 in misc PM and repairs now. (Only paid $27000 for it, so the extra 10% is making me nervous.) Hoping to not duplicate what you are going through.
Good luck.
1998 Fleetwood Discovery 36R, 275 Cummins ISB, Allison MD3060 
2008 Avalanche LTZ 4x4
Fleetwood Owners Group on Facebook
Discovery Owners Association
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zeddy
Canada
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Joined: 01/16/2008
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bpassmore wrote:i just bought a 98 DP. I am into it about $2500 in misc PM and repairs now. (Only paid $27000 for it, so the extra 10% is making me nervous.) Hoping to not duplicate what you are going through.
Good luck.
Yeah I have WAY more than $2500 into repairs! almost that every trip!
I joke with my wife that it would be cheaper to fly to mexico than to drive 200miles in the rv!
I have gotta be running out of things to fix, hopefuly!
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427435
Rochester, Mn
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Joined: 11/12/2005
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Be realistic-----you bought a 10 year old vehicle with a house on it. It is also an "entry level" MH where everything was built for a low price. It also spent a lot of its time parked-----probably outside. The fact that there weren't many miles on it may be as bad as good and you probably have no idea how well it was previously maintained.
Mine is about the same age and I've bought tires and batteries, resealed the roof (just to be safe), and replaced one slide-out topper. These are just routine maintenance as far as I'm concerned. The only "house" thing has been the refrigerator, but that was on a recall.
I've had no chassis problems, other than needing to add new shocks and rear air bags.
Mark
2000 Itasca Suncruiser 35U on a Ford chassis
2003 Ford Explorer toad with US Gear brakes,
ReadyBrute tow bar, and Demco base plate.
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Deen
Vancouver, WA
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Joined: 12/07/2000
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Sounds normal for a 10 year old rig. Things get old even if they aren't used much, in fact things usually go bad sooner if they're not used than from overuse in an RV.
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kd8wdave
Middletown,OH
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Joined: 06/06/2006
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In my opinion, you should realize that RV's for the most part are 'money pits'. I have seen what people call 'high end' units and 'entry level' units. I think they are all made as 'cheaply' as possible. A so called high end unit will cost the buyer a lot of money to lose a significant portion as soon as he signs the papers. A low end unit (used) will not cost as much, will have less on it to have to fix and if you are a little handy, can keep your cost down a lot. Sounds like you have done quite a bit, but if you're having the work all done by an 'rv-shop' you are getting ripped off a lot also. I bought used, spent about $2000 so far and do most of my own work. I think a lot of people get caught up in the 'hype' and don't set down and do a real good assesment of just what total cost can/will be. Hope you are through the worst of it.!! JMHO
cheers
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teeznu
USA
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Joined: 04/27/2004
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Our first MH was a 97 Fleetwood Pace Arrow. Beautiful, one owner coach. Very well maintained (owner gave me all of the receipts), even came with an extended warranty. Bought it from PPL in Texas, drove in back to Missouri and had a perfect trip back. Then, all of the problems started. Too numerous to mention, but each trip cost me around 1000 bucks and very little of the items were covered on the extended warranty. So much for that. At that time I was unfamiliar with MH's and fixing things, so everything went to a service facility. I didn't have to fix things twice, each issue was something different. On a long trip to South Carolina and then back to Missouri, I was facing over 2500.00 in repair cost, so the DW and I had a strong come to Jesus discussion and as we limped in to Nashville TN..we traded the coach in for a brand new one. I figured I was making the payment already, but not having the benefits of a new coach. That said, all of the "major" expenses quit. Yes, I still have minor issues, but I've become much more savvy in MH maintenance and how to fix things. My opinion, buying used is at best a******shoot unless your buying it from someone you know and you know the unit.
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nelson
Clio,Mi USA
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Joined: 07/01/2002
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Just like a used car or one you have had from new. There are some things that will wear out and something that brake. Go to the car dealership and there service area will be full of new cars. I had a boat one time that always ran great until we had friends come for the weekend of boating then it was off to the marina for parts. When I sold that boat it was running better then it had ever ran. So hang in there, From your list it does not appear you have a lemon just due repair. You will get there.
2002 Damon Challenger 348 Ford V10
Blue Ox Auto Stop and Aventa II Tow Bar
2001 Ford Sport Trac with Remco Driveshaft Disconnect
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John&Joey
Northern MN
(Baby it's cold outside)
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Joined: 05/20/2007
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Are you sure it wasn't parked near salt water or some other very humid environment. The reason I asked is you stated "replaced every hinge on cabinets." That's something that normally would not wear out regardless of the coach.
We're near saltwater now, and I'm amaze at the damage it has done to the coaches around here. Just yesterday the DW was saying how she wished we were in a park that had a view of the gulf. I then showed her one of the TT where the I-beam frame was all rotted out.
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supra24valve
Jackson, Ohio
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Joined: 10/08/2008
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Just like any thing else. Things break. I bought a 1990 Itasca 1.5 years ago. I have used it over 28 camping trips, 100 miles each. And 1, 800 mile trip.
I think I replaced a top marker light bulb. Maybe my times a comin......
You never know what may happen. But like the above poster put it. Might be the care of and quality of the MH.
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