Attorney looking to go full-time, solo, in a Newell or Prevost

Attorney looking to go full-time, solo, in a Newell or Prevost - Printable Version

+- Newell Gurus (https://newellgurus.com)
+-- Forum: General and or Other Stuff (https://newellgurus.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=16)
+--- Forum: Discussion about what to consider on buying a used Newell (https://newellgurus.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=80)
+--- Thread: Attorney looking to go full-time, solo, in a Newell or Prevost (/showthread.php?tid=4531)

Pages: 1 2

Attorney looking to go full-time, solo, in a Newell or Prevost - Jdllmt - 10-07-2018

Hello everyone

I'm charlie. I turn 42 on 11/1. Prior to 8/1, I had never considered
Full timing it in an RV, but my dog died unexpectedly and it suddenly dawned on
Me that: I can do my work from anywhere so long as I have internet and cell phone
Capabilities, so the search began.

I went to a couple RV lots where I was shown "the greatest class a DP out there...the Monaco Executive"--yup, we can all share in that laugh now, but good thing I'm not the typical consumer who
Buys before thoroughly researching.

I came to Newell or Prevost primarily because of the safety aspect and because I have a general understanding of chassis design and structural integrity and I just can't stomach the idea of driving around in a stick house on top of a bus frame.

So, where am I in this process?
I currently live alone in a condo in irvine. My lease is up next 8/1 so I have some time. I have to downsize from a 1700ft apartment and a 25x10 storage unit.

As I consider my options, I would like to stay under $250k, preferably below $200.
I initially thought I "had to" have slides, but the more I think about it, i feel as though I would feel "safer" without slides. I also realize slides present an additional maintenance expense as well as additional weight which leads to reduced fuel efficiency.

I love the concept of the Newell being built solidly as it is but also being built as an RV from the start. At the same time, I do really like the look of the stainless XL style Prevost.

If anyone is still reading, I'm very hopeful that I will get some good feedback from you guys on here, advice for someone in the market, advice for a guy considering a solo full-time lifestyle (I work with professional athletes primarily so I'm viewing this as a "vehicle", no pun intended, for establishing and cultivating relationships with clients as I travel as well), advice for someone considering prevost or Newell, etc.

Thanks in advance!

RE: Attorney looking to go full-time, solo, in a Newell or Prevost - encantotom - 10-07-2018

welcome to the forum. if you spend some time searching on the forum, you will find many have asked similar questions and there are a lot of comments here to read.

we love our newells and i personally like prevos, foretravels and bluebirds. you wont find any bashing here, but you will find many strong opinions.

once you get a newell newer than 1996 it will have slides....

you also need to be very handy or they can eat you up paying someone to do everything on them.

i have had 3 newells so am a bit biased.

tom

RE: Attorney looking to go full-time, solo, in a Newell or Prevost - HoosierDaddy - 10-07-2018

I echoe Toms comments. What are you considering for a toad? If I were fulltiming I would want an enclosed trailer to haul a small vehicle and function as a garage.

RE: Attorney looking to go full-time, solo, in a Newell or Prevost - folivier - 10-08-2018

My opinion is that having a trailer adds another layer of complexity to your travels. You're then limited to campgrounds that have long enough pull-throughs or an area to drop the trailer. Then you may have to consider if there is room in the storage to maneuver your coach to drop the trailer. Or have a big enough vehicle to move the trailer around.
If you need the vehicle for more storage then an suv, van, or truck with a cap could suffice.
We Fulltimed in a 2-slide 45' Newell pulling a full-size extended cab truck with the Rzr in the bed. Had no problem carrying all our stuff for 2 people.
Lots of options to consider. Good luck in your search.

RE: Attorney looking to go full-time, solo, in a Newell or Prevost - bikestuff - 10-08-2018

I am also a solo traveller (probably travel in coach 25% of my time). Here are some thoughts in no particular order:

- Managing a 45' coach with no co-pilot takes some effort. (My two Boxer dogs don't stay awake long enough to help). Things like reading maps, spotter when backing up / parking, looking out for landmarks and road signs. After 100k miles driving the coach, I am just now comfortable. (I may be slow learner).

- I don't tow a vehicle. I have motorcycle lift with a big bike on the the back. This allows me to back up whenever I need to. Pre-2004 coaches don't have a steer tag axle and that means they have a HUGE turning radius. If you are not really careful, you can end up in a place you cannot drive out of. Since you cannot back up while towing it adds another level of complexity. Again, with a co-pilot a car can be unhooked and moved out of the way if you end up needing to back up.

- The general rule of thumb about slides is....If you drive more than park, get fewer slides. If you park more than you drive, get more slides. I have four slides and enjoy the room when parked...though it is a little tight when moving from place to place.

Finally, talk to some full-timers. They will give you invaluable advice.

Good luck in your search!

Cheers,
bill

ps. Sorry about the loss of your dog. These furry creatures bring a great deal of happiness to the our world. When I lost my "heart dog", I remembered what someone told me.... When you get a dog, you also sign up for a heartache but the joy they bring you far offsets the pain of losing them.

RE: Attorney looking to go full-time, solo, in a Newell or Prevost - House Divided - 10-08-2018

Welcome!

We started our search with the same criteria as you. We thought we would end up with a slide or two in either a Newell or XL.... and then a family member offered us our current no slide coach at a price we could not turn down.

After spending months at a time in the coach we found we really are comfortable without slides. Would they be nice to have? Absolutely. Are they necessary for us to be happy and comfortable? Absolutely not.

We also are prone to day trip or weekend in the coach, so no slides can be a plus for us. And then there is the maintenance...

I too love the XL stainless steel look, but didn't like the loss of interior space due to the XL's curved side walls. We also found the Newell interior of the era to be more to our liking.

RE: Attorney looking to go full-time, solo, in a Newell or Prevost - Jdllmt - 10-08-2018

(10-07-2018, 06:06 PM)encantotom Wrote: "you also need to be very handy or they can eat you up paying someone to do everything on them.

i have had 3 newells so am a bit biased.

tom"

Thanks for your comment and tips, Tom. I am very mechanically inclined and have always worked on my own vehicles. I tend to be the kind of person who likes to figure stuff out on my own and do my own work. Having said that, I don't want to buy something that I am going to be working on every day, or something that always has something wrong with it. I was hoping to buy one "zero'd out" or get it "zero'd out" after I buy it such that, other than an unexpected item here and there, I can count on just getting everything handled during a yearly maintenance.

Can I ask you: What do you think is a good amount to budget for a yearly "maintenance and repair" budget? Now I know it will vary based on models and options, so maybe you could give me your own experience, or a 0 slide vs 3-4 slide coach? I know certain years will be more costly than others so I was hoping I could get a multi-year average so that I could figure out what the yearly outlay will look like.

Thanks in advance for your help/tips.

(10-07-2018, 07:13 PM)HoosierDaddy Wrote: I echoe Toms comments. What are you considering for a toad? If I were fulltiming I would want an enclosed trailer to haul a small vehicle and function as a garage.

Good question re: Toad--I went back and forth on Class A vs 5th wheel for this exact reason, I do not want to have to tow if I don't have to. I was thinking of doing a motorcycle lift on back with a dual sport bike to get me in and out of anywhere as needed, and then I hoped that maybe I could just uber and/or rent a car for a day as needed on Turo or the like.

Having said/written that, I have a feeling that will get old. I understand that 4-down is probably the easiest way to tow but I don't know that I like the idea of all that wear on tires and drivetrain of the towed vehicle. It would be great if I could just slide a car into my basement storage! lol

you've got me stumped a bit here as the TOAD has been a consistent thorn in my side as I research how feasible this is.

(10-08-2018, 05:38 AM)folivier Wrote: We Fulltimed in a 2-slide 45' Newell pulling a full-size extended cab truck with the Rzr in the bed. Had no problem carrying all our stuff for 2 people.
Lots of options to consider. Good luck in your search.

thank you very much for your insight and tips...I have thought of the very same issues that you mentioned...

RE: Attorney looking to go full-time, solo, in a Newell or Prevost - Jdllmt - 10-08-2018

(10-08-2018, 06:01 AM)bikestuf Wrote: Good luck in your search!

Cheers,
bill

ps. Sorry about the loss of your dog. These furry creatures bring a great deal of happiness to the our world. When I lost my "heart dog", I remembered what someone told me.... When you get a dog, you also sign up for a heartache but the joy they bring you far offsets the pain of losing them.

Lots of useful info here, thank you, and thank you for your kind words about the loss of my dog-it's been a tough one to deal with, that's for sure.

I have thought of those very issues you mentioned regarding the absence of a co-pilot! I have also thought of operating as you do, with a motorcycle lift and a dual sport on the back...I know I could get to and from the gym and to and from small purchases/outings in the bike, but I don't know how I would contend with grocery store visits and laundry and visiting clients in remote areas...

regarding the slides---as I envision myself in the coach, I think about parking it in a "Shady" area (and I don't mean a place lacking sunlight) and it just feels more "safe" to me to have everything contained within the coach as opposed to having these slides that come outside of the coach itself. I just feel like I would feel as though I am in some sort of "appendage" that is more exposed to the elements (and bad people). In general, and while I'm not a scared type of individual (I am 6'3" and 205lbs with physical and weapons training), I just think a no-slide coach is more protected and safe by design. I also feel that this translates to a potential crash since I can't fathom how a coach with 2-4 gaping holes cut out of it is still as rigid and safe in a crash as one without.

Let me ask you, Bill: How much on average do you budget for yearly maintenance and repairs?
thank you!

(10-08-2018, 12:22 PM)House Divided Wrote: I too love the XL stainless steel look, but didn't like the loss of interior space due to the XL's curved side walls. We also found the Newell interior of the era to be more to our liking.

Hello and thank you so much for your reply. This is especially helpful since you appear to have gone through much of the same deliberations that I currently am. I'm happy to read that you have done just fine without slides. Regarding the XL, I had not heard about curved side walls. Is this true of the XLII as well? Very curious.

Thanks again oh and if it's not too much of a bother, can you let me know, assuming you know, what your average yearly maintenance and repair bill looks like?
Thanks!

RE: Attorney looking to go full-time, solo, in a Newell or Prevost - bikestuff - 10-08-2018

There are lots of threads on here about annual costs of ownership. It depends on how much you do yourself. I have Newell factory do the annual maintenance and that is a few thousand. Tires, batteries, insurance, and routine maintenance add up. I think a post on another thread put the average cost around $10k give or take a few thousand. That seems about right to me.

Also, when getting a new to you coach, you should plan on an initial outlay as you perfect the coach to your standards. In my case new seats up front, HD satellite, new TVs and such added up to a pretty big bag of money.

RE: Attorney looking to go full-time, solo, in a Newell or Prevost - Jdllmt - 10-08-2018

(10-08-2018, 01:33 PM)bikestuff Wrote: There are lots of threads on here about annual costs of ownership. It depends on how much you do yourself. I have Newell factory do the annual maintenance and that is a few thousand. Tires, batteries, insurance, and routine maintenance add up. I think a post on another thread put the average cost around $10k give or take a few thousand. That seems about right to me.

Also, when getting a new to you coach, you should plan on an initial outlay as you perfect the coach to your standards. In my case new seats up front, HD satellite, new TVs and such added up to a pretty big bag of money.

Excellent!

Thank u so much for that. I, too, had read $10k as a good baseline. I understand that certain years will be much higher, but if I can plan in my head for $1000/month dedicated solely to maintenance and repairs, I'll be just fine.

I definitely am the type to learn all about my bus. I've turned wrenches on my own cars (everything from a 1968 Camaro to a Twin Turbo Z06 Corvette on methanol) but understand there is going to be a STEEP learning curve here, especially as I tend to shy away from electronics work!

Thank for your input!