[Burlyman]

I am beginning to understand more from these responses. I'd like to tell you how much I appreciate your expertise and kindness.

Some more information, as we are not your typical Class A demographic. ?

My husband is much more of a carpenter than a mechanic, he has done basic things on our vehicles including our diesel trucks. Fuel pumps, hoses, oil changes, sensors, ECM, etc. Anything past that and he's taken it to our usual diesel mechanic and/or trusted family who can guide him through something. We spent four years in Montana and he built our house there. Plumbing, Electrical including tapping in to the pedestal, running wire in the ground and building entire breaker boxes etc. I'm pretty sure he owns 3 of every tool.

Where it gets hairy is the kids. Like all kids, they tend to undo everything you do to try to keep them alive. The good thing is our travelers are now 12, 13, 14, and 15. Plus we have several small dogs. Oh and his wife comes with her own set of demands. It's a lot for one man, even one as strong and capable as he is. The good news is we work from home as a family so he has the time, in between everything else.

Money is not unlimited in our home, but we must use resources wisely as we have one kid in College and four to go. Three have finished braces and two are about to start. I won't bother outlining health care costs. The boys have bottomless pits for stomachs. We maintain the things we own well and do not cut corners, but just like some vehicles are more reliable than others, we want to ensure we are being good stewards of our finances.

My husband isn't much of a writer but he's been reading everything you've written and your shared collective wisdom is making the world a better place. We all need to show up for others in areas that we can. It's evident here that your Newell Family truly does this. There's a beauty in the and it is not overlooked.

Blessings, Julie

From how you have described your husband, I would think that he can handle a fair amount of the mechanics of a Newell.  Far better than me, to be honest.  Similar to your husband, I was in construction.  I did residential and commercial remodels for 25 years.  Mechanics, however, is a different set of tools and a different aptitude.  Sounds like he has tools and aptitude for both.  I'm not highly mechanically inclined, and the learning curve is slower for me, in part because I get frustrated when something doesn't come easy for me.  But with patience (I'm still learning this) and time, and guidance and tips from the group here, along with other google searches, I will take on the smaller fixes around the coach.  When it becomes too much for me, I'll take it to the mechanic.  There are "RV mechanics" and there are "engine mechanics".  Unless it's something quite simple on the engine, I will otherwise be lost.  I am not properly tooled for those activities, either.  But I do have a couple of mechanic friends who have tools and skills who can help me.  On the RV mechanics, it depends what it is... Wiring is not my forte, but replacing items like exhaust fans, toilets, and making interior repairs are no problem.  I'll save money where I can.  I have the time now that I am semi-retired.

As you noted, the group here is extremely helpful.  I have been on and off this forum for over 3 years prior to purchasing our Newell and the wealth of knowledge cataloged here is tremendous.  Use the search function for any number of subjects, and chances are good that someone has already asked and answered questions about whatever you are wondering about.

[The Corazon Collectors]

Steve it seems as though you could be brothers. He too is used to being good at things and he's a perfectionist to boot. It's difficult with this 3 ring circus he's hitched to. No regrets so far on your purchase?

You seem to have assuaged my fear of mountain driving with plenty of power. We have a 2022 Hyundai Palisade but it has AWD so that doesn't work because he doesn't want to purchase a trailer you put the entire vehicle onto. He thinks at most a dolly with front wheels up or else a flat tow. He's concerned about needing to unhook a trailer and potentially move by hand (alone) in case of a tight spot. We also have bigger and smaller vehicles but that's the size vehicle we need for travel so I guess we will need to trade that for something else that is about the same weight. All that to say we would be pulling that through the mountains in Mexico.

Once we hit the border it's only about 3 hours until we've ascended 5000 feet. 3000 feet of that is within 85 kilometers. It's brutal and unpredictable.

This unit has 270 gals of diesel and 150 fresh with 150 black/grey. There's some real appeal there for a woman who worries about everything.

If it's ok, I may have him reach out with any questions because it seems as though you both have the same skillset.

Blessings

[BusNit]

You would need to check with Hyundai about towing with two wheels up. We looked at getting a small pickup and the Santa Cruz was an interesting one. I like power to weight ratio and that one filled the needs with its optional larger engine. That said, it could not be flat towed in any configuration. We have all been there with tight spots and having to disconnect the toad for manual "pushback" myself included. At one point I had maybe 1.5" of space to clear a protruding mailbox on a small county road while negotiating a NYC U-turn in a 70' combo. Not fun and certainly will get your hairs and nerves on edge. We think that long range heavy duty Ebikes might be an answer to some of our destinations. Sometimes we really do not need a car since we travel primarily to larger cities. Of course you are dependent on weather too. Don't let the 270 gallons of fuel tank give you comfort. It is the equivalent of a new coach's 200 gallon tank in terms of range. I have 314 gallons and will get about 1400 miles range if I keep at or below the speed limit.
Regarding regrets?... Well that is a tough one. I tend to buy on emotion. Worst kind of spender there is and money doesn't mean crap to me in terms of saving for the future. What I mean by that is my wife and I live to enjoy and sometimes it can be above our means. Retirement?! Ha! "Welcome to Walmart" Yep, that will be me from my dumb financial mistakes. Our retirements accounts nosedived in the last 20 years. Should have kept it under a mattress or bought more properties. Nope, Instead we beauty up the house, bus and enjoy a meal out more than necessary. So, Enough about me! I think you are smart enough to know that RV's are no different than owning a boat, plane or pool. The smaller they are, well, that doesn't make a difference. They all require constant upkeep whether you use them or not. A large motorhome new or old will always require money even if it just sits. We have been blessed to earn enough to waste more than save. Every one has their own goals, dreams and most importantly, financial capability. My discretionary funds may be off key from another's.

It has been said or written somewhere that a typical class A motorhome will extract around 10k a year whether those wheels are moving or not. I didn't believe it at first and said, "Aw, I can fix it and not pay anyone!" That may be true, but parts still cost money as well as your time. Factor in insurance (Get good coverage as these things can go up in flames for no reason)

I may be missing other things but what I want you to focus on is to remove the emotion out of it and really think about the ongoing costs. Not trying to dissuade you but this is my answer to your question on "Regrets" (I don't have any other than it would have been nice to find a coach that met my needs exactly and at my price point)

[Fulltiming]

If the coach you are looking at is #285, I don't have any information on it but #285, based on the VIN is a 1991, M in the 10 digit of the VIN, and is 40' 9" long, 4-6 digits of the VIN.

If the coach is #284, that is a 1992, 43' 6" and has the bedroom converted to 6 junior beds.

[Burlyman]

Steve it seems as though you could be brothers. He too is used to being good at things and he's a perfectionist to boot. It's difficult with this 3 ring circus he's hitched to. No regrets so far on your purchase?

You seem to have assuaged my fear of mountain driving with plenty of power. We have a 2022 Hyundai Palisade but it has AWD so that doesn't work because he doesn't want to purchase a trailer you put the entire vehicle onto. He thinks at most a dolly with front wheels up or else a flat tow. He's concerned about needing to unhook a trailer and potentially move by hand (alone) in case of a tight spot.  We also have bigger and smaller vehicles but that's the size vehicle we need for travel so I guess we will need to trade that for something else that is about the same weight. All that to say we would be pulling that through the mountains in Mexico.

Once we hit the border it's only about 3 hours until we've ascended 5000 feet. 3000 feet of that is within 85 kilometers. It's brutal and unpredictable.

This unit has 270 gals of diesel and 150 fresh with 150 black/grey. There's some real appeal there for a woman who worries about everything.

If it's ok, I may have him reach out with any questions because it seems as though you both have the same skillset.

Blessings

Julie, I will send a PM to you with my phone number and your husband is welcome to call or text.  I'm still new to the Newell, but certainly not new to RVing.  I'll answer whatever questions I can. 

To Simon's point about $10k a year on maintenance, I haven't experienced quite that level of investment, but my wife and I have a couple of sayings... One is "It's not really an RV trip until something breaks", which we got a chuckle over when we were nearly home on our maiden voyage after nearly 1500 miles of driving and 15 minutes from home, my wiper quit working. The other saying is "budget an extra $500 to $1000 each trip because things happen".  They don't always happen, thankfully.  But we've had a fridge die on us in the middle of a trip (not the Newell) and that was a $900 repair. 

In the 4 RVs we've had since we started RVing, none have had slideouts.  It's not something I ever wanted because of potential malfunction or leaks, and it's not something that we felt we needed.  Don't get me wrong, they are nice to have.  If we lived in the coach full-time, I might change my mind, however, that was one of the things that I appreciate about the older Newells... They are simpler.  They get much more complex as they get newer.  My 50 amp cord doesn't self-retract at the push of a button.  I roll it up.  But that's one less motor to replace when it dies.  My entry door has a hinge and a latch, not an air-actuated "Star Trek" door.  As cool as those are, I'll take the standard door.  

To your comment about the 270 gallon fuel tank... I have a hair over 300 gallons on mine and when we drive through the middle of nowhere for hours at a time, there is a lot of peace of mind knowing that you can go 1000+ miles and not have to think about where the next fuel station is.  Same with the large fresh water/holding tank, considering the amount of bodies you'll be transporting.  

These days, it's generally just my wife and I traveling together, but the Newell has an incredible amount of storage, not just inside the coach but also down in the basement.  I've never seen a coach so well laid out for storing things and long term liveability.

[Burlyman]

To your point about towing... I went through the same thought process on what vehicle to tow. I have an all wheel drive Subaru, that would need a trailer. A front wheel drive sedan that I could tow with a dolly. A sports car that would need an enclosed trailer. And a 4x4 truck that can be flat towed by putting the transfer case in neutral. People (including my wife) thought I was nuts (not the first time I've been accused of that) to use a 22' long truck that weighs 8000 lbs. The Newell pulls it as if it isn't even there. It tracks perfectly, right behind the coach.

[Dystrakti0n]

We have 258, had it for a couple of years, and the initial costs can be shocking, I'm a SCDV so we live on a fixed income. It can be done, Replacing a full set of tires gets expensive quick. I would fully advise you to get Goodsam's Roadside Platinum. Free tow to the closest service center, and they will replace up to two tires for you for blow outs. It also covers your tow vehicle, trailer, motorcycle, rental car, etc. The other thing I would highly recommend is signing up for open road fuel savings card. We have a main fuel tank and an Aux fuel tank that total to 365 gallons of capacity. Yes, you can run this coach at the speed limit, Yes, you will drain the tank quickly by doing so. Towing or not, I drive about 60 - 63 mph, 55 in the mountains, unless it's a less than 5% grade, then I will coast it up to 70ish. It's not an age thing, I'm 39, its a "I spent 5 deployments watching my life flash before my eyes, I'm good on that" thing. 

Things to know about the 2 stroke, they consume oil as a part of normal operation. I like to keep an eye on my oil pressure gauge, if I start dropping under 40 psi while running at 1600rpm under boost, time to check and add oil.  Another point on oil, order more than you need to change it and keep it on board. Most truck stops no longer carry SAE 40, its all 15W40 for the new diesels and that's what they carry. I have gone in specifying that I need SAE40, in an oil change, came to get it, they put in 15W40. Just something to keep an eye on.

We have a 17 foot trailer that we pull either our subaru (when its running, need to do an engine swap on it later this summer) or our Cadillac CTS, also AWD. On the subaru, you can do a on a dolly, but you have to disconnect the drive shaft, so that the rear wheels spin freely. The CTS, just not happening. I notice maybe .25 - .5 a mile per gallon loss when towing over not towing. If you are going to push hard up the mountain then keep an eye on your transmission and engine temps, they will climb if you are running wide open throttle, You'll also get about .5 - 1 mpg doing it. But some people's wallets are deeper than mine, and aren't concerned about such things. I hope this helps, we love our 1991, no kids except for our 2 large dogs. We have ran it from Texas (where we live) to the panhandle of Florida, where my father lives, to Las Vegas, NV. We've had to figure things out with the generator, (wrong fuel filter installed) so it wouldn't build pressure correctly. Replaced water pumps, had to replace the engine compressor. Things will go wrong, it's a 30 year old bus, but we've never once regretted buying a Newell.

[encantotom]

howdy,

lots of good advise here. i have had a 90 newell with the detroit 8v92 and two (99 and a 2002) with the series 60.

one of the folks mentioned the 8v92 is all mechanical. starting in 89 or 90, maybe a few earlier, they used a 8v92 with the DDEC engine control. that means you can hook up to it with the silverleaf and a laptop and make your own digital dash that is 100 percent accurate vs the wildly in accurate analog non linear gauges on the dash. for engine coolant temp, this helps alot. as for pulling a toad up a steep grade, you will not do it at 60 miles an hour. i live in a and basically have to go up to 7-8k feet to get out of the state. even my series 60 will not do a 6 percent grade without slowing down. you dont want to lug the 8v92. the cooling fan is direct drive and requires you to gear down to spin the rpms up to get more cooling power. the series 60 has a side mounted radiator with hydraulic fan. the main difference between the 2 stroke in trucks, boats and other things compared to the way newell used it is they decided to do a rear mounted setup. not as optimum. that said, if you drive it right and treat it right it will last longer than any of us will drive them. most of them that you see that have been rebuilt is because they got too hot.

btw, a shop or anyone with a silverleaf can read the codes. btw, i have a stand alone scanner for the older 8v92s that i am always willing to loan out.

i am smiling thinking about the 6 of you and pets in a 43 ft long coach of any kind. thats family togetherness at its best.

i loved my 90 and was sad to sell it. it was featured in mothorhome magazine a few years ago. i had done a total update and restoration on it and the new owners had done even more.

i will also send you my personal contact info if you ever want to talk about any of this.

have fun

tom