Good years/bad years

[kiltedpig]

In looking for a 5er for full time when I retire I have noticed that around 2008 there were problems in the industry with the economic slowdown and it effected some mfg. more than others. Since I'm looking for a used Mobile Suites are there some years that had problems that I should be aware of in my search?

[wingnut60]

Have been following DRV ever since before I bought my '05 in '07. The only thing that comes to mind is the problems they had with the larger bedroom slides (w/d included on slide) that operated by the Schwintek rack/pinion. They just could not get everything to work consistently with that method, and changed to cable-operated soon thereafter. I think maybe that was 2010 and 2011, not sure. But you can easily tell by looking at the sides of the br slide to see if it has silver tracks at top and bottom. Not sure if they ever found a solution to make them stay in sync top and bottom.
Like just about every RV mfg, they seem to have bad days/good days at the factory, but there are lots of happy owners out there who don't have complaints.
If you are not aware, first year was 2003. Big change in 2005--went from electric slide/jack operation to hydraulic. I found my '05 after looking for a year and it has been a good one.
Do a lot of looking in person to compare units so you will know when you come across a good'un...RVTrader.com is a good place to check pricing and interiors.
Joe

[terry and jo]

It was later than 2010 for sure for the ones with problem with the Schwintek slides mechanisms. Ours is a 2010 and has the hydraulic slides. I'm thinking that the years for the Schwintek were 2012 and 2013.

If you are interested in information on the various models and years of the DRV Suites models, check out DRV Owners Manual (http://drv-owners-manual.com/), where you can find brochures for most of the years for the RV's. There is also other information on there besides the brochures. Hover your mouse over any given year, and it will give the the titles of various information for that year.

If you are interested in good clean used DRV Suites, check out Rolling Retreats (http://rollingretreats.com/) in Elk City, Oklahoma. They have been dealing well with the used ones for quite a while. They started out buying units at auction after they had been repossessed. Then, they'd go though them to clean them up and make sure everything worked. After a few years of that, they became a dealership for new models as well.

Terry

[kiltedpig]

For the same price I can buy a new Bighorn/Montana or a 5-8 year old Mobile Suites. We will be full-time. Can I get opinions and logical arguments?

[wingnut60]

Perhaps you should wonder why the differential in pricing? What will the other two be worth in 5-8 years? Buying used vs new has opinions both ways, you have to decide which is best for you only. I bought a 2-yr-old '05 for less than half of retail price, and I agree they have gone way up at list price. But there are (on appearances in ads) some bargains in used units out there if you look long and hard.
To turn your statement around, you can buy a 5-8 year old Montana for way less than a 5-8 year old Suites---which one represents the better deal? I don't really know what is right for you.
Over the long haul, unless looking at identical units, paying less is not always the best way to go.
But there are many older Montanas doing just fine if you read the forums a lot.
Happy hunting!
Joe

[golf_bears]

If you're interested in a 2008 MS 36TK3 (very well maintained and everything works) send me a PM, I'll send you our phone number. We are planning to sell ours and buy a new unit.

[kiltedpig]

It says a lot about the quality and satisfaction that people sell their old MS and buy a new one. I'm two years from retirement so I have some time to gather as much info since at retirement I'll be on a fixed income so I can't make a mistake. Love the quality of the MS and I think that will win in the end.

[Cummins12V98]

For the same price I can buy a new Bighorn/Montana or a 5-8 year old Mobile Suites. We will be full-time. Can I get opinions and logical arguments?

In fall of 2011 we bought our 07.5 36' MS. It was in good condition and could have bought a new lesser brand for a similar price. We full timed in our MS for 3.5 years then traded for our current 16 mS. The fact is we sold our older MS and did not loose much on trade. If we had purchased the new lesser unit the trade in value would have been much less!

Great way to start is with a lightly used MS, then you can see what you like and don't. Then you have your eyes wide open as to what to order in a new one. Worked well for us.

[missourijan]

My 2 cent opinion is we would buy another one. We bought a new 2007 Select Suite and lived fulltime in it for 5 1/2 years. Then we bought a 2012 Mobile Suite and have lived in it for 3 1/2 years. We have the Schwintek slide system that had to be rebuilt at our cost. Kinda angry about that after Kyle spoke at the national rally and said the factory would "be there for us" that own these 2012 and early 2013's. It was their decision to install these crap systems so they could save money.
The Drv's have heavier frames, more insulation, quality cabinetry and well designed floorplans. Compare those items against the Montana & Bighorns.

[hitchup]

2006 Elites have had major issues with 2-pc fiberglass roof leaks. We had leaks from the shower skylight, bedroom ceiling vent/fan, between the ceiling panels in the kitchen, at the rear corners by the couch. And if I remember right, out the electric plug over the dresser.

By 2009, they had figured out how to nearly stop the leaks. So we ordered an MS with the fiberglass roof. It was almost trouble-free, except for the kitchen sink dropping. We were going to upgrade with a residential refrigerator and new countertops. But in the end, that wouldn't give us a larger shower and some other improvements.

We almost ordered in 2012, but couldn't get the negotiations right. Finally did work it out in 2013 and took delivery in Nov of our 2014. We chose the Estates, for the 1-pc fiberglass roof.

Because we can't choose our locations, we've had extremes in all Seasons. Including snow storms, 104d heat waves, hail storms, tornado straight winds and hurricanes. To be in any other 5thW, I doubt we'd still be doing this. Our first 5thW was an Open Road and we barely made it through the first 10 mos and we traded it for the Elite Suite.

[Cummins12V98]

I was planing to order a Elite with the fiberlass roof but was advised against the FG roof by Alicia at Rolling Retreats. With 3 rubber roof RV's under our belt I did not argue with her since I have had zero problems with the rubber roofs and the warranty was MUCH better than the FG roof.

[hitchup]

I was planing to order a Elite with the fiberlass roof but was advised against the FG roof by Alicia at Rolling Retreats. With 3 rubber roof RV's under our belt I did not argue with her since I have had zero problems with the rubber roofs and the warranty was MUCH better than the FG roof.


That's interesting. Since, Alicia took our order just fine and never mentioned an issue. The only thing she "forced" on us was the 4th slide in the bedroom for "resale value".

Not real keen on the vanity slide, since it and bedroom slide have both had problems. We thought they were shifting, but Slade's fix was to remove some of the fiberglass so they wouldn't catch at the corner. If I remember, the dinette slide did the same thing. So 3 out of 4 slides were a problem.

[Cummins12V98]

I am guessing two model years later she has a different opinion on the fiberglass roof.

She did say resale would be less since we did not want the vanity slide witch we knew and did not get the slide. The fact is all you get with the Vanity slide is LESS cabinet space and a bit more room between the bed and vanity plus a lot more money out of your pocket and one less slide to deal with. We have 25" between the ben and vanity and is plenty for us.

[Stevencoles]

We've got the 38rsb3 with the vanity slide, no issues with that or the fiber glass roof, roof sure easier to clean than rubber.

[Cummins12V98]

My opinion when someone in the business recommends against something that would make them more money, I listen!

[terry and jo]

There is really only one reason I would want the vanity slide and that is for easier access to the access hole to the back side of the shower faucet. The access in the RSSB was exposed for easier access and covered with a finished wooden "plate."

When they first came out with the vanity slide, we got to compare a 36RSSB and a 38TKSB3. The RSSB had the vanity and the TKSB did not. At the time in 2010, we would have lost dresser and cabinet space by going with the vanity slide. At the link just below are some photos I took when we looked at those two models. The first two are of the dresser of the 36RSSB and the rest are of the 38TKSB3.

Dresser comparison between vanity and non-vanity slides (http://s1190.photobucket.com/user/TerryandJo/library/Bedroom%20Dresser%20Space%20Comparison?sort=2&page=1)

There was a loss in space in the following areas:

1. Cabinets at each side and just above the dresser would have been gone.
2. Space in the overhead storage areas were not as deep.
3. The size of the drawers in the dresser.
4. The pull out clothes hamper would have been gone.

We decided that we'd rather have the space and move around a bit to allow one of us to pass the other in the bedroom. While it might be tricky to work on the shower faucet, I'm still glad we have the additional space.

Terry

[hitchup]

Terry, the access for shower faucet is on bathroom vanity wall.

The drawer depth isn't much different than our 2009 MS was, but it also doesn't push in when slides are in. We can have any size mattress now. Yes. the uppers are smaller.

[Cummins12V98]

hitchup, not sure what you mean "We can have any size mattress now" ? We do not have the Vanity slide and we have a FULL King SleepNumber from our home that fits no problem.

Our shower acc panel is next to the sink opposite end of the shower from the Vanity cabinets. Visible in left side pic.

http://i.imgur.com/jh21yUAl.jpg

[netjam]

Agree with comments on 2 piece fiberglas roof. Mine leaked for the 4 years I owned the 07 Elite. The roof also developed numerous cracks and I was back to Paul Cross's numerous times for fiberglas repair. I know others were not as bad (maybe mine was a Friday build) but I would not get another fiberglas roof. I think most would give DRV a good review, but it is unlikely I would ever get another based upon my poor experience with almost daily problems. Hopefully new units are better.

[terry and jo]

Terry, the access for shower faucet is on bathroom vanity wall.

The drawer depth isn't much different than our 2009 MS was, but it also doesn't push in when slides are in. We can have any size mattress now. Yes. the uppers are smaller.

hitchup, not sure what you mean "We can have any size mattress now" ? We do not have the Vanity slide and we have a FULL King SleepNumber from our home that fits no problem.

Our shower acc panel is next to the sink opposite end of the shower from the Vanity cabinets. Visible in left side pic.

http://i.imgur.com/jh21yUAl.jpg

As for the shower faucet access panel, I think that new location is a lot better. I never cared for the rectangular piece of wood on the wall. Here's what we have in our 38TKSB3 for access to the faucets. You can see two screws holding a fairly large panel in place on the right hand wall of the lower part of the compartment.

http://www.5thwheelforums.com/attachments/photobucket/img_19557_1_7e919e28f09e94b065cd56a204fab37b.jpg (http://s1190.photobucket.com/user/TerryandJo/media/Our%20New%20Home/DSC_6446.jpg.html)

As for the size of the mattress, the earlier models have a lower part of the dresser that pushes back toward the wall so that there is clearance for the mattress when the bedroom slide is pulled in. I think that is what limited some of the sizes. We get along fine with a Select Comfort RV queen bed, and that gives us a nightstand with storage on both sides of the bed.

Bottom part of dresser pushed in:

http://www.5thwheelforums.com/attachments/photobucket/img_19557_2_e0fd0d71018d9efd02afa4c9cbe9072b.jpg (http://s1190.photobucket.com/user/TerryandJo/media/Our%20New%20Home/DSC_6426.jpg.html)

Bottom part of dresser out for normal use:

http://www.5thwheelforums.com/attachments/photobucket/img_19557_3_039aae18e2ab14425cab6b88b412c5a3.jpg (http://s1190.photobucket.com/user/TerryandJo/media/Our%20New%20Home/DSC_6427-1.jpg.html)

Terry

[Cummins12V98]

Terry if I had a choice I would take pic #1 location for the access panel but what we have is ok also.

#2 and 3 that is how our 07.5 was configured. Our King Sleep Number worked well in it also. Would like the two night stands but we were spoiled with the King bed in our house. One thing we had to be careful with is when the slide is in the mattress went under the top drawers and if we has an open weave blanket on the bed it would get caught in the latching hardware when extending the bed slide. We just made sure there was a durable blanket over the bed when closing the slide.

[porkchop]

You really don't get to choose where the access panel is. It has to be behind the shower and on the adjoining wall. Otherwise you could not reach the valves and it would be pointless. Good luck

Bill