I commented the last video that I bought the 25 foot Cruise Am (Majestic 23a). I'm by myself (and the dog), so I didn't need the 30 footer. I finally got to take it out for a shake down this week. Got home tonight. Everything worked as promised. I pound minor flaws that were cosmetic only. Every system worked. Not one complaint except that I wanted to stay out longer. Very pleased with the company and the product. Thanks Cruise America!!
I bought the 2015 Majestic 28A from Cruise America. It is the best deal you will ever find! Ours had 133k and it runs like a beast! Everything is refurbished to like new condition. If you buy one you will never regret it! Awesome deal! Brand new tires all around!
@@donluce4883 Thank you. I have noticed the price increase because I was looking in 2019 before my knee surgery. A good 20% markup and I don't think it will get better for a while.
I did my research before upgrading from a truck camper to a Class C motorhome. From rv dealerships to private owners and I found that C.A. gave me more bang for my bucks. The refurbishment they do before selling them makes a world of difference and the price is hard to resist.
I'm finding this 2 years later, but I appreciate that you made it. I've been yearning to go full time in van life, but there are some logistical challenges with that for me. I've recently been considering a small Class C from Cruise America, which have great value.
That $300 "fly and buy" rebate is awesome! They also have a "rent-to-buy" rebate program if someone wants to try out one of their motorhomes before buying one. The rental fees get deducted from the purchase price.
Thank you for making this video. My wife and I are having a similar issue of finding an RV under $30K that is not incredibly old, or poorly maintained (if not both). We're rented from Cruise America, and loved the 23 footer that we had. We want the 28A when we purchase, for the rear bedroom, and V10 towing power to pull our desert toys. This makes me feel SO much better now that i'm more educated on Cruise America sales units!
@@Jj-gi2uv we’re looking for something with all the creature comforts. When we’re out dry camping in Glamis, we like to kick on the generator, cook inside (away from the blowing sand), take a hot shower, watch a movie, etc. Vans lack most of the necessities to facilitate this.
You are so well spoken and CA should be paying you ...you are advertising for them and promoting them with a positive review!! Blessings to your family !! Thanks for the Info !!
Haha, thanks! We're going to rent one of their units in a couple weeks and do a full review. Everything looks great on paper and on the surface so far, so we'll see if that holds true when we get our crew in one and get a couple hundred miles down the road and back! Stay tuned! 😂
After watching your second video on shopping around for a class c. I'm really excited to see what you end up doing and how things progressed from there. You also brought up some really good points, particularly about buying one with low miles but it has been sitting for some years. I agree that that can end up being more of a nightmare than dealing with a high mileage vehicle.
Thanks for the follow up. I like the uniform design of the rentals as well. The colors in the private market make me want to puke over and over again. When I see the rental option, I see a blank slate to do some customizing of my own, it's a problem I suffer from... customization, I can't leave anything alone. I don't do warranties, I prefer to do my own work, so I learn how to fix something if needed and I know it is done right. thank you for the info
The need to customize isn't a problem, it's just human nature! We'll customize whatever rig we end up with, don't worry! Speaking of colors, we've started to see a couple manufacturers making rigs with more modern styling and colors. It's pretty cool. Go back in our uploads list a few episodes to watch the one from the RV show here in Colorado Springs. We found some travel trailers with really light colors inside and out - they certainly didn't look old and swoopy and dopey like many rigs on the road do now!
No kidding they know about you. I called the sales guy in PHX the Wednesday afternoon after your last post and I was told I was like the third one that day. With your subscription jump and number of hits on your last post if I was you I would no problem asking for a discount in trade for progress reports of may 3 spaced at purchase, 60 days out, and 100 days out.
Too funny! Well, if we end up working with them in some way or getting a discount we'll make sure to be totally transparent about it. Are you looking to buy one of their rental units?
@@Five2Go So this is what I have done thus far; I first called and went to the CA rent center here in Michigan to have a look at a 28A. Sure enough they are all cookie-cutter identical inside and out. I actually like that as I can plan how I want to customize it, not what someone else thinks is a good thing to add/remove. Next step was the call to the PHX (main) center sales. After talking to them he arranged for to go back and take a rental 28A for a test drive. I will be returning with the wife to show her and for the test drive next week. I will more than likely purchase this spring, but put a deposit down before Christmas. I also will be taking advantage of their one way paid air fair when I pick one up. Be transparent with them too about giving honest reports good or bad.
@@jacksummers1736 did you go to the CA rental by the Ikea or Grand Rapids? I went to the one by Ikea- I swear on the rainiest day we had in months!! Not the best time to go plus the unit hadn't been clean up yet from it's previous rental- so not the best impression. Martha( the rental company employee) was super friendly and very accommodating, so even though the unit was dirty and dark because of the weather-it was still a very worthwhile trip. We want to pick up a unit in the spring too. So did you already go to AZ to see unit and test drive? I didn't realize they could hold a unit for that long, I just told my hubby he is going out west!! Thkx for any info and thkx to Five2go about this fabulous option!!
We try to keep everything as honest and real as we can with our videos. We're going to be renting one of their 28A's in a couple weeks to check it out and there will definitely a video or two about that experience. We'll show and talk about everything we can find, good or bad. 👍👍
Thank you for your very good and interesting coverage. Our experience regarding used, private, dealers, was quite shocking as to poor quality, Unknown’s, talk about badly used, ugh! Yours certainly has let in a bit of fresh air!!! A good way to go.
@@Five2Go I recently purchased a 2015 28A from Cruise America, and I will say I have likely had one of the more difficult experiences. My test drive was city only, so on the 5 hour drive home I found a bad vibration that turned out to be 2 tread separated tires and a blown left front shock, all that should have been caught in my mind. I also was not given service records. That being said, Cruise America's warranty coordinator Robert was very helpful and understanding and took care of the problems without issue. I did find out from him that the spark plugs and rear diff were not serviced, and I took care of each myself. But in their defense I did not ask for assistance with these items, as if I had purchased private I would have done the same anyway. All in all we did have a not so smooth experience, but they more than held up their end to satisfy us, and what minor issues I addressed directly would be applicable to ANY used RV and likely more. Would I recommend purchasing from Cruise America or do so myself again? Absolutely. For the age and price we got a wonderful RV for a fraction of the cost and a fraction of the hidden headaches. And anyone who has shopped for a used RV can understand what we mean by the hidden headaches!
Great video! I'm a new sub for you. :) I've been interested in CA rigs for awhile now - YOU answered all of my questions and more. I just want to thank you for that. I've owned two Class C's. Been awhile since I've been back "on the road," so looking forward to it. I WILL be buying a CA RV, 25 footer. I'm "solo" so this will work exceedingly well. You are totally correct on private RV's - at least double the cost for a nice private RV. Everything you said is totally on target. Many thanks for your information and help. See you in another video. :) p.s. Your info about the extended warranties was what I need to hear.
Michael Donavon hello. Twice a Class C owner, and now prepping to purchase a 25' unit. I have not purchased an RV, and will be a single traveler, so why (+/-) the 25' unit? Thank you.
Excellent video! I think one of the reasons that rental RVs have a lower price is because the company has been able to depreciate them over time. When they sell the rv, they've already taken all the value out of it, so the price they charge you is probably the cost that it cost them to refurbish it with a little bit of a profit on top. Where is when somebody sells an RV themselves, it's used and they feel they have a lots of intrinsic value left in it. They don't get the depreciate it over time like the rental companies do.
I never really thought about buying a used RV from Cruise America. I found this very interesting and have started to research this option also. I hope you decide on this purchase so I can watch your TH-cam channel to see how it goes. Good luck with your purchase!
I’ve been watching your video, and there are a couple of items so far that are not necessarily correct according to my experience. I purchased a 2014 Majestic from Cruise America last year (2018) and it is not a Ford F-450, it is a Ford F-350. I believe this is because I got the 25 foot RV, rather than the 30 foot. So the size of the chassis varies according to the size of the RV. Also, I did buy my RV in Denver from Joe. I believe this is the same salesman you worked with. I’m sorry to say that I was totally denied any kind of records for the upkeep history on the RV, and was told that this is never provided. Unless something changed radically since I purchased, you probably won’t get any maintenance records. Also, while most of my experience has been good with this RV, about three days after I left the dealership I spent the night in a downpour rain storm. This was when I discovered that the coach door was damaged. Rain was literally pouring in the top of the door. Fortunately (I guess) The unit was also damaged on the floor of the last step where there was a large gap between the step and the door that allowed the rain to flow out rather than flooding the unit. I didn’t bother to contact Cruise America with this issue as I couldn’t prove that I hadn’t done the damage myself after taking the vehicle off the lot. It cost several hundred dollars to fix. I also purchased the extended power train warranty, but it is probably void because I have not changed the oil every three months as is specified in the warranty. I have put less than 1500 miles on the RV since I purchased it, and where I live there are no reliable RV dealers. I have had more damage done to the RV by dealers than I have ever done to it myself. It seems sort of stupid to me to pay over $100 per hour labor to have an RV shop change the oil every three months when the RV isn’t being driven more than a few miles a month. Also, I have been told by dealers that once a Cruise America rental has broken down in the area and requires repair, Cruise America only approves a certain set amount for the required repair, and will not necessarily pay to have the repair done properly. On a positive note, it has run beautifully and all of the systems are still functioning well. If I were a full-time RV user, I probably wouldn’t go with one of these units, but for my purposes it has worked out just fine. It may be worthwhile to note that these units are bare-bones units. There is no awning, there is no TV, there is no ladder to get to the roof, and there is no jack or tire iron included if you need to change a tire.
Helpful insights. Especially the cons against buying the extended powertrain warranty. CA apparently times the sale of their units at that point where they need a full lubrication, generator and transmission service, about $1,000 bill. I just had my 30' Majestic in the shop for its first oil change (purchased unit in December) and was told by the mechanic it now only needs be done annually, if, that is, you are only driving it the average of 3k miles as most people do. Still, I also found the labor charges are outrageous for no more than what is required. Can't imagine having to do this quarterly either. I, too, had issues with my coach door but involving the bolt latch that didn't align properly. Joe said he'd fix it but it's still not right, my only real gripe. Otherwise, the RV tech who did the oil change said he was impressed by the overall condition of my rig (that has 111k miles). He was initially skeptical about the 'proprietary' reasons CA won't offer service records: "Because they don't want you to see what they've neglected." After performing his own inspection, he said CA apparently has done what's needed. About 115 satisfied buyers on RV.net (including me) agree, all in all, we'd buy from CA again. Just don't buy the warranties and self-insure with the money you'd otherwise spend on them.
Cruise America RVs all have over 120,000 miles on them. Plenty of similar private party RVs cheaper with 50k miles or less. That's a huge deal on wear and tear.
One thing you didn't mention in your CA videos is that they are bare bones units. We've been looking at some also but everyone needs to know the other cons you didn't mention 1) There is no backup camera 2) Liquid tanks (3) are not heated 3) not solar ready . I am scoping out the prospects/costs to add these to the 28A. I was told that all materials used in CA RV's are commercial grade which I really love ! ! Overall, I really like these units. I think I may have left out a couple things that need upgrades and will edit any that I have forgotten. Either way, I do think this is the best way to go, especially for new RV owners. Love your vids !!!
They're barebones in some ways, but they're not in a few other ways. The upgraded flooring, upgraded toilet, commercial fabrics - those are all awesome things. When looking at used Class C's, especially older ones, we've seen as many with backup cameras as we have without. That's such an easy thing to add that we don't really consider it a talking point. I'm also not sure about these rigs and solar - I thought I saw a gauge or a status light labeled "solar" when we were looking at that 28A..? Either way, that's another thing that's pretty easy to add if you're so inclined. I do keep forgetting to talk about the lack of a ladder and awning though! 😋 Thank you so much for watching and commenting!
@@Five2Go That's what I forgot ! Is the awning such a big deal ? You can buy most any size beach style tent (without sides). Will have to look and see if I can find one solar ready with a backup camera. Ladders shouldn't be hard. Thanks for your info.
We don't care too much about the awning. We didn't use the one on our travel trailer for months at a time, it was really just good for blocking the sun depending on which way we were facing in the campsite. If we find that we really want one we'll get an aftermarket one and put it on ourselves. You can buy them from CA too and they'll install them before you take the rig home, so that's also an option if someone really wants one.
Gavin Turner nor all that many class c have heated tanks, stay in warm places that’s why RVs have wheels. Back up cameras are easy to add. Solar ready is a scam, not real good for much solar.
@@leoblumhagen644 I understand what you're saying but other things like blue tooth, touch screen, seats that turn, side view camera's etc are not necessities but are welcomed by a retired person to make life a little easier. And some new rigs have one solar panel for battery tending. I know that that doesn't make it solar ready but to me, that is nice.
That's great! i love hearing about RVs actually being used. Driving by all the driveway queens in this neighborhood makes me sad. Some probably haven't moved in a year or more...
This is a great option for those of us who want a rig that wears better, is easier to clean inside and has no slides to break down or leak. I, too am pretty sold on the idea. We have a C.A. used dealer within 100 miles and plan to go check them out.
@@Five2Go I did! We bought a 2015 Majestic 23-A from Cruise America a few days ago. 109k miles and a new genset. We waited a couple of weeks for this unit to be brought in from AZ. There were no BS fees or nonsense line items on the invoice, and the staff were helpful and accommodating. We are now busy accessorizing the rig for long voyages. See you out there!
Thank you so much!!!!!! My husband is going to retire in April and he wants to buy a rv and go full time,and I wasn't sure (was going back and forth like you). I think you helped me answer a lot of questions. Thank you so much!!!
Thank you so much for your info. We live in the Colorado Springs area, and have decided to purchase a 23A from cruise America, I have seen so many positives and great videos on these purchases. But what was nice about your videos, Is we will be purchasing from the same Cruise America as you dealt with up near Denver! This way we can afford a much better and larger RV then even most used ones we have been looking at and testing out. Thanks again.
RVs are a great way to travel! Having all of your stuff and a familiar bed along makes everything that much better, plus not having to use gross rest stop or fast food restaurant bathrooms is pretty great too! 😂😂😂
The #1 reason I see for the Cruise America rental is it doesn't have the 4 or 5 TVs in it like most of the privately used ones have. #2 C.A.rentals are just that a business so most likely you'll have a better maintained RV with records because they're making money with that RV and if it's broke it can't make them money, where a lot of dealers and private owners will have some shade tree doing there maintenance not always but you never know.
You're right - if anything, the fact that CA is making money from these things is a huge bonus. As you said, if they can't rent them, they're just wasting money. We've seen comments about them supposedly being built cheap to order and barely holding together. That would be a great way for the company to go out of business very quickly!
Brian I just found this video. It was great information. We tried to rent from the Cruise America near where I live out here in Henderson NV., but all their rentals were being rented. So we went on the strip in Vegas to get one there. It was a busy weekend that weekend we rented. But I do want to thank you for this video. Very informative. Looking forward to next video. See you soon!
Excellent analysis...with one caveat. I just put my deposit down on one of the 28As you referenced from the Denver CA. Joe, the salesman, told me under no uncertain terms that service records ARE NOT AVAILABLE and will not be provided, even if asked for. You referenced this several times as a significant advantage for the buyer, but regrettably, it just ain't so. Perhaps you have information from another CA but he said it was standard corporate policy. Nevertheless, Joe is completely amenable to the buyer or a hired inspector going over the unit in whatever detail desired so you can be satisfied you are not getting a 'pig in a poke.' I have until 12/24 to complete the purchase and, if I do, I'll post an update with further thoughts and opinion about the experience. Your analysis, otherwise, tracks precisely with mine.
Interesting. I thought he (or someone else) mentioned the maintenance paperwork being available - I must have been mistaken or given old information somewhere along the way. Even without the paperwork though those units are more regularly maintained than most other RVs out there I imagine. Please keep us updated on how your purchase process goes!
We put the deposit,went to pick up the RV last Friday. Salesman told us ready to pick up. However there are many items are broken (i.e. stove not attached etc.). They did show us the record either.
Cruise America owner here. The BAD... Never maintenance records even after many calls. Oil changes, to claim warranty stuff all work must be done by ASE mechanic. Try finding a ASE mechanic at an oil change place. Wife insisted on the long time warranty. We threw a spark plug (when ford had problems early 2000"s with 5.4's spiting out plugs and their coil over plugs) to get it fixed, even with warranty was going to cost a fortune. Then left front brake fell apart in 2010, getting it towed to closest dealer would of been a fortune. Called auto part store, had them put aside the parts under my name. Called taxi who picked up parts and ran parts out to us at a campground. Reason I bring this up is a warranty is not the solve all to mechanical problems. They are used...period. Stuff happens to mechanical stuff. Learn how to work on your equipment or spend a fortune. The short warranty you get when you buy is a very good deal. When you get your unit use it often, to see if you have any problems to take advantage of short term warranty. Long term warranty, no way I'd buy again. Ladders, just get a collapsible one from Camping World or amazon. They fit into pvc fence post (4x4 inches) and easly mounted to you back bumper. So you going to buy one or keep talking about them? The way you're talking them up, Cruise probably going to jack up their prices, if 10% of your listeners buy one. By the way the best deal IMO is a Cruise that someone bought and used it for 1 summer or so then moved on to boating, flying etc.
I wonder if the warranty terms have changed recently? The people we've heard from that have bought one in the last couple years were pretty happy with the warranty and getting work done. Having dealt with car warranties in the past, I'm really just hoping to never have to use one regardless of what we buy! 😂 We're going to rent from CA in a couple weeks (while the kids are out of school for Thanksgiving) and do a full review on the experience. We'll make the decision after that.
I found your channel recently as we are looking to trade up to a class C as well. I was impressed with the upgrades that they do, and think all of them should come with a lot of those upgraded features that were shown. For example, the oven is worthless to us as well. Even full time folks we know hate them and wish they had the extra space back. The double sinks are also dumb. A large stainless is the way to go. That being said, I have no issues with the camper itself. As a DIY and car guy for years I am only hesitant due to the high mileage. An extended warranty is great, but even if it's covered it could cause you issues when it comes to trip interruptions. One thing you didn't mention, and maybe it's because you plan on paying cash, is that even though the prices on these are pretty budget friendly, if you are financing most banks will not loan as long as they would on a newer model. That can be a factor for folks trying to keep the payment manageable. In fact I would bet depending on the loan term on a used one like this the payment will be similar to a new one. Then you are buying warranty on top of it. Something for folks to think about unless you have saved to pay cash or you are independently wealthy. For us even with my DIY and car repair skills, I still shy away for these reasons. If I'm going to pay $350~ a month I'd rather have peace of mind for myself than worry about potential breakdowns and trip interruptions. Again, I know that same can happen with new, but like I said YMMV as well as your needs. I don't think it's a bad deal if you are pretty handy and can work out the budget or just pay cash. Thanks for the videos!
Part of the reason we're looking at one of these is because of how new it is for the price. Getting an RV loan for something older than 7 years is really really hard, and most used motorhomes that new cost WAY more. Depending on who you go through a used loan could still be 7-10+ years. We use USAA and they base the available terms on age range and purchase price.
I've never heard of a note like that, it sounds pretty awful. We definitely make sure we read the details before signing anything and so far we haven't been bitten! 😉
I would like to thank you so much for the succinct and by the Numbers information that you gave in your video. I learned MORE from your video without wasting my time by rambling on with TOO MUCH info out in the " weeds " ! Like engine size , you gave it without belaboring the point ! Thus my eyes did not glaze over !! Lol I'm a 75 year old widow , new to this , need to do my Homework , you made so much so clear ! I , like you , had felt that a RV bought through a company that way would have a " paper trail " and Warranties , made me feel on a more solid ground . I will do plenty of research ! Again THANK YOU , for a clear a PRECISELY informative view ! ❤
I was going to buy a 30ft from them but at last minute I went with El Monte RV and got a Leprechaun 23qb motorhome. I wanted all bells and whistles, TV, awning, stove with oven roof ladder, and outlet for TV in corner bed sleeping area. Took it back East and back home.
My wife and I are getting ready to be RV newbies...and this sounds like a great option for us to start things off! We are not ready for full-timing, but we want to start traveling more and of course bring our two pups with us. I think I have read in a few posts that the recommended Sales location is California or Colorado?? (and of course Las Vegas for the no charge on out of state) We like the 23A, but the 28A does have some advantages...couch, full queen in the back. Thanks again for these videos...they are very helpful!!!
Thanks for watching Mike! These are absolutely newbie-friendly units, and the price is hard to beat too if you look at what else is out there in the same age and size range. We can't really speak for the sales quality everywhere as we've only been to the Denver location, but we've been told the sales rigs are all refurbed thoroughly before being listed so you're probably good picking one up anywhere. If it were just us two adults, we could see going with the 23A, but the extra storage and full couch on the 28A are really nice and it's only 4' longer. Both are WAY smaller than our previous F350 + 37' travel trailer so anything's going to be easier to maneuver than that if you ask us! 😂😂😂
@@Five2Go , Thanks!!! We will shop around...honestly none of them are close to us...kind of surprised they don't have a sales location in Texas. Thanks again!
I'd like to add to your comments about variation. I went to a cruise Canada, slightly different I know, place that had about 30 vans. It looked very well organised and I felt that everything was very well maintained. When I actually rented with cruise america the rental place was a car rental business. These did not look as well maintained, there were only 3 or 4 vans at this location. Insurance wise for a renter, they actually offer a 100% insrance cover that covers literally everything. Lastly, if these RVs are fleet maintained, the mechanics know them inside out. They will be able to repair yours quickly and more cheaply than some othe makes of RV. Excellent video by the way.
I saw a comment saying you are very well spoken, and I must say I completely agree. Well done! Now I'm waiting till the end to see if y'all bought your rig yet 😁
Thank you so much! I think the next step is to rent one and give it the old "try before you buy" - we figure that this isn't an option with any other used RV so we may as well give it a shot since we can!
@@Five2Go now this question might be too personal, if so I get it. However we are on the subject so here goes.... Are you guys this diligent in most things you purchase or are you just taking a while to get finances in order? Either way I'm enjoying the videos but I can't help but be envious of your patience! when it comes to waiting till you find the exact, perfect, well researched rig.
@@mommyofthree8271 This is 100% research and deliberation. We're not in a big rush time-wise to get an RV because it has been snowing and super cold here, but we have a trip back to VA for the holidays coming up and would like something before then if possible. We went into at least 200 RVs before we bought the one we full-timed in a little over two years ago. We didn't know much about RVs or RVing so we started with two requirements: under 30 feet and under $30k. We blew both of those out of the water with a 37' rig that cost $42k, and we're VERY glad we did because it was an awesome rig and we never had any issues with it. Motorhomes are "new" to us in terms of how they travel, their configurations, and some other considerations that make them different from towables (which we're intimately familiar with). We're taking our time because that's what we do with things that cost this much. We started looking at new ones because they're easy to find and give a good sense of floor plans, options, sizes, etc. Then we moved into rigs that were used but still expensive, and then eventually down into our price range. Now that we've discovered the Cruise America units we have to add in the risk/reward of buying a rental. We hear too many stories of RVs spending half their lives in the shop - we don't have patience for *that*! 😂 So we research and shop around until we're satisfied that we've seen everything we need to, then we make a decision.
@@Five2Go ok so just like I predicted. I'm envious of your patience for buying lol I always say I'm not gonna get the first thing we look at hahaha (yeah right) we are about to buy our first home wish us luck lol
I was very impressed with the information in your video. Surprised to hear you live in the same city. I wanted to know if you had a checklist or something written as a guide I can follow. I've watched so many videos trying to learn as much as I can but I get conflicting info. I can't afford to make a huge mistake as a single person making a purchase on a 1st RV. I know there's no guarantee but I want to be as educated as I can be. I truly found your video to be the most informative on this subject. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
A checklist for RV shopping? It's such a personal choice for you and your family that it's hard to put something like that together that's general enough for anyone to use. Check out some of the many tour videos we've posted, especially the ones from the Tampa RV show back in January. We went in a bunch of different RVs and shared our thoughts on their floor plans, features, size, etc. If you have any questions please feel free to reach out to us on Facebook or via email at hello@five2go.com 👍👍
there are just broke in ( broke in mileage is 75 thousand) i would go with the CA rigs, since they are very well maintained, clean and the upgrades. and if you aren't full timing in it, you'll be fine
Hey Brian! Thanks so very much for the next step video! So much great information. I am looking to RV Full time but not until retirement. So I’ve been watching videos and learning everything I can first. I am planning on renting an RV first then see if I like it. Haven’t camped since Girl Scouts and I’m 60 years old! Lol so thanks for doing all this research. I am so glad you said something about the oven! I’ve been wondering about that and totally agree with you. I’ll definitely get a convection microwave. Another reason I love your videos is that you speak the truth! A coworker of mine is neighbors with the CFO of Cruise America and he told me before I even saw this video that they refurbish all the rentals to sell and do the upgrades!!! So, I’m going to Cruise America this weekend and see what I can find here in Arizona. It’s only myself so I was actually wanting a 28ft but I’ll see what they have. Again, thanks for the amazing video and doing the leg work for me!!! Happy traveling!
Finally, someone else noticed that there was something different about Cruise America rigs. Over the past 3 years I've had the opportunity to use several different RVs, none of which I've owned. I was borrowing from a friend or renting. I rented 2- 27 footers in Alaska and 1 in Texas. The rental period was usually 5-7 days. The first thing I noticed was how clean they were inside. I really like the sturdiness of the interior build and no carpet and no slide outs. I also noticed that although the outside of some may look a little beat up, the insides were always really clean. They drive great and I was getting 10-12 mpg. I also think there is a secondary market for some older units as one I rented had just over 50k miles, as did all the other units at this rental site. The outside showed its' age, but the interior was just as clean as the 20k mile units. So I made a decision about a year ago that when we go to purchase our RV, we are heading to Cruise America and checking them out first. No frills, just a really sound RV.
Since these rigs are only 4 years old, that's 25,000 miles a year. It sounds like a lot of mileage, but to get that many miles, it's mostly highway miles, and that's the least amount of wear a drivetrain can experience. It's like buying a "city car" (stop and go traffic) that has 8 to 10 times less mileage. And all the rubber parts and gaskets are still pretty young, and haven't had the basic ravages of time that wear them down. I wouldn't be afraid of 100,000 miles on these newish rigs. (My reference is Scotty Kilmer's channel.)
Like I said in the video, I'd rather have a rig that got used rather than just sat for four years. Not only will the parts age better with regular use, but there's also a greater chance of things that fail doing so and getting repaired or replaced. Those V10's are good for way more than 100k too, so that plus the extended warranty really cover all the bases.
I’m relieved and hopeful after reading the comments that reinforce your valuable research done on CA. I can feel your sincerity and I’m glad that TH-cam offers so many opportunities to gain valuable insight from people such as yourself. I must admit that I’ve made a new Trailor RV purchase, it’s beautiful and sleeps 10. I was trying to surprise my husband among other reasons for its use. We hooked it up to a Cadillac Escalade and it tows well. The issue we are trying to resolve perhaps you can make a suggestion or one of your viewers who have actually done this, was to purchase a large enough class C to pull our 26 ft. Trailor RV. THIS WILL give us the ability to include more family members in one vehicle while we travel than the Escalade will allow. What size Class C should we LOOK at (23, 25 or larger) to tow our RV?
Most Class C's max out around 5k pounds towing capacity, as do most gas Class A's. Diesel A's and Super C's can get up to 10-12k, but your best bet is to just bring another vehicle along with that Escalade when you go camping.
Thanks so much for the valuable information. You guys have been very helpful as I am planning to make a purchase in the next couple of years. Enjoy your videos, don't stop!
No matter what type of Coach, interior of an RV gets old after a while. While on the road if you get sick, minimum medical attention for the impaired in most of USA, this is a huge letdown if you rely on medical assistance on a weekly basis. Broken leg in cast, grounds the RVer for eternity. Ongoing maintenance for the repairs of an RV is relentless….Robs a Bank. Prefer state parks with full hookups, RV's were designed to be hooked in to life supports. Not too crazy about private Parks, unless in a high-end spa area, such as Palm Springs. Boondocking is okay, not into the back Hills/off roading of boondocking, these RVs are too frail to access the backcountry. Most RV’s are not intended to be belly goats and climb in to the back country of dirt trails. House part of RV is not manufactured to same standards compared to chasis-engine and cab. Most RVers are awesome friends! Hate Rvers which ride dirt cycles at daybreak, wakes everyone up, along with the fisherman, who has be break camp, 1 hr prior to sunset. Respect your RV hood, keep honeymoon times away from other campers., no one cares about your K-Y Jelly moments or the Prep H hour on the Pot. Bottom line, keep RV simple/ cheap, so if it break downs or wrecked in MVA, you can purchase another rig and get re-reimbursed from Insurance carriers!
We have a 2011 28A - we bought from a private seller that had bought from Cruise America and they were present for the refurbishment. After watching your other video, I realize now the extras we got. The next step for us is to paint the cabinets! We have an Omnia Oven, which I love and I am going to look for the convection/micro combo.
greetings from across the pacific I am a retired American living in the Philippines and thinking about buying an Rv and everything you have said tells me that RV America is the place to go. Quality convenience price condition availability dealing with the Co. be the place to go why look around yes comparing is important but you seem to have done the work for people tnx.
Thanks for watching! Cruise America is definitely a great option for affordable and easy-to-use RVs. We did the truck and trailer combo for almost two years full-time on the road and it was great but it was way more effort and headache compared to a motorhome. There are benefits both ways though, but if it were only us two adults we would full-time in one of these in a heartbeat. Maybe even the 26 footer!
Wow THANK YOU So much I have been researching 5th wheels and between all the different floor plans and sizes and 3 pages of a legal pad of questions to ask and things to check. And prices I so not understand they have some used that cost more than new ones, and that leads to which way to go.SMH! And then I found your video with what seems like a much better option. Thank you so much.
I think my issue with CA is that for the mid $30's, a class C RV on RV trader will have 100k less miles and be $10k less. The RV trader RV may be 10 years older BUT when you add the two extended warranties and an awning, if that's what you're into, you're looking at $15k over market value. That's enough for quite a bit of repair without financing it to pay the bank. I can get a class C at 20k miles or so, yes it's older but it's got fewer miles and more variety of options. To me, saving $15k on an older model then taking that $15k to upgrade in 5-10 years is the better option.
I would take a 5 year old RV with 130k over a 10-15 year old rv with 30k. Most rv problems are age related not mileage, especially on a Ford v10 2v. I see e350/e450 box trucks running around with 400k miles on them. Not to mention insurance have clauses saying they will not cover the roof for any reason on an RV if it was over 7-10 years old(depending on company) when you bought it, however if it was under 7 when you bought it and you kept the same policy for 20 years then you're covered. same with pest and rodents ect...
Neighbor bought a big 36' 5th wheel they heading to the National Parks didn't do much research they found out quickly that those parks campsites where designed decades ago for tent camping or maybe a camper pickup. Just like you said it was a big disappointment they ended up having to park more than an hour outside the park they cut their trip short just because it was such a hassle.
That is a lot of miles for an RV. They did look pretty good, but used rental vans have less, so that seems high to me. Good luck. I can't wait to see what you choose.
It is definitely a lot of miles, but the combination of the extended warranty, the maintenance paperwork, and that tried-and-true workhorse of a V10 pretty much put us at ease about it. That and all the owners we've been hearing from. Some of them are over 140k miles now and still rolling on without any issues!
@@Five2Go I love y'all's videos. Good information and you both are quite natural on camera. It seems like you are doing your research. Wish your family the best.
We've heard that a lot of people put stones in them to even out the heat. They're just too small for us - almost everything we do in the oven goes on a half sheet pan because we're baking for five.
I really doubt it as their techs just work on those rigs and what they order them with from the factory. That being said, I believe you can have them install an awning and/or ladder when you buy one, but I think that's about it.
Thank-You so much, for your sincerity and honesty. Been watching Van life a lot on TH-cam but, the Van's are not big enough for me, I want a 30 foot RV. to live in full time. Cruise America sounds to me like one of the best places to buy a former Rental RV. If and when I find the finances to do this, it will definitely be CA I am sure of it. I am curious about the gas mileage? And hopefully they are all Automatic Transmissions? Please let me know? Thanks again! Happy RV-ing!
While it's still a ways in the future, I'm planning for our retirement which will include a one way trip across the country for about 6 months. Checking the CA rental prices, it's gonna cost about $35K. So, it's a wash either way for us. Since it's going to be a one-way trip, I wonder what the resale value is when I'm done with it?
please add all the info as you did on both of these videos because you are helping others to check these out and make good decisions also.. we keep every page of maintenence done because we know what and when something is done.
Your probably better off going the rental route .....But just something to think about there is a reason these companys take these unit off the rental markets ...One is it when things start going wrong ...But wish you all the best on your journey
They pull them from the rental fleet because the frequency of repairs is going to go up, sure, but we're also not going to be using it for thousands of miles a week/month like they'd see while being rented. It's not like they're on the verge of falling apart, they'll just cost more for CA to run as hard the more miles they get on them. The extended warranty looks like it covers quite a lot, and the owners we've heard from have all had great experiences. I don't think they're as risky as they seem.
We don't have an official list of items they touch during refurbishment, but we do know that they do a full inspection of the vehicle and RV systems and take care of any repairs that are identified. That would all be in the paperwork that comes with the rig.
@@Five2Go Thank you. Loved your in depth opinion on this subject. We want to spend winters in Florida to get out of Wisconsin and we either go class C, or travel trailer. We are not very excited about towing a trailer 1800 miles one way. Do you have any idea about the miles per gallon with the RV?
Winters in Florida are the BEST! We stayed around Orlando from December until March this past winter and it was amazing. Mileage is going to be bad no matter what you do when it comes to RVs. If you're doing a truck and trailer, you'll get anywhere from 8-14 mpg depending on configuration. Motorhomes are around that lower number, maybe 6-10mpg. If you're in a house in WI and just want to go down to FL for the winter, it may be cheaper overall to leave the RV down there and just fly back and forth, or drive a normal vehicle so you have a car down south. That would also keep you from needing to winterize the rig or expose it to the much harsher weather up there. Just a thought, but I haven't done the math on it so that may be crazy.
You really need to check out Parkway Rv Center in Ringold GA. They have great low mileage. Talk with Bo. Watch their videos, I think that is where I will buy mine. Really, check them out.
Just like any engine... less use is not a good thing. Gas engines need to be used and exercised to the full extent of their design so they will keep running well. There is abuse but generally a good mechanic can see that. If they always change the oil and filter and use good quality oil such as synthetic the engines are fine. 100k miles on a rig is probably a good thing.
Have to look. Found a 2008 Jayco Grey Hawk 31SS 12 miles from us from a private seller with only 7,100 miles on it. Looked almost new. Had basically zero problems. Paid $35,000 for it. This has the new style headlights and newer suspension. Has a slide also!! Was on Facebook Marketplace. RV Trader was essentially useless. Dealer would have wanted much more. Camping World would have just screwed us and laughed about it. Look around. It took us 6 months of looking. Don't be in a hurry but when you find it.... JUMP ON IT! Oh yeah a 'rig' is a semi truck and trailer. Our last camper had a porcelain toilet and this one is plastic. Truthfully... No real difference.
The myth of people ‘beating them up’ I think is less people being jerks, it’s that loads of people unfamiliar with RVs have rented them and taken them out. I bought and renovated a box truck and that was the big thing people kept mentioning when I told them I was considering an ex uhaul. It was more others saying ‘people rent and abuse them’ not in the intentional damage sense, but people who don’t know what they are doing have been in and out if them. But with Cruise America I think they (people who hear ex rental) assume it gets retired and thrown up for sale as is. Thank you for such a deep and informative well researched thought process.
Imo if your going to rent a rv , why not just stay in a hotel, much cheaper. I understand renting one before you buy it. They offer that at cruise america.
I think we're going to rent one soon so we can really get a good sense for how these rigs are built and handle. That's going to help our decision a lot! As for upgrades, I think we would definitely add the extended powertrain and RV warranties just for peace of mind given how many miles those units come with. I'd also like them to install a ladder if possible so I don't have to lug one around. Otherwise we'll probably get everything else on our own. We have a backup camera to install already, we'll add a LevelMate Pro, pick up our favorite water/sewer/electrical accessories, that kind of stuff. Basically all of the items listed here: www.amazon.com/shop/five2go?listId=128AGRG2XRRRP - we'll cover all of it in a setup/accessories video once we buy a motorhome.
Love the follow-up video! We are kind of leaning toward a towable after all the knowledge bestowed in your videos. You have really given some great insight. We need space for 8-10, so now we are armed to partake in the hunt for the right unit. We will begin looking at floorplans this weekend with the goal of purchasing before June. Thank you again, and God bless!
8-10? That's a big ask! I'm guessing you'll have the best luck with a fifth wheel bunkhouse or mid bunk, or maybe a toy hauler where you can convert the garage into a huge bunkhouse. You'll get 4-5 of your crew in the tow vehicle but will need a second car/van too. Check out our videos from January when we went in a bunch of bunkhouse models at the Tampa show, they should give you a great starting idea of what's out there.
Looking at a 2017 Flagstaff Shamrock 233S and a 2016 Forest River Gray Wolf 26BH this weekend at 2 different dealers then swinging through camping world to look at some of the Jayco Jay Feather models. We have a 2017 Ford Transit T350, 12 Passenger Wagon with seating for 12 and the Ecoboost Engine. Our Transit has the towing package with 3.73 rear end and integrated brake controller. We planned this purchase 2 years ago with the idea of someday pulling a trailer to camp in for trips up to 2 weeks at a time. Our kids are between 5 and nine (there are 6) and we have 2 grandparents that live (and travel) with us, 61 and 71. So hotels get to be pricey. We are being realistic in our choices, very light and tow easily along with trying to stay in the 25' to 31' range so that we can use a much wider range of campgrounds, especially state and national parks. We live in the north GA mountains, so there are quite a few places we can visit with just long 3 day weekends.
Nice! It looks like you're in that mid-high 6,000lb range. I know it's not a super popular choice with some people because of temperature control, but take a look at some hybrids. You can find those with tons of room and sleeping space and they're *really* light. They make great use of space because the beds flip out from the living areas, kind of like a reverse Murphy bed. Now that I've typed all this I just googled that Shamrock and see that it's a hybrid - great minds! Haha! Add the Grand Design Imagine XLS 23BHE to your list if you can find one nearby. They're a great floor plan and well within your weight limit (even with one slide), plus the GD rigs are built really well. Let us know how your shopping goes this weekend!
@@Five2GoThanks we will look into that model as well. We know we are mainly looking for sleeping space and getting out of bad weather, more than long-term home comforts. So layout is important for bathroom breaks at night (Lol). We will keep you updated!
I commented the last video that I bought the 25 foot Cruise Am (Majestic 23a). I'm by myself (and the dog), so I didn't need the 30 footer. I finally got to take it out for a shake down this week. Got home tonight. Everything worked as promised. I pound minor flaws that were cosmetic only. Every system worked. Not one complaint except that I wanted to stay out longer. Very pleased with the company and the product. Thanks Cruise America!!
That's awesome Tom! We're so happy that it was a great experience! 👍😁👍
I bought the 2015 Majestic 28A from Cruise America. It is the best deal you will ever find! Ours had 133k and it runs like a beast! Everything is refurbished to like new condition. If you buy one you will never regret it! Awesome deal! Brand new tires all around!
That's great to hear, thanks Don!
How much$$$$.
@@stevefarris9433 $26,485 before covid . Now $39k up.
@@donluce4883 Thank you. I have noticed the price increase because I was looking in 2019 before my knee surgery. A good 20% markup and I don't think it will get better for a while.
I did my research before upgrading from a truck camper to a Class C motorhome. From rv dealerships to private owners and I found that C.A. gave me more bang for my bucks. The refurbishment they do before selling them makes a world of difference and the price is hard to resist.
Honestly, the amount of mileage vs what you're gonna get, these things have just been broken in and are good to go.
I'm finding this 2 years later, but I appreciate that you made it. I've been yearning to go full time in van life, but there are some logistical challenges with that for me. I've recently been considering a small Class C from Cruise America, which have great value.
Buy Cruise America! Daryl Norrbom in Las Vegas is an awesome salesman, no tax to out of state buyers, they pay $300 towards airfare with purchase.
That $300 "fly and buy" rebate is awesome! They also have a "rent-to-buy" rebate program if someone wants to try out one of their motorhomes before buying one. The rental fees get deducted from the purchase price.
It took about 2 weeks to get the "fly & buy" rebate!
@@donluce4883 did you have to bother them?
@@AshleyEllwood No, it was no problem!
Awesome
Thank you for making this video. My wife and I are having a similar issue of finding an RV under $30K that is not incredibly old, or poorly maintained (if not both). We're rented from Cruise America, and loved the 23 footer that we had. We want the 28A when we purchase, for the rear bedroom, and V10 towing power to pull our desert toys. This makes me feel SO much better now that i'm more educated on Cruise America sales units!
@@Jj-gi2uv we’re looking for something with all the creature comforts. When we’re out dry camping in Glamis, we like to kick on the generator, cook inside (away from the blowing sand), take a hot shower, watch a movie, etc. Vans lack most of the necessities to facilitate this.
You are so well spoken and CA should be paying you ...you are advertising for them and promoting them with a positive review!! Blessings to your family !! Thanks for the Info !!
Haha, thanks! We're going to rent one of their units in a couple weeks and do a full review. Everything looks great on paper and on the surface so far, so we'll see if that holds true when we get our crew in one and get a couple hundred miles down the road and back! Stay tuned! 😂
Great price! Engines are $5000 dollars installed. If you have to change it. Still a good buy on an RV.
After watching your second video on shopping around for a class c. I'm really excited to see what you end up doing and how things progressed from there. You also brought up some really good points, particularly about buying one with low miles but it has been sitting for some years. I agree that that can end up being more of a nightmare than dealing with a high mileage vehicle.
Thanks for the follow up. I like the uniform design of the rentals as well. The colors in the private market make me want to puke over and over again. When I see the rental option, I see a blank slate to do some customizing of my own, it's a problem I suffer from... customization, I can't leave anything alone. I don't do warranties, I prefer to do my own work, so I learn how to fix something if needed and I know it is done right. thank you for the info
The need to customize isn't a problem, it's just human nature! We'll customize whatever rig we end up with, don't worry! Speaking of colors, we've started to see a couple manufacturers making rigs with more modern styling and colors. It's pretty cool. Go back in our uploads list a few episodes to watch the one from the RV show here in Colorado Springs. We found some travel trailers with really light colors inside and out - they certainly didn't look old and swoopy and dopey like many rigs on the road do now!
Sounds like you really did your homework on this deal, love videos where someone really did the research before they shared their opinions.
Thank you! We're going to do even *more* research and rent one before we make our final decision. 😜
@@Five2Go awesome idea to rent- Alice
No kidding they know about you. I called the sales guy in PHX the Wednesday afternoon after your last post and I was told I was like the third one that day.
With your subscription jump and number of hits on your last post if I was you I would no problem asking for a discount in trade for progress reports of may 3 spaced at purchase, 60 days out, and 100 days out.
Too funny! Well, if we end up working with them in some way or getting a discount we'll make sure to be totally transparent about it.
Are you looking to buy one of their rental units?
@@Five2Go
So this is what I have done thus far;
I first called and went to the CA rent center here in Michigan to have a look at a 28A. Sure enough they are all cookie-cutter identical inside and out. I actually like that as I can plan how I want to customize it, not what someone else thinks is a good thing to add/remove.
Next step was the call to the PHX (main) center sales. After talking to them he arranged for to go back and take a rental 28A for a test drive.
I will be returning with the wife to show her and for the test drive next week. I will more than likely purchase this spring, but put a deposit down before Christmas. I also will be taking advantage of their one way paid air fair when I pick one up.
Be transparent with them too about giving honest reports good or bad.
I did the same thing, I even gave them your TH-cam channel name so he could check it out for himself. The salesman name was Scott.
@@jacksummers1736 did you go to the CA rental by the Ikea or Grand Rapids? I went to the one by Ikea- I swear on the rainiest day we had in months!! Not the best time to go plus the unit hadn't been clean up yet from it's previous rental- so not the best impression. Martha( the rental company employee) was super friendly and very accommodating, so even though the unit was dirty and dark because of the weather-it was still a very worthwhile trip. We want to pick up a unit in the spring too. So did you already go to AZ to see unit and test drive? I didn't realize they could hold a unit for that long, I just told my hubby he is going out west!! Thkx for any info and thkx to Five2go about this fabulous option!!
We try to keep everything as honest and real as we can with our videos. We're going to be renting one of their 28A's in a couple weeks to check it out and there will definitely a video or two about that experience. We'll show and talk about everything we can find, good or bad. 👍👍
Thank you for your very good and interesting coverage. Our experience regarding used, private, dealers, was quite shocking as to poor quality, Unknown’s, talk about badly used, ugh!
Yours certainly has let in a bit of fresh air!!!
A good way to go.
Thanks Bill!
@@Five2Go I recently purchased a 2015 28A from Cruise America, and I will say I have likely had one of the more difficult experiences. My test drive was city only, so on the 5 hour drive home I found a bad vibration that turned out to be 2 tread separated tires and a blown left front shock, all that should have been caught in my mind. I also was not given service records. That being said, Cruise America's warranty coordinator Robert was very helpful and understanding and took care of the problems without issue. I did find out from him that the spark plugs and rear diff were not serviced, and I took care of each myself. But in their defense I did not ask for assistance with these items, as if I had purchased private I would have done the same anyway. All in all we did have a not so smooth experience, but they more than held up their end to satisfy us, and what minor issues I addressed directly would be applicable to ANY used RV and likely more. Would I recommend purchasing from Cruise America or do so myself again? Absolutely. For the age and price we got a wonderful RV for a fraction of the cost and a fraction of the hidden headaches. And anyone who has shopped for a used RV can understand what we mean by the hidden headaches!
Great video! I'm a new sub for you. :) I've been interested in CA rigs for awhile now - YOU answered all of my questions and more. I just want to thank you for that. I've owned two Class C's. Been awhile since I've been back "on the road," so looking forward to it. I WILL be buying a CA RV, 25 footer. I'm "solo" so this will work exceedingly well. You are totally correct on private RV's - at least double the cost for a nice private RV. Everything you said is totally on target. Many thanks for your information and help. See you in another video. :) p.s. Your info about the extended warranties was what I need to hear.
Michael Donavon hello. Twice a Class C owner, and now prepping to purchase a 25' unit. I have not purchased an RV, and will be a single traveler, so why (+/-) the 25' unit? Thank you.
Excellent video! I think one of the reasons that rental RVs have a lower price is because the company has been able to depreciate them over time. When they sell the rv, they've already taken all the value out of it, so the price they charge you is probably the cost that it cost them to refurbish it with a little bit of a profit on top. Where is when somebody sells an RV themselves, it's used and they feel they have a lots of intrinsic value left in it. They don't get the depreciate it over time like the rental companies do.
I never really thought about buying a used RV from Cruise America. I found this very interesting and have started to research this option also. I hope you decide on this purchase so I can watch your TH-cam channel to see how it goes. Good luck with your purchase!
Thanks Frank! We're actually going to rent one in a couple weeks and do a full review. We'll decide whether to buy one or not after that I imagine. 👍👍
I’ve been watching your video, and there are a couple of items so far that are not necessarily correct according to my experience. I purchased a 2014 Majestic from Cruise America last year (2018) and it is not a Ford F-450, it is a Ford F-350. I believe this is because I got the 25 foot RV, rather than the 30 foot. So the size of the chassis varies according to the size of the RV. Also, I did buy my RV in Denver from Joe. I believe this is the same salesman you worked with. I’m sorry to say that I was totally denied any kind of records for the upkeep history on the RV, and was told that this is never provided. Unless something changed radically since I purchased, you probably won’t get any maintenance records. Also, while most of my experience has been good with this RV, about three days after I left the dealership I spent the night in a downpour rain storm. This was when I discovered that the coach door was damaged. Rain was literally pouring in the top of the door. Fortunately (I guess) The unit was also damaged on the floor of the last step where there was a large gap between the step and the door that allowed the rain to flow out rather than flooding the unit. I didn’t bother to contact Cruise America with this issue as I couldn’t prove that I hadn’t done the damage myself after taking the vehicle off the lot. It cost several hundred dollars to fix. I also purchased the extended power train warranty, but it is probably void because I have not changed the oil every three months as is specified in the warranty. I have put less than 1500 miles on the RV since I purchased it, and where I live there are no reliable RV dealers. I have had more damage done to the RV by dealers than I have ever done to it myself. It seems sort of stupid to me to pay over $100 per hour labor to have an RV shop change the oil every three months when the RV isn’t being driven more than a few miles a month. Also, I have been told by dealers that once a Cruise America rental has broken down in the area and requires repair, Cruise America only approves a certain set amount for the required repair, and will not necessarily pay to have the repair done properly. On a positive note, it has run beautifully and all of the systems are still functioning well. If I were a full-time RV user, I probably wouldn’t go with one of these units, but for my purposes it has worked out just fine. It may be worthwhile to note that these units are bare-bones units. There is no awning, there is no TV, there is no ladder to get to the roof, and there is no jack or tire iron included if you need to change a tire.
Helpful insights. Especially the cons against buying the extended powertrain warranty. CA apparently times the sale of their units at that point where they need a full lubrication, generator and transmission service, about $1,000 bill. I just had my 30' Majestic in the shop for its first oil change (purchased unit in December) and was told by the mechanic it now only needs be done annually, if, that is, you are only driving it the average of 3k miles as most people do. Still, I also found the labor charges are outrageous for no more than what is required. Can't imagine having to do this quarterly either. I, too, had issues with my coach door but involving the bolt latch that didn't align properly. Joe said he'd fix it but it's still not right, my only real gripe. Otherwise, the RV tech who did the oil change said he was impressed by the overall condition of my rig (that has 111k miles). He was initially skeptical about the 'proprietary' reasons CA won't offer service records: "Because they don't want you to see what they've neglected." After performing his own inspection, he said CA apparently has done what's needed. About 115 satisfied buyers on RV.net (including me) agree, all in all, we'd buy from CA again. Just don't buy the warranties and self-insure with the money you'd otherwise spend on them.
Thank you both very much.
Cruise America RVs all have over 120,000 miles on them. Plenty of similar private party RVs cheaper with 50k miles or less. That's a huge deal on wear and tear.
One thing you didn't mention in your CA videos is that they are bare bones units. We've been looking at some also but everyone needs to know the other cons you didn't mention 1) There is no backup camera 2) Liquid tanks (3) are not heated 3) not solar ready . I am scoping out the prospects/costs to add these to the 28A. I was told that all materials used in CA RV's are commercial grade which I really love ! ! Overall, I really like these units. I think I may have left out a couple things that need upgrades and will edit any that I have forgotten. Either way, I do think this is the best way to go, especially for new RV owners. Love your vids !!!
They're barebones in some ways, but they're not in a few other ways. The upgraded flooring, upgraded toilet, commercial fabrics - those are all awesome things. When looking at used Class C's, especially older ones, we've seen as many with backup cameras as we have without. That's such an easy thing to add that we don't really consider it a talking point. I'm also not sure about these rigs and solar - I thought I saw a gauge or a status light labeled "solar" when we were looking at that 28A..? Either way, that's another thing that's pretty easy to add if you're so inclined. I do keep forgetting to talk about the lack of a ladder and awning though! 😋
Thank you so much for watching and commenting!
@@Five2Go That's what I forgot ! Is the awning such a big deal ? You can buy most any size beach style tent (without sides). Will have to look and see if I can find one solar ready with a backup camera. Ladders shouldn't be hard. Thanks for your info.
We don't care too much about the awning. We didn't use the one on our travel trailer for months at a time, it was really just good for blocking the sun depending on which way we were facing in the campsite. If we find that we really want one we'll get an aftermarket one and put it on ourselves. You can buy them from CA too and they'll install them before you take the rig home, so that's also an option if someone really wants one.
Gavin Turner nor all that many class c have heated tanks, stay in warm places that’s why RVs have wheels. Back up cameras are easy to add. Solar ready is a scam, not real good for much solar.
@@leoblumhagen644 I understand what you're saying but other things like blue tooth, touch screen, seats that turn, side view camera's etc are not necessities but are welcomed by a retired person to make life a little easier. And some new rigs have one solar panel for battery tending. I know that that doesn't make it solar ready but to me, that is nice.
Been waiting on this one!
Thanks for watching! 👍😁👍
Going to add my two cents to cruise America RV 23A 2004 only major tires last year 2018 and major tune up and brakes. great vehicle
That's fantastic to hear! How long have you had it and how many miles have you added to it? We love hearing from owners!
@@Five2Go Bought it in 2010 at 98000 miles have put another 54000 miles on it we go out about three times a year for a month at a time.
That's great! i love hearing about RVs actually being used. Driving by all the driveway queens in this neighborhood makes me sad. Some probably haven't moved in a year or more...
This is a great option for those of us who want a rig that wears better, is easier to clean inside and has no slides to break down or leak. I, too am pretty sold on the idea. We have a C.A. used dealer within 100 miles and plan to go check them out.
That's awesome! Tell them you saw our videos! 👍😁👍
@@Five2Go I did! We bought a 2015 Majestic 23-A from Cruise America a few days ago. 109k miles and a new genset. We waited a couple of weeks for this unit to be brought in from AZ. There were no BS fees or nonsense line items on the invoice, and the staff were helpful and accommodating. We are now busy accessorizing the rig for long voyages. See you out there!
Thank you so much!!!!!! My husband is going to retire in April and he wants to buy a rv and go full time,and I wasn't sure (was going back and forth like you). I think you helped me answer a lot of questions. Thank you so much!!!
That's awesome! Thank you so much for watching! 👍😊👍
Thank you so much for your info.
We live in the Colorado Springs area, and have decided to purchase a 23A from cruise America,
I have seen so many positives and great videos on these purchases.
But what was nice about your videos,
Is we will be purchasing from the same Cruise America as you dealt with up near Denver!
This way we can afford a much better and larger RV then even most used ones we have been looking at and testing out.
Thanks again.
Im of a younger age and still cannot drive yet. But i always wanted an rv because of the convenience of having anything you would need there.
RVs are a great way to travel! Having all of your stuff and a familiar bed along makes everything that much better, plus not having to use gross rest stop or fast food restaurant bathrooms is pretty great too! 😂😂😂
The #1 reason I see for the Cruise America rental is it doesn't have the 4 or 5 TVs in it like most of the privately used ones have. #2 C.A.rentals are just that a business so most likely you'll have a better maintained RV with records because they're making money with that RV and if it's broke it can't make them money, where a lot of dealers and private owners will have some shade tree doing there maintenance not always but you never know.
You're right - if anything, the fact that CA is making money from these things is a huge bonus. As you said, if they can't rent them, they're just wasting money. We've seen comments about them supposedly being built cheap to order and barely holding together. That would be a great way for the company to go out of business very quickly!
Love our CA, and we don't even have tv at home. lol
Brian I just found this video. It was great information. We tried to rent from the Cruise America near where I live out here in Henderson NV., but all their rentals were being rented. So we went on the strip in Vegas to get one there. It was a busy weekend that weekend we rented. But I do want to thank you for this video.
Very informative. Looking forward to next video. See you soon!
Excellent analysis...with one caveat. I just put my deposit down on one of the 28As you referenced from the Denver CA. Joe, the salesman, told me under no uncertain terms that service records ARE NOT AVAILABLE and will not be provided, even if asked for. You referenced this several times as a significant advantage for the buyer, but regrettably, it just ain't so. Perhaps you have information from another CA but he said it was standard corporate policy. Nevertheless, Joe is completely amenable to the buyer or a hired inspector going over the unit in whatever detail desired so you can be satisfied you are not getting a 'pig in a poke.' I have until 12/24 to complete the purchase and, if I do, I'll post an update with further thoughts and opinion about the experience. Your analysis, otherwise, tracks precisely with mine.
Interesting. I thought he (or someone else) mentioned the maintenance paperwork being available - I must have been mistaken or given old information somewhere along the way. Even without the paperwork though those units are more regularly maintained than most other RVs out there I imagine. Please keep us updated on how your purchase process goes!
We put the deposit,went to pick up the RV last Friday. Salesman told us ready to pick up. However there are many items are broken (i.e. stove not attached etc.). They did show us the record either.
@@yuruqin4808 oh no! What happened??
Yuru Qin Are you able to share an update? Sad news to hear that the paperwork is not available. Thank you for that update.
Cruise America owner here.
The BAD... Never maintenance records even after many calls. Oil changes, to claim warranty stuff all work must be done by ASE mechanic. Try finding a ASE mechanic at an oil change place. Wife insisted on the long time warranty. We threw a spark plug (when ford had problems early 2000"s with 5.4's spiting out plugs and their coil over plugs) to get it fixed, even with warranty was going to cost a fortune. Then left front brake fell apart in 2010, getting it towed to closest dealer would of been a fortune. Called auto part store, had them put aside the parts under my name. Called taxi who picked up parts and ran parts out to us at a campground. Reason I bring this up is a warranty is not the solve all to mechanical problems. They are used...period. Stuff happens to mechanical stuff. Learn how to work on your equipment or spend a fortune. The short warranty you get when you buy is a very good deal. When you get your unit use it often, to see if you have any problems to take advantage of short term warranty. Long term warranty, no way I'd buy again.
Ladders, just get a collapsible one from Camping World or amazon. They fit into pvc fence post (4x4 inches) and easly mounted to you back bumper.
So you going to buy one or keep talking about them? The way you're talking them up, Cruise probably going to jack up their prices, if 10% of your listeners buy one. By the way the best deal IMO is a Cruise that someone bought and used it for 1 summer or so then moved on to boating, flying etc.
I wonder if the warranty terms have changed recently? The people we've heard from that have bought one in the last couple years were pretty happy with the warranty and getting work done. Having dealt with car warranties in the past, I'm really just hoping to never have to use one regardless of what we buy! 😂
We're going to rent from CA in a couple weeks (while the kids are out of school for Thanksgiving) and do a full review on the experience. We'll make the decision after that.
This is super smart of you guys and really has me thinking...❤️🇺🇸
Thank you! We think the next step is to rent one and really take a deep dive into it. That'll definitely help us make our final decision!
I found your channel recently as we are looking to trade up to a class C as well. I was impressed with the upgrades that they do, and think all of them should come with a lot of those upgraded features that were shown. For example, the oven is worthless to us as well. Even full time folks we know hate them and wish they had the extra space back. The double sinks are also dumb. A large stainless is the way to go. That being said, I have no issues with the camper itself. As a DIY and car guy for years I am only hesitant due to the high mileage. An extended warranty is great, but even if it's covered it could cause you issues when it comes to trip interruptions. One thing you didn't mention, and maybe it's because you plan on paying cash, is that even though the prices on these are pretty budget friendly, if you are financing most banks will not loan as long as they would on a newer model. That can be a factor for folks trying to keep the payment manageable. In fact I would bet depending on the loan term on a used one like this the payment will be similar to a new one. Then you are buying warranty on top of it. Something for folks to think about unless you have saved to pay cash or you are independently wealthy. For us even with my DIY and car repair skills, I still shy away for these reasons. If I'm going to pay $350~ a month I'd rather have peace of mind for myself than worry about potential breakdowns and trip interruptions. Again, I know that same can happen with new, but like I said YMMV as well as your needs. I don't think it's a bad deal if you are pretty handy and can work out the budget or just pay cash. Thanks for the videos!
Part of the reason we're looking at one of these is because of how new it is for the price. Getting an RV loan for something older than 7 years is really really hard, and most used motorhomes that new cost WAY more. Depending on who you go through a used loan could still be 7-10+ years. We use USAA and they base the available terms on age range and purchase price.
I've never heard of a note like that, it sounds pretty awful. We definitely make sure we read the details before signing anything and so far we haven't been bitten! 😉
www.rvtrader.com/listing/5009292739
great video keep them coming my friend, stay safe be happy.
Thanks Andy!
Excellent, just what I was looking for, thx!
I would like to thank you so much for the succinct and by the Numbers information that you gave in your video. I learned MORE from your video without wasting my time by rambling on with TOO MUCH info out in the " weeds " ! Like engine size , you gave it without belaboring the point ! Thus my eyes did not glaze over !! Lol
I'm a 75 year old widow , new to this , need to do my Homework , you made so much so clear !
I , like you , had felt that a RV bought through a company that way would have a " paper trail " and Warranties , made me feel on a more solid ground . I will do plenty of research ! Again THANK YOU , for a clear a PRECISELY informative view ! ❤
I bought a General RV all the bugs are taken out no problems I'd recommend to buy a fleet save a lot of money
I watched the first video on this series. Very interesting and well done. I subscribed and put notifications on! Thank you for sharing!
Thanks Jose!
I was going to buy a 30ft from them but at last minute I went with El Monte RV and got a Leprechaun 23qb motorhome. I wanted all bells and whistles, TV, awning, stove with oven roof ladder, and outlet for TV in corner bed sleeping area. Took it back East and back home.
My wife and I are getting ready to be RV newbies...and this sounds like a great option for us to start things off! We are not ready for full-timing, but we want to start traveling more and of course bring our two pups with us. I think I have read in a few posts that the recommended Sales location is California or Colorado?? (and of course Las Vegas for the no charge on out of state) We like the 23A, but the 28A does have some advantages...couch, full queen in the back. Thanks again for these videos...they are very helpful!!!
Thanks for watching Mike! These are absolutely newbie-friendly units, and the price is hard to beat too if you look at what else is out there in the same age and size range. We can't really speak for the sales quality everywhere as we've only been to the Denver location, but we've been told the sales rigs are all refurbed thoroughly before being listed so you're probably good picking one up anywhere.
If it were just us two adults, we could see going with the 23A, but the extra storage and full couch on the 28A are really nice and it's only 4' longer. Both are WAY smaller than our previous F350 + 37' travel trailer so anything's going to be easier to maneuver than that if you ask us! 😂😂😂
@@Five2Go , Thanks!!! We will shop around...honestly none of them are close to us...kind of surprised they don't have a sales location in Texas. Thanks again!
I'd like to add to your comments about variation. I went to a cruise Canada, slightly different I know, place that had about 30 vans. It looked very well organised and I felt that everything was very well maintained. When I actually rented with cruise america the rental place was a car rental business. These did not look as well maintained, there were only 3 or 4 vans at this location. Insurance wise for a renter, they actually offer a 100% insrance cover that covers literally everything. Lastly, if these RVs are fleet maintained, the mechanics know them inside out. They will be able to repair yours quickly and more cheaply than some othe makes of RV. Excellent video by the way.
Thanks for your video's very informative.
They take good care of their rigs because it is very expensive to do out of town roadside repairs
Thank you for sharing this information, I will definitely be shopping America cruise
Thank you for a update, I'm very interested
I saw a comment saying you are very well spoken, and I must say I completely agree. Well done! Now I'm waiting till the end to see if y'all bought your rig yet 😁
Thank you so much! I think the next step is to rent one and give it the old "try before you buy" - we figure that this isn't an option with any other used RV so we may as well give it a shot since we can!
@@Five2Go now this question might be too personal, if so I get it. However we are on the subject so here goes.... Are you guys this diligent in most things you purchase or are you just taking a while to get finances in order? Either way I'm enjoying the videos but I can't help but be envious of your patience! when it comes to waiting till you find the exact, perfect, well researched rig.
@@mommyofthree8271 This is 100% research and deliberation. We're not in a big rush time-wise to get an RV because it has been snowing and super cold here, but we have a trip back to VA for the holidays coming up and would like something before then if possible. We went into at least 200 RVs before we bought the one we full-timed in a little over two years ago. We didn't know much about RVs or RVing so we started with two requirements: under 30 feet and under $30k. We blew both of those out of the water with a 37' rig that cost $42k, and we're VERY glad we did because it was an awesome rig and we never had any issues with it. Motorhomes are "new" to us in terms of how they travel, their configurations, and some other considerations that make them different from towables (which we're intimately familiar with). We're taking our time because that's what we do with things that cost this much. We started looking at new ones because they're easy to find and give a good sense of floor plans, options, sizes, etc. Then we moved into rigs that were used but still expensive, and then eventually down into our price range. Now that we've discovered the Cruise America units we have to add in the risk/reward of buying a rental. We hear too many stories of RVs spending half their lives in the shop - we don't have patience for *that*! 😂 So we research and shop around until we're satisfied that we've seen everything we need to, then we make a decision.
@@Five2Go ok so just like I predicted. I'm envious of your patience for buying lol I always say I'm not gonna get the first thing we look at hahaha (yeah right) we are about to buy our first home wish us luck lol
I was very impressed with the information in your video. Surprised to hear you live in the same city. I wanted to know if you had a checklist or something written as a guide I can follow. I've watched so many videos trying to learn as much as I can but I get conflicting info. I can't afford to make a huge mistake as a single person making a purchase on a 1st RV. I know there's no guarantee but I want to be as educated as I can be. I truly found your video to be the most informative on this subject. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
A checklist for RV shopping? It's such a personal choice for you and your family that it's hard to put something like that together that's general enough for anyone to use. Check out some of the many tour videos we've posted, especially the ones from the Tampa RV show back in January. We went in a bunch of different RVs and shared our thoughts on their floor plans, features, size, etc. If you have any questions please feel free to reach out to us on Facebook or via email at hello@five2go.com 👍👍
@@Five2Go thank you!
Thanks to you guys I got me a 28A.A Cruise America rental. Its in awesome condition and for a 2015 looks brand new. Thanks guys
there are just broke in ( broke in mileage is 75 thousand) i would go with the CA rigs, since they are very well maintained, clean and the upgrades. and if you aren't full timing in it, you'll be fine
I'm sorry but saying 75,000 miles is broken in on an RV is really reeeeaaaaally stupid.
@@AshleyEllwood Yes at 75K I would not buy. Renters BTS out of Rvs .
Hey Brian! Thanks so very much for the next step video! So much great information. I am looking to RV Full time but not until retirement. So I’ve been watching videos and learning everything I can first. I am planning on renting an RV first then see if I like it. Haven’t camped since Girl Scouts and I’m 60 years old! Lol so thanks for doing all this research. I am so glad you said something about the oven! I’ve been wondering about that and totally agree with you. I’ll definitely get a convection microwave. Another reason I love your videos is that you speak the truth! A coworker of mine is neighbors with the CFO of Cruise America and he told me before I even saw this video that they refurbish all the rentals to sell and do the upgrades!!! So, I’m going to Cruise America this weekend and see what I can find here in Arizona. It’s only myself so I was actually wanting a 28ft but I’ll see what they have. Again, thanks for the amazing video and doing the leg work for me!!! Happy traveling!
Finally, someone else noticed that there was something different about Cruise America rigs. Over the past 3 years I've had the opportunity to use several different RVs, none of which I've owned. I was borrowing from a friend or renting. I rented 2- 27 footers in Alaska and 1 in Texas. The rental period was usually 5-7 days. The first thing I noticed was how clean they were inside. I really like the sturdiness of the interior build and no carpet and no slide outs. I also noticed that although the outside of some may look a little beat up, the insides were always really clean. They drive great and I was getting 10-12 mpg. I also think there is a secondary market for some older units as one I rented had just over 50k miles, as did all the other units at this rental site. The outside showed its' age, but the interior was just as clean as the 20k mile units. So I made a decision about a year ago that when we go to purchase our RV, we are heading to Cruise America and checking them out first. No frills, just a really sound RV.
Those are all things that are attracting us to this option. We're going to rent one in a couple weeks and check it out in-depth.
Since these rigs are only 4 years old, that's 25,000 miles a year. It sounds like a lot of mileage, but to get that many miles, it's mostly highway miles, and that's the least amount of wear a drivetrain can experience. It's like buying a "city car" (stop and go traffic) that has 8 to 10 times less mileage. And all the rubber parts and gaskets are still pretty young, and haven't had the basic ravages of time that wear them down. I wouldn't be afraid of 100,000 miles on these newish rigs. (My reference is Scotty Kilmer's channel.)
Like I said in the video, I'd rather have a rig that got used rather than just sat for four years. Not only will the parts age better with regular use, but there's also a greater chance of things that fail doing so and getting repaired or replaced. Those V10's are good for way more than 100k too, so that plus the extended warranty really cover all the bases.
I’m relieved and hopeful after reading the comments that reinforce your valuable research done on CA. I can feel your sincerity and I’m glad that TH-cam offers so many opportunities to gain valuable insight from people such as yourself. I must admit that I’ve made a new Trailor RV purchase, it’s beautiful and sleeps 10. I was trying to surprise my husband among other reasons for its use. We hooked it up to a Cadillac Escalade and it tows well. The issue we are trying to resolve perhaps you can make a suggestion or one of your viewers who have actually done this, was to purchase a large enough class C to pull our 26 ft. Trailor RV. THIS WILL give us the ability to include more family members in one vehicle while we travel than the Escalade will allow. What size Class C should we LOOK at (23, 25 or larger) to tow our RV?
Most Class C's max out around 5k pounds towing capacity, as do most gas Class A's. Diesel A's and Super C's can get up to 10-12k, but your best bet is to just bring another vehicle along with that Escalade when you go camping.
Thanks so much for the valuable information. You guys have been very helpful as I am planning to make a purchase in the next couple of years. Enjoy your videos, don't stop!
No matter what type of Coach, interior of an RV gets old after a while. While on the road if you get sick, minimum medical attention for the impaired in most of USA, this is a huge letdown if you rely on medical assistance on a weekly basis. Broken leg in cast, grounds the RVer for eternity.
Ongoing maintenance for the repairs of an RV is relentless….Robs a Bank. Prefer state parks with full hookups, RV's were designed to be hooked in to life supports. Not too crazy about private Parks, unless in a high-end spa area, such as Palm Springs.
Boondocking is okay, not into the back Hills/off roading of boondocking, these RVs are too frail to access the backcountry. Most RV’s are not intended to be belly goats and climb in to the back country of dirt trails. House part of RV is not manufactured to same standards compared to chasis-engine and cab.
Most RVers are awesome friends! Hate Rvers which ride dirt cycles at daybreak, wakes everyone up, along with the fisherman, who has be break camp, 1 hr prior to sunset. Respect your RV hood, keep honeymoon times away from other campers., no one cares about your K-Y Jelly moments or the Prep H hour on the Pot.
Bottom line, keep RV simple/ cheap, so if it break downs or wrecked in MVA, you can purchase another rig and get re-reimbursed from Insurance carriers!
We have a 2011 28A - we bought from a private seller that had bought from Cruise America and they were present for the refurbishment. After watching your other video, I realize now the extras we got. The next step for us is to paint the cabinets! We have an Omnia Oven, which I love and I am going to look for the convection/micro combo.
Wow!!! This is so informative!!
Thank you.
You're welcome, thanks for watching!
greetings from across the pacific I am a retired American living in the Philippines and thinking about buying an Rv and everything you have said tells me that RV America is the place to go. Quality convenience price condition availability dealing with the Co. be the place to go why look around yes comparing is important but you seem to have done the work for people tnx.
Thanks for watching! Cruise America is definitely a great option for affordable and easy-to-use RVs. We did the truck and trailer combo for almost two years full-time on the road and it was great but it was way more effort and headache compared to a motorhome. There are benefits both ways though, but if it were only us two adults we would full-time in one of these in a heartbeat. Maybe even the 26 footer!
Wow THANK YOU So much I have been researching 5th wheels and between all the different floor plans and sizes and 3 pages of a legal pad of questions to ask and things to check. And prices I so not understand they have some used that cost more than new ones, and that leads to which way to go.SMH! And then I found your video with what seems like a much better option.
Thank you so much.
Watched both videos an am going to check them out Thanks
That's awesome Lisa! Let us know what you think after you've toured one!
I think my issue with CA is that for the mid $30's, a class C RV on RV trader will have 100k less miles and be $10k less. The RV trader RV may be 10 years older BUT when you add the two extended warranties and an awning, if that's what you're into, you're looking at $15k over market value.
That's enough for quite a bit of repair without financing it to pay the bank. I can get a class C at 20k miles or so, yes it's older but it's got fewer miles and more variety of options. To me, saving $15k on an older model then taking that $15k to upgrade in 5-10 years is the better option.
I would take a 5 year old RV with 130k over a 10-15 year old rv with 30k. Most rv problems are age related not mileage, especially on a Ford v10 2v. I see e350/e450 box trucks running around with 400k miles on them. Not to mention insurance have clauses saying they will not cover the roof for any reason on an RV if it was over 7-10 years old(depending on company) when you bought it, however if it was under 7 when you bought it and you kept the same policy for 20 years then you're covered. same with pest and rodents ect...
Neighbor bought a big 36' 5th wheel they heading to the National Parks didn't do much research they found out quickly that those parks campsites where designed decades ago for tent camping or maybe a camper pickup. Just like you said it was a big disappointment they ended up having to park more than an hour outside the park they cut their trip short just because it was such a hassle.
Thanks for doing these videos. This def helped me open options for me.
Good points to consider. Thanks
Thanks for watching!
Thanks for the update. Great info to have.
Thanks for watching, Ric! 👍😁👍
The market has really brought up the price in the last year or two. Cruise America doesn't have anything under 40k listed right now.
That is a lot of miles for an RV. They did look pretty good, but used rental vans have less, so that seems high to me. Good luck. I can't wait to see what you choose.
It is definitely a lot of miles, but the combination of the extended warranty, the maintenance paperwork, and that tried-and-true workhorse of a V10 pretty much put us at ease about it. That and all the owners we've been hearing from. Some of them are over 140k miles now and still rolling on without any issues!
@@Five2Go I love y'all's videos. Good information and you both are quite natural on camera. It seems like you are doing your research. Wish your family the best.
Thank you so much! 😍
I love my rv oven, I put a pizza stone on the bottom and it works better than house oven.
We've heard that a lot of people put stones in them to even out the heat. They're just too small for us - almost everything we do in the oven goes on a half sheet pan because we're baking for five.
Very good podcast like that you told us whichever your looking at
Great presentation with terrific info.
Thanks Jonathan!
Will Cruise America do custom modifacations? I.E. Solar and battery mods, electronics and such.
I really doubt it as their techs just work on those rigs and what they order them with from the factory. That being said, I believe you can have them install an awning and/or ladder when you buy one, but I think that's about it.
Does Cruise America do in house financing? If so, how competitive are their terms.
Very informative video. Thanks for sharing.
You're welcome, thanks for watching Alan! 👍👍
Well done!
Thanks!
Thank-You so much, for your sincerity and honesty. Been watching Van life a lot on TH-cam but, the Van's are not big enough for me, I want a 30 foot RV. to live in full time. Cruise America sounds to me like one of the best places to buy a former Rental RV. If and when I find the finances to do this, it will definitely be CA I am sure of it. I am curious about the gas mileage? And hopefully they are all Automatic Transmissions? Please let me know? Thanks again! Happy RV-ing!
Great couple of videos.
Thanks Samantha! 👍😁👍
Thanks for posting this second video, really helpful. I have ended up in the same place as you!
While it's still a ways in the future, I'm planning for our retirement which will include a one way trip across the country for about 6 months. Checking the CA rental prices, it's gonna cost about $35K. So, it's a wash either way for us. Since it's going to be a one-way trip, I wonder what the resale value is when I'm done with it?
Probably the best used RVs for the money.
please add all the info as you did on both of these videos because you are helping others to check these out and make good decisions also.. we keep every page of maintenence done because we know what and when something is done.
Great Information! Cant go wrong with cruise america!
Your probably better off going the rental route .....But just something to think about there is a reason these companys take these unit off the rental markets ...One is it when things start going wrong ...But wish you all the best on your journey
They pull them from the rental fleet because the frequency of repairs is going to go up, sure, but we're also not going to be using it for thousands of miles a week/month like they'd see while being rented. It's not like they're on the verge of falling apart, they'll just cost more for CA to run as hard the more miles they get on them. The extended warranty looks like it covers quite a lot, and the owners we've heard from have all had great experiences. I don't think they're as risky as they seem.
Don't forget the insta pot to go with that microwave lol
Could you explain more about what's refurbished? LIKE BRAKES, BELTS, TIRES, LIGHTS, RV SYSTEMS, ETC? Thank you.
We don't have an official list of items they touch during refurbishment, but we do know that they do a full inspection of the vehicle and RV systems and take care of any repairs that are identified. That would all be in the paperwork that comes with the rig.
@@Five2Go Thank you. Loved your in depth opinion on this subject. We want to spend winters in Florida to get out of Wisconsin and we either go class C, or travel trailer. We are not very excited about towing a trailer 1800 miles one way. Do you have any idea about the miles per gallon with the RV?
Winters in Florida are the BEST! We stayed around Orlando from December until March this past winter and it was amazing.
Mileage is going to be bad no matter what you do when it comes to RVs. If you're doing a truck and trailer, you'll get anywhere from 8-14 mpg depending on configuration. Motorhomes are around that lower number, maybe 6-10mpg. If you're in a house in WI and just want to go down to FL for the winter, it may be cheaper overall to leave the RV down there and just fly back and forth, or drive a normal vehicle so you have a car down south. That would also keep you from needing to winterize the rig or expose it to the much harsher weather up there. Just a thought, but I haven't done the math on it so that may be crazy.
Thank you for this video. It was very helpful. Did you have an RV inspector check out the rv ? Thanks
Thank you great info Iam looking to rent one this January and buy after the experience
We're actually going to rent one in a few weeks and give a full review of the experience, so stay tuned! 👍😁👍
Cruise American has a program right now. $3k of your rental will go toward the purchase price. Try before you buy.
Yeah, that's a pretty great deal! They will also cover up to $300 in airfare if you fly to buy one and drive it back home.
michael Maryn How was the experience?
You really need to check out Parkway Rv Center in Ringold GA. They have great low mileage. Talk with Bo. Watch their videos, I think that is where I will buy mine. Really, check them out.
Great info, thanks.
Just like any engine... less use is not a good thing. Gas engines need to be used and exercised to the full extent of their design so they will keep running well. There is abuse but generally a good mechanic can see that. If they always change the oil and filter and use good quality oil such as synthetic the engines are fine. 100k miles on a rig is probably a good thing.
Nice
Have to look. Found a 2008 Jayco Grey Hawk 31SS 12 miles from us from a private seller with only 7,100 miles on it. Looked almost new. Had basically zero problems. Paid $35,000 for it.
This has the new style headlights and newer suspension. Has a slide also!!
Was on Facebook Marketplace. RV Trader was essentially useless. Dealer would have wanted much more. Camping World would have just screwed us and laughed about it.
Look around. It took us 6 months of looking. Don't be in a hurry but when you find it.... JUMP ON IT!
Oh yeah a 'rig' is a semi truck and trailer.
Our last camper had a porcelain toilet and this one is plastic. Truthfully... No real difference.
The myth of people ‘beating them up’ I think is less people being jerks, it’s that loads of people unfamiliar with RVs have rented them and taken them out. I bought and renovated a box truck and that was the big thing people kept mentioning when I told them I was considering an ex uhaul. It was more others saying ‘people rent and abuse them’ not in the intentional damage sense, but people who don’t know what they are doing have been in and out if them. But with Cruise America I think they (people who hear ex rental) assume it gets retired and thrown up for sale as is. Thank you for such a deep and informative well researched thought process.
Imo if your going to rent a rv , why not just stay in a hotel, much cheaper. I understand renting one before you buy it. They offer that at cruise america.
Thank you! Excellent. 💜
I am definitely interested in your final decision. What upgrades, if any, are you factoring into your costs if you decide to buy from Cruise America?
I think we're going to rent one soon so we can really get a good sense for how these rigs are built and handle. That's going to help our decision a lot! As for upgrades, I think we would definitely add the extended powertrain and RV warranties just for peace of mind given how many miles those units come with. I'd also like them to install a ladder if possible so I don't have to lug one around. Otherwise we'll probably get everything else on our own. We have a backup camera to install already, we'll add a LevelMate Pro, pick up our favorite water/sewer/electrical accessories, that kind of stuff. Basically all of the items listed here: www.amazon.com/shop/five2go?listId=128AGRG2XRRRP - we'll cover all of it in a setup/accessories video once we buy a motorhome.
Five2Go ...And, the final decision is....
Love the follow-up video! We are kind of leaning toward a towable after all the knowledge bestowed in your videos. You have really given some great insight. We need space for 8-10, so now we are armed to partake in the hunt for the right unit. We will begin looking at floorplans this weekend with the goal of purchasing before June. Thank you again, and God bless!
8-10? That's a big ask! I'm guessing you'll have the best luck with a fifth wheel bunkhouse or mid bunk, or maybe a toy hauler where you can convert the garage into a huge bunkhouse. You'll get 4-5 of your crew in the tow vehicle but will need a second car/van too. Check out our videos from January when we went in a bunch of bunkhouse models at the Tampa show, they should give you a great starting idea of what's out there.
Looking at a 2017 Flagstaff Shamrock 233S and a 2016 Forest River Gray Wolf 26BH this weekend at 2 different dealers then swinging through camping world to look at some of the Jayco Jay Feather models. We have a 2017 Ford Transit T350, 12 Passenger Wagon with seating for 12 and the Ecoboost Engine. Our Transit has the towing package with 3.73 rear end and integrated brake controller. We planned this purchase 2 years ago with the idea of someday pulling a trailer to camp in for trips up to 2 weeks at a time. Our kids are between 5 and nine (there are 6) and we have 2 grandparents that live (and travel) with us, 61 and 71. So hotels get to be pricey. We are being realistic in our choices, very light and tow easily along with trying to stay in the 25' to 31' range so that we can use a much wider range of campgrounds, especially state and national parks. We live in the north GA mountains, so there are quite a few places we can visit with just long 3 day weekends.
Nice! It looks like you're in that mid-high 6,000lb range. I know it's not a super popular choice with some people because of temperature control, but take a look at some hybrids. You can find those with tons of room and sleeping space and they're *really* light. They make great use of space because the beds flip out from the living areas, kind of like a reverse Murphy bed. Now that I've typed all this I just googled that Shamrock and see that it's a hybrid - great minds! Haha! Add the Grand Design Imagine XLS 23BHE to your list if you can find one nearby. They're a great floor plan and well within your weight limit (even with one slide), plus the GD rigs are built really well.
Let us know how your shopping goes this weekend!
@@Five2GoThanks we will look into that model as well. We know we are mainly looking for sleeping space and getting out of bad weather, more than long-term home comforts. So layout is important for bathroom breaks at night (Lol). We will keep you updated!
Thank you..👍👍
Thank you very much
Fabulous
Bottom line if you only have 30k to spend on a motor home, this is it. Otherwise enjoy your 30k travel trailer!
Thank you for a great video ! ❤️