RV Advice Considering 2015 A.C.E 30.2 BUNKHOUSE or 2011 HURRICANE 31J

[dunamos]

Greetings All

Glad to be part of this forum. My Family and I (Mrs. and 5 rugrats) are in the market to purchase an RV. We have been doing research over the last four months on just about any and every RV from class A-C out there. Based on price and the needs of our family we have narrowed it down to the A.C.E. 30.2 bunkhouse or the Hurricane 31J. I have a few concerns the first is this will be our first RV purchase (so I would be lying to say I'm very excited but nervous/cautious at the same time); I want to ensure that we are getting a good product for the money we are about to spend, and two I have seen and heard that Thor has not been getting good reviews for their RVs, based on what I have saw in some of the blogs/forums there seems to be mixed reviews. I just want to make sure that we when we buy we will get the full use and have great memories with our RV and are not left with heartache and a lot of frustration. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

[JamieGeek]

The more you learn the more you'll be prepared when you eventually do make the purchase.

• Find a good dealer, first and foremost--this is the most important thing
• Get a good checklist for the predelivery inspection: During delivery go through the checklist and check everything out in the RV--I mean everything (a good checklist is in Ed's crowd sourced manual for the Axis/Vegas units: http://www.thorforums.com/forums/f10...nual-4961.html )
• Once you pick it up and have it loaded for travel get an alignment
• Once you get the punch list of things the dealer has to fix do not leave the unit at the dealer while they order parts (a good dealer won't ask you to do this to begin with)

Some tips.

I see that you're in Alaska; not sure how many dealers (or even good ones) are up there. You may find you're better off purchasing it down in the lower 48 and driving or shipping it up (unfortunately both would cost--time or $$). It could make a great adventure though! (Maybe even in Western Canada...!?)

[dunamos]

Thank you for responding. What are your thoughts on buying from a private seller??

[Thor29.3inAZ]

For a first time buyer, I'm not sure I would recommend buying from a private party. Why? Because you may need warranty work and unless it is backed by a warranty program (which you can buy), the repairs are on you. I too, am a first time Class "A" owner and though you can get pretty good deals from a used unit (and it may have all the bugs already worked out) we decided to buy new and not be worried about stuff going wrong and having to pay-out-of-pocket for the first year+. We did a lot of research and despite some saying Thor is somewhat iffy, they are by far the most bang for your buck. We also asked the dealer service person what coaches they find the easiest to work with and Thor came out first every time. We have had a couple of issues but nothing really to say it's a crappy unit. Mostly just cosmetic. And I fixed most of those anyway. We liked the bunkhouse but picked the 29.3. It's really just my wife and my-self so we really didn't need all the extra sleep area. Good luck and Happy RV-ing!!!!

[Mr Sunshine]

Originally Posted by dunamos

Thank you for responding. What are your thoughts on buying from a private seller??

Welcome to the forum!

Would you buy a car. or a boat, or a computer from a private seller? No right answer to that question, but the risks and rewards are comparable when you are looking for an RV.

If you do decide to buy private, find someone who can inspect it for you before you seal the deal. Money well spent! You are buying all the systems of your car, plus all the systems of your house, in a portable package.

Some find that financing is easier when buying from a dealer. When you budget, be sure you include a charge for depreciation. Beware the dealer who tries to put you into a payment schedule that will leave you seriously upside down, meaning you owe more than the value of the coach. A 20 year loan with a small down payment will make this very likely.

Folks here are really good help. Bring your questions.

Happy hunting!

[Ace30.2]

Originally Posted by Thor29.3inAZ

For a first time buyer, I'm not sure I would recommend buying from a private party. Why? Because you may need warranty work and unless it is backed by a warranty program (which you can buy), the repairs are on you. I too, am a first time Class "A" owner and though you can get pretty good deals from a used unit (and it may have all the bugs already worked out) we decided to buy new and not be worried about stuff going wrong and having to pay-out-of-pocket for the first year+. We did a lot of research and despite some saying Thor is somewhat iffy, they are by far the most bang for your buck. We also asked the dealer service person what coaches they find the easiest to work with and Thor came out first every time. We have had a couple of issues but nothing really to say it's a crappy unit. Mostly just cosmetic. And I fixed most of those anyway. We liked the bunkhouse but picked the 29.3. It's really just my wife and my-self so we really didn't need all the extra sleep area. Good luck and Happy RV-ing!!!!

I bought ou 2015 Ace 30.2 from a private seller. It has 6000 miles so the way I see it they took the hit on new price and they had a stack of paperwork from warranty work. I'm hoping the previous owners took care of the bugs which hopefully means less dealer work for me. So far so good. Biggest thing is you have to be comfortable with the seller. Hope this helps.

[dunamos]

Just wanted to thank everyone for their inputs thus far, it is helping out more than you know.

[SuperD]

MrSunshine is absolutely right, if you buy from a private seller find someone who is competent to check over the coach for you before buying. From a private seller you run the risk of buying problems they couldn't or didn't fix. Sometimes good deals can be had but be careful. Many years ago I bought a 3/4 ton chevy pickup with a beautiful large slide-in camper, cheap. Guy bought the rig without telling his wife, they took it out one time and she refused to go again. The rig sat parked for about a year when I bought it, used it one summer, sold it for more than I paid. Good deals can be had but be careful!!!

[mchildress]

I recently purchased a 2017 Thor ACE 30.2 and love every part of it except for the lack of air conditioning. Only one a/c for a 32' RV can be painful in the summer months at the beach in NC. My advice - go look at each of them with the family in tow. The 30.2 is big but it can also be hot in the summer!

[Oneilkeys]

You can add a second A/C for less than $1000. They fit in either the front or rear vents and you do not have to hook it up to your vent system. If you do not have 50 amp, you might have to upgrade or add a second 30 amp circuit, but it might be worth it to make your RV comfortable and useable. If you have an RV that you like and meets your needs, I think it if worth it to fix the little things to make it perfect rather than trading up.

[SuperD]

I agree, adding a second AC shouldn't be a big deal, wiring and ducts should be in place. You will have to upgrade to 50amp and your generator won't handle two AC units, but it is doable.

[westlaker]

I'm picking up my 2017 ACE 30.2 next week. Any idea where I can find a PDI checklist to use?