Would like to purchase a diesel pusher, 1990 or newer. Side entry, basement storage, 6-speed, prefer Cummins. Don't think I can afford to take care of a Regency but would like to. Breakaway or Regal with at least 235HP.
Jim

We love our Monarch. You might consider one too.
Keirn Rush

quote:

Side entry, basement storage, 6-speed, prefer Cummins. Don't think I can afford to take care of a Regency but would like to. Breakaway or Regal with at least 235HP.
Jim

Side entry 30' Breakaways are very rare. Even more rare are 230 HP Cummins, 6speeds.

Going to 32' or longer is a better chance to find something but, if Cummins 5.9L will be only 230 HP max from the factory. Also, 32' or longer will have larger tires, (22.5), heavier, and with the 6 speed Allison and 4.1 rear diff will not be a great power house off the line. It will not even shift into 6th until 70+ MPH.

Generalizations with the Barth is not a good idea. During the 1990s a lot of changes were made with all kinds of combinations, some good and some bad.

I agree w Ed.
Regency is not going to cost you an awful lot more to own. You are wise to seek out the six speed. I think that puts you into a 94 or newer.

Keirn and Carolyn, the Monarchs are very nice but 32' is my max.
Ed, your setup would be nice but I wouldn't be able to do what you did to get it there. A 5-speed would be ok, too. There's a 32' Regency that is really nice but it's a 3208T with a 4-speed. Probably would do me just fine, tho. We love our '85 Regal but it's just a little to short and doesn't have levelers and I'm getting too old to wrestle with wood blocks. Hell, if a 90s 30' Regal came along, with good basement storage, I might stick with a 454. But then again, it would probably be a 3-speed which would not work out. So many choices 'cause there are so many different Barths.
Anybody see/hear of something, call me. Have cash, will travel
Jim

If you can find one with an 8.3 l then the six speed change to sixth is below 60 mph-- ours will change as low as about 57 mph
However the minimum size for an 8.3 is likely 34 or 36 ft---ours is an 1993 36 ft Breakaway & so far we continue to love it

Bud

What is your avg mileage with the 8.3?

Hi Tom
We get about 10 mpg (US gal).-- recent fillup indicated better but was all flat running and we all know the uncertainties associated with tank fill-ups

Bud

Our 34' with the 6 speed Allison and the 8.3 Cummins gets between 10 and 12 mpg. Towing our little toad doesn't seem to make a difference but speed and hills does. To get 12 I drive not over 62 mph. Ours shifts in to 6th at 55 mph (gps speed). Our speedometer reads about 9 to 10% high.

Keirn Rush

I think our high was about 3 tenths short of 11, however our speedo is relatively accurate (or so we think).

Bud

I checked mine first leg of my trip from CA on to MI going thru the SW or up. Going thru the mountains including the divide, I averaged 8.5 mpg which impressed me given how sorry the mileage was on the Class C I had on the Ford Van deal with the 10 cyl 300 HP engine. That thing going up a bridge sounded like it was going to blow up. the pusher just keeps on trucking.

Tom Taylor
94 Breakaway
8.3 250 HP w/Banks and 5 Speed

OK, our 3208 turbo is the 300 hp version and we get an honest
8.8 to 9.5 traveling at 65 mph. We weigh 28,450 with loads and have no acceleration issues or hill problems. Over a million 3208's were built from 1969 to 1993 and with proper maintenance many are still alive and well. For comparison our neighbors 40' Country Coach is just under 6mpg and he has the C13 600hp Cat. Doesn't seem to be a great difference and certainly not worth the big bucks to swap a transmission.

Tom, what is your RPM at 65 mph? Sky and others with the 250 HP version slow to about 42/43 mph when going up a 6% grade. Does the 300 do a little better?

At 65mph we are right at 2325 rpm and we go over the Mississippi River Bridges at Baton Rouge and New Orleans and we slow to about 60 just before we reach the top. In the Smokies we made the trips up the mountains and it shifted down only twice. We just don't see any real disadvantages, we pass the 18 wheelers on the bridges and the boost pressure is about 10psi. The CAT people say it is rated to produce 15 psi but to do that they would have to adjust the fuel injector above the warranty setting and we all agreed it was not worth adding stress when it was not critical. I love the 300hp but I did have complete service done when I bought it to fix oil leaks, cracked stainless steel flexible connector from the turbo to the exhaust pipe, new u joints, axle seals and all the normal stuff (belts, hoses, fluids). I recommnd it and the Gillig indestructible chassis.

I have a diesel pusher coming up for sale, it,s a 1995 regal 31ft 6.5 gm detroit, new upgraded motor barely 2500 miles on engine, 38000 mi on coach,, it,s sitting in Las Vegas right now,, it sure runs nice.