The Purchase...

This page was last edited 09/12/01

As is the norm... I'm prone to sudden inspiration in my purchases and getting back into the RV world was no exception. There were several factors involved that aren't immediately apparent but I really did give it some thought in the past so the purchase was not completely 'off the wall' so-to-speak. After having gone to Utah for a convention and getting a little leisure time up in the mountains we returned home 'in the mood' to get involved in the RV world again. We returned from Utah August 18th or so and we were rarin' to go back west!

I went to I-35 RV (Pleasant Valley, Missouri off of I-35). The salesman, J.W., tells me I really don't want to look at what he has out there, 'cause it's the one I'd been looking for. The rest is history as it was indeed the 'one I've been looking for'. And we're now the owners of a 1997 Coachman 322 QB RD Class A Motorhome. The 'one I'd been looking for' was something around 30 ft long and that had a diesel 'pusher' motor. I wanted something fairly new but didn't want to spend a king's ransom for it.

(Information that I have as of 02/08/01 is that I-35 RV is no longer doing business. In fact I-35 RV no longer exists. The Coachmen dealership has been taken over by another company.)

Our new Coachmen dealer is All Seasons RV Ctr, 2500 NW South Outer Rd, Blue Springs, MO. 64015 (816)228-6200.

What we ended up with was a 32 ft Coachmen Diesel Pusher that was slightly used. With less than 10,000 miles on it the first owner had decided to go bigger at the Coachmen Convention in Sedalia this year and had traded it in. By August 28th we had the motorhome and were packing to go to Durango, Colorado.

Rig: Coachmen 322 QB RD (32 ft Queen Bed/Rear Diesel/Wide Body) (8'4"/100" wide)

Basics: Built on a Spartan chassis w/a Cummins diesel, here's the pictures and specs from the Coachmen page at:

Click on the logo for their home page...

For more info try the Coachmen RV site (Catalina Class A), the spec sheet for the current model. The 1997 is very little different than the new models...

(The 2000 Catalina Class A has been replaced by the 2001 Aurora and my information is that there is no diesel model for the Aurora.)

External view, 1999 Coachmen Catalina

Floor Plan, 322 QB RD (Queen Bed, Rear Diesel)

I would hope that you would give Coachmen a look before you buy.
They have a complete offering from the world of the popup camper to the Class A Motorhome!

Options which our unit had on it include:
    Semi-automatic hydraulic leveling jacks.
    230 HP Cummins Diesel
    Allison 6 speed electronically controlled transmission
    Dual Roof Air w/7000 watt Onan Marquis Generator
    Full size microwave
    Full size refrigerator
    Rear vision camera and monitor
    VCR Video Cassette Player
    50 Amp. Service
    Air Suspension
    Driver's door w/electric window
    Stainless steel wheel inserts
    Exterior mirrors w/remote
    Towing hitch
    Awning

After market additions included:
    Courtesy hand rail by doorway
    CB Radio antenna (previous owner removed the CB itself)
    Stainless steel stove cover

It goes without saying that the RV was a nice one and the unit was fantastic to say the least! Delivery was done in a very professional manner by the staff at I-35 RV. Bob (service manager) explained the operation of the unit completely. Bob now works for an RV dealer in the South KC Area since I-35 is closed.

That pretty much completes the 'startup' for the Timberman's current entry into RVing.

The next step is for us to 'fix' it up!