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[JaDe]

We are driving two days to checkout two Chinook Concourses, a 2003 and a 2005 both with under 40,000 miles. Both “appear” to be in excellent condition and have solar. The 2003 is $44,000 and the 2005 is $50,000. Does the two year difference warrant paying $6,000 dollars more. The 2005 does have an upgraded exhaust system providing additional power. Thanks for your help.

[Manitou]

Both sound a little high to me. Have you tried searching with searchtempest.com? (combines craigslist cities)

[Blue~Go]

I think that in 2005 (or so? but definitely after 2003) the outside storage arrangement changed a little bit. I think it gives more storage space, and the doors are better --- although I think at the expense of some simplicity as it looks like the propane tank/regulator must have been moved inboard and may have a remote fill (little separate door behind the battery compartment door). Also you "gain some, lose some" as the other locker is smaller (driver's side).

So to summarize:

2003 will have pretty much the same side body outside storage arrangement that is on basically all 1997-newer 21-footers.

-Largish locker on driver's side. This is divided into two areas: Battery compartment forward (which becomes storage if AGM or lithium are put inside coach), and then largish area aft of that for whatever you want that is unencumbered by anything else. Just your basic turn button/tang type lock (not all that secure although it seems to be relatively rare for things to be stolen from them - maybe because not that many people want your old water hose or etc. and mostly no-one stores computers or cash down there.

- No locker on passenger side. The propane tank and regulator live there and are directly accessible from next to the rig (regulator, tank, shut offs, etc.)

2005 has the newer arrangement (or should - always check of course):

- Medium sized locker on driver's side. It's one big locker so batteries are not divided off from storage. Storage also is smaller than previous years, and has breakers at the inboard side, so you can't just toss things in there (especially not wet stuff). Also if you have flooded cell batts, there will be some acid/mist in there, so you wouldn't want anything that could corrode (not an issue if AGM). The door has a "Class A" style locking bar vs. just the cam/tang type. it's also more "molded" to the shape of the RV vs. a flat door.

- Tiny door just aft of that, only leads to remote propane fill.

- Decent sized locker on passenger side (where the propane tank used to be). This is nice, unencumbered by other things, and on the side of your usual campsite if you stay in RV parks, etc. (but then it won't be on the side of the utilities if you store that sort of thing there) (doesn't matter boondocking). Has the Class A style door/latch.

Here is one thing I'm not sure of: The previous rear entry 21-ers all had a ginormous (for the size of the RV) propane tank of 18.8 gallons (this equates to something like 80# if you are used to that type of tank). When they briefly made the side door models, they had to make the tank smaller. Not the same situation, but I'm not sure if they may have had to make the tank smaller when they relocated it for the passenger side storage bin. Something to check. Unlike regular fuel, getting propane can be a mild hassle: you can't do it yourself like you can fuel, and it's sometimes a case of "Oh, the one guy who can dispense that only works until 3 p.m." or whatever. Not saying it's the end of the world, but I LOVE having a large propane tank. I can make my own electricity, and pump my own gas 24/7 at a jillion stations. Propane is less fun to get. That said, they may somehow have shoehorned the same size tank in - I'm just not sure.

I note that the 2005 manual shows the old arrangement in the overall layout diagram (so it's no help in determining tank size). Then in the LP sketch I thought the layout looked really weird and then saw it was for the Glacier! (not even a 21-foot model at all) So maybe some 2005 were the "usual style" storage and propane and only some later ones were the "last Chinooks" style? Someone in the manual department was apparently slightly confused (they are great manuals though, and ones from other years can often show you something you didn't see in your year manual as they changed the manual layout slightly from year to year).

Another factor is that IF the 2005 is built on a 2005 Ford chassis, then you should have the newer transmission and the newer dash layout that has a tachometer. However since RV makers "years" often are offset from Ford or other carmaker years, around half of all 2005 RV's will be on a 2004 chassis (and same for other years). So that may or may not be different from the 2003.

Any 2003 will already have things like the electric step, I think, so that's nothing different between them.

Just in general a two year "newer" coach would mean nothing to me (feature changes notwithstanding) because at this point it's all about the life it had. For example, was the 2003 pampered and stored indoors but the 2005 rode hard and put away (or not put away but left outside) wet? At that point the 2003 would be a hundred times more desireable to me. That's just my opinion though (I went for a '99 that had been used gently and stored in a warehouse, so you can see where my preferences lie).

Happy shopping!

BG

[JaDe]

I thank you both for your input. Since the 2003 has been stored indoors and is in the same city as another brand that we’re looking at, Pleasureway Excel, that will make our decision easier. Our first main trip will be to Alaska next year so were getting excited.

[Blue~Go]

Since the 2003 has been stored indoors.... Our first main trip will be to Alaska next year so were getting excited.

The only problem then is taking your pristine new Chinook on the long/gravel/construction roads. Oh well, we should all have such "problems"! And to look at it another way, you will have a 15 year "headstart" on wear (because stored indoors).

Great trip though. Perfect for a Chinook! (But fun in any vehicle I'm sure.)