New Camper itch - Full Body Paint worth it?

[suny07]

Hi,

Since 2 years our Monty has some oxidation going on on one side wall.
It was exposed to the south in our previous storage location and got Georgia sun all day long.
I am tired of polish that side every 6 month to keep it up.

So I am going back and forth if a full body paint would be a better choice living in the south east.
Is the full body paint coming with new issues or is it really like a car paint and easy to deal with?

Also those new legacy packages are coming now with disk brakes

Thanks

[Rotnjonny]

We purchased a new unit last year. We had gone to numerous shows and done all our homework. We looked closely at the full body paint units as we had put the Legacy package on our list of “must haves”. There is no doubt that they are beautiful. However as an option, it is a poor investment. Units with full body paint versus not, do not appear to have any better residual value. Additionally, they are not maintenance free. You will still need to wax annually. Longevity is a big question. I personally haven’t seen an indications that they wear better than the standard wall finishes.

[mhs4771]

We have a very early 2016 (Mar 2015) full body paint and still looks like new except for a few little nicks and scratches. Most people can't believe it's as old as it is.
Now it may all come down to the company that does the job and the paint they use.
I will say our unit is a couple steps above Montana which might have something to due with it.

[Theunz]

I don’t know what the current price is for full paint is, but last I heard it was $10,000. That amount would pay for A LOT of indoor storage which will keep your rig in much better condition than full paint.

[fatcatzzz]

Originally Posted by Theunz

I don’t know what the current price is for full paint is, but last I heard it was $10,000. That amount would pay for A LOT of indoor storage which will keep your rig in much better condition than full paint.

Indoor storage is not much of a option for full timers, unless parked on private property. Paint with clear coat weathers the elements much better than units that are not painted.

[MandK]

You asked, so here's my opinion. I think properly cared for, the paint will hold up better, but the sun is still hard on any finish. There are only three things on the Legacy package worth having, (remember, my opinion only) the full body paint, the cord reel and the disc brakes. The full body paint is all about having an amazing looking coach. The upkeep is the same. Maybe after many years the regular decals will start to have problems, but I probably will not keep it that long and in the meantime I don't want to cry everytime I get a nick or a scratch in it.
The cord reel is one more thing to have problems with so the manual Morryde reel works great. The brakes....priceless. That's why I put disc brakes on myself in the driveway and from what I have seen, is a better install than OEM. That's the logical side of me speaking.
Now, the "you only live once" side of me has a serious case of trailer envy every time I see a cobalt 3121. Gosh they look great, and if the paint was offered as a stand alone option without all the other stuff, that would leave me enough money left over for tissues, and several years of professional detailing. I'd do it in a heartbeat.

[DutchmenSport]

Our Montana High Country is now 5 years old and I've NEVER put wax on it. When we first got the trailer it had gelcoat coverage. In addition it was treated with Resist-all. In addition, I also received a touch up Resist-all package.

We went with the Resist-all. I had my serious doubts about it since a previous trailer was also treated with some thing like that years ago and it lasted 2 years and then you'd never know anything was ever done.

But the Resist-all in combination with the gelcoat has lasted 5 years. (When) the camper is washed, it's still just as shiny as ever. We also had our yellow pick-up truck treated with Resist-all when we purchased it. It's never had wax either and it absolutely still looks brand new.

Unfortunately, Resist-all can only be applied when the vehicle (or camper) is brand new. It can't be applied on an older vehicle. For us, it was the absolute best thing we could have done and worth every penny.

Now, full body paint? If you go with the full body paint, then take the opportunity to have it treated with Resist-all after the paint. (If they will do that), and you will never, ever have to wax again. Just wash with some Dawn Dishwashing liquid, and use WD40 to remove road tar splatters. That's it.

If you really want your camper looking nice and holding up, yes.... it's worth the money. But resale? It will ad no extra value. It's all a matter of how long you plan to keep the camper if its worth it to YOU or not. Resale, you will NEVER get your money back out of it.

[Carl n Susan]

Our 2012, manufactured in Aug. 2011, has the full body paint. We still get complements on how good it looks. I do have it waxed at least twice a year and it gets washed frequently. Up close and personal, it has some chips and paint cracks. Not unexpected after 12 years. The paint was a new option in 2011 and it wasn't the same as automobile paint. Perhaps today's paint application approaches new car quality.

The RV is outside 24x7x365 parked in the sun of CA (or where ever we travel to). One difference between the conventional Montana and one that is painted is the absence of decals. Oxidation of the gelcoat and deterioration of the decals are some of the most frequent complaints here on the MOC. The few decals advertising the brand name are small and easily removed if desired.

One disadvantage to paint is an increased repair cost. Gelcoat repair involves paint, but not as much as a painted rig. But quality RV body shops can match the paint easily. They also can provide touch up paint to cover the inevitable chips and scratches that occur.

A RV is a depreciating asset. Resale was not a major consideration in our purchase. But a well maintained painted rig should be worth more that the same oxidized, peeling decal model at sale time. The decision for us was easy. The Big Sky Package in 2011 was priced at $8,000 and included full body paint, Goodyear G614 tires, the new Level Up system and a covered awning. Add in the 32% discount we negotiated on the sales price and it was a no brainer.

[scottz]

I have full body paint, but my unit is stored inside so I can't comment on how it holds up in the elements. One thing that has not been mentioned; full body paint is usually dark. If you are in the heat, the unit will be a lot hotter than one that is predominantly white. Just one more thing to think about...

[Rhortie1]

I’m a full time traveler changing locations about once a week or for the last 3 years. I love my legacy package and my full body paint w/ clear coat finish. Got some rock chips in the front and a couple scratches here and there. Mine came with touch up paint bottles for all four colors. There’s a 2012 Big Sky by Montana next to me right now in Pa and his paint looks brand new ! We get a lot of compliments on ours so yolo !

[Theunz]

Originally Posted by fatcatzzz

Indoor storage is not much of a option for full timers, unless parked on private property. Paint with clear coat weathers the elements much better than units that are not painted.

The OP mentions that his fading is due to sun exposure while in storage. That is why I suggested indoor storage. Obviously it’s not applicable to full timers.

[suny07]

Good Morning,

Thank you all for sharing excellent points.
Indoor storage in my area is $300 plus so at least $3,600 a year.
I am thinking to setup a covered roof on our new property.

I am not thinking on resale value as we really would like to keep our campers long when they work.

The more I look at a full paint job the more I like it and I still think it should be easier to maintain. When I see full body paint rigs they always look clean, not sure why.
On ours we always had dirt on it.

[scuba dude]

I have a 2019, 3813 with paint love the look of the paint. My problem is I have the paint that has alot of black and dark gray colors in it. If you are camped in the sun you can tell a huge difference in cooling the camper. I actually had to add a third ac to cool the camper in summer when camped in the sun. I would do paint again but with no black or dark colors.

[mlh]

I have a 2007 Motor Home that still looks like new. It’s always been kept inside. If you want to keep it looking like new put in inside.
Lynwood

[Woodyswanch]

We had a 2009 3400 that came with decals. Needless to say the decals from that year did not age well. We had Maple City, in Goshen, paint our Monte in 2013 and it looked great. At the time they were painting all Montanas so we got a Big Sky paint scheme. The cost was the same they charged Keystone for the service. About half of what they charge on the sticker. I'm not sure if they can paint now or not as Keystone is now painting in house. You might want to give them a try. I also just use McGuires wash and wax once or twice a year on my rig and it looks great. Only takes about 90 minutes to do everything but the roof. I hope this helps.

[Byron B]

We own and live in 3 separate fivers. None of which are under cover. 2 are set up semi-permanently. The third is our traveling rig. Each have full body paint and I have only waxed our 2018 Mobile Suites once. The other 2 are Monties and have never been waxed. A 2016 and a 2019. Each looks good living here in the Texas and NM sun. We won’t have a rig without full body paint. Worth the extra cost.

[GeneK2]

Has anyone just cleaned up the existing rig and had a Clear Gel Coat applied. My 2018 Monty is in good shape but needs a glossy finish for looks and protection…,any thoughts??

[Mikendebbie]

Gene - I think they apply the decals over the original clear coat. Not sure applying a second coat of clear coat over the original + the decals would work. The decals are still going to expand and contract, and the clear coat probably will not move at the same rate. If you removed all decals then prepped the surface for some clear coat and covered up the windows - the cost would probably be close to a full new paint job. I have seen threads on IRV2 from guys looking to repaint their motorhomes. The cost seems to be in the $20k to $30k range. The cost of full body paint on a Monty is $10k or so which seems like a deal to me.

[432bartman]

Originally Posted by Theunz

I don’t know what the current price is for full paint is, but last I heard it was $10,000. That amount would pay for A LOT of indoor storage which will keep your rig in much better condition than full paint.

In So California, that $10K going towards indoor storage will get you about 1.5-2 years.......very expensive here. I wish I lived somewhere where I had a huge workshop or barn where I could keep mine inside. I was paying for mine to be inside and when the rates kept going up I said forget it. I now have mine outside at an RV storage place that's only 1/4 mile from my home, but it's still $205.00 a month.

[Foldbak]

Originally Posted by 432bartman

In So California, that $10K going towards indoor storage will get you about 1.5-2 years.......very expensive here. I wish I lived somewhere where I had a huge workshop or barn where I could keep mine inside. I was paying for mine to be inside and when the rates kept going up I said forget it. I now have mine outside at an RV storage place that's only 1/4 mile from my home, but it's still $205.00 a month.

Ya I'm in CA as well. I used to have covered storage for $110 a month. Because of the surge of trailer purchases the price went up to $250 a month So it sits at my house in the elements. At least I'm lucky enough to have an RV parking spot with 30 amp power. Next week I'm having the parking spot widened 3'. I have a dehumidifier running in the trailer 24/7 in the winter. I have to empty the tank weekly. Surprising how much water it collects.