[RogerSpence]

Hi All, new to this board, wish to become an RV'er, after years as a sailboat owner.

Seriously looking at 2008 Yellowstone's, all with 360 Cummins 40 ft., and low mileage.
Very little info on the build of Gulfstreams, although it appears that they have an OK quality reputation,
but without dealer support and lousy customer service. But the used market has interesting pricing.

Some questions for all you experts!

1. Roof - is it fiberglass or rubber in 2008? Has anyone had any leak problems?

2. Tires - I've been told that RV tires rot from the inside out. If this is true, should I be
concerned with 5 year old tires that only have 10,000 miles on them? Is there any telltale signs
of outdated tires from the outside?? (Vehicles are in the southwest, so they go through lots of sun/heat.

3. Parts - I assume that all of the chassis, mechanical, electrical, plumbing systems, hardware are off the shelf OEM
units, so parts should be available. My concern is with crash and body parts that were manufactured by Gulfstream!
Does anyone know whether GS still stocks Class A parts, or has the molds and tooling to replace their in-house parts??
How much of a PITA, and $$$ to get replacement GS specialty parts?

4. These low mileage units, are located in the southeast, and they have had very little use in the past few years.
Given that, does it make sense to have the fuel polished before a road-trip, to be sure that the gremlins don't clog the fuel filters???

5. How is the best way to find a competent RV Surveyor for a pre-purchase evaluation of the vehicle, and how much should that cost?

Thanks so much for your expert advise and suggestions. I'm sure I'll conjure up more questions, but I really appreciate your input.

Roger Spence
Rockport Texas