By the end of Summer 2011 we had a pretty good idea of the kind of fifth wheel we would be buying in Spring 2012 – at least 36′ long, a bath and a half, bunkhouse, two entrances, washer/dryer hookups – and even a front runner model: the Open Range 399BHS. It topped a fairly short list of fifth wheels that met our requirements.
I had reviewed the inventory listings of the few RV dealerships that were within 75 miles of our home. There are only about 6 such dealerships and none admitted to having a used 399BHS on hand. But we thought that a second trip to a dealership would be a good idea as this time we would have some focus when we viewed the RVs.
We had gone to Campers Inn in Merrimack, NH, the first time and I wasn’t opposed to returning there. It is a huge dealership with hundreds of used RVs on the lot and I’m sure we would have found a few units of interest. But we really didn’t have any other reason to go to NH (who does, really?), whereas we did have a good reason to go to Worcester, MA – that’s where our rental property is located – and one of the three Flagg RV facilities (www.flaggrv.com) was conveniently situated near Worcester.
So one sunny Sunday in September we stopped in at Flagg RV in West Boylston, MA, to take a look at what they had. They actually didn’t have anything that met our specs, but they did have some very nice used fifth wheels. The trip was not a complete waste of time because we were now looking with a keener, more critical eye and were able to solidify our “want list.” They had a very nice Forest River Cardinal that didn’t meet our current specs, but impressed me as being a vehicle of high quality and comfort. And a Keystone Montana that was also very nice. If we couldn’t find an Open Range we would definitely look for a Cardinal or Montana.
But a few days later we found an Open Range.
After scouring classified listings from all over the country, I sent off an email to a private seller from Massachusetts who had a 2010 Open Range 399BHS for sale:
I saw your note on OpenRangeOwners.com. My wife and I are shopping, sort of, for a large RV with the intent of becoming full-timers next summer. While ideally we would not buy until late spring, we realize that the supply of RVs that we like – the 399BHS being at the top of the list – is very limited. If one is available in MA, we need to consider it. We live in Medford.
If it is still available, do you have any photos or additional details? And would it be possible to see it sometime soon?
Somewhat to my surprise because the ad was several months old, I received a reply the next day. The owner told me that the coach was still in Maine and would remain there until October. But he included a picture of the interior:
Interior View of the 399BHS
This wasn’t the first interior photo of a 399BHS that we had seen, but this one was special because there was a very real possibility that this could be OUR 399BHS. I was tempted to PhotoShop Jett and me into the scene, just to see if we looked good standing there.
I later received this photo of the 399 at its summer home in Maine:
The Open Range 399BHS in Maine
The seller informed us that he would be moving the coach back to Massachusetts the first weekend in October. I wasted no time in arranging a time to view it: Sunday, October 2, 2011 at 1pm. We actually arrived 15 minutes late because we got lost. The seller’s house was located on a narrow, winding, tree-lined rural road in Tyngsboro, MA, close to the New Hampshire border and about 45 minutes from our house in Medford. My first thought when we belatedly pulled into the driveway and saw the huge RV sitting there: “How the hell did he get it up that road?” The fact that he could navigate that narrow pathway reassured me that we could take it more places than I had assumed. After getting some experience hauling it, of course.
I was already thinking it was mine.
The seller was very gracious and gave us an hour-long tour. We were enthralled, of course. It was our first contact with what could be our next home. We took our time with viewing every corner of the unit and the seller stayed with us, even when his young son, who was watching his baby sister (and the reason for selling the coach – with a new baby the family just wouldn’t be camping for a couple of years) was having a jelly emergency: a jar of jelly had spilled all over her.
I can’t recall any huge surprises from that First Encounter with a 399BHS. It was pretty much as we had expected and we loved it from the moment we saw it. The problem, of course, was that we were not prepared to buy it and wouldn’t be until the spring of 2012. The asking price was $39,000, which was very reasonable, but the best we could do was suggest an “option to purchase” arrangement in which we would pay something up front and the balance in the spring. The seller was not interested and we left, feeling that this 399BHS was “the one that got away.”
But sleeping on an offer has a way of making it more appealing. A flurry of phone calls and some haggling on Monday and Tuesday the following week resulted in me emailing an Option to Purchase to the seller. The primary terms were:
- A purchase price of $39,000.
- A $2,000 deposit to hold the coach until April 30, 2012.
- We would complete the purchase by giving them an additional $37,000 by that date.
- If we didn’t complete the purchase, they would keep the $2,000 deposit.
- If we completed the purchase, they would agree to store the vehicle, at no additional cost, until May 15, 2012.
I sent this Option to Purchase to the seller on Tuesday, October 4 and went to bed that night thinking that I was now an RV owner.
Well, not quite.