2006 30 LE

madashby · Post by **madashby** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 8:52 am

Hello! We have contacted the owner of this RV and since it is a '06, I need to ask a question about standard features and options. Can anyone tell me if the LEs have the aluminum rafters as standard? They are listed as an opt. on the '07 Cardinal but not on the '07 LE, so I'm thinking they are standard on the LEs???

Also, they said they have only pulled it approx. 1350 mi. and are asking $28.000. Sounds like a good deal to me, but I'm not sure as we've not looked at it yet.

Thanks for you help!

Post by **Don Wilson** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 10:03 am

Hi Ashbys,

Welcome to the club! I only have the brocure for the 05 Cardinals and the Aluminum Trusses are optional in that year as well as the 04 that I have!

The following information is from Aluminum Trusses in the Fifth Wheel Section located several (17) posts below yours.

Ol' bird

Pull down the vent in the bath, the wood frame around the vent does not go to the ceiling.
Look past the opening and you can see the trusses, if they are aluminum they will be bright silver

.

Rob also stated that his 06 29RKLE has aluminum trusses!

I know this is not exactly what you wanted to know but it is the best I can give you now. Someone one else may be able to answer more specifically later.

The price sounds in the ball park the one thing you should check is the tires if they are Kenda Klevar tires you will need to look at replacing them as they had problems! You might want to go to the nada or blue book and do a price check. I have listed the link below for the NADA option on RV NET
http://www.rv.net/nada/index.cfm?action=nada_price
Don

Rob & Cathy · Post by **Rob & Cathy** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 10:16 am

As Don said, my '06 LE has aluminum trusses which I too believe are an option. If you need to check just pull down the vent cover in the bathroom as George said. It will be very obvious.

Rob

madashby · Post by **madashby** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 10:24 am

I finally found on the Forest River website in the new brochure that the aluminum trusses are an opt. in 07, so I'm guessing they were also in '06.

I did a check on the nada and I think what he is asking is a good price, although we've not looked at it yet. Hmmm...since that is what he is asking...maybe can get it for less! That would be even better!

Thanks for your replys!

DougnDawn · Post by **DougnDawn** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 10:30 am

Hello, We have a 2006 29 RK LE and when we ordered, the Alum. Trusses were an option. We have them but I don't remember the cost (paperwork is in the Bird). Hope this helps, Doug

Rob & Cathy · Post by **Rob & Cathy** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 10:35 am

I personally know someone who has a 29RKLE, same model and year as I have, and paid $28000 brand new. His trailer has zero options and he picked it up at the manufacturer. Options, and delivery, can really add to the price. The more option in the one your looking at the better the price appears.

Rob

madashby · Post by **madashby** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 11:34 am

With the options he told me they had the low NADA price is about 31,800 and the ave. is 38,400, so I'm liking his price more and more all the time! Hopefully we can look at it soon! I think he is getting anxious to sell because he told me not to loose his phone #

!

One other thing...this is the first Cardinal we've looked at. (We currently have a 20 yr old Newmar that we bought used about 10yrs ago as our first fiver. It has been a great one, but the newer ones of these are completely out of our price range. Hoping to retire in a couple of years and go more than we do now, which is only 2-4 times a year.) Can you give me any pros or cons about Cardinals? I read on one post about some flimsy shelves..Anything else you've encountered? I understand that there are lemons in every co., and am not looking to stir up trouble...just would like honest advice as to why you chose your Cardinal and if there is anything to watch for when we look at it!

Thanks, again!

Post by **Don Wilson** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 12:06 pm

The three most comon problems people have had with the Cardinals are the flimsy shelves which are similar in other brands I have looked at.

Loose water connections where the factory did not tighten the connections and have had leaks.

The third seems to be the concertone and television wiring, they seen to be wired incorrectly or reversed.

There are going to be issue with individual trailers but they don't seem to be something that happens to lots of units on a large number!

The one advantage to purchasing a previously owned unit, which is what I did is that most of the issues have already been dealt with!

I think the one real issue that most Cardinal owners have had problems with were the Kenda Klevar tires I mentioned in an earlier post

Don

Luizianna · Post by **Luizianna** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 12:08 pm

We are very happy with our 30 LE !!! We have an 05 with a lot of the options like 15 k ac, 10 gal w/h, 10 cf fridge, solar panals, alluminum trusses, slide toppers, wood floor in living area, china toilet, and some ohters I can't remember right now. The 28k for an 06 models sounds like a good price to me. You can always try for lower, all he can do is say no...lol

We've only had minor issues with our unit and would by another Cardinal in a heartbeat. Good luck and keep us posted. Welcome to the Cardinal family!!

Me&Margie · Post by **Me&Margie** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 12:31 pm

I have the '06 & '07 brochures and the aluminum trusses are listed as options on both the Cardinal and the LE for both years. We ordered them for our unit and according the the options price list, which I also have, the cost of the trusses was $283.00. Hope this helps..................Marv

Chief409 · Post by **Chief409** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 6:52 pm

We have a '07 30WBLE with the alum trusses, they were a option. Plus it has all the other options, except the 2nd airconditioner. We'll be putting one of those on, after it gets to 90+ outside, it needs it up in the bedroom.

Only real problems we've had are the standard items: Concertone, freshwater leak the first time we used city water (with the pressure reducer <g>), plus I couldn't dump the black tank on the last trip. One handle for it and the bathroom grey tank and only the grey tank dumped. Ended up at Lowes and got a wet/dry vac to hold us over till we got back.

Also with a new rig, the alum rims NEED to be retourqed every couple hundred miles. There's a thread about that