Caterpillar Parts Availability

[Johann1956]

Hello

We are new members and are still in the process of shopping for a coach.

Planning to go full time and see this great continent of ours, we will be attending the 2011 Convention in Perry to learn as much as possible.

I have been reading all the posts and expert advice and have learned a great deal.

Some of the coaches we have been looking at have Cat engines, some trucking friends are warning me to stay away from them because of parts availability and service issues.

I have owned farm equipment with Cat, Cummins and Perkins engines, never had to do much other than change fluids and filters.

Please share your experience so that we can make a more informed choice, we are looking for a Diesel Pusher 35> and once the engine issue is settled hope to find a quality coach that is well made.

Thanks

John and Kathy Douma

Ontario Canada

[wolfe10]

Welcome to the FMCA Forum. You will have a great time in Perry, and it will be an excellent learning experience. Be sure to highlight your program with the seminars of interest to you, as they are a great opportunity to learn about your new hobby.

I would not worry about Caterpillar parts availability-- Caterpillar still makes engines-- for everything except on-highway. These same engine are used in marine, stationary power plants, off-highway, Caterpillar equipment, etc.

We were at a Caterpillar RV Engine Owners Club Rally (an FMCA Chapter BTW) when the question of parts availability came up. One of the club members works for Caterpillar in Peoria. He laughed and came back from his coach a little later with a copy of an invoice for a set of pistons for a 1934 Caterpillar dozer that had just shipped. He joked that he didn't know if they would still be available when the engine was 80 years old, but right now, no problem.

And, they make money on the parts they sell. So it would make poor business sense for them to quit making parts available.

Over the years, Caterpillar engines have been used by virtually every large truck manufacturer. There are literally thousands of trained technicians around the country who know the Caterpillar (and Cummins and Detroit Diesel engine for that matter).

Though we have had great service from the Caterpillar engine in our coach over the last 160.000+ miles, I guess I would say that there are no bad diesels out there in the last 15 years. The Caterpillar vs Cummins debates are much like the Ford vs Chevy debates.

Said another way, I would not use engine manufacturer as a major factor in selecting a motorhome. Find a coach you like and you will likely never wear out the Caterpillar, Cummins, Detroit Diesel, MB, etc.

Brett

[lmsooter]

Welcome to FMCA. We made our first FMCA convention in Albuquerque, New Mexico last March. It was very educational and also fun. You will meet many fine people. We are new to motorhoming (a little over two years) and have decided to fulltime for a while. We currently have our home under sales contract so we hope to be on the road by summer. We will be looking at buying a diesel pusher coach with a little more space so your concerns and the response from Brett are of particular interest to me.

Good luck with your travels. Maybe we will meet sometime on the road.

[chucknewman]

I have to echo everything Brett said above. Though not the same person mentioned at the CAT rally, one of my brothers-in-law is a top level manager in CAT parts in Peoria/Morton IL. The parts shortage issue does not exist. In fact just the opposite. The global demand slowdown for new engines created much larger sales in the parts division. So much so they are now in the process of hiring several hundred personnel in parts division to accommodate that demand.

Keep an eye out. You may see a new CAT over-the-road engine in the near future. But I didn't tell you that.

Chuck