Buying an older used RV

[va32h]

Okay - our first plan was to rent an RV. But we have seen lots of ads for older (70's & 80's) class C RV's for less than $5000. We have always wanted to own an RV. So if we are going to spend $1500 - $2000 renting an RV, we figured, why not go all the way and buy a used one, that would theoretically pay for itself in two trips to WDW.

We are fairly confident in our ability to shop for a car - what special things do we need to look for in an RV?

And, stupid question here, when it needs service, tires, etc. can we go to an ordinary mechanic, or would we need to find one that specializes in RVs?

 

[Disneefun]

Mostly it's going to come down to how well the unit was maintained. An RV is more complicated than a car with all the "house" systems to consider as well as the engine. If you can find someone with a well maintained unit (who can provide records to that effect) you might be in business. Also, unlike a car, very low mileage might not be a good thing. If an RV is very low mileage for it's age, that might mean it sat around a lot and when an RV sits around, things start to freeze up or rot, seals get corroded, etc. And for sure you don't want a unit with any water damage or leaks -- a very common problem in RV's due to to bouncing around on the highway.

When it needs service you might have a problem finding someone to deal with it, unless you live in an area with a lot of RV dealers who offer service. Most of our regualr car mechanics won't touch it -- either their service bays aren't big enough or they don't know enough about it or they just don't want to deal with it. Also, most places that will deal with the engine won't deal with the house systems and vice versa. We have a whole team of people who do various work on the RV -- one for the engine, one for the house systems, and another guy for the tires and another guy for the state inspection each year. This is one thing to find out about before you buy -- you don't want to need service and then have to start digging around to find somebody. If you're mechanically inclined a lot can be fixed yourself, but you need to know a little about engines, HVAC, plumbing, electrical and mechanical to do much service yourself.

And when you're figuring your costs, don't forget to factor in insurance, title/registration fees, property taxes and maintenance. And then you have to outfit the thing with linens, kitchen supplies, and anything else you need for a trip (it's a litttle like going to college and outfitting a dorm room). It may be more expensive than you think.

There's a lot that goes into an RV and everybody's needs/wants will be different, but I would suggest starting out by going to a dealer and looking around at the new ones -- talk to the salesman and get an idea of how the systems work, what looks "normal" etc. Armed with that information you'll know more about what you're looking at when you start looking at used ones.

 

[ftwildernessguy]

Wow, that was some really great advice. I might also add that perhaps your estimated payback time may be a bit off, if you consider the maintenance on a 30 year old rig. You also need to consider the reliability - I assume you are coming from the Dallas/Fort Worth area? That is a pretty good haul to Orlando. I have had some mechanical problems in my tow vehicles which were only a few years old on the trip down from PA. To me, camping is a lifestyle choice, so I don't really think of any payback on my trailer.

 

[John VN]

Great info so far.

Don't forget MPG $$$$$$$!!!!

Older motorhomes whether they be a C or A get 4.5mpg to 8mpg because they have a carburator and some only have a 3 speed trans. A newer mh with overdrive can range 6.5mpg to 10+. Stories about older motorhomes getting 14mpg are usually just stories.

Many times the tires look great because they have low mileage but they only have a life span of 5 to 7 years. There is a DOT date code that tells the manufacturing date and this MUST be checked. Tires made since 2000 will have a DOT of say 1403 which means it was made in the 14th week of 2003. Truthfully, any tire that is older than 2001 is in question as to its safety. The tires are also expensive, $150.00 min. to $300+ each.

Many times people will say that the generator has low hours and it is in great shape, another mistake. Older generators should generally be run 2 hours a month just to exercise them to keep them in good order.

I would suggest that you go to rv.net and click on read more or irv2.com.

Good luck and just ask, lots of helpful people here.

 

[va32h]

So all the work of maintaining a car, and all the work of maintaining a house! Well, it was just an idea.

Usually when we camp, we stick close to home, so we end up taking 2 vehicles: the truck, stuffed to the gills with all our gear, and the van - with the kids seated comfortably.

We are still undecided as to how we will camp, just that we will be camping. I will probably have to call Disney the day before we arrive to tell them whether we are bringing tent, trailer, or RV!

Thanks for your help.

 

[tacomaranch]

I just got back from my first trip this year in my older 76 road king. To get it ready I had to take out the water pump and replace the hosing into and out of the pump. So here is myself and my 71 yr old mom working on this water pump and water was everywhere. I have also had to have my hot water heater welded and now I have to remove some metal to replace the wood.

I am lucky that my RV was kept in very good shape and I maintain everything I can at all times. I check for leaks and every winter reseal the outside seams on the top. Also proper winterizing keeps from having to replace hot water heaters. For now I pray the fridge keeps working ok.

The best thing about my RV, I paid cash for it 10 yrs ago only $3500 and it was and still is very nice inside.

Good luck, April

 

[Disneefun]

So all the work of maintaining a car, and all the work of maintaining a house! Well, it was just an idea.

Don't let that deter you from owning an RV -- RV'ing is still a lot of fun and can be an economical way to vacation (especially if you can pay cash for the unit and avoid financing). If you have good service centers around you and/or are mechanically inclined, maintenance isn't that much a problem, as long as you start out with a good unit and keep up with the routine maintenance. It's a lifestyle choice and most who love Rv'ing will tell you that they don't mind the maintenance b/c it's part of the trade off for having so much fun. On the other hand, there are those who end up cursing their RV and the work involved b/c they just don't enjoy it that much to make the work worthwhile. It's all about what you want and what you like and going into the deal with your eyes open about the costs and maintenance vs. the amount of use and fun you'll get out of the unit. Have fun no matter what you decide.

 

[John VN]

Forgot to mention that I just replaced my 12yo refrigerator for a cheap price of $1,100.00. That was another do it myself no labor charge job. Also have replaced the power steering pump, the power step, the steering column, the right side exhaust manifold, the water pump, all hoses and belts, many bulbs and assemblies, resealed almost every seam, roof repair, spark plugs and wires, tires and more.

As mentioned, it is fun but not sure about that economical part.

 

[OK GRUMPY]

Have you thought of a travel trailer or pop up? When you purchase a RV that is considerable older there is so much that could go wrong. We purchased a pop up first for $2500.00 went to FW and camped around the local area for 6 years I think we got our money's worth out of it. We finaly sold it and we purchased a 94 5th wheel small 22ft with slide and we really got a good deal. The seller just wanted out from camping everything went for $4500.00 includin hitch & brake box. Fortantly they had good taste most everything was new pot, linens and so much more. If this camping ideal is something that you realy want just keep looking. All of the replies have been good advice. Good Luck!!

 

[ynottony99]

I lean the same was as OK GRUMPY. Although we use our RV often, it is hard for me to justify having motorhome with drivetrain, engine etc. just sitting there when not in use, as well as the extra maintenance. If you have a tow vehicle already, I would also think about a pop up or travel trailer as an option that may save you more $$ and maintenance down the road!!!!!!!!!!

 

[UrsulasShadow]

So all the work of maintaining a car, and all the work of maintaining a house! Well, it was just an idea.

Usually when we camp, we stick close to home, so we end up taking 2 vehicles: the truck, stuffed to the gills with all our gear, and the van - with the kids seated comfortably.

We are still undecided as to how we will camp, just that we will be camping. I will probably have to call Disney the day before we arrive to tell them whether we are bringing tent, trailer, or RV!

Thanks for your help.

So, you have a truck? I just bought a truck camper...economical, but I don't know what sort of truck you have, and whether you could transport kids in it (mine's a quad cab, so it's easy). Have you looked into those?

 

[T. Lynn]

I second the TT idea. We just purchased one last month for $1,750.00. It's a 1992 Scotty and is 23 ft. long. It's a step up from our pop-up, which we were both getting tired of setting up and down (especially if it was raining and you had to pack it up).

Don't settle on the first thing you see as we almost made that mistake. We almost paid more for a smaller trailer in worse condition.

Here are some pictures of the one we found:

 

[va32h]

So, you have a truck? I just bought a truck camper...economical, but I don't know what sort of truck you have, and whether you could transport kids in it (mine's a quad cab, so it's easy). Have you looked into those?

It's a Ford F150. They do make truck campers light enough for it, but they wouldn't really be comfortable for a family of 5. And we don't want to get a new truck right now - this one's paid for and we'd rather not get started on car payments again!

We could rent a Rockwood pop-up for $45 a night. According to the specs, this is light enough to be towed by our van (Ford Freestar) which would make for a comfy ride, and give us an idea of whether we'd like to buy one.

Right now, our little ones are little enough to not mind sharing a bed, but that won't last long! Even if we do go with the pop-up, we might bring the tent too, in case mom & dad need to get some more personal space!

 

[Friendly Frog]

Nothing better than traveling in a comfortable vehicle that you can make lunch or go to the potty when ever you need to. It is a great way to travel, BUT stuff happens, and it is a lot more difficult when the RV needs a tow or has a flat, than it is when it is a car.

Older RV's are money pits, I know I own one. We love our old RV but with gas prices what they are, and the possible problems that we could encounter on the road, we feel in the long run it is probably cheaper to stay at a value than to drive an older RV from DFW to Orlando ( It is just the two of us.) ... so this Sept. we will be in a value and the RV will be at home.