See any gems among these rigs?

I've posted a few links to rigs recently, so you're probably sick of me, but what are your thoughts on the following rigs? See any gems in there? By gem, I mean something that would have mostly cosmetic issues for someone planning on urban boondocking and mostly avoiding long roadtrips.. And lowish standards.

If you HAD to pick which would you choose? Which is the best?

1988 Winnebego Chieftain:
http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/wsh/rvs/5903973669.html

1977 Minnie Winnie:
http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/wsh/rvs/5856663531.html

1970 Dodge Superior:
http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hnp/rvs/5866131350.html

Southbound (?):
http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/ank/rvs/5861344845.html

1978 Dodge:
http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/dak/rvs/5813347769.html

Anybody willing to help me out? Thanks!!

EDIT: I really appreciate everyone's input. I'm starting to really understand what it's going to take. I'm still not willing to spend too much; maybe $5000, but I've decided that I would be uncomfortable boondocking anyways. I will most likely begin a search for trailer trailers and an RV park in my area where it can stay put. Ahh! Here come the comments about how a travel trailer wouldn't last a Minnesota winter either! Bring it on. I'll take it. Thanks everyone! I'm not quite done with the links yet. You all really are a big help. Stay tuned for the rest of my sh*tshow experience in finding an RV home!

In a word ............. NO !    (you asked 

dktool said:

In a word ............. NO !    (you asked 

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Ha, yes. Yes I did. Like any of them better than the others?

I fear you'll have looming major maintenance that will far exceed spending a little more up front

LadyKae, there are no gems here. These are all very old RVs being sold on Craig's list - that's a very bad combination - a financial disaster waiting to happen. And asking for advice on rigs that no one has seen is analogous to asking someone for advice about whether you should marry a stranger.

You asked the question so I will answer it - first, there are no "gems" here, I wouldn't say I like any of them. If I HAD to narrow it down with the information available the Minnie Winnie and 30' Southwind seem the least objectionable. If you don't pay a professional to thoroughly check anything you're considering you could well be broken down the first night.

Listen, I get that you've chosen this path, apparently out of looming necessity. I don't have alternatives for you but I will tell you that there are many reasons your plan is a recipe for disaster. I am certain you just don't understand the logistics involved in trying to buy a very old motorhome and live on the street in the Minneapolis area. I will touch on a few, not to be negative but to try and get you to come up with an alternative plan:

1) NONE of these RVs can take NE winter. The battery will be dead halfway through the night trying to run the furnace
2) Even if the battery makes it (it won't) you'll need propane every 3 days
3) Most of the water system will freeze solid, breaking water lines, pumps, etc etc. And you have no water
4) Every week you need to go somewhere to dump the waste tanks and fill the water (you won't actually be doing this because everything will be frozen). If you're thinking dump on the ground and water hose, don't. That will be go to jail time.
5) Someday soon something expensive will break which will render the unit either uninhabitable and/or undrivable. Either way you'll be in a situation where you're now the proud owner of a completely useless box on wheels. And you're penniless because you spent your last few dollars on some else's basket case.
6) Apparently your plan is to park on the street. This invites tow-away and impound with fees in the hundreds of dollars or more

I could go on and on. I have tried to tell you. Others have tried to tell you. You need a different plan.

I'm so sorry you find yourself in this situation. Everyone here is just trying to keep you from making it worse. I think you should save every dime you can and instead rent a room and give yourself some breathing room to come up with a long term plan.

Any old vehicle, and especially any old motorhome, has great potential to be a money pit. Cosmetics aside, the operating condition is critical and that cannot be determined from a few photos. Since you do not plan to travel much, high mileage and other mechanical factors are of lesser importance, but you still want it to be reliable. And of course you need a livable house, with sound water & electric, working appliances, etc. Sellers nearly always claim everything works, but that is seldom accurate, and photos never show the coach in its true light.

You haven't mentioned where you will stay in this, e.g. a campground, a friend's yard, etc. Newcomers to RVs often forget that the onboard power and water are very limited, often less than one day's usage. They envision themselves living carefree on the city streets or store parking lots. That generally is NOT going to happen.

All that said, I'll make the following comments on the above selection:
Chieftain: With zero information provided and few photos, this one is a non-contender

Sun2Retire gave you excellent advice. Take it!
Minnie Winnie: Lack of interior photos is worrisome; seller seems focused on the vehicle more than the house
Superior: Too little info to tell
Southwind: This one is the cleanest looking of the bunch, and that may indicate a higher degree of care
78 Dodge: Looks reasonable clean in the few photos, but lack of info on the appliances & systems is not a good sign. Nor is the term "hunter's special", which typically means "rough".

So if you have your heart set on a really cheap rig, take a closer look at the Southwind.

Urban boondocking is illegal. Urban boondocking in the wintertime is extremely stupid. Urban boondocking in wintertime in a dirt cheap RV is beyond stupid. A recipe for disaster. It will not end well.

If I had to buy something in that general budget range I would look for something that was at least in good cosmetic condition, which would likely draw a bit less attention than a cousin eddies special.  Something that has been stored indoors, perhaps something like this:  http://deridder.bookoo.com/i/44922541  note that the motorhome in the link I posted has been for sale for months, so there may be big issues with it, or it may be sold and the owner has not removed the ad.

p.s. the idea here is sort of like the idea of dressing like a prince from a foreign land when meeting with professional suit and tie finance types, don't try and wear a suit and tie yourself as you will never measure up.  Instead wear nice casual clothes, leather jacket,  rockport shoes, etc. not some old T-shirt and worn out sneakers.  An older Holiday Rambler, Wanderlodge or possibly an Airstream if cleaned up might do that, in this case it is about not looking like a Cousin Eddies special.

I really appreciate everyone's input. I'm starting to really understand what it's going to take. I'm still not willing to spend too much; maybe $5000, but I've decided that I would be uncomfortable boondocking anyways. I will most likely begin a search for trailer trailers and an RV park in my area where it can stay put. Ahh! Here come the comments about how a travel trailer wouldn't last a Minnesota winter either! Bring it on. I'll take it. Thanks everyone! I'm not quite done with the links yet. You all really are a big help. Stay tuned for the rest of my sh*tshow experience in finding an RV home!

The travel trailer will last, you won't. You need to rent an apartment. You have no idea just how expensive it is to live in an RV year round.

Very few travel trailers, especially the older ones are insulated well enough to take staying in for a winter. Trailers in general are not as insulated as motorhomes. It will cost a fortune in propane and electricity to use over a winters stay. Not a good idea.

SeilerBird said:

The travel trailer will last, you won't. You need to rent an apartment. You have no idea just how expensive it is to live in an RV year round.

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I appreciate your input. Well, I'm glad that I'm in the perfect place to learn: "The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an RV or an interest in RVing"

LadyKae said:

I appreciate your input. Well, I'm glad that I'm in the perfect place to learn: "The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an RV or an interest in RVing"

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It's hard to be sure, but I think that was intended to be sarcasm. If so, note that folks (including Tom) ARE trying to be friendly -- that includes speaking frankly (though it could have been couched in slightly more gentle terms, it wouldn't have the needed impact) to help you avoid a serious mistake.

Wishful thinking (as some of your posts have come across to me) won't change the facts. Still, best of luck whatever you finally decide -- just hope it doesn't become a disaster for you (financial or otherwise).

SeilerBird said:

The travel trailer will last, you won't. You need to rent an apartment. You have no idea just how expensive it is to live in an RV year round.

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X2. What SeilerBird said.

LadyKae said:

Bring it on. I'll take it.

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OK here you go. To elaborate, RVs, including trailers, are leaky and poorly insulated. The trailer will freeze solid even plugged in. You'll need skirting, heated water and sewage lines, and a couple electric heaters running under the trailer 24/7. All windows will have to be covered with plastic (course then you'll have condensation problems). The furnace will run almost continuously (which it wasn't designed to do) and when it quits the trailer will freeze in a few hours. You will have very high electric bills and even higher propane bills. This in addition to your site rental (utilities are not included for long term residents).

You'll spend the same or more than renting an apartment plus you still have to fix stuff when it breaks. And some apartments include utilities.

Again I suggest renting a room to get you through winter. I realize you won't feel independent but neither will you feel independent when you completely run out of money. In 6 months hopefully things look brighter and some opportunities will have presented themselves. And you'll still have the money you have now rather than have spent it on a piece of junk. (Also, importantly, consider any money you spend on an old RV as gone. It's extremely unlikely you'll ever be able to sell it for anything close to what you paid. Even under the best of circumstances RVs are not an investment.)

You've asked for and received substantial advice from those with more experience than yourself, 100% of whom have told you both the RV and school bus ideas are not good, but I don't think you really want to hear it. I truly wish you the best going forward but I can assure you making a snap Craig's List purchase after a few forum posts is a very, very bad plan.

Good luck in your future endeavors.

I would at least take a look at the Minnie Winnie, with all the upgrades. Be sure there is good documentation of all that stuff. Then look in every corner, inside cabinets, around vents and AC, around all the windows for signs of water stains. If you find even one water stain...RUN, RUN, RUN!!!

LadyKae said:

I appreciate your input. Well, I'm glad that I'm in the perfect place to learn: "The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an RV or an interest in RVing"

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I am sorry but there is no way to say it nicely. You have a horrible idea. You do not have an interest in RVing, you want to buy an old RV and think you are going to live cheaply. It is not going to happen. People who buy a dirt cheap RV to live on the streets give real RVers a bad name. If it was possible to buy a $2000 piece of crap and live on the streets then the streets would be filled with junky old RVs.

What about renting a mobile home, not a RV? We lived in one during grad school in Iowa. Not quite as cold as Minneapolis, but close. It already had heat tape on the pipes and skirting, and we only had frozen water lines a couple of times during our 3 year stint. There are mobile homes available for very little money if you are willing to live in somewhat sketchy parks; that's what we did. We actually bought our mobile home, and we sold it when we left. I wouldn't think the lot rent would be any more than a RV park.

Larry N. said:

It's hard to be sure, but I think that was intended to be sarcasm. If so, note that folks (including Tom) ARE trying to be friendly -- that includes speaking frankly (though it could have been couched in slightly more gentle terms, it wouldn't have the needed impact) to help you avoid a serious mistake.

Wishful thinking (as some of your posts have come across to me) won't change the facts. Still, best of luck whatever you finally decide -- just hope it doesn't become a disaster for you (financial or otherwise).

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I really do appreciate your input, I apologize if that came off as rude, I really wasn't trying to be!

The bottom line is there are some very good reasons RVers either put their rigs into dry storage or head south into warmer temperatures before the first freeze hits.  All of the RVers who leave the northern country for the desert southwest, south Texas and Florida every winter can't be wrong.

I have been giving some thought to an Urban RV boondock vehicle given the nature of the legal and social climate with many cities not allowing RV parking, but allowing other similar types of vehicles to park without harassment.  I think therefore if I were to try to come up with an RV for urban boondocking I would start a different platfom, in particular I would look for a used showroom on wheels truck, Snap on Tools comes to mind as having these, they are typically a mid size box truck with an RV like door and steps on the side, with just one window in the door.  They typically also have a generator and air conditioner like an RV, just no bathroom or cooking appliances.  I have seen them for sale gutted on ebay in the past, not sure about the price though, but if painted right they could fit in much better than a traditional RV.