Sanity check

No, I am not sane

I wanted to pass by the general group my 'current' idea for RVing plan. In short, whilst we 'think' we will enjoy it, there is no guarantee . So, I was thinking of purchasing a <>10K RV - there seems to be a reasonable collection of them out there. This will be used by us for a year or so - some short trips to get used to it and a 2-3 week trip to really test it out.

I recognize it may have issues. For me, everything but water damage is ok. I expect to loose maybe couple of thousand on repairs in a worst case scenario. I won't touch water damage . I am also comfortable doing almost all maintenance - electrical, mechanical, building, whatever. I've built furniture, rebuilt engines, fixed electrical appliances, etc all before, so most things should be more time than anything! Plus adventure

I've considered renting, but I'm just not sure about that. First we want to be able to use at shorter notice, second we have a cat (and teenagers - not sure which is worse), third we will get something back on the RV if we upgrade. Not much, but something! The renting cost for our plans is easily in the $2-3K range (maybe higher), so this will hopefully cost no more, but be more available.

I recognize that there are a thousand factors in play here - so much can go right and wrong - but does this sound reasonable? Essentially - we want to see if it is going to work for us. If not, we can sell it and move on, if so, then we can find the rV that is really right for us (I have some idea's, but...), and spend more $$$.

Am I just crazy? (this is not to be discounted).
Does anyone have any experience or suggestions to add?

We have been considering this for close to 10 years now, due to circumstances outside of my control we had to 'pause' for the last 8, but the time is about to come back and I want to do it best I can, without being silly and blowing $50K on something I may regret!

Thanks in advance

Sounds like you are handy and can DIY so I think you are looking at a reasonable way of getting into the RVing.  My first was a fixer had with water damage, however it was old enough that I was able to use 1/8 Luan ply wood to replace the damage.  Didn't make a whole lot when I sold it to upgrade but the education was worth it. Had a much better idea of what to look for and what it would take in the way of repair. Also, I always liked to repair?!?/fix things so it was some what of a hobby.

So I think if the rest of the family(Wife especially) is on board, buying an older used unit makes all lot of sense!

Wi1dBi11

So I think if the rest of the family(Wife especially) is on board, buying an older used unit makes all lot of sense!

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Yes, very good point! Wife likes the idea too, as it gives us a 'way in' without committing to a 20 year loan on a depreciating asset... Sure, it's going to have its issues, but hopefully nothing I can't deal with!

Nope, that is not sane. There is no $10k RV that does not have water damage. You cannot expect to use any cheap RV for any length of time and expect to get any amount of money back out of it.

I had no idea renting an RV was so expensive! In that case, with you being so capable of fixing almost anything, I think this sounds like a splendid idea.

You've probably read that "most people" end up with a different rig than the first one they purchased, anyway.* Because thinking, fantasizing, and speculating about a living situation can only get you so far.

Once you've fixed up and all lived in your $10k castle on wheels, you will emerge with a solid gold wish list for The Real Thing - namely, your next RV, which has or can be modified to have everything you want and nothing you don't.

*I got mine sans the off-the-lot depreciation cost precisely because some couple before us with more money than sense bought this brand new and kept it less than a year, deciding it was too small for them. No (initial) depreciation, no shakedown trip necessary, all the bugs worked out... and pretty much brand new.

When you say RV....are you thinking travel trailer, fifth wheel, class C or Class A motorhome?

We did exactly that... bought our first RV, did spend 12K for one that was used. Bought from an individual which was such a better deal.. and so many people buy them and never use them.... our's was used, but barley used.. and there are lots of RVs out there just like we found. No water damage, in fact no damage, it was a wonderful first RV for us... If it wasn't for getting a dog, wanted slide, and now the new models having a king bed and bigger TV we would still own it. But now we are on our 3rd... and so glad we bought the first one! We love camping, owning our own set up and leaving on a unplanned trip and seeing lots of new country!

Arch Hoagland said:

When you say RV....are you thinking travel trailer, fifth wheel, class C or Class A motorhome?

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Aiming for a class a, though a c is fine if it comes to it (first rv, right?). Since we don't own a vehicle that can tow a decent trailer (we used to own one, no longer... The minivan rules the roost with a 6"3' teenager), the cost of that would kill any trailer\5th wheel.

SeilerBird said:

Nope, that is not sane. There is no $10k RV that does not have water damage. You cannot expect to use any cheap RV for any length of time and expect to get any amount of money back out of it.

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I must assume you're being sarcastic here. 
Our first Class A was an '89 Sportscoach 29'.  It had 10240 miles on it when we purchased it.  We paid $5k for it 5 years ago.  The only thing I had to do to the coach to make it road worthy was change the fan belts. 
No leaks, no in-op equipment, heck, the mattresses were still in plastic bags and some of the plastic carpet protector was still in place.  We put over 10k miles on it in the 5 years, which included living in it for 5 months while hosting at the Grand Canyon.  Sold it the first week in last December for $8k.  Talked to the new owners daughter the other day and they've already been out in in twice and they love it.
Good ones are out there, you just have to look for them.

That's almost exactly what I did, so yes it's crazy - but it's good crazy!

I was looking for an A in the 4-5k range and shopped for a while before I adjusted my budget upwards a bit with an 8k cap.  I wound up getting a decent rig for about 6500 that needed a few little things but was roadworthy and watertight.  Deals are out there, but you need to keep your search area expanded and be prepared to have differing opinions as to what "no water damage" means.  In my search I looked at one local coach, a few that required a couple hours' drive, and I even went clear to Mississippi to look at one that was great on paper.

If you learn by doing and like to rack up experience, it's a great way to go.  Stuff is going to break on you and you're going to need to figure it out, usually while on the road.  You need to be able to accept that as part of the adventure.  It sounds like you're the handy sort, so you'll find that the systems aren't difficult, but in many cases they were installed with cheapness being the main driver.  Case-in-point:. On my '93 Itasca, I just discovered that Winnebago used exactly two different wire colors for EVERYTHING in the house 12VDC system.  Green and purple.  Amateur night.

I would make sure that things are good mechanically with the chassis.  Engine R&R is a bit difficult on these because some joker dropped a house on your engine!  Tires are a real big thing.  You only get about 7 years out of them, they're about 300/pop, and you need six.  Windshields are big too.  Those are about 1-2k each side and I know my state won't let any vehicle in with cracked front glass.  I found myself drawn towards the one piece fiberglass roof on Winnebago and Itasca units because those seemed to be more solid and tolerant of deferred maintenance.

For your price, you're probably looking at mid-late 90s, gas, and no slides.  Be aware that the coach is likely close to its max weight rating already and it will be set up with a max tow rating of 3500lbs.  Tow bar systems are kind of stupid expensive, tow dollies can be had for under a grand, and if you go with a surge brake unit you won't need to run a new harness for a brake controller.  Ford/Deere chassis have a slightly higher weight rating than Chevy/workhorse in that era if memory serves.  Both the 460 and the 454 are good motors, the 502 and the v10 are more gooder.  I don't know about the Fords, but finding a unit that already has the Banks Power Pack installed on the 454 helps.

The good news is that you're going to be buying right near the bottom of the depreciation curve.  You'll use it for a couple years, make a few upgrades, fix a bunch of things, and decide what you like and don't like.  If you hate it, you'll be able to sell at a minimal loss and get out, but if you love it you'll be able to sell it and roll that in to the next coach.

Either way, it'll be an adventure and you'll learn a ton.

EDIT:. One thing I forgot to mention.  Harbor Freight has this tool kit they sell for about $30 with a coupon.  Long, slim, black blow mold case and has a selection of sockets, wenches, screwdrivers, bits, and stuff.  It's not a great toolkit but you can stash it anywhere and it has everything you need for minor repairs on the road plus it's cheap enough that you can keep it on board and not worry about moving your good tools around.  Every RV should have one!

Tires are a real big thing.  You only get about 7 years out of them, they're about 300/pop,

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Wow! You must be thinking of smaller tires. $500/tire and up is what I've found on 22.5" tires.

Be aware that the coach is likely close to its max weight rating already and it will be set up with a max tow rating of 3500lbs.

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Some might be around 5,000, diesels higher of course.

SeilerBird said:

Nope, that is not sane. There is no $10k RV that does not have water damage. You cannot expect to use any cheap RV for any length of time and expect to get any amount of money back out of it.

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I disagree.  Also, negotiation is the key.  You may be able to make a few grand if you buy and sell at the right time of year.  Many people just want it out of their life so if you say you have the money could you meet to transfer the title tomorrow (or now) for X dollars they may come down quite a bit.

I don't see anything insane about it, though you do have to be careful in your selection of the RV. At the $10k price level, there will be a lot of crud mixed in with the cherries.

One of the tricks is distinguishing whether water intrusion has caused water damage. As Seilerbird said, rare indeed is the old RV that never had a leak, but a leak that was detected early and promptly repaired seldom causes any real damage worth your concern. Just seeing a water stain need not disqualify. In fact, I might be more comfortable if I knew where the leak was, because I would assume an old RV had at least one and I want to know where it was so I can check it out.

Just for grins I searched on RVtrader for <$10K.  I was expecting weeds growing through the windows on a Dealer lot, but not the case.  There is quite a selection.  Just remember pictures always look better than real life. 

Just with a glance - you'll notice a lot of engine replacements, transmissions, etc.  The old gassers did not have the endurance they do today.  I noticed a few with glossy ceilings, a sure sign they were painted to cover water stains.  Check it out thoroughly.

If it were me, I couldn't keep myself away from classic!

https://www.rvtrader.com/listing/1977-GMC-PALM-BEACH-120244870

Larry N. said:

Wow! You must be thinking of smaller tires. $500/tire and up is what I've found on 22.5" tires.

Some might be around 5,000, diesels higher of course.

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Oh, for sure!  And if you're got a tag axle, you've got another two tires to buy on top of that!

Based on what I saw when I was shopping around, most of what's going to be in that price range (that isn't in need of total rehabbing!) will be gas coaches without tags and with 19.5" wheels.  You're absolutely right, though -- if you do luck in to a deal on nicer coach like a DP, your options in the $300 range for tires are going to be some sketchy-sounding Chinese brands when you get into a 22.5" rim.  Upside, though, is that you'll get more hauling capacity, added drivetrain durability, some added creature comforts (no big hump in the front, and less engine/drivetrain noise!), and a little more grunt.

It is really all about trade-offs, especially when you're shopping the lower-end of the price spectrum!  You need to figure out the "one thing" that you absolutely don't want to deal with or that you absolutely have to have, and then shop that.

Thank you all for the replies (even the disagreements). You have confirmed that I am indeed in need of medical help, but that is ok .

We will have time to shop around and get the right deal - there are some out there for sure. Our plan is to get a dolly with brakes and a super cheap car to drag around (teenagers also need a car to learn to drive in - dual use for the win!). Yes, looking forward to the adventure, and I'm well aware things are going to break at awkward times, but that is just part of the adventure.

See you all on the road later in the year hopefully....

A 6'3" teen?  Make sure he tries out his bed space!

Welcome to the nut house.  Lol.

Pugapooh said:

A 6'3" teen?  Make sure he tries out his bed space!

Welcome to the nut house.  Lol.

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Already given up on that unless we fluke a C. He gets an air matress at the front

I started out looking in this same price range, after 4-5 months of shopping I ended up spending right at $20,000 for a 15 year old (2002 model year) motorhome priced at the top end of the price range for its age and model, it was however already well updated (including new tires and batteries in 2014, along with a long list of other things, fridge, solar panels, suspension, carpet, seats,...all total $10,000 worth of parts since 2014).  One thing I found in my shopping was that generally speaking even the good $10,000 motorhomes out there needed $4,000 - $5,000 worth of work, most often new tires and batteries which account for a large chunk of that on their own.  However as you start going over the $10,000 price mark the extra money spent up front buys you more and more in the long run, even just raising the budget $2,000 - $4,000 will open up a lot of possibilities.

Also remember asking and selling prices can be two different things, in the case of mine the seller had just posted the ad and was asking $25,000, I offered $19,000 and we settled on $20,500 then I had a couple of thousand more in retrieval cost as it was over a thousand miles from home. 

Now you don't have to go to the extreme I did on inflating your budget, I came close to buying 2 or 3 that were priced in the $14,000 - $17,000 range that were well updated 97-99 models, however for me after much shopping I felt I wanted a 2001 or newer model for some specific reasons partly having to do with the better engines available, the 8.1L Chevy Vortec in my case, along with the much more contemporary color scheme, with the more tan / beige base color and darker swoosh stripe that is common to many post 2000 motorhomes vs the cream color base that just screams 1990's. Speaking of cosmetics, having a model with full body paint certainly keeps from showing the age vs the lower end models which came with vinyl graphics, all of which start cracking and peeling after 10-15 years.