New here! Good deal or too risky?

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MrsG87

MrsG87

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Joined
May 22, 2017
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Hello! I am new here and poked around a few days on the site before I decided to post.

A little background; Family of 4 here and we have been wanting an RV for quite some time but it just hasn't been feasible up until now. My husband and I have come across an opportunity to purchase an '87 Fleetwood Pace Arrow RV. We Know the individual that is selling it to us very well. He is selling it (to us) for $2500. He and his wife have several RVs and they aren't wanting this one anymore. It has been sitting on private property for roughly 2 years unused. He said the fuel pump went out and needs to be replaced, so it does not start right now, but says he is willing to help us get it running when we are ready (if we decide to buy it). He also has informed us of several other issues that he knows are wrong. The roof needs to be resealed, the cab light replaced, carburetor replaced on generator, tires replaced obviously, and to replace a few elbows for the water tank. We walked through it and it is very well maintained inside. All the appliances work and everything turned on. Our main concern is the motor and not knowing how it will run since we can't actually drive it until the fuel pump is replaced. Plus I imagine sitting for 2 years not being driven has done some damage as well.

My question is, is this a good deal for the price or is it too risky not being able to test drive it? Thanks for any help!
 
I would never buy it unless I heard the engine running and actually drove it. Can you afford to spend several thousands of dollars if the engine is toast and find out about it after you get it home. $2500 seems awfully low. Check it out real good before buying. I would get a RV inspector to check out the entire RV and he'll give you a list of what needs to get done.
 
Thank you for your response! I agree, that is my mentality when car buying, I would never buy a vehicle if I couldn't drive it. Should that still be the mentality for RVs if the living quarters are good and the price is low? Honest question because I've never owned or purchased an RV.

Yes it is a very low price. We know the man who is selling it to us very well and know he isn't trying to scam us or anything. He wasn't planning on selling it but my husband and I have been looking at used RVs for some time now and would ask him his opinion on certain ones and he would give us advice whether it were a good deal or not. My husband would joke around and tell him to sell him one of his RVs and he would jokingly say something to the effect of him never being able to afford one of his  ;D

Just recently we came across one RV for sale, it was a smaller one and they were selling it for $1350, we were very close to buying it but there were lots of issues with it and we were trying to negotiate prices and were also consulting our friend about the sale. He informed us of all the costs and that it just wasn't a good deal. After that he finally said, "Look why not just buy mine, it's just sitting out there not being used. Make me an offer." Long story short, he threw out the $2500 figure.


 
Hi MrsG87. Welcome to the RVForum. It's a 30 year old motorhome that doesn't run, and which has been neglected for at least a couple of years. Who knows, maybe it'll purr like a kitten with a new fuel pump. I'd definitely want to see it running before I spent a dime of my own money on it.

New tires, which it probably needs, will run upwards of $2000. However I'd be very concerned with possible leak damage. Since he said the roof needs to be resealed, I strongly suspect extensive water damage, but there's no way to tell without a close inspection. Extensive water damage can be cost prohibitive to fix.

The worst thing you can do to an RV is crash it. The next worse thing is to neglect it, and let it sit outside for years, exposed to the elements. I honestly don't mean to sound "doom and gloom." Who knows, maybe you'll get lucky and end up with a gem, but you asked, so I'm just expressing my concerns. Just be prepared for some pricey repairs if you do decide to buy it. Good luck with your decision, and let us know if we can help.

Kev 
 
Thank you, I appreciate the "doom and gloom" and that's what I want because we have a tendency to be super excited about things and it obstructs our view of reality  :eek:

As far as the repairs, it will be a timely process to get any RV we purchase into tip top shape and ready for the road. We know that due to our financial capabilities, we aren't going to get something that is road ready right away. So we are prepared to do some major repairs over time (years if necessary) because we know we aren't ever going to be able to just drop $10k or more on a newer, less damaged RV.

 
 
The most dangerous thing for an RV is mold.  Not only can it do a lot of damage, it is plan unhealthy for occupants.  If your willing to dump a lot of money into something with zero resale value, have the time and ability, AND there is no water damage, go for it.  Just remember, it likely will never be worth what you pay for it let alone how much money your throwing away to make it road worthy and livable.  3 thousand for new tires is not unheard of. Another thousand before you even attempt to crank the engine, another 5 grand if the transmission is shot, add brake system renew.  Not once its running and safe to take down the road you can start on the interior.
IMHO you would be much wiser to spend 15K, buy a decent Tow vehicle and a nice used travel trailer.
 
Do you live in an area that freezes. Sometimes those couple elbows are broken because the pipes have frozen and broken  them. If so, there could be other things broken by the frost. Possibilities are the hot water tank, toilet valves, taps, pipes in walls ect. ect. ect. Unless someone is very mechanically inclined to fix all the mechanical and house type issues, I would avoid an old motorhome. Everything that is wrong is a thousand bucks if you cant fix it yourself. 
 
Reasons to say no:  I assume you value the friendship.  Even if he discloses all and is honest,maybe he doesn't know all the problems.  He will " help". Fix things?  Mm,if he didn't have time before,how will he have time now?  And even less motivation.

It sounds like a huge,expensive project.  How long before there is no money for repairs or just no more patience?  You want to get out there and camp! 

Keep looking and saving for something that runs.  My opinion.
 
If I were you, I would bump my budget up to around $6,000 and look for something that runs and drives.  I would imagine you could drop $3,500 on that $2,500 rig and still not have it ready for camping.
 
My first Motor Home was a 1967 Champion that we bought for $2500.00 and it had 92,000 miles on it and it did run. When we got rid of it still running at 190,000 miles it turned out to be a great RV. Like others have said, I would want to know it runs and the transmission is good etc....Right now you don't know what you are getting.
 
I really appreciate everyones advice and opinions. I've taken all of it into consideration. We've looked at it a little closer and did find where the water damage was. Walls were peeling and soft in several areas. We've decided to pass on it and save more money and find something newer and in better condition. Thank you all so much!
 
MrsG87 said:
I really appreciate everyones advice and opinions. I've taken all of it into consideration. We've looked at it a little closer and did find where the water damage was. Walls were peeling and soft in several areas. We've decided to pass on it and save more money and find something newer and in better condition. Thank you all so much!
Click to expand...

Very wise decision especially seeing you found soft spot from water leaks. You could be chasing those problems forever.
 
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