1993 Jamboree "Searcher" value...How much?

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B737doc

B737doc

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West Georgia
1993 Jamboree "Searcher" motorhome I am contemplating purchasing from a neighbor...  59,000 miles on a Ford "big block" engine that he says runs excellent. Like new tires, and all the commodities, but says the roof DOES leak and will need repair, with minor water damage on the inside. We have agreed to meet on Sunday (I haven't actually seen the RV yet, just pictures).  He's asking $6000 for it....  How much is it gonna cost to have the roof fixed? Is it something I can do myself?  I am a commercial aircraft technician and lay a pretty mean bead of RTV LOL!  Advice from here would be instrumental in my decision....
 

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Try here, not the bible but a starting point. Add NO options in the pricing on NADA, insert mileage for gasoline engines (on newer models only) ...  Tires?? Check the Mfg. date on the tire itself, 5-7 years old max. (Fleetwood Jamboree Searcher)

http://www.nadaguides.com/RVs/1993/Jamboree

Can you fix it yourself?? Yes, for a minor leak if you can find it.  But... that begs the question, if simple, why did the owner not fix it ?? Replace the whole roof? Run, don't walk, away.
 
The problem is what appears to be a minor roof leak on an older RV can do a lot of damage by the time the water seeps through and becomes visible inside, particularly if the RV has a wood frame.  Mold and dry-rot can require complete replacement of entire sections of the wall and/or roof.

If the leak is in the cab-over area (they commonly leak around the front window and clearance lights) you can wind up tearing out the entire cab-over and rebuilding it.

I'm not trying to discourage you from buying this RV, just be aware that the repair may require substantially more than just caulking the roof seams.
 
Search the topic "sour lemonade" or "new to me camper" on this site. Look at the pictures. Make your own conclusion.
 
They're good for preventive maintenance, the problem is locking the barn door after the horse is gone.  Once water has gotten inside the structure you may be looking at a lot more work to get everything back to where it should be.

On the plus side, a 1993 rig should have the fuel injection and the 4 speed overdrive transmission, which drives a lot better and gives better MPG than the older carbureted engines.
 
Do you have x-ray vision to check for hidden damage? Otherwise he should be paying you to take it away. Roof leaks are one of the biggest and most expensive problems that an RV can have.
 
Let's face the facts, he is NOT going to pay you to take it away. Roof leaks are very serious though. If it has been leaking for a while there is more damage than may meet the eye. When you start tearing into it, you will find out just how much damage there really is. He is asking WAY TOO MUCH for the coach even if it didn't have any leaks. Unless you just want a LARGE project forget it. If the wood is rotted, and it probably is, IF you would get the leaks stopped the coach may start falling apart when you start driving it down the road. I've never seen a class C that didn't have leaks at some point in it's life, many class As have leaks too. I'm like some of the other posters here, don't want a major project, there fore I wouldn't want it for free.
 
    Oh well, there goes me and my wife's hopes of acquiring a used motorhome that we could even possibly purchase...I now have ZERO confidence in purchasing ANY used motorhome... and there's simply NO WAY we can afford frikkin 18-25,000 dollars for a new one... The Ford RV pictured is EXACTLY what we were looking for.  He has a vintage Honda CB 900 I was  gonna barter some carburetor work on to reduce the price, and hopefully get him down to $3000, but he says it IS indeed leaking pretty bad and the quote he got to repair it was over $1500.  Going to pick up his motorcycle on Monday to fix it up for him, I'll take a look at the motorhome while I'm there.....Is there ANY tell tale signs I can look for to determine the extent of the damage???  Any ray of hope out there ANYWHERE??  Thanks a million in advance! 
 
There's perfect, then there's what can you live with?  Take a hard look at the areas that are water damaged, plan on fixing the roof and making cosmetic interior repairs.  Then leaving a window or vent open while you're camping so any loose mold spores can dissipate.  Or ripping out the interior paneling and replacing what you find damaged behind it - framing and/or insulation.

I've had all sorts of fun with several cheap RVs over the years, everything from a $400 strip everything out and put it back together junker and on up.  It just depends on your expectations and how handy you are in making repairs.

 
$1500 won't even pay for the roof to be resealed much less the damage underneath the roof. Old used motorhomes that are cheap are cheap for a reason. If it could be fixed for a reasonable amount of money the seller would fix it and he would get a lot more when he went to sell it. The problem is the leaks are only the tip of the iceberg with old RVs. You still have tires, a/c units, refers and batteries that will also need attention and a bunch of other stuff.
 
Nobody has even seen the rig, but everyone has made it out to be worst case scenario.

The reason many owners refuse to fix the dadgum roof, is they know it won't change the selling price. What they seem to fail to recognize is that it may make the difference between selling and not selling.

I was robbed on my roof repair, so it had to be redone.

At that point I did what an old RV repairman told me to do. He forgot to warn me I might get plenty of flack about it!

But I stuck roof tape on my roof from end to end and side to side.

No leaks, good as new, has UV protection and the cost was pricey, but not that bad. It came in at $600.

Make fun of me all you care to, I have a new roof and it doesn't leak.

Life goes on in an old motorhome.

By the way I used Eternabond in the 6 inch width.

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=as_li_ss_tl?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=eternabond
 

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WHOA!  I think there is a lot of over-reaction here (and elsewhere) on the subject of water leaks.  Any older RV you find is almost sure to have had a water leak or two in its time. No matter how well maintained it may have been.  You  have to tune up that X-Ray Vision that Seilerbird mentioned and assess whether there is any significant damage from it. Often not, but when there is damage, it can sometimes be nasty.  On the other hand, a competent handyman can DIY repairs - it's not rocket science in any sense. RV construction is pretty simple overall.

So, use extreme caution when you find evidence of a water leak and investigate thoroughly, but don't reject it out of hand. You should probably avoid those with water damage unless you are willing to undertake repairs yourself, cause paying somebody else to do it is going to be frightfully expensive.

As for caulks & lap sealants, it's as Lou says. They are for preventing leaks and stopping the source of new water intrusions, but they don't fix existing leak damage.
 
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