10K Unrealistic???

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an RV or an interest in RVing!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Lou Schneider said:
It's possible, but the search will take time and effort.  Don't jump at the first one you find.

Here's an example I found on Craigslist three years ago.  It's my current motorhome, and while it's too small for a family of four it's an example of what you can find if you look long enough.  Since then I've put another 24k miles on it, and the total maintenance has been to give it a tune-up, replace the house battery, and last week align the front end after replacing the front tires.  I'm currently in the middle of an open ended trip through Colorado and New Mexico - so far 3 weeks and counting!

http://www.rvforum.net/SMF_forum/index.php/topic,74857.msg680693.html#msg680693

So there is hope. LOl
 
omg I think I found it.

Please comment folks: https://orangecounty.craigslist.org/rvs/d/21-class-fleetwood-tioga/6279907360.html
 
The 2003 Four Winds looks real good. The price is in line. However that is a really small RV. Go live in your bathroom for a week to find out how small it really is, or go rent one for a weekend. The only downside to this RV despite the fact it is a C, would be making the bed. If you go see it ask them to make the bed.

http://www.nadaguides.com/RVs/2003/Four-Winds/M-21RB-C6-0/3011606/Values

The 21 footer is way too small unless you are a midget and travel alone. And it is massively overpriced.

http://www.nadaguides.com/RVs/1995/Tioga/M-C-Ford-351/3032418/Values

For four people you should not consider anything under 35 foot. I lived alone in a 32 foot class A for five years and it was way too small. I recently upgraded to a much larger fifth wheel.

 
SeilerBird said:
The 2003 Four Winds looks real good. The price is in line. However that is a really small RV. Go live in your bathroom for a week to find out how small it really is, or go rent one for a weekend. The only downside to this RV despite the fact it is a C, would be making the bed. If you go see it ask them to make the bed.

http://www.nadaguides.com/RVs/2003/Four-Winds/M-21RB-C6-0/3011606/Values

The 21 footer is way too small unless you are a midget and travel alone. And it is massively overpriced.

http://www.nadaguides.com/RVs/1995/Tioga/M-C-Ford-351/3032418/Values



Thank you. I don't ever plan on living in it. Think of its use as a really big mini van. The NADA bummed me out. But better to know now. Haha
 
Is it difficult to convert those corner beds in the 24 foot and smaller Eva into sectionals, sofas, seating?..
 
It depends on what's underneath them.  Often the makers will hide water tanks, outside storage, etc. in that large space.
 
Thank you. I don't ever plan on living in it. Think of its use as a really big mini van. The NADA bummed me out. But better to know now.
It doesn't matter if you are living in it or using it only a few times a year on weekends it still way too small for a family of four. Your kids are small and they will only get larger. Each person brings a bunch of stuff with them. Cs have very little storage. They also have very small holding tank so you would be dumping frequently. You really need to rent a small RV for a weekend and try it out.
 
What's your opinion as far as size on a class b airstream lounge ext? 24.5 See that was just right size wise. Are class c's in 24 smaller?
 
Tony79dr said:
What's your opinion as far as size on a class b airstream lounge ext? 24.5 See that was just right size wise. Are class c's in 24 smaller?
A class C would be larger than a class B but both are way too small for that many people.
 
At the Long Beach Grand Prix we had 6 adults and 5 children in a Class B listening to music, snacking drinking beers, kids watching movie in the back portion, and we managed. Not arguing with you just saying we made due and we were all comfortable-ish. We were parked. I can imagine if we set out an awning and seating we would have really been comfortable. I will want an air conditioner on steroids. Hahaha
 
So what's fair price for this? Let's say it is in "great" shape and it seems to be have been very well cared for and documented. ? NADA avg retail $5,500. This seems like it's got me written all over it.

https://orangecounty.craigslist.org/rvs/d/21-class-fleetwood-tioga/6279907360.html
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0293.PNG
    IMG_0293.PNG
    339.8 KB · Views: 16
Tony79dr said:
So what's fair price for this? Let's say it is in "great" shape and it seems to be have been very well cared for and documented. ? NADA avg retail $5,500. This seems like it's got me written all over it.

https://orangecounty.craigslist.org/rvs/d/21-class-fleetwood-tioga/6279907360.html
Six years ago I paid $6200 for a 33 foot Damon Challenger class A in great condition. All the RVs on the Internet look great. Wait till you see it in person before making any judgment on condition. How do you come to the conclusion that NADA is $5,500? Looks like $4100 to me.

http://www.nadaguides.com/RVs/1995/Tioga/M-C-Ford-460/3032417/Values
 
I inputted all the accessories and extras that you can through NADA to get a more accurate price. Such as 4K generator, Heater, Roof AC etc etc. In the ad it says what it all has.
 
Tony79dr said:
I inputted all the accessories and extras that you can through NADA to get a more accurate price. Such as 4K generator, Heater, Roof AC etc etc. In the ad it says what it all has.
That is not the proper way to use NADA. What you missed is the disclaimer found on every page on the site that lists options:

Option note: Only select options below that are in addition to standard equipment and equipment noted in the manufacturer or year notes show above. If you are uncertain of what came standard, please contact your manufacturer with your VIN.

Everything on that unit is standard equipment. This blunder is the main reason most used RVs are priced way too high.
 
Nada also says not to add in the features that will normally be standard in a base unit. That includes heater, 1 A/C, refer, all the kitchen stuff ect.  The gen may or may not be considered standard on that unit.

^^^Yup, what Tom said^^^
 
One thing to consider are seat belts/car seats for each person.  I "get" wanting something to take to the sporting events,esp. not having to use portapotties.  Even on the road,bathrooms can be nasty. 

It may take some time to find the right rig.  Good luck.
 
Personally I don't believe in getting too hung up on NADA, You can spend months shopping in the NADA value range to just find one money pit after another.  To me a well cared for, well maintained RV with an asking price far above NADA can easily be worth the money.

As to what fits your needs, you need to look at each unit in person, think how you will use it, is there enough seating, with most Class B's and C's the front 2 seats are useless when parked, on a few they swivel and can be functional to a degree in the living space vs class A's where the swiveling front seats are generally in integral part of the social seating plan with full height ceiling above them.

Personally my cut off points are nothing built before 1996 (the introduction year for the OBD-II diagnostic port, and shortly after the mandating of R134a refrigerant for vehicles), preferably something built after 98-01 depending on Ford vs Chevy chassis (I think 98 was the introduction year for the Ford 6.8L V-10, and 01 was the introduction of the Chevy 8.1L V8).

As to length a standard full size parking space like those found in big box store parking lots are 9x22 ft, anything up to about 24 or 25 feet will fit in one without too much overhang.
 
Ahhhh, thank you guys on the NADA thing.. Man you guys rock.

Just heard from the 21 footer. He has a Deal pending and he's waiting to hear back.  :(

The 24footer said if I'm really interested he'd take 11,500. Damn that 21if it was I the shape the guy said and I could pay 5 to 6K for it I would have been in heaven. Of course if it al checked out and he would take 6K. 
 
I was able to find a class A in good condition for well within your budget but it took a lot of shopping over a long period of time.  And while I did need to put a little cash into it, it had been measured in hundreds of dollars, not thousands.  The appliances worked (except for one of the AC units on the roof), there was very minimal water intrusion which didn't really do any major damage and was easy and cheap to seal up, and it had basically brand new tires (yes, according to the date codes).  Shop in the fall or winter when people don't have dreams of taking the RV out the next weekend and it's just a maintenance burden to them with no buyers hanging around.  Be prepared to cast a wide net and travel - I went a few hundred miles to Mississippi and back to look at a real turd and happily came home empty-handed. 

One thing you might want to consider, though, is that if you're planning to take road trips but stay in hotels, you might be better suited to a Mercedes GL, a Tahoe, or a Pilot.  A class A or C will eat you alive in fuel, be inconvenient to take places, and be expensive to maintain.  The value, if you can call it that, is in being able to jump in, stop at the grocery store, and then show up at a campground ready to relax.  And if you need to stop along the way, you can just stop and have all the comforts of home.  There are a lot of compromises made in the motor part of the equation to make the home part possible.

Now if you can get a B you might be where you want.  Those hold value a lot more, though because they swing the compromise more towards the van part of the equation.  Easier to drive, cheaper to maintain, easier to park, but way more cramped.  If you can swing one built on the Sprinter chassis with the OM642, you'll even get pretty good fuel mileage.
 

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
131,670
Posts
1,382,720
Members
137,455
Latest member
MtnRV
Back
Top Bottom