How old is too old?

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amyd1972

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Mar 19, 2020
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Hi I'm thinking of buying a class C motor home for the first time. There's a really nice Minnie Winnie 2014 for $42000 with just under 17,000 miles on it. However, I also found some decent options at half the price with about 35,000 to 60,000 miles on them and are 2005-2006 range. I'm not sure I want to invest in $40,000 for a motorhome but I also want to buy something that won't need a lot of repair work and cost me just as much in the end.
Any advice for a first time buyer? Would it be worth it to have a much bigger monthly payment for a newer home rather than a smaller monthly payment for an older motorhome with fairly low miles on it? ANY advice would be appreciated. And yes, I realize I'm not giving much info to go on, sorry.
Buying brand new is not on option for me at this time.

Thanks in advance!!
 
amyd1972 said:
Hi I'm thinking of buying a class C motor home for the first time. There's a really nice Minnie Winnie 2014 for $42000 with just under 17,000 miles on it. However, I also found some decent options at half the price with about 35,000 to 60,000 miles on them and are 2005-2006 range. I'm not sure I want to invest in $40,000 for a motorhome but I also want to buy something that won't need a lot of repair work and cost me just as much in the end.
Any advice for a first time buyer? Would it be worth it to have a much bigger monthly payment for a newer home rather than a smaller monthly payment for an older motorhome with fairly low miles on it? ANY advice would be appreciated. And yes, I realize I'm not giving much info to go on, sorry.
Buying brand new is not on option for me at this time.
Click to expand...
Hello and welcome to the forum. The older an RV is the more problems  you will have. Don't bother to look at the mileage. The average RVs only have about 6k miles put on them per year. I would suggest you hire a good RV inspector and see if there are any hidden issues. You don't know enough about RVs right now and it is easy to buy a washed up lemon
 
Much of the aging comes from exposure to the sun and harsh weather.  A garage kept RV will last much longer and that should be considered while shopping, yes they are rare.  Most are weather beaten in not many years.
 
Every time I come across this thread I keep thinking of The Kingston Trio on You Tube

From the song:
The Judge was an old man (TOO OLD)
Ninety Three (Enticingly too old)
and I didn't like the waaaaaaay... The jury looked at me
(I think they were suspicious).

If you like Folk type music.. Or the Kingstion Trio... That is from the album: String Along..
About 1959 give or take a bit.. It was the VERY first record album I ever bought.. Alas I "lost" it (long story) but I've managed to bookmark most of it on You Tube.
 
Age is not a strong indicator, in my opinion. And most Rvs have relatively low mileage anyway.  Mostly you should focus on condition, whether mechanical, cosmetic or structural.    Look for signs of roof and window leaks, check appliances, plumbing and electrical systems, pay close attention to possible gas at seams and corners, consider the interior and exterior cosmetics, etc.  In other words, the same  as you would do buying a house.

An RV roof should be good for 20-30 years with reasonable care.  Ditto for appliances. Cabinetry and furnishings typically much less, but your eyeballs will quickly tell you where that stands.
 
As mentioned, condition and prior care/maintenance from previous owner(s) is a much bigger factor than year, make, model, or age. If an RV sat unused or unmoved for a good portion of its life, beware! That might look attractive because of low miles, but it's actually better to have something that was used/maintained regularly.

Do as much research YOURSELF as possible before even considering buying. You need to understand these rigs and be willing to tinker with them every so often, or RV ownership will not be a fun experience. We have a huge Library of articles (see link near the top of the page) including a "Newcomers" list and "RV Buying checklists" so you can get an idea of some of the basics that should be checked/inspection prior to purchase.

Keep asking questions! :)
 
Larry N. said:
John, the song is Bad Man's Blunder, and that should be (Entirely too old)...
Click to expand...

You are correct and auto correct did not properly correct my typo thanks for the correction.

As I said. The very first record album I ever purchased.
 
first rule with older RV's goes back to skillset to identify and fix problems,  Obviously engine/chasis/drivetrain is mostly outside of this area but those areas also experience fewer issues.  I bought 8 yr old Class C that had 32,000 miles at the time and most of my efforts have gone to fix issues the first owner did not. Luckily I have the time, tools and skills to do so.
 
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