1986 Tioga Arrow 23'

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Zebulun

Member
Joined
Dec 6, 2008
Posts
14
Hello,

I am considering purchasing a motorhome and wanted to get opinions.  My husband and I want to eventually fulltime, but that won't be for about 5 years as we are caring for his parents who are elderly and need fulltime care at this time.  Meanwhile, we thought we'd get a taste of RV living with a used (in this case...VERY used! haha) RV that we can take on short trips when hubby's siblings can be around for his folks.

Here is the specs (that I know):

1986 23' Tioga Arrow class C motor home
recent tune up ,waterpump ,belts almost new tires,new spare this needs nothing
This is ready to go have made several trips to fla in it even towed car down there .no problems
recent front end work this drives like a dream.price is $3000.00 FIRM

I spoke with the man and he said it has just over 92,000 miles on it.  He is not sure if the AC under the hood works, but the one on the roof does.  Has a tiny bathroom that has a working shower, sink and toilet.  Not sure of the tank capacity though.

Has no leaks, but dos have prior water damage (that was fixed) that is over 10 years old.

What opinions does anyone have?

Thank you!!!
 
If it runs and has no obvious damage.., you can't really beat 3,000. Go on E-Bay to compare prices.., there are a lot of RVs for sale there..., and some older ones too.

Ask about leaks and check the condition of the roof, ask the owner what they did to keep the roof in good shape.

We have an 88 and we're enjoying decorating it up with a pirate theme.., we enjoy it. It gets us where we need to go.., but a lot of work was done on it several times before we got it. Like the carburetor was changed and some performance engine parts were added. The roof was replaced too.

Any time you buy something that old it is going to needs continued work and maintenance.

Also, about those tires.., don't just go by physical appearance.., it may have been sitting for a while. Check the DOT numbers.
 
RV Fairylady gave good advice. As long as you are prepared for fairly continuous routine repairs, go for it. You aren't going to get into motorhme RVing any cheaper elsewhere.

Do, though, be aware of the risks of purchasing a heavy vehicle with 92k miles on it. The chassis was built to be a van with the occasional heavy loads, but a van loaded with an RV body has been heavily loaded and worked hard for every one of its 92,000 miles. Any van with 92k miles is well into its senior years mechanically - transmission, steering components, alternator, starter, etc. are going to fail in the foreseeable future. Maybe tomorrow or maybe at 129k miles, but you will experience these sorts of failures. If you can't deal with them, either mentally or financially, an older RV like this is not for you. In fact, it would be best if you are the Do-it-yourself type, since paying a shop for such repairs can be very, very, expensive. Especially if stranded at the roadside somewhere.
 
Sounds exactly like mine except I have an '87 Tioga.  I love mine.... has not cost me major bucks yet, and it appears to have been well maintained and I see a lot of newer parts on it like hoses & belts etc.  Still, I anticipate having to put some money into it, it's a given, really, no matter how old or new it is.  Just read about some of the big bucks people have spent on their new(er) rigs.  Consider it part of the adventure.  If you're the type that can take that stuff in stride then you'll have a blast.

Bob
 
Are the "almost new tires" being judged based on age of the tires or tread wear?  If the tires have perfect tread but are 7 years old, they still need to be replaced.

While the leak may have been repaired years ago, damage may exist and be significant.  Check for soft spots on the walls and look in the storage compartments (inside and outside) and under cushions for signs of water damage.

I love my Tioga, I just wish it weren't so full of rotten wood. 
 
Thank you everyone!  I am supposed to go and look at it in the next couple of days (I'm calling the guy tomorrow to arrange a time).  Anything else I should look for?  :)
 
Yeah! make sure you drive it and check that everything in the instrument panel works, like the odometer, speedometer and hourmeter(for the generator). When I bought my old Elandan, I was under the impression I bought a MH with only 45,000 miles, until later after the purchase, I realized the odometer was stuck!, so now I don't know how many mile are on that puppy, same goes for the hourmeter it just clicks but the number wheels do not turn.Also make sure you drive it long enough to see if there is any overheating issues that need to be addressed. A clogged up radiator or malfunctioning fan clutch won't show its signs until you drive for more than 15 or so miles(it happened to me too!).
 
Fred G. said:
Yeah! make sure you drive it and check that everything in the instrument panel works, like the odometer, speedometer and hourmeter(for the generator). When I bought my old Elandan, I was under the impression I bought a MH with only 45,000 miles, until later after the purchase, I realized the odometer was stuck!, so now I don't know how many mile are on that puppy, same goes for the hourmeter it just clicks but the number wheels do not turn.Also make sure you drive it long enough to see if there is any overheating issues that need to be addressed. A clogged up radiator or malfunctioning fan clutch won't show its signs until you drive for more than 15 or so miles(it happened to me too!).

Hmmm...that may be the killer of the deal.  Just found out that the RV is not currently registered/inspected so can not be road driven right now - the guy has a 700 ft driveway that he said we could drive it up and down, but I'm not sure I'm comfortable with that...
 
That may be why he is offering such a good deal.

I don't know if it works the same in every state, but here in California if the car is legal (meaning in a non-op), you can get a temporary driving permit for the vehicle so you can drive it for a day.., so it can be smogged or taken to a repair shop.

Before you scrap the deal you may want to get the VIN, go to the DMV and find out how much it would be to register the vehicle in your name, and what inspections it needs.., so you can figure that into your purchase price. If a lot of back registration is owed it could cost quite a bit.

If DMV says the owner can get a pass for it, you might request that the owner do that so you can take it to get it inspected and drive it around. If he/she is not willing to do that than I would be concerned. Before you do that.., make sure your insurance would cover you to drive someone else's vehicle so you can show the owner proof that you are insured in case of an accident.., and so you are covered in case of an accident. If I was the owner I'd want to make sure someone was insured before I let them drive my RV around.., if it not registered he/she probably doesn't have a current policy.

If you're not willing to do that.., you may let it go and move on.  Personally., I'm willing to buy an older vehicle but not one that is not current on the DMV stuff.., the DMV can be a nightmare for me. (But I also work full time and so it becomes a huge hassle.) You may not find that good of a deal again.., but it sounds like you'll have to do some work to get the deal.
 
If you buy this one or any other used one, have 1-3 thounsand bucks ready if you don't do your own work.
J
 
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