1st post. Shopping for a Class A

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Enjoying your thread and hunt.  I had the bug about 4 years ago and took a year to look and find a rig within a $10,000 budget knowing I would have to put some money into it over time.  Actually found a 1998 HR Vacationer with the Ford 460 off of ebay (I know what a red flag) for $9500.  Called the dealer and he flipped repossessed units.  Guaranteed all appliances worked, engine, tranny and generator were all good.  Took the trip from VA to IN to pick it up in December - burr!  Drove my fathers Jeep and towed it back.  Trip went well except for a clogged fuel filter from sitting over time.  I cleaned the carb on the genset and it runs perfectly had the gas tank dropped and cleaned and some minor repairs totaling $1300 once I got it home and no issues since then.  Replaced the 4 rear tires for $600.  We ripped up the carpet and laid flooring in (replaced 2 small spots of rotten flooring) this past winter and put a new mattress in as well (total cost of $800 for mattress and all flooring needs).  We have had the rig for 3 years and it has been great.  With a family of four we have been to FL 4 times, several places in VA, PA and NC and love it.  I know I got lucky, but if you keep looking you will find the right one for you.  Certainly another place to look and if they are close enough check it out before placing the bid.  Now I just need to the dash AC working that stopped on the last trip...always something to work on - be ready.
 
johnd393 said:
84 elandan $5k,  Don't like fabric/upholstery color
email response says always stored indoors.
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When in this price range condition, is more important than color, My upholstery is kind of mauve or something. Didn't care for it early on, but when it made a 2800 mile maiden voyage without stranding us it stopped bothering me!

Bill
 
Waiting for return call.  I left voice message.  It's discribed as "very clean".
I can see a rip in the fabric on the dinette seat back in the pix.  Listing is 1 day old. If it's as good as it needs to be for me to buy it, the first person that gets there will take it. I'm enthusiastic because of the "always stored indoors" claim. From what I'm seeing these things don't stand up to out door exposure well.

Finally got another email. They showed it to someone else and found out the brake lights don't work. They're trying to figure out why. Can be a good thing if minor electrical problems scare away other buyers. We not scared of wires.
 
I don't have a reason for not going to look at  the thing yet. It is old. He said the price is firm. Other pictures show the rip on the seat is just a pattern in the fabric. He was hesitant when asked if it could make the 120 mile trip home. Recent use has been short local day trips. If someone else doesn't pay the $5k maybe the price will soften.
 
I looked at it. There is a little delam. It"s barely visible but you can feel it if you press on it.  They took us for a short ride on a country road. They drove it so slow and gently.  I don't fit in the shower. I like the cabinets. Ceiling and floor are ok. There's a lot that's good about it but it just didn't feel right. If it doesn't sell and the price comes down I might give it another thought.
 
johnd393 said:
There's a lot that's good about it but it just didn't feel right. If it doesn't sell and the price comes down I might give it another thought.
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Underlined portion is of great importance, and it's good that you are passing on the rig that "feels" that way.  Keep doing what you are doing!  I know it can be frustrating, but the more shopping experience you have... the more you will  know when you find the RIGHT unit.  Gotta say though, you probably should not expect much for anything under $5000.  Many RV owners price their used units too high, so anything priced THAT low is probably that way for a reason.  "Rich person wanting a quick sale" is a nice thought but doesn't happen very often.  ;) 

That doesn't mean you have to pay a lot for a used RV, but if you find a diamond in the rough... just be prepared for a reasonable price tag.  1980's models may be okay, but consider expanding your search to mid-90's depending on your budget.  There were considerable improvements in body/interior design in that decade IMO, and more robust powertrains with performance features like engine computers and fuel injection.
 
I know I am all over the place with this. I can spend a couple thou, or less, and it's just something for me to fool around with. For 5k or 6k it would be nice if I think I might get my wife to travel in it. If we looked at one and my wife said "This looks like fun, we could live in this thing"  maybe we could go up to $20k.
 
If we looked at one and my wife said "This looks like fun, we could live in this thing"  maybe we could go up to $20k.
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I think you will have better luck showing your wife the $20K ones to begin with. If you show her the $5k ones, she is not likely to say she could live in it. Look at a few $20K RVs and you will see a world of difference.
 
Words of wisdom there. The few (very few) $3k rigs I looked at were dumps or had major systems not working. At $5k or $6k it was older but reasonably well maintained drivers. At $6k or $7k things got nice enough you didn't have to worry about getting an infection. :)
 
Did a walk around look at a 30' 92 Southwind 454. Asking $4k. Seller not present so couldn't go inside. Overall weathered look was off putting. Some loose beltline molding badly reattached. Some duct tape residue on some basement door edges. Cracks/brakes in front grill headlight area, looks like replacable parts. Here's the thing, I could not find any delamination. That one thing is keeping from walking away. Tried to see inside through windows. Look like the inside could clean up nice, probable some new curtains would help. Couch looks like the cushions are still plump, not smashed flat. Couldn't see ceiling damage.
Was told, one owner, some original documents are with it. odometer broke, may have 100k miles, FI454, started it yesterday.
For this to happen I think I would have to test drive it and decide. Than he would have to drive it to my house and the deal would be done there. I don't want to learn how to drive a 23 year old motorhome on 50 miles of very busy interstate highways.
 
johnd393

Unless you have better than moderate mechanical skills walk away. A '92 may run fine but need some wear and tear parts replaced, such as brakes, radiator, definitely tires. My '93 Bounder, made by the same manufacturer, Fleetwood, seems to have tin sides. Delamination shows more like vertical and horizontal bulges following the lines of metal frame behind outer skin. Mine has a couple spots of it, I have no worries about it. A good scrubbing can do wonders for the weathered look. On an old rig and an obvious budget constraint you might look want to find the "red max  pro" thread, a cheap way to make it shine with some elbow grease.

Bill
 
My mechanical skills exceed my mechanical willingness.
It would be a lot easier to make a buy decision if the MH was within 5 miles of home.
A cheap MH is something I can learn with. I don't want to rent, and be responsible for, somebody's $80k MH.
 
johnd393 said:
A cheap MH is something I can learn with. I don't want to rent, and be responsible for, somebody's $80k MH.
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Good plan for your first rig especially, but there is a lot of middle ground between $4k and $80k. ;)  of course you want to buy something within your budget too, but with enough shopping and research you could probably find a well-maintained used rig for a fraction of $80k, that's a lot less likely to need immediate high-dollar repairs and maintenance.
 
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