1990 Ultra Star Diesel?

I've been eyeing this RV for awhile.  I can't figure out why it hasn't sold.  It looks really nice and it is a diesel, albeit a puller.  Anybody got any ideas why this RV at this price wouldn't have sold?

http://houston.craigslist.org/rvs/283863052.html

Diesel Pullers have never been real popular, though the new Freightliner FRED chassis may change that. A puller chassis gives up one of the main advantages of the pusher - the noise is far behind you.  Champions are also an orphan brand, though they apparently were well liked when they were in production. I think they just got left behind as customer wants & needs changed.

Just looking at the picture, I'm guessing the exterior finish needs a lot of work, maybe even a re-paint. And the interior colors may turn off some folks - it's a rather dated scheme. It is also going to be somewhat cramped in comparison to rigs even a few years newer - that sleek style costs a fair amount of space. But it's only $8800, before negotiations even!

There is a Champion Ultrastar owners group at Ultrastar Owners. You might nose around there for tips and advice.

And there are some other Ultrastars for sale on the net - have you compared pricing with them? just Google Ultrastar.

Anybody on the forums happen to be passing through Houston this week and could check it out for me this week?  I have a week off next week and could cruise over from Mississippi and pick it up if its any good.

I called they guy today, and he answered a few questions.  The generator runs but doesn't produce power.  The A/C units, Refrigerator, and Furnace all work.  He hasn't noticed any water leaks or rotten floor.  I told him to get under the rig and check the floor around the shower drain.  My current rig has rotten wood under the shower from where the old drain leaked before I replaced it.

I have a 1992 ultrastar gasser and I love it. They don't have slides so I wouldn't reccomend them for full timing. When I use mine we don't stay in it a lot we are usually doing other things so we use it for sleeping and eating. IMOP it is a very safe coach and reliable. Diesels of that age go for around 20,000 to 27,000 from what Ive seen. They have a lower profile so they cut the wind a bit more. They also are very well built with quality items inside, oak cabnits, porcelain toilet and such.
I would recommend it for a nice starter coach. Mine sleeps me my wife and 2 kids ( 5 and 7) with no problem.
Brian

I just read the add, depending on the condition actually looking at it in person would be a must, for $8800 depending on how it is thats not bad at all.
Brian

Sorry to post a 3rd time but if you do get this ultrastar check the front springs, alot of them made the front end point down and need stronger springs put in. LEt me know and ill tell you what they put in mine.
Brian

Genset can be awfully expensive to have worked on.  Just a word of caution.

Well, it peaked my curiosity enough that I drove out to Houston and checked it out.  Not anywhere near as nice as what the guy described over the phone.  On the phone, I was told that the RV never had leaks.  It just happened to rain the night before I saw it so I surporized the guy so as to not give enough time to hide problems.  There was obvious evidence of previous leakage (he changed his story and said he'd sealed the roof) and then I found water dripping onto the drivers area (he said the windows just needed to be sealed - until I pointed out that the water was coming in above the window)  The whole thing smelled musty.

I'm glad we caught him off gaurd because we saw that lots of the 12V switches were hanging out. apparently they were in the process of rewiring lots of stuff and he couldn't get several things to work.

I started the rig and drove it around and shut it back off, but he couldn't get it to restart.  He blamed it on a "bad battery cable"  "These things just cant start without every amp the battery has"  but I noticed that when I turned the key that the lights did not dim nor did the volts drop.  In the end, he pulled the engine cover off and started it by putting a screwdriver across the solenoid.  "I'll show you how to do that"  No thanks.

The upholstry was not "In great shape" but rather dirty and worn with cigarette burns everywhere.  The carpet was filthy and the headliner was falling out.

The one great thing about it is that I LOVED driving it.  It rode like a dream and puts the Toyota chassis on my Odyssey to shame.  I can totally handle the level of noise emitted from the Front Engine Diesel, its really not bad at all.  I want one just like it, only much better.