Advice on Nu-wa Hitchhiker II purchase

[Johnnybgood]

The wife and I are looking at purchasing a 4 season fifth wheel. We found a 1998 Nu-Wa Hitchhiker II 28.5  for $5000 as is where is. There are several questions about this trailer. First the model # is 28.5 RL. Nada lists this as an S series with a blue book at 6850-8250. If you look at the Hitchhiker II listing there is a 28.5 but it is a different model # and is worth about $2000 more. Do I look at the Hitchhiker II listing or the model #. Next the slide out is going to need the entire floor rebuilt due to a water  leak. My repair place is  quoting $1500-$2000 an possibly more for this repair. Next, though I can find no other leaks in the rv the roof looks like a corner was patched in with another piece of rubber roof and sealed. Anyone know if this is usual or am I looking at some possible major repairs here? Of course of concern is those hidden things you always find after purchase and traveling down the road. The slide does work as does everything else we tested. Carpet will have to be replaced. So at this price knowing this, what would your advice be? Thanks. John

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Water damage is a huge question mark and readily explains the low price. There is really no predicting what you may run into and clearly there has been major damage in the past if the slide floor is ruined. If you have to pay somebody else to do all the repairs, I would not buy it. It's ok for a DIY project if you have the time and skills, but paying somebody else to find and fix things is a huge risk.

As for the NADA value, are you sure you got reliable information on the model number and name? It is not unusual for an owner to give half-correct info. The Hitchiker II 28 model is an RKBW, not far off from plain RK. If the model number is accurate, use that, but if not sure go with the name on the outside, i.e. Hitchiker II.  It is not unusual for the NADA bok to be missing a submodel of a brand. RV model names and numbers come and go rapidly and new variations are introduced all the time. The book doesn't always keep up.

 

[Johnnybgood]

Thank you for the quick answer. The model # 28.5RL was on the side of the trailer and on the original invoice that was still in the RV. If I go by that then this is a Hitchhiker II S series which is the lower value 5th wheel.

 

[BruceinFL]

Although not a usual thing, it is not uncommon for some roof damage repair, especially rubber roofs. Tree limbs can be nasty things. You might consider a new rubber roof job. That way, any damage under the rubber can be repaired. No sense spending the $ to do the slide floor if the old roof repair job is the leak source.

 

[cva61]

Call HH with the vin number.  They will tell you what the model number is. 

 

[Johnnybgood]

Thanks everyone. It looks like we are going to pass on this one. Between the $2000 for repairing the slide, the possibility of needing to replace the roof ($3000-5000?), plus replacing carpet and whatever else crops up we are way over the value of the Trailer.