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dtony

New member
Joined
Jan 30, 2013
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3
My wife and I are looking to start rving this summer when she retires. We have been looking at a 16 yr old class C 28ft. Fleetwood with less than 12K miles on a Ford 460 engine.  The coach looks clean but what other things should we be careful of? Will we be able to pull a small car (escort) with this? Any and all help welcome.
 
Hello folks and welcome to The RV Forum.

Naturally, you will want a mechanic to check out the vehicle portion of the rig like brakes, transmission, etc.  As indicated by Robert, leaks can be a big issue.  They manifest either as yellow spots on the ceilings and walls or as delamination (bulges in the outside fiberglass).  Leaks most often occur around opening like windows, vents, etc. and anywhere two surfaces join.  If it has jacks, do they work? 

The refrigerator can be a costly replacement.  Unfortunately, they take a long time to cool down.  So call the day before you go and ask them to turn it on so that it will be cold when you arrive. 

Make sure the A/C, water heater, and generator all work.  Also set on all of the furniture.  MH mileage isn't necessarily an indication of how much use the rig has had.  Are the seat cushions still comfortable?

Check out our library.  There is a lot of good information to be found there.  If you have questions for which the answer is in the library, just post here and we will get back to you.

Welcome aboard!
 
Check out the age of the tires too.  New tires will drive the cost of the rig up substantially.  And even if they have lots of tread left, they may be cracked and hard as a rock.  Can't use 'em that way....not safe.  Date codes are stamped on the tires.  Anything over 7 years old should probably be replaced soon.
 
Look closely at brakes if located in a wet climate, parked off pavement. Rotors could be ruined with pits and flakes of rust. Common problem here on Cape Cod. That chassis spent maybe too much time parked. Not quite enough miles for 16 years. Rather have one with more use as that sorta keeps everything limber and working. Use it or loose it in a way.

Bill
 
Will we be able to pull a small car (escort) with this?

Yes, it is probably rated to tow 3500 or 4000 lbs, which will handle small cars. Check the rating on the hitch receiver on the back, if the sticker is still visible. Or try to find the GVWR and GCWR ratings for the coach - should be on a paper stuck in a cabinet somewhere inside. See the Forum Glossary for term definitions if you aren't familiar with those acronyms.
 
Thanks for the tips...missed out on this rig but will keep looking. Now the question is about a Telstar unit. An older B+ class. Can't find much about them..any experience with them?
 

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