RV Purchase Advice, Please?

[Chameleonxanth]

Hello Everyone,

I haven't been here for a while, and I'm here now asking for a favor of anyone who has the time and wouldn't mind a giving a little advice.

We are thinking of driving out this Sunday, 04.21.19 (a two-hour drive), to look at an RV my daughter is interested in buying.  The issue is that the RV, a 1986 Ford Ecnoline E350 Cargo, seems suspiciously low-priced at $2500.00

We don't have time to get an inspector at the location and were thinking of looking up a check list and perhaps watching some videos on the subject.  But we are feeling a bit unprepared and while I want my daughter to have the RV she needs, I would hate to see her lose her money on a bad investment.

I am posting the link to the listing below and would be very grateful for any advice.

Thank you so.  Hope you are all well. 

Chameleon

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/380085129522541/

 

[Willandgiselarv]

I would inspect that overhead cab, if you look
At the bottom it looks like it has some delamination
So water has gotten in at some point. If you are willing to work in the RV it might be ok.

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

Any vehicle that old, for that price, is a "fixer upper" at best.  Some stuff like tires are easy to ascertain and fix.  Other issues like engine and driveline problems can be extensive and expensive.  That's not even counting the RV house details which can be superficial to structural.

This is a project.  If you're buying this thing with the idea that you'll be tearing into it when you get it home, going through it and bringing it back from the ground up then it just comes down to if you like the thing or not and are comfortable doing that kind of work.  Otherwise, if the expectation is that it's just a "seasoned" camper you'll take out next weekend then I think that's a bit unrealistic.  Even with the idea that it is what it is and using it as received, there isn't a vehicle that old that doesn't need some form of repair.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[Chameleonxanth]

Thanks, you guys. 

I (we) really appreciate the benefit of your knowledge here.
 
On top of what you've written my daughter has realized, on looking at pictures of other similar size RV's, that this one is a little bigger than she wants to deal with in a first RV.

She is a body piercer and plans to use her RV full-time while traveling to different shops as a guest artist. 

Further, she doesn't have the funds, and none of us have the knowledge base, to reconstruct an old RV if there are significant problems. 

Given the above and the fact that there's no need for her to rush into a purchase, she's decided to pass on this one.

You guys are great.   Thank you so much.  (I've missed this place.) 

Chameleon

 

[TheBar]

I'd think that is best. You don't want to full time or drive a rig that old on long trips.

 

[Isaac-1]

I had a similar vintage E250 camper van back in the late 90's  (I think it was on a 1988 chassis, maybe an '89) the thing I remember most about it was its poor handling and very tight foot well, I replaced it with a similar size '94 GMC 2500 van which was way better all around, more leg room, better handling, more power, etc.