What to look for/avoid?

[Commander Zarkon]

Hello everyone.

I currently live in a Casita 17'. Just started teaching again )k-12) out of necessity. Went through a divorce and waiting for the final judgement.
I am totally burned out from this job. I can barely make it through the day.

I am an artist, and want to be able to travel when needed. Be able to work remotely also.
Would like to eventually get a home base: a little 1/1 cabin would be fine in a rural area, with a garage as a studio.
I am 58 so the 30 year mortgage thing is not appealing.
I have no kids, no family.
The Casita is way too small and I bought it new under duress. Bad decision in a very stressful time (to avoid physical and emotional abuse, and to protect my dogs also)
Still owe 33K on it.
Just a nightmare situation.

Have been looking at used RVs online, mainly RV trader.
It would have to be something used and 20k or under. My credit is shot. Even considering bankruptcy and turning in the Caista if I can't sell it.
I have seen some old ones for even $5000.

My main concern is that the engine and transmission are still good, and no leaks.

The older ones have an advantage, I think, of being simpler, and even if an engine rebuild or swap is necessary, a simple Chevy V8 is not like these newer engines. But then there are other issues, of course, with age.
But some of these I saw look pretty good:

1989 Fleetwood JAMBOREE 26FT for $7,000​

1997 Fleetwood Pace Arrow 30 34J for $5,000​

2000 Coachmen LEPRECHAUN 305MB for $6,000​

I may be able to go up to about $15,000.
Any advice on models/years that are best? What to look for avoid?
Thanks

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Your story is sad, though unfortunately typical of folks looking for a cheap RV to solve their financial problems. The short answer is, it ain't gonna happen.

There is some doubt about the veracity of your story. A Casita is a trailer, so no engine to worry about. And a brand new, top of the line, Casita lists for about $25,000, so how did you end up owing $33k on it?

Putting that question aside, any $5000-$7000 motorized RV is nothing but a money pit. It's at least 25 years old, so into its senior years whether discussing the chassis (engine, tranny, suspension) or the house (roof, body joints, appliances, and furnishings. If you can buy in for that price, be prepared to spend at least as much again in the first year to keep it livable and road-worthy. Swapping a gas V8 in an RV is a laborious task even if the engine itself is relatively cheap, so not an inexpensive endeavor. And 6 new tires on this size vehicle will be pricey as well. A transmission swap, though, is not much different than a pickup or van model.

 

[Commander Zarkon]

Your story is sad, though unfortunately typical of folks looking for a cheap RV to solve their financial problems. The short answer is, it ain't gonna happen.

There is some doubt about the veracity of your story. A Casita is a trailer, so no engine to worry about. And a brand new, top of the line, Casita lists for about $25,000, so how did you end up owing $33k on it?

Putting that question aside, any $5000-$7000 motorized RV is nothing but a money pit. It's at least 25 years old, so into its senior years whether discussing the chassis (engine, tranny, suspension) or the house (roof, body joints, appliances, and furnishings. If you can buy in for that price, be prepared to spend at least as much again in the first year to keep it livable and road-worthy. Swapping a gas V8 in an RV is a laborious task even if the engine itself is relatively cheap, so not an inexpensive endeavor. And 6 new tires on this size vehicle will be pricey as well. A transmission swap, though, is not much different than a pickup or van model.

I bought my Casita in the summer of 2023.
Last one on the lot.
It was loaded.
It was almost $34,000
I was desperate, trying to escape from a very bad situation at home with my dogs.
I really don't recall exactly, but I think they were more like 27K and mine had extras. After the tax theft, etc. I guess it jumped up.

When I was looking for a Casita, USED ones that were maybe five years old were 25K easy.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

What you [over]paid is water over the dam. I doubt you could get $20k in a private sale and much less on a trade. But my main point is that old RVs are rarely a bargain. Just too many very expensive things that are likely to fail. There is less $$ risk in buying a $20k model that you inspect thoroughly and have some decent chance of not dumping a ton of money into.
My advice is to sell the Casita for whatever you can get or take the bankruptcy route if necessary to get clear of it. Then rent a budget apartment, maybe an older mobile home already set up on a park somewhere.

 

[Domo]

You don't buy an RV to save money. Listen to ^^^Gary ^^^.

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

The engine type of any RV is the least of your worries. After 25+ years everything metal is rusting or corroding, plastics are brittle and fragile, rubber is hard and cracking, and the roof is shot. No exceptions. It's a matter of what you need the thing to do and what it's worth to you. An RV that needs to go coast to coast once a month has a different requirement of function and reliability than one that sits in a park and moves a few times a year. Know that while maybe many issues aren't terribly complex or expensive to fix, they're pervasive and never ending. Let them go and the RV gets ever less appealing to live in, or may end up suffering damage if something leaks. For what you'd be into even for a fixer upper RV, get it running and in livable shape, find a site and set up utilities you're going to have more in it than a year or more of rent in a modest apartment. So consider exactly what your future looks like both if everything goes to plan, and goes sideways. Balance that to living someplace indoors that doesn't require you to be mechanic, plumber and systems engineer.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[TheBar]

Since you live in Kentucky be aware RVs are built for camping weather, not winter weather. They have very little insulation and you'll freeze in a few months.

 

[NY_Dutch]

Since you live in Kentucky be aware RVs are built for camping weather, not winter weather. They have very little insulation and you'll freeze in a few months.

I agree RV's are not well built for cold weather, but I disagree that you'll necessarily freeze. Our now 24 year old Landau has kept us quite comfortable in below freezing weather on many occasions over the years, including a few below zero nights. On the negative side though, it does go through a lot of propane in those conditions.

 

[Kirk]

My advice is to sell the Casita for whatever you can get or take the bankruptcy route if necessary to get clear of it. Then rent a budget apartment, maybe an older mobile home already set up on a park somewhere.

I really don't see any better answer. I can't imagine that price or an authorized dealer as I live near the factory and they sell direct, but as Gary said, it is too late to worry about that now. To buy an RV that is 25 or more years old to save money would be a huge mistake as they are certain to need significant maintenance, even if in perfect condition, which is highly unlikely.

 

[Commander Zarkon]

Renting a place is not something I want to do right now. I do not want to be stuck somewhere dependent on my job and, should something happen like being laid off etc., now I am stuck to a lease and a 30 mile radius to find a job.
Not to mention being without a way to leave without having to live in my FJ Cruiser.

I went that route back in 2012. Got fired without notice by a malicious school principal-no severance pay, nothing.
The first month the rent was covered by the local Catholic Church and The Salvation Army.
Unable to find a job, I told my landlord about it and asked him if I could move out by the 1st if I could get my deposit, since I was going to be homeless. He said we'd work it out.
I cleaned the place and even left brand new microwave and cleaning stuff... turned in my keys.

A few days later he tells me "We're not giving you the deposit back". I asked for part of it (it was about $1,500)... just $500 even, because my dog and I were now homeless. He said no.

I wound up homeless with my dog, in Flagstaff, Arizona (7,000 feet), in the winter, sleeping in the Walmart parking lot in a Jeep TJ with a soft top. The temperature was usually in the mid to lower 20s Fahrenheit.
Thank God a couple of friends sent me a few hundred dollars so I could buy food, and on those nights when it dropped into the teens and lower, get a Motel 6 for us.

This went on for about three months.

I want to be able to perhaps do my mural business again, work remotely. Can't do that in the Casita, or in a 9-5 job on location.

In addition, where I am at there are very few, if any, rental properties. I found one and it was $1,500 per month.
I would have to either sell the Casita or spend almost $2000 per month-No thanks.

Maybe I will stick to looking for RVs in the 2005-2019 range. After that they seem to get extra crappy, and before that, I guess too old.

I also thought of a box truck. A diesel. Insulate it, cover the walls with plywood and paint. Drive to IKEA and have them load up the cabinets, murphy bed, etc, then build them and screw them to the wall.
But to be honest, I don't want to deal with all that. Also having to install windows, a water tank, a gray tank...

I tried converting a bus some years ago and sold it, as every minute of free time was being spent on that.
And I will probably end up spending the same as in buying an RV.



I would actually like an RV that can handle winter, or at least be prepped for it: heat and insulate the tanks and water line, etc. This is because, if I can work remotely, I would travel in the spring through winter, and hunker down in the summer.

I DETEST the extreme heat, the crowds...

I traveled to Devil's Tower, Yellowstone, Deadwood last September, when I was on workman''s comp and no work status due to a serious injury and surgery (I was healing and didn't to anything strenuous, and got doctor's OK).

Most campgrounds were closed or about to close.
I stayed at the Devil's Tower KOA for about a week at around $32 per night because it was off season. Maybe three or four other RVs there, all spread out.
I left the day they were closing down.
It was amazing!!!

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

We would all love to find the idealistic, $20k RV you described, but it's the proverbial unicorn. I wish you luck in your search.

 

[Kirk]

Renting a place is not something I want to do right now.,

It sounds like you don't have a lot of options. If you can't make the payments on the Casita and have bad credit, I really can't see how you could buy a $20,000 RV or any RV unless you have cash. If you do find that RV and manage to buy it, then how can you pay the expenses of travel? Motorized RVs only get about 6 mpg on fuel and an older RV will require frequent maintenance. You could be making your current situation much worse.

 

[bigbAZ]

Maybe look for an older full size pickup with a camper or camper shell and keep the Casita, then at least you'll have additional space for stuff and you can leave the Casita somewhere and travel in the truck/camper if you want, or tow the Casita along behind when re-locating.

 

[Commander Zarkon]

All depends on if I can declare bankruptcy and a few other things.

I can make the Casita payments, I just can't make that AND a house or apartment, plus it would be a waste.

 

[Derby6]

This is more of a therapy thread. Sorry for your previous and current positions. I see a lot of wants and don’t wants in your posts. Time to refocus on current and future needs/life requirements vice wants.

 

[garyb1st]

You state that you lived in your vehicle during the winter in Flagstaff. That had to be extremely challenging. I would think by comparison, living in a 17 foot Casita would be luxurious. Maybe your best option is to simply bite the bullet and live in your Casita while you work toward your desired lifestyle goal. If you could find an RV park in your area, the monthly rent would likely be less than renting an apartment. Not ideal but probably a step in the right direction.

 

[bigbAZ]

^^^ Exactly what I was thinking just before I came back to post again. The right thing to do is suck it up, work hard and get yourself right side up even if it means a second job or selling your art on the side while you work the teaching job. Once you get that Casita paid down then think about options.

You could look for an on site caretaker job where you can park for free, or even a storage yard or salvage yard. Our cemetery association lets a guy in a schoolie live on our old WPA schoolhouse property in a rural area, he pays $50/month to keep his excess belongings in one of the buildings plus electricity. Just the presence of his vehicles and pets keeps the vandals away.

With all the catalytic converters that get stolen at storage yards it seems like a good idea to me to have someone live there.

 

[Commander Zarkon]

This is more of a therapy thread. Sorry for your previous and current positions. I see a lot of wants and don’t wants in your posts. Time to refocus on current and future needs/life requirements vice wants.

I started this thread to get information on the feasibility of an older RV.
It's not about want and don't want or therapy. I simply am not willing to put myself back into a lease like that and risk the same outcome.

I am trying to focus on, and determine, current and future needs/life requirements by asking questions and seeing what's realistic.

It's good to know what is available and what's been done.
Just trying to get as much info as possible to make a good decision and plan.

I am glad to read the opinions here, as they give me a more educated mindset.

 

[Commander Zarkon]

You state that you lived in your vehicle during the winter in Flagstaff. That had to be extremely challenging. I would think by comparison, living in a 17 foot Casita would be luxurious. Maybe your best option is to simply bite the bullet and live in your Casita while you work toward your desired lifestyle goal. If you could find an RV park in your area, the monthly rent would likely be less than renting an apartment. Not ideal but probably a step in the right direction.

The Casita is like a 5 star hotel compared to that Jeep when I was homeless!
I may have to bite the bullet for now, which is fine.
Just wanting to get as much information now to be able to plan for the future.
I have rented a spot at an RV park. $700 per month plus electric for long term. Seems steep, but it's about four miles to work. A cheaper one ten or fifteen miles may not be worth it with the extra fuel, and the longer travel when winter hits.

I'm just trying to weigh all my options.

 

[bigbAZ]

Are you pretty handy and can you generally do your own house and vehicle repairs? Not just maintenance but actual repairs of broken stuff. To me that's a big factor in the financial part of choosing an RV.