Hi All,I'm brand new to RV life, my wife and I are working on building a house and will be planning to live and travel on the road for the year as the house is being built. Our RV budget is around 13k. I have found a 1998 Holiday Rambler with 24k miles. It looks to be in good shape, will be traveling to see it tomorrow. It has a 454, I believe it is the 34CG model. Would this be an okay start RV for the cost. It looks to be in great shape and the price is right, everything else I have seen as of late really doesn't look good in that price range. I'm looking for thoughts and comments on what I should look for and if the Holiday Ramblers are over all a decent rig. Thanks

1,000 miles a year suggests it sat for extended periods of time which can also be a problem. 2 things: Be sure you have a FULL PDI (Pre Delivery Inspection) list, top to bottom ie underneath. And leave the emotions at home and be prepared to walk.

The harsh reality is that any RV of that age will most likely will require an expenditure equal to the purchase price in the first year to keep it on the road and fully functional. There are rare exceptions, but considering your inexperience you will not know the difference until it is too late. No offence intended, I am only pointing out what seems to be the obvious to any experienced RVer. Considering everything involved, my opinion is, you should rent an apartment in close proximity to where the new house is being built and be there every day to watch over the project. Building a home is a monumental project and the ramifications of problems may last for decades.I am in envy that you have the resources to proceed with such a plan, but I would not attempt it due to some of the above reasons. The idea to go on the road and tour the country to return to a new and perfect home are just not realistic in my opinion. I genuinely hope other members will chime in with a more optimistic outlook. A full “Pre Delivery” inspection of an RV before purchase should take about four hours to check out all the systems and the entire rig from top to bottom. Take a ladder, creeper, flashlight, multimeter, camera, and lunch.DO NOT, supply any payment or deposit in advance, that will be the end of your negotiating advantage.Best of luck.

CA Traveler wrote:1,000 miles a year suggests it sat for extended periods of time which can also be a problem. 2 things: Be sure you have a FULL PDI (Pre Delivery Inspection) list, top to bottom ie underneath. And leave the emotions at home and be prepared to walk.I fully agree. 24,000 miles in 24 years means it's been sitting idle for very long periods of time. An inspection by a qualified person can give you an insight as to the overall condition. What it cannot do is let you know condition of things like gaskets and seals that may be dried out, and could fail without notice. It's kind of a catch-22, unfortunately.

It's a whimsical dream of touring fantastic places in a vintage RV and making memories that you read about in books. In reality it reminds me of a story. Friend of mine knew nothing about RV's and was looking at one with the similar specs as yours. Despite my cautions, he bought it anyway. Spent about $10k in the first 6 months just chasing problems (plumbing, generator, electrical, leaks, engine, transmission, exhaust). It eventually left him and his and his family stranded several hundred miles from home with estimates in repairs almost equal to what he paid for the RV. You are talking about an RV that is 24 years old and sat most of it's life. It is going to have problems, lots of them and many won't show themselves until it's too late. If you know nothing about RV's it's a mistake. If you know a lot about RV's you might be tempted to pick it up as a project and work on restoring it over a year. A labor of love of course as it's time and money without getting any of that back.

Have you seen decent photos of it? Can you see if the license plate or inspection stickers are current? If not, how long has it been sitting? At that mileage and price I can almost guarantee you it will have aged out its tires, that alone will run you another $2,500-$3,600Before you get into the other stuff. If you really are limited to $13,000, plan accordingly. At your price point, why not a trailer? Do you currently own a vehicle suitable for towing?

1998 Holiday Rambler Vacationer? 13k Is it worth it?

2_many_2
Explorer III
Jan 04, 2022
The harsh reality is that any RV of that age will most likely will require an expenditure equal to the purchase price in the first year to keep it on the road and fully functional. There are rare exceptions, but considering your inexperience you will not know the difference until it is too late.

No offence intended, I am only pointing out what seems to be the obvious to any experienced RVer.

Considering everything involved, my opinion is, you should rent an apartment in close proximity to where the new house is being built and be there every day to watch over the project. Building a home is a monumental project and the ramifications of problems may last for decades.

I am in envy that you have the resources to proceed with such a plan, but I would not attempt it due to some of the above reasons. The idea to go on the road and tour the country to return to a new and perfect home are just not realistic in my opinion.

I genuinely hope other members will chime in with a more optimistic outlook. A full “Pre Delivery” inspection of an RV before purchase should take about four hours to check out all the systems and the entire rig from top to bottom. Take a ladder, creeper, flashlight, multimeter, camera, and lunch.

DO NOT, supply any payment or deposit in advance, that will be the end of your negotiating advantage.
Best of luck.
CA_Traveler
Explorer III
Jan 04, 2022
1,000 miles a year suggests it sat for extended periods of time which can also be a problem. 2 things: Be sure you have a FULL PDI (Pre Delivery Inspection) list, top to bottom ie underneath. And leave the emotions at home and be prepared to walk.

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1998 Holiday Rambler Vacationer? 13k Is it worth it?

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