Hi, all - Newbie with a bunch of questions

karyj wrote:
Hi, everybody,

I've been lurking for a couple of months and finally decided to register and post.

We're tent campers who are toying with the idea of a small MH, so I'd like to tap your collective wisdom to help us avoid some of the common newbie mistakes.

We're a family of two adults, a young teen and two cats. One of the cats recently developed a medical issue that means we have to take him with us if we travel. He's not old or frail, he just pines himself near to death (literally) if we leave him behind. The teen is almost 5'10" at age 13, so we're not sure a dinette bed will cut it for him.I agree....and that is why the cab-over bunk is so nice with a "C". Our son is 6'-4" tall, and he has no trouble sleeping in the Queen bed over the cab.

Our budget is pretty small. We're looking at stuff that's 10 to 20 years old. On the one hand, we're worried about buying someone else's headache. On the other, we've read about folks going through two or three MHs before they find the right fit, so we'd like to make our first 'mistake' as cheaply as possible. :)
You have to look at the RV, and it's history. There are some 30 year old MHs out there that were loved, and maintained to the point that they are in better shape and more reliable than a 5 year old unit.
I'd pass on any RV that didn't have some sort of maintenance records.
You are actually better with an RV with miles....it means it's been used (and hopefully, not abused). The WORST thing that can happen to a MH is to have it sit for a year or so....

Our existing vehicles are a Toyota Prius and a Hyundai Sonata, so towing a TT isn't really an option.

We're looking at 21 - 24 foot Class Cs from manufacturers such as Chinook and Lazy Daze. We've pretty much ruled out Phoenix, Coach House, Born Free, etc. because we can't afford them.
Don't rule them out....Get what is best for your family. Don't over-extend yourself with the money, but don't sell yourself short either.
There are lots of reasons that people sell their RVs, such as a death in the family, so quite often, there are very good deals to be had....if you look.

We camp three or four times a year. One trip is always to someplace like Tahoe or Yellowstone, but the rest are within 1-4 hours of home. The hubs loves camping but hates packing, set-up and takedown, so I bet we'd travel more if leaving meant hopping in the rig and stopping for groceries on the way.
As another person mentioned, you may want to rent a MH first....see how you like it. It will also let you know ahead of time, what you really need for your family. The shorter MH you mentioned, may not be enough room for your family. Better to find out with a rental!
Here are the questions:

1) How do we spot evidence of leaks or dry rot? You will usually see stains in the overhead or on the walls. There will often be a mildew smell.
If an overhead has just been painted....run!

2) What's the driving and gas mileage difference between something like a Chinook (no cabover bed) and a Lazy Daze with cabover? Expect about 6-10 mpg....I don't know if there is really much difference between the two models you mentioned....since there really isn't much difference between an "A" and a "C" of equal size. If you can fit into one of the Sprinter Chassis MHs, you would get better mileage because of the diesel, and lighter weight.

3) Is a small Class C really not that different from driving a car? What do I need to know about backing or corners? I've driven a minivan before, and a smallish cabover style Uhaul w/o freaking out. :)There is a difference to be sure! Now, does that mean you can't drive it? NO!
You'll find that the rear swings more when you turn, so you have to be aware of that on tight turns. You'll have more difficult time finding parking, because this is NOT a car, and the usual street parking will be to short.
As with all things, practice will make you more comfortable with it. The "C", with it's van seating will be a bit easier than an "A", but both are easy enough to drive if you practice.

4) We're trying to limit our choices to the Ford 350/450 chassis. My understanding is worse mileage but far better reliability and cheaper repair costs, right? And they'll last well past 100k miles if well maintained? It depends what goes wrong? The advantage of the Ford, is that just about every town has a Ford Dealer, so you can find Service. Not the same can be said for all of the "A" chassis. Tires and such would also be a bit easier to find.
The Ford with the V-10 is a proven chassis, but you still want to see a maintenance log, and have the brakes, tires, engine checked out before you buy.

5) Are we shooting ourselves in any necessary appendages by starting out with a +/-15 year old rig? In terms of mileage, the stuff we're finding tends to have 40-70k on it. We're ruling out the rigs with 90,000 miles or more.Again, age isn't as important as how it was maintained and used.
You just need to find that diamond in the rough!:)

6) Given the above, what should we be aware of in terms of expected maintenance, chance of breaking down in the middle of nowhere, etc. Trick question:)
If you were expecting to break down in the middle of nowhere, why would you even leave the house, or buy the RV:H
Reality is that you will probably break down at some point, if you use the MH enough. Just like there is a very good chance that at some point, you'll back it into a tree or something....part of ownership:B
Expect to change the tires at about 8 years (and check to see how old they are on the unit, as you may have to change them as soon as you buy it....go by the mfgr date (not the way they look) to replace them. Units with a rubber roof may need to have that replaced (with that many years on it) and that is a costly expense.

7) Our driveway is not level. Is that a problem when the RV is parked between trips? (If so, we've got street parking.)You want it to be as level as possible, but don't go nuts. You can make a ramp for the tires, so that you drive up onto it, to make it relatively level. We figure if we can sit at the table comfortably, or not roll out of bed, we're OK. I think there is a 5-degree limit, for the fridge to operate properly

8) Asking price vs. selling price - how flexible are most of the prices we're seeing? Would anyone like to opine on whether it's better to go with a dealer or a private seller?You will usually get a better price with a private owner, but then it's Buyer Beware....since you will have nobody to go back to, since most are sold AS IS.
Dealers will be asking for more money, but you can sometimes find a gem, but again, most Dealers aren't selling 15-10 year old RVs, unless it's on consignment...and even that is rare.

Sample low end of our price range: http://www.rvtrader.com/listing/1989-Lazy-Daze-23.5-Front-Lounge-110537531 (yeah, I know - no interior pics, but it's just an example.)

Sample high end of our price range: http://www.rvtrader.com/listing/2000-Chinook-Concourse-Xl-110799013

Happy travels, and many, many thanks!
Good luck.....spend some real time in the RVs you are looking at....act as if you were living it it....are you comfortable in the bed? Are you comfortable at the stove, dinette, etc.
Check out different floor plans.....though most mfgrs have similar lay-outs....and they seem to stay the same from year to year.

Happy Hunting:)

Kary