I'm buying one (surprise)

This vehicle was for sale in front of a local high school. You see everything from $100k Ferraris to $500 clunkers, every weekend (it's an expensive place to live).

I watched the sale take place from a distance, it definitely sold. I'm sure the buyer "broker" aka curbstoner is going to flip this for 20k or more, probably without reregistering it.

In the end, I think it was a good vehicle from a dishonorable seller who didn't want to bother to make it 100% functional. He definitely broke his word (and we had a hand written sales agreement) so I could probably go after him for that, but life is too short and I have better things to do.

His final words were "I didnt think you would be able to get it inspected on Monday" and mine were "well, I still would have honored my word and gone through with the deal."

So, I'm out $30 for a carfax and a few hours of research. But hey I met some of you folks :)

try checking back on this rv in a week ,see if you can trace this new buyer. I still think you dodged a bullet. theres others. without the mistrey.

danix wrote:
Thanks again to all.
The carfax was not a concern, it is not true miles unknown, sometimes clerical errors happen.
Never got to ask the seller about it as he called to say another person wanted the rig today for $13k cash, no inspection, and was offering to let me match it. I talked to my wife and drove to see it one more time and he was coming back from a test drive, called me saying “the guy is at $13,500 now” at which point I told him this wasn’t an auction and I’m out.
Buyer was a broker who will probably put new tires and flip it for 20k. There’s nothing on the market in this area for less.

So, decision made, I’m out a carfax but learned a lot. Thanks again.

Glad to see that the new, 'mysterious' buyer got it -- and not you. Funny how "those" kind of people show up at just the right time. Sounds like the seller was trying to work you for more money.

Also, no, the Carfax might not be a problem, but the title could be a problem.

Just curious as to how broker raised price if you had already gave him a deposit. If this is the case I wouldn't buy anything from him.

danix wrote:
I am not a trailer/camper/motorhome person, but with COVID going on, you can't even rent one of these things nowadays. So, when I came across one for sale today, I spoke to the seller and put down a deposit.

It's a 2005 Itasca Spirit 24V, 26k miles, one owner. I know the tires are shot, but otherwise seller says everything works (but couldn't get generator to start, couldn't get water to flow, as it hasn't been used in a couple of years.

I'm trying to find a local RV place to look at it on Monday, and I have a list of things to check from friends who own RVs.
Anything else I can do to make sure I'm not making a big mistake here? I haven't even driven it, mainly going off the vibe on the seller, a retired doctor who used it for trips with his family.

Any suggestions would be welcome. The engine and mechanicals are familiar to me as I had a F250 with the same V10 engine and I think transmission as well. It's the other things I know little about.

We bought a 2005 Itasca Spirit 24V new in early 2006, built on the optional E450 chassis. It has served as very well in over 76K miles traveling all over the U.S. both on hard surface roads and on dirt/gravel roads out in the boonies ... sometimes on hookups and sometimes drycamping living off it's generous tank capacities.

It is somewhat unique and so far in my research it can't be matched any more - including not by Winnebago.

Here's some highlights on it:

- The only appliances that have failed were the Parallax converter after about 6 months of use, the water pump some years later, and the toilet water valve some years later. All other systems are original and still working fine.

- The one piece fiberglass, crowned roof (the warranty was for 10 years) is hard to find in a Class C.

- The cab outside steps are aluminum instead of fiberglass.

- Since it's a basement design (coach floor slightly higher than the cab floor), the outside storage cabinets are tall enough to actually be useful. There are seven(7) of them, not including the generator compartment. Note that two(2) of these storage cabinets go across the frame laterally for great storage of long items.

- Ours was built with the optional Winter Package ... so it had two coach batteries, grey and black tank heaters (the fresh water tank is inside the coach), and maybe thicker insulation in the walls (not sure on that).

- The heated, fully adjustable power cab mirrors are great.

- Both queen mattresses are original on ours and still make for very comfortable for sleeping. The cabover bed queen and rear queen mattresses are thicker than on most other Class C motorhomes that we have seen.

- The sewage and electric services are in an enclosed cabinet to keep out the dirt, and all components are up high at frame height with no low-hanging pipes or valves to get hung up on curbs or damaged on rutted roads.

- The galley double sink area comes with a built-in foldout extension for more countertop space.

- The galley faucet has a built-in water filtration system inside the sink cabinet.

- The roof vent over the shower is double-pane.

- The entire areas under each dinette seat are available for storage (no furnace or water heater in them).

- The lounge chair swivels and slides back and forth so as to be able to face and get close enough to one dinette seat to provide a foot rest for the person using the lounge chair.

- The coach battery(ies) are right under the coach step, can be reached from inside if the outside weather is bad, and provide good outside air ventilation around the batteries.

- The coach outside wall bottoms back of the duals slope in a straight line upwards to the rear bumper starting right at the rear duals ... to provide a decent departure angle for driveways, parking lots, and roadway dips.

- The outside entertainment system came with it's own roof radio antenna, a detachable shelf for a small outside TV, and external 120V AC and 12V DC outlets.

- The outside entertainment system and cab radio/CD player have remote controls. The cab radio and CD players have surround speakers placed throughout the coach.

- And last but not least ... that great "Good Old American Iron" Ford V10 engine and other chassis components are ultra reliable, and affordable to maintain and repair if needed anywhere in the U.S..

Here's a link to the 05 Itasca Spirit models' brochure:
http://www.winnebagoind.com/resources/brochure/2005/05-Spirit-bro.pdf

Almost everything can be fixed except for water damage.

from all you said, be glad you did not buy this rv,sounds like a money pit. seller seems not sure of anything, theres others, even look out of state, I,ve had five rv,s all bought out of ohio. p.s I think your one lucky guy.

Thanks again to all.
The carfax was not a concern, it is not true miles unknown, sometimes clerical errors happen.
Never got to ask the seller about it as he called to say another person wanted the rig today for $13k cash, no inspection, and was offering to let me match it. I talked to my wife and drove to see it one more time and he was coming back from a test drive, called me saying “the guy is at $13,500 now” at which point I told him this wasn’t an auction and I’m out.
Buyer was a broker who will probably put new tires and flip it for 20k. There’s nothing on the market in this area for less.

So, decision made, I’m out a carfax but learned a lot. Thanks again.

danix wrote:
Hope I'm not overposting, again thanks for the feedback.

I just ran the Carfax - it shows 2 owners, but it doesn't make sense. Shows owner 1 bought it new, next record has 15k miles less than a year later but it's for a "service plan"/contract issued.
Title issued again the same day, then from here on out regular records of oil changes and smog inspection. I'll have to ask the seller but perhaps it changed names on the title due to death or divorce or something (that's better than finding out he is lying).

Looks like you've got yourself a "true miles unknown" vehicle. Red flag.

Also, too bad you couldn't round up an RV mechanic to go with you on your initial inspection. I know, now it's kind of like closing the barn door after the horse is gone.

Regardless, best of luck to you with your new acquisition.

If you do buy this and in case it has problems , I hope you are handy at building things and have the room, like a barn, to work on it.

In class C units, the cabover areas tend to develop leak issues. Clearance lights, dried caulking around the seams and roof and unfortunately that large front window are the usual culprits. That's why new class c units do not have them. Find someone like a mobile tech as suggested to inspect it. Money well spent.
Personally, I don't like the idea of a vehicle like an rv sitting unattended and not cared for long period of time. At its age, I would be concerned about water intrusion due to lack of maintenance, dried caulk in the seams.