Bordercollie wrote:
This kind of plea for general advice recurs about once per week on this forum.
If you have all the expertise, tools,work space, help, and time to do serious maintenance and repair work you have many options. If you want to start motorhoming without much delay, I'd recommend a 5+ year old rig that literally needs nothing. Major stuff like roof AC, fridges, awning fabric and fresh water pumps can go ten years, maybe longer "depending". Get familiar with the basic floor plans available in various brands, they are governed by bumper to bumper length to some extent. Rear bedrooms with queen-sized beds are best for adults. Slide-outs are nice but can be a source of electro-mechanical problems. Some models have large rear storage space and come with spare wheels and tires, some don't. Good to have a spare even if you have road service. Tires become unsafe sitting parked in the driveway in 4-5 years. They need to be checked for age by date codes on the tires and replaced despite appearance and tread depth. Brake fluid should be flushed and replaced every 2 years to avoid brake fade on downgrades. Front flex lines on brakes should be replaced every 5+ years, they can rupture internally and cause sudden pulling when brakes are applied. Maintaining proper tire pressure is important for safety and ride comfort. Proper alignment with rig loaded is important for handlng. Money spent on suspension upgrades can improve handling to some extent. The engine cooling system needs including all belts, hoses, water pump, clutch fan and radiator need to be in good shape for mountain driving on hot days, etc. The converter/charger and house batteries last five or ten years "depending". Roof construction and condition are improtant.Hope this helps a little.Welcome to the forum.
Excellent advice all. Thank you!
I'll consider class As. I'm afraid I do not have the space to park 30+ foot vehicles - I'll do some measuring.
Are there other online sources to search for non-business classifieds besides RVTrader, Craigslist and ebay? Understood on the scams.
(..and sorry, although i appreciate the offer, 50/50 splits are extremely difficult to manage, even with close friends.)
