Pitfalls of buying an older C???

That kind of mechanical issue is the single biggest thing that holds me back. I've owned Toyotas for 20 years and have become accustomed to vehicles that run to 250,000 miles with very few issues.

I'm really thinking I might just buy another Toyota at some point for my daily driver, and take my current Sienna minivan and get a high-top put on it. It will already be 80% depreciated at that point so I'm not concerned about resale. Now I just need to find a high-top for it.

The last MH we owned was what is now classified as a B+ (though I'd consider it a C- :) ). It was 8 years old when we bought it, and had been well cared for; even though we bought from a dealer, the previous owner willingly met with us and went over all sorts of things about the camper. We kept it about 5 years, and by then found that something was always going wrong with the non-camper aspects of it. Not being mechanically inclined, we were forever having to take it to the shop. That experience made us give up on MHs of any type and go to trailers - at least if your tow vehicle breaks down, you can still be camping someplace, rent a car for a few days, etc. If the MH breaks down, you're out of house as well as vehicle. Just something to think about, especially if you're considering used rigs.

When appliances, roof A/C units, dash A/C units, water heaters, awnings, RV generators, fresh water pumps, house batteries and converter chargers, furnaes, engine cooling systems, brakes and transmissions reach 10 years old, they may need repairs, replacements or upgrades.

Tires are good for around 5 years sitting parked and uncovered in the driveway. They may last longer if rig is driven often.

An older rig with low miles is not always a bad deal. RV's average about 5K miles per year. Our 2004 rig has only 10K miles but has new roof AC, awning, tires, and fridge, Illness etc has curtailed camping/touring. (Not for sale) The Ford V-10 engine may still be good after 100 K miles depending on how it was maintainted.An old rig can be relatively cheap to own if you can do repairs and replacements. If I were looking for a used rig, I'd try to buy a 3 year old cream puff that needs nothing to make it ready for a cross-country trip and comfortable camping with everything working properly

Thanks for the input, everyone.

One big issue that really just dawned on me: Lack of airbags and even shoulder belts in older vehicles. That really puts a new slant on things.

Given that concern, I may have to increase the budget to move up to something similar to this B+:

2005 Gulfstream B+

Looks like most of the same issues could apply to this vehicle.

If you aren't discouraged by old because it's old, I wouldn't rule this one out. Appears to have been stored covered. Not in sun all its life. Winnebago is a good coach (but they can still leak!). Chevy is a good platform. The 5.7L V8 (which is what it probably has, but could be a 7.4) is a little small for most motorhomes but this is only 21-ft. Chevy should drive well on the road, although Fords of that vintage drove well too. Ford's handling problems didn't intensify till 1992. Speaking of 21-ft, is that adequate and do you like the floorplan and sleeping arrangement? IMO the Floorplan Rules.
The price? $5000 is what I sold our 24-ft 1984 Holiday Rambler for in 2008 with 105,000 miles. New paint but 8-year-old tires. Everything worked. Actually I priced at $4995, just not wanting the price to start in "5".

Here are the standards that I checked for when I bought my 1975 American Clipper last year:

Soft spots, dry rot, mold/mildew, etc. for potential leaks. Ran water through entire system and watch for leaking. Light pilot lights on stove, hot water heater, furnace, and fridge to make sure they light and stay lit. Test water pump and lights on battery power only. Test water pump, fridge, a/c, lights on shore power. These you can test yourself. If the seller won't let you plug in, run water, etc. walk away - no reason is acceptable not to test those things except acknowledgement of a major problem (e.g., the hot water tank is split open, etc.).

Have a professional test these: propane regulator and lines for proper functionality and leaks. All rubber (fuel lines, belts, etc.) for wear and tear, leaks, etc. Brakes (including emergency brakes), dump valves (older RVs had rubber gaskets in the valves - those gaskets go bad and leak or come loose), etc.

Expect to replace tires. Expect to spend up to $10,000 (including purchase price) to get the RV in full working order. Expect to wait until everything is fixed before enjoying the RV, or expect to have things go wrong out on the road. As my mechanic told me last week when I brought in my RV for repairs "wouldn't you like just ONE trip that goes without a hitch".

All that said, I love my old RV. Even with the repairs, the on-the-road problems, etc., I smile every time I get in it. I wouldn't trade it for a new one for anything. It's exactly what I wanted. Over the past year, I have put in about $3000 (not including tires) getting things working right. Only a couple things left that are known issues. Then maybe I can start doing some of the stuff on my want list (versus my must do list).

Get up on the roof and check the vent covers and seals. Have the engine checked by someone who knows about mechanics. Expensive things to replace, refrig, water heater, generator, a/c. Have the brakes checked out all the way around.

We bought a MH that was 11 yrs old at the time. Second trip out, the one brake caliper locked up. Started a fire on the wheel. Not fun sitting along the road, not to mention the adrenalin rush of seeing flames. And especially if you are traveling alone or with a grandchild.

Make sure you always have a working fire extinguisher.

A few things I'd try to find-
Something that has been stored under a roof for substantial time.
No musty mildew smell inside.

Its hard to see everything when looking for water damage. Look into everything you can-compartments, cabinets, behind furniture etc. with a good flashlight. Maybe you can see under flooring in some areas. Make sure floor feels solid.

If the unit has had recent use that is a plus. I've had older low miler vehicles and boats have lots of shakedown pains till they get sorted out.

Newer the better within budget all things equal. Lots of depreciation has already occurred with early to mid 2000s units. The engines are more powerful in the later units and they haven't had as much time to deteriorate.

If it has leaks do not buy period. The first clue to leaks is smell when you enter the RV does it smell if so walk. Other ways are to look for stains and soft spots on walls and roof and look for delamination on the outside.

I recently had to replace the head gasket on a 10 year old car (cheap part, very high labor charge). The mechanic showed me the old gasket. I was shocked how old and brittle it was. I swore right there that I was done buying old vehicles no matter how little they have been used. I would hate to see what some of the parts look like deep inside a 26 year old RV.