I have been searching for advice on buying a used RV and most of the best links led to here! Hopefully an experienced RVer can help us with their experience.There is a 1974 Pace Arrow motorhome. Yes. I know that's old. Really, horribly old. I was born in 1963, so am I! We actually want an older RV. We don't even care about the stove or fridge, although they are supposed to work.It does have water damage on the inside. We don't care too much for cosmetics right now. I know it is going to need new tires, and brakes. The owner says he had been using it for snowboarding trips and it has been stored outside (ugh) for a few years. He has just replaced the transmission line because it was leaking. I am assuming that the hoses and belts will need to be checked or replaced because of age and outside storage. The owner says minor repairs but I will know more after our meeting. Also all the water lines were dry in storage. What we really need it to do is take us from Michigan to Florida. Once we get there we can use it for a hobby and fix it up. Or pretend to. Mechanics are what is important. We get to see it tomorrow so that is about all I know. If anyone one sees this tonight, do you have any advice for what I need to look for? I am still searching myself but an experts advice would sure help! The owner wants 2000 for it, but you know how that goes if he really wants rid of it. :) I have the link but I don't want to just post links with my first message. Thanks a lot, and I hope I at least made someone laugh with my crazy idea.

Water damage????? That is scary. Has the leak been found and fixed? Are there any soft spots anywhere on ceiling, walls or floor? Our son just put a few K into what they thought was a tiny soft spot. You don't want water coming in or worse walls falling apart. There are many things to look for. I hope someone with more experience talks to you. Remember...the seller is going to tell you what you want to hear.

My first thought is stay away from it.A rebuilt transmission would cost something like $2,000. Any problems with the engine would also be expensive. It is a different story if you know how to fix such things.Probably the carburetor floats will start leaking soon, or might make it run rich if they have leaked in the past. If the engine runs OK when cold, then will not run at all once it is warmed up, it would indicate a carburetor problem. Rebuilds are fairly straightforward, but can be tricky to calibrate. Back in the 90's it was easy to buy a new carburetor, and local mechanics knew how to rebuild them, and worked on them daily. Since 1990, I can't think of any domestic cars with a carburetor, and knowhow to fix them is retiring daily! So very few carbs are made today, compared with 50,000 a month in the 70s. Water damage might be a problem. Don't know until you see it. It might smell moldy, or not. Have the roof leaks been repaired? The wood that made up the sidewalls could be rotten, and that will be a problem at 50 MPH on your trip to Florida. I would keep looking for a unit that has fuel injection. That would be 1988 or later. Fred.

I bought a 1975 RV so I have some experience with this. The first thing I'll say is that buying an older RV and planning on taking an immediate long distance trip is most likely going to be a big problem.The trick with these older RVs is that what appears to work great on any given day will suddenly need repair/replacing on another given day. You have to give the RV time to "settle in" and to express its needs. What you fix in the first month will only be the obvious issues. Other things will only show up as the RV is used more. If you're lucky, those things will be small problems. If you're not lucky, you will be sitting dead on the road somewhere.

Watch who you are calling old kid.... Our coach is just a little older. But it is aluminum and not a wood framed. I don't even know how to find out if it is metal or wood frame. If it is wood, it is history already and what you are really doing is paying the owner to haul it away for him. Will the mechanicals get you to Florida from Ann Arbor? I hate to say this and shatter your young dream, but probably not. Have you priced tires?? Do you have a place to work on it? Everything made out of rubber has to be replaced or at least inspected. By the time you do all the tires, belts, brake lines, fuel lines, coolant hoses and window and door seals, you will a good idea what the condition of everything else is. The engine was made for leaded fuel without alcohol. Everything that the alcohol attacks or corrodes will be an issue. If you and your crew are already good mechanics, this can be done. (See the picture below - we took that to Texas this spring.) Think of this thing as a 40yo truck with a house spliced on.I wish you luck in any case. Matt

Are you a true enthusiast that can tolerate almost any hassle or expense to enjoy your passion? If so then go with your gut. If you are not a true enthusiast, run, run like the wind. A few short years ago I shopped for and bought the cheapest old Class C I could find. I had a $5k total budget and bought a water damaged unit for $1869. I fixed it and used it for 3 years and sold it. It was an incredible challenge. I looked at disaster after disaster. Horrible, dangerous, scary rust. Not worth $50 in scrap. My unit was almost rust free. That leaking line my be an indicator, if an oil filled line rusts through the unit is likely too rusty to save. It may be too rusty to safely drive. Climb underneath. Use a ball point pen to poke things. If you can poke holes in metal, climb out and be polite until you can leave. I live near Ann Arbor, so hello from a neighbor.How soon will you leave for FL? A local dealer helped me find my damaged unit. I know it sounds nuts to try the high priced dealers, but people try to trade in stuff with damage. I left my info and a description of what I wanted, and they called me back a few months later. It may have been a lucky break, but the unit was exactly what I asked for.

Expert advice for Insane person? | Good Sam Community

21 Replies

JohnnyG73
Explorer
Jul 18, 2014
You made a wise decision to pass it up. The condition you described it to be in...I have seen those given away or parted out to be honest. My friend had an old Dodge 26' motorhome. Ran great, no leaks, and everything worked. Needed tires, exhaust, brakes, and new upholstery. He had a difficult time getting $500 for it. The buyer moved it to his hunting property where he planned to leave it till it rotted into the ground.
Allieloopy
Explorer
Jul 18, 2014
Thanks so much everyone. I have been working on getting my yardsale together for this weekend, which means i've been doing anything else but working on the yard sale.
My husband wants to try to finance a newer motorhome. We have horrible credit due to foreclosure but he wants to try. :P

I still am looking at used ones sold by owners. Did you say you had some mechanics I could trust? I would love to have their info if you want to send it.

We found that 20 to 26 feet seems to be the best size for us, driving wise. I really don't want to drive anything bigger. I don't care how squished we are, LOL!

so if you all care I will try to keep you updated on our search and of course, Im going to have a lot of questions. Thanks so much!
adayjk
Explorer
Jul 18, 2014
I wish I still had my already fixed one to sell you cheap. I drove it 5000 miles in one summer.

I would commit to looking at 10 for sale. If you keep that in mind you won't get exhausted and have it lead to a mistake. Don't buy anything "squishy" unless you plan to replace everything all the way through from the outside to the inside.
toedtoes
Explorer III
Jul 14, 2014
Matt - don't forget the American Clipper class C - all fiberglass, very well constructed, on a Dodge chassis (and some Ford chassis from 1978-1980).
Matt_Colie
Explorer II
Jul 14, 2014
Allie,

If you are seriously considering buying a vintage or classic motorhome, there are only a very few worth considering and they are those that are all metal or fiberglass. That would make a bus build, a Travco (Dodge RV chassis), Revcon (are not bad, but they can have so strange things like 10.00x16.5 rear tires) and Clark/Cortez.

Before you buy anything old, take time to go on the web and find out what kind of support level is out there.

Oh, I forgot GMC, but they are too strange and there isn't anybody close to Ann Arbor to work on it. (I won't work on others for money, but I do help friends.)

Matt
ol__grouch
Explorer
Jul 14, 2014
Allieloopy wrote:
Just got back a little while ago. It is the one in Saline :) The engine sounds really rough and misses and ticks loudly. Like I said the interior didn't matter to me but lets just say a lot of it is original! Does need new tires, steps, brakes and lots of water damage. There was a bent place on the outside corner, I put my hand inside and it was soaked. The young man was very honest and helpful, he even mentioned going down on the price. But he also mentioned the word carburetor and we would have to get new rims to get new tires.
Soooo, it is not the right buy for us right now. He was understanding and if anyone else is interested he seems honestly willing to discuss the problems. And it is a steel frame.

If anyone needs a hunting TT or something to use close by this would be great.

The good news is that I have a place to go for expert and friendly opinions and we know what size we are looking for too. And my husband is totally into it and not treating it like one of my Lucille Ball ideas. So we are going to keep looking, there is one in Walled Lake that looks good...
LOL! I have a feeling that no matter what we buy it will turn into some kind of money pit but, we have wanted to do this for a long time and I am tired of tents!

Good thing you passed. Engine tuneups are so easy to do, if it's ticking and missing, that engine needs serious attention. My lady friend isn't happy with my B but I'd expect any prospective buyer (she hasn't gotten me to sell it yet) to have a mechanic check it out. I can even suggest a couple that I trust to find flaws.
loulou57
Explorer
Jul 13, 2014
Even if it was going to sit in the back yard my hubby would have me committed if I brought the unit home. If the roof is saggy or you can "feel" water anywhere just politely walk away. It is nice the guy was being honest, however, even with his honesty I would not be surprised to see the unit sitting in the same place next year. Keep looking, you will find something that will only need minor repairs. Good luck on your move.
Allieloopy
Explorer
Jul 13, 2014
Oh yes, the ceiling. It was definitely saggy in places, but then again, the owner was very forthcoming and seemed happy to discuss the faults. I would go for it if I didn't have to go across a few states in a few months from now! I thought it would be perfect for short Michigan trips.
Allieloopy
Explorer
Jul 13, 2014
Just got back a little while ago. It is the one in Saline :) The engine sounds really rough and misses and ticks loudly. Like I said the interior didn't matter to me but lets just say a lot of it is original! Does need new tires, steps, brakes and lots of water damage. There was a bent place on the outside corner, I put my hand inside and it was soaked. The young man was very honest and helpful, he even mentioned going down on the price. But he also mentioned the word carburetor and we would have to get new rims to get new tires.
Soooo, it is not the right buy for us right now. He was understanding and if anyone else is interested he seems honestly willing to discuss the problems. And it is a steel frame.

If anyone needs a hunting TT or something to use close by this would be great.

The good news is that I have a place to go for expert and friendly opinions and we know what size we are looking for too. And my husband is totally into it and not treating it like one of my Lucille Ball ideas. So we are going to keep looking, there is one in Walled Lake that looks good...
LOL! I have a feeling that no matter what we buy it will turn into some kind of money pit but, we have wanted to do this for a long time and I am tired of tents!
bdpreece
Explorer II
Jul 13, 2014
Bought a travel trailer with what looked like a small amount of water damage one time. Towed it about 30 miles home, by that time one of the corners had opened completely up and you could see daylight through it. If this coach has wood framing which I believe it does, the framing will just disintegrate if it has had much water damage. Look it over good.