Getting rid of an older motor home.
I'm tossing around the idea of purchasing an older motor home, Class A or Class C. My toy hauler/truck combination is fine for certain uses, but not ideal for the type of travel I'd like to do over t...
Forum Discussion
Wow, from many of the responses here you'd think that the only way to RV is in a brand new rig. Untrue.
My first RV was a 1979 model, bought in 1989 (10 years old), with 96K miles on it. I used it for another 10 years; other than normal routine chassis maintenance and a few minor coach issues, it never missed a beat both on short weekend trips and cross country trips, including a 24 hour straight stint from SoCal to Oregon, switching drivers and stopping only for fuel.
Our 2nd (and current) RV was a 1988 model, bought in 1999 (11 years old) with about 40K. Required a trans rebuild shortly after purchase, but otherwise has been going strong ever since (with of course the aforementioned routine maint & normal wear & tear issues that ALL RVs are subject to, new or old). Early in the recession, we had to let it sit for about 4 years; took a bit over $2000 to get it back on the road (mainly tires, belts, radiator hoses, fluid changes). Not a deal breaker, IMO.
I've never understood the mindset that any large (or small, for that matter) purchase be made giving later resale value much attention. I don't buy things to sell; I buy things to use. When I'm done and want to move on or move up, I will sell it for what I can and move on/up. If I have to give it away/donate it, so be it. But there is always a market for inexpensive RVs; many cannot afford the astronomical prices of new or newly used units, particularly young families just starting out. And older RVs can be just as rewarding and just as dependable as newer models.
My first RV was a 1979 model, bought in 1989 (10 years old), with 96K miles on it. I used it for another 10 years; other than normal routine chassis maintenance and a few minor coach issues, it never missed a beat both on short weekend trips and cross country trips, including a 24 hour straight stint from SoCal to Oregon, switching drivers and stopping only for fuel.
Our 2nd (and current) RV was a 1988 model, bought in 1999 (11 years old) with about 40K. Required a trans rebuild shortly after purchase, but otherwise has been going strong ever since (with of course the aforementioned routine maint & normal wear & tear issues that ALL RVs are subject to, new or old). Early in the recession, we had to let it sit for about 4 years; took a bit over $2000 to get it back on the road (mainly tires, belts, radiator hoses, fluid changes). Not a deal breaker, IMO.
I've never understood the mindset that any large (or small, for that matter) purchase be made giving later resale value much attention. I don't buy things to sell; I buy things to use. When I'm done and want to move on or move up, I will sell it for what I can and move on/up. If I have to give it away/donate it, so be it. But there is always a market for inexpensive RVs; many cannot afford the astronomical prices of new or newly used units, particularly young families just starting out. And older RVs can be just as rewarding and just as dependable as newer models.
