Forum Discussion

thejustin's avatar
thejustin
Explorer
Jun 02, 2013

About to purchase preowned Lance 1161 questions, new to TC's

Ok folks, new to the board here and completely new to truck camping so apologize for the newbie-ness :P

Sold my 5th wheel, going to a TC to simplify things (got tired of paying $125 a month to park my 5th wheel in town at a storage yard while not in use). Getting ready to buy a gently used 2005 Lance 1161 truck camper but had several questions as this TC will be my first and I am absolutely clueless on the subject.

I have a new 2012 F350 DRW with the 'camper package' so my truck should be stout enough. The seller is hauling on a 95 Dodge Ram 3500 DRW with no airbags or anything of that sort and he his not sagging at all so will need to hook up and see how she sits before determining if I want to add airbags or something similar. 99% of the time it will just be me in the camper solo so there is going to be plenty of room.

Onto the questions:

1. Firstly, is the price. I see that NADA values for TC's vary wildly from what the seller's generally ask for and I have read the values are generally not as accurate as say the value given for a trailer as opposed to the given TC value. We have agreed upon a price of 14,500 which includes delivery to my door since I don't have my tiedowns yet (getting Torklift tie downs installed later this week). The standard NADA average retail is 13230 so it seems pretty close. The only option I noticed was missing was the onboard generator. The compartment was wired for the genset but he was using an external portable generator instead. Everything was essentially mint, no problems with leaking, delamination, or sagging floor/slide problems (which I have read a problem on pre-2005 lance 1161 models). Just curious if you guys thought that was a fair price for an 05 1161.

2. Does anyone have a ballpark estimate on how much it would cost to add a onboard genset with indoor push button start? I'm guessing it was a 2.5K Onan LP genny, will find out tomorrow. I have a portable Yamaha 2K inverter/generator but would be nice to have the indoor push button genset for those quick occasions where you need to use the microwave or something of that nature.

3. Is there any place inside that is structurally sound enough where I can mount a swiveling flat screen TV mount? I know the walls on my 5th wheel were flimsy as can be and wouldn't trust mounting a flatscreen on there, but I've seen several campers that have these small swivel mounts on theirs, just curious if anyone with a 1161 would chime in on this area. Notice there is a 12V receptable right by the dinette so would be a perfect spot for a smaller 12V LCD/DVD combo.

4. Is there any thing I should pay particular attention to in doing my final inspection before the sale? He says everything is in good working order and the camper looked fantastic, but I know there can be hidden issues. When I bought my 5th wheel I didn't check the frame carefully and ended up having the rebuild the entire frame and suspension. Don't want to overlook something like that on this TC, but as I said this will be my first so don't know if there is anything in particular I should check.

5. My RV store is telling my I need an additional 7 pin power receptacle in my truck bed. I already have one inside the truck bed for my 5th wheel application but it is at the rear of the wheel well. My question is, can I use like an 8 foot 7 pin to 7 pin extension cable and place the extension towards the front of the wheel well rather than paying 200+ bucks for the second 7 pin receptacle to be installed? Seems like a waste to drill another power plug when I already have one at the rear.


Overall was very impressed with the camper, its amazing when you are standing inside and then you realize all that stuff is sitting inside the box of a pickup truck...... I know the Lance name is a reputable company as well. Was close to pulling the trigger on a 'Fleetwood Caribou' 11J but I have read some horror stories concerning that particular brand so would prefer the Lance. While I am mentioning that I should throw out I can purchase a 2001 Caribou 11J which is in equally outstanding condition for 9000. Does that seem like a good price? This Lance will be about 5,000 more but it is several years newer. Opinions??

In any event, if anyone has any ideas or tips I would greatly appreciate it. Looking forward to truck camping. Loved hacing the spaciousness of my 5th wheel but I will not miss driving that thing in tight spots and parking that sucker in crowded campgrounds!!!
Truck Campers

49 Replies

Show More
  • thejustin's avatar
    thejustin
    Explorer
    Jun 03, 2013
    bobndot wrote:
    Anytime you inspect any rv, look for water damage or painted over areas. Especially paint in areas that normally DO NOT get painted, like under a kitchen sink,inside a cabinet etc. Paint is used to cover stains.
    Check inside all cabinets and closets and USE A FLASHLIGHT AND YOUR NOSE, smell everything.
    Water will try to find a low point to escape or settle, feel around by pressing the structure or lightly pounding with a closed fist to test for soft areas. Check the horizontal wood that sits above the trucks bed rail. Sometimes the city water hookup is located there as well as the tie-down anchors. This area should be rock solid . Water can settle here from clearance light leaks or roof leaks.
    Climb onto the roof and check all perimeter seals and vent seals, look for small dried out cracks.
    If any 2005 rv appears that it has not been maintained, i would be very cautious.


    As Sleepy says, price = demand depends on whats avl. to you and how bad YOU want it .
    With some slideout models Lance had an issue with sagging under the slideout but im not sure what years or models . Here is one 1161 that had it.
    http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/23684715.cfm

    An ex. of asking prices. FYI, once any rv is over 5 yrs. old, it goes by condition/demand.
    http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2003-Lance-Truck-Cabover-Camper-Generator-/111020227344

    When you do decide on a tc. Here are two good places to look for mods.
    Like installing the tv you mentioned.

    scroll thru projects page


    http://home.comcast.net/~netboy/

    good luck in your adventure, Bob


    Thanks for the reply Bob, the 'check for paint' tip is the kind of information I was looking for, would never have thought to look for that but it of course makes perfect sense. I also did not check inside the cabinets so I will give those a good once over before handing over the check. I am 99% sure I am going to buy it but if I see anything shady I will cancel the deal. Went back and forth last night considering the 2001 Caribou 11J and this model. It concerned me the NADA value of the 11J was only about 6 grand, didn't feel comfortable shelling out 9,000 (and that was talking him down from 10,000!) Though it was a very nice camper inside.

    As a previous poster mentioned, along with the horrendously inflated RV prices we have here, the preowned TC market is incredibly sparse. Moreover, when a decent TC comes up it is usually swallowed up within 24 hours. There are a few other ones locally but they are mostly pre-2000 and very cramped inside. This 1161 was very spacious with the slideout and it had a conventional gas oven which is a must for me. Not a fan of the convection style combo ovens.......

    I had a deal in place for an 06 Arctix Fox 1150 a few days ago but another bidder stepped in and offered an extra 1,000 on top of my price and I lost out. This 1161 would probably be sold already except the seller listed it as a 'LANCER 1161' so the only way you would see it is if you were manually scanning all the RV postings (like i was). :)
  • joe_b_'s avatar
    joe_b_
    Explorer II
    Jun 03, 2013
    Buying any older truck camper or RV, make an honest assessment of your ability to do work on it yourself. As I remember, on one of his posts, Sleepy, was showing how he braced up the underneath of his slide. He used some angle iron or something, but the point is he was able to do the work himself. If you had to take a job like that to a dealer or RV shop, you are going to be spending big bucks to have it done.

    To my thinking, the dealer retail prices shown on most guides is what most dealers are asking, not what they are selling for eventually. Look at all the guides you can find, talk to your credit union, bank, insurance agent as they all seem to get different editions of the "price" books.

    The main problem with buying RVs in Alaska is too many of them sold for too much to start with. In the 25+ years I lived in rural Alaska, I bought and sold at least a half dozen RVs. Most I bought from off one of the military bases. Elmendorf AFS used to have a used vehicle lot which I would shop when I was in Anchorage. The standard scenario was that a GI would be stationed in Anchorage or Fairbanks, and decide they had to have an RV. So they would go to the base credit union and take out a 15 year loan on one, then hot foot it to a dealer would was glad to sell them one at sticker price. At the end of their 3 year tour, with 12 years remaining on their loan, they would find out they had been transferred to a base somewhere in the world where they couldn't take their RV. Unless they were officers, they didn't have the leave time, in most cases to even drive it to the lower 48. So they would try to sell them in Anchorage at what they owed on the loan and most were upside down a long ways. So many would end up with no choice but to turn them back to the credit union and take the hit on their credit rating. I bought two or three RVs directly from the military credit union as they liked cash. Got real good deals using this method.
    The only extra cost of Alaska RVs should be the barge freight up from Washington or Oregon and that is a cheap way to ship stuff compared to other transportations methods. One of the forum member in Anchorage wanted a new rig so he bought it in Washington and had it shipped up to him. He had some shipping damage but that is a side issue.

    I wouldn't pay anymore than $500 above the average "book" price for any RV in Alaska. The $500 would cover most of the freight cost to get one there. Also consider resale on any rig you buy, especially if you are just temporarily assigned to a government job in Alaska. If you are there permanently, then you may want to keep what you buy till it falls apart. LOL

    One Class C I bought that was being brought up from Arizona on a one way trip by a Alaska snowbird. I contacted him and let him know my interest in his newly purchased used rig. When he arrived in Alaska, I met him, checked out the rig and made him an offer, which he stated was an "insult". I gave him my business card and about 2 weeks later he called me, "feeling much less insulted". He accepted my offer. We went to my bank, where the bank officer handed him a bank check and the seller signed the RV over to me.

    Also keep in mind that most of the price guide books are for a regional area, so the one for Alaska already has any "extra" costs built in. Check with any of the RV rental companies in Alaska that rent truck campers, they replace them on a regular basis with new units. Sometimes some good deals there also. A friend of mine in Whitehorse just bought a truck camper from a rental agency that had replaced it with a new unit. They are well satisfied from what I have been told with both the selling price and the condition of the unit.
  • thejustin's avatar
    thejustin
    Explorer
    Jun 03, 2013
    sleepy wrote:
    12V Cummins wrote:
    first 3 years of the 1161 i would stay away from. Very heavy camper and wood structure. A lot of weight in the rear of the camper. Don't even want to know where the center of gravity is on it. When the camper is off the truck compare the slide room to under the camper. Most are bowed and need basically a girdle to resupport the whole under of the camper. Would not pay over 9k for a 03-06 1161 even in all working condition.


    I have no idea where this guy gets his information... I looked at his previous posts and don't see experience, but do see some strong bias' and misinformation.

    Wher do his statements come from about: Center of gravity wrong? weight? girdles?

    That said... from my documented experiences... (see TC Univ and 10 years of posts and learning from the proven experts on this forum)

    Fact: The 2005 Lance 1161's and the 1191s that replaced them are fine. The older they are from 2004 and back the more criticle that I'd be. (trucks too of course)

    That said, there are many of the older 1161's still in use, in good shape, and good buys if your willing to take care of them.

    I have had a 2003 Lance 1161 since it was new... Mine is not for sale, at any price. We love the floor plan, the mods that I've made, and the 1007 nights that we've traveled in it. I maintain it, baby it, and use it.

    The prices are what they are... based on demand. The 1161's have every applaince that you have in your home except a dishwasher, washer, and dryer....The appliances aren't cheap... the 6 cubic foot 3 way fridge is a fortune...even the stove and oven.

    Nothing beats the convienence of a built in generator... when its raining or cold, you're parked along the road, or in a WalMart parking lot... just push a button... the generator starts... you have airconditioning or microwave even with the slide in. No fuel cans, no security problems... just push a button on the panel on the stove hood.(I like the people that set their little stand alone generator under other peoples windows)

    As far as the 2005 Lance 1161 that the OP describes... his negotiating point is the lack of a built in generator... that had dropped the original new price by $3000 dollars and I'd bring that up in my negotiations. I'd check now to see how much it would cost to add one.

    Sleepy


    Very informative reply, thanks Sleepy!

    I agree with the convenience factor of an on board genset. I do use a portable Yamaha 2K whisper quiet generator that is great, but like you say, if you pull in for a quick rest stop and want to fire up the microwave or need some power that is where it comes in handy, hence the interest in adding one to the camper.
  • bobndot's avatar
    bobndot
    Explorer III
    Jun 03, 2013
    Anytime you inspect any rv, look for water damage or painted over areas. Especially paint in areas that normally DO NOT get painted, like under a kitchen sink,inside a cabinet etc. Paint is used to cover stains.
    Check inside all cabinets and closets and USE A FLASHLIGHT AND YOUR NOSE, smell everything.
    Water will try to find a low point to escape or settle, feel around by pressing the structure or lightly pounding with a closed fist to test for soft areas. Check the horizontal wood that sits above the trucks bed rail. Sometimes the city water hookup is located there as well as the tie-down anchors. This area should be rock solid . Water can settle here from clearance light leaks or roof leaks.
    Climb onto the roof and check all perimeter seals and vent seals, look for small dried out cracks.
    If any 2005 rv appears that it has not been maintained, i would be very cautious.


    As Sleepy says, price = demand depends on whats avl. to you and how bad YOU want it .
    With some slideout models Lance had an issue with sagging under the slideout but im not sure what years or models . Here is one 1161 that had it.
    http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/23684715.cfm

    An ex. of asking prices. FYI, once any rv is over 5 yrs. old, it goes by condition/demand.
    http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2003-Lance-Truck-Cabover-Camper-Generator-/111020227344

    When you do decide on a tc. Here are two good places to look for mods.
    Like installing the tv you mentioned.

    scroll thru projects page


    http://home.comcast.net/~netboy/

    good luck in your adventure, Bob
  • sleepy's avatar
    sleepy
    Explorer
    Jun 03, 2013
    12V Cummins wrote:
    first 3 years of the 1161 i would stay away from. Very heavy camper and wood structure. A lot of weight in the rear of the camper. Don't even want to know where the center of gravity is on it. When the camper is off the truck compare the slide room to under the camper. Most are bowed and need basically a girdle to resupport the whole under of the camper. Would not pay over 9k for a 03-06 1161 even in all working condition.


    I have no idea where this guy gets his information... I looked at his previous posts and don't see experience, but do see some strong bias' and misinformation.

    Wher do his statements come from about: Center of gravity wrong? weight? girdles?

    That said... from my documented experiences... (see TC Univ and 10 years of posts and learning from the proven experts on this forum)

    Fact: The 2005 Lance 1161's and the 1191s that replaced them are fine. The older they are from 2004 and back the more criticle that I'd be. (trucks too of course)

    That said, there are many of the older 1161's still in use, in good shape, and good buys if your willing to take care of them.

    I have had a 2003 Lance 1161 since it was new... Mine is not for sale, at any price. We love the floor plan, the mods that I've made, and the 1007 nights that we've traveled in it. I maintain it, baby it, and use it.

    The prices are what they are... based on demand. The 1161's have every applaince that you have in your home except a dishwasher, washer, and dryer....The appliances aren't cheap... the 6 cubic foot 3 way fridge is a fortune...even the stove and oven.

    Nothing beats the convienence of a built in generator... when its raining or cold, you're parked along the road, or in a WalMart parking lot... just push a button... the generator starts... you have airconditioning or microwave even with the slide in. No fuel cans, no security problems... just push a button on the panel on the stove hood.(I like the people that set their little stand alone generator under other peoples windows)

    As far as the 2005 Lance 1161 that the OP describes... his negotiating point is the lack of a built in generator... that had dropped the original new price by $3000 dollars and I'd bring that up in my negotiations. I'd check now to see how much it would cost to add one.

    Sleepy
  • Grit_dog's avatar
    Grit_dog
    Navigator III
    Jun 03, 2013
    Don't know anything about the lance 1161 in particular but having just moved to AK, I bought one before we moved up. Cost here is ridiculous and not much selection at all. Less than I expected.
    Price seems good to me unless there are some bad inherent issues as mentioned above.
    Regarding the elect plug, make or buy an extension. Bought an extension + pigtail to plug in a trlr w camper attached for like $80, lower 48 though.

    Ever been in a camper w a onboard generator? Not loud but I don't like the constant humm. Especially up here. Much rather plug in a gene 50' away and not hear it under my feet. IMO keep your 2k and use it.
  • thejustin's avatar
    thejustin
    Explorer
    Jun 02, 2013
    Appreciate the replies. Interesting that one is saying the price is fair and the other saying no. I have to admit, I was expecting to pay closer to 10 than 15 but here in Alaska, RV's are priced significantly higher than what they go for in the states. I remember looking at 5th wheels during my last purcnase and it made me cry looking at what you could buy in the lower 48 for 20 grand as opposed to what you'd have to settle with for that here in Alaska. I will definately give the slide out a good once over tomorrow morning. I had read in a few other threads there were some problems with that aspect of the camper but that they had been pretty much alleviated in the post 2005 models. Figured I would be in the clear since this is a 2005. He is the original owner and has kept it stored indoors, hasn't even been used the past few seasons so as I say it is in remarkable shape. Even though I prefer the Lance, the fact I can get the Fleetwood 11j for 5500 less seems very appealing. Going to sleep on it, tough choice!
  • 12V_Cummins's avatar
    12V_Cummins
    Explorer
    Jun 02, 2013
    first 3 years of the 1161 i would stay away from. Very heavy camper and wood structure. A lot of weight in the rear of the camper. Don't even want to know where the center of gravity is on it. When the camper is off the truck compare the slide room to under the camper. Most are bowed and need basically a girdle to resupport the whole under of the camper. Would not pay over 9k for a 03-06 1161 even in all working condition.
  • sleepy's avatar
    sleepy
    Explorer
    Jun 02, 2013
    To answer your numbered points:

    1) the price seems reasonable to me.

    2) MY generac 3600 Propane was about $3000 new in Nov 2002 (2003 1161)
    they use Onans now I think... just make sure it will run your Air Cond.

    3) I have a fairly large flat screen mounted on a double articulated arm to the left of the fridge on the bulkhead to the right as you look into the bed area... I drilled and bolted the mount with the nuts inside the slide-out cabinate.

    4) check the skirts carefully (the lower side walls of the overhang behind the truck bed) and look at the structure under the slide room... make sure it's straight.,,, no cracks at either end. And you know about roofs and vents.

    5) Contact Lance for the recepticle... it fits in front left... should be easy for you to replace the one you have.

    PM me for my phone number if you need to talk as you inspect. I've done it many times before.

    Sleepy

About Travel Trailer Group

44,056 PostsLatest Activity: May 04, 2014