1998 Holiday Rambler Vacationer? 13k Is it worth it?

[cpeter99]

Hi All,

I'm brand new to RV life, my wife and I are working on building a house and will be planning to live and travel on the road for the year as the house is being built. Our RV budget is around 13k.

I have found a 1998 Holiday Rambler with 24k miles. It looks to be in good shape, will be traveling to see it tomorrow. It has a 454, I believe it is the 34CG model.

Would this be an okay start RV for the cost. It looks to be in great shape and the price is right, everything else I have seen as of late really doesn't look good in that price range.

I'm looking for thoughts and comments on what I should look for and if the Holiday Ramblers are over all a decent rig.

Thanks

[ferndaleflyer]

My Monaco DP is 22 years old, 1998. Just this year, 2 trips to Myrtle Beach 600mi, one to Tampa 1300mi, 2 trips to Darlington, SC 250mi. Zero problems. It gets a complete mechanical service every spring and tires every 6 years. Most hateful thing ever was dash heater core replacement. 94,000mi and counting. Nothing wrong with a 454 except they drink gas. I sometime wonder at what others think are other than normal maintenance costs. I don't care if it is new things break and if you can't fix them yourself be prepared to pay. I am 81 years old and do most of the work myself. Lots of help on here and you tube is your friend.

[dodge_guy]

As long as you can do the labor yourself it sounds like a good deal. The only issue which may turn me away would be the roof condition and of the outside walls are delaminating! Beyond that everything else is relatively easy to fix or repair.

[udidwht]

I bought a 94 Southwind Storm back in Sept 2014 with just shy of 45K on the OD. It is now at 71K. But I do nearly (90 percent) all my own work and have replaced a lot that I consider aging out (sensors, hoses, belts etc...) also put in a new fridge.

Picked it up for 8K and I've likely spent another 4-5K just in replacing items I know that are old (working though) rather than risk it being an issue on a trip. It is a P32 chassis with TBI 454 w/4L80E trans. And thank god this RV has no Auto park brake system.

Items I've replaced (Delco parts only if avail.)

1. TPS
2. EGR
3. VSS sensors
4. Purge valve
5. PCV valve
6. Idle control solenoid actuator
7. MAP sensor
8. O2 sensor (only 1 single wire)
9. IAC
10. Alternator
11. Belts
12. Radiator hoses & by-pass hose
13. T-stat
14. Ignition coil
15. Ceramic wired HD
16. Plugs
17. Distributor pick up coil
18. ICM
19. Aux fan motor
20. Front tires
21. Ignition switch (steering column)
22. Front rotors & pads (Centric ceramic)
23. Master cylinder
24. Doghouse relay
25. Rotor & cap
26. Shift solenoid A&B and internal wire harness (4L80E)
27. New batteries (x3)
28. B.I.R.D/Isolator relay/Solenoid
29. New fridge
30. LP regulator
31. Restored exterior of LP tank
32. DRAC module
33. Drive shaft rebuilt
34. Rear diff fluid
35. Trans fluid DexVI (x2 so far)
36. Exhaust donuts (x2) and springs/bolts
37. Generator VR regulator, fuel line, filter (Onan Micro4K)
38. Toilet
39. Shower faucet valve

and I'm sure some other stuff...LOL!

[mountainkowboy]

Since I'm mechanical I wouldn't worry about it so much. It may need a few things, but if it was properly maintained, it should be pretty **** reliable. My DD is a 32 year old F350.....sits most of the time and is as reliable as a rock. We do 1,000 mile trips in it all the time, and it's never left me stranded.

[Jay58]

STILL CHEAPER THAN NEW. if YOU CAN DO SME OF THE WORK.

[Lwiddis]

A 1998 RV would be fun to have if you had a place to park it AND didn't depend on it for long distance travel or long term living. Similar to trying to see the USA in a 23 year old car or truck.

[jdc1]

A 34' Class with a 454 will get 5-8mpg. It will cost you $.30-.50 a mile to operate, if you have no problems. You will need a toad to get around to site-see. If $13,000 is maximum you can afford, I would find something else to do with my time. It will cost you about $200+/day to travel 400 miles, including a cheap campground.

[wanderingaimles]

Have you seen decent photos of it? Can you see if the license plate or inspection stickers are current? If not, how long has it been sitting?
At that mileage and price I can almost guarantee you it will have aged out its tires, that alone will run you another $2,500-$3,600
Before you get into the other stuff. If you really are limited to $13,000, plan accordingly.
At your price point, why not a trailer? Do you currently own a vehicle suitable for towing?

[way2roll]

It's a whimsical dream of touring fantastic places in a vintage RV and making memories that you read about in books. In reality it reminds me of a story. Friend of mine knew nothing about RV's and was looking at one with the similar specs as yours. Despite my cautions, he bought it anyway. Spent about $10k in the first 6 months just chasing problems (plumbing, generator, electrical, leaks, engine, transmission, exhaust). It eventually left him and his and his family stranded several hundred miles from home with estimates in repairs almost equal to what he paid for the RV. You are talking about an RV that is 24 years old and sat most of it's life. It is going to have problems, lots of them and many won't show themselves until it's too late. If you know nothing about RV's it's a mistake. If you know a lot about RV's you might be tempted to pick it up as a project and work on restoring it over a year. A labor of love of course as it's time and money without getting any of that back.

[RetiredRealtorR]

CA Traveler wrote:
1,000 miles a year suggests it sat for extended periods of time which can also be a problem. 2 things: Be sure you have a FULL PDI (Pre Delivery Inspection) list, top to bottom ie underneath. And leave the emotions at home and be prepared to walk.

I fully agree. 24,000 miles in 24 years means it's been sitting idle for very long periods of time. An inspection by a qualified person can give you an insight as to the overall condition. What it cannot do is let you know condition of things like gaskets and seals that may be dried out, and could fail without notice. It's kind of a catch-22, unfortunately.

[2_many_2]

The harsh reality is that any RV of that age will most likely will require an expenditure equal to the purchase price in the first year to keep it on the road and fully functional. There are rare exceptions, but considering your inexperience you will not know the difference until it is too late.

No offence intended, I am only pointing out what seems to be the obvious to any experienced RVer.

Considering everything involved, my opinion is, you should rent an apartment in close proximity to where the new house is being built and be there every day to watch over the project. Building a home is a monumental project and the ramifications of problems may last for decades.

I am in envy that you have the resources to proceed with such a plan, but I would not attempt it due to some of the above reasons. The idea to go on the road and tour the country to return to a new and perfect home are just not realistic in my opinion.

I genuinely hope other members will chime in with a more optimistic outlook. A full “Pre Delivery” inspection of an RV before purchase should take about four hours to check out all the systems and the entire rig from top to bottom. Take a ladder, creeper, flashlight, multimeter, camera, and lunch.

DO NOT, supply any payment or deposit in advance, that will be the end of your negotiating advantage.
Best of luck.

[CA_Traveler]

1,000 miles a year suggests it sat for extended periods of time which can also be a problem. 2 things: Be sure you have a FULL PDI (Pre Delivery Inspection) list, top to bottom ie underneath. And leave the emotions at home and be prepared to walk.