Buying older motorhome as first purchase

[lfrese]

My budget for a motorhome is about 22k. Im looking for something less than 25ft, with under 80k miles on it. I found a 97 coachmen that fits this criteria & the owner is asking 10k for it (NADA lists its value at 4k to 7k). I am not mechanically inclined so im wondering if someone who has had experience with these things can help me out. Am I likely to find myself with a headache buying a 20 year old RV with 65k miles on it? Should I get closer to my budget and buy one from 2003-2007 - would I have less issues with something 5 to 10 years newer? what should my cutoff for age be? what about mileage? Really id like something not too big to get me through for about 2 years then I will probably trade it in for something nicer, but at the same time id like something that will be reliable and not leave me stranded or without running water/electricity on a cross country trip.

[DownTheAvenue]

I think an ex-rental from Cruise America or El Monte would be your best choice. Pricing will come close to your budget, they have been well maintained, reconditioning is superior, and come with a nice warranty. An old RV, not used a lot and poorly maintained, will be a money pit.

[Cobra21]

I bought an older motor home 7 years ago. We did do the tires, a couple shocks, brakes and wheel bearing. A few other small things, these were all spread out over the 7 years. With the money saved on an older unit, we are still way below what could have been spent from the get go. Very easy to enjoy when you don't have an arm and a leg invested in it. Look close and test drive, have them demo
all appliances.
Enjoy, Brian

[Isaac-1]

I would tend to shop for a bit newer, but remember even an 03 model is now 15 years old, and anything made out of rubber is likely getting near the end of its service life.

[Tal_IL]

I have previously bought two 20+ year old motorhomes and had good luck with them mechanically. I owned each for 5 seasons. That said, if it's priced 40% above the high end of book value, I'd be looking elsewhere.

[pianotuna]

Make sure chassis parts are available.

[ScottG]

Toddupton wrote:
If you are not mechanically inclined then you better have deep pockets.

This really is true.
RV's, even the best of them, are constant work to keep up. An older one will need all kinds of maint. and small repairs even with low miles. The roof, exterior platic parts and things you would nver think of will need attention both when you first purchase the MH and then continuously after that.

If your handy you can get by fairly cheap but if you have everything done, it will be crazy expensive.

Best of luck to you,
Scott

[garyemunson]

Once coaches get over 20, expect to need a transmission rebuild. Not from wearing out but from the rubber parts getting old and brittle.

[photobug]

That's what I'm working on now. Mine is a '98 on a ford superduty chassis. The older a unit you get, the more you don't get some features that are either standard or even options on the newer units. I would recommend you get the E450/superduty unit, most units tend to be heavy and with the E350 chassis, there's extra weight for stuff you want to take. Some options are possible but a pain to install, electric windows/doors/mirrors. First couple of years of the Triton v-10 weren't as reliable as the later years. I'm finding just replacing older fittings to be time consuming. I went to change the light bulb in the shower, and the lens cover crumbled. Just recently had to replace the toilet valve. Part wasn't expensive, but access to it was restricted. Really have to be careful with water damage, especially around the cabover. Class C units historically have issues in this area.
Rv repair/maintenance by an rv repair place is expensive. Some times you can get regular truck repair place to do some of the work. Except for a few services, the Ford dealer is about worthless.

[midnightsadie]

sounds like a good older rv ,BUT you have to decide about the repairs ,most are not hard and U tube shows how to do a lot of them. get your hands dirty its not all that hard.

[Rolin]

If it were me:
1. Look for as new as I could afford.
a. That way there is less likely to be problems with things like fridge, heater, airconditioner, microwave, plumbing.
b. The transmission and engine would have newer features. Might mean better gas mileage and better performance.

2. Look for higher quality units.
a. Rubber roof over 12 yrs old could require costly repair.
b. Prefer fiberglass or that type of roof
c. Provides higher quality features and interior items.

3. Inspect very carefully to insure no water leaks. This is the biggest deal breaker.

4. Plan for some upgrades/repairs.
a. New tires if they are too old
b. Possibly Belts / hoses if more than 12 years old
c. Check brakes (may need to change brake fluid)
d. Might be time to do a radiator/cooling system flush.

5. Learn to do as many of your repairs and upgrades as you can.

Then go have fun.

[rockhillmanor]

Nothing wrong with buying an older MH. :C

When I started out I bought several older MH's. And had no more problems than anyone else including brand new ones. And 2 of my used MH's never had any problems.

That said you have to be prudent and really dig into asking questions if the previous owner has kept up on repairs etc. are they still using it? When was the last time they used it? etc.

I park daily next to MH's that are 1997 and older there are tons of them still on the road and the owners are still RV'ing in them. Some Full time, some Snowbirds and they run great and look very nice.

Just absolutely stay away from the used MH that has been sitting for years, unused, and tires sunk into the ground! :W

Good luck finding that perfect new to you RV. There out there, you just have to keep looking, and don't give up. :C

[Toddupton]

If you are not mechanically inclined then you better have deep pockets.