would you drive a "new" used MH 2,000 miles?

[jotityra]

My son recently joined the MI National Guard and he is doing basic training at fort sill Oklahoma. We have been looking at getting in to camping again, but the timing is not good financially to get the one we would really like, in the 15-20k range. but i got to thinking, why not get something a little cheaper for a few years until that time comes then sell it and get the one we really want. so i've been looking and have found some real nice ones for 5,000. even though they say drive anywhere and runs great i am a little hesitant to buy a 5,000 vehicle and drive from michigan to oklahoma, a 1050 mile one way trip. i have to move on this quick because he graduates the first of september so i would need time to drive it around and make sure it is OK before i go to OK. this one is at the top right now. let me know your opinions. been camping alot, using my f150 and travel trailer. but got out of it and we would like to get a motorhome this time around.

http://saginaw.craigslist.org/rvs/5093655725.html


here is another

[Islandman]

Have owned a nice Class A, and now own a Class C. Our C is more comfortable to drive, parks in smaller spaces at parking lots, gets better fuel mileage (probably the result of better streamlining and less weight). The A was great when parked as it had lots of room and a little bigger bathroom. Not all Class C's have the overhead bunk and such units are sometimes misbranded as B+ such as Coach House and others. I'd keep looking, a good deal on a C will show up, just be ready to make your move when it does.

[5Mainecampers]

Being a Class C forum The bias here is going to be Class C---- the reason why we wanted the Class C is the front bunk area offers sleeping are for the kids. We to noticed. When we bought ours, the number of Class A's and often lowere price tags--- If we weren't relegated to the Class C bunk arrangement, we would have looked at Class A's.

[jotityra]

I've been thinking only class C, but i see a lot class A out there cheap too. what would be the downside to a class A to a C? It looks as though class C's are prone to leaking over the cab. What are the Class A downsides?

http://kalamazoo.craigslist.org/rvs/5124647886.html

[jaycocreek]

New rigs break down also..I would not hesitate to take off in a well maintained motor home, once it was all checked out.I just bought another class C used but well maintained with records.Drove it home 200 miles and have a good idea what it may or may not need..

Buying a used motor home is a catch 22.Low miles on the unit and gen means it probably wasn't used much which carries it's own set of problems versus one used moderately and often.

I bought a Beaver Class C a few years ago with 80,000 miles.I put several thousand miles on it before it needed anything.Water pump finally went out being the only engine problem I had with it.

Good luck in your choice..It takes alot of looking and checking things out to find the perfect motor home for you and yours,new or used.

[Islandman]

Sorry to hear you lost out on a deal, the Cobra looked good to me, but there will be more units that show up. Just wait your time and who knows maybe something even better will appear. I agree with your wife that the Fleetwood just didn't seem good. And if nothing shows up in the next few weeks, you can always take your car to see your son at Fort Sill and maybe even look around down in OK for a good used unit.

[jotityra]

I set up a time to go look at the cobra. he said he had a few people looked at it but nothing serious. then he called me back 45 minutes later and said a guy looked at it today and didnt seem interested. then he came back with his wife and they bought it. My wife does not like the other ford i posted. I have found this one which we both like 1997 30' however that is getting close to the point to where if i spend that much i'd rather wait to get something with the v-10. which i would have to wait until next spring to spend that much. I'd be ok spending 12K. I just need to get some bills out of the way. The search continues.

[mr61impala]

Many years ago my dad bought a 20 year old 1970's Minnie Winnie 22'Class C on a Dodge chassis. He, his brother and another mutual friend and been planning a trip of several weeks duration which entailed driving across the USA to California, up the west coast to deep in Alaska, across Alaska crossing back into the US @ Detroit and then back home.

The coach components including a 2.7kw generator were all operational but I spent a few hours prepping the Chrysler portion which included overhauling the carb., (it needed it) replacing plugs, plug wires, cap and rotor and ballast resistor, alternator brushes (5 minute external job on those, and changed all belts and hoses with new coolant (the water pump looked and felt fine). He had 2 new front tires installed due to age and the headed out. Total of probably $500 back then for everything (brakes and transmission had been serviced recently).

They were gone for several weeks and covered many thousands of miles, including desert and mountains, during August and September, and the only mechanical defect they incurred was a wiper blade coming apart on the Al-Can highway.

Of course you will get many opinions but, being the adventurous sort, I would do it in heartbeat at whatever level I could afford.

[Skid_Row_Joe]

jotityra wrote:
thanks for all the suggestions. I've pretty much decided if i can find something in time i'm going to take it on the trip. that long of a trip in a kia optima sounds very cramped to me so i'd like some more room. i didnt hear anyone tell me i'm crazy. this is why i need to move on this because i have to have time to go through this and repair things if found. I'd probably replace belts, give it a tune up, take it up north for a weekend see how it goes. i have an 01 ford focus with 200,000 miles and a 93 ranger with 150,000 so an older RV would not scare me, its just the distance away from my tools haha. I'm sure i'd get road side assistance on my insurance too so that may help me relax a little. maybe. I would not be as leery if i had this for a year and i knew it was reliable, but all i would have now is a month and the sellers word. which is c.r.a.p because they want it gone.

As long as you're prepared to spend another $5K on the unit to get and keep it road worthy, you'll be fine. RVs that old and set up, need a lot of $$$ to keep 'em on the road. Any $5K unit can easily cost you another $5K inside a year or two of running it. That's penny wise, but pound foolish. Get the rig that's $15K to $20K to get a better unit. Which is what you were going to do in the first place.

[5Mainecampers]

We purchased our '98 Coachmen in 2011 with 110K - drove twice from Maine to Florida and back plus other trips thruout northern New England. Your plan to spend the $5K now rather than wait is a sound one- in my opinion. You do want to budget approximately $1K/ year for repairs/maintenance for any used RV--- my budget is having a local RV tech doing the work for me-- one year might be tires or brakes or a roof reseal or?

Class C's are built on the same heavy duty van chassis as box trucks and moving vans-- they are built tough and to be reliable. Furthermore with the OBD II computers in the mid 90's have made vehicles very reliable.

[darsben]

Okay I will say it YOU ARE CRAZY to do this.
But so are the rest of us cause we are all envying your trip

[toedtoes]

You mention you have an RV that you really prefer. How do these floorplans compare to that one? How much compromising will you be doing with these cheap versions? - for me, I wouldn't buy something I don't like or requires too much compromising for a short time frame. I'd rather suffer with the $5,000 in my pocket, than suffer without the $5,000.

If you buy one of these RVs and you can't sell it for more than $1,000, will that affect your preferred RV's purchase? If you're on your trip and the engine blows on the way to Oklahoma, can you pay for a new engine, or dump the RV, without hurting your ability to buy the preferred RV? - for me, I wouldn't spend money on a temporary fix if a failure of that temporary fix means I have to wait even longer for my permanent fix.

[bsinmich]

I just bought my '75 GMC with 55K miles, for $10,000. and plan to spend another 10K to get it ready. I am already $3500 in tires & getting little stuff done (bearings on rear wheels, etc.) I will take the end of this month for a 100 mile trip to IN. and hope for the best. I bought in Troy, MI and drove it to Holland with no problems. If something happens on the way you can rent a car to get there I had to do that with a brand new MH in '89. Good Luck

[Bordercollie]

Both old rigs look like they have been driven and used until recently and cosmetically look well-maintained. Old rigs that have sat unused/undriven for years may have problems. Beware of "anti-Fleetwood" opinions. We have a 2004 Fleetwood Tioga, bought new in 2003. it is of average quality and standard Ford E-450 drive train. Fleetwoods use the same appliances, etc. as other brands. Fleetwoods are used a lot in rental RV business. Make sure that tires are less than 4 years old by date codes imprinted on them or replace them with quality tires of same ratings. RV tires become failure prone/dangerous just sitting parked. If you can afford it, have a qualified truck mechanic and an RV service check candidate rigs out and give you an itemized list of fixes and parts and labor estimates, including any water leak damage repair that may be needed. If seller won't allow this move on. If you have any physical problems, sleeping in the overhead bed may not be practical. 27-foot rigs usually have a rear bedroom with RV queen sized bed. Old rigs generally have carbureted engines and inadequate engine cooling, newer ones have fuel injection and better cooling systems, most important for driving in hilly regions on hot days. Whatever you buy take it on a shake-down cruise and try all operating features before leaving on a long trip. Most old rigs sell for about $5000, they resell for somewhat less regardless of the money you spend on them for repairs and upgrades. People can't get loans on older rigs so they sell cheap.

[sdianel_-acct_c]

http://www.militarycampgrounds.us/oklahoma/medicine-creek-rv-park

the link to info about Medicine Creek RV Park on Ft Sill.