Replace RV Body?

[N_Dennis]

Years ago one of the RV rental companies would swap the body on your RV cab with one of their used bodies.

Does anyone know if this still goes on and which company?

Thanks

[N_Dennis]

dougrainer wrote:

N Dennis wrote:
Years ago one of the RV rental companies would swap the body on your RV cab with one of their used bodies.

Does anyone know if this still goes on and which company?

Thanks

I missed what you stated. I "believe" it was Cruise America, not sure of the actual rental company after all these years. What they did was, they had a contract with a Class C maker. They replaced the BOX, NOT the chassis after the box had been worn out from rentals. The RV Maker built the replacement Boxes that were designed to be lifted off and installed on the Chassis. The practice did not last long as they eventually found out it was not cost effective. It was NOT a quick Box change out. But, it was done. Doug

They never got back to me. Thank Doug,

Dennis

[dougrainer]

N Dennis wrote:
Years ago one of the RV rental companies would swap the body on your RV cab with one of their used bodies.

Does anyone know if this still goes on and which company?

Thanks

I missed what you stated. I "believe" it was Cruise America, not sure of the actual rental company after all these years. What they did was, they had a contract with a Class C maker. They replaced the BOX, NOT the chassis after the box had been worn out from rentals. The RV Maker built the replacement Boxes that were designed to be lifted off and installed on the Chassis. The practice did not last long as they eventually found out it was not cost effective. It was NOT a quick Box change out. But, it was done. Doug

[soren]

IAMICHABOD wrote:

soren wrote:

IAMICHABOD wrote:
The Company was Cruise America

Another wives tale is that they pull the house unit off and put a newer chassis under it from a wrecked or newer unit,this practice was stopped in the mid 1970s.

I've had this argument with you before, but for those interested in the truth I'll repeat myself. In the mid-2000s, THIRTY years after you claim the practice stopped, I rented a 26' Cruise America that clearly had an old worn out box under a nearly new E-450 cutaway. The box was flogged, and looked to be much older than the cab, with everything inside and out showing lots of wear and damage. threadbare upholstery, a hole clear through the cabover roof that had been poorly patched, lots of small dents and gouges on the exterior, electrical issues, damaged sewage fitting underneath, and more. The Ford portion was quite the opposite and looked nearly new, inside and out. Clean, tear free upholstery, much lower miles that the box would indicate, and not a scratch or dent on the gleaming new paint.I don't know how prevalent that situation is, it could even be a result of a collision repair where they recover boxes and chassis to combine after hard wrecks, I don't know, or care, but it didn't stop decades ago, since I wasted a week's worth of rental fees on that nasty, worn out unit with the pretty new cab, and was totally ignored by the company when I attempted to discuss it with anyone at corporate.

Hey I am not arguing anything,so you had a bad experience with Cruise America.Let it GO.

Do you have comprehension issues? I could care less that I had a bad experience with CA a decade ago. The issue is that you first, present yourself as an expert on all things related to buying a used rental motorhome. Second, you work hard to create the illusion that doing so is all puppies and rainbows, never an issue at all. As if the fact that they have been beat to death by countless clueless renters over years is meaningless, or that they can be stunningly valueless when it's time to sell the one you bought for CA. Finally, my most recent comments on your shenanigans were to specifically address the issue that, once again, you are making clear statements of "facts" that are anything but.

[N_Dennis]

I parked my RV and more or less forgot about it for a few years. When I went inside I discovered it had been leaking and there was a lot of damage.

The chassis has 59k miles on it and it's the devil I know ...

[MrWizard]

all that 'house switching' stories, seems very odd to me

but if thats what they did, when ever it was done

i sure would not want to buy one of them to switch on to 'my' chassis
not if they used them until they were all beat up

wasn't that the post that started this ?

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Horse's Mouth, is the place to find facts 🙂

I did a lot of work for that company around 40 years ago. It was either me, or a $500 tow bill to start with then they started sending me stuff from Los Angeles. Some of the chassis were almost new (had failed distributor electronic ignition module harnesses) while the house seemed to be significantly older. Not so hot joining of house to chassis wiring.

[IAMICHABOD]

soren wrote:

IAMICHABOD wrote:
The Company was Cruise America

Another wives tale is that they pull the house unit off and put a newer chassis under it from a wrecked or newer unit,this practice was stopped in the mid 1970s.

I've had this argument with you before, but for those interested in the truth I'll repeat myself. In the mid-2000s, THIRTY years after you claim the practice stopped, I rented a 26' Cruise America that clearly had an old worn out box under a nearly new E-450 cutaway. The box was flogged, and looked to be much older than the cab, with everything inside and out showing lots of wear and damage. threadbare upholstery, a hole clear through the cabover roof that had been poorly patched, lots of small dents and gouges on the exterior, electrical issues, damaged sewage fitting underneath, and more. The Ford portion was quite the opposite and looked nearly new, inside and out. Clean, tear free upholstery, much lower miles that the box would indicate, and not a scratch or dent on the gleaming new paint.I don't know how prevalent that situation is, it could even be a result of a collision repair where they recover boxes and chassis to combine after hard wrecks, I don't know, or care, but it didn't stop decades ago, since I wasted a week's worth of rental fees on that nasty, worn out unit with the pretty new cab, and was totally ignored by the company when I attempted to discuss it with anyone at corporate.

Hey I am not arguing anything,so you had a bad experience with Cruise America.Let it GO.

[soren]

IAMICHABOD wrote:
The Company was Cruise America

Another wives tale is that they pull the house unit off and put a newer chassis under it from a wrecked or newer unit,this practice was stopped in the mid 1970s.

I've had this argument with you before, but for those interested in the truth I'll repeat myself. In the mid-2000s, THIRTY years after you claim the practice stopped, I rented a 26' Cruise America that clearly had an old worn out box under a nearly new E-450 cutaway. The box was flogged, and looked to be much older than the cab, with everything inside and out showing lots of wear and damage. threadbare upholstery, a hole clear through the cabover roof that had been poorly patched, lots of small dents and gouges on the exterior, electrical issues, damaged sewage fitting underneath, and more. The Ford portion was quite the opposite and looked nearly new, inside and out. Clean, tear free upholstery, much lower miles that the box would indicate, and not a scratch or dent on the gleaming new paint.I don't know how prevalent that situation is, it could even be a result of a collision repair where they recover boxes and chassis to combine after hard wrecks, I don't know, or care, but it didn't stop decades ago, since I wasted a week's worth of rental fees on that nasty, worn out unit with the pretty new cab, and was totally ignored by the company when I attempted to discuss it with anyone at corporate.

[dougrainer]

N Dennis wrote:
I sent a message to Cruise America. They will probably get back Monday.

I believe it was Cruise America, but they were doing that more than 15 years ago or more. Don't believe anybody is doing it anymore. Doug

[MrWizard]

I really can't see a body swap happening
Because with a class C RV, they don't build a body and drop it on the truck chassis, not the same thing as box trucks etc..
They start with the floor, then add the plumbing, then add the walls, roof then interior
It's built from the inside out
With things that come thru the floor and around the frame
This whole titling discussion is practically a moot point
The op could rip his RV to the frame and drop a trailer on there
But he is not going to be able to economically lift another mh house OFF it's chassis and transfer to his chassis

[PatrickA51]

SaltiDawg wrote:
The last two States in the US to require a Title for an automobile were RI and MA.

I bought a 1970 used Olds in 1974-1975. It had no title. Tried to Title/Register it in NJ as I was entitled to do being I was on Active Duty with the US Navy.

What a nightmare.

You forgot Taxifornia aka California.

Many years ago, my Father in Law bought a used car from a Towing Company, it had a title that was Salvage. He tried to get a clean Title in Arizona and they issued him a salvage title. Boy did the air turn blue as mad as he was. Real nightmare.

[SaltiDawg]

The last two States in the US to require a Title for an automobile were RI and MA.

I bought a 1970 used Olds in 1974-1975. It had no title. Tried to Title/Register it in NJ as I was entitled to do being I was on Active Duty with the US Navy.

What a nightmare.

[N_Dennis]

I sent a message to Cruise America. They will probably get back Monday.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Yup. Today's labor rate might send a person into cardiac arrest. There is little to be gained by spending $12,000.00 to end up with an $8,000.00 rig. An advantage would be to not have the engine go into limp mode home if you slam the door too hard or misadjust a rear-view mirror. New rig chassis technology is utterly stupid.