Thinking mechanical and value

[Old___Slow]

To downsize I must go one of two ways so Dw will drive. She says no A's or 5th wheel.

So I've found a 1986 Toyota 20' with 24,000 Org. miles loaded w/ low hr gen and new tires $7000. Another find is an 1998 Coach House 19' with 112,000 miles, loaded, 500 hr gen. Tires about 20,000 miles. $13,000. Each will be driven few miles perhaps?

O&S

[Almot]

If this is for short trips and 5-er or trailer is out of question, then I don't understand why not getting a truck with slide-in camper. For 13K that you were about to spend, you can have a fairly decent 3/4 ton truck and almost new camper.

[Handbasket]

I like the Toyota C's, but I haven't owned one. It's simple to tell if the rear axle is the 'good' one... just look for the protruding soup-can-sized bearing housing in the wheel center. But the low hours on the generator stinks... it's not been run near enough to keep it in good fettle.

The Coach House is a class B on a Dodge 3500 van, right? If so, it was a very nice unit inside when new, but be very wary of possibly squirrely handling and poor driving manners. Read the FAQ's on the class B forum about the importance of taking a long test drive among fast-passing trucks to sort out the good ones from the bad. I had one of the bad-handling ones, briefly. IMO the one you're looking at is probably somewhat overpriced with that many miles.

Good luck with your hunt.

Jim, "The cardiologist's diet? If it tastes good, spit it out."

[Old___Slow]

ernie1 wrote:
I had a 1986 Toyota Dolphin that I bought new and a1989 Odyssey on a Toyota chassis and both had the 22re 4 banger. They were somewhat underpowered and one had a tendency to keep the gas pedal floored especially when climbing hills at about 45 mph. The result was 11-13 mpg average. And my right ankle was sore from stroking the gas pedal all the time. Oil mileage was about one quart per 1,500 miles all because the engine was running full bore all the time. The Odyssey was so overloaded that I was constantly burning spark plugs.

Now I have a 2005 PW with a 6.8 L v10 that has power to burn and I still get about 11-14mpg because the engine is loafing most of the time. My oil mileage is about 1/2 quart/7,500 miles.

I say stay away from the micro mini's. Be a MAN and explain all this to your wife and tell her I said so.

Ernie1,

Glad to be able to read your post. So, here is the deal. Funny how time slips away. I go back to the days I drove A's. Always said to myself, those are smart folks who drive the micro mini's, when looking for a place to park. That left a place in my heart and to this day it remains. For my need now the milage is not an issue. The most we would drive for a short trip to go camping (real camping with smelling the fire burning, maybe the steaks too, ha ha) would be no more than 200 miles round trip. Maybe once in a month. It's just the old man trying to go back, guess that is why some might say, that is one crazy old man. You might like this. I'm 79 she is 49. I always ask her, who is the most crazy, you or me? End.

O&S
Floyd

[ernie1]

I had a 1986 Toyota Dolphin that I bought new and a1989 Odyssey on a Toyota chassis and both had the 22re 4 banger. They were somewhat underpowered and one had a tendency to keep the gas pedal floored especially when climbing hills at about 45 mph. The result was 11-13 mpg average. And my right ankle was sore from stroking the gas pedal all the time. Oil mileage was about one quart per 1,500 miles all because the engine was running full bore all the time. The Odyssey was so overloaded that I was constantly burning spark plugs.

Now I have a 2005 PW with a 6.8 L v10 that has power to burn and I still get about 11-14mpg because the engine is loafing most of the time. My oil mileage is about 1/2 quart/7,500 miles.

I say stay away from the micro mini's. Be a MAN and explain all this to your wife and tell her I said so.

[Old___Slow]

WOW, do I love 'RV.Net Tech Issues'. Ask and some great folks with alotta knowledge will respond.

Thanks to all ~ No YOTA for us. So, one more class to mark off the list that might be comfortable for DW and her fear of most RV's for her to drive.

"B" class next and last on the list for DW. Anyway, the RV would only be for short trips. We have the 5th Wheel set up to STAY in one place down at the Gulf Coast.

O&S

[mena661]

I wouldn't buy one of those. Yeah I know some people love them. Why not a pickup truck with a big slide in camper?

[RJsfishin]

Just following one in the mountains one time, I'd think your wife......or anyone would be safer in a big A, than a Toyota. It didn't look to be handling very well, not to speak of trying to get run over !
Hey, I love little Toyota trucks when used for what they were designed for !!

[robatthelake]

The Toyota is becoming a bit of collector or cult kind of rig. Well thought of by several people that I have met.

I almost bought one but decided that We needed more Living space!

[dougrainer]

A LOT of the Micro mini homes built in the 80's had undersize rear end/axles. National was one and until they went out of business in the mid 2000's, were replacing rear ends on all Toyota units they sold regardless of mileage or age under warranty. So, I would be very leery of ANY model Toyota Micro mini from that years range. Most of the Micro Mini builders quit building in the late 80's early 90's due to the overloaded chassis problem. Doug

[JiminDenver]

I would suggest checking into if you can get parts for a near 30 year old rig.

[adayjk]

I'm sure a Yota guy will be along shortly to scold me. But the Federal limit was 55 MPH in 1986 and the Yota chassis I've driven were really strained beyond that. On modern expressways I think being stuck at 55 is dangerous sometimes. Can you tolerate that level of slow?

I'm sure you can which way I'm leaning for my vote.