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Old     (Luker)      Join Date: Feb 2010       09-28-2010, 1:54 PM Reply   
So i've been looking at RV's for a while now. I'm gonna live in it and we are going to use it as our team tour bus (probably 2 weekend trips of 15-20 hours each, per month). I've been test driving and researching mid 90's, Class A & Class C, 32-37ft, Winnies and Fleetwoods. All in the $10,000 range... its pretty amazing what you can get in this range actually... Lots of Fleetwood Bounders for around 10K and I've driven a few of them and been fairly impressed for a 15 year old 32ft vehicle hahaha

I guess i'm just kinda sharing my story and asking for any advice RV owners might have. This will be my first one so i'm an open book for suggestions
Old     (jarrod)      Join Date: May 2003       09-28-2010, 2:21 PM Reply   
I'm going crazy looking at RVs right now. So many questions. There are hundreds of them on craigslist.

I'm still trying to decide if it's best to go ultra cheap and do more work to keep everything operating, or go for something more expensive and hope that the inital larger investment helps minimize the repair needs. Either way, I think you pretty much have to factor in a tranmission replacement so that you're not disappointed later on.

I'm totally hooked on the image of driving down the road with a RV full of people though. Cant wait
Old    SamIngram            09-28-2010, 3:12 PM Reply   
I've had over 30 or 40 RV's, I can't really remember. My uncled worked for a division of GM starting at 16 and retired at 46 with a full pension! Him and his wife bought a new RV every year and sold the old one to me at their cost. (The two of them traveled the country doing genealogy stuff for 30 years) Anyhow, I would take family trips and trips with buddies all over the country in them and then sell them the next year for a nice profit, since my uncle bought them at cost.

Depending on what you are looking for the biggest, most important advice I can give is to make sure the "bones" are good and are up to what you want to do. Make sure they have enough engine and transmission to get where you want. You wouldn't believe how many RV's are out there that are built on a chassis just big enough to get by with.

I no longer have a regular RV, but now have a "Skoolie", mostly for the 8.3L Cummins and bulletproof chassis. The other reason is because I like to do my own interiors.

Just make sure you get enough engine, gas mileage in most of my units has largely been the same, but the power has varied greatly!
Old     (mendo247)      Join Date: Mar 2005       09-28-2010, 3:13 PM Reply   
Ive been looking too. Thinking I may go with a truck camper just because I cant imagine the up keep of a 10-15 year old coach being cheap. My last boss had a early nineties Bounder. Super clean, picked it up for cheap and we piled in and went to Vegas for Nascar. Thank god I was with my boss. A simple 4 day trip turned into six. We couldnt go 60 miles without something breaking. We even took it on acouple short trips before just as tests and it was great. He promptly sold it and went brand new when we got back lol Couldnt imagine boating all weekend and breaking down on the way home lol. Personally I'd go as new as you can afford, I love the newer class C's (2001-2010)
Old     (jarrod)      Join Date: May 2003       09-28-2010, 3:49 PM Reply   
Hmm...that isn't very encouraging. lol

Maybe I suck it up, get the big loan, and hope I'm spending enough to not get stranded with my family.
Old     (cwb4me)      Join Date: Apr 2010       09-29-2010, 6:09 AM Reply   
I WOULD RECOMMEND A DIESEL. it will last twice as long get better mileage and pull twice as much weight. also it will require less maintenance and more repair shops will work on a diesel motorhome than a gas one.
Old     (psudy)      Join Date: Dec 2003       09-29-2010, 7:29 AM Reply   
I would recommend a diesel as well. They cost more, but are well worth it.

I used to have a 91 36ft bounder. It had the chevy chassis and a 454 in it. It ran great and never left me stranded. Upkeep really isn't that bad besides normal maint. Winterizing them is simple. You have to make sure you keep it sealed though. If water gets in, they go down hill quick. Make sure you check out the walls and roof on the ones you are looking at to make sure there is no damage.

The downfall of the RV was living in KS. Its windy here and that thing acted like a big sail. I had more than one butt puckering moment.
Old    SamIngram            09-29-2010, 9:57 AM Reply   
I have to have a diesel in my Skoolie, but I always had great luck with the 8.1L Vortec engine.
Old     (jv210)      Join Date: Feb 2006       09-29-2010, 11:26 AM Reply   
I've had a couple rv's and can say if you get a gas make sure it's a v10. If you plan on using it a lot and towing Diesel's the only way to go. I dont use mine that much, maybe 5-10 times a year so it works out alright. My current rv is a 96 32' pacearrow, which I believe is a higher end brand, with no pop-outs, and haven't had any problems with it other than a cracked exhaust manifold, but that's a Ford 460 problem. The only thing that sucks is towing the boat. It has a 460 V8 and It's slow as hell up hills, but I will eventually make it. The thing with gas RV's in the 30' range is that most are at their capacity without even loading them up. Load it up with everything and you are above capacity and haven't even added the boat yet. Also the towing capacity on mine is only 2500lbs, not like I follow that though. Got a few buddy's with new 32''s with V10's and they say they have no problem towing. Also there towing capacity is only 3500lbs and are towing boats that I think are pushing over 4k. My lady is bugging me to get a newer motorhome and if we go for it I wont buy anything without a diesel and at least 2 pop-outs. Remember these things can be a right off, but you have to spend enough to make it worth the right off.
Old     (guido)      Join Date: Jul 2002       09-29-2010, 11:27 AM Reply   
Sam.... what's a Skoolie? Converted bus???
Old     (pnichols)      Join Date: Jan 2007       09-29-2010, 11:53 AM Reply   
^^^Yup

http://www.skoolie.net/
Old    SamIngram            09-29-2010, 12:35 PM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by guido View Post
Sam.... what's a Skoolie? Converted bus???
Yes! I have had several now. The best being a '60's or 70's Gillig. I had a '79 Gillig with a CAT 3208 Diesel and a Allison MT643 automatic. I had the engine worked over and a set of turbos from a wrecked semi. It would run at half throttle over rabbit years pass at 75 mph while fully loaded.

I currently have a 40' 1993 Prevost La Mirage XL that was one of UNLV's football team buses. I bought it for $12K at an auction and then put another $15K in it and it is about perfect IMO. I am going to sell it though for something a little shorter.

To me everything on the market that is commercially made is either built like crap or looks like an 80 year old lady did the interior! I would rather just build the interior myself.

For RV's I'm really big into solar power. IMO the entire roof of every RV should be covered in solar panels!
Old     (psudy)      Join Date: Dec 2003       09-29-2010, 1:33 PM Reply   
Post pics of that Prevost Sam. Those are kicka$$
Old    SamIngram            09-29-2010, 1:46 PM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by psudy View Post
Post pics of that Prevost Sam. Those are kicka$$
I only have my work computer (currently cutting timber here in Montana) and don't have pictures with me. It looked almost exactly like this one, but was painted in UNLV colors, which happens to be the exact same model that I have. Mine is now painted very similar to this one and is now painted gloss white with white window film, except for the top.

Provost on eBay

I would normally be living in it while cutting trees, but it is getting all new solar cells installed this week.
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Old     (john211)      Join Date: Aug 2008       09-29-2010, 2:12 PM Reply   
Sam ... you can't be one person. You've got too many experiences. (You seem to back up everything you say but ... I'm just saying, you seem to be a crew).
Old    SamIngram            09-29-2010, 3:09 PM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by john211 View Post
Sam ... you can't be one person. You've got too many experiences. (You seem to back up everything you say but ... I'm just saying, you seem to be a crew).
LOL!

I'm 35 and have been on my own since 16. I have lived sort of an unusual life and have been very, very fortunate. I have and have had great mentors along the way, have and have had many great jobs along the way, and have and have had great LUCK along the way too.

I would say that TWO factors have shaped my life more than anything else;

1. My education, both formal (BS in Business Admin and a Masters in Real Estate Development) and through the University of Hard Knocks (failure)! I was lucky enough to find a love for real estate when I was young and it has always paid the bills in addition to leaving me with enough money for side projects. An older friend of the family taught me how to pick out, cut, and sell hard wood. More often than not, I can find a parcel of land with enough trees to actually pay for the cost of the land and then hold on to and eventually sell the land for a nice profit. He also taught me to do almost the opposite from what everyone is doing, at least in business.

2. Being BUTT UGLY and VERY WEIRD!! I must be very ugly and/or very weird, because I never have a girlfriend, and if I do, she isn't around for very long. This leaves me a lot of time and money left over to play with. Since I'm not tied down and don't have someone with better judgement guiding me I tend to do my own thing, sometimes its a little crazy.

Judge for yourself... here are some of my favorite pictures!

So, while I have had lots of experiences and fun, I will most likely never have the experience of having a successful marriage or all the stuff that goes with it.... I guess it's all a trade off.

I'll post pictures of my old Hot Rod RV either tonight or tomorrow, it shows what you can to do to a used RV.
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Old     (2006maliblue)      Join Date: Mar 2009       09-29-2010, 3:35 PM Reply   
I think it all comes down to what you can afford! By the best you can afford! Allot can go wrong in an RV and can go down hill fast so make sure the previous owner kept up on everything!

I'm actually selling the RV we just used for our cross country trip. Know it'll tow a big old Bu' and make it cross country!

P.S. Was cruising the Delta Sunday in the neighbors boat, she wanted me to give her a tour and saw the Bone Crusher J-Rod, and you guys wouldnt even wave, a little sad over that!
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Old    SamIngram            09-29-2010, 3:38 PM Reply   
BTW, before anyone of you WW'ers call foul ball, I just re-read my post above and I somehow deleted part of post... it should read:

"(BS and MSE in Mechanical Engineering, MB in Business Admin and a Masters in Real Estate Development)"
Old     (jarrod)      Join Date: May 2003       09-29-2010, 4:56 PM Reply   
Sorry to hear that Robert. I wasn't out Sunday. It might be Evan that owes you an apology!

SO.......how much are you looking to get for that RV? That looks to be about my style. Im interested.
Old    SamIngram            09-29-2010, 5:12 PM Reply   
Here are the pictures of the Hot Rod RV! I helped an old Hot Rodder in Santa Barbara build this one summer. I know this probably isn't for everyone, but I really liked working on this RV. It's a man's RV though... It's actually for sale if anyone is interested in it let me know. It's got a BBC with a DNE overdrive and will smoke the tires if you want to.

It is a 1973 with on P30 frame if I remember correctly.

http://www.veoh.com/videos/v1589666gftZwHwR?confirmed=1

http://www.veoh.com/videos/v1592546NFCrw6Qm?confirmed=1

We drove it to the Kentucky Derby from Santa Barbara twice.
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Old     (pnichols)      Join Date: Jan 2007       09-29-2010, 5:28 PM Reply   
Is that a baby coyote in that pic, and if it is how the heck did you come across that?
Old     (durty_curt)      Join Date: Apr 2008       09-29-2010, 5:32 PM Reply   
LMFAO!!! SAM, you crack me up! too bad the deputys made us throw that fox in the trash. btw that catfish you noodled for smelt like ass!!!
Old     (rowdy)      Join Date: Mar 2006       09-30-2010, 9:29 AM Reply   
Luker, I don't think you can go wrong with a Bounder. Just keep your eye out for an clean one. My Dad just sold his 1995, and it was immaculate. He bought it new, and I remember him looking at all brands of motorhomes back then, and the Bounder had the best bang for the buck and the best fit and finish of the gassers he was looking at. He put 70,000 miles on it with only a few issues. The first was the fuel pump. It's common with the 460's to have fuel pump issues. It's in the tank, so it's a pain to get out. Instead of dropping the tank and digging inside, he installed an external fuel pump. Never had any problem after that. Other than that, his only other issues were very minor. He replaced it with a Fleetwood Excursion.

The ford 460's a better chassis and motor than the 454 of those years. Yes, the V10 is a better choice, but it may be out of your budget.

I'm sure you've been able to tell if a motorhome has been taken care of if you've looked at a few. Two big things that I would check that are often overlooked are the condition of the tires and the condition of the roof. Tires can be expensive. Roofs only have a lifespan of 15 years. They can quickly deteriorate and cause all sorts of issues.
Old     (guido)      Join Date: Jul 2002       09-30-2010, 10:32 AM Reply   
Dang Mitchell.... Sorry man. I don't even remember seeing you guys out there. We were just out chillen with the kids and wives. I didn't even know you were back in town yet.
Old     (bruce)      Join Date: Feb 2002       09-30-2010, 2:10 PM Reply   
Here is my rig of choice. I use the truck as a daily driver. When I get to the lake I drop the camper and still have a vehicle to launch the boat and run errands. We use it all the time and even made a trip to Colorado this summer. It has a generator that can run the AC if you have no hookups. The rear folds out into a tent that sleeps 2, the Dinette slides out and sleeps 3 with the bunk, and there is a queen over the cab. Bathroom with shower, full kitchen. We've had 7 kids watching a movie in the cabover and 5 adults visiting and hanging out all at the same time. It is versatile, agile, and doesn't take up a ton of space. If you haven't considered a truck camper you should.

[IMG]lance 1131 nautique[/IMG]

Last edited by bruce; 09-30-2010 at 2:18 PM.
Old    SamIngram            09-30-2010, 2:29 PM Reply   
But you can't ride in the back while moving or can you? Can someone sleep in the bed while someone else is driving? That's my only real complaint with a slide-in.

BTW, awesome setup!

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