RV Purchase Advice Needed!

[jcliff]

I could really use some advice on an RV purchase I'm cosidering. I've researched RV rental and it seems like the minimum is going to be $3500 for the week. I saw someone post in one of the RV rental threads that it's cheaper just to buy. So....this brings me to my query. I'm in Illinois, but I found an RV for sale right up the road from Burning Man. They had the RV just to use at Burning Man. The purchase price is $1500 and she offered to store the RV on her property for the year and go out a couple times and start everything up and make sure it's in order. I talked with her for about 1/2 hour and she seems very up front and honest. The only caution she had about the vehicle was that it tends to overheat when waiting at the gate. She just turns it off in between pulses and has never had a problem. The refrig also doesn't work but it's very well insulated and works like a cooler. Here's the Craigslist ad:

I bought this for burning man: don't need it anymore. Call

My mechanic has just gone through this: ENGINE & TRANNY IN GREAT SHAPE/RUNS PERFECTLY. TIRES HAVE PLENTY OF TREAD. AC &WATER SYSTEM WORKS GREAT. NEW FLOORING & CABINETS REFININSHED. Ceiling has thick white carpet=VERY WELL INSULATED=STAYS COOL!

71 Chevy Sport Motorhome. 25 foot. $1900 with generator or $1500 alone. Clean title.

*Coleman 4600 Watt Generator has just been re-built & load tested/runs EVERYTHING in RV EASILY and fits in storage compartment.
*Kitchen redone in 1986 with real wood. Just re-varnished is beautiful.
*Chevy 350 engine WAS JUST LOOKED OVER BY MY MECHANIC. New valve gasket cover just installed= no leaks & RUNS PERFECTLY. Tranny pulls hills like a champ. (COME TEST DRIVE HER!)
*Good tread in tires
*Front/kitchen area AC works
*Built-in microwave
*heating system works
*Water system has no leaks
*Hot water works
*12 volt lighting system w/inverter
*Newer captains chairs
*Sleeps 5
*Standup shower with seat RECENTLY REDONE
*Large capacity water storage, grey and propane tanks
*Solid 1 sheet roof with outside storage rack (roof is walkable)
*Chute to rear compartment garbage

She also posted pictures and it looks like it's in really good shape inside and out. She is a short distance from BRC, so I wouldn't have long to drive it. For $1500 and $300 for storage and looking-after, does this sound like I should jump on it? She has several people looking at it and I'd hate to lose the opportunity. I've never bought anything sight unseen before, but I'd like to think that I could trust a fellow Burner. Any advice?

Thanks!

[essjay]

Post the pics

[jcliff]

Here's 3 of the pics...

[jcliff]

Not sure the pics went through so here's the link:

http://reno.craigslist.org/rvs/2584801862.html

[jkisha]

Looks good in the pictures and it's only $1,500.00

I'd say if you have $1,500.00 you don't care if you lose, go for it. Probably less money than you'd lose on a trip tp Las Vegas. But ya never know, ya might leave a winner!

[jcliff]

What I'm not sure about is registering it from out of state.....I'm sure other people must do this so there must be a way. Will have to call the Nevada DMV tomorrow. Thanks for the encouragement!

[essjay]

It looks decent for its age. As long as you don't have to drive far with it, the price makes sense compared to a rental. Also be prepared to make repairs.

But, what are you going to do with it next year? If it won't make it through pulse, I wouldn't count on it making it back to Illinois. Another year of sitting won't help it, either. Are you going to store it somewhere between Gerlach and Reno for 2013, or sell it? It might look good upfront, but consider what you will do with it after next year's burn and the effort it will require to determine whether it is worth it. Hell, if you don't mind the hassle of selling it, you could keep the generator and unload it for $750 after the burn and make out ok.

[jkisha]

Ya, there's always that maintenance issue, and repairs.

But you have that with anything mechanical or even electrical that you buy for BM. If you bought a generator for the event, you need to fire it up every couple of months. Or some batteries need to be charged up regularly for them to be at their best when you need them.

We have a storage space in Reno that also has space for campers and RVs. But you wouldn't be around to start it up and take it around the block periodically. Which is why we don't keep our generator or batteries there.

Decisions, decisions.

[jcliff]

Well, I got the registration worked out.....I can register it here in Illinois even though it will be stored in Nevada. It sounds like this couple are cool with keeping it stored on their property long term. I'm going to pay them $300 per year and that includes them going out every few months and running everything, including the generator. I think I plan to keep this long term. We'll see how long the storage arrangement lasts, but it might work out really well. Even if I have to put a few hundred a year into it for maintenance, it will pay off in the end by saving $3500/year for an RV.

Thanks for the input! I'm going to go ahead and do it. As JK said, I could lose more in Vegas .

[ibdave]

I have a 97 bounder 88k miles and been to the Playa 12 years... 460 food chassie with all the "Banks" add ons .. Gas RVs tend to run hot while idling for long times. So no big surprise there.
I'm the worry over Tires guy.. I never let mine past 4-5 year past the date code stamped on the sidewalls.. Front get move to the back @ yr 2 and fresh on the front. You'll never wear out tires but the sidewall go and blows outs are just not fun. New tires and maybe a radiator flush and your good to go.. Oh, tarp the beast every winter with a GOOD tarp.. rain rain wind wind....

[ibdave]

didI see in one photo, that the gennie is sitting on the ground, meaning it's not a built in or very quite..?Take the $$ off for the gennie and buy a honda 3000 and hear it purr instead...

[illy dilly]

I have a 97 bounder 88k miles and been to the Playa 12 years... 460 food chassie with all the "Banks" add ons .. Gas RVs tend to run hot while idling for long times. So no big surprise there.
I'm the worry over Tires guy.. I never let mine past 4-5 year past the date code stamped on the sidewalls.. Front get move to the back @ yr 2 and fresh on the front. You'll never wear out tires but the sidewall go and blows outs are just not fun. New tires and maybe a radiator flush and your good to go.. Oh, tarp the beast every winter with a GOOD tarp.. rain rain wind wind....

LOL, I have an 89' Bounder about 56k miles.
The engine got cracked at about 44k miles, so the engine only has like 12k miles on it.

Hey Jcliff,
I know with my 22 year old RV, early spring maintenance is a must. And I'm not even talking winterizing. I would advise storing it someplace where you can work on it. RV's require a lot of easy DIY maintenance, that you don't want to pay someone Labor to do. On that note, if you'll be paying out for all the maintenance keep in mind that a few 100 a year will not be enough.
On this trip, our gas tank started to leak. It leaks where it rubs on the support straps. Its the original gas tank because it has the original asphalt/asbestos spray on fireproofing. Its a 90 gallon tank sitting on three support straps, where it meets the middle supports strap has started leaking. I was able to fix the leaks that would slowly drip before we left Fernley. At some point after Winnemuca, NV a good pin sized hole had developed. Long story short, I finally got is plugged and sealed for good, but we need to replace the gas tank before we get a leak I can't easily fix. I've looked into it, since that exact gas tank isn't in production anymore, I can have one made by the original manufacturer for about $350 bucks or I can have one made here in Denver by any old sheet steel house, or I can find a used salvage tank, or I can rig up a gas tank from some other RV. In any case, I'm looking at anywhere from $150 (salvaged tank from random RV) to $350+Freight for a spec brand new tank.

If you're mechanical, or even if you're not mechanical yet, owning an RV is a huge task. But, it can also be a great hobby. Old RV's are a lot of work, but if you like figuring out how things work, getting the parts and figuring out how to fix it, then sitting back and watching it work, its a blast!

Regarding the "over heat when stopped/idling" we had a similar issue on the way to the burn this year. Turned out to be the Fan Clutch on the engine fan. Once I knew what it was I was able to set to work fixing it. Wasn't difficult to fix, but if I had paid someone to do it, I would have gotten hit with 3 hours labor to install a $60 part. Typical labor cost is about $90/hr, $120/hr if they know they got you by the balls. Anyway, check the fan clutch on it when you go out to test drive it. Open up the dog house, and if the fan spins really easy, order a new Fan Clutch. If the fan spins, but has resistance then its not the Fan Clutch. I've also seen a guy with an old Winnebago that had installed an extra radiator and pump under his RV. It was near the back of the RV by the gas tank, seemed like more trouble and possible risk than it was worth though.

Don't take this the wrong way but, You would be stupid to not at least go test drive it.

A little more food for thought:
Chevy Chassis parts are easy to get (except Sundays and Labor day)
Ask exactly how much is "Large capacity grey and fresh water". Anything less than 25 gallons gray is small, 25-35 is average, and 45 or more is large.

[kvd]

Old RVs of any kind need maintenance and shit is going to break down.

I advise people to get trailers, not RVs with engines, as the engine/transmission/registration/service is way more involved, and the failures are more catastrophic to your BRC adventures. Engines fail when you only drive 'em once a year. So you'll need someone to do that for you, to drive it around a bit every month or two.

Coming from Illinois, it's a lot harder to deal with actually towing something, but there are ways. Rent yourself a pickup truck from a construction rental company in Reno, as those will be set up for towing and insured for it, too. There is a storage yard right in Gerlach, on the other side of the tracks, for campers and art cars and stuff.

[illy dilly]

Old RVs of any kind need maintenance and shit is going to break down.

I advise people to get trailers, not RVs with engines, as the engine/transmission/registration/service is way more involved, and the failures are more catastrophic to your BRC adventures. Engines fail when you only drive 'em once a year. So you'll need someone to do that for you, to drive it around a bit every month or two.

Coming from Illinois, it's a lot harder to deal with actually towing something, but there are ways. Rent yourself a pickup truck from a construction rental company in Reno, as those will be set up for towing and insured for it, too. There is a storage yard right in Gerlach, on the other side of the tracks, for campers and art cars and stuff.

Thats a good point about getting a trailer if you only use it once a year. Or, you can't park it someplace you can regularly maintenance it.

Another Tip: make sure you know how to properly and effectively winterize your RV. Simply dumping all the water out is not sufficient.

[MartyZion]

Whether it's trailer or a motorhome, there's two types of RVs- those that leak and those that are going to leak.

Seeing that's a forty year old Chevallero Sportcoach, I'd bet on the former. Recommend find someone who can check out the interior and exterior for water damage, since water over long periods of time can rot out a roof, floor or a wall without you knowing it. Soft or crunchy spots, mold in cabinets, delamination around vents, windows and AC, bubbling exterior panels, these are all clues that you may be buying more of a restoration project than you bargained for.

That said, those old sharkies were built tough, with a perimeter frame of 2X4 box steel and have a lot more structural integrity that many new coaches stapled together out of 1X3 wood.

[jcliff]

Well, I'm an RV owner! I did buy the RV....but I am definitely going in more prepared after reading the posts here. I really appreciate you guys taking the time to chime in with such helpful information. I'm prepared to have this suck me dry, but I'm pretty sure it will be a labor of love. Now I need a name for her

[weather man]

Well, I'm an RV owner!

Yay! I saw that ad a couple days ago and thought it looked liked a pretty good deal.
Look for some cheap plane tickets and come out for a 3-4 day shakedown weekend. Silver Springs' terrain/weather is similar to Gerlach, or you can travel an hour or so and be in the Sierra's- pine trees, babbling brooks and all.

[jkisha]

Best of luck. Hope it turns out exactly as you expect.

Well, I'm an RV owner! I did buy the RV....but I am definitely going in more prepared after reading the posts here. I really appreciate you guys taking the time to chime in with such helpful information. I'm prepared to have this suck me dry, but I'm pretty sure it will be a labor of love. Now I need a name for her

[Mosin]

Having missed the opportunity to beg you to reconsider allow me to say congrats! You definitely have the right attitude. We bought our beloved 1976 Winnebago Brave, for $2,700 after the 2007 burn to "save money" on future rentals for BM, High Sierra Misic Fest, etc. Everything pretty much worked at the time (engine, water system, generator, ac units, furnace, radiator, brake master cyl, driveline, roof seals, etc etc) but as we began to take shake-down runs and use the rig for short outings everything began to actually shake down... EVERYTHING... one component at a time. By the time the engine rear main seal blew out on the freeway and promptly destroyed itself, we were already ~$12K and countless hours of elbow grease and time and thought and stress invested... too much to recoup by selling it, too much invested to walk away... and so close to functional. So we had the engine rebuilt, and then the cooling system replaced, and then the Onan generator needed a complete overhaul, and then BOTH a/c units died, then the fridge kicked off...then we named her PANDORA, and started saying nice really things around her so she wouldn't wish us into The Cornfield. We are now just around $50K invested in what is basically a "funny car" (i.e. a funky '76 Winny shell masking an epic Honey Badger of modern RVs underneath) that has taken us to and from the last four burns in unspeakable comfort. We love Pandora dearly, and frequently appease the angry RV Gods with offerings of spare parts, hours of time in repetitive maintenance, and blood (via my knuckles every time I do a tune up or engine work myself to save $$). Someday we might even pay down our credit card debt maintained in the process, which would be bonus. Anyway, I would like to think that knowing what we know now we wouldn't repeat the same mistake if given the opportunity to do it all over, but the twisted fact is that we would. Alas, I hope you feel the same way as we do few years/burns down the road, and get off a lot easier than we have cost-wise.
Behold: Pandora
http://www.classicwinnebagos.com/forum/index.php?action=mgallery;sa=album;id=314

Illy dilly, marty, and ibdave offer sage advise. As well, you will find a helpful community of vintage RV addicts/slaves at http://www.classicwinnebagos.com, which is open to any and all pre-1990 RVs (i.e. it don't have to be a Winny, or actually "vintage" for that matter...just old enough to rape your bank account and regularly put you in the fetal position). The technical discussion forums, broken down by chasis maker, are particularly helpful when you have questions and will save you untold hours of time and $.

Cheers!

[MartyZion]

Congratulations! http://www.samstoybox.com/teardrop/chev ... iterature/ has got some relevant info about the proud history of your new old home on the road. I don't know if it comes with the manual- if not you'll want to use that degree in Googleology to seek one out.

Last bits of advice- join Good Sam (an RV club kinda like AAA) and pay the seventy bucks or whatever for the ERS (emergency roadside service). One tow off the playa could end up costing you almost what you paid for the rig. Check the DOT code on the tires, doesn't matter how good the tread is, if they're over six years old, replace 'em. I've had blowouts at speed in a motorhome towing a trailer- it ain't fun or pretty. Spin off a gator in your wheel well and you'll learn all about how everything is wired underneath the hard way.

Wouldn't take much artwork to make that Sportcoach look like a playa shark. Good luck and happy RVing .

[illy dilly]

Alas, I hope you feel the same way as we do few years/burns down the road, and get off a lot easier than we have cost-wise.
Behold: Pandora
http://www.classicwinnebagos.com/forum/index.php?action=mgallery;sa=album;id=314

As well, you will find a helpful community of vintage RV addicts/slaves at http://www.classicwinnebagos.com, which is open to any and all pre-1990 RVs (i.e. it don't have to be a Winny, or actually "vintage" for that matter...just old enough to rape your bank account and regularly put you in the fetal position). The technical discussion forums, broken down by chasis maker, are particularly helpful when you have questions and will save you untold hours of time and $.

Cheers!

Ahh, the joys of owning a vintage RV!
It is its own hobby!

Mosin, thanks for the link to the technical forums. I've had a hell of a lot of luck with Bounder Owners, yahoo group. http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/bounder/ But, it is pretty specific to Fleetwood Bounders.
I love the old Winnie Braves, they have such a goofy looking front end!
I've also got to ask in the link you provided, in the pictures, center row, 3rd picture down, who's garage is that? Real pretty and nice!
My girlfriends dad has a commercial garage set up on his property seperate from his house. But sadly, our 34' RV doesn't fit all the way in, much less on the lift. If we were to take all the work benches and cabinets off the walls, impossible, then we could get it all the way in. It makes November through early march pretty much useless for working on the RV. Nothing worse than busting a knuckle when its only 20 degrees out side.

[theCryptofishist]

...and then the Onan generator needed a complete overhaul...

Spilling its gas on the ground?

[Ugly Dougly]

If you can find a cheap one with a leaky roof and keep it covered during the wet season, why not? It rarely rains at Burning Man.

[illy dilly]

If you can find a cheap one with a leaky roof and keep it covered during the wet season, why not? It rarely rains at Burning Man.

Its not hard to reseal the roof either. A gallon of roof sealant is only like 60 bucks, same price as good paint.
And it doesn't have to be a pretty as it was done originally. I'm in the middle of resealing our roof. I've got it about half done. If you can scoop past and use a paint brush you can reseal the roof.
I'd recommend doing it early in the day though. I started at 11am, by noon the metal roof was so hot I had to kneel on a wet towel, and I had to be real careful not to burn my self.
For the windows, doors, and possible leak points on the side of the RV, a tube of silicon is only like $6 bucks.

[Mosin]

I've also got to ask in the link you provided, in the pictures, center row, 3rd picture down, who's garage is that? Real pretty and nice!
My girlfriends dad has a commercial garage set up on his property seperate from his house. But sadly, our 34' RV doesn't fit all the way in, much less on the lift. If we were to take all the work benches and cabinets off the walls, impossible, then we could get it all the way in. It makes November through early march pretty much useless for working on the RV. Nothing worse than busting a knuckle when its only 20 degrees out side.

That garage is Westech Performance in Ontario, CA, where I had Pandora on the dynomometer to dial in the aftermarket carb and ignition system after the rebuild. Due to HOA rules that prohibit parking our RV at out house for more than 24 hours each week (something else I didn't know before we bought it) we pay $65/mo for outdoor storage in a neighboring town, and I use a cover whever it sits for extended periods (i.e. over 2-3 weeks) without use. For newbies: RV covers aren't cheap (~$200+) and they will last 3-4 years maximum due to UV damage, but they will thus dramatically cut down on UV damage to the rv/seals, help prevent roof leakage during heavy rains, cut down on washing and black streaks (which are a pain in the buttocks), etc. Worth every penny IMHO.

[Mosin]

...and then the Onan generator needed a complete overhaul...

Spilling its gas on the ground?

It didn't toss any cookies... it just stoped working after a bazillion unmaintained hours and my pathetic attempts to tune the years away. I keep a giant binder with every Pandora receipt and we are in for just over $3K on the genny alone... which is only $300 more than the entire rig cost us in 2007 when we figured out how to save money on RV rentals for the burn.

[illy dilly]

That awesome that you were able to find a dyno your rig could fit on.
There is one place here in Denver that has a dyno large enough for our 34', though obviously the axels are not 34' apart. It has a 3 month waiting list to use it, and it costs a pretty penny.

Mosin you make a very good point about buying an old RV to save on yearly rental cost. I think the difference comes in if you use your RV other times a year. So far, in our 2 years of owner ship the RV has only been used 3 times, 2 Burns and 1 camping trip. But that is largely because she wasn't really ready to run until 4th of July, which was the camping trip. Funny how dead lines get things done. Most of the spring was spent getting her ready.
Next year, she will be used often!

We're also lucky that my girlfriends dad, who is the one with the professional style garage on his property out in the middle of nowhere has space behind the second garage to part the RV. So we save that 1,000-1,200 dollars every year in storage. Though, we're thinking that we might start wintering it at a storage place by my work. Something like October-February. And if its by my work I can stop by every couple weeks and run everything for a little while and check on it.

[jcliff]

Ugghh....it's really very frustrating to own an RV and not be able to get in it! I swear if it were here I'd be sitting in it right now.

A couple updates: 1) I did join the Good Sam Club and got the emergency roadside plan. Thanks Marty for the good tip.....and thanks for the early specs on my Coachmen! That's really awesome!

I did join the vintage RV group....thanks Mosin. I'm JCliff on that too if you want to say hi sometime.

I did book a flight to Reno in January for a shakedown trip. I've always wanted to see the playa in winter, so I figured I'd head up to BR and then stay the night at Bruno's. Hopefully if there are any mechanical problems yet undetected, they'll rear their head on that trip instead of August.

The couple who are storing it for me put it up on RV jacks to get it off the wheels and put wheel covers on it. They are going to go out every month or 2 and run everything for me. Again, I'm hoping if anything needs to be addressed it will show up before August.

One purely cosmetic question I'm looking for input on. I was contemplating adding some painting embellishments on it in January when I go out. I was thinkig some flowers and then the BM logo on each side. What do you think? Paint it or leave it au natural?

[dragonpilot]

It bears repeating...the two happiest days in a person's life is the day they buy a RV/boat and the day they sell it...

[Mosin]

One purely cosmetic question I'm looking for input on. I was contemplating adding some painting embellishments on it in January when I go out. I was thinkig some flowers and then the BM logo on each side. What do you think? Paint it or leave it au natural?

I would consider two interrelated things: first, do you have any artistic abilities? Second, is the RV parked/stored where someone has to look at it constantly or is it in a yard/lot? IMHO if you're artistically-challenged like me and it is parked where someone you don't know has to look at it maybe save the paint job for August. As for driving on the playa during January in an RV I would research the hell out of that here and elsewhere lest you get stuck in a soft spot, and definitely get the Good Sam towing coverage and/or extended RV towing coverage through AAA or your RV insurance. Driving the 447 on a shakedown run without towing coverage would be especially perilous, not to mention the playa itself. With that said, what a perfect place to do your BM shakedown run. I hope you have a blast! Be sure to snap many picts!

btw/ the CW site offers free space for a photo gallery, so post some picts when you can. I guess you gotta come up with a name first...or if nothing immediately strikes you perhaps have a "Name This RV" contest?