Back at it again! Maybe a Class A this time?

[DreadHeadDrifter]

Hello friends and family! I hope you have all been doing well. I have been off grid and MIA for the past year or so but as the weather warms up I am looking to upgrade my living situation yet again. 

I am highly considering a Class A now that I am more stationary and have the room for it, but am somewhat worried on the cost of maintenance associated with ownership of such a large vessel. ( Along with all that room for water to leak in!)

I have a few questions for you class A owners out there if you have a moment to spare!

A) I understand buying a used Class A is a huge gamble based off of how the previous owners have maintained the vehicle. Would you consider buying used, and if so, what age limit is the max you would feel comfortable with?
I am currently looking at a 1996 Rexhall Airbus. It is super clean, but the age scares me! It would really bum me out to spend $14,000 on a Class A and then have it become an endless money pit of repairs. I would get it inspected, but still, things that old break. Would something of that age scare you off?

B) I endlessly hear of the horror stories of water damage, leaks, mold, and destruction water causes in Class A's and Class C's. As an RV owner, what are some areas you really pay attention to when doing your walk around? I plan to immediately re-coat and seal the roof of whichever unit I do purchase, but any pre existing damage is already done. That scares me!

C) What do you anticipate spending on wear and tear/ general repair and maintenance costs? Do you have a peace of mind savings set aside for things down the road? If so, and you are comfortable sharing, what is that? I am one who likes to play it safe and would not want to get into a situation where I find myself unable to repair any damages. I have very little experience with Motorhomes and come from a background of Travel Trailers and Camper Vans, so I suppose this is a whole new ball game for me.

And lastly, I am a sponge as of right now, trying to soak up any information I can get. If there was something you wish you knew before you bought a Class A that you would like to pass on, please feel free to share.

Thank you for reading, and thank you for your help and contribution to this thread.

I hope you have a wonderful day!

 

[cyndi]

Many people who have purchased brand new motor homes would never do it again. It'svalue drops a lot, just driving out of the parking lot. A well maintained moho is a much better deal. When purchased new there is a lot of breaking in to do. You may have to stay close to the dealer to take advantage of the warrentees.

feel every inch of wall, ceiling, roof and floor for soft spots. inside cupboards and around all water connections.

I try to keep five grand on hand for emergencies. I am not always successful.

The Rexall Airbus has a great rep/ There is a forum.
http://www.irv2.com/forums/f283/calling-all-rexhall-owners-257556.html

Did you check the NADA website for estimated value. It could give you some negotiating
https://www.nadaguides.com/RVs

Without any other information, $14,000 seems high for a rig that old

 

[DreadHeadDrifter]

It has been awhile since I have been these forums. I don't remember if sharing outside links are aloud, but I will post the listing so you can view it and give me your two cents. I do think the asking price is a little high and would negotiate it i like it. I am going to view it tomorrow morning and will be the first one to see it so I feel comfortable sharing this link.

Thank you for sharing that information with me as well as the forum link. I will do some research tonight!


https://www.ebay.com/itm/Recreational-Vehicle/202609128867

 

[cyndi]

You meet the requirements to post links

however, "The listing you're looking for has ended."

I hope you didn't missout

 

[Gr8ful]

My friend bought a new 40' Thor class A no slide, V-10 gas engine to travel & before they did his wife died. He had a pole barn with a concrete floor built just for it & only it was only outside when he went to tractor shows. It had 13,000 original miles & he kept it in perfect condition. Sold it a month ago for $14,000 to the 1st couple that looked at it.

 

[sushidog]

Last year I purchased a 1999 36ft National Tropical 6.8l ford gasser with 28k miles for 15k. It had extensive maintenance records and is a well made rig suitable for FT use, well insulated with dual pane windows, dual 13.5btu roof ACs, a deep living room slide, 5.5kw generator, a tag axle for extra carrying capacity, etc.

I am living in it full time now and DW and I are very happy with it. However don't buy one this old if you are not comfortable with putting some work into maintaining one. Lots of little things will go wrong. So far all have been relatively easy and inexpensive to fix, but these repairs, as simple as they sometimes were, would be costly if I needed to pay someone else to fix them for me.

So if you are a handy guy with a VOM, caulking gun and a set of wrenches I say go for it. I mean it's a $150k new rv ($300,000 in today's dollars) that can be purchased 20 years later for 1/10th of it's purchase price, yet it has maybe 80% of its engine life left. You can't expect not to have things go wrong from time to time - just as they will on a new or newer unit. I recommend buying the highest quality unit you can afford rather than the newest unit, as 9 times out of 10 the higher quality RV, even though a little older than you'd like to see, will serve you better long term than a newer, but cheaply made RV.

BTW if there will be two of you living in it together I highly recommend at least one big slide, as it makes it much roomier and less claustrophobic when shut in for a while in bad weather, especially with pets.

Chip

 

[blars]

I have a 1996 Rexhall Aerbus for 6 years. Rexhall uses fiberglass roofs, that don't need recoating like the "rubber" roofs do. You still need to pay attention to the caulking. I would only go for a fiberglass or aluminum roof. Tires, transmission, vents, and refrigerator are among issue's I've had, but those are things common to all motorhomes. The tires are relatively cheap, but seem not to last long. (Probably overloaded.)

 

[JD GUMBEE]

The tires are relatively cheap, but seem not to last long. (Probably overloaded.)

Maybe because you are buying cheap tires in the first place??
What brand/size did you buy that wore out?
There are huge differences in them.

 

[ProfessorChaos]

I have a 1994 Rexhall Aerbus and I have enjoyed it. I am getting a truck camper this spring so I am selling it so if you are interested please let me know and I will answer any questions you have. I also have photos.

 

[DreadHeadDrifter]

I hope you didn't missout

The listing ends today at some time I believe. But, I have chosen to pass. After speaking with some other full time friends, they think if I hang on a little longer I will find something a little newer with similar or less miles for even less expensive than $14,000.

Only time will tell!

 

[DreadHeadDrifter]

My friend bought a new 40' Thor class A no slide, V-10 gas engine to travel & before they did his wife died. He had a pole barn with a concrete floor built just for it & only it was only outside when he went to tractor shows. It had 13,000 original miles & he kept it in perfect condition. Sold it a month ago for $14,000 to the 1st couple that looked at it.

That sounds sort of like what I am looking for for that price range, maybe I will get lucky in a different way than someone else's misfortune. Except a tad smaller in length. I feel that the shorter Class A's are the most desired, which explains why there are harder to come by! I am a patient person, so I will spend the time needed to find what I feel is right. Thanks for sharing, it gives me hope that there is a gem hiding out there somewhere waiting for me to find lol.

 

[DreadHeadDrifter]

]
Hey Chip,

Thanks for your input! I am very handy (in my opinion lol). The only things I would not feel up to doing is water damage repair. I am comfortable resealing and caulking the roof and doing all sorts of basic maintenance. Sometimes it is very satisfying work to know you fixed an issue and it is now a better quality fix than when the unit was brand new. 

How has your experience been going into Campgrounds and RV Parks with an older rig? Some people have mentioned older rigs aren't allowed in some parks, I have never seen that personally, but I also have never been to some of these "RV Resorts" and generally stick to basic camp grounds.

 

[becida]

$14k sounds like a lot of money for a 23 year old RV...

As to the Class "A" part, I've had 2 of them. Not a bad idea if I'm moving often, but if I was going to sit for months (again) I'd do something without an engine & brakes this time. When you go to leave and it won't start or won't stop, well it's an uncomfortable feeling.
For sitting & living a 5th wheel is hard to beat if you can deal with daily driving a truck.

 

[DreadHeadDrifter]

Thanks for your input! I am very handy (in my opinion lol). The only things I would not feel up to doing is water damage repair. I am comfortable resealing and caulking the roof and doing all Thank you I appreciate that information!

Unfortunately I have no way of moving a 5th Wheel. Just a travel trailer or clearly a drive-able unit.

The owner actually messaged me today and said he would accept 12k, still seems somewhat on the expensive side to me. And you are right, I would be parked for several weeks at a time which scares me as far as sitting wear and tear on the mechanics of the vehicle.

So many things to factor in when making a decision like this!

 

[Doubleone]

I looked at the post and the pics look clean.  I have a 1997 Class C and haven't ever been turned away from any place I've wanted to stay, even in places that say they have such a rule.  30ft and under is the right size to get into most RV parks and places.  $12k is sounding more reasonable, but still need to ask the magic question, can they do any better than that?  There's no substitute for an in-person walk-thru and a mechanic inspection.  Biggest thing I'd check for is smell (dank, mildew, moisture, pets, smoke).  The smell test will usually tell you if they've had any issues.  If the house is all perfumed up that would be a red flag for me.  Water intrusion can also be evident in discolorations, wood warpage, or peeling wallpaper.  Also, the ad mentioned new tires, and that always makes me think of possible suspension or alignment problems.  Most appliances of that generation you can easily fix or get fixed, and lots of parts and manuals available for the Diy'r.  That rig likely has the 2 valve 6.8l V10 so it's gonna suck the fuel (6-8mpg).  That engine is prone to stripped spark plug threads, but they can be repaired in the chassis with the right tooling.  Transmission is likely the older version prone to internal pump and thrust washer wear.  At 64K it might be close to needing a rebuild.  '97 and later had upgraded parts.  Trans rebuilders generally upgraded the parts so if it's been done once your probably good to go.

 

[Doubleone]

BTW, Don't worry about those RV age rules, they're only meant for junker rigs and to keep those dreadheads out...   JK

 

[becida]

The owner actually messaged me today and said he would accept 12k, still seems somewhat on the expensive side to me. And you are right, I would be parked for several weeks at a time which scares me as far as sitting wear and tear on the mechanics of the vehicle.

I was letting it set for months at a time, weeks has not been a problem.  

Take a look at the marketplace & see what else $14k will get you (or $12k).  That is an old RV...but everywhere is different. This 2007 RV we have right now was under $12k two years ago (Oregon, from a private party)

Be sure & put some cash away for maintenance, does it need tires? (see what size you need and call around to find out what that would cost). On this RV four tires were new so we replaced the two that weren't. Will it need belts & hoses? 

Good luck!

 

[DreadHeadDrifter]

^
Thanks for the head up! I now have my eye on this one:

https://rv.campingworld.com/rvdetai...mon-daybreak-2960-front-living-10k-GKY1587574

I made them a cash offer below asking price, out the door, and am waiting to hear back.

They go over all appliances and make sure everything is functional before the RV leaves the lot (Anything that does not work will get fixed before I drive off at Dealerships cost.). As well as a multi point walk through and inspection. I do not see any water damage and as long as the RV is in decent shape, I think under $12,000 is decent for this unit.

Please if you have any thoughts or feedback I would love to hear it. I am very inexperienced when it comes to Class A's and for all I know this could be that one brand that people run away from. I will continue to do research though!

 

[cyndi]

Camping World is famous for over charging and not honoring their word. Get everything in writing, before handing over cash.

I don't think I'm alone when I say you're going to get a better deal through a private party

 

[becida]

Private party is the way to go but sometimes you find what you want somewhere else.... Just be careful, Camping World's rep is not generally a good one...