Motorhome

[Netter]

Hi,

For those who own motorhomes, I have a question(s).

What size engine do you have, year, length, gas mileage and yearly insurance. (without collision/comp.)

Reason I am asking is that I found a 1984 Ford E350 motorhome with 55000 miles with a (gulp) 460 engine. Its a 28 footer with duel rear wheels. Guys asking 7500 but that seems a little steep for an 84. Ad says ex. cond. but, ya never know...........looks clean inside and out in the pics.

Thanks

 

[[email protected]]

Netter that is a little high unless it is in really clean shape with no sign of roof leakage. I paid $5300 for a 1993 Dutchman 28' class A in very good shape and I still put $3000 in it the first couple of years i had it as older stuff wears out. Best luck on it. By the way expect to get from 6 to 10 mph no more. Jeff

 

[SoulRaven]

Had a couple of motorhomes. Insurance will be based on "personal" factors, so it will vary between individuals, but many insurance people will quote you a price before purchase. Lower mileage on an older unit isn't a plus. Means it just sat for most of the time, and may have been sitting lately for an unusually extended time. Price seems high to me considering the many issues that can be encountered with a unit that old. (refrigerator could be running but not properly cooling, same with AC, water heater could be an issue also, propane system..........and then you have the engine end of it.) If you sincerely interested, I would have the engine end gone over and a competent person looking at the RV systems as they SO expensive to replace. Another important factor is how many owners the unit has had. I like an owner who has kept track of the maintenance they have put into the unit. Tires alone cost a bundle and any over 6 or 7 years old should be replaced despite how they look.

 

[EnduroRdr]

Netter that is a little high unless it is in really clean shape with no sign of roof leakage. I paid $5300 for a 1993 Dutchman 28' class A in very good shape and I still put $3000 in it the first couple of years i had it as older stuff wears out. Best luck on it. By the way expect to get from 6 to 10 mph no more. Jeff

Agreed:

An 84 with a 460 in excellent condition can be found for less.
Back in the 80s most all of those were built with wood frames. If it had leaks then there is probably some rot.
You don’t want to get into trying to fix that!

If you step into it and it smells musty, I’d suspect it had or has a leak. Check for soft floors in corners, also examine the roof well.

If you shop hard you should be able to find a 24-28’ class c in excellent shape for that amount maybe less.

Good luck, with your shopping!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[JD GUMBEE]

1986 Allegro 32 ft class A 454 GM engine T400 trans 4:56 rear. It has good guts on the hills for a non-diesel.
We get around 7MPG @ 60 MPH. Keep it to 55 without the trailer behind it and you can eek near 10 out of it on the highway.
As it gets closer to 75MPH, the mileage can go down to *cough cough* 3.5MPG.
We got ours 5 years ago with 11,000 original miles for $4,000.
We spent more than $3500 going through tires/hoses/belts/brakes/synthetic fluids in everything bumper to bumper...etc. 19 inch tires were unGODLY expensive.
It now has just south of 30,000 miles on it and burns zero oil, runs perfectly and has only needed a fuel filter, ex manifold gasket...and a cracked spring presently needs to be replaced in the rear.
Fuel injection is nice and has advantages.
An old carb can be fixed by any mechanic.
The whole HEI ignition system for mine has a spare in a box that I can change, from inside the rig, on the side of the road...in less than an hour myself.
After very careful pondering, to us, keeping it simple was paramount for the long haul.

It is not shiny. The paint is faded and the interior fabric, through in great shape...is very dated.
No overdrive either. She "sings" on the highway @60. Above 65, the singing turns into "screaming."
That said, we tow a heavy car trailer with lots of tools and a station wagon on its back. That 4:56 rear is needed in our scenario. Tradeoffs are inevitable.

The 460 Ford engine does well in the pickups.
Not so much in RV's. Not sure why really, but the numbers are the numbers. The fleet operations, as a rule, stopped using them in the step van chassis for this reason.
Also, check out how the 460's in those "van nose RV's" tended to burn them to the ground. A good drive train to avoid in the RV. I would stick to the 454.
(The same does NOT go for the lighter duty units with the "302/351" engines, which have great records of service by comparison.)

You get most of the same issues with a 12 year old unit as with a 30 year old unit. (Drive-train wise.) Most of the same stuff dries out and needs attention.
The 30 year old GM unit however, can be made to run flawlessly (as long as the engine is compression tested/oil sampled and found to be healthy) with a $150 dollar HEI unit and a $300 carburetor.
That is the entire system to make it run. Simple is good. Simple is cost effective. Any mechanic can fix it...and no computer needed.

As for "units that sit." They all sit. Mine sat, un-started for more than 18 years. If it starts up and runs well after 500 miles or so, it will likely continue to do so throughout its normal life cycle of mileage.
People warn of seals drying up. This is true, but it does not always happen. When it does, it means you will have an oil seepage. Depending on where that is, (front crank seal/rear crank seal or valve covers) dictates the $$$$ involved to remedy it. A rear main seal requires the transmission to be removed in order to fix it.
That said, we are talking about (90% of the time) a few drips here and there. It is not like you would HAVE to fix it...nor does it leave you on the side of the road. (The same cannot be said for the multitude of sensors and aged electronic connections...in-tank fuel pumps, etc etc that the 90's and newer units depend on to run. Any one of those fail and you stop. No passing go, no collecting your 200 dollars worth of RV fun.)

We have two policies for insurance.
One for the inside (agreed value) and one for liability. The liability policy is 320 per year and it gives us 500K of coverage.
(I think it is 500K if we hurt someone and 150K property damage.)

 

[Netter]

1986 Allegro 32 ft class A 454 GM engine T400 trans 4:56 rear. It has good guts on the hills for a non-diesel.
We get around 7MPG @ 60 MPH. Keep it to 55 without the trailer behind it and  you can eek near 10 out of it on the highway.
As it gets closer to 75MPH, the mileage can go down to *cough cough* 3.5MPG.
We got ours 5 years ago with 11,000 original miles for $4,000..................................

Hi,
Thank you! A lot of useful / important information! I appreciate it!

 

[user 423]

An old carb can be fixed by any mechanic.

In theory yes. In practice you'll find many younger mechanics have never worked on one.

 

[JD GUMBEE]

In theory yes.  In practice you'll find many younger mechanics have never worked on one.

If so, those "mechanics" are the exact type that will know to watch a Youtube video of an old codger like us adjusting one...and in ten minutes, will see how to adjust (if needed) the magic screws.

They are not rocket science and at the worst, you will be able to have the fine adjustments re-tuned by a more experienced hand later.

The same logic does not apply to EFI. Intermittent issues due to poor connections...or a sensor failure that only happens under load/certain heat levels/humidity...can be virtually impossible to hunt down and can ruin your trip. (Happens rather often in RV's, sadly.)

 

[user 423]

^
So for non-mechanically inclined folks looking for a moho it's....'pick your poison'.

 

[JD GUMBEE]

^
So for non-mechanically inclined folks looking for a moho it's....'pick your poison'.

Yeah, expensive and complex, or cheap and super simple. That is exactly right.

 

[wayne49]

On older units always plan on replacing the tires and batteries.

Have it hooked up to water and pressurized then check for leaks inside and outside.

Make sure the fridge works. Stove. Water heater. Furnace. All lights and fans.

Open all overhead spaces, drawers, looking for signs of leakage. Beware of new carpeting, seat cushions, etc.

The 1989 Tioga/Ford (460) 26ft that I have, has one 10 AWG wire running from the batteries up front to the Charge/Controller in the back. That wire is too small to charge the batteries IMHO over ~26 ' of wire. The RV factory wiring that is visible under the hood is scary. Three solenoids. Several in line circuit breakers. Cables going this way and that way. Of the two batteries, one was a Primary used for everything, except for starting the 4KW generator, which fell to the Auxiliary battery, which was only connected by a fat cable to the gen and never charged by the charge/controller. The multiple solenoids are used to enable main engine starting by both batteries. I could not get that to work. I connected the primary and auxiliary by bypassing the solenoids.

The main point of relating this story about the Tioga is that adding solar to the Tioga is complicated. Running the solar to the controller/charger connection in the back wastes solar power that should be more closer and direct to the batteries. Then where to place the solar controller becomes an issue. I have come up with the idea of the controller in a weather proof box that sits by the front outside near the batteries, with quick disconnects (KFI 6AWG units for winch/snow plow wiring) for both the battery and solar connections. The box also houses a Samlex 1000W PSW inverter. Four Renogy panels installed up on top with a Renogy 30A MPPT controller. Connected the panels in series at 80.4 VDC. To go  I just disconnect the cables and stow the box inside the RV door.

The older you go the more you need to have experience and knowledge and a willingness to spend time to maintain the vehicle/house.

Wayne

 

[Headache]

Yeah, expensive and complex, or cheap and super simple. That is exactly right.

Cheap, super simple AND expensive!

At the pump.

 

[rickr]

Hi,

For those who own motorhomes, I have a question(s).

What size engine do you have, year, length, gas mileage and yearly insurance. (without collision/comp.)

Reason I am asking is that I found a 1984 Ford E350 motorhome with 55000 miles with a (gulp) 460 engine. Its a 28 footer with duel rear wheels. Guys asking 7500 but that seems a little steep for an 84. Ad says ex. cond. but, ya never know...........looks clean inside and out in the pics.

Thanks

 

[Minivanmotoman]

Be aware of 80s 16.5" wheels and limited tires availability and expensive. First major downside iirc.

 

[Smitty716]

I have a 1990 Tioga 22 footer , it has the tbi 350 in it . Average 10 mpg I haven’t exactly learned how to slow down . That being said I use progressive insurance and for full coverage with uninsured motorists and under insured motorists with agreed value, 3000 dollar personnel effects and a 3000
Emergency fund for hotel and rental car for when it breaks down I pay 48 dollars a month.

 

[bullfrog]

Motorhomes are great if you plan on moving every couple of weeks but do not sit well months at a time. A trailer has cheaper tires and maintance costs if sitting for longer periods of time in my opinion. An older well built top of the line one owner or restored motorhome can be a great deal. We bought a 1983 28' Barth that we traveled in for a couple of years and have lived in parked for the last 12 years with a very few problems or repairs for $11,000 in 2004. Water heater and AC units, one electrical circuit we wired around, toilet and line and coated the roof, not bad for under $100 a month. But we could have possibly done better.

 

[sushidog]

I just bought a 1999 National RV Tropical, 35 footer with one living room superslide and only 28k miles for $15k. It was a garage kept, one owner rig in pretty good shape with all maintenance records and a few upgrades, like dual pane windows, efficient heat pumps rather than regular ACs, upgraded to 50 amp service (but still has the 30 amp EMS system it came with when only 30 amp power is available), etc. Of course you need to be able to work on them as little things are always in need of repair. The jacks wouldn't work till I added a quart of ATF and the steps wouldn't work initially (it was only a couple broken wires), etc. It has 19.5" tires (replaced in 2016) and a tag axle with 3,500lbs carrying capacity, so there's room for a big solar system when I get ready. The 3 batteries are in average shape and will probably need replacing in a couple years. I just got min. liability coverage through Geico and added it to my car policy. I've had them for many claim free years, and have a clean driving record so it only cost me $62 every 6 months. Full coverage would cost much more, especially if you have a couple tickets or accidents and are young.

As already mentioned, the systems are complex so there's a learning curve involved. I drove it back from Houston to New Orleans, which is all flat land in heavy traffic. The v10 Ford got a pretty respectable 10 mpg coming home at 60-65 mph. In the hills or mountains and with a toad I'd be lucky to get 6-7 mpg. The thing is, I only plan on moving it monthly, unless I'm boondocking then it's every 2 weeks as required by the BLM regs. so fuel costs are controllable. Just budget what you can afford and stay within the budget.

Don't think everything has to work perfectly all the time. If your slide motor goes out and they are too expensive to get a new one this month or even next then save for it and in the mean time, just put the slide out and bring it in manually, or leave it in for a while if you are moving a lot. If one AC breaks just make due with the other one till you can afford to get it fixed. You'll still be a lot better off than folks who have no slide or AC at all. Same goes for water, sewer, generator, etc.

Chip