Please help find a suitable van to build for boondocking.
- Thread starter morkani
- Start date
Help Support Van Living Forum:
I would recommend newer, too, with low enough mileage that you know it’s been used but not so high it may be on its last legs.
I know some here don’t like diesels, but I am on my second ClassB with a MB Diesel engine, and have found them to be workhorses.
My last before this one had 193,000 miles on it and was still going strong.
I know some here don’t like diesels, but I am on my second ClassB with a MB Diesel engine, and have found them to be workhorses.
My last before this one had 193,000 miles on it and was still going strong.
slow2day said:
Would you do the same thing if [font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]he says it's always been in arizona & it has no leak[/font][font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]s & it has no rust & I can have a mechanic check it out?
(I still want to do my own build for sure, but I also need a place to stay & I can spend $1250/month for temporary housing while finding a buildable vehicle and wait for the build. Or I can get the/an RV that I can live in, start living that lifestyle now and getting out of Florida, and actually start not only not spending that, but also saving that every month. and since i'm saving most of my budget on this one, I'll have enough (I hope) to replace parts if i need or even to buy another RV should this one become unlivable. shouldn't take me too long to save the 17k to get back to where I am now (year & 1/2 ish)[/font]
B and C
Well-known member
That sounds like a good buy in today's market.
Get a mechanic to check it and make sure the title matches the vehicle before forking over ANY money.
Get a mechanic to check it and make sure the title matches the vehicle before forking over ANY money.
Trusting a mechanic you've had no previous experience with located 1000 miles away would be iffy.
The dealer takes it to him and no collusion happens?
That may work out for some but others have been burned. Class Bs.do hold their value so you may not be taking too big of a chance.I would never buy something I couldn't drive and inspect in person.
You'd be better off buying something local that's a little ratty but sound for 1/3 the $ and getting your feet wet.
The dealer takes it to him and no collusion happens?
That may work out for some but others have been burned. Class Bs.do hold their value so you may not be taking too big of a chance.I would never buy something I couldn't drive and inspect in person.
You'd be better off buying something local that's a little ratty but sound for 1/3 the $ and getting your feet wet.
B and C said:
Yea, I had a bit of a sense of a sense today that something like this would sell fast. According to the dealer, the previous buyer lost financing & I said I'm paying cash. I called a little bit ago and he said he had 8 people lined up to buy it.
He said it's always been in Arizona. He says there's no rust, and nothing wrong with it mechanically since he's already his mecanic go over it. He said the buyer left something on and ran the battery all the way down so he's having a mechanic check that out again, but otherwise he said there's no problems.
I took some other advice and found one that was too expensive but it was in the town next door, ubered over there and the guy said the one I asked about had already sold, he said he had 20 people call and ask about it (was a 2005 with 150k(ish) miles for 33k 190Popular) He wouldn't let me touch it or go inside, but he let me peek my head inside and look around the outside (because he had just had it detailed for the buyer). After hearing that, I realized that it was probably going to be hard to find something like this in the future.
The guy in PA said I could have a mechanic look over it before I took possession. I agree that either the mechanic will say he went and never go, he may go but do a haphazard inspection with no accountability. Or like was said, they may collude. So I was thinking I would just go up to PA, hire a mechanic while up there to look at it with me before I take possession, THEN finalize the sale.
But he did say he had 8 people lined up to buy it. Since my house doesn't close till thursday or friday, & since I now felt a sense that it was going to be more difficult than I thought to find something I could use soon, I asked if I could put a deposit to hold it, he said it's a non-refundable $500 deposit which I can afford so I went ahead and put down the deposit.
He also said if the mechanic I hire finds a defect like a hole leaking oil or rust or something's not true that he's told me, that he'd refund the deposit.
Did I do good? I don't mind loosing the deposit if I should just forget it.
Going to look at it yourself is wise, and line up a reputable mechanic to go with you, someone who works on these.
Look at everything with the mechanic, have the dealer turn on all the systems to show they work. Look at the roof to be sure it is intact and properly sealed.
Maybe take a video of the walk thru with your phone.
I bought my second ClassB in Arizona, and had someone look at it there for me, then I flew down and picked it up. It had some sun damage to the clear coat in places, but that was just cosmetic.
They took lots of pictures for me, inside and out.
If you are working with a reputable dealer, that will mean a lot, but if you’ve never had one of these or even an RV before I have to tell you I’m concerned about you doing this so quickly.
However, I am not you and am not in your head, so you do what you feel is best and pay no attention to me if this shoe doesn’t fit.
Look at everything with the mechanic, have the dealer turn on all the systems to show they work. Look at the roof to be sure it is intact and properly sealed.
Maybe take a video of the walk thru with your phone.
I bought my second ClassB in Arizona, and had someone look at it there for me, then I flew down and picked it up. It had some sun damage to the clear coat in places, but that was just cosmetic.
They took lots of pictures for me, inside and out.
If you are working with a reputable dealer, that will mean a lot, but if you’ve never had one of these or even an RV before I have to tell you I’m concerned about you doing this so quickly.
However, I am not you and am not in your head, so you do what you feel is best and pay no attention to me if this shoe doesn’t fit.
B and C
Well-known member
I never owned an RV before I bought mine but had a ton of experience with vans. I was prepared to fly anywhere in the country when I found what I wanted and if we couldn't make a deal, I would fly back home. If I bought it, the return ticket would be unused.
When you get (positive vibe) the van, have the dealer walk you through all the house systems again. Your first outing should be to a RV park and talk to the maintenance man there. Offer him a beer and maybe a meal out and have him go over the systems with you. Hopefully the manuals are still with it. If they are, read them in their entirety. You will gean valuable information from them.
You will get two different perspectives.
Item #1, never, ever use silicone on the van to seal anything! I made that mistake and had to pay the price to get it off so it could be done right
Be sure to buy a drinking water safe water hose to fill it. You don't want a regular garden hose, they contain toxins. I like the blue ones as they are more heavy duty than the white ones.
Black tank should be at least half full before you dump it. If it isn't and you want to dump, add water.
Dump the grey tank after the black. It will mostly rinse out the stinky slinky if you shake the slinky while the grey tank drains.
You will have a lot of new systems to learn, so take it slow and don't make rash decisions (like I did with the silicone).
Good luck!
When you get (positive vibe) the van, have the dealer walk you through all the house systems again. Your first outing should be to a RV park and talk to the maintenance man there. Offer him a beer and maybe a meal out and have him go over the systems with you. Hopefully the manuals are still with it. If they are, read them in their entirety. You will gean valuable information from them.
You will get two different perspectives.
Item #1, never, ever use silicone on the van to seal anything! I made that mistake and had to pay the price to get it off so it could be done right
Be sure to buy a drinking water safe water hose to fill it. You don't want a regular garden hose, they contain toxins. I like the blue ones as they are more heavy duty than the white ones.
Black tank should be at least half full before you dump it. If it isn't and you want to dump, add water.
Dump the grey tank after the black. It will mostly rinse out the stinky slinky if you shake the slinky while the grey tank drains.
You will have a lot of new systems to learn, so take it slow and don't make rash decisions (like I did with the silicone).
Good luck!
highdesertranger
R.I.P HDR
- Joined
- Apr 4, 2012
- Messages
- 22,892
- Reaction score
- 92
some great tips from Brian. especially the silicone, don't ever use it. highdesertranger
Only thing I concur with is since it's a significant investment for you the guy above who said low mileage so you know it's used but couldn't be so used major things could go wrong. Some people buy high mileage and presumably do really well but for such a heavy investment I decided I wouldn't personally go over $25k which includes taxes and not over 23k miles. Having leased cars and sold used cars I know how I've varied both my usage and neglect to be honest depending on certain things.
Also a mechanic on your side is a must have from what I've read.
I wish I knew more about specs or types of vans but I'm also trying to feel around for something good. Best of luck to you seriously.
Also a mechanic on your side is a must have from what I've read.
I wish I knew more about specs or types of vans but I'm also trying to feel around for something good. Best of luck to you seriously.
B and C
Well-known member
Here is a link to the 1996 Roadtrek sales brochure: https://www.roadtrek.com/brochures/
This will give you a good idea of the amenities and the options.
This will give you a good idea of the amenities and the options.
morkani said:
I'm not sure you are using the terms A, B, and C correctly. Bs are usually smaller than As and Cs.
https://www.businessinsider.com/rv-types-guide-explained-classes-2020-7
It is a non- intuitive system! But it has to do with the chassis the motor home is built on, not its size nor its contents, although I’d expect that any commercial motor home will have a toilet.morkani said:
As are built on a bus or semi truck chassis and are generally large, but can be down around 30 feet.
Bs are tricked out vans. They may have a partial or complete high top, and they may be extended somewhat, but they are recognizably vans.
Cs are a hybrid. When you see a motor home whose living space is wider than the van driver’s area, you’re looking at a C. Some of them are built long enough so that they approach the smaller As. But they have that van/truck front look, not the bus front.
I ran a carfax on the vin, and I got this list. (not sure completely what i'm looking for)
There were no accidents, appears to be maintained? it wasn't ALWAYS in arizona like the dealer said but otherwise, is this a good carfax report for that vehicle?
https://gyazo.com/17697be7c309734dbe673472cf582dcc
https://gyazo.com/921bc90196f669e7ca4f86c0e6509704
https://gyazo.com/5f8c5a9e4512e91efaf9f34acece83eb
There were no accidents, appears to be maintained? it wasn't ALWAYS in arizona like the dealer said but otherwise, is this a good carfax report for that vehicle?
https://gyazo.com/17697be7c309734dbe673472cf582dcc
https://gyazo.com/921bc90196f669e7ca4f86c0e6509704
https://gyazo.com/5f8c5a9e4512e91efaf9f34acece83eb
highdesertranger
R.I.P HDR
- Joined
- Apr 4, 2012
- Messages
- 22,892
- Reaction score
- 92
just remember Car Fax is NOT the final word. I vehicle could be totaled and it not show up on Car Fax. Car Fax is ok but not even 100%. highdesertranger
Your best bet? Find a mechanic who does mobile diagnostics and hire him/her. Or get permission from the seller to take the van to a mechanic you trust.
I've done those things and been glad I did.
I've done those things and been glad I did.
- Joined
- Sep 8, 2016
- Messages
- 2,426
- Reaction score
- 1,345
slow2day said:
Full sized Ford Transits are REAR WHEEL Drive !
House closes in 2 days, I'm getting a little more scared/timid
I've called in advance to try to schedule a mechanic but the local one in town asked which dealership I'm using and he said "yea I know him", then later asked if I wanted him to do it before I arrived.
Probably legitimate questions, but it made me wonder if I should instead hire a mechanic like 20 minutes away and just say it's an hour round trip and I can pay for the mileage.
But most of the mechanics around there that were able to look at rv's were asking to have the RV delivered to them to inspect and dealer doesn't appear to be willing to take the rv to the mechanics. and 2. had schedules that were 3ish weeks out.
The dealer says he can show me all the systems are working properly.
My main concern is rust because he stated the RV had been in Arizona and left the impression that it had been there it's whole life. He said there is no rust on the vehicle. But I ran a carfax and the car had been serviced/registered a few times in the last few years in PA and not AZ, also had 10k of the 70k miles put on since the first PA showed up on carfax.
advice? Should I just let the local mechanic look at it for me while I'm up there?
I'm trying to figure out the worst case scenario with this purchase. and what I'm thinking of, seems like acceptable risks to me.
ie: if there's rust somewhere, cut around it, weld replacement metal there and repaint right? (that's what we did in the navy)
If there's engine problems, then pay a mechanic to repair the engine right?
If there's a leak in the roof, then repair it right?
if the RV seems to be overpriced, then I'm thinking it must be partly true, what the dealer is telling me, because if not he would have lowered the price.
I know there is a lot of interest in these class b's because when I search for them, and call the dealerships that advertised them, they have already sold. So I feel like I can get the one I've already got held for me, presuming the mechanic doesn't find anything major.
(what would be something MAJOR that should prevent someone like me, in my situation, from purchasing this RV? (mold is the only thing I can think of)
I've called in advance to try to schedule a mechanic but the local one in town asked which dealership I'm using and he said "yea I know him", then later asked if I wanted him to do it before I arrived.
Probably legitimate questions, but it made me wonder if I should instead hire a mechanic like 20 minutes away and just say it's an hour round trip and I can pay for the mileage.
But most of the mechanics around there that were able to look at rv's were asking to have the RV delivered to them to inspect and dealer doesn't appear to be willing to take the rv to the mechanics. and 2. had schedules that were 3ish weeks out.
The dealer says he can show me all the systems are working properly.
My main concern is rust because he stated the RV had been in Arizona and left the impression that it had been there it's whole life. He said there is no rust on the vehicle. But I ran a carfax and the car had been serviced/registered a few times in the last few years in PA and not AZ, also had 10k of the 70k miles put on since the first PA showed up on carfax.
advice? Should I just let the local mechanic look at it for me while I'm up there?
I'm trying to figure out the worst case scenario with this purchase. and what I'm thinking of, seems like acceptable risks to me.
ie: if there's rust somewhere, cut around it, weld replacement metal there and repaint right? (that's what we did in the navy)
If there's engine problems, then pay a mechanic to repair the engine right?
If there's a leak in the roof, then repair it right?
if the RV seems to be overpriced, then I'm thinking it must be partly true, what the dealer is telling me, because if not he would have lowered the price.
I know there is a lot of interest in these class b's because when I search for them, and call the dealerships that advertised them, they have already sold. So I feel like I can get the one I've already got held for me, presuming the mechanic doesn't find anything major.
(what would be something MAJOR that should prevent someone like me, in my situation, from purchasing this RV? (mold is the only thing I can think of)
B and C
Well-known member
Tell the mechanic your concerns on rust and what repairs to whatever he finds would cost. These are negotiation tools. I would think in the rust belt that maybe since it's a class B and bought in AZ that it wasn't used for winter driving up there.
The worst than can happen is you go back without a van.
The worst than can happen is you go back without a van.
Similar threads
