Xterra verse ford econoline 350

[McPam]

Hi,
I am looking to trade in my Nesson Xterra for a ford 350 Econoline Conquest RV the Nesson gets better gas mileage, not by much. 
The Nesson has rust which will need to be replaced in a few years, the Conquest was barn kept only has minor surface rust, nothing a little elbow grease can't fix. 

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[bullfrog]

We need lots more information like year make and model but pictures are always best as well as any listing it may have appeared in. We need to know your needs and plans for travel as well as that may make a big difference.

 

[McPam]

Thank you bullfrog for responding. The Ford Conquest is an 87, 7.5 L - V8 OHV 16v - 3 speed automatic, the guy wrote down  H/WH ( I have no idea what that means ) It has 66,000 miles. I looked up the VIN but it really didn't give me much info. the body is in good shape, sorry no pics. I plan on living in it with my dog, I also plan on gold panning I am a lifetime member of the GPAA. 
It was not posted anywhere the elderly man I was helping passed away and he knew the guy that has the Conquest But now Mr. Karl is gone I don't have anyone to trust in whether or not it would be a good deal or who might know of any major problems with the year such as with the motor, generator, etc... My vehicle plus my cargo trailer will be going in as a trade-swap, I don't want to be stranded in the north country.

 

[MrNoodly]

This life is more about living in a vehicle than driving it. The van has way more room. You can compensate for lower mileage by driving less often, but you can't make the XTerra larger.

 

[user 423]

  My vehicle plus my cargo trailer will be going in as a trade-swap, I don't want to be stranded in the north country.

What year is the Nissan? Condition (other than rust)? Mileage?  Have you checked NADA or Kelly Blue Book estimates of what it's worth?

What year/size is the trailer? Is it just an empty trailer?

There's not enough information, so there's no way we could maybe tell you if the trade would be a good deal or not.

Will it be an even swap or will you also have to pay some cash?

You should arrange to have the van (or is it a Class C motorhome?) checked out by a mechanic. Even though low mileage, a 34yo vehicle is a gamble and you would need a sizeable emergency fund to cover repairs.

 

[McPam]

This life is more about living in a vehicle than driving it. The van has way more room. You can compensate for lower mileage by driving less often, but you can't make the XTerra larger.

Thank you MrNoodly for the inspiration. I agree with your comment.

 

[McPam]

What year is the Nissan? Condition (other than rust)? Mileage?  Have you checked NADA or Kelly Blue Book estimates of what it's worth?

What year/size is the trailer? Is it just an empty trailer?

There's not enough information, so there's no way we could maybe tell you if the trade would be a good deal or not.

Will it be an even swap or will you also have to pay some cash?

You should arrange to have the van (or is it a Class C motorhome?) checked out by a mechanic. Even though low mileage, a 34yo vehicle is a gamble and you would need a sizeable emergency fund to cover repairs.

Thank you slow2day,
My Nissan is an 02, my cargo trailer is 5x8, it would be a trade with money in my pocket, not theirs. I can use a regular DL to drive it. The conquest is about 21', it's not small but it's not big either. 
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[user 423]

OK,yeah I see now you were mainly seeking info on that model and not whether it was a good swap or not.

Anyway, here's a link to the NADA Guides for RV values (scroll down to the Conquest Series):

https://www.nadaguides.com/RVs/1987/Gulf-Stream/Motorhomes

In general the Ford Econolines are reliable but something that old can be a real money pit.

 

[user 423]

My Nissan is an 02, my cargo trailer is 5x8

If the Nissan is in good running condition, it would be a better bet for reliability.

Have you used the trailer for camping?  Maybe you could sell that and get a bigger trailer. Something that's not too heavy for the Xterra to tow but one you could stand up in and have some extra space.

 

[bullfrog]

Just some general things you should consider. There is a date code branded into the sidewall of the tire that will tell when it was manufactured. General opinion is any tire over 5 years old should be replaced. If it shows weather cracking or other signs of age then you will have a rather large expense. Rubber belts, hoses seals and brake parts can deteriorate as well. All fluids should be changed and everything operated and checked for leaks. Gasoline in the tanks checked or drained as well as filters. Heavy duty vehicles are more expensive to repair so be prepared to spend larger amounts for repairs and services. It will make a huge difference if the vehicle was driven for 20 minutes every month as opposed to sitting in the barn idling. Have it checked by a mechanic completely before you trade. Good luck!

 

[wayne49]

One thing, how important is A/C to you? A 1980 something or other is probably going to be R-12 and cannot be recharged by a legitimate shop. If it leaks down due to non use, it is expensive to source R-12 cylinders (ebay) and D-I-Y, or way more expensive to have a shop do the switchover to the newer Freon. The compressor has to stripped down and all o rings replaced. I go without, since it is my summer dispersal vehicle to get away from the heat anyway. I have tolerance for some heat.

The Ford 460 ci (7.5L) and auto transmission drive train is very reliable IMHO. My 1989 Tioga 25' Class C has had no problems with the drive train. Sat around in the lower Nevada desert for some years before it came to me.
No major repairs. Everything I have fixed was D-I-Y.

Under the hood the master cylinder needed replacing. Seals went bad. Fluid looked like coffee without milk. Original factory fluid? RockAuto can be your new friend.

Tires and batteries are always a given on older RVs, as someone, who doesn't use an RV and just wants it gone, is never going to replace those items.

Make sure the entry door works smoothly and is rigid. Replacing an older door with salvage is nigh impossible. The dimensions of new manufactured doors may not fill the rough cut out. I rebuilt my entry door myself. Seeing how the door was put together was enlightening as to the corners that get cut beneath the veneer. Staples where screws and braces should have been used. Once one part gets loose from another part, the integrity of the whole is lost.

Plumbing wise, the plastic stuff doesn't age well. The flapper seal in the toilet may need replacing. Faucets and drains replaced as well. The faucets, unless already replaced, are probably not water saving devices anyway.
The hose to fill the fresh water tank, the hose from the tank to the existing pump, or a new pump.

The waste valves dry out as well.

The electrics, such as in an over the stove monitor panel, may not work, or may work some times. The printed circuit board in mine had one key ground circuit come off the board and break. I soldered a jumper wire in it's place. Still can't get the fresh water LEDs to light up, so I use a flashlight on the side of the tank under the jack knife couch to check the water level.

Check the roof for any low spots. Inside check for previous leaks, especially in the overheads.

I'll put up with all of that for how solid the 460 starts up and runs. Gulps regular, 7-8 mpg (I can drive 55 and do), but has always gotten me where I was going. I'd rather have a solid older engine, than a newer one that has engineered in issues. How much screwed up thinking did they have to do to screw up spark plugs and cylinder heads in the 21st century? They probably still received profit sharing at the end of the year.

 

[wayne49]

I was looking to see what your target RV looked like and found one for sale in the Denver area.

Not posting it for you to consider, just for information value as to the details of the model for others.

https://www.shoppok.com/denver/a,38,368278,1987-Gulfstream-Conquest-Class-C----4200--Bailey-.htm

 

[user 423]

Is your '89 EFI?

I'm thinking an '87 would be a carb.