Gary, where did you get your replacement rubber stipping? I will need to check my heat sheild plate again, it didn't look to bent up but it may be pushed into flooring but I think it is mostly from loss of ruber shield. I can push dog house in at that point and create a gap that is right at where my foot rests on gas pedal.... thanks again
I don't think anyones dying statement ever contained the words "I wish I had spent more time in the office", so lets go somewhere!
I believe I am not supposed to post same message in multiple threads? If this is true, could some of you wander over to my post titled "Shopping for a "mature" Class C".
I'm confident y'all have great wisdom for me!
Jennifer
Hi Jennifer!
Linked your other post to make it easier to get to.
You should get lots of responses from this crowd. If you look at my profile you'll see some of the problems to try to watch out for. In my case (as stated in profile) it was free so the problems I've fixed are still worth it. Another thing to look for is wood rot... This can be insidious and extend much further than can be easily seen if found near windows and the door. Soft spots on the floor are a good indication that you'll be replacing wood in the floor.
* This post was edited 10/17/07 11:30pm by Kendas *
1978 21ft Tioga Dodge 440 Motor,
4.5kw Generac and 80 watts Solar
1984 Goldwing Interstate (Daily driver)
Misc Things I've done to my RV pictures
USAF Retired
To Err is human... To Forgive is not SAC Policy.
I read your other post, and I'm going to throw a twist in here- buy the rig you like, make sure it's a Dodge based, and I assure you no matter what you encounter, the fine folks here can walk you through it!
OK, that's sort of the devil may care attitude, but if you find something you like and it's cheap enough, your budget will still fix a lot of things!
My 73 Tioga was $600.00 and road worthy (almost). The water tanks don't leak, the fridge, range, and furnace worked, the electrics worked. I had to replace the water pump for the house, so now the plumbing works. I also installed new flooring, redid the cushions, built a new table, sealed the roof, installed all new roof vents, all new brakes (including steel and rubber lines), etc. and I'm still way under $2000.00 total!
Just an idea!
Welcome to possibly one of the coolest boards on the net!
Eric
She ain't purdy, but at least she's slow!
And let me second (or was that third?) what Eric said.
A "mature" coach will have it problems but they won't be astronomically expensive to fix. And new ones have their issues, too, as I've been reading.
Look at it this way: For what you'll spend up front, then pay for parts (which are much easier to find than RV salesmen would have anyone believe), plus the very cheap insurance rates, you'll be way ahead of the payments /warranty game.
What are you looking for? Or are you generally looking?
A fellow down the street from me has a 20ft (or 21) Coachman on a Dodge chassis, he and his wife have had it sincenew.
I opted for my Travco instead of his because I don't want a neighbor up here everyday telling me "how," but that's just one example.
Old coaches, 1-owner taken care of coaches, ARE out there and worth the wait.
Trish
I'll third (or fourth) what they've all now said. My '73 cost $600 and I drove it 3 hours home, after just putting belts and ignition stuff (cheap) on. And I only had to do the ignition stuff because I didn't want to fry a brand-new battery. The water system, the electrical system (but we did have to fix bad/missing ground wires), all of the appliances worked and I've been able to find spare parts all over the web for them, too. And, like Trish said, buying a brand new one doesn't exempt you from having to work on it...a friend has a 3-yr-old super C and he has to fix something every time he takes it out. And make payments
![[emoticon]](http://www.coastresorts.com/sharedcontent/cfb/images/wink.gif "wink")
Cheaper insurance, historic/antique tags, no payments...all of this adds up to more $$ to spend on customizing it to your liking.
If you can, look for older RVs who have a steel frame. All Champion (Concord, TItan, etc) brand motorhomes have a steel frame, as does Trish's Travco. This means wood rot only extends to paneling/flooring, instead of possibly to framing.
'73 Concord 20' Class A w/Dodge 440 - see profile for photo
Is there a checklist of things to investigate? Also, is there a list of things I should just presume I'll need to replace (hoses, any liquid, etc)?
My mechanical skills are limited. Apparently taking shop in high school had little to no impact. My older son can do some basic stuff but the rest will have to be done by a shop. I'm in the burbs, so shade tree mechanics are few and far between.
There is a RV repair shop that I'd visited a few time while owning my 79 Tioga and my TT. They seem like reasonable people who didn't want to impress me - "impress me" types make me nervous. I may give them a ring to find out if they do pre-purchase inspections.
I plan to look for something under my top budget to leave room for replacing basics. Without a receipt that includes a VIN, I'll have to assume things need to be replaced. Yes? No? It makes no sense to spend near the top of my budget if I presume I need to replace stuff anyways.
I'm in California. Have any California folks purchased out-of-state rigs? Did you have any substantial issues with relicensing or smogging? Smog is no longer needed after 30 years, right?
Realistically, I shouldn't purchase anything til next year. However, I'd sure like to be prepared if the right thing comes along.
cheers
jennifer
![[emoticon]](http://www.coastresorts.com/sharedcontent/cfb/images/biggrin.gif "biggrin")
So just figure $2500.00 for that stuff.
Now, for the rest of the rig- it depends on how picky you may be. The upholstery and flooring can be changed easily to suit your taste. A leaky roof can be mended. Siding falling off is a problem! Rotten wood is a problem. Neither are impossible to fix, just a problem.
If you do get a Dodge based rig, we all here have at least some knowlege and/or parts to assist you making yours work like it should! The mechanicals on these Dodge trucks are really good, and easy to work on and get parts for, so don't be too concerned if it needs a valve job or something like that. We can help you with that!
Now, appliances and systems- this you should check out well, since those can get expensive to repair/replace. I got lucky, I only needed a water pump ($80.00).
Again, this is just my two cents worth. I am a glutten for punishment, and really enjoy wrenching on this old junk. You may not like doing it, but you've already tossed your hat in the ring by desiring a "mature" rig!
Eric
Mechanically it wasn't too bad, needed shocks, carb adjustment, etc. But, it did have a roof leak in front over the cab. I ended up tarping it heavily the first winter with the intent I'd fix it up the next spring.
A friend ended up in desperate need for something to live in, so out it went as a loaner. Well, the pretty much finished it off. Between the dog, the smoking and parking it out on a dusty ranch, the only thing left for it was donation.
Maybe if it had duals in back and had a bit more length, I would have hung on to it. I realized that the SRW was not for me. Give me duals anyday.
I do admit that sometimes I wonder what I'm getting into!
abbulldogs wrote:
I do admit that sometimes I wonder what I'm getting into!
I do admit that sometimes I wonder what I'm getting into!
That's the spirit!!!!!!!!
Also, check out eBay, there are about 200 C class units on there right now, some for only a couple a hunert bucks...
Craigslist is good, too.
Also, remember, most of us can help you if you find something not to close to where you live. One of us has to live nearby to lend you an eye. I always help when I can, and others return the favor. That's what's great about any hobby- the fellow enthusiasts will always jump in to help!
Good luck on your search, and keep us posted!
Eric