Older RV Fixer or Newer Model? - RV-Dreams Community Forum

earthmommy · RV-Dreams Family Member

Older RV Fixer or Newer Model?

The Bear II · RV-Dreams Family Member

Most parks with an RV age restriction will allow an older RV if it's in really good condition. The goal of the older rv rule is to give the RV park the right to weed out undesirables.

So if your RV looks nearly new on the outside and you don't pull up to the registration parking in a plume of blue smoke with a backfire as you shut off the engine, you'll probably get in to most RV parks with an age restriction. You may have to send a photo when making reservations to show the condition of your RV.

Keep the age restriction in mind when selecting an RV, but don't let it deter you from selecting an RV you like. There are more parks without age restriction then there are with restriction.

Engine, Transmission and suspension (drivetrain) are expensive to replace. Make sure you select an RV with excellent drivetrain. If it's a trailer the suspension, tires and brakes need to be good. Make sure the frame has no cracks or repairs.

You can save a ton of money by fixing up an older RV. Just don't expect to ever get your money back out of it. Same thing is true with a new RV, you can't expect one to gain in value. Most lose value rather quickly.

Ckerr · RV-Dreams Family Member

That has been our observation as well -- So long as the rig looks good and is well maintained it usually isn't a problem. You may be asked to send a picture when making your reservation.

You seem to be pretty self-sufficient and handy, so it might be a fun project. I would steer clear of anything with a motor that has been sitting for a while. I would also have a good mechanic check out all the motor/transmission/drivetrain stuff before I bought.

And I would check closely for any signs of water leaks/damage.

I would also take a close look at safety considerations -- especially since you will be traveling with your daughters.

If I were looking at fixing up something, I would probably look at something that required mostly cosmetic fixes to make it work for me. Structural/mechanical things can get expensive fast.

On the other hand I've been advised that pre-2001 diesel engines are much less expensive to repair than later models.

earthmommy · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanks for the great info! I really don't plan to try to get any money back out of it, just a comfy place to live. :)

heyduke · RV-Dreams Family Member

well for sure we are buying used ... how used hasn't been determined yet since we still haven't sold our house :)

earthmommy · RV-Dreams Family Member

Yep used is the only way we can go. The main reason I'm considering an older fixer is that we won't be selling a house, since we don't own one. So the purchase of our RV will have to be something we do well before we get on the road. We're saving for the purchase while we research and learn etc.

Ckerr · RV-Dreams Family Member

We're definitely looking for a used Diesel MH. Really cannot justify buying new due to the big depreciation hit.

In an ideal world we would all hit the road with no payments. However, sometimes another plan might make equal sense. In our case we are making payments on the tow vehicle and the 5th wheel. We are also paying all the bills associated with the house. If we lease the house and go to full timing in the rv it will put approximately $30K a year back in our pockets. That will go along way toward paying off the bills and getting us the MH we really want. So long as that payment isn't any more than the current combined tow vehicle and 5th wheel payment we won't be any worse off and conceivably much better off.

Keep taking a close look at the numbers and reworking the spreadsheet to determine what you can / want to afford. And remember while elbow grease (or as we say in real estate -- sweat equity) goes a long way, every repair/upgrade will cost additional money on top of whatever you initially pay for the rv.

earthmommy · RV-Dreams Family Member

I totally agree! We are debt free except for our car, which will be paid off next year in the fall. That will free up several hundred dollars a month that we can then afford to pay on an RV or save toward buying one for cash.

Secretly I am hoping that the price of the unit I LOVE will drop a lot in the next year or so. I can dream right? biggrin

-- Edited by earthmommy on Tuesday 21st of September 2010 10:03:31 PM