Which is better for a newbie: Newer or Older?

[Vee and Zeekie]

As I search for my first camper van/Class B, I see new ones, newish ones, oldish ones, and old ones. What is my best bet as a single female without much experience (though strong interest in learning!)? I can afford about $100K after taxes, registration, insurance. But, of course, I would be MUCH happier spending a whole lot less if possible! (I love a good deal! Who doesn't?). Maybe something that has withstood the test of time is more reliable than something that is on the new side and could be a lemon? Or do you really get what you pay for? In which case, spending the most I can afford would be the way to go. Any thoughts would be welcome.

(Side note: I am looking at a local 2001 American Cruiser with 55K miles next week. He wants $25K. From the American Cruiser FB group I joined, that seems high. But probably negotiable. I will look at it no matter what, even if it's just to learn).

 

[avanti]

IMO, the biggest issue in buying an older rig is that you won't get the modern chassis safety features (stability control, lane keep assist, blind spot detection, etc etc). I consider these to be a BIG deal, and really wouldn't consider buying a vehicle without them.

 

[RambleOn]

I agree with Avanti on the safety features. I'm a Sprinter chassis fan and on those you can tell if the model includes the safety features by whether on not it has controls on the steering wheel - they come as part of the same package that includes the safety items. Typically 2014 and up Sprinters have the features, but not all. Go out and spend some time in various ones and see what appeals to you. Unless you are in a rush prices may drop in the next few months as Covid Fever subsides (or not).

 

[themexicandoctor]

Another issue is waterproofing.

With the older rigs you start to see water intrusion, etc.

If not from the original oem roof but from add ons.

This bears repeating; being an RV, is equivalent to being in a Test Tube, any mould spores are going to find you.

My suggestion is that you invest in an RV Guy you trust, to go with you on your more serious opportunities (fewer & further apart with this buying bonanza).

An RV guy who is of high integrity, super competent & pays attention that day.

They know what to look for ie; the hairline cracks, the otherwise good looking but spongy corners, floor damage, etc.

The money you invest pre-sale might be mitigated by the savings gained during serious negotiation.

It will be most certainly saved in the long term ownership of the rig.

And even of you are buying from a dealership, take him.

As units become harder to source, you can expect sales & marketing organizations to push the envelope even more.

 

[hbn7hj]

I have gone new (Lazy Daze) and used. No warranty issues with the Lazy Daze. The 2003 Roadtrek bought in 2010 was basically sound. It had Florida rust issues, generator issues, intermittent furnace (loose fuse holder) leaking propane regulator and 7 year old tires. Anything Roadtrek put in was rusting, any thing GM built was good.

All in all it was a good purchase. Took awhile to get everything right. It would have been unacceptably expensive to hire the repairs completed.

Lot’s of mods to the Roadtrek and am really happy with it.

We hear horror stories of new coaches spending 8 months at the dealer being made functional.

It might make a difference if the coach is an orphan. It really helps to have the manufacturer still in business.

I would go used again. Lazy Daze is unique in that it is now 14 years old with no issues. Replaced the water pump last month, the fridge last year, and the furnace has always had it’s moments. The A/C unit is living a short life. Want more BTU’s.

If you can repair coach issues go used but you do need a sound engine and chassis. That I got.

 

[PleasantonMac]

along those same lines, the older the rig, the more that is likely to break, just like any old car and any old house (of which the campervan is both). i think an older rig could be awesome for someone who is ready and willing to deal with the inevitable problems that will come up. As a class B newbie myself, I'd just as soon not have to deal with that. Yes, things will go wrong on a new van as well, but at least there's a warranty and someone I can yell at. Obviously, only you can decide how much you want to have to deal with, but just doing a search for "help" on this forum will give you a taste of things.

"Newish" might have been a good idea a year or two ago, but with covid, it seems like newish is hardly any cheaper than brand new thanks to supply-and-demand issues right now. So New or oldish are probably the only options that make sense.

Coachmen Beyond and Winnebago Travato are two, off the top of my head, that fit your budget in the brand-new arena.

Don't discount avanti's thoughts about the new chassis safety features, especially if you're not used to driving a larger vehicle like this. I wouldn't dream of trying to drive one of these puppies without a backup camera, for example, or blind spot assist. Folks with 30 years experience driving class As would laugh at that, but I don't have 30 years experience driving class As.

One final note: I would love to hear people's thoughts on older rigs with low miles, like the aforementioned 2001 with 55k miles. Obviously, it wasn't driven "much", but what happens to nearly-20-year-old house systems as they age?

 

[themexicandoctor]

One thing that sticks out but its not a deal breaker are people that advertise that their Generator only has 30 hours in a 5 year old Rig.

ie; Generators need to be exercised under load using the AC for 2 hours minimum per month or a 5 year rig 36 x 2 = 72 hours or a 10 year rig, 144 hours MINIMUM,something like 10 hours per month is perfectly fine or even 40 hours us per month.

If this is a first time owner,you know his ignorance hasn't necessarily damaged the internal systems. But it gives you an idea of who is selling the rig.

This is just one example & therefore reaffirms what an EXPERIENCED RV Guy is going to be on the lookout for.

Many times, lack of use/exercise of the moving features of many RVs, is just as damaging as misuse.

 

[mkguitar]

My budget was 80K with room to 110k

we looked at as many units ( 30ish) as we could find over 5 months. watched all kinds of sales videos. did a rental in ireland (sideways sleeper, cassette toilet on a Citroen version of promaster)

In the end the best layout for us was the 8 year old, 88K mile unit advertised at 42k

Built on a gas Chevrolet


Bought for much, much less.

I don't mind being handy and when I have downtime from my regular work ( touring with rock bands) I am completely idle at home.

we have had NO mechanical issues- basic stuff I do myself at home.
few issues with the van. replaced some dicor seal on the roof. shocks, tires, batteries.
no disasters.

the old 2006 technology is easy to deal with

the more units you look at the better you'll be able to judge
Mike

 

[themexicandoctor]

As to age, I know my 2005 inside has the heavier maple, etc but it looks great.

It feels great.

Like you are on a yacht.

Not as light but.

And I took out the 2 passenger chairs & had built two custom cabinets that have more storage capacity than any Class B plus one half of one unit, is designed to fit all my Medical Equipment.

But I took my time to modify everything.

You start getting into the newer models & ugh*, they just don't look authentic.

THIS IS MY PERSONAL PREFERENCE.

But strip away "the year" of manufacture & get down on your knees & for the most part, apart from slight iterations in design & components, they all use the same Pumps, Furnaces, Hot Water Heaters, etc.

The differencewith those after 2014 might be the Manufacture's choice of Solar & attendant Systems, Wiring, etc.

But a short time here on these forums & for the MOST PART, you can go out & add a system that outperforms what the upfitter, bolted on.

In many cases, far out performs.

The beauty of the pre-solar rigs is now you can add what the Giants amongst us, have ascertained to be the best, after many years of adaption.

 

[Davydd]

Those American Cruisers are classics now and have a unique plan that is not available today with that rear door and back bathroom. I've known two owners of them that bought them for that reason. 55,000 miles means that it was little used. I put that many miles on my Class Bs in a little over 2 years. If it is sound (good bones) I would look at it seriously. $25,000 might be high but I bet it would hold its value because Class B's don't come any cheaper. If you can afford $100,000 then you could afford replacing any deficiencies such as refrigerator, re-upholstering, etc. You may have to replace the tires and batteries right off unless they are new. Before I would take it on a long trip I would have a mechanic check out the engine (you don't need an RV guy for that) and maybe replace all the rubber like hoses, belts, etc.

I've always bought new Class Bs but I did snap up a 2003 Subaru Baja hybrid pickup for my personal car simply because they are rare and you can't get anything like them today. And it fits in my undersized garage. After owning it for 10 years I recently had a mechanic offer to buy it for what I paid for it. It might be my car for life.

 

[themexicandoctor]

Oops I forgot, the Mechanical parts of the drive train, etc but most RV Guys can ascertain that at the same time.

Personally, I love the American Cruiser 2001.

Its a Classic for sure as others have said & there are few on the ground. There is one parked in Venice about 30 minutes from where I am now, do you want me to leave my card on the door in case the person is interested in selling?

 

[magicbus-ClassB]

you won't get the modern chassis safety features (stability control, lane keep assist, blind spot detection, etc

I don’t mind the blind spot detection but none of these would be a deal breaker for me. I think my 2016 Sprinter chassis has the stability control and a rear view camera, but thats it.

 

[avanti]

I don’t mind the blind spot detection but none of these would be a deal breaker for me. I think my 2016 Sprinter chassis has the stability control and a rear view camera, but thats it.

I don't know if you've ever owned a car with such features, but I, at least, found them to be a real eye-opener. I never took distracted driving seriously ("I always pay attention") until I discovered how often the lane-keeping alarm went off whenever I fiddled with the nav system or whatever. I was kind of shocked.

I can't help feeling that folks who find these "nanny tech" devices annoying just don't like being confronted with the truth.

The latest collision-avoidance stuff is also pretty amazing. They do things that no human could possibly do. My Volvo keeps steering and braking even AFTER a crash, in an effort to avoid a rollover.

Just my opinion, but as I said, I will never again buy a car without that stuff.

 

[Gaucho]

How much you plan on using it might also help instruct how much you are willing/able to pay.

For example, if you plan on using it more sporadically, you may not want to buy new and take a large depreciation hit right off the bat.

On the other end of that spectrum would be going full time by selling your home (or renting it out) or giving up paying rent to a landlord. Since you didn’t raise it as a possibility, I am guessing going full time is not in the cards for you at the moment, but might you adopt that lifestyle? The nicer and newer the rig, perhaps the more likely you will choose to go nomadic, and that might justify the depreciation hit. That’s what I am doing.

In between those options, and since you live in Tahoe, I imagine you could rent out your home seasonally (like winter when it’s in higher demand) while you travel for 3-6 months at a time. IOW, you could do the snowbird thing while collecting rent.

 

[BrianCO]

We considered new and not new when making a purchase as well. The things that pushed us to brand new were:
- Warranty
- Modernity and efficiency of the chassis and the interior fixtures
- Estimated amount of person investment in time and effort to maintain
- Expectations of performance

I think buying used and using it as a project to learn is great, if you are willing to deal with the time and financial investment of doing so, as well as the down time for customizations and repairs. You'll want to lean on good mechanics and RV professionals to inspect the unit if you don't have the base knowledge to really judge what you are getting.

 

[GallenH]

I guess to each his/her own. If I were to buy a RV right now, I'd look for something relatively new that had suffered initial depreciation. But my use of the RV is probably different from your intended use. I "camp" once a month in an area as remote as I can get.

My newest car is a 2007 Rav4. It doesn't have lane warnings. It doesn't even have a backup camera. My RV is a 1997 PleasureWay that was actually given to me by my FIL who was 98 at the time (2016; may he RIP). There are 2 things that I'd change: 1. It would be nice to have enough electrical support for a compressor fridge, and 2. There is only a driver's airbag. That might not be an issue for you if you're traveling alone, though.

Good luck in your search. There are many people on this forum who generously give of their knowledge who will be a great help to you now and in the future.

 

[Vee and Zeekie]

Replies to Everyone

I appreciate this forum very much and all these *very* helpful comments. I am learning so much! Going to try and touch on the various suggestions people offered all in one post! Wish me luck!

I just posted on a FB locals page for my area my need for a good RV tech/mechanic. If I can find one, I will have him/her join me to look at the American Cruiser. (By the way, it has added on stability control and a rear view camera. It also has dual tires in back).

I am not at present aspiring to FT RV life. I like my house and I like Tahoe. But Tahoe is a great taking off point for many diverse destinations. I would stay closer to home for my first few trips.

Great tips about waterproofing issues that might be not so visible to the untrained eye. And the tip about generators not being 'exercised' enough. And about being able to add on to the coach but needing a sound engine and chassis.

Supply of 'newish' ones does seem to be short and prices do seem to be quite high as a result. The NADA guides are not very helpful right now.

I too have a 2007 RAV 4 without any of the 'safety features.' So far so good with my driving record! I do realize that a camper van/RV is way bigger than that. Sounds like some things can be added, like back up camera and stability control.

I will keep looking! Am not in a rush. There are so many fires in CA at present that I wouldn't really feel safe to go anywhere reasonably close by at the moment. We are also in a heat wave so I don't want to go to Sacramento or Reno to look at vehicles. Will do that once the heat and fires have subsided.

 

[BrianCO]

Best of luck on the exciting and interesting journey you are on! Be sure to keep your thread going as you come across new things or finally make a choice.

 

[magicbus-ClassB]

I don't know if you've ever owned a car with such features, but I, at least, found them to be a real eye-opener...I can't help feeling that folks who find these "nanny tech" devices annoying just don't like being confronted with the truth.... Just my opinion, but as I said, I will never again buy a car without that stuff.

Well that’s okay for you. Yes I happen to own an Explorer that has all the bells and whistles and can even park itself. It took me a few experiences cruising down the highway at 75 mph and pulling into the passing lane then realizing my cruise control had turned itself off because the car didn’t understand my intentions to pass a car as I approached it. I tried setting it to minimal intrusion but finally turned it off.

I guess you must trust the self-park feature. I haven’t had the guts.

 

[Bobow]

I have read all the responses to your questions on a first time buy. Good information for you. I didn't see where anyone mentioned if you have any interest in what the rv looks like on the exterior. Some mentioned the interior.
When I bought my 1998 Roadtrek 190 I hired an experienced person to do the search for me. I was definitely interested in an older rv beause of cost. It took a couple months and he charged 10% fee but well worth it. I live in N. Calif and he finally located my rv in Oregon. He drove to Oregon with his friend and my cash. Checked out the rv and took it to a mechanic in Oregon and had it checked even more.
So I was and still am happy with the Roadtrek. Clean outside and in. 95 k miles, 2 previous owners, $17,000 plus 10% finders fee and that was ten years ago. And drives like a car. Reliable 318 V-8 engine in a 3500 Dodge chassis. Look at photo. Replaced tires, battery, and transmission over last ten years. I don't put a lot of miles on it. Best to you, Bob