What are the worst things to fix?

[kage]

I've been suckered plenty of times already on money pit restorations (it seems to be my kryptonite). But I appreciate the warnings. Out of all the "I can fix it myself" nightmares, which are the worst to watch out for?

[Oz]

Generally speaking, if the roof is bad and there's been a lot of leaks... then much more damage is hidden... sidewalls, floor, wiring, and more.  This type of rig is one to stay away from unless you are prepared for extensive work and a pretty high parts total. 

Another condition to stay away from:  one with electrical problems.  If the owner has hacked at the wiring and things don't work, it really mulitplies the repair process and greatly increased the possibility of not only having an untimely breakdown, but creating a fire and... it doesn't take long for one of these rigs to burn to the ground.

Typically, if a rig has been generally well maintained, your problems will be few and the owner knows exactly what they are.  If it has been generally poorly maintianed, the owner will minimize the extent of the repairs needed and you can expect to find more and more as you dig deeper.

A basic comparison would be something like this:

A well maintained rig can be bought for say, $3,500 to $4,500. (I'll exclude the later model such as the 1980s Elandans from this category as they are larger, newer and may run $6,000 to $8,000 (reasonably priced for the current market).
This rig may need up to $1000 in repairs.  Now, always look to see if the tires are going to need replaced.  I consider this a separate expense from the rest of the rig and, it's an expensive one if the rig has 17.5" tires.  So that needs to be weighed heavily when considering your purchase.
So... You can have an outstanding rig for $4,500 to $5,500 after the repairs are done.

You get a $1,000 to $2,500 rig.  Some will be in decent shape and may only need another $1,000 to get it well on it's way to being top-notch.  But, these are few and far between.  In most cases, it's going to take anywhere from $3,000 to $5,000 worth of work to get it to that same point.  So, at best, you can come out a little ahead... all this is considering you do most of the work yourself.  At worst, you're going to exhaust your funds, spend endless hours not just repairing the rig, but also just trying to find out what the problems are.  This is the most discouraging scenario for a vintage RV owner.

These rigs can be greatly enjoyed.  But, slection of the vehicle which fits your buget and repair capabilities is the most important factor.

[4winds]

Mine was dirt cheap at first.  Now I have over 2500 dollars invested and still have more to do.  Love it tho and am happy with her.  Tires were my biggest expense-until I left Texas, but that is a story in itself.  Would I do it again?  You bet.  Ed