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Info and opinions on 1996 Minnie 21RB

resucami
Explorer
Explorer
Hello Forum,

I am looking since a while into buying a used RV, either Class B or small Class C. The one I'm right now interested in is a 1996 Minnie 21RB on a Ford E350 chassis with 100k miles and an asking price of $9,500. I have not seen it in person so far (it's located 2 1/2 hours away from me); the pictures look pretty good and clean (and I know that pictures can be deceiving). The seller seems to be a private person who buys and sells occasionally RV's (which makes me always cautious).

I would be grateful about all kind of feedback about such a vehicle and buying (or possibly better not buying) it. I never had an RV before.

Is this a well-known model? Is it at all recommendable to buy such an old Minnie? Are there specific weak points to look for? Is it possible to make predictions what kind of mileage I would have to expect? How long does such an engine typically last before it needs serious work? Anyu comments on the asking price? And so on, and so forth ...

Thank you very much for your help!

Nick
9 REPLIES 9

resucami
Explorer
Explorer
I did not look at this vehicle. It's too far away to just go there and look at it, especially since I am kind of suspicious here. Thanks for your help!

fourthclassC
Explorer
Explorer
VIN should be freely available (given by seller) In fact many dealers offer a CARFAX report for every vehicle they sell. (it is only a small fee and any one can get one....) I once bought an RV from some own who told me they occasionally buy and sell vehicles. They turned out to be a dealer and there were many problems getting the title of the vehicle. Watch Out !!!

DrewE
Explorer
Explorer
I would run away from a deal where the seller is unwilling to tell you the VIN.

Besides having a branded title of some sort, it would raise lots of red flags to me that perhaps the vehicle is stolen or at least that the seller is not the legal owner of it, whether or not they're acting on behalf of the real owner, or there's some other malfeasance going on.

j-d
Explorer
Explorer
It's possible that if you ran the VIN, you'd find the unit was classified "Rebuilt."
If God's Your Co-Pilot Move Over, jd
2003 Jayco Escapade 31A on 2002 Ford E450 V10 4R100 218" WB

resucami
Explorer
Explorer
Thanks for your replies. I asked the seller for the VIN and so far he did not want to give it to me. Given the fact that the VIN of every vehicle is visible to everybody through the windshield I find this kind of strange. It might be indeed best to stay away from this seller.

Beverley_Ken
Explorer
Explorer
I fully agree with DrewE.
With a 21 year old RV, its more important about how the rig has been taken care of, or not taken care of than the make of RV or chassis.

Ken
2006 Winnebago Outlook 29B E-450.
2012 Honda CR-V AWD
Blue Ox Aventa LX tow bar and Brake Buddy Vantage.

stripit
Explorer
Explorer
Sent you a private message
Stacey Frank
2016 Tiffin Allegro Bus 40AP
2019 Tesla Model X
2015 Cadillac SRX we Tow
1991 Avanti Convertible

DrewE
Explorer
Explorer
Winnebago is generally one of the better regarded brands, though not a premium one.

With used units, and many times over with ones this old, the condition it's in and the care it has received are far more important than the brand. Look very carefully for signs of water damage: delamination on the sides (i.e. bubbled out siding), soft spots on the walls inside or out, water stains on the walls or ceilings, soft floors, etc. Pay particular attention to the cabover area, as this part has lots of seams and is subjected to some stresses and movement when driving. Some would say run away from any unit with an sign whatsoever of water damage; I wouldn't quite go that far, particularly in your price range, but do be very cautious and aware that usually any you find is more extensive than it first appears from the outside and can take a good bit of time and/or money to repair. Check that the sealants on the seams (particularly the roof) look to be maintained and in decent shape, not all cracked and dried out.

Have every system demonstrated for you: the fridge, water system including water heater, stove, oven, generator (assuming it has one), DC systems on shore power and on battery power, furnace, air conditioner, etc. If something isn't working, assuming it's something you care about, factor in the cost for repair or replacement.

Check the age on the tires; if they're older than about seven years, they probably should be replaced or at the very least professionally inspected (which, to do properly, requires dismounting them to check both the inside and outside). A set of six tires will probably run around $1000 for decent budget tires or perhaps half again more for name-brand tires.

The Ford chassis and engines are generally pretty reliable. The mileage would not be a concern to me in itself if the mechanics seemed to be in good shape. There may be some suspension parts that are due for replacement, either due to time or mileage or both. Check the ball joints and their seals and lubrication; if they have grease fittings (or ports you can put fittings in), that is a plus provided you keep up with greasing them. I wouldn't expect major engine (or transmission) work for awhile longer, though there are some non-major engine things that are not cheap sometimes. If it's a V10, replacing the spark plugs can be something of an ordeal due to tricky access. I assume probably the modular V8 is the same way.

There are a couple of recalls that might apply; if they haven't been done, it should be free at an appropriate service center. The first is a Ford recall for the cruise control brake pressure switch, which could short out and has been the cause of a few fires in parked vehicles. There are also some recalls for many of the RV fridges to help prevent fires; you can look that up with the fridge make, model number, and serial number.

Gas mileage I would guess is going to be somewhere in the vicinity of 7 to 8 mpg, likely closer to 7. If it's the odd diesel (presumably the 7.3, which I understand to be reliable but noisy and a little gutless) it ought to be a wee bit better.

midnightsadie
Explorer II
Explorer II
from your words he,s a semi dealer buys them and flips them? me I,m run real fast. find a little old lady or old fart that has one ,out in tempe AZ theres hunfreds of them sitting in driveways for sale.