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Repairs and Maintence

billy1davis
Explorer
Explorer
I have found that while I am shopping for owner sales of Motorhomes that here is always a long list of repairs that they have done over the time they have owned it and adds up to quite a tidy sum of money and this is even more when it is a DP. It scares me off from buying such.
42 REPLIES 42

Bumpyroad
Explorer
Explorer
WILDEBILL308 wrote:
Bumpyroad wrote:
WILDEBILL308 wrote:
s, upgrade the refrigerator to residential,
Bill


What one wants, another person doesn't. If I was looking, that statement would kill the deal for me.
but I think folks are confusing "upgrades" with maintenance.
bumpy

I am not confusing anything. Bumpy is the one who wants to spend his money for common maintence and repair items not be happy the previous owner did them.
Thee OP was talking about 20+ year old RV's But Bumpy would be more likely to buy the one with nothing working so he can spend his money. Bumpy,Please add your RV to your signature so we can see what you are using/driving.
Bill


Logic and common sense are obviously traits that you lack. I have no desire to list the various RVs I have had over the years but if you are really interested you can do a search and find out.
bumpy

DrewE
Explorer
Explorer
jplante4 wrote:
When I look over a unit for sale on a pre-buy, I'm looking at the maintenance records for regular service. Oil, filters, chassis service, genny service. etc. There's a whole list of stuff that should be done every year, twice a year, every 24,000 miles etc. If the receipts for these are in a 3-ring binder in chronological order, I know that the current owner understands the meaning of preventative maintenance.

There's an entire generation out there that has not even lifted the hood of their car. PM means taking it to the dealer when the check engine light comes on. You can't treat a motor home or camping trailer that way.


It sounds to me like you're interested not only in preventative maintenance, but also very careful bookkeeping. The latter may be good evidence of the former, but in itself it doesn't have any bearing on how well maintained the RV is.

I'm afraid I don't keep receipts from Walmart for the oil and filters I buy just to prove to the next owner (whenever there will be one, which I don't expect for some time) that I did indeed change the oil as specified by the manufacturer.

MrWizard
Moderator
Moderator
A repair is when you fix the broken item

A replacement is when you buy another one, broke or working it's a replacement

An upgrade is when you replace the item with a new one having more features and hopefully better quality

If you replace with a cheaper simpler item, it may be new, but it's a replacement down grade

Just my opinion, your definitions might be different
I can explain it to you.
But I Can Not understand it for you !

....

Connected using T-Mobile Home internet and Visible Phone service
1997 F53 Bounder 36s

ncrowley
Explorer
Explorer
old guy wrote:
I am debating whether to buy a MH or just build a house in the yuma or phoenix area. don't know which would be less a problem


If you are not going to move it, then you are better off with a house. An RV loses value every year. A home will do much better.

As far as cost, we have been surprised how much it costs us to maintain our older diesel pusher. It is not a problem coach - it is just older and needs repairs and updates. We are engineers and have looked at the costs very carefully and we have decided that the costs were well worth it for us. We love traveling in it and we have had wonderful adventures. You need to make sure you have the finances to maintain it.

When purchasing, I would rather buy one that shows a bunch of maintenance records. It means the person kept up with scheduled maintenance and updated it over the years. These are things I do not have to do when I purchase it.
Nancy
Newmar Northern Star

jplante4
Explorer
Explorer
When I look over a unit for sale on a pre-buy, I'm looking at the maintenance records for regular service. Oil, filters, chassis service, genny service. etc. There's a whole list of stuff that should be done every year, twice a year, every 24,000 miles etc. If the receipts for these are in a 3-ring binder in chronological order, I know that the current owner understands the meaning of preventative maintenance.

There's an entire generation out there that has not even lifted the hood of their car. PM means taking it to the dealer when the check engine light comes on. You can't treat a motor home or camping trailer that way.
Jerry & Jeanne
1996 Safari Sahara 3530 - 'White Tiger'
CAT 3126/Allison 6 speed/Magnum Chassis
2014 Equinox AWD / Blue Ox

toedtoes
Explorer II
Explorer II
WILDEBILL308 wrote:
Bumpyroad wrote:
WILDEBILL308 wrote:
s, upgrade the refrigerator to residential,
Bill


What one wants, another person doesn't. If I was looking, that statement would kill the deal for me.
but I think folks are confusing "upgrades" with maintenance.
bumpy

I am not confusing anything. Bumpy is the one who wants to spend his money for common maintence and repair items not be happy the previous owner did them.
Thee OP was talking about 20+ year old RV's But Bumpy would be more likely to buy the one with nothing working so he can spend his money. Bumpy,Please add your RV to your signature so we can see what you are using/driving.
Bill


I believe Bumpy's comment was just in regards to seeing a residential fridge considered an upgrade. For some of us, a residential fridge is not a positive change.

We prefer to have an RV fridge.

Again, it's that subjective part to "maintenance and repair" - what one person sees as a fix, another does not.
1975 American Clipper RV with Dodge 360 (photo in profile)
1998 American Clipper Fold n Roll Folding Trailer
Both born in Morgan Hill, CA to Irv Perch (Daddy of the Aristocrat trailers)

toedtoes
Explorer II
Explorer II
Tom/Barb wrote:
toedtoes wrote:


But that was my point above - one person's idea of a repair is another's idea of an upgrade (or downdgrade for a potential buyer). So how much is spent and done on maintenance and repair will vary between owners.
lots of times the repair is not possible with out replacing the unit with a more modern one.

to me that's a repair


True. But is it an upgrade if my dinette is damaged and I change it to a couch? Or is that just a repair?

Is turning the shower into cupboards because it leaked and got dry rot a repair? Or something else?

So many ways to look at things.
1975 American Clipper RV with Dodge 360 (photo in profile)
1998 American Clipper Fold n Roll Folding Trailer
Both born in Morgan Hill, CA to Irv Perch (Daddy of the Aristocrat trailers)

WILDEBILL308
Explorer II
Explorer II
Bumpyroad wrote:
WILDEBILL308 wrote:
s, upgrade the refrigerator to residential,
Bill


What one wants, another person doesn't. If I was looking, that statement would kill the deal for me.
but I think folks are confusing "upgrades" with maintenance.
bumpy

I am not confusing anything. Bumpy is the one who wants to spend his money for common maintence and repair items not be happy the previous owner did them.
Thee OP was talking about 20+ year old RV's But Bumpy would be more likely to buy the one with nothing working so he can spend his money. Bumpy,Please add your RV to your signature so we can see what you are using/driving.
Bill
2008 Newmar Mountain Aire
450 HP CUMMINS ISM
ALLISON 4000 MH TRANSMISSION
TOWING 2014 HONDA CRV With Blue Ox tow bar
A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way.
-Mark Twain

Tom_Barb
Explorer
Explorer
toedtoes wrote:


But that was my point above - one person's idea of a repair is another's idea of an upgrade (or downdgrade for a potential buyer). So how much is spent and done on maintenance and repair will vary between owners.
lots of times the repair is not possible with out replacing the unit with a more modern one.

to me that's a repair
2000 Newmar mountain aire 4081 DP, ISC/350 Allison 6 speed, Wrangler JL toad.

toedtoes
Explorer II
Explorer II
Bumpyroad wrote:
WILDEBILL308 wrote:
s, upgrade the refrigerator to residential,
Bill


What one wants, another person doesn't. If I was looking, that statement would kill the deal for me.
but I think folks are confusing "upgrades" with maintenance.
bumpy


I agree with the first part.

But that was my point above - one person's idea of a repair is another's idea of an upgrade (or downdgrade for a potential buyer). So how much is spent and done on maintenance and repair will vary between owners.
1975 American Clipper RV with Dodge 360 (photo in profile)
1998 American Clipper Fold n Roll Folding Trailer
Both born in Morgan Hill, CA to Irv Perch (Daddy of the Aristocrat trailers)

Bumpyroad
Explorer
Explorer
WILDEBILL308 wrote:
s, upgrade the refrigerator to residential,
Bill


What one wants, another person doesn't. If I was looking, that statement would kill the deal for me.
but I think folks are confusing "upgrades" with maintenance.
bumpy

WILDEBILL308
Explorer II
Explorer II
jplante4 wrote:
I would be more worried about a motor home for sale where the ad says "I haven't had to do anything to this motor home for 5 years!"


You are absolutely right. I had to laugh when I read that. I would be much much happier if the guy said they had just completed a list of repairs and upgrades. You are much better off having someone else replace the TV's, upgrade the refrigerator to residential, replace Heat pumps, re do carpet, new tires. That just means you are ahead of the game.
Bill
2008 Newmar Mountain Aire
450 HP CUMMINS ISM
ALLISON 4000 MH TRANSMISSION
TOWING 2014 HONDA CRV With Blue Ox tow bar
A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way.
-Mark Twain

jplante4
Explorer
Explorer
I would be more worried about a motor home for sale where the ad says "I haven't had to do anything to this motor home for 5 years!"
Jerry & Jeanne
1996 Safari Sahara 3530 - 'White Tiger'
CAT 3126/Allison 6 speed/Magnum Chassis
2014 Equinox AWD / Blue Ox

Bill_Satellite
Explorer II
Explorer II
billy1davis wrote:
I have found that while I am shopping for owner sales of Motorhomes that here is always a long list of repairs that they have done over the time they have owned it and adds up to quite a tidy sum of money and this is even more when it is a DP. It scares me off from buying such.


If it scares you, don't do it! This is not a cheap hobby.
What I post is my 2 cents and nothing more. Please don't read anything into my post that's not there. If you disagree, that's OK.
Can't we all just get along?