Just sold the pop-up (1976 Apache Solid State) and considering the jump to a classic (perhaps late 80's to early 90's) motorhome, but have heard and read MANY negative things about the reliability of older motorhomes.  What are some of the things that can -- and do -- go wrong with these coaches?  Am I being a bit too cautious (I can buy a like-new 1988 Rexhall for $9500)?

Would very much like to hear some positive input -- as well as what to look for in a used coach.

Thanks!

This forum is made up of folks with older classic motorhomes of all brands.  I myself have an Airstream 345 and we love it.  It is 22 years old and just broke in.  One thing is, you need to be able to fix a few things yourself.  You can get lots of information on this forum.  Just be paitent.  Most folks are out camping right now.

I have an 84 Airstream MH on a chevy P30 chassis. Most people will tell you that the purchase price is just a down payment. What it will cost depends on how much you will do yourself and what you are willing to put up with. Often a low mileage rig has more problems than one used regularly. Tires need to be replaced based on age, not just miles or tread.

Reliability is certainly something in the "well that depends" category. Mine (an 86 Airstream on a Chevy P30 Chassis) has certainly had it's share of breakdowns. Most were in the driveway but a few happened on the road and delayed our travel a little. That said, I work in the RV industry and hear reports all the time from people with brand new motorhomes about how they broke down here, or the genny quit there, etc. The reality is that these are large, complex machines with lots of system and many times (even on new units) things break.

The good news, is that if you are handy and mechanical, the parts are cheap and almost anything can be done by the shadetree mechanic. Not to mention you can usually get a really good deal on an older motorhome that was the top of the line in it's day.

With a little maintenance these ole rigs for for a very long time. My 77 has only 85k on it now, no worry with the running gear of any of the systems.

I should add that while I've had some mechanical issues with mine, they were all realted to the [lack of] maintenance by the PO. I spent a fair amount of time just correcting issues created by his "handy work". I also know of another motorhome older than mine that was owned for years without a single major issue. Drove that thing everywhere. I got to see it in person twice - very clean and well loved by it's current and all of it's previous owners.

My every day drive car for the last 15+ years is a 1954 Chevy car and it never let me down once.
My motor home is a 1974 Shasta. I just getting into getting every thing the former owners screwed up.

Most drive train items are all most the same in older motor homes as in new ones. I would worry about what the former owners did to the motor home they can really mess up a good thing.
What you will get with a older motorhome is roof leaks maybe . Water leaks from bust pipes = soft rotted floors. Junk in the fuel tanks rust dirt. Look for lots of add on fuel filter and lots of spairs. There is 100's is things that can be wrong or go wrong or almost nothing.
When i bought my Shasta 4 of the 8 plug wires was on the wrong cylinders. A 5 min fix.

Brian

I'm in the process of buying a 1989 345LE. I've always loved the airstream look and couldn't see buying any other motorhome or trailer. With that, I've never owned a motorhome before and I'm looking for some advice on what to look for when purchasing.

At 59k miles what kinds of problems are common (engine, drive shaft, etc . . .)?

Thanks,

Honcho

If the tires are six years old or older, no matter how they look, plan on replacing them.  Start up the fridge, water heater, ac's,(2), and furnaces,(2).  See if they actually work.  Also, run the genset.  All these things can be replaced, but it can get expensive.  Any dents?  Do the rear air bags pump up?  You should hear the compressor in the rear of the coach and it should shut off when the air bags are inflated.  Then of course, run the engine and take it for a drive.  Look for blue smoke and oil leaks.

One thing about these Airstreams is that they are repairable.  The only thing is that it can become an ongoing hobby for quite some time.  Most of us think its worth it though.

This brings up a good idea we need for the site, a checklist potential buyers can use when thinking about buying an RV. I recently bought a motorhome and wish I would've had a checklist to go over just to make sure I was checking everything. I didn't check the battery isolator and turns out it was bad, who would of thought to check the battery isolator. That cost me $200. Let me know what you think.

Brian,
Good idea. I'll take a stab at a start and we can all add to it and make it better over time. I'll just create an article and we'll go from there.

Honcho,
Welcome to the site.  Coop has already laid out a good plan.  Keep in mind these are old machines and a lot of things just depend on how the coach has been maintained.  Mine was a basket case when we bought it.  I spent more time under it than in it during the first couple of years...but once you get things sorted out they can be quite reliable.  

Also, consider that even brand new motorhomes often have factory defects and warrantee issues that keep them in the shop.  If you acn find a well maintained older motorhome, yes you'll have to spend some time working out the bugs, but you'll spend far less in the long run and have a true classic that you can be proud of for years to come.

 

Thanks for the info I'll make a checklist and go over it next time I go to see it.

The Airstream 345LE that I'm looking at looks pretty clean (body dent free and aesthetically nice inside and out), runs good (haven't driven it yet) and seems to be perfect for the price. I just don't want to take it home and find out about things I should've checked before signing on the dotted line.

For some reason, the seller (he bought it from an New RV dealer to re-sell and does not have much history with the vehicle) could not figure out how to get the AC to work (but said it was working fine when his mechanic went over it a couple weeks prior). Is there a secret way to turn on the house AC? Maybe it blew a fuse or something. Just wondering if this is typical.

I was trying to figure out the airbag situation but couldn't find where to actually pump them up and track the psi. Seller had no idea either.

Tires will definitely need replacement, not because of wear but they do look a little old.

Thanks for all the helpful insight.

Honcho

I don't mind tinkering with little things on the regular but hate the thought of major malfunctions right out of the gate (IE: Tranny, engine). If it gets me to where I want to go, I'll use other means when it comes to comfort (IE: cooler, fans, bbq).

Honcho

If you are plugged into shore power you can only run one AC at a time.  Over the stove open the cabinet and you will find a selector that tells you what is on line.  Micro wave, Front AC, Rear AC, ect.  You must select which one you want to run.

If you are running the genset you can run both.  One runs automatically while the other one can be selected.

 The compressor will come on when the ignition switch is turned on and will switch off when the bags are full.  There is no gauge.  The front air bags are on their own.  You must get under and inflate them and use a tire testor on them to check them.  50psi. 

If you guys are looking for a comprehensive checklist, here is the list we use for PDI (pre delivery inspection) of both new and used units.

Hope this will help

Pre Delivery Inspection

Propane System

__ Fill LP Tank

__Check System For Leaks _____” W.C. Pressure For ____ Mins

__Check Running Pressure (11” Running)

__Light Off Water Heater and run to temp

__Cool reefer down to temp

__Light off stove and oven

__Check for OPD certified tanks (Towable units)


Exterior

__Check entry step operation

__Check for dents and damage

__Check window operation and seals

__Check roof seals and condition

__Check roof rack and ladder

__Check all trims and moldings

__Check all exterior lights

__Check paint and decals


Interior


__Check sofa and chairs for operation and condition

__Check window valances for condition/operation

__Check cabinetry for condition and operation

__Check drawer guides and travel locks

__Check countertops for scrapes and scratches

__Check all floor coverings

__Check bed and helper struts for operation and condition

__Check dinette for operation and condition

Plumbing system

__Check all drain lines and “P” traps

__Check all levels on monitor panel

__Check sinks, tub, toilet and shower

__Fill fresh water tank

__Pressure check system with water pump & “Leak check” system

__Fill all holding tanks and check for leaks

__Dump holding tanks


Misc

__Winterize as needed

__Check all keys and tags

__Lube all locks

__Write down appliance numbers


Electrical systems

__Polarity check all110v outlets

__Check all interior lights

__Check reefer operation (amp check)

__Check converter/inverter system

__Check all breakers and fuses

__Check A/C operation

__Install, check or replace batteries as needed

Added Equipment

__Check satellite system for operation with test TV

__Check condition and operation of awnings

__Check for awning rod and crank handle

__Check TV, DVD and VCR operations with remotes

__Check slide out operation and seals

__Check microwave oven (heat water)

__Check TV antenna and booster with test TV

__Check radio and CB operation

__Check solar panel operation

__Check leveling system

__Run generator and test with load

Motorized units

__Test drive and check fuel

__Check backup monitor system

__Check all dash gauges

__Check dash A/C output ____Deg

__Check dash heat output _____Deg

__Check seat belt operation

__Check drivers and passengers seat operation

__Check cruise control (on test drive)

__Check all fluid levels

__Check brakes and steering (on test drive)

__Mileage _____________


Safety Items

__Check fire extinguisher

__Check smoke alarm

__Check CO and LP detectors

__Check safety chains (towable units)

__Check break-away (towable units)

__Check tire pressure and condition of all wheels and tires (including spare)

__Torque all lug nuts

oregon...great PDI list. If you don' mind I would like to include all or parts of this in an article about motorhome purchases I'm working on. We get questions all the time about what to check, etc. Seems like it's worth sharing our collective knoweldge in an article format for people. Maybe I can attach a PDF checklist like your PDI.

Absolutely! Feel free to use it anywhere it might help!

Hi, I don't know if you have heard of this before so I will talk about it and you can see if you are interested or not.
This is a program for your computer and it has a bunch of info in it to help with booking with whatever you need for whatever type home you have. Its called RVer's Notebook. A google search should help you get to the source. In my case it has a place to list what kind of home[ class a b c tt 5th wheel or whatever ]. It has places to put your weight in, engine, drive train,tires toads and tow accessorys and tow vehicles[ for tt and other trailers ]. Included is a place for the Generator and it has a scrapbook with a photo album and there is a place to add where you stayed and the names of those rv campgrounds you really liked and the list goes on and on. I have needed this for awhile and I found it by accident. If any of you are interesteddd give them a order. I beleave it was around $40.00 but with all the stuff it has I thought it was worth it as it has reminders that will flag you when you statup to let you know the millage or monthly times for oil changes genset run times and all the other things like tires and it has a checklist for before you go down the road.
I know it was neat to find out the person who made the program was a RVer and just recently died but the family is keeping the updates and hardware updated and supported.