Community Forums

lynnepw · 11-01-2010, 10:11 AM

We are looking at a 1995 Winnebago Vectra with 53,000 miles. They are asking 16,000. I talked to the mechanic that has serviced it for the past 5 years. He spoke highly of the owner. Regularly maintained. Will give it a complete inspection for $65. an hour. We are first time motor buyers and know nothing about mechanics. We have had a small pull behind and want to move up. We were looking for something a little newer but this coach looks almost new inside and the price sounds great. Would appreciate any comments. It has a 454 Chev. Chasis. Thanks Lynne

Luckiest Dreamer · 11-01-2010, 10:56 AM

I think I would be willing to pay someone to analyze before buying as well, however I would not pay someone that has any connection with the coach that I was buying. I would find another mechanic!

micd · 11-01-2010, 12:11 PM

I agree with the other poster, you should get someone to look at it. If it were me I would pay to have the mechanic that knows it go through and provide a list of everything they recommend getting done and prices. Then I'd take it somewhere else and have it inspected again.

It can't hurt to go into it with eyes wide open. Do check the date code on the tires. If they are more than 5 or 6 years old you likely have to replace them (even if they look brand new) which can cost a couple of thousand dollars.

Test drive it over a variety of road types. See how the suspension performs. Check to see if the shocks have been replaced yet. See if the steering feels loose. Have someone go through all the house systems if you aren't familiar with them to see if they are working.

We bought a 1994 Winnebago Brave this year and have loved it! Spent $10K on the purchase and another $7K on tires, steering, suspension, servicing parts (generator, oil change, brake fluid etc), installing some upgrades (new quiet fans, back-up camera, awning lock, power surge protector) etc... All in all I still love it. I did not want to pay over $20K for an RV so am doing well from that perspective. I likely over spent a bit on the fixes. I started to get the feeling my shop was taking advantage of me. If I had shopped around I could have likely saved quite a bit. However ours is technically very simple compared to a top of the line Vectra and the extra complexity means there are more things to break.

Good luck!
Michelle

Wanabee FTer · 11-01-2010, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lynnepw

We are looking at a 1995 Winnebago Vectra with 53,000 miles. They are asking 16,000. I talked to the mechanic that has serviced it for the past 5 years. He spoke highly of the owner. Regularly maintained. Will give it a complete inspection for $65. an hour. We are first time motor buyers and know nothing about mechanics. We have had a small pull behind and want to move up. We were looking for something a little newer but this coach looks almost new inside and the price sounds great. Would appreciate any comments. It has a 454 Chev. Chasis. Thanks Lynne

Not long ago we also looked at a '95 Vectra. The one we saw had a new engine because that model had heater hoses at the rear bedroom area that cracked and broke while he was driving and burned up the engine.

When you have the inspection done, make sure they check the rear heater hoses at the back of the coach, because not all motor homes have the rear heat option like the Vectra has.

UltraKen · 11-02-2010, 06:47 AM

You might find this checklist useful.

http://home.roadrunner.com/~kwildman/checklist.pdf

lynnepw · 11-03-2010, 07:08 AM

Thanks everyone. We go to the rv place today to get the results of the inspection. It seemed pretty extensive and the checklist will sure help to ask questions about what was done. We are pretty excited as we are going from a 16ft pull behind fun finder to what seems to be a huge motorcoach. Our standard poodle is very happy about the purchase. We have a lot to learn but are eager to hit the road.

boaterok · 11-07-2010, 09:11 PM

I bought a new Vectra in 94 had a 230 cummins in it. I pulled a 24 slant nose trailer over the country road racing a car. It was my first and the 230 seemed a little under powered but I was younger then. It did have one drawback and that was the propane generator. When ever I left the generator out of the trailer the RV generator wouldn't work and when ever I loaded my honda generator in the trailer it (the propane in the RV) would run perfectly. Mine new I bought for 89k and if I remember right it listed MSRP for 129k.

Wanabee FTer · 11-07-2010, 10:14 PM

One of the Vectra's we looked at had the 230 Cummins. The owner added a turbo to it and said it made a huge improvement pulling grades with his towd.

vectra96 · 11-08-2010, 11:55 AM

A big thing on those Chevy chassis was the GVWR, the coaches are built very close to the limit. I have a 96 34RQ and have a hard time staying under the GVWR. Otherwise Vectras are great coaches with so many features that were extras or not offered on others. Also a lot of information on the coach on the Winnebago website, brochures, prints, etc.