Newbie to all

[debsamson]

,Hi All
We are fairly new to this RV life. History is as follows:

I am a Stage IV Cancer Survivor and my husband retired so that we could travel and do as much as possible while I can.

We started out with a 1972 Sportsman 16 ft and drove it from Colorado to So California last March to see our son, granddaughter and the rest of the family. We stayed a month, two adults and one big dog. I said I could do this but needed more room. So, after spending $1200 on the unit and another $1000 on repairs we had to put 2 qts of oil at each fill up. We drove it back to Colorado and listed on Craigslist. Got a whopping $1000 for it.

So next we find a 1977 Southwind 28'. Everything looked to be good, some weathering on the tires, but it only had 62K miles on it. Paid $2100 cash and drove it 45 miles to our home in Colorado. Of course, it blew an inside dually about 10 miles from home, so here goes tires. The unit had odd size tires, all the shops in our home town wanted $1300+ to replace 6 tires, so on to the web it was. I found 6 tires online, with shipping to our home and a mobile tire shop mounting and installing the new tires, we were only out $700. Then on the mechanic who went through everything. It needed brakes, had a heck of a time finding the rear brakes, replace u joints, steering stabilizer, belts, hoses and fluids. Then on to the interior. Ended up rebuilding the furnace and check valve on the hot water heater to the tune of $650. Drove it from Colorado to So Cal to see family again. Didn't have any problems but, guess what, it wasn't big enough. So my husband says find what you want.

Now I found an 1987 Pace Arrow 34 ft with 21000 miles on it. Interior was in great shape and I fell in love. So husband bought it. $6500 and supposedly everything worked on it. Well guess again, the furnace didn't work, $600 to rebuild it and then we found plumbing leaks to the tune of another $200. Now husband is worried about leaving for Colorado. And guess what, we still have the 28 footer.

What do you suggest we have done before we leave. Money is now getting a little tight, until we get the 1977 sold.

HELP, I'm in deep doo-doo for being a spoiled brat.

[aschuh53]

Welcome to irv2 sorry for your trouble someone will come around to give you some advice

[vanbuskirk]

I can't speak to your current unit but I can give you some advice on getting rid of your 1977. We are relatively new to rv'ing as well and have upgraded 4 times within a 15 month time period... something that I am not particularly proud of. We started out with an older unit just to see if we liked it... bought a 1994 Class C for 6500.00 brought it home and told the husband no way! We buffed the outside, cleaned the inside and turned around and sold it on Craig's List for 10K. We then purchased a beautiful 32' 2003 Class C for 17,500 and used it about 4 times and decided that we would like a class A. Once again all we did was buff the outside and clean the inside. Placed it on Craig's List and sold it to the first respondent for 24,500. We then purchased a 33' 2003 Class A for 27K. The unit was in excellent shape but we upgraded the carpeting and linoleum as well as the counter-top and booth table and buffed the outside. We put 12K miles on that unit in one year and turned around and traded it in for our present 2008 FRED in October and made out very, very well on the trade. My first point is that you are not the only spoiled brat out there! My second point is the first impression of the buyer is the outside of the unit. If the outside is nice and clean it entices the buyer to go inside. Same for the inside...if it is spotless it enhances the sale.

Good luck....