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Old 06-29-2015, 06:40 PM   #1
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Under $12000

I plan to go on a 6 months mission for work and calculated my needs, a class A would be perfect and paid off in a couple of months...

What would be the best choice to live in for that kind of budget ?

Thank you for your kind answers, I'm new to RV's and would like to have an experienced point of view.
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Old 06-29-2015, 08:42 PM   #2
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A Class A for under $12,000...?
That is a hard one for a RV that won't be a money pit...but maybe?
A Class C could fit that price point better, IMHO.

Best luck
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Old 06-30-2015, 02:15 AM   #3
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You will have to turn over allot of rocks to find a gem for 12K and under. They are out there, you just need to search for them. Private parties would be the first bet, then dealers. As always, check NADA for base values and for comparable s, look at wanted ads.
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Old 06-30-2015, 02:17 AM   #4
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Don't bother to look in TN for one that price. It wouldn't be worth the tow charges to get it home, if you could stand the smell.
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Old 06-30-2015, 03:47 AM   #5
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Welcome aboard. Take a look at rvt.com and put in the requested fields. Good luck and hope you find one that works for you. One thing, have it inspected by a "qualified" technician being you are new to rv-ing.
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Old 06-30-2015, 05:19 AM   #6
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They can be had, but it could take time. One of the big advantages we have when we buy used is a historical track record of the chassis and coach manufacture.

ALSO - since you are new to this game - you probably have no idea if this fits your lifestyle, so entering in at the lower end of the market, you will not have a big investment if things don't pan out.

I recommend start looking now, I am very good at mechanical stuff, I fix everything myself, I have the tools, knowledge, and experience to work through almost any problems. If you have these same skill set, you will make a sweet deal that you will be happy with.


Avoid getting emotionally involved, do not buy the first thing that you look at, HOWEVER, be prepared to jump when a good deals shows up, BUT, it must fit your evaluation of facts, not emotion.

The last one is the hard one - Whats a good deal?

Learn what to look for, be ruthless in your negotiations. The seller wants to get the most out of it, you want to spend the least. After you've looked at 6-10 of these, you should have a good idea of what your dollar will buy.

There is a a vast difference in manufactures and systems - The Mirada we bought is a very basic MH with basic systems. You will see this in your search

You are looking in the same price range that I operate in. I was able to locate a very nice unit (needed some minor work and upgrades). The seller wanted 21k. I drove it home after giving him 13k in cash. I wrote a short article on our Search:

http://www.2001mirada.com/the-search/

While you're on my Mirada web site, look around and you'll some of the problems and issues I ran into. You will see many of these same issues in your search. I knew about most of them from our pre-purchase and negotiations.

Older vehicles - very basic what needs to be looked at.

1) Water damage - mushy, water stains, delaminations, walls splitting and flaking.

2) Windows, roof vents, roof, sealed and no leaks.

3) Major components functional - frig, furnace, water heater (water systems) Air conditioner, generator

4) Vehicle functional - Research the chassis types, learn what their historical problems are. Periodic and preventative maintenance currency.

5) Tires - major cost item.

6) Time of Year - fall / winter is best time to buy, prices are lowest, spring is worst.

6) Location - Southern states seem to have greater inventory, lower miliage, and lower prices.

Start looking, learn as you go, If you are a smart buyer, you know what to look at, you know what the costs associated with what your looking at, you will find a great deal and know exactly what you got into.

If you get emotional and jump on the first thing that goes by, you will be deeply in debt with a money pit that is constantly breaking down.
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Old 06-30-2015, 01:58 PM   #7
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Waiter21 is right. Deals are out there, you just have to find them and know what you can and cannot fix. I bought my MH over 2 years ago. The seller wanted 24k but the generator, slides and jacks did not work. After some tough negoitiations, I ended up driving it away for $10k. For the repairs, $20 worth of fuel line fixed the generator and for the slides/jacks, I eventually figured out that someone had replaced the electric motor in the hydraulic system and reversed the motor connections (it was spinning backwards). I reversed the leads and all was well. The family and I have greatly enjoyed being a part of the MH community and it cost us less than a new Hyundai. Good luck.
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Old 06-30-2015, 02:00 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RanCarr View Post
Don't bother to look in TN for one that price. It wouldn't be worth the tow charges to get it home, if you could stand the smell.
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Old 07-01-2015, 07:08 AM   #9
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There used to be a saying among Porsche owners, there is no such thing as a $10,000 911, because before you knew it, you had $25,000 into it. I would think there is probably a similar correlation to buying a MH. It just seems to me that the chances of finding a suitable Class A or even C to live in for $12k is going to be a long and frustrating, if not impossible search.

Just from a general observation, the vast majority of $12k MHs of any type, is probably at best a low cost hang out to take to races, the beach, or fishing in the back country for an occasional weekend without having to worry about any collateral damage. Or, the foundation for a very expensive restoration.

Sure, there are exceptions to be had as noted above, but it's not going to be an easy or quick search.

Not to mention, that you have to add in a tow set up for your car, probably new tires, etc, so all that is is going to add up to $5k minimum additional expense right there.

If $12k is your all in budget for something you could possible live in for any length of time, I would suggest a travel trailer and build in something to get an appropriate tow vehicle.
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Old 07-06-2015, 01:00 PM   #10
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Beaver Pusher

Here's a Beaver pusher with 14k miles for under $9,000:

diesel pusher beaver 14000 original miles
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