Motorhome garaged for 8 years - good deal or not?

[336muffin]

Walk away. JMHO

[Pinemtn]

Originally Posted by mc4fun

Biggest issue I see is that it is a neighbor. Your not only dealing with business you also have a personal interest.
Good Luck

Mc4fun has hit upon the one issue I did not bring up in my original post - this is a friend and neighbor, and the last thing I want to do is create a rift in the friendship. If this were a neutral transaction (meaning we were not friends with the seller), I would negotiate hard for a price well below $40, preferably closer to $30k, but that would most definitely insult our friends - right, wrong or indifferent, it doesn't matter. The friendship is more important, so we're just going to keep looking. If they decide to lower the price to below $40k, and if we haven't already made a purchase, I'll reconsider. But, all of the great input on this forum has reinforced my decision to just walk away on this one.

[TXiceman]

I'd offer no more than $30k and plan to fix it up. Since it is a neighbor, tell him that is all the cash you have available and planning on $5k in getting it roadworthy.

Ken

[ka7suz]

Originally Posted by Pinemtn

The friendship is more important, so we're just going to keep looking. If they decide to lower the price to below $40k, and if we haven't already made a purchase, I'll reconsider.

This sounds like the best idea. Actually a 'more experienced' pre-owned coach may be a better investment all the way around. Enjoy the hunt. I love to look at them on line when someone talks about a coach (as I did when you started this thread.) Fun to see interiors and floor plans etc. You can do a lot of elimination by letting your fingers to the walking on the keyboard.


JoAnn
1999 National Tradewinds 7371
Spokane Valley WA

[38 Special]

Remain friends, pass on his coach!

[GoodTimes]

You're a good friend AND a good neighbor......something not easy to come by in this day and age.

The coach is a beauty and I imagine somewhat hard to pass up. I liked TXiceman's idea......you could tell your friend/neighbor that if he doesn't sell it, that's your offer. But I highly suspect that he'll find a buyer, closer to his list price than yours. Looks can be deceiving, and I hope the buyer is prepared for a few problems that will need to be addressed down the line, but sooner would be better!

[Pinemtn]

Originally Posted by 38 Special

Remain friends, pass on his coach!

Thats what we're doing. It's no longer on our "radar". We'll keep the friendship and pass on the coach! Thanks again to everyone for the good advice!

[Dogpatch]

Originally Posted by 38 Special

Remain friends, pass on his coach!

A lot of things can happen beginning with talking about price, the purchase and the possible problems after. Leaving the deal and keeping the friendship was the wise decision.

[Max Hubrich]

In my humble opinion--

The TV's are garbage.

The tires are garbage.

A couple of batteries are needed.

If I read it correctly, It only moved "in and out of the garage" - Did Workhorse come to the garage and do the brake recall?

Low ball him on an offer, like half of what he's asking, give him your phone number and let some "snow fall on it"- Then keep looking elsewhere. I'd only buy this rig if "I could steal it".

If you want to look at a "downsized" rig from your previous DP Motorhome, look at a good, used, Mercedes Diesel powered "Class C", like a "Navion", or "View"- 17- 19 MPG.

[snows]

WE bought a 2004 Fleetwood Flair 31-A in Jan of this year, that I later found out had sat idle from 2007 until the dealer bought it at auction in Dec 2011.

The dealer had changed the oil in the 8.1 and generator before I bought it from him. The RV had 17,000 miles on it at that time.

I greased it, changed the oil and filters in the RV and Gen. and the filter in the Allison Transmission.

The only problems we have had is that the passenger side outer axle gasket leaked, which is a common problem with the Workhorse chassis as I found out on this site. I replaced that myself by jacking up that side with a hydraulic jack, pulling the axle and re-installing it.

The tires are all original but look great. We have put 600 miles on it with no troubles at all, going through the mountains, from Las Vegas to Mesquite, NV, Zion Natl. Park, and some other additional driving.

I will be pricing tires this weekend though, now.

I bought an HD box for the TVs and they work great

[bbeane]

You have made a good choice to keep the piece, Never do buisness with friends, family, or neighbors. Just is not worth the back lash. FIW anything that moves that has been sitting for 8 years is going to need ALOT of fixing before it works right.