Risk of buying used from private party you do not know personally.

[JMDancoe]

Back wall of my travel trailer.

CHECK your unit for any and all leaks!! The previous owner of this one did not and this is the result. Damage was hidden by quick fix repairs. The type of poor work leads me to believe it was done just prior to selling it to the "SUCKER OF THE YEAR" (me)! Yes, this is the same one with the broken black water tank.

This is a good "buyer beware" and maybe a reason to buy from a reputable dealer!
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, check your units for leaks. You DO NOT want this to happen to yours!

 

[GCroyle]

Ouch! Good luck and etc. etc.

Gary

 

[Gonzo 1066]

This is one of the reasons that I will never own a stapled,stick built, tin sided trailer. Way too many places for leaks,way too many places for rot to start. Hope you get it fixed.

 

[PToombs]

JMD, you have my sympathy! I just finished repairing mine. It's a '96 Dutchman and it leaked in around the back door and the front window. The floor and lower wall were gone on the side in the back, about like yours. I bought it from my FiL 2 years ago and he said the windows on Dutchman are known to leak. He never told me he didn't reseal them! It's solid now, but it's going down the road as soon as I get new carpet put in the bedroom.

 

[JMDancoe]

GCroyle: Yep, that ouch and etc, etc,etc says things about as well as it can be said. Thanks for the "Good Luck". I will need it.
Gonzo 1066: Yeah well, with my current financial situation, I bought cheap and paid the price for doing so. I hope I can at least make a usable trailer out of it. I still want to get out and see more of this great country of ours. I would like to go full time RV, but with this kind of luck, maybe I ought to stay home. Thanks for the comeback.
PToombs: Thanks for the sympathy! I wish I could say, "it's going down the road", but have too much into it. Need to get a few years out of it, if I can. It is just that this has put a
huge whole in the money I need to travel. Not to mention soured me once again about my fellow man. Thanks for the comeback.

 

[Newt]

How long have you had it? If not too long, I'd be seeking retribution from the seller!

Newt

 

[RVTRKN]

Courts would not recognize a "as is" purchase if fraud was involved.

 

[JMDancoe]

Newt and RVTRKN: I have had it a year and a half and bought it in Mississippi (land of the lost) and yes, I suppose I could go to court, if I could raise the money. Won't happen because I only have S/S for an income. Thanks for the concern and good intentions but it is just my mess to clean up. I only posted it, with the idea that maybe someone else would do a good bit more checking than I did when buying from a private party. I blame myself for this, as I was in a hurry. The other reason for posting was, as I stated, Please, Please, Please constantly check your units for leaks, so this won't happen to it. It is all hidden in the walls and floors and surfaces suddenly. Thanks again, Jim

 

[Killgore]

I've had three campers; two with age on them, and the third purchased new. Over ten years old, beware, unless someone housed it under some kind of canopy and took some super pride in ownership. Leaking roof seams especially on the front and rear require constant, vigilant maintenance, as well as windows, doors, etc. That cheap refrigerator that runs on ac, dc and Lp is not cheap to replace, and you can figure it's got a life expectancy of around ten years, maybe a few more.



The dues you pay and the initiation you go through to become a camper is something most of us have been through and we all can tell horrid stories of being at the mercy of the service manager of some fancy dealership where the production is slow and the service rate is high.



My suggestion is not to get emotionally involved unless you have deep pockets and enjoy spending money, or constantly fixing something that someone else has already gotten all the pleasure out of. Look for somebody that has just gone through a divorce and needs a roof over his head, or sell it as a 'hunter's special'; rejoice in the fact that there are some real good deals out there; and, cut your loses and run while you still have shoes on your feet.



Been there and done that! Ed

 

[Bill Stockard]

This is one of the reasons that I will never own a stapled,stick built, tin sided trailer. Way too many places for leaks,way too many places for rot to start. Hope you get it fixed.

Water damage happens to the aluminum framed fiberglass RVs too if the seals aren't maintained. If water enters a seal, it will penetrate the pressure bonded/laminated plywood backing on the fiberglass walls and delaminate.

Bill

 

[Killgore]

The first thing I bought after purchasing the latest camper was a metal canopy to park it under - a good investment, if for no other reason than protecting the wax job.



Now, I am retired and like Jim, trying to live on S/S. Recognizing that my years on the road are limited, I find that I am in somewhat of a juggling act between dollars, health concerns and driving abilities. So far everything is still coming together but at some point I will be forced to admit that this impending 'season in my life' is a bummer.



Using the camper to visit kids and grandkids while still allowing us some degree of privacy, giving us a sanctuary to retreat to when it all becomes too much, and being able to take our dogs without feeling as if we are imposing has made this investment more than pay for itself many times over. However, becoming a full-time RVer is still foremost in our thoughts.



Ed

 

[Newt]

Newt and RVTRKN: I have had it a year and a half and bought it in Mississippi (land of the lost) and yes, I suppose I could go to court, if I could raise the money. Won't happen because I only have S/S for an income. Thanks for the concern and good intentions but it is just my mess to clean up. I only posted it, with the idea that maybe someone else would do a good bit more checking than I did when buying from a private party. I blame myself for this, as I was in a hurry. The other reason for posting was, as I stated, Please, Please, Please constantly check your units for leaks, so this won't happen to it. It is all hidden in the walls and floors and surfaces suddenly. Thanks again, Jim

If you had purchased it in Texas, you would have recourse through the Justice of the Peace Small Claims Court. A very low cost procedure.

Newt

 

[RVTRKN]

A year and a half, well that sucks, good luck with the repair.

 

[JMDancoe]

Thanks to all of you for the good advise and sentiments. I am just too stupid to give up on it, so I will continue to try and breathe new life into an old beaten down reprobate (like me) and hope for the best. I have always had but one dream and that was, when retired, I could get out and see the country I served and have spent my life believing in. After 32 years on the road (trucking) I have seen a lot, but not up close, due to the size of the rigs I have driven. Despite all the trials and tribulations that this country is going through right now, I still believe it to be the finest place in the world in which to live.

 

[JSoloman]

Don't beat yourself up. I am convinced these things are not meant to last more than a few years before ***** happens. I had an Arctic Fox 5r and LOVED it. Had a "brush" with a limb backing into my camp site a few years back and left me with a split in the roof membrane. I did my part to repair it, but by the next spring I was faced with a spongy roof. Needless to say, once it was torn into, the entire front of the trailer, down under the kingpin was all rotted out. I got it all repaired for about $4k. Two years later my son-in-law's dad who does RV repair, found that the dry rot had worked its way all the way to the back around the air conditioner and fridge vents. I was sick about it. Before I stuck my neck out for another 5th wheel, I did what Killgore did, put up an aluminum cover to park the dang thing under. I'm taking as few chances as possible to keep from shortening the life of these boxes.

 

[Cummins12V98]

The seams may have been fine, I bought a 25' Prowler from my parents years ago and discovered a lot of rot. The water was coming in thru the metal siding. The siding had gotten small pin holes and they acted like siphons. So look for what appears to be small rock chips and apply some sealant to the holes.

My Dad and I rebuilt the damage and when done it was in great condition. Got a good price from some people that lived 10 miles away. Told them what happened and they were happy to know it was in good condition. Saw them at the Grocery Store a year later, they were still using and enjoying it.

 

[JMDancoe]

OK, Guys an Gals! I think I am about to throw in the towel on this one and look for something else. If I do decide to junk this one, do you have any advise (I am sure there are a lot of opinions about this). I have just read a debate about aluminum frame/fiberglass sided vs. aluminum/aluminum vs. stick/aluminum vs. stick/fiberglass, and frankly it seems that all have an abundance of problems. I am restricted in one aspect. That being, that I can not afford a new unit (on social security). Thanks to all of you for all the comments and suggestions up to this point.

 

[Killgore]

Jim, you are no longer a neophyte. Congratulations! The first thing that all of us have learned the hard way is that owning a camper is like owning a boat, or a horse; it's a black hole for money. I've been there, done that, and got the shirt on all three. (Kind of embarrassing!)



Whatever you choose, look at the roof real close, peck around on everything, and beware the refrigerator if it is over ten years old. Besides that, just enjoy it and use it as much as you can. Good luck, from one old man on social security to another.



Ed