opinions on a motor home

[mat in tn]

I'm just opening up a small question about first time motor home ownership. a couple years ago I had the chance to work on one for one of my nephew's customers and found it very intriguing as my wife and I have joked about selling off the "whole lot" and roaming the country instead.  mostly as a means of telling the kids that being a lifelong basement dweller was not an option.
 but seriously the owner of the motor home has decided to sell and has given me first option as I have been taking care of it a bit over the past couple years. it's a 1985 iirc. e350 chassis withe the 460. it is very dated of course but in great cond. I'm not sure of all of its history just how the current owner uses it or did before getting to advanced age. it is back at the shop for us to give a once over before selling and he did mention for me to consider it.  I'm waffling right now. I'm not sure if I like the idea or just want to like the idea. the thought of getting my grandkids involved is a great hope but ???

[Gary Lewis]

That's an interesting option, Mat.  And one I think you might want to seriously consider.

An '85 will, as you are well aware, have a very basic driveline.  The 460 will be backed by a C6 (I assume as I don't think they used manual transmissions in the motorhomes) and will have essentially no electronics - with the possible exception of electric fuel pumps.  So while the wiring is old, even if there is a problem it won't be complex.

And while the whole rig is "dated" that should bring the price down to, maybe, a reasonable level.  But it should also be useable.  And the added-on portion shouldn't have a whole lot of complex wiring as they didn't do that back then.

Bottom line: Since you know the rig, at least to some extent, you should know if it is in good enough shape to make using it w/o sinking a lot of money in it a good probability.  And it would let you and your wife know if you like that life - without having to sell everything to try it out.

[Nothing Special]

In 2017 I paid $50,000 for a 3 year old motorhome with 46K miles.  I know prices on RVs jumped during the pandemic, but prior to that I'd have expected around $10k (or less) for something that old.  If the price is in that ballpark you can hardly go wrong, because if you don't like it you can certainly get out of it without much (if any) loss.  If he wants a lot more than that for it you'll have to look at today's market to see if it seems reasonable.

Aside from the 39 years, an E350 is loaded at least to it's max rating with a camper on it.  You won't be able to tow much if that's a concern (mine is an E-450).

While we really like travelling in a motorhome, if it wasn't that I need to bring my Bronco on some of my vacations I would prefer a trailer.  The motorhome is nice in that everything is right there with you.  You want a cold drink?  Your wife can grab one from the fridge as you drive.  Need to use the bathroom?  Pull off on an exit and you're there.  Someone needs to take a nap while someone else drives?  you can use the bed rather than try to doze in the front seat.  Plus there's an intangible benefit that when you drive somewhere on vacation the vacation really starts when you get there.  But when you drive a motorhome the vacation starts when you get in the motorhome.  Since you don't drive it unless you're on vacation it has more of that feel.

But with all of those positives, a class C motorhome is pretty loud with the (overworked) engine sitting right there next to your knee.  There's not a lot of foot room (especially for the passenger), and the floor tends to run pretty hot.  So it's not the most comfortable ride.  And then there's a whole 'nother truck to maintain.

To Lesley the plusses outweigh the minuses, but for me, I'd rather have a camper I pulled with the truck I have anyway.  Except that then I couldn't also bring my Bronco.

So what should you do?  This sounds like it could be a low-cost way to see if it's what you want, so I wouldn't discourage you from trying it.


For what it's worth, as we've gone to RV shows or watched "Going RV", Lesley has often commented that buying your first camper is easy, but buying a second would be hard.  When we bought our camper we had some ideas of what we wanted, but they were just ideas.  Now that we have some experience we've really gotten used to some of the features we now have, and have some pretty solid ideas of what we would need in a new camper.  We'll be a lot pickier the next time we're shopping.  I don't know what you should take out of that, but it seemed worth noting.

[Rembrant]

We bought an RV in the hard depths of Covid in the early spring of 2020. It was a BEAST...a 1993 31ft E350 with an EFI 460, and E4OD trans. It was a fun project, and quite welcome at the time. I think we paid $13,500 CAN for it, and it had several things wrong with it. Generator didn't work, every single outdoor compartment didn't open lol, black water tank had been damaged and removed, big front camper window was broken (The one above the cab). I tuned it up, we fixed everything that didn't work, and my wife and I did a nice reno of the inside. We sold it that fall for almost $20k. I don't think we made any money on it, and if we did it wasn't much. By the time the Covid summer was over and gas prices started rising again, we ended up selling it. It got 8.5mpg pretty consistently, which was actually better than I thought it would get.

It was fun while it lasted, and we toured around with it visiting friends and "mooch-docking" in their yards haha. I think we had more fun rehabbing it than actually camping in it. Gas is $1.87 per liter here right now ($7.15 per gallon) so keeping a 460 for ANY reason was out of the question for us lol.

I looked at a few 80's RV's prior to buying this 1993, and they were all too rough around here...soft floors, or bad leaks, or both. They were also significantly cheaper though, so there is that. If it's solid, and you wanted to try one (and it's a decent deal), I'd recommend it!

[mat in tn]

Rembrandt. it's basically an earlier version of what you show in the picture. a good look again today and a conversation of what has been looked at so far. I see a possible power steering leak (typical repair) and was told that the generator is not firing. I'm expecting this to need a few unknown maintenance items as any other old vehicle. looked over the roof and it looks to have been re coated at some time yet not yesterday. I looked fairly well for signs of water intrusion. I spent thirty years in property maintenance and repair along with being a gearhead so I'm sure I can handle it. tires look good etc. it does have a hitch and also a brake controller, so it's been a tow rig at some point. I do wonder about a small tow behind like a bronco 2 or such. as Ann said. it's not like you want to leave the site going for chips in the whole rig.

[Nothing Special]

For a "toad", look into whether the vehicle you are thinking about towing is rated for it.  For instance both the original transfer case in my Bronco and the Atlas that's in it now are lubed by the input gears splashing the lube around.  When you flat tow you aren't distributing lube throughout the case so you can burn it up.  I remove the rear driveshaft when I tow, but that's a hassle you might not want to deal with.

Brakes are another issue.  In Minnesota, on any trailer over (I think) 3,000 lbs you need to have trailer brakes capable of stopping the towed vehicle if it breaks away from the RV.  There are off-the-shelf products for that, but they don't give them away.

Towing cars has gotten common enough that there are vehicles that are rated for it.  Or you can go with a front-wheel-drive car on a tow dolly (which also addresses the brake issue).  But it's not quite as simple as buying a cheap car and a cheap tow bar and heading out.

[mat in tn]

a dozen or so years ago, my uncle had a rig like the one I'm looking at and he flat towed a chevy nova(the corrolla version) a very basic shuttle of a car. it did great and served the purpose while weighing very little. I'm not opposed to this in general. I'm trying to do research and get advice while not wanting to rush into anything. I already have ten units in the lot between cars, trucks and trailers. something has got to go. I did sell a frame off custom a few months ago so at least one is gone. although it feels like selling a child. (I may need help) haha. we are travelling again this week pulling an enclosed trailer with the expedition and staying at hotels. I can drop the trailer at the event and drive wherever freely.

[Rembrant]

I figured the one you're looking at must be a big one if it has a 460. Most of the 80's ones I looked at had 351's in them. My old 31 ft '93 had definitely been used to tow. Here's a pic from the previous owner below. I removed the brake controller and sold it separately, but I left the hitch on it. I was never going to tow with it, so it was a non-issue for me.



If you're a mechanic and home renovator combined, an old RV is a cake walk lol.

When we were finished with the interior of ours, it was really nice. Tip of the hat to my wife for being the decorator she is! I'm just the laborer!;).

[Gary Lewis]

I recently heard that there’s no replacement for displacement. 😎

[Rembrant]

Gary Lewis wrote

I recently heard that there’s no replacement for displacement. 😎

HA! Touche Mr. Lewis!

I always wondered about some of the old motorhome RV's with 351's in them. I bet they were screaming with a C6 trying to move a house down the road!

Everybody wanted an "RV Cam" back in the day...is that still a thing???

[C.Jett]

Matt, you’ll never know until you do it. I’ve owned all types, I only towed once, it was not worth it. But it depends on what type camping you do. For ten yrs, every summer I took the grandkids, one.or two of their friends camping. We covered 40 states. I towed with a F-350 D/W Crewcab Diesel. About 9 mpg. I pulled a fifth wheel or pull behind. One yr we tent camped all the way to Calif. Loved it all. In a motorized RV, you’re in it 24/7. In a pull behind, you get out and go in your “house”. I just like pull behind better. Campers are the best people out there, if you have a problem, they will help. If you like fishing, Gore, OK, downstream Ten Killer Lake became our favorite. It’s a straight shot on I/40 from you. The trout sure taste good! CJ

[Gary Lewis]

Don’t think an RV cam will do much for a 351 in a big motor home. You just don’t have enough engine. You need “The Beast”. 😎

As for Gore & Tenkiller, that is beautiful country. Went to school in Tahlequah and know that area quite well.

[Tarheel Blue]

I can’t help you with your decision but do have a motor home experience.
Back in late 70’s early 80’s, 5 of my friends and I rented a motor home and left the KSU campus headed for a week of skiing at Crested Butte. Trying to get that beast to make it over the pass outside of Salida required everyone but the driver to get out and push!!!
State trooper came along, called one of his buddies who spent 5 minutes under the dog house and we were on our way. Obviously none of us knew a thing about carbureted engines and the effect of altitude back then.

[Gary Lewis]

Yes, there is a big difference when changing elevation between carburetors and EFI. Big Blue pulled that pass, Monarch, fairly well with the carb. But with EFI he has motored right on up other passes much more easily.

As for KSU, in my day Blue Hill was a popular hangout. 😎

[Tarheel Blue]

Don’t remember Blue Hill. Tuttle Creek Reservoir and Aggieville seemed to draw most of my attention.

[Gary Lewis]

Yep, been there too. Blue Hill was a parking lot overlooking town. Nothing else up there but a nice, paved parking lot.

[mat in tn]

well, we just landed back home, got dinner and cleaned up and now it's time to play catch up. we discussed every aspect that we could think of along with doing a few hypotheses on cost comparisons, pros and cons etc. and we are going to look at it together this week at least. I feel that I'm romanticizing the idea of travelling with the grandkids a bit. its try or don't at this point. I do not believe in any cost savings but will be pleasantly surprised if there is any. every means of travel has its cost. really wondering about how towable a bullnose is.  I have a 3100lb f100 with a rts four speed. seems do able to me.  

[Nothing Special]

Is the truck 2WD or 4WD?  If 4WD then it's the transfer case that will dictate what you need to do to tow it.  If it's 2WD then it's the transmission.

In either case the owners manual (if you have access to one) should have information on towing.

I know that back in the 70s for 4WDs Ford recommended very limited towing (something like less than 50 miles at less than 353 mph) unless you removed the rear driveshaft and unlocked the front hubs.  Although there was also the advice to put the trans in gear (or park), the transfer case in neutral and to LOCK the front hubs (the front output shaft is lower in the case so spinning it will throw more lube around).

And in the '90s the transfer cases (at least some of them) had oil pumps on the rear output shaft so you can safely tow them with the transfer case in neutral, hubs unlocked and trans in gear (or park).

But I don't know about '80s 4WDs or really any 2WDs.  Pulling the rear driveshaft is always an option.

And don't forget to consider brakes.  You probably need them to be legal.

[mat in tn]

my thought was the 2wd light f100. it's a long bed but 14" is not that big of a difference. a small ranger weighs about the same. and the f100 with a light rack would also carry the canoe. the other option is the trailer which has carried a few vehicles and has trailer brakes. now I'm taking up even more space when the car or truck is being a shuttle. this keeps reminding me of what I would always tell my customers. "Projects grow"! you say that you only want this but when you see it complete you will want more. I am willing to just go with the rv but a second means of travel is very valuable. especially in a hazard case. but I never carry a second car any other time. moving being the exception. I drive to wherever in just one vehicle. not so easy to leave a campsite for hotdogs in a 28'rig though once its connected.  

[Nothing Special]

Yeah, I see people pull out in the morning and then set up again in the evening after driving around all day in the motorhome.  Not only does that mean having to break and make camp every day, but it's also driving into touristy places (read "crowded") in a motorhome.  One of the reasons I'd rather pull a trailer with my truck.

But once you're set up for it it's not that bad flat-towing.  I wouldn't recommend it for everyone, but for anyone who is reasonably mechanically inclined it's certainly doable.