If you found a used RV - 33 foot 1996 Rexhall Aerbus with 26,980 miles and has an interior that was completely redone in 2006, that received a positive check out by a qualified RV inspector as well as a mechanical positive check out from a qualified mechanic, what additional concerns would you have? Cost is $22,495 - tires - dot code say they are 3 years old. Unit does not have any slides which is what we prefer. The 2006 interior revamp made great use of all space and created a nice roomy living area. It also has a king bed.
GENECOP said
11:50 AM May 22, 2011
Not so much concerns but I would check out a few Rexhall owners forums, get the scoop from them on the nuances of your model, and feedback on pricing, G
RVPAINTER said
12:12 PM May 22, 2011
Thanks Gene - good advice.
bjoyce said
12:58 PM May 22, 2011
Older Rexhall's always looked quite good to us. Lately Rexhall has been playing up its Christian connections, a red flag for me since I find businesses that do that are not sincere.
RVRon said
01:01 PM May 22, 2011
Is Rexhall still in business? I know they filed for bankruptcy in 2009 but not sure if they just reorganized. At any rate they had a great reputation in the 90s for building quality coaches but fell on hard times in the 2000's. Not sure about their dealer network or service... at one time they had a dealer network and then went direct only. You may be on your own for getting any kind of service and I wouldn't count on advice from the factory.
The big thing that can kill older RVs is water leaks from the roof area. Make sure you get up on the roof and check on the caulk situation. Check the flooring inside for any soft spots, any warped or damaged ceiling or wall areas. Not sure what kind of framework Rexhall used back then but if it was a wooden frame a leak could cause structural damage as well. I believe they had a fiberglas exterior so be sure to check for delamination - another product of water leaks.
It always amazes me when folks buy these older RVs and have good luck with them. Maybe I shouldn't worry about mine when it gets to be 15 or 20 years old! Just keep it maintained and keep on rollin'!!
RVPAINTER said
01:16 PM May 22, 2011
Thanks Bill & Ron - I agree Bill and good points Ron - there is just so much knowledge and help on this site - it is wonderful!
kb0zke said
03:02 PM May 22, 2011
You are looking at a rig that is 15 years old and has less than 30,000 miles on it. That translates to under 2000 miles per year. You can expect to spend a fair amount of time and money replacing various hoses, seals, and belts because they have deteriorated due to lack of use. Been there, done that. Now if it had 130,000 miles on it, I'd be more impressed.
RVRon said
03:48 PM May 22, 2011
kb0zke wrote:
You are looking at a rig that is 15 years old and has less than 30,000 miles on it. That translates to under 2000 miles per year. You can expect to spend a fair amount of time and money replacing various hoses, seals, and belts because they have deteriorated due to lack of use. Been there, done that. Now if it had 130,000 miles on it, I'd be more impressed.
That is a point that I was about to make too. A lot of the engine and transmission seals depend on the lubricant being moved about to keep them supple. Replacing transmission or engine seals could be expensive! I'd think about taking the rig for a long ride, then having a mechanic check for any kind of fluid leak. A very small leak may be just the tip of the iceberg and a warning of bigger things to come.
RVPAINTER said
04:42 PM May 22, 2011
Thanks David & Ron - appreciate the feedback - makes sense.
Bill Adams said
05:17 PM May 22, 2011
Our coach was 11 years old when we bought it and it's now 23 years old. I can tell you that you will be taking on a lot of maintenance, repair, replacement, modifications, fixes, repairs, maintenance, replacement, updating, repairs, replacements and, oh yeah, repairs. With all of that firmly fixed in your mind, we have enjoyed almost every minute that we have owned our coach. We are lucky in that we don't have to worry about things like side wall delamination since we have plenty of leaks (argh!). We have replaced our fresh water holding tanks and re-plumbed the water connections to eliminate those leaks, rebuilt the engine, replaced the engine fan and radiator, repaired the A/C several times, reupholstered some of the furniture, replaced the convection/microwave, replaced the gas cooktop, replaced the kitchen and bathroom sinks, replaced the toilet, changed mattresses (twice), removed one of the 2 sofas for additional room (no slides) and replaced with a desk, replaced roof top over the air antenna which was destroyed at 70 MPH, replaced several gauges, the coach radio, 3 TV's (move to digital), changed the desk top lighting fixtures too many times, added an insta-hot fixture in the kitchen (a real hit with Janet!). I am sure there is more, but it pales compared to the new paint job that we now need! Despite all of that, we love our bus. We would trade it if we could but since we know we can't we love it!
-- Edited by Bill Adams on Sunday 22nd of May 2011 05:18:23 PM
RVPAINTER said
07:23 PM May 22, 2011
Bill - now my wife wants to know if we are going to save money by living in an RV full time!!!! Question did you have your RV checked out by a qualified RV inspector as well as a qualified mechanical tech B4 you bought it? Now I know why you are so savvy on RV's and their workings - HOLY CRAP!!!!! I would have bought a gun - not for protection, but to shoot myself!!! :>)
Bill Adams said
07:55 PM May 22, 2011
No, I did not have anyone check out anything. Maybe that would have been a good idea, but I have put over 180,000 miles on this coach since 1999. Stuff happens! The coach has over 300,000 miles on the odometer so what would you expect but our bus conversion is designed for this kind of usage. The leak in the holding tank bay would have been found by a good inspector but I am not sure what else that happened in the last 12 years could have been predicted. The reality is that we take a lot of equipment that was designed to be in a house and put it in a mobile environment and then subject it to the equivalent of a daily/weekly/monthly Category 6+ earthquake. Are you really surprised that stuff fails? We have had to replace all 8 tires twice due to mileage plus a couple more due to unexpected flats (one my fault, one not). The last set of 8 tires cost almost $6,000 while the first replacement set only cost about $4500. That stinks up it was also 80,000 miles ago and there are not a lot of things that are going down in price. Save money? What are your REAL expenses now? Don't sugar coat it, add them all up. Taxes, insurance, interest, maintenance (all of it) including yard work, garbage collection, utilities, cable, on and on. The more you move the higher your costs will be as most campgrounds offer weekly rates and even better monthly rates. We almost always have to pay daily rates as our business keeps us on the move and we are rarely in one place long enough to take advantage of a weekly rate (on average we move about 60 times per year). I am not trying to discourage you or anyone else from jumping into this lifestyle as it is BY FAR the greatest thing I have ever done in my life! Come one, come all, most folks (but not all) will simply love it. However, I do want you to take a realistic view of what you are getting into. You are going to need to have some money available for unexpected repairs.
RVPAINTER said
08:56 PM May 22, 2011
Of course I would expect stuff to fail in an RV just as it does in our home. In 2 -3 years our home will be in need of new stucco - $20,000 or elastomeric paint - $7,000 - $10,000. Our refrig is at the age that in a year or two it will need to be replace - $1,800 etc etc Our idea of F/T RV-in is not driving all over this country as quickly as we can, as we intend on staying in one R/V park for the best part of 3 weeks to a month (unless it is not a nice one.) As many say - it is a way of life - not a vacation. I also feel an RV needs constant PM - some people just use and abuse.
I would say your coach does not owe you a lot based on your long time use and constant movement.
We are looking forward to it (if our house ever sells) - could be the biggest mistake we've made - only time will tell - we are committed and will give it our all. Our intent is to F/T for 1 - 2 years - most likely 2 years and then 5 - 6 months a year thereafter during the not so good weather whereever we decide to settle - Bonita Springs FL is a very possible area.
We plan on starting out with a $10,000 buffer and replinish as needed. Workingamping/volunterring is not out of the question either.
Appreciate your feedback.
Colorado_Kid said
11:43 AM May 24, 2011
I own a 1994 Rexhall Aerbus that I bought for about the same amount that the RV you are looking at. I am happy with my RV although I wish I would have looked more closely for an RV with a generator. I would also look at what modifications the previous owner made because the previous owner of my Rexhall did some modifications some good and some that made me nervous. For instance he did some rewiring on his stove but forgot to put a wire cap (I think thats what you call it) on exposed wire and it was dangerously close to the top of the stove. He also took out an RV refrigerator and put in a regular house refrigerator. The good is that it gets nice and cold the bad I can not run it on propane if I want to travel. Please feel free to ask any questions you have.
Coly
RVPAINTER said
12:38 PM May 24, 2011
Thanks Coly I appreciate your feedback. The horror stories by Bill are concerning, but I tend to think they are over played with drama. Yes things break down - happens all the time in any type of home. I think if someone is pro-active with PM the chances of breakdowns are certainly lessened. If all of Bill's stories are accurate I would have driven that thing over a cliff real quick like! We are still waiting for our home to sell and I'm sure the unit will be gone by then - it is at PPL in Houston TX. All the feedback has been very educational and thought provoking for sure. Thanks
53 Merc said
01:03 PM May 24, 2011
RVPAINTER wrote:
Thanks Coly I appreciate your feedback. The horror stories by Bill are concerning, but I tend to think they are over played with drama. Yes things break down - happens all the time in any type of home. I think if someone is pro-active with PM the chances of breakdowns are certainly lessened. If all of Bill's stories are accurate I would have driven that thing over a cliff real quick like! We are still waiting for our home to sell and I'm sure the unit will be gone by then - it is at PPL in Houston TX. All the feedback has been very educational and thought provoking for sure. Thanks
Hard to understand where you think Bill's comments are overplayed and drama. He is telling you the real story. If you think for one minute you are going to use a vehicle for 180K miles and not have repair issues, yu need to get a grip on reality. he had to replace tires 2 times. Gee, getting that many miles out of tires is not easy. Replacing a firg in 12 years, easy to understand. I know people that have replaced RV frig 3 times in 5 years. At least he has a home designed unit, but it must not like an earthquake.
You can call Bill's post as horror stories if you wish. But, you better find something else to do with you life, because it is evident RVing will cause you a lot of heartaches and stress. When my stuff breaks, and yes it breaks, I fix or replace and consider it a part of life. Besides, if you drive anything over a cliff, the gov't will charge you to recover it and then you have to find a way to dispose of it, at your cost.
RVPAINTER said
01:43 PM May 24, 2011
Bill's first reply said nothing about how long he had been using his RV nor did it say how many miles he had put on it - after this use, I'm surprised to see it is still running - had these things happened early in the game, over the cliff it would go. I found his first comment to be DOOM & GLOOM. I'm new to this - and learning all the time and will continue to do so - but I'm not stupid! Of course things will break --- DUH! Thanks for the feedback --- what you say is quite true and I understand what you say - it is not news to me - however I still think Bill's initial comments were DOOM & GLOOM with some "campfire horror drama" throw in just for the ROOKIE.
Luvglass said
02:10 PM May 24, 2011
Bill's first post started with "Our coach was 11 years old when we bought it and it's now 23 years old."
What didn't you see? :)
-- Edited by Luvglass on Tuesday 24th of May 2011 02:11:09 PM
RVPAINTER said
02:27 PM May 24, 2011
Maybe it was the quickness of his breakdown bullets that made it read as tho this all happened one right after the other. I was just looking for advice - being a newbie - I'm trying to learn all I can and some people have been very helpful and I appreciate that. I HAVE learned that a newbie should not question the establishment and that shall not happen again - an observer on this site can certainly learn a lot just from reading. If I have a specific question I'll ask it and say thank-you to the response . I have not and shall not answer anyone's question as I admit I'm a newbe and I don't know the answer to anything yet - but again I'm not stupid. By nature I'm a follower and that's what I shall do, follow the conversations and learn. Thanks for the feedback Fred it's appreciated.
Bill Adams said
03:27 PM May 24, 2011
I am sorry that you saw my post as doom and gloom as it was not intended to appear that way at all. However, it was meant of offer a bit of reality to another person who is considering buying a 15+ year old coach. The low mileage you mention may mean that the interior hardware is in excellent shape but not necessarily. It also may mean that your drive train could have problems as lack of usage can be very bad, but not necessarily. I actually did not list a single that we did not actually do. Heck, take a look at what Howard had to do to his coach just to allow his overweight coach to be safe to travel in! You should look at that list again and be sure that you keep things in perspective. I did not say that we HAD to do some of those things, only that we had done them. Some things were done because we live in our coach and they just wore out. Put 2-4 cats in your coach, use the same chairs over and over and over for 12 years, shake the crap out of your household appliances as you drive down the road and let the ravages of time take their toll and you will find that things need to be fixed and replaced. There's nothing you can do about it, you just either grin and bear it or choose another lifestyle. Some folks will see higher maintenance costs and some will see less. You are considering buying an older coach and can expect higher maintenance costs. If you would like me to give it to you they way you were hoping to hear, here it is. I would highly recommend that you buy that youthful beauty. Everything should be fine, you should have no problems, you will never have acne again and you will likely get 20-30 MPG. That's a joke, just in case I have said something that offended!!!! Please re-read what I posted with an open mind. I love my coach. I have put 180,000 miles on my coach. I have updated my coach. I left my antenna up while I drove down the road and had to replace it (not the coach's fault). I just want you to be aware that a 15 year old coach might, just possibly, have a higher expense ratio that a newer coach might have. For me, I save about 75% by buying a used coach so the ongoing costs are acceptable.
RVRon said
04:20 PM May 24, 2011
Bill Adams wrote:
I just want you to be aware that a 15 year old coach might, just possibly, have a higher expense ratio that a newer coach might have. For me, I save about 75% by buying a used coach so the ongoing costs are acceptable.
Sounds like the old adage is true: "You can pay me now or you can pay me later". If you buy a brand spankin' new coach you'll (hopefully) have less repair headaches or at least have the warranty to keep the costs down but you'll have that big purchase price and possibly a wad of interest paid to the bank. If you buy the older coach you'll have more repair work but pay far less initially. Either way there will be repairs and breakdowns. I supposed it all comes down to a "cost of ownership" that each individual is comfortable with.
If it was me thinking about buying a 15 year old coach I think I'd factor in enough money to replace everything in the coach from the front to the back. Hopefully it won't all happen at once but it will happen eventually if you keep it long enough.
Nice thing about being a pessimist is that you're seldom disappointed.
-- Edited by RVRon on Tuesday 24th of May 2011 04:22:29 PM
RVPAINTER said
04:22 PM May 24, 2011
Bill - I understand where you are coming from - I understand what you are saying - I am a 71 year old RV-Virgin who is looking forward along with his DW to inhale all the wonderful sites in this country, Canada and BCS Mexico. We went to an RV show in Albuquerque last month and that was the first time in an RV - nuff said!!! I think you have put enough doubt in my buying a used RV that is as old as the one I asked opinions about. We have now shifted our search and research back to used RV's in the range of 2003-2009, with perhaps an average of 7-10K miles per year. I've asked the question about milage B4 and there is a wide range of answers - "The less milage - the more chance of repairs due to dried our seals etc etc. On the same hand most agree with the fact that most RV's are not driven a lot, so short of buying a new one and letting the seals dry out because YOU (me) do not drive it a lot, it would seem that the replacement of dried out seals for example is just a fact of RV-ing - whether you (me) or some one else lets them dry out. Sort of a catch 21 me thinkith :>)
I've read one should have a reserve fund for repairs - we plan on a reserve fund of $10,000 to be replenished as used. Crap happens but you can still land the plane (from my Air Force Days) and NO it was not during World War I :>)
Appreciate your feedback and I apologize for my mis-understanding of your intentions. I'm makin a list of "thingies" to add to our RV and just added the Progressive EMS - great advice. I'm starved for RV info and trying to get as much as I can. Of course it may take 5 years to sell our home and by then I'll forget all I learned any ways and could be in a home drooling on my new plaid shirt! :>) As we say in New Mexico - Peace Bro!!
RVPAINTER said
04:28 PM May 24, 2011
RV-Ron a pessimist CAN still be disappointed but never DEVASTATED :>)
If you found a used RV - 33 foot 1996 Rexhall Aerbus with 26,980 miles and has an interior that was completely redone in 2006, that received a positive check out by a qualified RV inspector as well as a mechanical positive check out from a qualified mechanic, what additional concerns would you have? Cost is $22,495 - tires - dot code say they are 3 years old. Unit does not have any slides which is what we prefer. The 2006 interior revamp made great use of all space and created a nice roomy living area. It also has a king bed.
Is Rexhall still in business? I know they filed for bankruptcy in 2009 but not sure if they just reorganized. At any rate they had a great reputation in the 90s for building quality coaches but fell on hard times in the 2000's. Not sure about their dealer network or service... at one time they had a dealer network and then went direct only. You may be on your own for getting any kind of service and I wouldn't count on advice from the factory.
The big thing that can kill older RVs is water leaks from the roof area. Make sure you get up on the roof and check on the caulk situation. Check the flooring inside for any soft spots, any warped or damaged ceiling or wall areas. Not sure what kind of framework Rexhall used back then but if it was a wooden frame a leak could cause structural damage as well. I believe they had a fiberglas exterior so be sure to check for delamination - another product of water leaks.
It always amazes me when folks buy these older RVs and have good luck with them. Maybe I shouldn't worry about mine when it gets to be 15 or 20 years old! Just keep it maintained and keep on rollin'!!
You are looking at a rig that is 15 years old and has less than 30,000 miles on it. That translates to under 2000 miles per year. You can expect to spend a fair amount of time and money replacing various hoses, seals, and belts because they have deteriorated due to lack of use. Been there, done that. Now if it had 130,000 miles on it, I'd be more impressed.
That is a point that I was about to make too. A lot of the engine and transmission seals depend on the lubricant being moved about to keep them supple. Replacing transmission or engine seals could be expensive! I'd think about taking the rig for a long ride, then having a mechanic check for any kind of fluid leak. A very small leak may be just the tip of the iceberg and a warning of bigger things to come.
Our coach was 11 years old when we bought it and it's now 23 years old. I can tell you that you will be taking on a lot of maintenance, repair, replacement, modifications, fixes, repairs, maintenance, replacement, updating, repairs, replacements and, oh yeah, repairs.
With all of that firmly fixed in your mind, we have enjoyed almost every minute that we have owned our coach. We are lucky in that we don't have to worry about things like side wall delamination since we have plenty of leaks (argh!). We have replaced our fresh water holding tanks and re-plumbed the water connections to eliminate those leaks, rebuilt the engine, replaced the engine fan and radiator, repaired the A/C several times, reupholstered some of the furniture, replaced the convection/microwave, replaced the gas cooktop, replaced the kitchen and bathroom sinks, replaced the toilet, changed mattresses (twice), removed one of the 2 sofas for additional room (no slides) and replaced with a desk, replaced roof top over the air antenna which was destroyed at 70 MPH, replaced several gauges, the coach radio, 3 TV's (move to digital), changed the desk top lighting fixtures too many times, added an insta-hot fixture in the kitchen (a real hit with Janet!). I am sure there is more, but it pales compared to the new paint job that we now need! Despite all of that, we love our bus. We would trade it if we could but since we know we can't we love it!
-- Edited by Bill Adams on Sunday 22nd of May 2011 05:18:23 PM
Save money? What are your REAL expenses now? Don't sugar coat it, add them all up. Taxes, insurance, interest, maintenance (all of it) including yard work, garbage collection, utilities, cable, on and on. The more you move the higher your costs will be as most campgrounds offer weekly rates and even better monthly rates. We almost always have to pay daily rates as our business keeps us on the move and we are rarely in one place long enough to take advantage of a weekly rate (on average we move about 60 times per year).
I am not trying to discourage you or anyone else from jumping into this lifestyle as it is BY FAR the greatest thing I have ever done in my life! Come one, come all, most folks (but not all) will simply love it. However, I do want you to take a realistic view of what you are getting into. You are going to need to have some money available for unexpected repairs.
I would say your coach does not owe you a lot based on your long time use and constant movement.
We are looking forward to it (if our house ever sells) - could be the biggest mistake we've made - only time will tell - we are committed and will give it our all. Our intent is to F/T for 1 - 2 years - most likely 2 years and then 5 - 6 months a year thereafter during the not so good weather whereever we decide to settle - Bonita Springs FL is a very possible area.
We plan on starting out with a $10,000 buffer and replinish as needed. Workingamping/volunterring is not out of the question either.
Appreciate your feedback.
I own a 1994 Rexhall Aerbus that I bought for about the same amount that the RV you are looking at. I am happy with my RV although I wish I would have looked more closely for an RV with a generator. I would also look at what modifications the previous owner made because the previous owner of my Rexhall did some modifications some good and some that made me nervous. For instance he did some rewiring on his stove but forgot to put a wire cap (I think thats what you call it) on exposed wire and it was dangerously close to the top of the stove. He also took out an RV refrigerator and put in a regular house refrigerator. The good is that it gets nice and cold the bad I can not run it on propane if I want to travel. Please feel free to ask any questions you have.
Coly
Hard to understand where you think Bill's comments are overplayed and drama. He is telling you the real story. If you think for one minute you are going to use a vehicle for 180K miles and not have repair issues, yu need to get a grip on reality. he had to replace tires 2 times. Gee, getting that many miles out of tires is not easy. Replacing a firg in 12 years, easy to understand. I know people that have replaced RV frig 3 times in 5 years. At least he has a home designed unit, but it must not like an earthquake.
You can call Bill's post as horror stories if you wish. But, you better find something else to do with you life, because it is evident RVing will cause you a lot of heartaches and stress. When my stuff breaks, and yes it breaks, I fix or replace and consider it a part of life. Besides, if you drive anything over a cliff, the gov't will charge you to recover it and then you have to find a way to dispose of it, at your cost.
Bill's first post started with "Our coach was 11 years old when we bought it and it's now 23 years old."
What didn't you see? :)
-- Edited by Luvglass on Tuesday 24th of May 2011 02:11:09 PM
I would highly recommend that you buy that youthful beauty. Everything should be fine, you should have no problems, you will never have acne again and you will likely get 20-30 MPG. That's a joke, just in case I have said something that offended!!!! Please re-read what I posted with an open mind. I love my coach. I have put 180,000 miles on my coach. I have updated my coach. I left my antenna up while I drove down the road and had to replace it (not the coach's fault). I just want you to be aware that a 15 year old coach might, just possibly, have a higher expense ratio that a newer coach might have. For me, I save about 75% by buying a used coach so the ongoing costs are acceptable.
Sounds like the old adage is true: "You can pay me now or you can pay me later". If you buy a brand spankin' new coach you'll (hopefully) have less repair headaches or at least have the warranty to keep the costs down but you'll have that big purchase price and possibly a wad of interest paid to the bank. If you buy the older coach you'll have more repair work but pay far less initially. Either way there will be repairs and breakdowns. I supposed it all comes down to a "cost of ownership" that each individual is comfortable with.
If it was me thinking about buying a 15 year old coach I think I'd factor in enough money to replace everything in the coach from the front to the back. Hopefully it won't all happen at once but it will happen eventually if you keep it long enough.
Nice thing about being a pessimist is that you're seldom disappointed.
-- Edited by RVRon on Tuesday 24th of May 2011 04:22:29 PM
I've read one should have a reserve fund for repairs - we plan on a reserve fund of $10,000 to be replenished as used. Crap happens but you can still land the plane (from my Air Force Days) and NO it was not during World War I :>)
Appreciate your feedback and I apologize for my mis-understanding of your intentions. I'm makin a list of "thingies" to add to our RV and just added the Progressive EMS - great advice. I'm starved for RV info and trying to get as much as I can. Of course it may take 5 years to sell our home and by then I'll forget all I learned any ways and could be in a home drooling on my new plaid shirt! :>) As we say in New Mexico -
Peace Bro!!