Used to be a time when finding a low mileage RV was a good thing.
Back when the digits on the odometer mattered most.
Like a count down timer.
Way back in time most odometers only had 5 digits.
Why?
Because a vehicle with 100,000 miles on it was rare.
They were considered worn out.
Ready for the scrapyard.
But..
Things are different now.
Vehicles with 100k and more on the ticker are common.
Which gets the little gray cells a churning.
Are low miles good?
And …
Just what is low mileage for a Vintage RV?
Is a low milage RV more desirable?
Should we avoid high milage RVs?
Simple questions.
But ask any RV owner these questions.
And the answers may surprise you.
It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.
Henry David Thoreau
What’s wrong with a low mileage RV?
So just how do we determine which RV is the best for you?
That depends…
The motorized RV really became popular in the 1970’s.
Cars and pickups from the 1970s rarely made 100,000 miles.
The motors and transmissions struggled with reliability.
Today it’s very common to find 10 year old cars with 100k, 200k or even 300k miles on the clock.
The vintage RV with over 100k on the clock is rare.
And that’s for one simple reason.
Lack of use.
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Many owners seldom drive their RV.
They spend the majority of their life parked.
Gathering dust and decaying.
What’s considered low milage for an RV?
According to a study by the University of Michigan (2011) The average RV owner travels around 4500 miles each year.
For simplicity sake we’re gonna round that number to 5000 miles annually.
So we can expect the average 10 year old RV to have around 50,000 miles travelled.
A 20 year old RV to have 100,000 miles and 150,000 for the lucky 30 year olds.
That was easy.
But…
It ain’t that simple.
The milage is just a guide.
A reference point for components that wear out with use.
Components like shocks, brakes, wheel bearings, steering components, transmissions and motors.
There’s another aspect to consider.
In my opinion much more important.
The care and maintenance of an RV is a crucial consideration.
More important than age, looks and mileage.
The last thing we want is a constant source of problems.
Why is lack of use bad?
Back in my younger years I had little fear.
Bruises disappeared quickly, muscles healed overnight and broken bones … well that wasn’t going to happen.
Young and foolish with an all steel body.
Dreams of becoming a professional motocross racer.
I thought I could do anything on a bike.
Ride for hours without tiring.
Skip over the whoops with ease (really large bumps).
And jump anything in my path.
Before the internet we paged thru magazines for inspiration. And for an up and coming racer the magazines of choice were Motocross Action and Dirt Bike.
One fine day I laid my peepers upon a full page photo that wowed.
The picture showed a rider with front wheel lofted high and skimming across open water.
That’s really cool.
I can do that.
So with some encouragement from my brother, thanks Tony, I attempted a similar water crossing.
A simple stunt.
Just a simple wheelie across a water filled drainage ditch.
And conveniently there was a small hump just before the ditch.
Perfect for lofting the front wheel high.
Filled with confidence I glided towards the ditch and at just the right moment hammered the throttle.
And just to be sure added a jerk to the handlebars.
What could go wrong?
The front wheel climbed, the rear suspension compressed.
All the way down.
My ass slammed onto the seat.
At the exact wrong time.
Slingshoting me into the air.
Faster than a drunk cowboy off a rodeo bull.
I sailed over the bars, over the water and landed with a thump.
Across the ditch.
Not even my toes touching the water.
Face planted firmly in the mud.
Then there was the faint sound of a screaming two stroke engine cackling defiantly in triumph.
Oddly that menacing sound was growing louder.
Like a warning siren of impending doom.
My muscles tightened in preparation for 200 pounds of wailing steel to pounce.
Time slowed.
Heart beat clearly pounding in my ears.
Muffled only by the sounds of running water and chirping birds.
Quiet, serene other than the screaming growls of death.
Nope, I could hear that just fine.
Inhale, clench every muscle and hold breath.
Pretty sure I held my breath for 5 minutes, maybe 3 but probably not.
Finally I wrenched my face out of the mud.
Squinted thru the mud caked goggles I glimpsed a spinning grinder of death approaching.
“Grinder of Death”: AKA a mud covered knobby tire spinning violently.
Bracing for impact time slowed to a crawl.
Then I heard the sound of splashing and boots appeared along side me.
That’s when I heard Tony’s voice.
Whoa! That was cool… errrr .. are you ok?
The bike stopped upside down in the middle of the ditch.
Wheels defiantly spinning in glee.
Hey, at least the bike didn’t land on top of me.
But what’s this odd pressure on my shoulder?
Must have broken the helmet.
Nope, that would be the collar bone.
A common injury.
With an easy fix.
A simple shoulder harness and arm sling.
Just for 4-6 weeks.
At week 3 the bones are on the mend and confidence returns.
Feeling better I managed to break it loose.
Back to square one.
Another 4 weeks in the harness of stupidness.
Glorious the day the harness came off.
That was until I realized that my muscles had atrophied from lack of use.
As hard as I tried I could barely lift my arm to shoulder level.
The lack of use had resulted in the loss of muscle mass.
The old arm didn’t work like it should.
With time the strength and mobility returned.
A painful lesson for sure but a lesson learned.
More speed next time…
This was how I discovered that the lack of use is bad for the body.
And that same principal applies to these fantastic machines we call RV’s.
What deteriorates on an RV?
Of all the RVs available the low mileage Vintage RV may be the most perplexing.
Consider all the rubber components on an RV.
They are just like muscles.
The rubber contains compounds designed to preserve the rubber.
But, when the RV is not exercised the rubber deteriorates.
There are a lot of rubber components in an RV.
Think belts, hoses, wiring, exterior trim and tires.
Add chemicals like fuel and the rate of deterioration increases.
A motor that runs good at idle but lacks power, stumbles or stalls under load is a sign of fuel starvation.
A common culprit is air entering the system.
Often through deteriorated fuel lines.
A gas motor needs a strong spark to ignite the fuel.
Cracked and deteriorated wires will allow the spark to wander.
And rodents love to chew the insulation and rubber surrounding wires.
Then there’s the rubber brake lines, cooling hoses and tires.
Tires with excellent tread showing age cracking are dangerous to drive on.
One of the biggest mistakes owners make is judging the condition of the tires based on the tread depth.
Just like our muscles an RV needs regular exercise.
An RV without exercise is dying a slow death.
What should we expect with a low mileage RV?
With proper care an RV will serve for many decades.
The key is to have realistic expectations.
As the saying goes “Don’t judge a book by it’s cover”.
The same is true with an RV.
A low mileage Vintage RV can provide better reliability than modern RVs.
Depending on the maintenance history you should expect a 10 year old RV will need attention.
Many of the engine components will need service or replacement.
Think hoses, belts, coolant, transmission fluid, differential fluid, brake fluid, spark plugs, plug wires and tires.
And don’t forget the generator.
Expect the exterior rubber and vinyl seals to be deteriorated.
The rubber roof and sealant will require attention.
Rubber roofs deteriorate from sun exposure and may be approaching time for replacement.
Window channels often have felt guides.
These felt guides stop rattling and ease opening and closing.
Entrance door gaskets, storage bay gaskets and door latches will need attention soon.
And the interior will likely be showing signs of age and wear.
The old tube television is nostalgic but costs $$$ to dispose of properly.
The list grows more for diesel pushers.
With air ride suspension, air brakes and 40+ feet of wiring and hoses.
Expect the air supply system to need attention.
The air dryer, air governor, air compressor, brake cans and air bags only last so long.
For RVs older than 10 years these components are past the useful life.
What to do when that low mileage RV catches our attention?
Good preparation is the key.
Arm yourself with the knowledge of what questions to ask.
Learn what to look for when inspecting an RV.
Consider hiring a third party for an inspection.
At a minimum budget for fluids, belts, batteries and tires.
Add a cushion for the unexpected things like AC units and refrigerators.
These items have a history of failing when you need them most.
Test every appliance including furnace, AC and plumbing.
Take the RV for a good long test drive.
Spend a night in the RV with the owners permission.
It’s rare to find an RV that doesn’t need anything.
Expect to invest time and money into deferred maintenance items.
What’s more important the mileage?
A good inspection is critical when you are purchasing an RV.
Particularly important with low milage Vintage RVs.
High milage RVs have often been maintained for reliability.
The #1 most important thing to consider is the care and maintenance by previous owners.
Maintenance alone has the biggest impact on the condition and future needs.
Don’t be afraid of a high milage well cared for RV.
A high milage RV that has been stored indoors, washed, waxed and regularly maintained is a gem.
Likely to have fewer problems and many good years of service life ahead.
Be wary of the forgotten and neglected RV.
That RV that’s been parked in the back 40 for years.
It may be damn near free to bring home.
But will likely eat money like a teenage football player at the all you can eat buffet.
