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Old 03-11-2018, 09:02 AM   #1
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2006 Adventurer 38T - Inspection

Hi Everyone,

Lurking for a few days looking for information. We are looking to purchase a 2006 Adventurer 38T. Love the floorplan - it was this or the 38J.

To make a long story short, we have found, what we think is a good coach that appears to be in good condition. The problem is that is it quite far from us and in a pretty isolated community. It's being sold for medical reasons and does not have plates at the moment.

Our questions/issues are 4-fold.
1 - we are mainly dealing with the wife who doesn't seem to have that much knowledge about the coach - some questions that we have, she just can't answer - her husband was in a snowmobile accident last year and she/they are dealing with ongoing medical issues/appointments. We'll have to get answers for our questions when we get there.

2 - They don't speak English (French only). While she can correspond in English, I'm finding the communication difficult. We will persevere, but some doubts remain due to the language barrier - mostly with answering my technical questions.

3 - We are having some difficulty finding someone who can do an inspection of the coach systems for us. A - it's not presently plated and B - they are in an isolated community. We are definitely going to see it (we have an agreement to purchase in place pending an inspection) and if it in as good shape as it appears, we would be very happy.

4 - Timing - SNOW!!! We are planning on going up (northern Quebec) in a couple of weeks. Concerned about weather being an issue for us to properly view/inspect the coach and also, driving if the roads are not clear. This is our first MH - While I'm confident in our abilities, it's not the ideai situation.

Looking for advice, especially on the inspection side. In another post, someone mentioned a PDI checklist that was posted - I did a search, but couldn't find it - if someone could post or PM me, that would be fantastic.

We are very excited to be joining the Winnebago community and hope that this works out and we can see you guys on the road!!
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Old 03-11-2018, 05:54 PM   #2
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I believe you have chosen a great coach/ floorplan but I personal would look locally for the same rig and would buy it from someone I could communicate with.
Jesse
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Old 03-11-2018, 08:44 PM   #3
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Hey Jesse. Unfortunately, the Used RV market is much, much smaller than where you're located. We're actually in New Port Richey at the moment and have gone to view a number of coaches. Two 38T's within a 2 hour drive of where we are. We could buy while we are down here, but there are hoops to jump through taking that route. Believe me, buying locally to where we are home based would be great, however, pricing, logistics and availability are driving this.
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Old 03-12-2018, 05:22 AM   #4
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I Understand

Check this out

http://www.alpinecoachassociation.co...eCheckList.pdf


Jesse
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Old 03-13-2018, 06:58 AM   #5
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GREAT Checklist JBMSR - saved this to my Desktop.
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Old 03-17-2018, 01:45 PM   #6
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Holding tanks

I have an 06 Adventures 35A
Same chassis, just extended a couple of feet.
The inspection panel for the gray tank on the door side should be pulled to check to see if the gray tank is collapsing on the top, sagging around the bottom edges. this happened on mine, the tank sagged so much that the drains and vent pipes pulled out from the heater and grommets.

The problem is caused by the lack of support for the tank.
The gray tank is supported by a couple of styrofoam pieced that are too far in from the sides.

Another problem is the front clearance lights. Most left the factory with no sealant between the cap and lights. I believe this is why so many have windshield rust problems.
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Old 03-20-2018, 08:14 AM   #7
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The Alpine Coach list is good, but I wish they included some type of score as to what was major and what was not. Also, if you are a DIYer, your priorities will be different than if you will be paying to have most of the work done.

For example, when I purchased my 2002 Suncruiser 35U, my priorities were mainly to make sure the "truck" portion of the motorhome was in good shape since I felt competent to do most of the "house" repairs myself. Big ticket items like the generator, refrigerator, A/C, etc. are a priority. Extensive exterior side-wall de-lamination (bulging fiberglass) can be a cause for rejection. They can be signs of long-term leakage.

A major issue with Winnebagos is the windshield leak issue, which can run into thousands to fix if the frame is rusting out. The most obvious sign of this are water stains at the front of the dash and on the bottom of the inside windshield trim pieces, which should be removed for inspection of the frame. I suggest you read everything you can about this issue on this forum and others. Googling "Winnebago windshield leak" will come up with pages of items. Here's a YouTube video link to get you started:

Given the weather in Quebec, I'd be surprised if there aren't signs of water leaks unless it's been stored inside and/or the owners have been meticulous in their maintenance. Check around the skylight and vents for water stains and at the bottom corners of the slide outs where they penetrate the sidewalls.

My major after-purchase "surprise" was five leaky hydraulic hoses serving the front slide out (which was working perfectly). The PO had carefully hidden any signs of leakage on the ground and I wasn't knowledgeable enough to inspect the hydraulics more closely since the slide out worked fine. Tires are also expensive (close to $2,000 for six) and age is as important as tread depth. Anything over five years old should be professionally inspected.

Based on my experience, and what I've read on various forums, you should factor in about $4,000 in tune-up/lube/oil change, repairs and replacements even if the motorhome seems to be in good condition. In addition to the hydraulic hoses, mine needed new shocks. You'll probably want to replace the converter with a more modern version with a 3-stage charger along with new batteries. This will run you about $250 or so if you DIY (relatively simple job). Unless it's already been replaced, new flooring may be in order. Again, this can be expensive, especially if you pay to have it done.

Good luck.
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