Buying a 2005 ADVENTURER 38J

[Trish4801]

I am in the process of buying a 2005 Winnebago ADVENTURER 38J 12,989 miles on it, next week is closing on the 25th. Sadly I can't leave till the 27th. It's a 17 and 1/2 hour drive from here in Kansas to Pennsylvania where it's located.

I'm taken my husband, who has said he will not drive it, and my sister (x school bus driver) to train me how to drive something that big. I figure I have 1,180 miles to get it right.

Husband will drive Cadillac Xt5 home since I'm not set up to tow it yet. We will also have car incase of catastrophic failure. Which I'm hoping not.

Plan on not doing the whole 17 and 1/2 hours in one day and finding a camp Walmart on way home. Sleeping in rv.

The tires are 5 years old but I'd like to get it home and get tires here.

inspection is today. Since I'm buying sight unseen, and the trip I made to look at virtually the same type unit to Orlando Florida. Got there and the big slide on drivers side was falling out. Not a complete loss, was able to go to Universal while there. I feel better having an inspection.

Is there anything in anyone's mind that would be a deal breaker? The couple is an older couple, the guy has mobility issues and can no longer walk from house to rv. It has a few bumps, dings and scratches from things they have bumped into. I'm getting it for 22,000 which is below book value. I've also bought a new jack knife couch and a chair that makes into a bed from Amazon. I currently have an rv on demand hot water heater in my cart. Claims it fits all rv's. I haven't pulled the trigger on it, it's a bit north of 500, and I'm kinda waiting to see inspection report.

So excited

Trish C

[creativepart]

All bets are off until you are able to see it in person.

The first big items are tires and batteries (two different battery banks - one for the House and another for the Chassis). Buying an old motorhome you never know how the batteries have been treated or mistreated.

About the water heater... I'd hold off on that and wait and see. The OEM WH is usually pretty capable and I've heard good and bad about "continuous" models. Some say they're great some say they are continuously subpar.

Make sure to run the slides, in and out numerous times. Check everything. Cold fridge and freezer, A/Cs work, generator starts and runs. Leveling system works normally. Ask about any changes or modifications the previous owner made because those are things that will trip you up in the future. Be sure you get the complete briefcase with the Operator's Manual, etc. Try to get all service receipts.

Take your time, lots of it, going over everything multiple times.

Here is a link to your 2005 Adventurer Operator's Manual in online PDF form so you can read it in advance of leaving for your trip. Read it twice, front to back. Ask the seller about anything you don't understand.

https://winnebago.com/Files/Files/Wi...Adventurer.pdf
Good luck!

[Morich]

May I make a suggestion on how to get it home?
I consider there to be lots of potential to ruin the trip if you cut corners too close on campsites!
While the Walmart thing is okay , it also has some big downsides which are really more prone to jump up and catch you when you have a whole new experience with the new RV.
Learning how things operate is often a big step, even if you have done lots of rV. Each one acts slightly different!
Think of all the systems that have to do the best work when camping solo in a parking lot?
Simple things like fully understanding what to do on slides, heat and hot water can be stressful at best when dealing with new toys. Dealing With those new pressures is bad enough under the best conditions. Dealing with them all at the same time and adding the extra "interesting things" that can happen in an unregulated parking lot is not where I would put my money!
When you are looking at possible freezing temps, the simple act of keeping things from freezing can be much easier if you have electrical that you can depend on, water that is going to work at least to the faucet and a bathroom close by can change the whole trip for the better!
Until I KNOW things are going to work, I stay where I know I'm welcome, know the facilities are expected to be there and work, and I also have backup that is understanding and willing to help with any of those things!

I don't use a rope swing until I know a bit more about the rope! Things can let you down in a hurry if you don't get a chance to look them over first!
There is simply no way to know if those small points like the furnace are going to work until you have tried it more than a few times!

[Duner]

Make sure the generator fires up and runs for a couple hours.

Run the basement air in both modes, heat and cool. If it's 45 deg outside, heat pump should be cranking out the heat in about 10 min and get it nice and toasty in about 30 min. Anything longer may indicate service and/or repair.

Chances are you'll need all new batteries. I would just factor that in to your costs.

If the brakes feel fine make sure you preform a hard stop test.... not panic stop but hard enough to know they are solid. Confirm with the owner that the brake caliber recall was done. When you get home have the brake system flushed before you plan on any mountain driving.

Listen to the engine at idle for any bearings that are squealing. Rev it up should be no tapping or knocking .... nice and smooth, no vibrations at all.

If going in & out of driveways you get a lot of rock-n-rolls it probably needs shocks. Highly recommend Koni FSD.

Was it sitting outside all the time or garaged or covered? Any signs of leaks inside? Water stains in the ceiling? When did owner reseal the roof to gutter joint? Winnies are notorious for that joint to open up, leak, and loose part of the fiberglass roof driving into a strong headwind.

Is the clear coat peeling off and everything badly faded? New paint job would double your costs ($20,000). Outside walls should be nice and flat, no swelling/delamination (more big bucks to fix).

These are some of the big and expensive problems you want to avoid and at least know about and be prepared to deal with now or later. You don't have to ask me why I know .... I've had two Winnies for 25 yrs, 20 yrs on a Workhorse chassis, 5 yrs on a Ford chassis. And 21 years on the IRV2 forum.

Good luck,
Bill

[Trish4801]

creativepart I get to see the mh on Saturday. I'm excited. Yes it will need some work. Somethings we're not tested due to current owners inability to drive it. With the low miles and wear on unit I believe they either end snowbird or lived in it till medically unable too.

Morich, yes good point. And when inspector showed up there was no water in tank unable to test anything except visually, there was also no lp gas so again only visual inspection. Could not test basement a/c because hooked up to 15amp.
Duner not sure how stored. The pictures on the site were taken out in the open.

I have the inspection as a pdf unsure how to share it.

My brother, who with his wife live in a 30 year old mh. Is going with me. He said we need to find some potable water and lp so we can test things on our way home. I'll let you all know how it goes.

[Duner]

Originally Posted by Trish4801

I'm excited. Yes it will need some work. Could not test basement a/c because hooked up to 15amp......
Duner not sure how stored. The pictures on the site were taken out in the open.

I have the inspection as a pdf unsure how to share it.

I gather that the generator wouldn't start and run the basement a/c.

To load and display a pdf file, use the paperclip icon above, then chose file (3mb max), upload & close out the window.

[Trish4801]

File for pdf too big, so can't post file.

My brother had some questions why they didn't do certain things to test things. The inspection says generator passed, so no idea. I think I have uploaded the page as a picture showing generator passed.

[Bo Walker]

I understand your excitement. I'm happy for you. You seem to trust the sellers. I hope all are honest. But, the seller is going to tell you all the good things they remember before revealing the not so great aspects.
We owed a nice 36' Winnebago Adventurer once. It was a very dependable and enjoyable motor home.

I hope you the very best in the purchase and wish you safety on the roads.
Make it fun.

[rwm1943]

Be sure the alternator is charging both house and chassis batteries while driving. Most inspectors only inspect the house and not the chassis, except visually. If it doesn't you could get in a possission where your batteries won't start the generator to continue your trip.

[Trish4801]

I am overly excited. Good or bad I feel I can make it what I want it to be. I have all winter to work on it. Leaving in the morning for Pennsylvania to get it. 2 day drive.

[Laurachrissy]

Originally Posted by Trish4801

I am overly excited. Good or bad I feel I can make it what I want it to be. I have all winter to work on it. Leaving in the morning for Pennsylvania to get it. 2 day drive.

How's it going? Would love to read an update. We have a 2003 Adventurer 38g, have done/repaired/replaced lots and lots of things and couldn't be happier.

[tim myers]

No news si ce the 26th, hope everyone is ok.

[Trish4801]

I started writing a story and it all disappeared lol will start back over. I can say it will be great. I can't wait to get everything I want to do to her done.

[Trish4801]

Took us almost 2 full days to get to New Holland. We got there Saturday late afternoon and met the older gentleman at his house. He wanted to wait for his wife to show up so we did.

We followed them to the motorhome. My husband and brother went inside and checked it out, I ended up stuck outside talking to the man. He liked to talk a lot. My brother and husband came back out and walked around with the man. I went inside. It was my dream set up. And there on the odometer it said 12939. Excited about the low mileage. It was 80 something out and very warm inside so I came back out.

My brother was walking around it and found a door that needed a screw or 2, think it covered hot water heater. The lady drove my brother to the hardware store, he got the screws, came back screwed it shut.
It was time to start her up. This is where she lives up to her name adventurer, cause this is where the adventure begins.

My brother who was to teach us how to drive started her up. There was smoke. I mean quite a bit. John came back out of her. My husband Bob asked the couple about the smoke. When he turned around the man and his wife were gone. John said it could be carbined up since it sat a year. John got back in drivers seat and started to pull her out clipping the mirror of the small rv next to her. No damage but my husband did have to move the mirror back.

John got back out said that the wife, when she took him to hardware store, said not to listen to a word her husband said cause he had dementia. He was the one showing us around and explaining what he had done to her. She did say they did have the engine rebuilt just before it was parked.???

Bob got in our car and me and John got in mh. We went to find the gas station she said we would fit. We filled up and checked the oil, which was low. Found the closest Walmart and bought oil and funnel. Filled up the oil. Ready to hit the road.

We only drove a few hundred miles and it was decided to pull over for the night. I tried to find a place to rent for the night but everything was full. We decided we would stay at the turn pike rest area for the night and use generator for power. Pulled into turn pike rest area. Went to the Arby's they had there to get food to eat, went back to the mh. John tried to start generator, nothing happened. He started motor and generator would start and run. It was decided we would eat and get ready for bed. John shut off engine and we went to sleep.

Next morning we got up. John wanted to see the batteries, generator and inverter. We removed the cover for the steps and found 2 batteries they looked fine. John was still trying to figure out why the generator only worked with the engine. We had called the guy we got it from that night and he said he just always plugged it in. John then looked at generator which once again as far as I could tell looked fine. He then open the compartment with the inverter and it looked like a mad scientist had been in there. About 6 lithium batteries and box/motherboards, fans and wires everywhere. John said it looks like a bomb, only missing c4. There were multiple timers. We decided this was why generator only comes on with the engine. John said that whatever that was, was why the inverter didn't work.

Check oil, low, add oil. Get on road. We drove for a bit then John decided it was time for me to drive. We changed seats and I was driving. It was not as tough as I thought it would be. My brother was explaining that I was hugging the right line. He said most people do and where to try to line things up. I looked down and the dash says low oil. I told my brother and he said yeah we are either losing oil, burning it or both. So now we are looking for a place to pull over so we can get oil at a place we will fit in. Then the oil can symbol comes on and now it says low oil pressure. John says we need to pull off right away. He sees a Cabelas and has me pull in to the parking lot. During all of this the engine never gets hot which I guess is a good thing.

We get a couple 5qt bottles of oil as we are going thru it pretty fast. We all use bathroom. And husband goes to Cabelas for a flashlight. Might need it. As im going up the steps into the coach i whisper it will be alright Jenny. She now has a name. We get back on the road. I get to drive till we need to fill up and add oil. While I'm driving we end up going through a construction zone. My brother is in the passenger seat he keeps telling me I'm hugging the right side. I see him lifting his right leg as we go through the construction zone. He continues to say that when they train bus drivers they spend a week driving in a parking lot. He says we don't give them keys to a 38' bus and immediately have them drive through a construction zone. Lol. We again need gas and we top off the oil. John takes back over driving mh. I start looking for where we are going to stop for the night. I told John Terra Haute (not spelled right) is a bit over 6 hours away. He says he'd like to get farther. Wants to know what's 8 hrs away. I look and find a place that's 8hrs and 40mins away just the others ideas of St Louis. Call them rent a hook up for the night. 8 hrs and 40 mins away.

We would stop for gas, oil, bathroom breaks. Each stop we would top off oil. After finding the place to go for the night, husband called and said he had to go to the bathroom. He is following in the Cadillac. We pull over at a rest area. We all use the bathroom and he tells me he is tired of smelling the fumes from the rv. He gets in the mh with my brother I now follow in the Caddy. I got a picture of her going down the road in front of me. She looked good.

Between the stops for food, bathroom breaks, adding oil and gas we took that 8hrs and 40 mins, which showed us getting in at 5:30 pm approximately, and turned that into 13 long hours. It was bad enough with the oil problem but then we hit the rain and it was way worse. There were so many semi's on the road. John was driving cautiously between the rain and oil issue. The trucks would pass me and it was a wash out of water splash, splash, splash. Then they would pass the mh and push the water off the mh onto me in the Caddy. Every time I'd see another truck coming up behind me I'd shake my head and get ready for the wash out. I was having trouble seeing out windshield, when we stopped to put oil in it I said something to my husband that there seems to be a film on the windshield. He said that was oil from rv.

We finally make it to our destination between 10:30 and 11pm. We had gone throught 12 to 15 qts of oil. Office is closed but she left a map with our lot number. #13 is our lot. Was that meant to be funny. We couldn't find it. Finally noticed the packet had a map showing where to go. Pulled in of course backwards but by this point nothing else mattered except stopping. John went to use the bathroom at the office, came back, said it was unlocked. So Bob and I go up to use bathrooms too. Woman's is locked so I wait for him to come out and have him watch the door of the mens for me.

We go back to mh. We pull cord under to hook up we are 50 Amp and it has the hook up. We plug in and go inside and all we have is the microwave. The 3 of us are standing at the microwave not sure who but they turn on microwave for a few seconds and says yup we have a microwave. At this point I'm exasperated, and I say all we have is a microwave. I think by now I'm over it.

I'm standing and we are all I think deep in thought or something. I suddenly see the cord from a picture in the advertisement for it in my mind. The old guy had a extension cord ran from a small hole in the wall up to an outlet in the coach. I said do you think that cord had anything to do with this. My brother says just one minute, I'll be right back. He goes outside. Couple minutes later everything else comes on. I scream out of joy, husband asked if I was trying to break his ear drum. No I was just overly excited. We are able to open slides. John tells me if I hadn't mentioned that cord he would not have figured it out. In the hold with the main cord there was a surge protector cord a couple lengths of extension cords and a slightly heavier cord not sure where they are all wired into didn't ask but apparently you have to have both cords plugged in. John said then the inverter wakes up. He believes the make shift bomb is the reason why nothing works right. We used the heat pump to keep warm that night. Woke up next morning to cold. I truly didn't want to get up. Oh well let's get this party started. So crawl out into the cold. Walk out to kitchen and see my brother John. Asked him where Bob is. He said he is out in the car. Said he didn't have to freeze. I asked how long he had been out there. John said about an hour. We decide to go out to car and go get breakfast. It turns out radiator like fins on heatpump iced over during the night. Im sure its not meant to be used as only heat but had an empty lp tank. Came back to mh and start getting ready to leave. I head up to sign in at the office. I'm filling out paperwork and my brother comes up and says hey we have another problem. Ok what now. And he says there's water in the oil. We can't drive her anymore. I look at the lady at the desk. I tell her I forgot the code to the bathroom. She says she is sorry I'm having problems and gives me the number. I go to bathroom to just relax alone for a bit. This has been tough. I say a little prayer for Jenny and leave bathroom.

Husband and brother both tell me we can't drive it need to find a place to take it and have it towed there. We call the rv place that's close to home. They no longer work on engines but give us a name of someone in Kansas City. We call them they are Ford only. They give us another name that does GM. Call them. They are way behind. It will be awhile before they can get to it.

We decide to call around St Louis. We call an rv sales/service place they don't work on engines. They give us a number of who does work for them. We call them. They are a bit behind but would take a look at it. They tell us to call sky towing. So while I'm on the phone with the truck repair center my brother tries to call sky. Guess what they don't tow rvs. The guy from repair center is saying they've towed rvs before for me before this must be something new. He gives us another one to try. They don't tow rvs. He gives us a 3rd one to try. Same answer. The guy is now saying he doesn't understand that not towing rvs is a new change. He now wants to know where we are. We tell him. It turns out we are 24 miles from his shop. He tells us to top off the oil and drive it there. That we won't do anymore to it then we already have. We top off oil, get on interstate. John is driving 40 mils an hour. He says he doesn't care what others think. We get it there. They have us park by a couple other rvs. We go inside to give them the information. I explain we just bought it. It still has the Pennsylvania tags. She says you haven't had it inspected yet. I'm like no. Haven't made it to Kansas to do so. The owner of the place comes into talk to us. He explains this type of engine had a problem with the manifold gasket and that could be part of the problem. He is going to pull it apart and will let us know what he finds. We told him about the bomb and showed him pictures. He said he thought he could put it back the way it originally was. That would fix the problem. We said sure if he wanted to see if he could fix it that would be great. We then all climbed into Cadillac xt5 and headed home to Emporia Kansas leaving Jenny (Winnebago ADVENTURER) in Wentzville Missouri.

I'm looking forward to getting her back. I still love her maybe more now then before. We did go through some turn pikes I had mentioned calling the people we got her from. My brother said after all that let them pay it.

I keep telling myself I only paid 22,000 for her and even if I put a couple thousand in her I'd still be below what she is worth.

The first picture is my brother checking out all the room. Second is the bomb. The third is from me following behind her.

It's going to be good.

[wahoonc]

That was an interesting read... maybe you should pitch it as a reality TV show.

We just purchased a 2014 Itasca Meridian, that has no records. Right now we are waiting on the dealer to finish fixing the big slide then the fun will begin.

Aaron

[Bo Walker]

Wow Trish4801, what an adventure. So, what year motor home is Jenny and how long is she? Does she have 3 slide-outs? Okay, I remember you said it's a 2005 and 38 feet long with low mileage. Hopefully you will have her home and performing perfectly. We once had an Adventurer. We enjoyed it very much. Then, after a few years, I had an itching for a diesel pusher and we sold the Adventurer and bought a HR Ambassador.
Enjoy all the adventures!

[Our ride]

Sounds a little far fetched and over the top to be true.

[Trish4801]

No it may sound unbelievable but it is true. I lived it. When I get the bill for fixing her I will prove it. Oh my God there is always one person.

[Trish4801]

Thank you Bo Walker. She does have the 3 slide outs. It is going to be great. My brother, who's in the photo, was amazed by the room. He and his wife live full-time in a 33' Dolphin 1993 I believe. He had me send the picture to her He said to make her feel jealous.

I can't wait to get her back.

[tmelsonjr]

Originally Posted by Trish4801

No it may sound unbelievable but it is true. I lived it. When I get the bill for fixing her I will prove it. Oh my God there is always one person.

soo true!