Thinking about a 2004 Adventurer 35U

[sewmom6]

My husband has talked me into switching from my Hitchhiker fifth wheel to a motor home. We really like the Adventurer 35U. We are both retired now and are looking forward to traveling. We have pets and grandkids so camping works well for us. Any tips or suggestions would be great!

 

[BCam]

I have a 2002 Itasca Suncruiser 35U which is virtually identical to the Adventurer 35U. My opinion, and that of many others, is that the 35U is one of the best floor plans that Winnebago has ever made. Although we haven't had time to use it much since buying in in Nov 2017, we love it.

We found the sofa to be a bit clunky and somewhat difficult to use and replaced it with two electric, leather recliners. Alternatively we could have replaced it with a double recliner or more modern sofa-bed.

We also replaced the old vinyl with luxury vinyl planking and the old shag carpet with commercial carpet tiles. My wife re-covered the dinette cushions and the valances. The day/night blinds, if you have them, can be washed in the shower with Clorox Clean-up Cleaner+Bleach spray. Ours' came out looking like new. The Clorox spray also works wonders on any leak stains on the ceiling headliner.

Another thing we did was to replace the old converter with a modern one with multi-stage charging. It's much more gentle on your batteries:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F8MC440/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Plan on re-caulking your roof joints, vents, etc. and carefully check for water leaks. Our's had a cracked and repaired skylight that had damaged the bathroom ceiling. A new skylight is about $300. We also replaced the toilet with a more modern, high profile, ceramic toilet (less than $130) instead of trying to replace the seals in the old one.

Our biggest single issue was leaking hydraulic hoses so carefully check for signs of hydraulic leaks. Most of our front slide hydraulic hoses had leaking fittings. You can DIY but, if you have all the hoses replaced professionally, it can be $1,000 or more (hoses are cheap, labor isn't). I don't know if it lasted until 2004 but HWH (the slide out manufacturer) had a problem with hoses in the early 2000s. As long as the slides and jacks work OK, hose leaks aren't a cause for rejection, just negotiation.

As with any coach, make sure the major systems, refrigerator, air conditioner (heat pump), heater power management center, etc. are in good working order and that the "truck" part is in good shape (engine, transmission, brakes, etc.). Extremely low mileage like 12,000 can be a sign that the rig has sat unused for most of it's life without routine maintenance which can be an issue, so look for a reasonable mileage figure (our's had 56k). Check the DOT date code on the tires and, if they're several years old, negotiate. Six new tires will cost close to $2,000 or more. Also, unless they've already been replaced, plan on new shocks. If you can, get the "truck" part checked out pre-purchase by a good truck repair shop experienced in your brand of chassis (Workhorse or Ford). Major repairs, especially a transmission or engine rebuild can be reasons for rejection.

Here's a good site with a lot of tire-related info:

RV Tire Safety: Tire pressure Increase

If it has a Workhorse chassis, make sure the brake recall has been taken care of, or find out how to get it done:

https://www.mainlinetruck.com/WorkhorseBrakeRecall.aspx (note: this is an old site since it says parts aren't yet available)

It should be obvious if it's been fixed since the calipers will look new.

Read up on the Winnebago windshield leak issue and make sure you don't have a major problem. Fixing a windshield leak can range from simple sealing/taping to $2,000 of rust/metal frame repair. This problem is not unique to any particular model or years of manufacture. This is the worst case:

Search winnieowners.com for more info. I was lucky, mine had already had the metal work repair but I still had to tape the top rubber gasket with Eternabond tape.

Most of the other "house" items, such as water pumps, shower heads, faucets, etc. are relatively inexpensive and are DIY.

I think the 35U is a great coach and would buy it again so don't be scared off by all the things I've listed. Most, if not all would be common to any rig more than a few years old. From what I've read and, based on my own experience, plan on spending $2,000 - $4,000 over what you pay for your motorhome to get it into shape.

 

[sewmom6]

Thanks

Just what I was looking for- we will check with the current owners on these things

 

[BCam]

Make sure that the two of you are able to spend two or three hours in and around the coach so you can check things out and have a free discussion without the owner hovering around.

And don't work against yourself by focusing on inconsequential "defects". When I was selling my travel trailer, one potential buyer kept pointing out every bracket, hook, etc. with the question "is that stock?" After about ten such questions (including one about an obviously new microwave) it really started to irk me and I almost asked him why he wasn't buying new if he was so concerned about such little things. I was selling a Nash trailer and he kept telling me that he really would like to have a Lance, I was thinking, OK, why are you looking at a Nash? He may have thought he was softening me up for negotiation but I'd pretty much decided not to give a penny in negotiation but he never called back. You don't want to try to deal with a PO'd seller.

In buying and selling boats, it's common practice to agree on a price contingent on a "sea trial" and "survey" within a specified period of time. The results of the survey and estimated repair costs are then used to negotiate deductions from the price or may be cause for outright rejection. If you can't come to agreement on an adjusted price or if you don't like how the boat handles after the sea trial, the deal is off. The same approach can be used for a motorhome purchase. The cost of the survey is borne by the buyer.

Good luck and let us know how it turns out.