1983 Motorhome

[Bill Resseau]

Hi Folks, My wife is kinda antsy about pulling trailer and prefers a motorhome. There is one advertised, looks like South Carolina, 1983 310 B Classic. $13,700 low mi.on rebuilt 454. I currently have 1971 Tradewind and love it. Anything I need to look out for on motorhome. How does price look, assuming everything works ? Thanks and happy Streaming. Bill

[PeterH-350LE]

Bill,
Price sounds good, but you can bet that not everything works.
There have been many discussions in the MH forum about purchasing a Classic Airstream MH.
One of the things you will find, is that cost of ownership will sooner or later surpass the purchase price.

[ViewRVs]

Bill,

Welcome to the group!

1) The only Airstream Classic Motorhome to outright avoid is the 1989 370.

2) Condition is everything. The seems fair but I suspect the condition is also fair to good. The vehicle is 20 years old.

3) Peter is right in that the initial repairs will cost you some cash. The usual is $2,000 to $4,000 to get it where you are happy. Most people buying these units today are loving owners that want a piece of history and a great motor home.

Click on the link below to see my archives. I have photos of 3 1983 310's. The big question is what rear bed configuration does it have? (Rear twins, island double, or dinette/bed combo)

As always, the fridge and generator are big ticket items. Enjoy.

[swebster]

Bill,
I'm fairly new to the group also. I saw your post and felt like we are in similar boats so I thought I would jump in an begin getting more involved in the forum myself.

I make my living within the RV industry (RV dealership CRM software and website management) and have the fun task of hanging around dealerships all over the country and checking out RV's. Its tough, but someone has to do it!

I've been looking for a 310 - 325 for work and play for six months and have found them to range wildly in price and condition. Everything from a 81' 280 that took twenty tries to start (and would have been better off if it didn't) for $15,000 to a very pretty 85' 325 for $33,000.

The thing that I've been learning is that they are worth what your willing to pay. Seems like there are good deals out there but so far I haven't found any.

Sounds like you've found one at a good price for a 310. If she's too rough for your taste, especially the interior, let me know as I'm seeking a project for a custom work specific interior retrofit.

Steven

[74Argosy24MH]

You are at a distinct advantage already owning an Airstream trailer. Look for the same (leaks, all systems work) on the MH. A low mileage rebuilt engine is good, but check to see if the warranty is transferrable. If not it is better than high mileage but still your $$ if a problem pops up. How many miles on the odometer? I tend to question maintenance on a vehicle with a rebuilt engine without a lot of miles, and these require a lot of maintenance. If a PO didn't check (or change) oil or coolant that caused the engine to go, they probably didn't grease the suspension, change trans fluid, etc. and that can get costly fast.

John