1979 28ft Ambassador (what's it worth?)

[timmy]

Hi.Im looking at a 79 Ambassador 28ft rear washroom.Outside looks great,no marks but clear coming off in spots.Inside looks original but ok maintained.I know it will need work but I know nothing about the value of this unit.Is a 79 ambassador rare or good or bad or...Would love any input on this model.I want to buy this for a project.What would someone pay for this.Thank You... Im very new to this forum .Rob

[tlavergne]

First off, welcome! I have the same model but one year older. I paid $5000 and put a few thousand more into it to bring it up to near perfect for us (new brakes, tires, converter, refrigerator, freshwater tank, 2 fantastic fans, etc.) My clearcoat is coming off too but I don't worry about that.

[tlavergne]

I should add that I had no serious problems with ours. A rusty frame, floor rot, rear end separation, etc. could really add up to some big dollars. Make sure you are looking beyond the obvious.
Tom

[timmy]

Ok.Thanks for the input Tom.I have already learned a huge amount about Airstreams and what to look for on this forum.Im waiting for a warm day to look it over real good.(i hope within the next few weeks ) A quick look shows that is has been look after but has not been used for some time.I know the owner and said I could have it for $3000.00

[tlavergne]

As long as nothing major is wrong that sounds like a good price to me. Make sure all of the appliances work.

[timmy]

The local AS dealer wants over $400.00 to do an inspection on it.Are they kidding!I know they have to charge labour but does that not sound high?

[Aage]

It's a significant investment. Several ways of looking at it, but to me, it would depend on how much in detail they get with it. Shop rates are what, $100 per hour? It can take some time to go into ALL the things can can go wrong on a 32-year-old trailer.

Even though the trailer you are considering seems good, there are for sure things wrong with it. I would have liked to have an expert give me details of what needed doing when I bought my trailer. You won't have to take the seller's word. Heck, the seller probably doesn't KNOW all that needs done to it!

Is it really something you want done cheap and fast?

Why not ask them how they came up with $400 as a costing, and what does it include? Will it have quotes for all the things they say are wrong, as an example. Will they peak under the belly pan (to see the frame) is another question. Will they give you photos of important work to be done, so you can understand it better?

If what they have to say doesn't make you feel goos about making that investment, you can always walk away...

[tlavergne]

I had that done by the factory in J.C. when I bought mine...can't remember the cost. They found some things to fix that I wouldn't have found until I was out camping. I thought it was money well spent but $400 dollars seems excessive. Like Aage said, ask them where they come up with the cost and you might feel better about it. Don't be surprised when they come up with things. As I said in an earlier post, I spent about $5000 to bring it back up to everything being fixed.

[1airhog]

lots of the cost can come from insuring there word, if something breaks after they inspect and they missed it they might be held to fix it. check out what you are paying for.