To fix or not to fix

[TrailerTulip]

Hello! I am new to this forum and new to RVing. I bought a 2006 Cherokee 31z on September 29. Hindsight is 20/20 and I so wish I had gotten an inspection. Awful newbie mistake. Without getting into it all, I purchased it as an affordable medium term living solution. Seemed like a great idea and one that more and more people are doing in the Pacific Northwest of Canada where I live. I was assured it was very clean and in "perfect condition"

The previous owner had used it for his workers and when they had set it up in the camp they had not leveled it and water had come in through the slide....once. He also said they had never had the water hooked up so if I had any issues with the water to let him know and he would take care of it. There was (a pipe was split) and and he did pay to have that fixed. 

Since then my furnace went, the slide is leaking everywhere as are the skylights. I had the repair guy in. The furnace will be $400-500, he doesn't know how much it will be to seal the roof, he suggests taking the ceiling of the slide down and part of the wall where the water is pouring in through the light, drying everything out and replacing the insulation, panels etc... We are now looking at $3000-$5000 in repairs. I bought this for $9000.

I have borrowed money from my ex to fix this but frankly all I can think about now is what might we find when we get the ceiling apart? what is the floor like? etc... This is terrifying to me as I don't have a job yet (just came back after months in another country) I have thought about getting everything fixed and trying to sell it for what I paid originally. I have thought about just sealing the roof and getting the furnace fixed and leaving the ceiling etc and selling it. I did contact the guy I bought it from and he told me he was sorry to hear all that but it wasn't his problem. 

 

I need advice as I am in over my head and don't want to fall any further. Thanks!

[Orvil Hazelton]

My friend, sometimes it's just time to take your losses and move on.  Count it as a lesson well learned. Oh, by the way . . . be sure to pay back your ex, just saying. As always,  oRV 

[TrailerTulip]

Hi Orville

I am not sure really how to "move on". Fix and sell I suppose.  Buying this took really the last of my money. Not concerned with paying back the ex as he and his parents borrowed a very large amount from me for a down payment on the house they all bought together. It will be taken out of that amount when the parents original house sells.

[Orvil Hazelton]

Sounds good, Trailer Tulip.  

[Kirk W]

Welcome to the Escapee forums!

As one with many years of experience in owning and caring for RVs, I can only say that it is impossible for me to give advice of any value based on the very limited amount that you have given us. It would help if we knew what brand, model, and year of manufacture the RV is. What size is it and what condition is the appearance? Do you have the ability to tow the RV? Where is it currently parked and how much of the work could you or a friend do in order to save money? Have you checked with one of the valuing groups like NADA or Kelly Blue Book to see what it might be worth if you do repair it? 

What you have posted thus far sounds very bad but with no details at all about the RV, it is difficult to even guess what might be your situation. If you genuinely want out help, you must give us some solid information about the RV. 

[Devilishjim]

Welcome Red Tulips  being as you have 9 in it now figure out what it would take to make a nice rig out of it. With friends helping it should help hold costs down. If you repair this one you will know what you have. 

Maybe some of your girl friends can lure him to a party, wrap him in sheets and beat the holy crap outta him with a frying pan ?

[TrailerTulip]

5 hours ago, Kirk Wood said:

Welcome to the Escapee forums!

As one with many years of experience in owning and caring for RVs, I can only say that it is impossible for me to give advice of any value based on the very limited amount that you have given us. It would help if we knew what brand, model, and year of manufacture the RV is. What size is it and what condition is the appearance? Do you have the ability to tow the RV? Where is it currently parked and how much of the work could you or a friend do in order to save money? Have you checked with one of the valuing groups like NADA or Kelly Blue Book to see what it might be worth if you do repair it? 

What you have posted thus far sounds very bad but with no details at all about the RV, it is difficult to even guess what might be your situation. If you genuinely want out help, you must give us some solid information about the RV. 

Hello Kirk,

I did give most of that information in my post. It is a 2006 Cherokee 31z. Which is actually 33 feet.  It "looks" great. I wouldn't have bought it otherwise. No mold anywhere or wavy walls or ceilings etc. I do not have the ability to tow it and had to hire someone to bring it to where it is now.  It is on an rv pad and I am living in it

. As far as fixing it myself or with friends....I don't think that would be possible. I am not going to rip apart a furnace. I could technically pull down the ceiling but my fear of black mold and rotten beams makes me believe that is out of my hands as well. The only thing I could potentially do is seal the roof. I have never sealed anything in my life but could learn. 

These are usually going for around $13000 I paid $9000 I am hoping if these things get fixed to at least get what I paid for it. 

[TrailerTulip]

4 hours ago, Devilishjim said:

Welcome Red Tulips  being as you have 9 in it now figure out what it would take to make a nice rig out of it. With friends helping it should help hold costs down. If you repair this one you will know what you have. 

Maybe some of your girl friends can lure him to a party, wrap him in sheets and beat the holy crap outta him with a frying pan ?

Hello New best friend...I like the way you think hehe  We came up with lots of things to do but the wrapping in a sheet and beating him with a frying pan is awfully good!

[Devilishjim]

Just now, TrailerTulip said:

Hello New best friend...I like the way you think hehe  We came up with lots of things to do but the wrapping in a sheet and beating him with a frying pan is awfully good!

Cast iron frying pan

 

[Kirk W]

5 hours ago, TrailerTulip said:

I did give most of that information in my post. It is a 2006 Cherokee 31z.

What I was looking for, and believe I have now found, is the manufacturer. I believe that it was made by Forest River. So far I have found very little information about them but will continue digging. 

[Kirk W]

I did find several ads for them such as this one.

Quote

2006 Forest River CHEROKEE 31Z BUNK HOUSE

$9,911

 

Inverness, Florida

 

Year 2006

Make Forest River

Model CHEROKEE 31Z BUNK HOUSE

Category Travel Trailers

Length 34

Posted Over 1 Month

2006 Forest River CHEROKEE 31Z BUNK HOUSE, GREAT COUCH TO BRING THE WHOLE FAMILY,FRONT QUEEN,DINETTE AND COUCH IN SUPER SLIDE,REAR BUNKS WITHSLIDE OUT TO COUCH,FULL BATH AND SHOWER,FULL KITCHEN,COME CHECK IT OUT,...PLEASE NOTE ALL U

 

 

[TrailerTulip]

1 hour ago, Kirk Wood said:

I did find several ads for them such as this one.

 

You have to remember as well that I am in Canada, so, $9911.00 is actually $12, 683.11 to me

The repair guy was here and I am going to do the slide ceiling myself after the roof is sealed. The repair guy is concerned that after he gets up there that i may need a new roof. That will be about $5000. I don't have $5000 for that. So I am hoping for a miracle at this point. 

[Kirk W]

I'd not thought of the dollar exchange rate so it seems that your price was quite good if the unit is in reasonably good condition. Leaks can be a frightening experience but if this has not been going on for a long time, it may not be as bad as you think. A leak when promptly repaired is fairly minor but if not repaired and allowed to happen repeatedly can be a disaster.  If the seller was honest the leak is probably a recent issue and may be as simple as replacing the caulking. It is pretty normal for the caulking around skylights to leak if not replaced periodically and that job is not very difficult. I didn't find enough information on your RV to be able to determine much about the construction of your slide so can't advise much on it but an experienced RV tech should be able to deal with that. It might be as simple as replacing the seals where the slide contacts the sides of the RV when it is extended. Those seals do require some care and it sounds like yours probably sat in the open position with no maintenance for an extended period. 

If you know someone who has owned and cared for an RV for a long time, get that person to look this over and advise you. This may not be as major a problem as you are thinking. You are correct to be concerned about leaks as those do get worse if left unrepaired, but do not panic as this could still be a relatively small problem. If the interior looks as good as you say it is unlikely to have been leaking for a long time since leaks usually will cause water stains to show on the inside. 

 

[theeyres]

This sound crazy and doesn't fix anything but I had one trailer where the slide leaked crazy and had no money to replace the seals so I finally made sure when I leveled the trailer it was slightly slanted toward the slide side. No fix, but when it rained the water ran to the outside of the slide and onto the ground. That same trailer also leaked water through the bottom edges on the side of the slide. After patching and patching I finally removed the metal piece covering the seam, cleaned it all up and caulked behind the metal piece. That fixed that.

As for the roof, go up and check it yourself. It may need replacing but it could be you can get by yourself by getting the proper caulk and redoing all the seams. Also check out EternaBond Roof tape. You might be able to go over all the seams to stop the leaking. You could use this stuff on all the edges and joints of the slide, too. Obviously there is the best fix--replacing everything--but I've been there and there is a lot of DIY fixes that will get you through until you have more $$$.

Personally, others may disagree, but I would not put that kind of $$ into that old of trailer. It's just throwing good money after bad. But I'll bet you can make it livable with a little down home ingenuity. 

[rdickinson]

Where in Canada, East or West?