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Need Advice on Repairs and Costs
Hi name is Melissa and we are in the hunt for our first Lazy Daze, a MB or TK probably a 90's era model cause our budget is in the $10 - $20 k range. We looked at a 1992 one this weekend that was advertised as being in great condition but there were some definite issues. We are still considering it but need to understand what we are looking at repair and maintenance wise before making an offer. We will have a mechanic check it out before we buy but here are the things I already know are wrong.

Generator not running, owner never used it doesn't know what's wrong might just have sat too long and needs service. 140 hrs on the meter.

Dash AC, owner said it works but it didn't get cold during test drive.

Roof has some sort of sealant that was poured on, done by a previous owner current one knows nothing about it. Sealant is lifting in spots and obviously I don't know what happened in the past like a leak.

Sliding window next to dinette is cracked, can any auto glass replacement place do this or should it have a new window from LD?

Then there was some strange rattle at idle that happened intermittently, the mechanic will have to figure that one out.

The caulk in the seams is old and brittle, overall I don't think the current owner knew much about properly maintaining it. It's in decent shape for the age and I know something this old will have some issues, I just want to put a price to them before committing to anything. Any othet advice i need? Thanks!
98 MB
Re: Need Advice on Repairs and Costs
Reply #1 –
Not knowing the location of you or the rig, off hand I would say the sealant poured on the roof should take this rig out of contention. Absolutely if it is from a wet climate, but removing the sealant for a proper repair is extremely difficult usually. More info such as pictures of issue areas and the chassis (Ford or Chevy) would help, and if any LD owner is nearby to take a look - location info needed, again.

Steve
2004 FL
2013 Honda Fit
Re: Need Advice on Repairs and Costs
Reply #2 –
Location is Los Angeles so not a wet climate, for at least the last 2 owners, but hard to say if it always lived here. I will check closer for signs of prior leaks or rot i admit I didn't peek in all the cabinets yet. We owned an Airstream before so I know some general RV things to look out for but not LD specific. I think the guys asking price doesn't reflect reality of condition and he thinks it's perfect, which its not. Oh and it's a Ford I believe. It's on Craigslist in LA
98 MB
Re: Need Advice on Repairs and Costs
Reply #3 –
Based on your descriptions of issues that you observed, the "generic", inconclusive condition indicators from the ad on Craig's List, and that the current owner represents the rig as being in "perfect condition", I would walk away!

2003 TK has a new home
Re: Need Advice on Repairs and Costs
Reply #4 –
Hi Melissa:  Welcome to the forum.  I'm concerned about the generator not running, current owner oblivious to it, and only 140 hours on the meter.  Generators need to be run 1 to 2 hours per month to keep everything running in good shape.  You mentioned the rig you're looking at has 140 hours on the meter, my quick calculation shows that the generator should have been run 576 hours for the monthly (2 hrs.) exercise only.  So, that gen. has sat ... a lot.  Might need to be replaced.  If you plan on spending a lot of time in campgrounds hooked up to AC, then no big deal, you don't need the gen.  But, if you would rather boon dock camp, the generator is a problem. 

Cab AC, have a good mechanic check it out.

The roof can be a major problem...depending.  All Class C roofs will leak eventually if not carefully checked out periodically and maintained.  Was the glop on the roof preventive?  Or was it done after a leak developed?  Check the coach again carefully before buying.  Especially check out the cab over bed near the roof seems and windows.  Press around with your hands.  Nothing should feel soft or mushy.  Check around the other windows for softness.  Did you smell any mildew when you were in it previously?  Is there any discoloration or stains on the inside roof or walls?  If any of this is present, water got in, and it is likely that there may be wood rot.  If so, unless you are capable of spending big bucks, and have the skills to tear out the rotted structures and replace, run away from this rig.

Other things to consider, RV tires need to be replaced at six years old no matter how good the tread looks.  Check the date codes on the tires yourself, and plan to replace them if they have timed out.  All fluids should be replaced, and the belts and hoses in the engine probably need to be replaced.  All appliances should be operated by you to make sure they work.  You should also consider creating an emergency repair fund.  All RVs are expensive to maintain and sooner or later some work will need to be done on an old rig.

Finally, I am not too confident about the current owner's lack of knowledge about this rig.  A red flag for me.

I hope this is not a too pessimistic reply.  But, I think it is realistic.  Best wishes for success.
2011 MB
Re: Need Advice on Repairs and Costs
Reply #5 –
Hi Melissa, Welcome to our group. I'm assuming this LD is the one in Sierra Madre listed for $11,888, a Mid-bath. It looks good to me. A 24 year old motorhome is always going to have issues. The tires look good, but always check the date codes. A maintenance receipt with tire serial numbers will work for the inside duals where you can't see the date codes. 75,000 is 'low' mileage, and if it hasn't been in too many snow belt states, that's good. Check the undercarriage for rust and wood rot also.
    Roof leaks I would say are the number one killer of older motorhomes. This one doesn't have a real window in the front cab-over, just side windows. That is a plus. A very complete and careful inspection is warranted. As Larry W. suggested; good locations to check also is around any of the windows. Soft areas above, beside and below. Especially the back three panoramic windows. The broken window should be fixed in L.A. by Nagco glass. The LD factory will refer you to them. They will know the proper tint, etc.
   Being a '92 it could be on a '91 chassis. The 460 V8 had problems with the exhaust manifolds. It made a company Ring Manifold rich. The dash A/C probably uses the 'old' Freon, that is difficult to obtain legally. A conversion to R-134A would be in your future. The industry switched to 134A in '93 mostly.  
   Well the generator....140 hours can't be too worn out. Does it turn over at all? Could be a simple problem, like a cracked fuel line from the tank, plugged up carburetor, filters, or it could be rusted into one piece, a total loss. There are lots of that model of generators out there and repairs can be done.
    Have you plugged the RV in. Does the roof A/C run. They say that they use it regularly. Many short trips are better than no trips. About $10,000  sounds about right. You should follow up with a more detailed visit and take it for a test drive. Let us know how this turns out. Thanks. RonB
RonB (Bostick) living in San Diego
Original owner of "Bluebelle" a '99 TKB
Re: Need Advice on Repairs and Costs
Reply #6 –
Quote from: 3Bostons  - 
Hi name is Melissa and we are in the hunt for our first Lazy Daze, a MB or TK probably a 90's era model cause our budget is in the $10 - $20 k range. We looked at a 1992 one this weekend that was advertised as being in great condition but there were some definite issues. We are still considering it but need to understand what we are looking at repair and maintenance wise before making an offer. We will have a mechanic check it out before we buy but here are the things I already know are wrong.

Generator not running, owner never used it doesn't know what's wrong might just have sat too long and needs service. 140 hrs on the meter.

Dash AC, owner said it works but it didn't get cold during test drive.

Roof has some sort of sealant that was poured on, done by a previous owner current one knows nothing about it. Sealant is lifting in spots and obviously I don't know what happened in the past like a leak.

Sliding window next to dinette is cracked, can any auto glass replacement place do this or should it have a new window from LD?

Then there was some strange rattle at idle that happened intermittently, the mechanic will have to figure that one out.

The caulk in the seams is old and brittle, overall I don't think the current owner knew much about properly maintaining it. It's in decent shape for the age and I know something this old will have some issues, I just want to put a price to them before committing to anything. Any othet advice i need? Thanks!
Can you post the Craigslist link here so if there are photos we can look at them? 
Chris
Formerly: 2002 30' IB
Re: Need Advice on Repairs and Costs
Reply #7 –
Thanks for all the advice, we are scheduled to have it inspected tomorrow morning at a mechanic with Lazy Daze experience and will dig in further to each of the areas of concern. If we don't buy it the inspection cost will be good education so we can find the right one. Wish I had a bigger budget! My husband said not a penny over $10k with what we know and thats before the mechanics inspection. The seller is very nice and has rv experience, I think he is selling the rig much as he bought it and didn't invest in fixing it.  The over head ac works plugged into shore power, fridge works too. We have a yamaha 2400 portable genny from the airstream, depending on how big the ac unit is on the LD it may run it. We will try to bring the portable tomorrow and see. We typically boondock, prefer forest service camp grounds or state parks to places wit hook ups.  It actually has 83k miles, another issue with the ad....

https://losangeles.craigslist.org/sgv/rvs/5751677363.html
98 MB
Re: Need Advice on Repairs and Costs
Reply #8 –
Chris, I'm pretty sure that this is the LD in question:

LAZY DAZE

The photos don't really show anything other than a general idea of the interior layout; no close-ups, and certainly no shots of any of the "warts" the OP described.
2003 TK has a new home
Re: Need Advice on Repairs and Costs
Reply #9 –
I sold my 1992 a few months go. I drove it for 17 years. Went from 80,000 miles to 145,000. And I sold it for $9250 so it can be done.

If someone says its "perfect" not "it's in great shape for its age", then I would be immediately suspicious.  It could still be something to consider.  You'll just have to really check it out. I would want to see the refrigerator run for 24 hours and then the temperature checked. Mine worked ok but the years were showing even though I was always very good about leveling it. So maybe reserve some cash to replace it.

Mine didn't come with a generator and living in Oregon I never missed it. Ran the AC maybe half a dozen times. Only once spending the night at Walmart in Oroville, CA did I wish we had a generator. That was also one of the very rare times I ran the swamp cooler. If you are in SoCal you may feel differently.  At the moment I think generators are a lot of trouble and may not be worth the maintenance hassle.

The dash air quit a couple years ago but managed to get it recharged and it worked great. I'm thinking that was about $400.

Mine also had something poured on the roof. I confess I ignored it and it never was an issue even in rainy Oregon. The last four years I had a carport for it and before that a cover which I put on in winter. But it got rained on a lot! 

I think the biggest negative is that you got the feeling the guy didn't know much!  My feeling is that if you are in SoCal and don't mind driving 100 miles or so you can find one that has been babied. Most LD owners love their rigs and take care of them.

In all the time time I had mine the only big expense was just last February. New catalytic converter for $1800. Otherwise regular maintenance and a set of tires at $1100.

Good luck and if you have any doubts don't buy it. Before we found the one we have now we drove over 1000 mile one way in a Jeep Wrangler on a very stormy weekend to buy a rig the women said was "perfect". She didn't even have the year right!  We gave it a good look but many things screamed "wrong" and we didn't buy it and drove home. Found one a month later and everything clicked.
2004 MB
Re: Need Advice on Repairs and Costs
Reply #10 –
I just checked out the pictures on the ad and if you look at the picture of the front overhead bunk the ceiling looks to have had water damage and is sagging down I think I would pass on that one .
2009 Kodiak 32 foot Island Bed
Re: Need Advice on Repairs and Costs
Reply #11 –
Welcome 3bostons

I paid $9000 for my '92 MB last year. I overpaid, but was OK doing so for personal reasons. I have altogether more than $16K into it now, and feel it is done.

The bunk- there were dummy curtains in front, with plastic rails to attach them. These are gone. So this area may have been covered or the many screw hold filled in. Take a close look. Get very close up in the from corners looking for softness or rusted screws.

Can't see the rear corner joints in these photos either. Mine corners were compromised and it had rot. I rebuilt the rear framework inside the walls. In that era the wood under the corner trim plastic pieces was not protected in any way. A leaky seam means water gets in, runs across the window framing.

My spending includes a lot of discretionary spending, like adding led tail lights, backup lights, all coach lights; trans flush and shift kit, new mattress, new cabinets, the "Hendersons suspension treatment"

Things I did because I had to or wanted to be sure- new plugs, cap, wires. New brake cylinders, power steering pump, fuel pump, water heater motherboard, new house AC, rebuilt cab AC, water pump, new charger/converter, new batteries with fill kit, a couple of switches and modules for the Ford.

Coulda bought a newer one with benefits of 450 chassis an V10 engine, but what would I do with my time?
Paul
'92 Mid Bath
Re: Need Advice on Repairs and Costs
Reply #12 –
I'll echo what Joan said: I'd run away from this coach. One single fact is more than enough to convince me: the sealant spread all over the roof.

The only reason somebody would do that is if they had a serious leak. That is, if they had a serious leak and had no idea how to fix it on an all-aluminum roof.

That tells me two things: 1) this coach has water damage--which will be expensive to repair--and 2) to fix the roof properly will require laboriously stripping off all that glop that some idiot poured on the roof and then applying Eternabond tape or sealant to the seams.

Either one of these would be reason enough not  to buy the coach. Taken together, they are sure signs of a money pit. The only person who should buy this coach is someone with a large budget (for repairs) and lots of time on their hands.
Andy Baird
2021 Ford Ranger towing 2019 Airstream 19CB
Previously: 1985 LD Twin/King "Gertie"; 2003 LD Midbath "Skylark"
Re: Need Advice on Repairs and Costs
Reply #13 –
"I have altogether more than $16K into it now, and feel it is done."
-----
Done? Heh heh heh.... Never done , never, ever done....  :D
2003 TK has a new home
Re: Need Advice on Repairs and Costs
Reply #14 –
Update: so after looking more closely it doesn't appear the whole roof is covered in sealant like I thought, it's only on the seams. The aluminum itself is what is floppy? It's not like my airstream which had rivets everywhere to hold it down but maybe thats normal. There's definitely some prior leakage or damage in the overhead, around the emergency exit. I asked current owner and he bought it that way and hasn't experienced any leaks. The inside paneling in that area is bowed, it's been carpeted up there so it's kind of hidden. Mechanic is doing their inspection right now.
98 MB
Re: Need Advice on Repairs and Costs
Reply #15 –
3bostons that floppy aluminium is OK, it is not tied down except at the edges and around vents, etc. allows expansion.

I would expect the past leakage has "compromised" the internal framework. That means the structural wood frame may have rot. If so, the repair will range between big and massive.

There are numerous threads here and blog posts written about repairing rot on an LD, including mine here
Paul
'92 Mid Bath
Re: Need Advice on Repairs and Costs
Reply #16 –
"The inside paneling in that area is bowed, it's been carpeted up there so it's kind of hidden."
----
"Bowed" paneling is a sure indicator of past leaks, and the damage may very well be extensive! The amount of damage and the cost (hassle, time) to repair same would be a deal breaker for me, and, I suspect, for many who have experienced (and repaired or tried to repair) dry rot in a wood framed rig! Even if this rig checks out OK mechanically, it will require repairs and replacements of all the issues mentioned in the original post, and the almost certain rot (that may well not be limited to the overhead area!) are throwing flags of the deepest red! Seriously, unless you are really grasp what may be in store for you when you start peeling off the layers and are prepared to take on whatever you find, do keep looking.
2003 TK has a new home
Re: Need Advice on Repairs and Costs
Reply #17 –
Well the inspection revealed a number of additional issues, some expected and some not. The big ticket items are the AC compressor, catalytic converter, wheel bearings and genny. The genny turns over so it isn't seized but still $500 on repairs. Oh and the batteries are shot, though the tires are good.

My husband told the seller we are not ready to make an offer this is way more extensive than expected, we may make one taking into account all the work it needs and I expect it to get rejected since it would be about half of asking. There is bound to be some sucker who will pay more. Got any leads on a clean 90's model under $20k :)
98 MB
Re: Need Advice on Repairs and Costs
Reply #18 –
3bostons, your diligence has certainly highlighted many of the issues you'd be walking into with this rig, but of course there are the unknowns as well, which could make this into quite a project (and money pit). 

Here's a listing that may interest you.  I don't know about it's availability, but the listing date is fairly recent.  Nice to see it appears to be well documented with service/maintenance records, but odd there's no generator:

1994 Lazy Daze M-26 in Camarillo, CA

Re: Need Advice on Repairs and Costs
Reply #19 –
My 97 TK has no generator and a swamp cooler.  The wooden compartment that replaced the generator had rot so I removed the rot and installed 4 batteries.  The only time I would like a generator is driving through the desert in the summer to run the ac in the back.
1997 TK
 
Re: Need Advice on Repairs and Costs
Reply #20 –
Generator? What's that?
Paul
'92 Mid Bath
Re: Need Advice on Repairs and Costs
Reply #21 –
Quote from: paul banbury  - 
Generator? What's that?
My first reaction was to explain that one of our boston terriers has breathing issues and can't take heat, but then I remember that he passed away last year  :'( We used to run the ac in the airstream for him, we have since adopted another senior boston and already have 2 other seniors. Even if we don't need the genny the average rv buyer expects one and a non operating one does affect value.

Against collective wisdom I did make an offer, a realistic but reasonable one, which the owner should reject cause I'm certain a less discerning buyer will take this rig for more. If he accepts I think we can get the rig fixed up without losing our shirts. I don't want to spend years looking for just the right one, my boys are old and don't have much time left. I also have a 4 year old daughter who is excited to go camping and doesn't understand waiting!
98 MB
Re: Need Advice on Repairs and Costs
Reply #22 –
Quote from: 3Bostons  - 
Hi name is Melissa and we are in the hunt for our first Lazy Daze, a MB or TK probably a 90's era model cause our budget is in the $10 - $20 k range. We looked at a 1992 one this weekend that was advertised as being in great condition but there were some definite issues. We are still considering it but need to understand what we are looking at repair and maintenance wise before making an offer. We will have a mechanic check it out before we buy but here are the things I already know are wrong.

Generator not running, owner never used it doesn't know what's wrong might just have sat too long and needs service. 140 hrs on the meter.

Dash AC, owner said it works but it didn't get cold during test drive.

Roof has some sort of sealant that was poured on, done by a previous owner current one knows nothing about it. Sealant is lifting in spots and obviously I don't know what happened in the past like a leak.

Sliding window next to dinette is cracked, can any auto glass replacement place do this or should it have a new window from LD?

Then there was some strange rattle at idle that happened intermittently, the mechanic will have to figure that one out.

The caulk in the seams is old and brittle, overall I don't think the current owner knew much about properly maintaining it. It's in decent shape for the age and I know something this old will have some issues, I just want to put a price to them before committing to anything. Any othet advice i need? Thanks!
I have a 92 with 70k  that has hardly seen daylight when not on the road, Im in Utah.
right now I have a fuel pump issue since it has been garaged for a couple years.
Im in Utah.. 8014200835 text is best if interested. trying to figure out how to post pics- it looks brand new
Re: Need Advice on Repairs and Costs
Reply #23 –
Quote from: bergbennett  - 
I have a 92 with 70k  that has hardly seen daylight when not on the road, Im in Utah.
right now I have a fuel pump issue since it has been garaged for a couple years.
Im in Utah.. 8014200835 text is best if interested. trying to figure out how to post pics- it looks brand new
Bergbennett, go to Forum (top of the home page), scroll down to Site Instructional Guides, scroll almost to the end of the posts and find Uploading Images as Attachments. Click on that and you will find info on how to add photos.
Chris
Formerly: 2002 30' IB
Re: Need Advice on Repairs and Costs
Reply #24 –
I have a 2001 30 ft. LD, which has a Powerstar 40 watt inverter, situated behind the drawers under the fridge. That inverter is putting out a high pitched whining sound and even disconnecting the house batteries & shore power does not stop the irritating sound. Anyone have any ideas or experience with this issue?