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Seems like a bad time to be trying to buy a Toyota RV?


TimFresh

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Not sure if I'm just unlucky but I've been searching for a couple weeks for a Toyota RV & it seems like now isn't the right time to be looking. 

 

Most st I've found are priced quite high compared to what I found that WAS available 3-6 years ago. 

If anyone has leads I'd appreciate it :)

 

im in Southern California but would obviously travel if we found d the right vehicle. 

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Spring time = sellers market, summers coming and thats when people want to go camping

Fall= buyers market, sellers dont want to pay storage and insurance

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Makes sense I guess. 

I didn't pay attention to what month the older ads were posted. 

Just seems like A LOT more of these were up for sale a couple years ago :(

 

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Your right.  I spent,  actually wasted a year looking for a Rialta, which led me to believe they were not such a good idea.   I then started looking for a Toyota about 3 years ago and since then the ones available has went down and price has went up.

The same advice still applies, fall, winter is a good time to buy, right before summer is a good time to sell and bad time to buy.. 

If you find one you like and the price is right, it is likely going to sell quick.  

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It seems like a lot of them are priced really high (well over $10k) but the equipment / condition / miles etc; isnt necessarily better on those than the ones that are less. 

I guess its just a waiting game to find the right one. 

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5 minutes ago, jjrbus said:

Your right.  I spent,  actually wasted a year looking for a Rialta, which led me to believe they were not such a good idea.   I then started looking for a Toyota about 3 years ago and since then the ones available has went down and price has went up.

The same advice still applies, fall, winter is a good time to buy, right before summer is a good time to sell and bad time to buy.. 

If you find one you like and the price is right, it is likely going to sell quick.  

Did you end up buying one?

if so what year, configuration etc? 

And how much did you pay?

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93 Sea Breeze V6 auto.  I had an underpowered RV once so the 4 cyl was not an option!   4 cyl may also come with some axle and spare tire issues that I did not want to deal with. 

I paid $5000 which was way too much, needed tires, cab AC did not work, parts of the inside were crappy. The ones around for $3000 had rot and rust, the ones for $10,000 needed work also.   But it was stored covered and it had no rot, was a Florida vehicle with no rust.  Have put at least $3000 into it since and too many hours. 

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5k is the most I'd pay. I just have to keep searching I guess. The right one will come along. 

If I have to wait till the fall / winter then I'll wait.

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Hate to say it but they are getting rather old there are probably a great deal of them sitting in backyards with severe coach rot. As time goes on they will get harder and harder to find so that will drive the market price up. I found mine in a backyard it was sort of for sale, hand printed sign filthy but in good shape.

 

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Be sure to check what type of rear axle it has. Most pre-86,s had the 5 lug duel rear wheels known as “foolies”. These are very dangerous And can cost anywhere from 2-4K to replace.  The correct axle will have 6 lugs on the rear.

It seems each successive year these old rigs are getting harder to find. Many die from neglect. It seems most of the good ones have already been scooped up. 

There are still “barn finds” out there. One member here found an early 80’s rig with 45K original miles.      Good Luck. 

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Hi Tim,

I’m in Central CA and found my RV on Craigslist.  It took weeks of combing the For Sale ads but I ended up finding one right in my own county!  I believe I started searching in earnest right after New Year’s, and I bought my Sunrader mid Feb.

I had my heart set on a Sunrader, but saw a Dolphin in my area on CL during my search that was primo.  Just pristine.  Plus I found several Toyota RVs on auction sites around here.  I bypassed that since I’m not a mechanic, but if you can fix up whatever you find and have the ability to tow if it’s an “as is” sale, auctions may be a good avenue for you?

This site here is GOLD: because of the replies to my post back in Jan I had a very good idea of what to seek and what to avoid.  (Plus reading older/archived posts helped too!).  Also, folks here were/are kind about private message questions - I made a good buy because these guys helped guide me!  I’m a newbie for sure, but wanted to share my experience of buying a Toyota mini RV this winter.

Good luck!!

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Hey Tim! Good luck on your search. I agree with Linda that 5K in California might be difficult! For sure 4 cylinder territory. I prefer the 4 over the 6. Like others stated Spring is the worst time to buy. The pristine ones are sold immediately! Like Fred stated there are barn finds. I was fortunate enough to find Grannie who sat for 10 years and only had 36K original miles. Paid $4500 but have spent thousands replacing all the dry rot and needed  repairs for sitting that long! Grannie never had a leak so didn’t have to worry about the extensive repairs involved with that. Now 2 years later Grannie is one of those “Pristine” Motorhomes that would sell on a dime! 

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Hey Tim, don't give up.  If you can expand your range into WA and OR, there are tons of RVs up there - got to watch out for the water damage though.  I saw a beautifully maintained Sunrader near Portland but he wanted $10K for it. I could pass his info to you if you would like to see if he has come down in price.   I had over a dozen rigs on my list (check Santa Barbara) and saw half of them before finding one in San Bernardino.  It was a bit weird.  They were asking 8k, I said I could only pay 5k, and they said they would take 4k.  I think they were tired of tire kickers and paying the storage fee.  I wasted no time running down there to pick it up.  In retrospect considering what I've had to do - and still have to do to the Dolphin - I think 4 was a fair price. 

So it can be done.  Maybe find a polite and respectful way to let them know what kind of cash you can offer that doesn't waste their time but gives them an option to reconsider their price?

Also, like boats and houses, RV purchases are emotional, not rational purchases.  The POs of my Dolphin had a need to be happy with the person who bought their rig - as I did when I sold my boat.  So don't discount the possibility that you will be the right "fit" for the purchase.  Nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?

Also, thanks to the wildfires, SoCal is a lousy place to look for rigs right now.  RVs were getting snapped up by people desperate for somewhere to live after that, and I'm guessing the market is thin now. 

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I paid $7500 for mine in spring then dumped another $7500 into it over the last few years. Its not about the money, its about the memories. that being said on saving from hotels on vacations its paid itself off.

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I found a 87  Nova Star (clam shell fiberglass) in a backyard several years ago with 28K on it. Just about everything other than up date the interior was general maintenance. I bought it for $3500 drove it for maybe 4 years sold it to my neighbor who had to have it even gave it to him to drive for a week for $6500. Well he took it to Canada and up coast Maine and said it's just too slow I want to sell it. Ok said I they are very popular you can get your money out of it. No I don't want to go to all that trouble can you sell it for me you can keep anything over $5800?. I put it on Craigslist for $6500 got 23 calls ended up selling it again for $6300. The new owner lives in VT and restores old tractors for kicks He has done a beautiful job with new sheet metal, paint work and Zep on the fiberglass. I actually thought he had painted the fiberglass. I would say if he were to sell it it's probably worth $8 to 9 thousand now. They are really quite a cult motorhome home and the price will reflect that but don't despair there is one out there looking for a new home.

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Sure wish I was your neighbor Maineah Lol! The Nova Star is my favorite of all the Toyota MH’s!

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  • 2 years later...

Dedication to the ads is what it takes and a little thinking you could get a great Toy for under $5k.

 

Out of Central Washington...

1994 ITASC TOYOTA

Engine is blown, who knows...very nice dinette in back. Bid $1500 and put $2000 into a new motor and you'll be well below $5k on a decent Toy.

00h0h_9WrG03EQ7ge_0fu0bC_600x450.jpg

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