Looking for help figuring out model make etc. to buy.

[Derek up North]

Mirage, anyone?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1986-Toyota-Mirage-18-RV-Motorhome-Toy-Hauler-26K-mi-BIG-rear-hatch-RARE-COOL-/261066668482?pt=RVs_Campers&hash=item3cc8c939c2

[Davidadro]

Mirage, anyone?

http://cgi.ebay.com/...=item3cc8c939c2

Me Like!

[stamar]

I like that mirage a lot. Its small, but it eliminates the bathroom which i never use.

And as opposed to a 2 peice like a sunrader it is really a 1 peice.

The cabinets are made of fiberglass too. Basically as light as it gets. I dont see why it doesnt sell personally looks like the ultimate winner to me.

If 18 foot sunraders go for 10k that should be worth 8k

[Davidadro]

I like that mirage a lot. Its small, but it eliminates the bathroom which i never use.

And as oopposed to a 2 peice like a sunrader it is really a 1 peice.

The cabinets are made of fiberglass too. Basically as light as it gets. I dont see why it doesnt sell personally looks like the ultimate winner to me.

If 18 foot sunraders go for 10k that should be worth 8k

I agree Stamar, the Mirage was always my fave, and as some might see it as a pricey chunk of change, for the money and shape it's in, well worth the investment. Light, durable, it’s a winner! The no bathroom thing, well I agree with that too, I converted my bathroom to a wardrobe and closet area, I mean, it was too small to really shower in, and I don’t deal with dumping poop. Anyone looking for a great Toy should jump on this!

[Davidadro]

Someone mentioned an Americana, here is a 1989 V6... Needs a little work, but not a lot I dont think?

http://www.grumbines...mericana/165987

[Davidadro]

Here's a nice 1983 Huntsman with a built in Onan generator. They are stating that it only has 29763 original miles? It appears to be very clean and nice layout with a stand in shower with seat. It has wheel covers, so cant tell if it has the axle upgrade. $4700.00

http://www.spreadmyad.com/houston/vehicles/rvs/20561346-1983-toyota-huntsman-micro-mini-motorhome-22r-2-4l-4cyl-4-speed-29k-miles-onan-generator-plus-more-4700

[stamar]

I personally think that one is more a 3000$ model but it is peak season.

I listed my 85 for 6k and I get people bothering me to look at it all the time.

Its just the wrong time to buy one and that seems reasonable.

Within about 1 1/2 months nobody will want an 83 toyota home for even 3k there will be tons for sale and this model would be on the butt end having a 22r 4 speed and a 5 lug rear.

low mileage but its not very nice looking.

[Davidadro]

I couldn't tell if it had a 5 lug rear with those fake lug hubcaps on it, wouldn't buy it if it did.

Here's an 1986 Dolly for 2100.00. not much info on it though

http://apps.facebook...ebook.oodle.com

[stamar]

That one looks exactly like mine. Odds are i would buy it. Almost certain I could sell it for 5k right now.

also the huntsman looks exactly like the dolphin in every way although the materials for the cupboards is different. is there any relation?

[Davidadro]

That one looks exactly like mine. Odds are i would buy it. Almost certain I could sell it for 5k right now.

also the huntsman looks exactly like the dolphin in every way although the materials for the cupboards is different. is there any relation?

I'm not sure, as I know that National RV out of California made the Dolphin and Sea Breeze, and haven’t ever seen in my research of the company to a subsidiary in any other State. I have seen many different makes use the same, or near the same floor plan of the Dolphin 300 and 500 layouts, so I'm thinking maybe that Huntsman out of Kansas, was one of the followers of that trend, but took it a step further by using their near whole design?

Ya ever heard of this company making Yota's? I'd never buy it at this price, but I have never heard of this make building micro's, they are a camper maker out of Canada I believe.

http://www.motorhome...details/66.html

[stamar]

well the huntsman even uses the same colors for pin striping, it has the same places for all the external cabinets and the same size windows.

the actual stripes are not exactly the same

but on top of all that the only thing that says huntsman is a sticker that looks like costs 25 cents.

I know I parked mine next to a 86 huntsman the other day. In fact a cop knocked on my door a few weeks ago saying he told me not to camp in the super market parking lot already, and I said no you havent, because he ran into some problem with them

( a couple back in arcata living in a 86 huntsman)

The colors are even the exact same as a dolphin, yet the huntsman word is red in some clear sticker.

I figured it was just a dolphin they let some company rebrand.

[Davidadro]

Very well could be Stamar, though Huntsman did have their name on a number of different styles and chassis, they could have rebranded the Dolphin to get into the micro market?

They had Toyota and Datsun conversions

http://www.ebay.com/...=item589523c512

Dodge Class C RV's

Ford class C

http://www.wheelbynet.com/docs/rv/view_ad2.php3?ad_ref=rvZA4N355WODJ9

and some pick up campers as well it seems

http://for-sale.yakaz.com/huntsman-camper

Winnebago manufactures a Huntsman micro but it seems that model has always been for the Aussie market:

http://www.caravanca...-huntsman-20472

Interesting this RV stuff is, have a good one!

[stamar]

I took a lot of pictures of my dolphin next to a mirage last night.

It was at night so I dont know how it turned out.

The mirage was about 1000 feet from where the vixen is parked.

one thing ill just note because i dont think it was in a picture, this mirage had a six lug rear axle unlike the one listed on ebay.

[stamar]

it is about 4 feet shorter.

the top of it is almost the same width, but the bottom is thinner.

the cabover is much smaller. Im not sure if you can sleep in that or its just windows....

[stamar]

someday if i find a mirage rear door ina junkyard I will cut a hole in the back of mine and put it there.

[Davidadro]

someday if i find a mirage rear door ina junkyard I will cut a hole in the back of mine and put it there.

Someday, it would be cool to have a Mirage, rear door and all!

[stamar]

i think you actually sleep in the cabover in a way your feet are facing the window.

[Davidadro]

Here's a 1984 Mirage for sale built on a Ford Ranger V6 chassis. never seen one on that format before. Ford made a pretty strong V6, but looks like it is lacking the dual rears. $4000.oo their asking, and appears to be real clean inside. I think you are right in the sleeping position, and the bed area seems to be longer thaT WIDE.

http://gypsyjournal.net/class_c_motorhomes.htm

[stamar]

ford made terrible v6s. I had an arostar that didnt make it to 100k miles. Blown engine and transmission.

[stamar]

One thing about that rear double door...

the small door is way smaller than the small door on my dolphin.

its about the same width but 2 feet shorter overall. Even the big door isnt as tall as the door on my dolphin, its much wider though.

I anticipate getting into that little door is extremely weird like you might never use it. you jump up onto the bumper, open than door, jump over and duck down your head

I persoanlly hate the little door in my dolphin. it was hell trying to get a mattress into it. In fact, I threw a mattress away rather than put it in there.

[Davidadro]

ford made terrible v6s. I had an arostar that didnt make it to 100k miles. Blown engine and transmission.

I have had many vehicles, ford, chevy, dodge, and all have had their individual problems. I had a Ford Ranger V6 and put over 200,000 miles on it, and sold it to a friend 2 years ago, and he still driving it with no problems. I also had a Mercury Bobcat V6 and sold that with 165,000 miles on that, 1997 Ford Taurus V6 i put 162000 miles on it and the person I sold it to seized up the motor, but only after he let it run out of coolant, he was a moron. So I guess as with everything in life, come see, come saw , we all have our own experiences..

One thing about that rear double door...

the small door is way smaller than the small door on my dolphin.

its about the same width but 2 feet shorter overall. Even the big door isnt as tall as the door on my dolphin, its much wider though.

I anticipate getting into that little door is extremely weird like you might never use it. you jump up onto the bumper, open than door, jump over and duck down your head

I persoanlly hate the little door in my dolphin. it was hell trying to get a mattress into it. In fact, I threw a mattress away rather than put it in there.

I went with a Single mattress and put it above the cab, since it's just me and a cat, its fine, but I do agree, the door could be a good 3 inches wider. I want to get the fridge out, and gonna have to remove the passenger seat and take it out through the cab door

[stamar]

everyone can have individual experiences with cars

but if you were to follow a subjective thing like consumer reports, or follow owners, ford v6s blow their head gaskets very young.

some could last forever.

They are well known for blowing. the v6 design is not in anyones book of engines with longevity. none of the vehicles that make it to a million miles are V anything. all straight 4 and straight 6.

The biggest exception to this is the nissan vg and vq.

the aerostar i had which has the same ranger engines was actually sold to me with a glued head gasket which it eventually blew again.

But my friend had one and the same thing happened. Head hasket blowing without overheating. The only car that ever has happened to and Ive owned all makes and more like 30 cars.

Some people can swear by yugos. But on subjective data a ford v6 is a terrible downgrade.

And, it has very very little value to resell it because the average person thinks less of a ford v6 than I do. But to the right person it has value.

The ford taurus by reference is by all accounts the least reliable vehicle ever sold in america having lost the largest consumer action lawsuits ever.

Most junkyards have a ford taurus row.

What is least reliable ina taurus is normally the transmission literally made of soft metal that cant survive beyond 60k miles.

the v6 lifetime ina ford taurus is largely a theory based on how many ford taurus ever make it to 200k miles?

If you want to have a laugh go to allofcraigs.com and type in, ford taurus mechanics special. Yes, that many ford taurus are for sale broken down today.

[stamar]

I was given a ford taurus with 60k miles by a landlord.

It didnt make it to 3rd gear, which means it was still a functional car. It could even go on the freeway for an exit or so.

I ended up selling it for 500$.

I know if I had been one of the americans fooled into a ford taurus I would have been furious. I know people still buy fords. Even tauruses. But that model, the tore behind was so terrible its word of mouth reached a lot of people

my friends parent had a first gen taurus wagon. 2 transmssions replacements under warranty.

It was also the first car sold with auto only. it was a big big scam... and i think overall they made billions.

A taurus forum will be filled with how to install the largest transmssion cooler available in its first 4 threads.

[Davidadro]

It’s the oldest argument there is since the creation of brands, and multiple makes. One’s vehicle life is more subjective to who takes care of their vehicles and how they drive their vehicles than any factor. Yeah, there are studies and reports coming out of the Wahoo, and most are just as subjective as those with only their die hard brand loyalty due to what the scripted name happens to be on the bumper.

Yeah, I can find them too, such as Wards 10 best engines by year rate the Ford V6 in the top ten for 2010, 2007, and 1995 and are continued as highly rated through all the years they continued to manufacture the particular rated motor. Edmunds rates the 1989 Taurus 12 out of 25 of the top V6 engines and 2011 Mustang V6 as 14. So, yeah, I can find those reports and more that praise and those that trash the Ford V6 by the click of a mouse as well. Anyone can pull data and reports from their butt for multitude of various sources to back up one's arguments, and that inconsistency is the true scam, for they come from motivation, advertising dollars, and the loyalty of the one writing it. Reports are just like exit polls, as they are can as biased as any who have brand loyalty or motivation to give a particular review, if not, every single report about every single vehicle ever written would be exactly the same. I have read in Car and Driver write one thing about a vehicle, then a different view in Automobile, and a completely different rating by Road and Track, so who's right?

Even Consumer Reports uses data provided by so called consumer satisfaction surveys and not by actual testing. I believe that means their car ratings are based upon a random sampling of someone or possibly groups of someone sending a mail in survey, and that's not a real true scientific assessment. Read it here:

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/consumer-reports-national-research-center/overview/index.htm

Ya know, we've all had friends, and friends of friends, and a friend of so and so that had a blown motor or had something fantastic go wrong with every kind of car ever made, and they usually come up when someone wants to have fuel for their argument.

So all in all, the only thing I can HONESTLY say through my own actual personal experience is; In the 5 out of 7 Fords I have owned with a V6 drive train, I have never once had to replace a motor, put on any modification to the cooling system or transmission, or had any major component with any of them go out on any occasion. No catastrophic tale of blowing up, or having the transmission dropping out, or failing on me having well over 100,000 miles on them all. Maybe I'm just the luckiest bastard who has ever lived, but I doubt it.... Peace all!

[stamar]

ya i will say beforehand that my personal experience with my vehicles doesnt really matter that much

but the only vehicles Ive ever had that had engine failure were a ford aerostar and a vw van that got hydrolock from a flood.

All in all the engine life is the least of my worries.

[Maineah]

To me the Sunraders are over priced you can buy a non fiberglass Toy for 2-4 thousand less that will buy a lot of sealant. It's the same as all the rest of them underneath speaking of underneath the floor in a Sunrader is glued to the body so Haven forbid there is no floor rot.

[90toydolphin]

i try not to ask someone how they like what they bought. of course they like it or they wouldn't have bought it. just drive around and see what's filling up the repair shops, that would be as useful as anything else you can do. but remember some of them are there for oil changes. ) we've probably all had good ones and bad onces and my bad one was probably one of your good ones. but toyotas and good )

[stamar]

I would definitely not have a mini truck motorhome if it was not a toyota personally. I

[Derek up North]

Nissan reputation isn't too shabby.

[stamar]

I actually love nissan trucks, before these two toyhomes I had a nissan truck with a cabover camper. so i sold that to go more full camper. the amount of wasted space in a truck with a camper is astounding its not really the way to go.

It was extremely reliable in fact in 4 years nothing broke. Id still rather have a toyota all the parts are cheaper and everyone knows how to work on them

also, for these particular years the 22re is better than the z24i. Very similar in every way but the toyota has mpfi and the nissan has tbi.

the z24i could be better than a 22r if theres some like 87-89 22r toyhomes out there.

Id rather have a toyota than a nissan. Theres no such thing as a 1 ton nissan dually nissan anyway it would be some sort of overloaded motorhome just like the early toyhomes only there wouldnt be a recall and theres nothing to switch to.

if there were such a thing as like a 93 nissan sunrader based on the frontier thatd be awesome those are very entertaining and powerful. You can convert those from sohc to dohc with the head from a 240sx.

one last thing is I dont like nissan auto transmissions like toyotas.

[Derek up North]

Theres no such thing as a 1 ton nissan dually nissan anyway it would be some sort of overloaded motorhome just like the early toyhomes only there wouldnt be a recall and theres nothing to switch to.

if there were such a thing as like a 93 nissan sunrader based on the frontier thatd be awesome those are very entertaining and powerful. You can convert those from sohc to dohc with the head from a 240sx.

Some pretty big dually motorhomes were built on Nissans, apparently with no need for an axle recall.

http://phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/rvd/3117982520.html

They also built 18' Sunraders on the Nissan. Both 4 cylinder and V6s.

[stamar]

they made 21 foot dolphins on nissan too derrick

but dont you see, those are the fake dually wheels. 1/2 ton nissan truck with 5 lug fake dually wheels. ( which are way harder to find than real dually wheels seeing as they are illegal) The same ones that are on tthe toyotas.

ONLY, there is no such thing as a real full floating nissan dually truck to upgrade one too ( thus there are no newer nissan toyhomes, coincidence?)

That doesnt look good to me. Just because no one died in a nissan doesnt mean its not as dangerous, iits just theres no litigation.

Its all similar gear.

the nissan v6 on the other hand is way better than the toyota v6 in terms of long term reliability. I havent personally seen one of those yet.

[Derek up North]

Actually, the Nissan 720 was available with a Factory, full floating rear axle. With duallies. '84-'86, I believe. But I'm no Nissan expert.

Just because no one died in a nissan doesnt mean its not as dangerous, iits just theres no litigation.

AFAIK, nobody actually died from a Toyota axle either. Documentation refers to accidents and says no fatalities.

[Davidadro]

Here's a nice 720 Nissan RV with dually and full ton suspension. Can't see the Brand, but its a one piece fiberglass shell. It's a pretty rig!

http://www.flickr.co...own/5195966262/

This was SOLD, but what a cool later model crew cab Nissan RV

Here's a very nice Nissan Mirage

I think there all real cool!

[stamar]

Ya I stand corrected about duallys.

Heres what is the problem, the next model of nissan truck is not the 720 its the hardbody or d21. Thats the body type I had.

That is the one with no 1 ton dually. So I suppose its the opposite, nissan had them in these early 80s and toyota had them later.

but, these nissan homes have the same fake dually wheels. I guess any could be upgraded though.

There are nissan toyomes based on the hardbody d21 also but not very many. Ive seen a sunrader. Seems nissan motorhomes ended way before toyota ones did I think the newest one I saw was an 86