Newbie with questions about buying and owning a used Toyota motorhome to be used as home for extended traveling please

[Stevo]

Hi,

I have some questions about buying and owning a used Toyota motorhome please. Whatever I buy will be my home as I travel extensively across the US, Canada, and Mexico, and possibly points farther south.

1) Are there any manufacturers of used Toyota motorhomes that I should avoid like the plague?

2) Besides Sunrader and Chinook, did anyone else manufacture a motorhome with a fiberglass coach body?

2) What are the advantages and disadvantages of a fiberglass coach (besides no roof seams) over a rig with the conventional aluminum siding?

3) Uhaul used to offer a small Toyota box truck as a rental (see photo below). They have a link at the bottom of their site where you can check out what used trucks are for sale. I looked and it seems they no longer have the Toyota box truck anymore. Besides Craigslist, does anyone know where I can find a used Toyota box truck for sale? (I have the skills to convert one of those into a motorhome.)

Thank you.

Steve

Edited September 14, 2012 by Stevo

[stamar]

A popular fiberglass body one is the mirage.

There's a third type that uses fiberglass siding or panels. Like the winnebago itasca etc

There is also fiberglass corrugated siding like the new horizon.

I have heard those leak at least as much

So it is not just the fiberglass its the 2 peice clamshell of the sunrader type.

Still the fiberglass siding is better. But not that much its still the same thing. The care and repair of it become more expensive and difficult

[stamar]

To the best of my knowledge, corrugated fiberglass siding is cheaper than aluminum siding. It definitely is less weather resistant. Trailers and mobile homes are made of either but fiberglass siding is more for a chicken coop or a barn where the residents don't complain.

The winnebago has ppanels and then it has a vinyl wrap very attractive and weather conscious but not proof.

[bufbooth]

Regarding Toyota box trucks, check craigslist Indianapolis and search for Toyota Box, there are two currently listed.

Dennis...

[Davidadro]

Here is a Google image search for Toyota U-Haul for sale. I have not checked if they are still available, but maybe you will get lucky is ya do some investigating. I think they would make a cool custom made Toyhome...

https://www.google.com/search?num=10&hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1440&bih=719&q=toyota+u-haul+for+sale&oq=toyota+u-haul+for+sale&gs_l=img.12..0i33i24.2703.12984.0.15718.22.20.0.2.2.0.204.2407.8j10j1.19.0...0.0...1ac.1.DaTsAE13dsE

[WME]

Escaper and Sunland have aluminum frames, with corrugated fiberglass siding. While they will still leak if not taken care of at least they won't have frame rot.

[Derek up North]

Apparently only some Escapers (Sport) have the aluminum frame (plus corrugated aluminum siding). Filon flat sided Escapers (Magnum) are a tradional laminated 'stick built' construction.

Kind of odd that they offered both (at least in 1985), as though they couldn't decide which method was 'better'.

[Totem]

Guys, I can;t believe no one has mentioned the Americana yet... we all agreed its the king of the gelcoats.

[86rader]

Americanas are very nice. Very similar to Nova stars, buildwise as best I can tell.

As for advantages of the sunrader, besides being weatherproof, it is a lot quiter because you have 2 pieces rather than 10 or 12 pieces screwed together. I am reminded of this everytime I get into my squeaky Odyysey.

How tall are you? Will you be traveling solo? The Sunrader has a single drawback. It is smaller than most others, both in width and height. The west coast sunraders have a little better headroom than the Indiana built ones. But this could be a model year thing and not a build site thing as my Sunrader was an '86 and the 2 west coasters I have experiemce with are newer ones.

If you are under 6 ft tall, it's really not an issue.

As for the boxtrucks, I think you will find that a box truck that is in good shape will be as expensive or more expensive than a decent RV. If you have a very low cost supply of all the bits needed to make it livable, it may make sense. Otherwise look for an already complete rv.

As for drivetrains, I would look for a md 80s 22R/4 speed stick. This combo is as bulletproof as they come. A later 22RE/auto is very good as well, but, prone to tranny overheating if not driven properly. Personally, I's steer clear of the newer V-6. Not much extra power, worse mileage and possible issues with T-belts/valve clearance.

As for different layouts, I am partial to the rear dinettes, having recently spent a week in a rear dinette 21 ft california model. great layout and the best bathroom available, IMO. I say htis becaquse it is a 'wet bath". This means the entire bath is the shower and your shower has a convenient seat, the toilet. And it is all one piece of fiberglass. Easy to keep clean. The Indiana models have fiberboard walls with seams that may or may not be waterproof. if you are solo, the 18 footer has enough room, but, has an extremely cozy shower. The 21 footer's bath is much roomier. Various rear bath models have larger baths, but that is because they have a separate shower. A really, really, really small shower.

[Stevo]

Yes those look like very nice motorhomes. There is one on eBay http://tinyurl.com/9kzxkbb right now and currently bidding at $12500.00.

Guys, I can;t believe no one has mentioned the Americana yet... we all agreed its the king of the gelcoats.

[Stevo]

Yes I for sure want a rear dinette area so I can convert it into a full time bed/sleeping area. That way I can store my expensive mountain bike in the overhead section.

I'm surprised you didn't mention the 22RE as being more reliable than the carburated 22R. How come?

You mentioned that the auto trannys are prone to over heating if they aren't driven properly. Would you suggest a transmission cooler? How should you drive an auto trans so you don't overheat the tranny?

The only reason I'm considering building up a Uhaul box truck is so I can make the inside the way I want it. I haven't yet figured out what it would cost me though. I'm not sure but it seems like the walls of those box trucks are better built than a lot of the motorhomes too.

Thank you!

Steve

Americanas are very nice. Very similar to Nova stars, buildwise as best I can tell.

As for advantages of the sunrader, besides being weatherproof, it is a lot quiter because you have 2 pieces rather than 10 or 12 pieces screwed together. I am reminded of this everytime I get into my squeaky Odyysey.

How tall are you? Will you be traveling solo? The Sunrader has a single drawback. It is smaller than most others, both in width and height. The west coast sunraders have a little better headroom than the Indiana built ones. But this could be a model year thing and not a build site thing as my Sunrader was an '86 and the 2 west coasters I have experiemce with are newer ones.

If you are under 6 ft tall, it's really not an issue.

As for the boxtrucks, I think you will find that a box truck that is in good shape will be as expensive or more expensive than a decent RV. If you have a very low cost supply of all the bits needed to make it livable, it may make sense. Otherwise look for an already complete rv.

As for drivetrains, I would look for a md 80s 22R/4 speed stick. This combo is as bulletproof as they come. A later 22RE/auto is very good as well, but, prone to tranny overheating if not driven properly. Personally, I's steer clear of the newer V-6. Not much extra power, worse mileage and possible issues with T-belts/valve clearance.

As for different layouts, I am partial to the rear dinettes, having recently spent a week in a rear dinette 21 ft california model. great layout and the best bathroom available, IMO. I say htis becaquse it is a 'wet bath". This means the entire bath is the shower and your shower has a convenient seat, the toilet. And it is all one piece of fiberglass. Easy to keep clean. The Indiana models have fiberboard walls with seams that may or may not be waterproof. if you are solo, the 18 footer has enough room, but, has an extremely cozy shower. The 21 footer's bath is much roomier. Various rear bath models have larger baths, but that is because they have a separate shower. A really, really, really small shower.

[Derek up North]

Not too odd that two model styles were built in the same year. It happens every year in the car industry.

I'm not enough of an Escaper expert to know if '85 was a transition year or if this '2 construction method' practice was available in later (or earlier) years. That's the only Escaper publication I've come across on-line.

[Stevo]

Does anyone know who manufactured this 1980 Toyota motorhome and if they are any good? The seller doesn't know and its the only one I've seen with back wheels like that. Its seems that it would be a lot easier to change tires than a dually, right? And what kind of axle would this rig have? Twin 1 ton axles or would it matter if it had two of the lighter axles?

Thanks

Edited September 14, 2012 by Stevo

[WME]

If your serious and can afford the price, this is the one! The seller is well known on the other Toyota MH sites, not a flipper but a refurbishier. Check out the selling feed back on previous units.

WME

Yes those look like very nice motorhomes. There is one on eBay http://tinyurl.com/9kzxkbb right now and currently bidding at $12500.00.

[86rader]

What ^^^^ said.

Gail is hands down, the best damn toyhouse fixxer upper on the planet. I haven't actually seen one, but, going by her very good pictures and the prices she gets on ebay, it is apparent she knows what she is doing. Every one she does is jaw droppingly beautiful.

[Derek up North]

Is it the same as this one?

Dolphin also tried the concept ('79-'81). Guess it didn't live up to expectations because everyone dropped the idea by '81.

Some things to consider with the tag axle:

Higher tolls/ferry with 3 axles;

Tire scrub in tight turns;

8 tires to buy (not including the spare).

[stamar]

There's a few things I like about the americana. It has a one peice roof. Its my opinion that once your roof is one peice it doesn't leak much from the sides.

It has these huge windows for the rear dinette model.

Might have problems for insulation vs a winnebego with all small windows.

Its got the modern design advantage. In fact I don't think the sunrader type of mh is even made anymore. They make top ends in a few peices, or the single peice is a small one like A mirage

You have to think too what happens in a wreck to a sunrader? Expensive repair. In an americana pull out the panel buy a new one. Its expensive where its needed but cheap where its not.

It also has a microwave on 12v and a generator.

It has awnings on both sides its very deluxe and its extra tall.

Its drawback is its modern only has the v6. Its not as reliable but its still a toyota

[84TOYRV]

Dolphin also tried the concept ('79-'81). Guess it didn't live up to expectations because everyone dropped the idea by '81.

Some things to consider with the tag axle:

Higher tolls/ferry with 3 axles;

Tire scrub in tight turns;

8 tires to buy (not including the spare).

Amazing! That interior shot of the early 80s Dolphin 300, looks exactly like my 84. I love the floorplan and the 4 spd stick shift. The outside is the same, but without the third axel. Thank you for the neat brochure pic.

[Derek up North]

The 1984 Dolphin brochure.

1984 Dolphin Toyota.pdf

[Stevo]

So each axle on those twin axle rigs had dual tires - with a total of 10 tires on the vehicle?! Aaargh, thats expensive!

[Derek up North]

No, I think most of them have 'foolies' on the 2nd axle, for a total of 8 on the ground (plus whatever spare(s) you chose to carry). It's possible that some are 2+2+2, but I've been unable to see what's installed in small CL pictures.