Mervo Posted October 31, 2014 Share Posted October 31, 2014 Hey all, hoping for some advice from some Sunrader owners. I've recently stumbled across an 84 Nissan Sunrader, with a practically new 22z motor. Still has a 3 year warranty and less than 100 miles on it. Owner is moving out of the country soon and looking to dump it So questions are as followed; 1. Can anyone see any major issues from the pics? I can say that there is a depression in the roof and will need some patching (anything else?) window gaskets are a must (no surprise it's a sunrader) rust on the drivers side door (see pic). It is missing a decent amount of screws at the aluminum strip that joins the 2 pieces of fiberglass of the sunrader body (easy fix??) All appliances work, floor didn't seem to sag, it ran like a top in the 5 minutes I test drove it. What else should I be looking for? Just looking to see what the crew is thinking this rig is worth. I'm salivating at the thought of purchasing it, but like most people, don't want to get in over my head, but also don't mind spending the cash to get an experienced RV converter, restorer to help me out with the process. Looking to make an educated decision largely based on the experience of the members here such as FJ40, Linda S., jdemaris, and any others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted October 31, 2014 Share Posted October 31, 2014 I see lots to do but nothing too major. It's all a matter of how much you can do yourself and the selling price. Hiring a professional can easily add thousands to your purchase price. Rv places near me charge 100 bucks an hour. Ac has been removed from roof and funky patch job in it's place. Also looks like the plumbing vents have been closed up. Not good. Need to make sure the pipes are still in place. I see upgraded leaf springs and what looks like not too bad rust except for that one area. How old are the tires? old ones need to be replaced even though they still have good tread. Picture #1 worries me the most. Looks like frame has cracked and been welded together. Extra metal should have been added to those welds to support it. Can't really tell from just looking at pics though. Linda S If it's the one in Denver for 7 grand , way too much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mervo Posted October 31, 2014 Author Share Posted October 31, 2014 (edited) Dang Linda, you're quick. Price is currently 7k, I'm hoping she'll move on it at 5k. Worth it? (ed. YUP! it is the one in Denver) Thanks for the heads-up on pic #1, I didn't even pick up on that. Thank you for your time. Edited October 31, 2014 by Mervo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted October 31, 2014 Share Posted October 31, 2014 It's been for sale for a very long time. Been on ebay a couple of times with no bids. Even if you get the price down if you can't do the repair work yourself the total cost can go way over worth Linda S Oh overhead cabinets completely gone on passenger side. Lots of interior repair means there was pretty bad damage inside at one time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shibs Posted October 31, 2014 Share Posted October 31, 2014 Mervo, looks like the owner is not being totally honest, how long has it been with the current owner? ask him to disclose all the stuff that he found and corrected. looks like it has been driven during winter, look at the underbody rust. I would say $5k is still too much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mervo Posted October 31, 2014 Author Share Posted October 31, 2014 Fantastic advic Shibs, and Linda S., as always you all are a wealth of knowledge. (that's why I lurk around this place) Looks like I'll be opting out of this sale unless she cuts the price by more than half. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totem Posted October 31, 2014 Share Posted October 31, 2014 I disagree with Linda on a couple things here... thats not a cracked frame, its where something was cut off the frame with a plasma cutter. I have the same marks in same place.. normal I think. The only thing I see on it that cannot be easily fixed (to me) is the hole in the fiberglass. That hole should cause a discount because i dont care how good someone is with gelcoat they aren't gonna blend that that easy, that and you will need a new junker door that door aint coming back, has the cancer.. The second thing I disagree with her on is the price. That thing has a good axle, it also has a factory sway bar, LED markers, totally awesome vintage hub cab covers that are stainless, new exhaust, leafs,... hmmm I would have no problem dropping 7 on it. I paid $7500 for mine in michigan and it had a death axle on it. Factor in the fact someone was willing to warranty something that old. Yeah I would buy it .... for 7.... minus new/used door cost and cost of fiberglassing the hole. (Then I would put a strip of diamon plating over that bottom edge to hide the hole.) from what I see the roof still has arch the "depression" is the natural form of the roof for water channeling near the edges. I can tell you I had to pay a lot for an axle, sway bar, lights etc... and i had to put in new air bags but yours has those nice springs. I'd Buy it. no question. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted October 31, 2014 Share Posted October 31, 2014 Hey all, hoping for some advice from some Sunrader owners. Just looking to see what the crew is thinking this rig is worth. Obviously, what you pay depends on how bad you want it and where you are. I see nothing on that rig that scares me other then the sheet-metal rust. If I drove it and it ran good, I would not pay a penny over $2500 and that's if if the trans and engine worked perfectly. The rest of the mechanical and RV stuff is trivial to me. I say "trivial" because I'd fix all myself. If you pay someone else - it can get REAL expensive. I passed up many Sunraders for $2400 and less. One here in Michigan was an 83 that ran well but had sheet metal rust. I could of had it for $1200. If a Toyota of that vintage has been driven in winter road-salt, and it's starting to rust -it's often not worth messing with. Japanese sheet metal is awful when it comes to rust. Here is a 1986, 21 foot Sunrader I passed up last year for $2400. Ran fine. No rust either. New 3-way refrigerator and near new tires. I almost bought it but "cut my nose to spite my face." I got in an argument with the seller when he left me standing in the rain, to look at it, and he did not show up the first time. I had driven 50 miles, stood in the rain for an hour and he was a no-show. I got ticked. We got in a "heated" argument over the whole deal and I told him to "k*ss my a*s" and that was that. I wanted it but would not bought it even if for $1000! I am my own worst enemy at times. Here are photos of that $2400 1986 Sunrader for $2400 in central NY. I wound up buying a 1988 Minicruiser for $1800 and glad I did. Front wheels match the back which is a nice feature. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totem Posted October 31, 2014 Share Posted October 31, 2014 That thing would have been a steel for $2400, with a 22re EFI motor? are you kidding? ; the metal alone to scrap it worth $1000. I would have bought a parka and a bag of pistachios and camped out on it; But then again I wanted one BAD. probably too bad. I paid too much for my rig but I love her so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted October 31, 2014 Share Posted October 31, 2014 That thing would have been a steel for $2400, with a 22re EFI motor? are you kidding? ; the metal alone to scrap it worth $1000. I would have bought a parka and a bag of pistachios and camped out on it; But then again I wanted one BAD. probably too bad. I paid too much for my rig but I love her so. It would not even be allowed at the scrap yard. Too much fiberglass. If someone had stripped the RV body off of it, and then scrapped the rest -it would bring around $400 for scrap-metal WHEN scrap is high in the spring. I scrapped over 20 cars and trucks last summer. $200 a ton in the spring and by fall, it was down to $175 a ton. Yes that one had the 22RE with EFI and ran fine, as far as I can tell. I know someone else that test drove it. And yes - $2400 was what I considered a great price. The seller however was an a*s and even more hot-headed then me. I stood in the rain with my family for an hour and the guy did not show. When I got back home, 50 miles later, I called him and he said "oh well", " I got busy but you can come back and look at it now." He told me that lots of callers had stood HIM up so he figured it was not a huge crime to do the same when something came up. I replied "are you going to show up this time" . . and the guy got irate. We got in a shouting match over the phone and I literally told him to take his Sunrader and "stick it up his " . . well you can guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totem Posted October 31, 2014 Share Posted October 31, 2014 it would have been parted out above $2400 I am pretty sure. its too bad so many people these days have such little regard for others. Long ago a mans word meant something just like being punctual and showing up on time. That being said, I remember a similar incident occurring at my Aunts antique shop. My aunt is a business owner and very conservative, and believes the customer is always right; but I did see one time an instance where it didnt play out that way. a guy showed up wanting to buy an antique pie chest for his wife; he had called several days before and talked to my uncle and my uncle said come on over its for sale etc etc. Well the guy came over alright, during normal store hours except that weekend it was closed for the family party. It wasn't raining it was nice and sunny and all. My uncle greeted the man and politely let him know they were closed that particular day for family party. The man became irate, he had driven 50 miles for this present to his wife. He pulled out the $400 for the cabinet and showed it to my Uncle and my Uncle just shrugged and repeated that they were closed. The man pulled another hundo out and offered extra but My Uncle apologized again and walked away back to the party. That guy was furious. all the cash in the world would not matter. He began to swear and my Uncle caught some of it and came back. One thing I would never do is mess with my uncle, former Nam vet. This guy did though... Threw his money on the ground even. My uncle walked up to the money as if to pick it up and kicked it into the wind. The guy grumbled and picked up the strewn cash and took off out of there after attracting the unwanted attention of the whole family. The thing I couldn't understand was why my uncle just didn't let him take the cabinet. the shop hadn't even been doing that well and they were thinking of closing it...with all of the higher taxes recently under new progressive laws and what not... His answer was that it was still America and he still had the right to not be open for his family party; the right to refuse service, plus he didn't appreciate the swearing as such etc etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted October 31, 2014 Share Posted October 31, 2014 it would have been parted out above $2400 I am pretty sure. its too bad so many people these days have such little regard for others. Yes, if parted out it was worth probably a lot more then $2400. But it was in nice shape and to scrap it would of been a sin. In the case of this seller - I think he was worn out by idiot tire-kickers or no shows. So when I called and said I'd bring cash - he did not take it seriously. I sold a lot of equipment last summer and selling stuff on Ebay or Craigslist can be exhausting. Many who respond to ads have no money and no plans on buying anything. That being said, that guy with the Sunrader had no reason to be that way with me. I showed up 10 minutes early, had the cash, etc. Hey - Sunrader guy in Cooperstown, New York - if you are out there and listening - you can STILL take that Sunrader and stick it where the sun don't shine. (I hold grudges). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totem Posted October 31, 2014 Share Posted October 31, 2014 I find a similar problem buying things on craigslist and even amazon... that those selling things too cheap to be true often arent really selling them at all or not serious about it. had it happen today as a matter of fact on amazon. Bought a battery tender, the really nice one that has desulphator and 2/4/6/8 amp etc for $78 free ship. complete purchase etc then they send me an email asking me for 60 bucks more. They had no intention of selling at the advertised price. Bait and switch with claim of a "glitch". I am a bargain hunter but lately if bargains are too cheap to believe I shy away. The charger on amazon got me today though because it was only 45% off so still some what believable. Man i was mad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted October 31, 2014 Share Posted October 31, 2014 My experience lately is from the other end of the bargaining table. Since beginning the process of moving out of NY,l I sold over a dozen pieces of industrial equipment, six farm tractors, four pickup trucks, two RVs, and much more. Some stuff I offered for sale dirt-cheap because time was of the essence. Even with very low prices - I had many people show up offering me to trade for a pet goat, or some useless non-running snowmobile, etc. Not all were like that. It only takes one reasonable person to show up with the cash and buy. So I did OK but it was extremely frustrating. Same goes with selling the farm and house. No real estate agent. Just me and Craiglist. I probably showed our place 20 times and 19 of those people did not have a "pot to p*ss in." Keep in mind it takes a lot of time to show over 80 acres of forest and fields with few access roads. 20th family from New Jersey agreed to buy, or so the theory goes. Gave me $2000 to hold until May 1st. Then putting $20,000 cash down and paying it all off in 5 years. 5% for five years and then a final balloon payment. Time will tell. By the way, I just put up a 1960 Ford 841 farm tractor with loader for sale here in northern Michigan. A guy called me from Traverse City and said he absolutely wanted it. Asked me to hold it until he got her. I said OK but cash only. No trades, no personal checks, no Indian wampum. Well got here and then asked I trade even for a 1976 Chrysler Cordoba that "needs a little work." Hey I remember when they were new and Ricardo Montalban was doing the commercials. I didn't want one back then and certainly don't want any old Slo-pars now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mervo Posted November 1, 2014 Author Share Posted November 1, 2014 Well, it looks like I'll commence bargaining and see how low she'll go. As Linda said, I am skeptical on leaks as she, and the former owner, have covered over the ceiling with metal sheeting. See pic below. If I can get it on the 'cheap' I might not mind trying to do some of the work myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snail powered Posted November 1, 2014 Share Posted November 1, 2014 Hard to know why they covered the ceiling. It might have been done to disguise damage or it might be someone's decorating project for a country cottage look or it might be both. If it was damage it could be water stains from a roof leak or just covering up peeling or cigarette stained wall paper. But if you don't see any ongoing water stain issues I would not worry too much about the ceiling other than the trouble it would cause to remove it if you don't like the look of it. Don't rip out the wood paneling on the ceiling if you do decide to remove the decorative panel on the ceiling. That plywood under it is part of the structural integrity of the Sunrader roof system. The roof of the Sunrader is a SIP, structural insulated panel. The foam insulation is bonded to the fiberglass shell and that lower layer of plywood is bonded to a layer of fiberglass scrim and resins which in turn bonds it to the foam. These bonded layers form the stiffness of the roof. If you remove the plywood you destroy the integrity of the SIP and you will then be forced into building in a series of roof beams across the rig to support the roof. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted November 1, 2014 Share Posted November 1, 2014 I wouldn't be surprised if the wood on the ceiling is already gone Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debbit Posted November 2, 2014 Share Posted November 2, 2014 I got a really nice 86 sunrader for under $4000 that needed very little. I know I got lucky, but deals are out there. I'd not want that much work, unless it was a total give away Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snail powered Posted November 2, 2014 Share Posted November 2, 2014 What I think is up on the ceiling from the looks of it is that stuff on the ceiling is wallpaper that is embossed to look like a metal ceiling. They carry that stuff in stock at the big box stores like Lowes and Home Depot. If so then the plywood is still up there. As I said it is likely this was just a redecorating project to make it look more in the cottage style. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mervo Posted November 3, 2014 Author Share Posted November 3, 2014 Hey Corbin, It's actually a metal roof. There is actually some left-over she's including in the sale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snail powered Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 Hey Corbin, It's actually a metal roof. There is actually some left-over she's including in the sale. Did she say why she installed it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 If you look at the pictures of the roof you can see the roughly patched air conditioner hole and more roof patches where the plumbing pipes were. Bet they looked pretty nasty from the inside and they used the metal to cover it. Bathroom is still in place but now there is no place to vent the tank. Yuck. Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mervo Posted November 12, 2014 Author Share Posted November 12, 2014 Thanks everyone for their replies. To give everyone the final chapter for me and this Sunrader here's the low-down; 1. She installed the metal roof for aesthetic reasons, to spruce up the place. 2. She wouldn't budge lower that 6k. 3. Too many unknowns for me to even begin to haggle any more on the price. 4. As Linda S. said, too many holes in the roof, I'm skeptical of leaks, and every window needs a gasket replacement. The search for my 18 ft. Sunrader continues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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