Lemon in Oakland- Buyer beware!

[Sfine]

Just a heads up for anyone interested, or looking to buy a Clipper.    A good friend of mine who lives in Arizona has been earnestly shopping for his Clipper.  Recently he answered an ad in Craigslist for a rear kitchen in Oakland.  Seller claimed everything works, and the Coach was in "good shape" except perhaps tires.   Asking 6K but will take no less than 5,200.    After flying from Az. to Oakland to see the rig, he finds it hasn't been operated , started or even checked out.  Nothing worked, generator as well.  He asked and asked before he flew, but was mislead each time.   Steer clear of this one unless you want a total resoration!!!!
He also drove 6 hours to El Paso  to view yet another trashed Clipper that didn't show the damaged areas in the pics..and barely ran !  Now he is headed to Vegas...for one that appears legitimate, and priced right $3,400.
 
I guess the lesson is get as much info and pics as possible before venturing out. Ask all the questions...last time driven. how often, was it "lived" in, has it been to Burning man!! From photos...many "look" great,, but how it has been stored and maintained is the biggest deal in getting a good one.  Sometimes one with 80K miles and has been used but had some wear and tear is often going to be in better running condition than one that sat and was rarely ever used.  A little Love goes a long way in these Coaches,, if the previous owner didn't show a little love...find another one that did!!
Happy Shopping

[Toedtoes]

Good warning.  I have seen lately that folks selling are aiming for a premium price on their 40 year old rigs.  When looking at rigs, keep this general price range in mind:

$2000 or less - poor condition
$2001 to $4000 - fair condition
$4001 and over - good condition

Poor condition will have chassis AND house issues; multiple major issues (such as engine/carb/transmission issues, non-functional appliances, leak issues, etc.) as well as cosmetic issues inside and out.  Any rig that is missing standard RV equipment (bathroom, kitchen, water tanks, etc.) will fall into this area - buyers don't want to have to reinstall the bathroom that an owner decided to pull.

Fair condition will have one big issue, either house OR chassis; minor cosmetic issues inside and out.  You might find that the engine needs a fair amount of work OR the fridge doesn't work, but not both. 

Good condition should have no big issues.  All appliances should be in working condition, inside and outside should be in good shape cosmetically, chassis should need no major work.

Cab A/C, tires, batteries - these should not really affect the price of the clipper.  Cab A/Cs of that era are very expensive to repair/replace and many developed problems over the course of 40 years to make them unreliable.  Tires are only good for 5-7 years and, along with batteries, most buyers should expect to replace them upon purchase (or soon after).

In addition, options such as awnings, televisions, etc., don't add any real value to the clippers.  Generators were an option with the clippers and nowadays, there are much better options (the quiet portable Honda), so they don't have much effect on pricing either.

Knowing what prices are reasonable when shopping for a clipper can help keep you out of trouble.

Never trust a seller's word as to what works and what doesn't.  If they won't let you test the appliances, etc., then walk away  - no exceptions.

[Clipper Joe]

Well Said Toedtoes,

Clipper Owners Know That it is A Lot Better To Get A Clipper From A Club Member. (They Will Tell You The Pros & Cons With There Rig)
We All Have Got A Good Deal That We Thought, After $5000.00 - $10,000.00 Dollars Later We Got A Good Running RV.
On Mine is A 1977 Rear Kitchen, Have Done A Lot Of Maintenance On It Due To Pass Owner Letting It Go Down Hill.

Just Remember To Check All Items & For Water Damage. If You Are A First Time RV'er Ask A Person Who Owns A RV & A Good Mechanic.
It Will Save You A lot Of $$$$ In Long Run..

Good Luck, & Remember The Clipper Owners On This Site Will Try & Answer Your First Time RV Questions.

Joe