Would you buy one with a leak?

I have found a 3023 that is within my budget, and seems to be in good condition, other than a roof leak...

The price reflects the leak, and in reading here, it sounds like I just need to strip the caulking off of the center seam on top, then recaulk.

Am I missing something? Should I steer clear? The seller seems really nice and has been upfront about everything. It is some distance away, so it's going to be one of those sight unseen purchases...

SURE! If the unit is newer than 2003 (I think) they have used aluminum and Styrofoam, so unless they were wet all the time, no big deal. The exception would be if you closed the place up on a sunny day and smelled mold, then I would say NO! No rot to worry about.

By the way, there are only 3 types of campers with leaky roofs at some point in their life, those owned by folks who admit it, and those that are owned by folks who don't admit it and those very rare folks who are very diligent on maintaining their roofs.

[Mr. Adventure]

Originally Posted by moneeleann

I have found a 3023 that is within my budget, and seems to be in good condition, other than a roof leak...

The price reflects the leak, and in reading here, it sounds like I just need to strip the caulking off of the center seam on top, then recaulk.

Am I missing something? Should I steer clear? The seller seems really nice and has been upfront about everything. It is some distance away, so it's going to be one of those sight unseen purchases...

Before deciding it's the seam for sure, check to see that the AC mounting hardware is tight - Just a thought. You get at it from the inside if I remember correctly.

Once you've bought it, let us know if you need a copy of the owners' manual.

[rvcycleguy]

Please check when you see it in person on whether it may have a soft floor in any area. A long term leak can deteriorate the floor composition. Does it smell bad? Are there mold indications? Walls can pull apart on a folding trailer due to water leaks. I would not decline buying a unit that had or may have a leak if I could inspect it through out. Top to bottom. Be diligent. If the seller has issues with inspection, walk away. Good luck.

[B_and_D]

What year is it? On my 1997 we had a leak from the base of the vent. Had to take the vent off, replace the wood (that was wrapped in rusty metal) that was used between the vent and the roof and put on a new vent (the old one was OK but we wanted a new one). It was kind of a pain to scrape all the old caulking off; there was a ton of it. I got the newer "synthetic wood" risers from the factory.

Check inside the cabinets for mold... I hope it works out for you, it sounds like the current owner just doesn't want to mess with it.

In response to all the questions... Its a 2005.

The pics of it look great. Seller says no soft spots.

It is 1100 miles from me, so I'm having to purchase sight unseen, as they're either meeting me with it half way, or actually delivering it all the way for a bit extra. They seem really nice, so I hope its all good. I'm sure I'll be asking all sorts of questions in repairing the leak.

Oh, they have the owners manuals for me.

Its within my budget, so I'm willing to repair the leak in order to get one newer than I could afford otherwise.

She also mentioned out being hard to open and close. from what I've read, this just needs an adjustment right?

Everything you have mentioned is correctable -just requires some knowledge and homework and elbow grease on your part.
If I were you, I'd look at the TM's overall condition. And ask questions like:
has it been garaged, winterized, maintained etc?
One can usually get a sense of how something has been taken care of by looking at the owners-sometimes not.
This forum also mentions a number of other questions to ask and items to inspect.
Take your time when inspecting the unit.

Good luck