outwestbound
Member
Hello. I'm considering buying a class c 2006 Winnebago View 23J, which is on a Sprinter T1N manufactured in late 2005, with 160,000 miles. It's at a dealer on consignment, so I'm still digging into the vehicle's history and maintenance records. It appears to have been heavily used, but cared for inside, but not garaged. Anyway, I just retired and have never worked on cars before, but I'm getting under them now and am very interested in doing as much as I can, short of major engine work. Before I would close on the vehicle, I'd get an RV inspector to go over it and take it to a MB dealer for a mechanical evaluation. I have not made an offer yet. I was a real estate developer, so I'm used to transactional process.
For now, I'm just trying to see if some folks here have some advice on what I saw today, which was that the bottom of the engine was wet with oil. I couldn't see well where it was coming from, but higher up on the engine than I could see. The vehicle is parked on small grey gravel, not on a rack. I can confirm the sprinter was at that spot a few days, and no drip was down on the gravel, but the "pan", if that's what I was looking at, seemed wet. I have no idea how bad this is, if at all. My 2011 F350 had a "wet pan" and it cost $1,200 to replace the seal between the motor and the transmission; no idea if this sprinter may have a similar issue.
My thought is I'd contract to buy it subject to inspections and my price would be based on no material repairs (over $500 say) discovered in my inspections. If over $500, I could drop the deal and eat the inspection costs, or negotiate to split it, whatever makes sense. I have no idea if this could be a $750 issue or a $4,750 issue.
I like the RV, but I refuse to make an emotional decision. Any thoughts? At this point, I have not made my opening offer to purchase it yet and they want $47,000 for it, which seems 20% high. The RV is loaded with every option that Winnebago offered, including a 3.6 Kw generator, but still, I'm thinking this is a $33,000 vehicle. Any thoughts?
For now, I'm just trying to see if some folks here have some advice on what I saw today, which was that the bottom of the engine was wet with oil. I couldn't see well where it was coming from, but higher up on the engine than I could see. The vehicle is parked on small grey gravel, not on a rack. I can confirm the sprinter was at that spot a few days, and no drip was down on the gravel, but the "pan", if that's what I was looking at, seemed wet. I have no idea how bad this is, if at all. My 2011 F350 had a "wet pan" and it cost $1,200 to replace the seal between the motor and the transmission; no idea if this sprinter may have a similar issue.
My thought is I'd contract to buy it subject to inspections and my price would be based on no material repairs (over $500 say) discovered in my inspections. If over $500, I could drop the deal and eat the inspection costs, or negotiate to split it, whatever makes sense. I have no idea if this could be a $750 issue or a $4,750 issue.
I like the RV, but I refuse to make an emotional decision. Any thoughts? At this point, I have not made my opening offer to purchase it yet and they want $47,000 for it, which seems 20% high. The RV is loaded with every option that Winnebago offered, including a 3.6 Kw generator, but still, I'm thinking this is a $33,000 vehicle. Any thoughts?
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