Saw this posted this morning 1998 26.5 MB just posted on CL 1998 Lazy Daze 26.5' Mid Bath (https://lasvegas.craigslist.org/rvs/6009525157.html)
Thanks for posting. I'm scheduled to see it tomorrow. It looks like a nice rig.
Mimi
Good Luck Mimi I hope it's in good shape with no leaks. I like the green even better than my blue one.
The ad lists this 1998 as being on an E350 Ford chassis; according to the "Changes by Year" doc, 1996 was the last year for the 26.5' on the E350 chassis (460 engine) with a 11500 pound GVWR. Again, according to the above doc, the 1998 26.5' should be built on the early E450, and the GVWR should be 14050 pounds; obviously, the greater GVWR is a plus.
I think that the early E450s were just labeled "Super Duty" without the actual E450 badge, so the owner may have assumed that the chassis was an E350.
Information in a seller's ad is not always accurate, so anyone interested in this rig might want to run the VIN to make sure that the actual rig specs jibe with what's stated in the ad.
Joan
Please keep in mind that it is the 350 chassis, i.e. VERY tiny payload. Towing will be VERY iffy, particularly with a heavy tow car.
Virtual hugs,
Judie
Adventures of Dorrie Anne | Photographing the West (http://dorrieanne.wordpress.com)
Today: Moros y Christianos (http://dorrieanne.wordpress.com) ******************************
"Please keep in mind that it is the 350 chassis, i.e. VERY tiny payload."
----
Definitely agree on that point, but, using the "Changes by Year" document as the source of information, if the rig in question is a 1998, it should be on the E450 chassis.
Joan I bet you are right and it is a e450. The ad states v10 and not the 460 engine. I wouldn't think the original owner would make a mistake on the year. But I could see a mistake on the e350 if not badged with anything but super duty.
That was the first thing that came to my mind, too, i.e. that the year/chassis was wrong, but was too lazy to go look it up. I thought it was mid-year 1996, or maybe even 1997, so my "scam alarm" went off. I know I am maybe too suspicious for my own good, but what can I say - I grew up in Miami !!! With the year 2003 being a milestone year, I would limit myself to units at that age or newer, but not everyone has the same criteria.
Virtual hugs,
Judie
•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•
Wow! You guys and gals are amazing! I'll look at the changes by year. I haven't done that yet. The larger GVWR would be a welcome benefit.
Judie,
I am pretty new to the LD products. What makes 2003 a milestone year? Looking at the changes by year. I don't see much difference between 2002 and 2003 just windows and bathroom carpet. Was there other changes?
Judie,
I am pretty new to the LD products. What makes 2003 a milestone year? Looking at the changes by year. I don't see much difference between 2002 and 2003 just windows and bathroom carpet. Was there other changes?
Thermopane-style (air gap-about ¼") windows replace laminated windows (2 panes sandwiched together). Although this was supposed to be an upgrade, there have been fogging problems with the thermopane windows.Chris
2003 was the first year that the 23.5' was built on the E450 (14050 pound GVWR) chassis; the 2550-pound GVWR chassis upgrade from the 11500 GVWR E350 was the reason I waited to order the TK.
Another big change in 2003 was the upholstery fabric. 2002 and earlier had upholstery that was soft like velour. 2003 was the first year for fabric that is densly woven, with dirt hiding patterns. Somebody described the pattern of the fabric as an explosion in a paint factory :D . I can say that it has proven very durable!
Steve K. (2003 midbath)
Another big change in 2003 was the upholstery fabric. 2002 and earlier had upholstery that was soft like velour. 2003 was the first year for fabric that is densly woven, with dirt hiding patterns. Somebody described the pattern of the fabric as an explosion in a paint factory :D . I can say that it has proven very durable!
Steve K. (2003 midbath)
Sounds like LD went back to what they had in the older models. The denser fabric you describe sounds similar to what they used in my '85- very durable!
That should be a 4kw generator, Onan Emerald Plus, not a 2.8. The MicroLite was 2.8kw. The MicroQuiet was 4kw. Both had an internal muffler. In 1998 LD installed the 4.kw. Onan Emerald Plus with an external muffler. Noisy devil but durable. Maybe the generator was replaced with a MicroLite? Ronb
I haven't studied generators much (perhaps I should before typing this:-) but I was wondering, if the later generators were more efficient than the earlier ones and, if so, regardless of how many hours remain, does it make sense to get a new one when purchasing a 90's rig? Is the difference between 2.8kw and 4.0kw significant?
Thanks...
Mimi
2.8 Kilo watt generator will run a 11,000 BTU Air Conditioner. 4 Kw will run a 13,000 BTU air conditioner.
2.8 Kilo watt generator will run a 11,000 BTU Air Conditioner. 4 Kw will run a 13,000 BTU air conditioner.
It runs our 15,000 BTU AC also.
Jim
Thanks Jim. I thought the 4Kw generator would run a 15,000 BTU Air Conditioner.
I just could not find the PDF document that told me so.
Looking at the Onan/Cummings site I found this is what they say about their Microlight 2.8kw
"Air conditioner operation:
2.8kW generator set will start and run one 13500 Btu high efficiency air conditioner(15.5 Amps or less) plus 600 watt base load with an additional 300 watts of power available. 2.5kW generator set will start and run one 13500 Btu high efficiency air conditioner (15.5 Amps or less) plus a 600 watt base load with no additional watts of power available. 2.3kW generator set will start and run one 7800 Btu high efficiency air conditioner(5.5 Amps or less) plus 600 watt base load with an additional 100 watts of power available."
The 4K Microquiet will run the 15,000 BTU A/C and microwave concurrently, that is, until the fridge (on electric) kicks in.
With that revelation behind us, our policy is give the A/C unit a rest while using the microwave.
Steve
Mimi did you go check out the 1998 MB
The right rear outer window pane is fractured. Funny how that wasn't pictured in the ad. The caulk around the shower vent looks like cracked and blistered petrified lava rock. This rig has -never- been sealed. I couldn't find any water damage (doesn't rain much in Vegas) but the heat has definitely taken its toll on this rig. Buckled and rippled wall paper, vinyl, etc. made me wonder what else the heat damaged inside that I couldn't see ie. belts, hoses, washers, etc. Tires are from 2009, but he doesn't agree that they need to be replaced because he's kept it parked next to the garage in the sun, but he said the garage shaded all the uncovered wheels. I mentioned that I would not drive all the way home on those tires. They did not agree that the tires were an issue. The engine hesitated when starting. It runs very bumpy and noisy, odd noisy. They had it repainted in 2010 I think it was, so it looks good. The inside looks good too, but there are problems. The side mirrors don't function horizontally. The backup camera is all but pretty useless. Problems with the air conditioner leaking. Not entirely sure it's functioning normally now. He mentioned to me on the phone that he brought the rig to Vegas from NM. I thought that meant they were living in NM. Actually, they've lived in Vegas for over 30 years, so, I'm not sure how he can be the original owner. I asked for maintenance records. He gave me a sheet of paper with about 8 items he typed on it. I asked if he had original maintenance paperwork, he said he might have a couple of things. The scrapes are on the right side of the rig from mid-front to mid-back and partially bent one of the door hinges. I didn't see any water stains inside, but it's Vegas.
On the upside, it is nice inside. It really looks good, but for the cracked vents. Still, for a 20 year old rig, it looks pretty good.
In summation, given the lack of documentation, given that they were less than forthright about the issues in the ad and during our conversations, the fact that he told me the window didn't need to be repaired because it hadn't gotten worse, and the blistering heat this poor rig has been subjected to for years in Vegas without shelter, wheels never covered and the lumpy, bumpy noisy engine, I'm not interested. If they sold it to me for 8K, I might buy it knowing that I could easily put 10K into it, but even then I fear the hidden issues caused by the blistering desert sun and heat and the lack of maintenance.
So, this is the last time I will ever drive to see a LD.
Sorry to hear that this particular unit was not up to par, Mimi. It is disappointing when a seller misrepresents the rig and poo poos your valid concerns.
On the upside, I believe you said you are located in SOCAL so it's only a matter of time before the right LD comes into your life. In the meantime, the inspection experience you are gaining is priceless- keep the faith!
Mimi
By the time you are done with this quest, you might be qualified to perform RV inspections ;-)
The more RVs you look at, the better you will become.
We look at a couple dozen used LDs before buying our 1983 22' FL, in 1995.
Most were trashed or heavily smoked in.
Larry
Mimi, You may have dodged a bullet here but you surly have been doing the right do-diligence investigation here. You will know when you have found your LD. Ours came to us much in the same way, we looked at more then a few "Dogs" (I apologize to their owners but they were not for us) and then one day a listing was there, we looked the next day and ahead of about 4 people we bought it. We have a 98 MB, the 98 is on the Ford Superduty which was later named E450. When I have to order parts it shows the E350 till 1997, Superduty for 98-99. The weight specs are the same as the 2000 E450 thus the 14050 weight. We also have the Onan 4K micro quiet although I do not know if that was originally ordered when it was bought, I believe I was told that it was added by the factory a couple of years later. In 98 we also suffer with when cold the "Wet Windows" which is due to condensation from being non thermal windows.
Karen~Liam
98~MB
Sorry again this was Not as presented. This only happened recently and I am still upset for all the time, money and effort to drive somewhere for nothing. I think wanting an older Rig increases the odds of this type of situation. Good Luck!
Sandra
Sorry it didn't work out for you Mimi.
I guess that's why the price was so low needed some fixing up.
What was leaking on the AC?
Yes, this was a disappointment. It's difficult for me to understand how anyone can allow someone to go through all that trouble and expense without giving them alllll the gruesome details. It's not like I would buy it simply because I took a trip. I hope one appears one day in SoCal. It better be within 30 miles of my house or never mind.:-)
I think you might be right Larry. I really feel much more confident in my inspection skills than I did in the beginning of this journey. It's amazing the details the untrained eye, the untrained nose and untrained ears can pick up on in an older rig. I know what a healthy engine sounds like, so it was pretty easy to hear that this one has or will have problems. So, as unskilled at this as I am, common sense seems to help. I never gave my common sense much credit in the beginning. lol
Sorry it didn't work out for you Mimi.
I guess that's why the price was so low needed some fixing up.
What was leaking on the AC?
Thanks. It was disappointing. In my uneducated view, it needs a lot of work. The engine sounds really bad. That along with bad tires was enough for me. In my uneducated opinion, it was far too expensive for what I believe needs to be done. It did have an a/c leak and he said he took it to someone for repair, but they ended up charging him but the leak was still there. He took it to someone else, but still a leak. He said he hadn't seen evidence of a leak since the last repair. Interestingly enough, he never said anything about the a/c until I noted that in his 8 or so line items of repair, I saw a/c repeated 3 times in a very short period of time. That's when he explained. I didn't have faith that the a/c was fixed. This rig has not been maintained. Languishing in the blistering desert heat for years has probably degraded many of the washers, hoses, etc. In this case, it was a leaking hose, or at least that's what he said they told him.
Sorry again this was Not as presented. This only happened recently and I am still upset for all the time, money and effort to drive somewhere for nothing. I think wanting an older Rig increases the odds of this type of situation. Good Luck!
Sandra
I agree Sandy. Allowing someone to invest time, money and energy looking at a rig that was deceptively described in an ad is upsetting. I would never do that to anyone. I do consider it as a lesson learned. I've driven 3 times to see rigs and each time, each one was misrepresented in the ads. I won't drive anymore. If it's too much trouble to see it, someone else can buy it.:-)
Mimi, You may have dodged a bullet here but you surly have been doing the right do-diligence investigation here. You will know when you have found your LD. Ours came to us much in the same way, we looked at more then a few "Dogs" (I apologize to their owners but they were not for us) and then one day a listing was there, we looked the next day and ahead of about 4 people we bought it.
Karen~Liam
98~MB
I'm so glad you found "The one". After looking at the wrong rigs, it must have been wonderful when you found the right one. You have a nice year and I was hoping to be right there with you but, it wasn't meant to be. Someday.:-)