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New Owner "Doing it All Wrong"
My family recently bought our first RV after exclusively tent-camping. We live in Alaska, so the camping season is short and usually involves cold rain. In my younger days, I would just go out with an old shower curtain and a sleeping bag, wrapping up into a taco under my Jeep at night. The bears never bothered me, but if they did at least I was in a convenient snack form. As the years passed, sleeping on the cold ground became less appealing, as did cold, wet kid bodies. I'm getting old.
 
We rented an RV for a weekend this summer, which was not cheap. I appreciated being warm and dry, with everything close at hand in case the weather wasn't playing nice. I started looking around at the used market and quickly realized that the return on our investment for a newer model given the amount of use the vehicle would see would be horrible. We can only do 6-7 weekend trips during an average summer with all of our other time constraints. I had pretty much given up on the idea when I came across a 1983 20' Lazy Daze. Orange shag carpet and dark brown paneling, it was straight out of my '70s childhood. However, I saw nothing but potential, and the price was low enough (high by Lower 48 standards). New wheels and tires, new refrigerator, one owner, complete records, rebuilt motor and transmission within 20K miles, no leaks (from what I can tell), regular maintenance... Nothing but potential. Sure, it had a ding or scuff or rusty patch here or there, but that just added to the charm for me.

I spent weeks gutting the interior of every last bit of orange shag rug, to the point I dreamed about it at night. Linoleum went down. Walls were repaired and repainted a lighter color, which opened the space up considerably. I added two AGM house batteries and re-engineered the house electrical with more modern components, with expansion for solar in the future if I choose. New seat cushions for the dinette were made. LED lighting and USB charging panels were installed. The non-functional swamp cooler was replaced with a vent, adding headroom and making the small space seem larger. With each project, I became more attached to the old girl, now called Daisy by the family.
 
I'm hoping the engine will last a while. We won't be towing, I removed a lot of unneeded weight (shag), and the short wheelbase should help extend the life. Our trips are mostly under 3 hours from the house for short weekend getaways. Nothing lasts forever, but I hope we can get a few years out of her without major drama. If not, I guess that's part of the adventure.
 
Yep, we did it all wrong.
1983 20'
Re: New Owner "Doing it All Wrong"
Reply #1 –
As long as your making memories with your family it’s all good 😊🚐
Daughter of the first Lazy Bones
Hitting the road on my own and with a friend 🚐 while reporting back to the Lazy Bones at home 🛋

2 Lazy Bones - Home
Re: New Owner "Doing it All Wrong"
Reply #2 –
Wishing you many happy trips and successful projects.
1992 22' TK
Re: New Owner "Doing it All Wrong"
Reply #3 –
Mike, that’s pretty much what we did with oir ‘92. We like the fact that a ding or dent from a branch on a narrow road won’t bother us. Realizing that though we like the LD, it’s not a pristine GM Motor home, so we are not destroying its value by resto-modding it, we have rebuilt it the way we want it, and that adds value to us.
Paul
'92 Mid Bath
Re: New Owner "Doing it All Wrong"
Reply #4 –
Mike, welcome to the LDO Forum and world of Lazy Daze!  Sounds to me like you're doing it right (as Lazy Bones 2 said, making memories with your family)!      And as you said, sure beats sleeping on the ground and looking like a burrito to a hungry bear!

Lots of knowledgable folks here who have owned older LD's and who can help you with any questions you may have about your new rig.  And, with all those Amazon orders coming in, don't forget to help support the forum administrators by clicking on the Amazon Affiliate link pinned at the top of the forum splash page.

Looking forward to hearing about your adventures in the future!

Greg & Victoria
2017 Mid-Bath  “Nocona” towing a manual 2015 Forester
Previously a 1985 TK
SKP #61264
Re: New Owner "Doing it All Wrong"
Reply #5 –
Welcome to the forum. I don’t think you’re doing anything “wrong”. We bought our used LD knowing we may have to do some work on it. But we didn’t want payments. So we got one we could afford. I figured I could put in a whole new drivetrain when needed. And still be well under the cost of buying new. Have fun with it.
Lynn and Lori
Re: New Owner "Doing it All Wrong"
Reply #6 –
I don't think you're doing anything "wrong"
---
I don't, either. You apparently checked out the rig, were aware of any 'warts' or issues, have the skills and knowledge to fix the problems, and matched a rig choice to your purposes and budget.

The 'doing it wrong' stuff happens when buyers do/have few or none of the above.

2003 TK has a new home
Re: New Owner "Doing it All Wrong"
Reply #7 –
Welcome Mike,

I agree with others here.  Getting what sounds like a well-cared for rig, kitting it out in a way that makes you happy, and being able to load up the family and take off for weekend adventures whenever you get a chance is just right.  Every time I start a trip in my LD, I have a big smile, maybe not visible, but it's there.  Wishing you and yours the same!

Bill

Bill
2003 -- 23' FL
Re: New Owner "Doing it All Wrong"
Reply #8 –
Thanks for the kind comments everyone.
 
I wish I could say I went in with my eyes completely wide open, but that would be a lie. I had a feverish impulse, looked at the ones on the market at the time, and picked the best I could find. Dumb luck to end up with a Lazy Daze.
 
If I was more patient, I would have waited until the season was completely over, because the RV market is flooded now and prices have dropped considerably. People just don't want to winterize their RVs and pay to store them for 6 months, so they sell them cheap. Other people are leaving the state and can't bring their RV along. Some people are aging out or don't use them as much as they thought they would. The trickle of RVs that was present on the local craigslist when I was in the market is now a raging river.
 
Then again, if I had waited I wouldn't have a Lazy Daze. I was anxious and jumped early. Things happen for a reason.
 
Are there bells and whistles I lust over in other RVs? I'd be lying if I said I didn't. There's a whole passel of "if only"s I could list. A bigger bathroom. A cabinet here, a foot or so there... However, instead of worrying about what I can't change, I'm adapting it to come as close as possible. I love the construction of the Lazy Daze, because even a ham-fisted carpenter like myself can make modifications and repairs without special tools or hyper-proprietary components. I find the modifications and repairs satisfying. I've accomplished something.
 
Maybe one day we'll upgrade, but I'll have a hard time giving up the old girl when the time comes. She has character.

 
1983 20'
Re: New Owner "Doing it All Wrong"
Reply #10 –
I've been trying to post pictures, but I may be too new of a member for them to show up. For now, I have a couple in the media section. I have more from the demotion stage, a couple from trips, and a few from specific projects, but as it just started snowing here today, I don't think I'll get many more for a while. I'm just glad I got it covered last night and more or less completed the winterization process.
 
To be honest, compared to the sparkling examples here of all vintages, I'm going to have to do a lot of aesthetic work next year to even come close. The exterior is... um... well-loved at the moment. The interior is getting there. Right now I'm focused on the function rather than the form, although a few projects are on the books to make it look somewhat less disreputable. '80s Chevy Van bodies are not the most rust-resistant structures.
1983 20'
Re: New Owner "Doing it All Wrong"
Reply #11 –
Sounds like a great project! I look forward to seeing your photos. I purchased a 1985 22' last October. The first thing we did was de-mauve it. Valances gone. Mini blinds gone. Fake curtains and tie backs gone. The mauve stripe backing behind the dinette was removed to reveal unblemished wood paneling. I reupholstered all of the seating, but have not yet tackled the driver and passenger seat. It was amazing to see how clean the rig was will all the old dusty mauveness gone. So many more projects to do, but the old girl is looking good.
1986 22' Multi-Plan
Re: New Owner "Doing it All Wrong"
Reply #12 –
Quote from: Alaska Mike  - 
I've been trying to post pictures, but I may be too new of a member for them to show up. For now, I have a couple in the media section. I have more from the demotion stage, a couple from trips, and a few from specific projects, but as it just started snowing here today, I don't think I'll get many more for a while. I'm just glad I got it covered last night and more or less completed the winterization process.
 
To be honest, compared to the sparkling examples here of all vintages, I'm going to have to do a lot of aesthetic work next year to even come close. The exterior is... um... well-loved at the moment. The interior is getting there. Right now I'm focused on the function rather than the form, although a few projects are on the books to make it look somewhat less disreputable. '80s Chevy Van bodies are not the most rust-resistant structures.

Saw pictures of your project on the Lazy Daze RV Club Facebook group. Sure looks good for the age.
Lynn and Lori
Re: New Owner "Doing it All Wrong"
Reply #13 –
Quote from: '86LazyDazeBlaze  - 
Sounds like a great project! I look forward to seeing your photos. I purchased a 1985 22' last October. The first thing we did was de-mauve it. Valances gone. Mini blinds gone. Fake curtains and tie backs gone. The mauve stripe backing behind the dinette was removed to reveal unblemished wood paneling. I reupholstered all of the seating, but have not yet tackled the driver and passenger seat. It was amazing to see how clean the rig was will all the old dusty mauveness gone. So many more projects to do, but the old girl is looking good.
It's amazing how much smell the old carpet, upholstery, and window dressings could hold. The previous owner wasn't a smoker, but 35 years of odor adds up. My wife altered some curtains to provide new window coverings and some much-needed color, and we're looking at rehabbing a couple of the window blinds for the door and behind the kitchen counter.
 
In addition to smells, the old valances made the small space look smaller. I much prefer the cleaner, more modern look.
1983 20'
Re: New Owner "Doing it All Wrong"
Reply #14 –
Quote from: Duro  - 
Saw pictures of your project on the Lazy Daze RV Club Facebook group. Sure looks good for the age.

Yeah, the driver's side doesn't look so pretty. All about staging, distance from the camera, and resolution. When I pull it out of storage I have some body work to do on the cab and a lot of work with polishing compound. A paint job may be in the future, but that would make it less identifiable as a Lazy Daze.
 
Right now it's sleeping under its cover with a light layer of snow on top. This winter I'll just make lists of projects that will never get done and buy gadgets that will never have any practical use. Part of being a newbie.
1983 20'