Re: [VAC] Newbie Alert!!

[terry tyler <tylerbears@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Bob,
 
After reading your posting (below), my first three reactions were:
1 - you are correct about no grey water tank, and
2 - you are correct about a potential frame problem, and
3 - I would have serious questions about a 6-7 year leak (floor rot).

-------------------Details----------------

1 - Grey tank is insignificant dollars. The portable ones cost peanuts.
Unless you have a personal bias against a handling grey water tank every day
or two, it's no big deal not having one.

2 - Labor to drop the belly pan, find the cause of bowing, repair it and
reattach the belly pan will take at least one full day. BUT - while one
side of the belly pan is down, it would be prudent to apply the same fix on
the other side, even if no problem is yet evident. If you don't, you'll kick
yourself when you have to drop and reattach the belly pan a second time
later when the other side starts to bow.

How much do welders charge per hour in your area? How much of the scud work
are you willing to do when it comes to dropping the belly pan and later,
re-riveting it back in place? Estimated cost will be more than an hour for
the welder and upwards to a full day, if you do only minimal scud work (pass
tools to the welder). The very least you'll be charged is $65 and it could
go considerably higher depending on many, many variables. Some people have
paid over $1,000 for this type of job.

3 - Use an awl or shirt pocket screw driver and check for soft spots across
the entire floor area. It'll take an hour to be thorough, but it may be the
smartest hour you'll spend before buying. Don't underestimate the power of
floor rot to side track you from using the trailer. Cost to repair will be
associated with disassembling everything on top of the rot, so you can then
"fix" it ($50+++ for materials or new tools) and re-assemble everything.

After you have "fixed" more than one spot of floor rot (a separate learning
curve is required to know how to do it right the first time), there's an
excellent chance you'll put in new carpet and a new pad ($200-400) instead
of reinstalling the stinky old carpet and the crumbling pad.

You mentioned four tires ($200). That's a smart move. Even if the old ones
look good, they are too old to carry your newfound treasure.

Bottom line, give yourself a cushion of at least $1,000 and plan on several
days of you not going in to your salaried job. Why? You'll be trying to save
money by doing some of the labor yourself and/or "supervising" while the
hired hand works for you.

Translation: Offer $1500 and accept a negotiated "split the difference" of
$2,000. Even with that, there's a high probability you'll have many more
repairs to do before you can take the Airstream and enjoy it.

Bob, if you have read this far, you've probably picked up the idea that my
comments are merely one man's opinion. You may get more opinions from others
in this discussion group. Take all of them and sort out what you want from
what you don't want. It's your call. We are only on the sidelines. Don't be
surprised if my estimates are wildly optomistic and much lower than what you
end up spending.  <grin>

Terry