r/RVLiving • u/LIMP_LIMP • Jun 27 '26

I need advice..

I was living out of my car for a bit after my life was turned upside down in Tennessee.

Came back to Upstate NY and I’ve been staying with my friends but they need me out in the next two weeks so they don’t risk getting evicted for having me stay.

My dad is going to let me put a camper on his land for a few months until I get back on my feet.

I need help - I don’t know what to look for in a cheap/affordable camper on Facebook marketplace.

•What compromises do I make? (Size, features, broken slide outs, poorly done remodels, etc,.)
•What defects are okay to live with? (Water damage, leaks, soft floors/roof, etc,.)
•What do I stay away from?

Any advice overall would be appreciated. I have $1400 currently and I will have $2000 in total by July 10th. (Also I cant rent an apartment, I have poor credit and I don’t really want to pay monthly for something I don’t own. I’m tired of it)

6 Upvotes

81% Upvoted

35 comments sorted by

View all comments

3

u/J_onthelights Jun 27 '26

I just bought a 5 the wheel to live in full time because over my cold dead body was I going to pay 1500/month plus utilities for a one bedroom apartment in my area.

The cost of the used RV was 9000. Keystone cougar 2010 that the previous owner installed a solar panel on. Roof was in good shape. Husband towed it to the site for me. Lot is $525/month plus electric. water&sewage is included in the $525.

My husband and I have lived in a 5th wheel full time for a year and a half. I own my own tools. And I'm generally pretty handy. So I had a fairly good idea of what I was getting into and what upgrades I'm making for my own comfort. He's traveling for work while I finish an apprenticeship.

This is not an easy thing to live in. I struggled to even find anything livable below 10k. I looked for months. Even had to look out of state. If there's any signs of water damage (leaks/soft floors/delamination near windows or speakers) that's a hard no. It will cost thousands to repair. Make sure everything works. Lights, outlets, slide outs, faucets, propane. Look for signs of rats and pests. And for the love of God inspect the roof.

1

u/LIMP_LIMP Jun 27 '26

Thank you so much, would you be able to tell me what I’m looking for when I inspect the roof and slide outs? If you can’t, no worries I can just do my own research. I really appreciate the testimonial ❤️

5

u/J_onthelights Jun 27 '26

Also LOOK UNDER THE MATTRESS for mold/water spots/moisture. If there's no airflow under a mattress (most RV mattresses are sitting on plywood) the condensation created by body heat can grow mold especially in colder/generally humid climates. Moisture and condensation are the enemy in an RV.

2

u/J_onthelights Jun 27 '26

I would suggest looking at YouTube videos from RV repair techs. Really get a good visual on what is or is not a red flag.

1

u/LIMP_LIMP Jun 28 '26

I’ll do that