Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 12-23-2009, 10:45 AM   #11
Senior Member
 
GreyDawg's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: No fixed abode
Posts: 347
Re: Looking for my first SMB!

Quote:
Originally Posted by gowest
SMB, Texas has this on their lot.

Van 1999 Ford RB
Miles 37,050 Price $18,200
Engine 5.4 L V-8
Top Contempo
Commercial Carpet, Day/Night Shades, 4 CF Refrigerator, Starcool 110 volt A/C, Attic Fan, Porta Potty, Sink, Propane Furnace and Stove, Microwave, TV Antenna, Van Radio Switch, Custom Stripes, Fiberglass Running Boards, Awning, Class III Hitch, Very good condition.

They would put shower where refrigerator is and move ref to closet location. This estimate cost would be $2500.00


Lori
Lori --

First, glad to have another XX member of the forums! I believe that there are about five of us. Welcome!

While new SMBs are not price negotiable, the prices for used rigs are negotiable. SMB is just playing the middleman, for a fee: they help the seller set an asking price, and take the calls from interested buyers. They call the seller (they're obligated to call for every offer), tell them what the offer is, and may advise on whether to take it or not.

Based on my experience of having SMB-TX sell my rig a couple of years ago, I'd guess that you might have about 10% wiggleroom on the asking price.

Any subsequent work that you have SMB do is non-negotiable.

Paul and Kevin at SMB-TX are awesome and will do right by you. The garage that inspects their used vans is tops, too.

--GreyDawg

__________________
GreyDawg
2017 T-250 MR 148" 3.7L cargo van. Slowly becoming a campervan...
GreyDawg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-23-2009, 11:04 AM   #12
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 7
Re: Looking for my first SMB!

Good info, BW, thanks.

I'm in the south east. Will be in north central Florida for a few days. Planning on looking at a rig in Gainesville, Fl Sat.

Lori
gowest is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-23-2009, 11:32 AM   #13
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 1,837
Re: Looking for my first SMB!

[quote="gowest"]Good info, BW, thanks.

I'm in the south east. Will be in north central Florida for a few days. Planning on looking at a rig in Gainesville, Fl Sat.



Guys and Gals:

anyone else around that has a rig to show of for L ??

bw
billwilson is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-23-2009, 08:01 PM   #14
rnj
Member
 
rnj's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Denver, Colorado
Posts: 84
Re: Looking for my first SMB!

I bought a 95 2x EB contempo top 57K mi from a Colorado RV dealer last October for $11,900. It was on Craigslist & rvt.com from July/August. Economy was tanking so RVs were not selling. It looked like new. The price was just dropped from $13,900. Dealer said it was minimum price the owner would sell it for or they would just hold on to it. I wanted lower profile hardtop, bed I didn’t have to make up everyday although I’m wondering about that now, I like the older style dash, and it was 50mi away so it worked for me. Dealer replaced all 5 tires, house battery, & water heater. The rear bumper & running boards were dented so I replaced them so it wasn’t perfect.
If you look at my post “Another Colorado SMB owner” in show & tell you can see all I did after I bought it but all it really needed was rear axle seals that started leaking months after I bought it, and lower radiator hose. It was a handful in winds so I added upgraded front & added rear sway bar, rear made a huge difference (rear sway bar may not work well on 4x but worked great on my 2x, actually best thing I did to my van), I don’t think previous owner knew it could be improved.
It has shower/porti potti behind driver’s seat. I also use it as a closet. I haven't used shower or porti-potti yet. Shower dimensions are 32”Dx24”Lx60”H by side of van & 63”H around center of van, about the average height inside. They have the shower oriented so the longer dimension is from side to center rather than front to back, the only reason I can think it was put in this way was for the little extra headroom. It comes out about 5” from the drivers seat armrest so you have an idea far out it goes. I’m 5’8” so have to hold my head down when standing but it’s not too bad.
It had a closet on passenger side between the rear twin bed across the back (select comfort provided by previous owner) & sink area which I removed to open it up more inside. Microwave was above closet so I just moved it down between bed & sink area. It has 2-way 12V/110V 4 CF fridge & starcool on driver’s side. No propane, I will get a portable stove. I plug in to 110 and use electric heaters for heat.
I have an Onan generator which worked good when I bought it but doesn’t stay running now. I’ll figure it out & keep it since it’s there, but would probably get a Honda or Yamaha if I didn’t have it. I think having a stand alone I could put further away would be better. I think would need 2 2000’s to run starcool.
37K mi to me is still new. The other 5.4 (1998) on their site has 147K mi. It’s only 6K more than I paid for mine with less miles & newer, I then put more money into mine. Looks like good floor plan & color inside, doesn’t look dated.
Hope this gives you some information to help on a decision since I’m probably one of few that has contempo top 2x & shower. I have pictures in a gallery but the galleries don’t come up for me now.
Randy
__________________
1995 E250 2x SMB White Contempo Top Custom SMB Interior 5.8L (351) 69K miles
Added Propane Tank & Propex HS2800/20 Gal Fresh inside/20 gal gray underneath behind axle
2.8K Onan/Porti Potti Shower Area/110V Digital Oil filled Electric Radiator Heater/Dynaglo for backup
Hankook Dynapro ATs 225/75-16 LRE
New to me 10/2008 - 2nd owner
rnj is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-26-2009, 11:27 AM   #15
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 7
Re: Looking for my first SMB! - Shower vs. PH

Happy Holidays to everyone and THANK YOU for all your input.

I don't know about the Contempo top but I can stand in that. My understanding that this was the top I needed if I wanted to stand in it (5'6") and install a shower. I don't need to have more sleeping space.

About the showe, though. I am back and forth a thousand times. I really like the feel of the PH but I'd have to give up the interior shower. I was holding on to the idea of the interior shower because I'd be living in this camper for possibly months at a time and in cool weather, too. But I'm not crazy about the expense of it and the added weight of lugging the water and loss of storage. On the other hand, is the convenience worth it? Any of you xx (glad to meet you, GreyDawg) have any comments on the shower thing?

I need things to be as simple as I can make them and wonder if having a PH poses potential problems. More upkeep, more to go wrong, and would I not need to take it back to SMB for any repairs? Are any of you with a PH having any problems with it?

Lori
gowest is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-26-2009, 11:41 AM   #16
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 7
Re: Looking for my first SMB!

Thanks, Randy. You brought up a couple of other things I've been thinking about and your info is helpful. I was wondering what people had to say about driving in high winds and what they did about it. Also, I'm trying to make decisions about energy sources. I'm beginning my research about generators so this was helpful. I am leaning towards having propane, a space heater instead of furnace, and a generator. Also was told that an external power connector is not assumed.

Speaking of energy sources... battery about to go...

Lori
gowest is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-27-2009, 05:30 PM   #17
rnj
Member
 
rnj's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Denver, Colorado
Posts: 84
Re: Looking for my first SMB!

Per Ray's request I added pictures of my shower to my gallery. Since I also was taking pictures I added additional pictures of the interior.

WRT generators the advantages of having an SMB installed Onan would be being able to just hit the remote switch inside to start it and fuel source is van gas tank (at least if it's gas powered, not sure if they use diesel gen with diesel or propane gen).

It does vibrate the van when running but not too bad, it's not super quiet so I don't know how others would feel if run for a longer duration. I've only started it in my driveway to exercise it so far.

I built a extension from an upper chain link fence bar & fittings ~ 1.5 " dia (2' sections I could fit under my bed) that I could put on to direct exhaust above top of van. I tried it out when I built it but haven't had to use it yet.

Mine is where the original spare tire goes underneath on a mount that lowers. I can't get the cover off unless I unbolt it and drop it on my driveway then pull it out as far as I can (Main cable doesn't have a connector and so it barely clears the rear bumper). Since I'm rying to figure out why it's not getting gas I'm getting pretty good at removing it. Getting it back on the mount is a little harder as I have to lean it up then slide it up and it's 113#s while I'm lying on my side.

If you have separate generators you would need to fill/carry gas or figure out how to siphon from gas tank and also need to store. The advantage is you could move them away from the van where noise & exhaust would't be as much of an issue.

Randy
__________________
1995 E250 2x SMB White Contempo Top Custom SMB Interior 5.8L (351) 69K miles
Added Propane Tank & Propex HS2800/20 Gal Fresh inside/20 gal gray underneath behind axle
2.8K Onan/Porti Potti Shower Area/110V Digital Oil filled Electric Radiator Heater/Dynaglo for backup
Hankook Dynapro ATs 225/75-16 LRE
New to me 10/2008 - 2nd owner
rnj is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-27-2009, 06:11 PM   #18
Senior Member
 
surfgeek33's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Long Beach, Ca
Posts: 985
Send a message via AIM to surfgeek33
Re: Looking for my first SMB!

Thanks Randy. Great pics and details.
__________________
???

"I do, cellularSTEVE" :o)
surfgeek33 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off

» Sportsmobile Registry

Big Grey

allenl

MSH MBL

Skivvie
Add your Sportsmobile
» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Sportsmobile SIP or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 07:09 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.