| Good Trip -- looked at some GMC's [message #93978] |
Fri, 30 July 2010 11:01 |
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mike miller
Messages: 3576
Registered: February 2004
Location: Hillsboro, Oregon
Karma: 0
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Wife and I just completed a trip down the Oregon coast to the bay area, inland and then back north up I-5. Just under 1500 miles and the coach ran good. Overall milage was just under 9 mpg without a towd. Milage was a little better on the way down... (it is down on the map!) and speed was faster (and milage was less) when we got on I-5. Used about 1.5 quarts of oil.
We found some small problems with the coach:
1) The Oregon coast is cold. We found the furnace isn't working... again. (It is a different problem than our last issue with it.) We just used a cube heater.
2) Inland California is hot. The dash AC worked but I did hear the belt slip... just a little bit. I'll be replacing the belts soon. Might as well put on the double pulley on the alternator. (Even though THIS coach isn't the one having problems with THAT belt.)
3) Inland Oregon is hot. The roof AC quit working. (It worked a few months ago...) I measured and it looks like I can install the "almost new" low profile AC from my other coach onto the front hole and keep the pod. I'll need to move the vent, fan and cover from the front hole to the middle.
4) After taking an extended nap at a rest stop the travel position on my ELII wanted to raise the coach to max height... both sides. Set it to ride height manually by the "fist between the tire" and body method and drove it home.
Overall, more problems than I would like but nothing that stopped us from doing what we wanted to do. (IE: could have been worse.)
I looked at a few coaches, while a few where interesting, we decided that we'll keep and use our Birch for a few more years.
One coach, just north of Sacramento CA, would be great for someone who is "close to full time." It was set up for two people to live in for extended periods of time by a long time RV dealer. (He tells me he drove the first GMC sold in California, from Michigan, before it was sold.) It has a FULL SIZED shower in the back on the driver's side. It also has many other changes. It is sitting behind the owner's grandson's house. (He used it when building his house.) I took pictures and plan on posting them soon. The coach needs to be put back on the road before it degrades beyond repair. I expect it could be picked up for quite a bit less than the $8000 asking price. The owner also has some GMC specific tools (Like boogie pin reamers for both types of pins.) That will go with the coach... "If it goes for the asking price." Sometime I would like to sit and talk with the current owner. (He lives in Redding CA.) I'll get the pics and a better description up soon.
Another coach I wanted to look at is in Brookings OR. But had a "communication error" with the PO's son (who lives in LA) and wasn't able to look at it:
http://picasaweb.google.com/george.luteran/GMC1978?authkey=Gv1sRgCPGm_OzU5Lik6QE&feat=email#
The coach is stored out of the sun and weather inside a shop and is started once a year. There isn't anyone local to show the coach, so the PO's son says he has to fly up to show it to anyone. (A real PITA.) If you get the guy at the right time (like when he is in town for other reasons) I suspect he'd sell it for much less than the $10k asking price.
Mike Miller -- Hillsboro, OR -- on the Black list
(#2)`78 23' Birchaven Rear Bath -- (#3)`77 23' Birchaven Side Bath
More Sidekicks than GMC's and a late model Malibu called 'Boo'
http://m000035.blogspot.com
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