Bidding seems absurdly cheap for this minty RV, a model I can’t recall ever seeing before but absolutely recognize courtesy of the headlights lifted directly from a mid-90s F150. The world of RVs and motorhomes is vast and deep, and as someone who has never been in a position to buy one new, I wonder how you decide that one model is the best fit for your needs. Of course, seeing what they retail for new and then seeing how little they’re worth when slightly used long ago cured me of any desire to own one, but maybe one of you will snatch up this 1998 USA Corporation Europa motorhome listed with no reserve here on eBay where bidding has yet to clear $8,000.
There is very little information out there about this model, or even the company that made with its laughably generic brand name – USA Corporation? I mean, I’m as patriotic as the next guy, but I would have picked something a little more memorable. Anyway, it seems USA Corp. was bought out by Isata and later Dynamax in the only online reference I can find, which explains why there’s very little out there in the way of background info. Now, the appealing aspect of this motorhome is its relatively compact size and modern drivetrain, both of which should make it far easier to manage for the novice motorhome owner. It clocks in at a manageable 28 feet long.
Power is supplied by a 5.7L Chevy 350 V8, which is still exceedingly easy to find parts for in the rare event that you need one. This example has under 35,000 original miles on the clock, so it undoubtedly has loads of life left in its drivetrain. The seller notes it has just one previous elderly owner, and you can practically see a pair of empty-nesters using this self-contained home on wheels for a few years before driving it less and less. The interior isn’t nearly as elaborate as some of the other motorhomes you might see at your local RV center, with the type of materials and colors that are certainly functional but by no means exotic. The layout looks quite sensible, with the sleeping quarters separate from the lounging and cooking areas, and the bathroom at the other end of the bedroom.
Up front, the driver’s compartment isn’t particularly intimidating, though I’m not sure why the passenger has to stare directly into a television monitor. The features list is quite generous, including roof and dash A/C, microwave, hot water heater, twin beds with four-person sleeping capacity, a hideaway dinette table, and more. Unlike most motorhome listings, the seller doesn’t explain whether he has tested all of these various systems to ensure proper operation, but hopefully the low miles and impressive condition is all the proof we need that everything works as it should. This is an oddball we can’t recall seeing very many of, but the compact packaging, clean interior, low miles, and Chevy drivetrain – not to mention no reserve listing – make it worth a look if you’re in the market.
Jeff…. Can help you bit on the Europa transition to Dynamax. We had looked at the Europa pryor to Dynamax buying out USA Corp. By the time we were sure we wanted one we called Dynamax and wound up buying a “made for us” 24 foot Isata, the name Dynamax put on the unit and still uses today on their big rig mounted class Bs. We put almost 90K miles on ours in a 10 year period and enjoyed every moment of it. Couple of problems popped up with the Chevy chassis in the form of an improperly aligned two piece drive shaft but the coach itself was well built and easy to live in. The built in the ceiling A C ducting and the large, pull down door outside storage gave new meaning to proper design. The majority of the miles were put on towing our 22ft race car trailer so power isn’t a problem. Overall nice rigs.
Quick note: If you get a motorhome with a Chevy chassis and are going to tow with it make sure you have 80-140 Synthetic oil in the rear end. Don’t know what GM is putting into their heavy haulers now but in the ’90s they were not recommending synthetic oil for the rear ends. Shortly after buying our rig we went to a motorhome trade show and the chassis folks from GM said use the synthetic even it didn’t come in the unit and the company still was not endorsing it.
Sweet looking motorhome. I find it more attractive than most Class B motorhomes offered at the time. For a vehicle like this, I would think that a Detroit Diesel 6.5 litre Turbo would be the best engine for the job, a Duramax 6.6 litre Turbo Diesel, or possibly, if there’s enough longitudinal space under the hood, a Cummins 5.9 litre Turbo Diesel engine.
Why would you want to go to all the trouble of fitting a Detroit Diesel engine when the SBC is obviously powerful enough to haul it along? Seems like a lot of effort, and expense, in order to get better gas mileage.
To get better fuel economy.
Looks like the EM-50 Urban Assault Vehicle from the movie “Stripes”
Driving in the rain should be a real treat.
Rain-X >> Wipers
Rain-X, recommended re-coat is every three months on an impeccably clean windshield may be its own nightmare.
A 350? Wow. I bet that thing can barely get out of its own way
Not a fan of the interior. But parts should not be to bad as they would be Chevy or some generic rv parts except for the body panels. No wipers?
On the 350… Our 24 footer weighed 11,200 pounds and our trailer with race car in weighs 6,000. We easily traveled 70-75 mph on highways and the transmission was able to make it a good hill climber.
I have a 1995 Europa and it’s a well built RV (at least as good as any RV sitting on a delivery van chassis). I haven’t found any horrible shortcomings with it. Mine is the same color combo, but 3 feet shorter.
I have a 1995 Europa and it’s a well built RV (at least as good as any RV sitting on a delivery van chassis). I haven’t found any horrible shortcomings with it. Mine is the same color combo, but 3 feet shorter. They do come equipped with wipers..
Ford F series headlamps and aerostar tail lights
HOLY COW
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkDWrFTl9aM
That’s the first low-rider motorhome I’ve ever seen.
Sold at $11,901 with a boatload of bids. Still seems a bargain to me especially considering the current hyperinflated RV market. Cool rig.
Someone got a good deal. FWIW with these rigs the first thing you inspect is the roof. The weakest link. If it leaks or starts to, it will decompose from the inside out.
@Al. I thought I would be clever and spray Rain-X onto the inside of my windscreen to see if it would stop the misting up. Worst thing I ever did because it did still mist up, and I wiped it with a soft cloth, and eventually I had to replace the screen as NOTHING would remove the Rain-X, and every time it did mist up it looked as though grease had been smeared onto the screen. Never again.
Lovely looking motorhome. I consider it unforgivable that so few were made before being discontinued. It’d be perfect for those who don’t want a 40′ cinder block on wheels, which basically is what most class a diesel motorhomes are.