Help: concerns with used Bigfoot w/pictures link - Fiberglass RV
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 Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 07-15-2007, 08:12 AM   #1
Junior Member
 
Trailer: Bigfoot (25B21RB)
Posts: 20
Hello,

I'm thinking of becoming a fellow fiberglasser. I found a 1999 21' Bigfoot for sale close to me. I went and took a look at it yesterday and was a little discouraged by some of the things I ran into. I'm just seeking the opinion of some knowledgable fiberglass owners on how significant these issues are:

-All exterior hardware was fairly rusted. I'm not sure if this is representative of most bigfoots this age.

-There was some rusting of the frame/axles/hitch although it was limited to surface rust, I hope.

-There was a 30 amp fuse that had been pulled up to the storage area above the water heater. I'm assuming this was for easy access so that it could be replaced. It was blown and the housing was melted to the floor of the storage compartment. Any ideas what this might be?

-There was an area on the back right corner where the fiberglass has some hairline cracking. Also, the LP tank cover was cracked in places and the hinge and latch were covered in rust. The spare tire cover also had the hairline cracks.

-The front window cover hinge looked like it had some work done to it. Half of the hinge was different than the other half and looked like it had different fastening hardware.

-The oven has been replaced with a toaster microwave combo, and the cabinetry has been cut to allow it to fit.

-There were lots of holes where something had been mounted to the wall by the door.

-Seal issues on the top. Looks like it needs some work up there.

Here is a link to the pictures:
Photobucket Link

Aside from these issues, everything inside worked. There were no odors or anything like that.

Any input would be appreciated.

Thanks.
Joshua Ills is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-16-2007, 06:49 AM   #2
Suz
Senior Member
 
Suz's Avatar
 
Trailer: 1989 Casita Spirit Deluxe
Posts: 2,055
Registry
Welcome! Since I don't have a Bigfoot, I can't be of much help, so I thought I'd bring this back up to the top in hopes that some of them would see it. We have many that are off at the Oregan Gathering at Bullard's Beach. As they drift back, I'm sure someone will see this.
Suz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-16-2007, 07:22 AM   #3
Member
 
Trailer: Bigfoot 20 ft 5th Wheel
Posts: 90
Hi Joshua,

You don't say what price they are asking so it's hard to say how good a deal the trailer is. The dried out top seals look a lot like what I'm fixing on my '84 Bigfoot, so I'd guess that isn't an uncommon condition. It's easy to scrape off and redo. I'm totally new to trailering and fiberglass so I don't know how serious a repair the cracking areas are, I guess I'm lucky mine only has a couple of damaged spots from stone hits on the lower front. That does seem like a lot of rust on the metal bits to me but looks to be surface rust as you say and can be cleaned up and with the use of some rust-stop and new paint I wouldn't worry too much about it. I wonder if the fuse that has shorted might have been raised due to it getting wet from a leak near the pump causing the short, it might be worth looking at the flooring around the pump and checking for water stains there. The owner could tell you probably.

Hopefully someone more knowledgeable will see your post and be of more help.

Scott
scott fraser is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-16-2007, 09:17 AM   #4
Senior Member
 
Trailer: 1988 Bigfoot Deluxe B19 19 ft / 2007 Nissan Frontier V6 NISMO 4x4
Posts: 456
I would certainly be interested to hear from some Bigfoot veterans too, because some of the rust on that unit would scare me. The hairline cracks I have seen reference to on a thread on this website--those are apparently to be expected with age and are repairable... check out the Solving Problems section (I don't remember the name of the thread). The obvious gaps in the flashing around the roof vents and fans would make me want to check for any signs of leakage. Please share with us what you end up doing!
V'sGlassSleeper is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-16-2007, 03:54 PM   #5
Senior Member
 
BobB's Avatar
 
Trailer: 2004 Bigfoot 17 ft ('Beastie')
Posts: 564
Registry
Joshua,

This doesn't seem to be a well cared for Bigfoot travel trailer. Might be a fixer-upper if the price is right. However, the repairs may cost more in $$ and time than you think!
BobB is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-17-2007, 06:45 PM   #6
Junior Member
 
Trailer: Bigfoot (25B21RB)
Posts: 20
Wow, thanks for the input everyone!

The price point on these trailers seems to be very subjective. There is one for sale in the classified section right now for $19K. Referencing NADA values, it seems like a 99 21' should top out around 9 or 10K. I have no idea what the descrepancy is between what people are asking and the NADA values. I have spoken to a couple of dealerships one of which referenced NADA directly, the other suggested between 12 and 15K. If the seller ends up working with me, I won't be paying much over 12K.

The unit doesn't appear to be leaking on the inside. It rains frequently here on the gulf coast and the interior isn't showing any signs of incoming water and doesn't have a musty odor. Is it possible for a leak to be present between the interior and exterior, but not manifest itself internally? Regarding the 30A fuse, I never thought about the water pump. When I went to look at the trailer, the pump was working, but then I had the owner turn it off to see if the local water pressure would feed the faucets. The owner said he was going to have camping world check it out yesterday but I haven't heard from him yet.

Thanks again for the help.

Josh
Joshua Ills is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
bigfoot


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
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


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Bigfoot 17CB, Installed 2nd Batt, Link 20 tomorrow! Michael Pupeza Modifications, Alterations and Updates 6 06-23-2008 03:28 AM
Hey, Roger! Where's the pictures of your Bigfoot? Gigi General Chat 9 06-20-2006 03:21 PM
A link to a data bank of egg pictures. Yves Pelchat Forum Admin, News & Announcements 2 01-31-2006 04:23 PM
Lots of Bigfoot pictures (and comments) Legacy Posts General Chat 6 05-29-2003 05:18 PM
Posting bigfoot pictures Legacy Posts General Chat 3 05-26-2003 06:23 PM

» Upcoming Events
No events scheduled in
the next 465 days.
» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 07:21 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.