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Old 10-21-2011, 11:12 PM   #1
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Trailer: Aliner
Posts: 528
Wild Woods Casita Search

Thought I'd copy my blog post tonight for your viewing amusement. Hope it's okay.


We just got back from a 7 hour wild goose chase for a used Casita camper in central Georgia.


We had gotten a call from a woman in response to my WTB ad on Craigslist. She told us she had a Liberty Deluxe Casita for sale, and assured us that it was in excellent condition. She said she and her husband were retired and took very good care of their things.


So we headed south for what should have been a 2-1/2 hour drive.


BUT our GPS lost us down miles of twisty one lane red clay dirt roads and we ended up at a hunting camp full of guys planning the first night’s hunting of the season. Wandered around for over an hour lost on dirt roads.


Finally found the house in the dark after repeated phone calls for directions.


The Casita was not a Liberty Deluxe. It was a Spirit Deluxe. A great floor plan, but not as advertised. The windows were wide open to air it out in the chilly evening, and the inside reeked of air freshener. It also had a rusty stove top, broken cabinet latches, and the floor was so soft it gave under my feet.


The woman told me that she spilled a bottle of water on the stove and forgot to wipe it up, and that’s why it was crusted with rust. When I told her the floor was soft, she widened her eyes and asked, “What does that mean?” I told her it meant the floor was rotten.


She flew into a rage and yelled, “Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye….”


So we wandered through the dirt roads back to the paved road. Stopped in the little town and asked for directions to get back to the interstate. They told us to take the long way because the back roads weren’t safe with the hunters out.


So we just got home.


The trip wasn’t a total loss, though. I had never actually been inside a Casita before. They are adorable! I had expected it to feel cavelike, but it felt light, open and spacious.


Sure would like to find one in decent shape!


It looks like we won’t find anything in time to go home for Thanksgiving and Christmas. So maybe next spring.
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Old 10-22-2011, 07:13 AM   #2
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Trailer: 2006 16 ft Casita Spirit Deluxe / 1993 Surburban
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be patience and check here and the casita owners boards daily. We found our 16' Spirit Deluxe here on November 10th 2008 in Rapid City South Dakota. It was worth the hunt.
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Old 10-22-2011, 07:27 AM   #3
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Name: Dave
Trailer: 97 Casita SD 16'
North Carolina
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I agree with Jim. Keeping checking the Casita Club & Casita Forum twice daily. I went on (2) 3 hour runs myself before I found a 16" Spirit Deluxe. Good luck in your search.

Dave
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Old 10-22-2011, 07:44 AM   #4
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Trailer: 1982 Fiber Stream and 2001 Casita Spirit Deluxe (I'm down to 2!)
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I drove from STL to San Antonio once to pick up a Casita that I had sent a deposit via Fedex on. I committed based upon several lengthy conversations and requested pics that looked good too.
I had a Trillium already and also knew what to ask about and thought I had seen the pictures to prove the condition.

When I arrived the trailer I saw was a Casita but almost had no resemblance to the one I had seen pics of?
I was speechless.....almost.
There was another nice Casita there too behind bushes that clearly was the one from the pics!
I was so stunned I just stood there for a while.
I then had to get my deposit back and drove back for 16 hours.

Such is the journey sometimes.

I have also purchased 7 Eggs to date including one a few weeks ago and each has been an adventure and makes my success rate average go up too!

Hang in there, if it is right it will happen.

Ed
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Old 10-22-2011, 09:18 AM   #5
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Thanks, guys.

I actually was desperate enough to have a camper to take home for the holidays that I had planned to buy a KZ Spree Escape the first of the month.

But after I actually saw what a quality unit the Casitas are -- and I could tell, in spite of the problems with her trailer -- I decided I will wait as long as it takes to get one.

Ed, I am so glad that you posted your experience with the trailer in San Antonio. I'm sorry that happened to you, but it is very reassuring to know that I wasn't the only one that something like that has ever happened to.

Actually, yesterday had been a pretty boring day... but it turned into an adventure.
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Old 10-22-2011, 09:38 AM   #6
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I guess the question to always ask of the seller is "Are the pictures you are sending me and I'll be viewing of the actual trailer you have for sale"? You could also use the Buyers Check List to ask questions prior to traveling.
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Old 10-22-2011, 10:10 AM   #7
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Name: Mike
Trailer: 2012 Escape 19
Oklahoma
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I haven't had the best of luck in buying used stuff. Seems like I'm usually getting someone else's problems that way. Sharon, stick it out for what you want and like (Casita), but consider buying a new one. You can order it just the way you want it and know that everything will work (or will be fixed under warranty!). I can't see spending thousands to buy something that may need more hundreds or even thousands, plus many days or weeks, spent on repairs. I buy stuff to use, not to refurbish. But that's just me. No harm intended to those on the forum who love to tinker, fix, or rebuild.
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Old 10-22-2011, 10:14 AM   #8
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Donna, she called me in response to my WTB ad on Craigslist while we were out riding around, so I didn't see her ad before we decided to go look at it. I was just going on her answers to my phone questions. And I asked a lot of them.

It wouldn't have occurred to me to ask if the photos were of the actual trailer that was for sale. But she would probably have lied about that, too!

I think I about have that checklist memorized!

Ron said she had been drinking heavily. With my allergies, I didn't smell it.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Donna D. View Post
I guess the question to always ask of the seller is "Are the pictures you are sending me and I'll be viewing of the actual trailer you have for sale"? You could also use the Buyers Check List to ask questions prior to traveling.
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Old 10-22-2011, 11:13 AM   #9
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Mike, I missed your post earlier.

I am already considering just trying to buy new next year. I think I'll look for a good used one until spring, and then if I don't find one, we'll just order a new one.

I really like the idea of having a warranty on the trailer and appliances.
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Old 10-22-2011, 12:18 PM   #10
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Trailer: 1982 Fiber Stream and 2001 Casita Spirit Deluxe (I'm down to 2!)
Posts: 1,989
I too would not mind buying new but I have paid less than the price of a new one for the combined cost of the last 2 I have found.
Pretty easy to convince me to continue using one as opposed to starting one off.

Also there is little defense when someone is just outright lyoing to you.
I think Donna was being somewhat "Tongue in Cheek" suggesting that?

The people who screwed me over were the lucky ones too,I had to walk away and count to 10 several times so I did not act badly I was so upset.
The trailer was in such bad shape that I didn't think it would make it to a repair shop even and there was a Camping World at the end of their street!

It turned out they did sell it to someone after me and for more money?
I saw it listed for sale about a year later and it was fixed up but still recognizable as the same trailer. I contacted the seller and he told me it didn't make it to the camping world and he had to have it trailered to get repaired.

Some people simply do not care about others at all.
Karma is a tricky thing though.
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Old 10-22-2011, 06:42 PM   #11
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Ed, I thought that someone might get angry at her after seeing it. And rightfully so. Just hope they have as much self-control as you did.

I flagged the ad, and I figure once a few more people see it and flag it, that it will disappear.

I am guessing that if it sells, it will sell to someone who has no idea how much work it is to restore one.

I would feel a lot more comfortable buying from ads on the forums, especially by someone who has been a member for a while, than I would Craigslist. I'll keep looking. But I really have my antennae up now for undisclosed problems.

I'm hoping that the way I sold my Aliner will pay off. It was a fixer-upper with rotten floors, but I advertised it as such, and explained to the buyer in gory detail everything that needed to be done. So he bought it at a fixer-upper price with full understanding of what he was in for.

I'm hoping that whoever I buy from will be that up front with me.
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Old 10-22-2011, 07:58 PM   #12
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Sharon,
Don't give up, the nice ones are out there. But, they do sell fast. When we sold our Casita, one person from 3000 miles away asked me to take specific new pictures to prove that was really the trailer that was for sale. (He finally decided not to make the trip. I agreed with him, that's when gas prices were peaking.)

Another idea is to ask on the forums for a local member to go look at the trailer before you make the drive. Try to make a plan to hold the trailer until you can get there.

Someone above advised to scan the forums and CL often. When I put ours on CL, I had three or four replies within a couple minutes. There must be an automated system somewhere to do that.
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Old 10-22-2011, 08:52 PM   #13
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Marv, I'm not giving up. I really only got serious about searching for an egg after I sold the Aliner in late August. So it just seems like I've been looking forever!

After such disappointing results looking at a trailer in my state, I imagined what it would be like driving several states to look at a trailer and finding it in dismal shape. It had never occurred to me to ask someone else on the forums to check it out for me. Thanks for that tip!

I do check Craigslist and the other sites several times a day. I'll look into finding that automated notification feature.
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Old 10-22-2011, 11:36 PM   #14
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Trailer: 1969 Boler (Flat Top)
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I've been looking for a few weeks now and find that most FGRV are several hours away. I've had mixed experience with communication. I have set detailed questions to ask. No doubt it's a pain to be a seller with tons of inquiries but they have to realize that's part of the deal. I had one women would not send pics or give details and told me if I was serious I'd come look. She new I was 5 and half hours away! I explained that I didn't want to make the trip just to measure overall height and bit my tongue that if she was serious shed take the two minutes to measure.

In short I figure if they're uncooperative they're probably hiding something.

On the flip side a gentlemen called me long distance (U.S. to Canada) to let me know he was having title issues and was pulling down the ad but would call me back when all was sorted to see if I was still interested. Nice guy.

I'm patient and it will pay off. I'm patient and it will pay off. (repeat)

Mark
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Old 10-23-2011, 05:11 PM   #15
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Quote:
I'm patient and it will pay off. I'm patient and it will pay off. (repeat)

Mark
The only attitude that works!
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