Possible trillium--no title, no serial # - Fiberglass RV
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Old 04-15-2012, 02:43 PM   #1
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Possible trillium--no title, no serial #

I talked with a guy who bought what he says turns out to be a trillium at a yard sale a few years ago. He pulled off the "foam" lining as it was bad, left the fibeglass, and painted the interior. He has two bunkbeds. He also got rid of the sink and stove and put a plywood shelf where they had been. So this would need some restoring to be a camper. He only has it registered as a utility trailer and uses it for "tailgating" at sports events (?).

I'd like to go see it since it apparently is in good condition bodywise, although it's way overpriced considering it needs to be fixed up with sink/stove, etc, and is now uninsulated. Although he says being small it really cools down and heats up well anyway.

How does one go about figuring out what year this is he says he has no idea, probably late 70's. Is it definitely a trillium or could it be something else like a uhaul? Also how do I get a title, figure out a serial #, what does one do in a case like this?

Thanks.
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Old 04-15-2012, 07:44 PM   #2
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Check with a GA DMV office or wherever you register your vehicles as to what they will reguire to regsiter it

Here in FL I register and pay tax etc with the Tax Collector.

I bought my Boler without a title, just a Bill Of Sale. After I renovated it I got a 10 day temp tag (to stay legal) and drove it to a certified scales, had it weighed and got a Certified Weight Certificate.

Took that and the Bill of Sale to the Tax Collector and got it registered as home-built and got a tag. Pretty easy.

This applies here to any trailer under 2000 lbs.

So check out if GA is similar as it sounds like you would be doing some work on it which would qualify you on it being home-built!

Good luck. Let us know!
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Old 04-16-2012, 04:54 AM   #3
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Originally Posted by jenbooks View Post
Is it definitely a trillium or could it be something else like a uhaul?
Thanks.
Hi Jen. Post a picture. Someone will know. Raz
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Old 04-16-2012, 05:26 AM   #4
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It would not be a Uhaul if it has foam lining. Uhaul is double-hulled. And I would not buy it until I knew if I could get it licensed.

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Old 04-16-2012, 07:18 PM   #5
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Thanks CliveAlive.
CindyL--I will go to look at it this week, and take a pic and post. However, I assume I Have to do what CliveAlive said--call the DMV and find out. Correct? You said you wouldn't buy it unless you found out if you could get it licensed, but CliveAlive seems to have given me excellent advice on doing that?

Does anyone have any other suggestions or info?

Much thanks.
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Old 04-16-2012, 07:27 PM   #6
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Jen; Just to be clear: I did mean to that you find out about registering etc before you buy it.

It could be that if you were to restore it, it would become more than just a "utility trailer" and become an RV and without a title make it impossible to register it or something.

Or maybe it would still get registered as a "utility trailer" !!

Like Cindy said. I'm just trying to advise you to find out before you buy it as to what is entailed.

Do let us know. Good luck.
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Old 04-16-2012, 07:30 PM   #7
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You guys, I really have no experience with this--something without a title. I guess I"ll just call the DMV and find out, before I even make a trip out there. I know it's registered now as a utliity trailer--he took out the stove, fridge, sink etc.
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Old 04-16-2012, 07:33 PM   #8
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Jen:

I don't know what you need to do to license it; I would call the licensing place in GA. I said what I said because there is story after story on this forum of someone who bought a trailer and then couldn't get it licensed without a title. Now you might be able to use what the seller uses. IL registered our previous Burro as a "homemade" trailer.

Good luck!


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Old 04-17-2012, 01:01 PM   #9
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Hi guys, I have done a bit more research. I asked the owner and he said, he just had it as a utility trailer and could sell it to me as that. I looked at the official definition of a utility trailer, and it can be enclosed, but its primary purpose is to tow equipment for business or recreation. I think in its current state that would pass muster, but if I put camping stuff in it I'm not sure. At that point, I could make a case for a homemade RV, and would have to go through some various hoops. Also, utility trailers are expected generally to be under 2000 lbs and you do have to go get them weighed sometimes, although if this already has a tag and registration, I might not. It would already have an official weight.

I think it's worth seeing, so I will plan to. He sounded a little annoyed by the questions,although not really rude or anything.
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Old 04-17-2012, 01:02 PM   #10
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PS--I could be wrong about understanding what I read, but you are required to have a title for 1986 and newer. This might be late 70's. Of course, without a serial # who knows.
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Old 04-17-2012, 02:41 PM   #11
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I also bought mine without any paperwork besides a bill of sale. If you have the will ( can be frustrating at times because DMV isn't always knowledgable about everything) there is a way!!
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Old 04-17-2012, 03:25 PM   #12
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Red face Some things to check

Jen,
Check that all the interior fiberglass is there: Closet next to the door, counter for stove and sink across from the closet, cabinets above, and four seats, one in each corner. If a PO has removed any of these, they have compromised the strength and integrity of the rig.
Secondly, look for some sort of tag or stamping in the frame a serial number or some such. You may need this to register it.
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Old 04-17-2012, 03:54 PM   #13
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Hmmmm..... Gutted, over-priced, no title, unknown make & year, wrong registration and needing lots of work. Exactly what is the attraction here?????



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Old 04-17-2012, 04:03 PM   #14
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Not to be nosey (yeah right ) but what is he asking for this "utility trailer" ?


You say overpriced, so it may not be worth all the hoopla to go thru all it is gonna take to get it back to a camping trailer. And I am not even talking about the whole title fiasco! That can be simple or it can be a nighmare! Hopefully, your home state is simple.
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Old 04-17-2012, 04:14 PM   #15
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Hmmmm..... Gutted, over-priced, no title, unknown make & year, wrong registration and needing lots of work.

OK - now that we have covered the good news, are there any potential drawbacks on this deal
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Old 04-20-2012, 05:47 PM   #16
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Thanks, guys, for more input. For some reason I wasn't notified there were new messages on the thread. Roger CH, thank you for that info and I am sending my hubby tomorrow to look, so I will be sure he checks all that. I wouldn't think the fiberglass was removed. He said he did not like the insulation--foam with some kind of vinyl? I think Trillium did that. It was dirty and he removed it and sanded off the remains. We will definitely check that it is intact.

Re: gutted and overpriced, what is the attraction, etc? Well you probably haven't seen another post of mine on this board earlier. It still has a bed and a/c and storage. It would appeal to me if it was in good shape basically, because it would have no mold issues. Especially old insulation like that. I have chemical sensitivities. We've camped a lot in tents and I've gone into every scamp and casita I saw, and they are popular enough I've been in a number. The older ones feel better to me, they have totally offgassed their chemicals. I went into a five year old, 13 foot scamp recently--owners got it new at the scamp factory--and it stunk of chemicals, to me. I also did not think it was as well made as the older scamps--that was just intuitive, not like I got down on hands and knees to examine everything. A new Egg--it was really beautiful, more so than scamps or casitas, with reflectix insulation which is very mold resistant, and taller, and all shiny inside, but it really stank of fiberglass and new chemicals, even the owner admitted it bothered her (a 2011). A well used (six months a year) 2008 casita, Spirit Deluxe, was fine when I went in. So...I've learned a lot. A frequently used egg only has to be about four years old. A recreational egg only used a few times a year, will still be chemical. Older eggs are cheaper and I do better with them. I would kind of enjoy putting in my own really pretty sink, cabinets etc. Kind of in the spirit of the Don VARDO, which is designed by Portland Alternative Dwellings...and I think I could do it fairly cheaply, as I have a talented friend.

I don't have to offer what he wants, anyway. As you may have noticed, Gerry and her husband advertised their 1995 scamp for $11,000. I commented it was overpriced. They came down to $10,000. In a phone conversation I had with her I said I thought it was probably worth $7,000 at most and if she came down to $8,000 and was negotiable, call me. Well, she and I had problems--she would alternate between urging me to come see it, and telling me to forget it. Maybe she wasn't admitting to herself at that point that it really was overpriced. A month later, they dropped the price to $7500...but I never followed up on that, because the last time she told me to forget it, I'd called her after packing up and getting onto the highway to drive to her, and I was really put out...but I assume they have sold it by now, for about the price it initially seemed worth to me...which was $4000 lower than their initial asking price.

So, just because someone puts a price on it, if it's beyond the market, they will probably come to their senses sooner or later

However, a title problem, that I DO NOT want. For sure. I agree there and appreciate the input.
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Old 04-20-2012, 06:23 PM   #17
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Personally, I think all sellers should start high and I'd not be inclined to listen to just one person telling me my price is out of line. That's what gaining knowledge is about... finding out for myself what I may get for what I'm selling. Remember, you can always come down in price, but once you have a buyer... you can't go up. And, I'd NEVER buy a trailer without a title. Because the state I live in REQUIRES titles for travel trailers. YMMV
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Old 04-20-2012, 06:44 PM   #18
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Alrighty then, Thanks for the explanation Jen.


The insulation is probably ensolite which is found in many older rv's.

Well, since your looking for your perfect trailer at the perfect price I do hope you know it may take time to find the perfect one! Wishing you luck! Do post pic's if you buy it.
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Old 04-20-2012, 06:50 PM   #19
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Hi Donna D, others weighed in the price was too high. It was kind of obvious. $11,000 for a 1995 scamp with no shower? When at the very same time in the same area a 2006 Casita with shower was only $11,500? The whole thread should still be there. They eventually realized it, too. I think the issue with starting very high is it means your trailer sits, and then perhaps, the fact you've tried to sell it a few times, dropping price each time, can make buyers a little hesitant. But whatever.

Re: the title situation, in my state, older than 86 and under 2000 pounds does not have to have a title; and if upgraded to a homemade RV they can title that. Homemade RV's are allowed. So I think it's probably okay, but another wrinkle is transporting it. If the guy does not let me use his tag, I would theoretically have to buy it, get a bill of sale, drive a few hours to my DMV, after having had a local officer fill out a form verifying it's roadworthy, and get the tag. Now, I don't know this guy. What if he took my money and then the trailer got "stolen"? I'm just thinking of worst case scenarios. I remember when we were interesting in buying an old classic 1993 Saab in our former city, and the owner agreed on a price, but later on he didn't like it, so his fancy radio/cd player got "stolen" out of his car the night before we were to pick up the car and buy it from him. And there was not a scratch--somehow someone had gotten in, without breaking windows or locks, removed the radio, and nothing was damaged, not a hair out of place. IE he stole his own radio because he decided he didn't like the price. So anything is possible in this world...

So how have others who travelled and bought a trailer dealt with that, just curious? Thanks.
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Old 04-20-2012, 06:53 PM   #20
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Alrighty then, Thanks for the explanation Jen.


The insulation is probably ensolite which is found in many older rv's.

Well, since your looking for your perfect trailer at the perfect price I do hope you know it may take time to find the perfect one! Wishing you luck! Do post pic's if you buy it.
Thanks Robin, I'll google it.
I don't need the perfect trailer--but I have to have one without significant chemicals or mold. Yeah, I know it takes time. I've looked on here, and on the FB Molded Fiberglass (he posts a lot of great ones for sale here and in Canada) and on my Craigspal software every day...it's not that I don't see some really great ones, they're just often WAY FAR AWAY!
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