Buying used FGRV

[SharonNDean]

I would like some clues on how to determine a fair price on a FG trailer. The NADA Blue book RV price is consistantly about 1/2 of what people are trying to sell them for. Is there anywhere else I can check online?

[Bigfoot Mike]

NADA does not have good data to price from, so my guess is they use models from typical 'sticky' RVs. By in large, FiberglassRVs are sold direct from the factories, and then they are sold direct by individuals. RV Dealers are mostly out of the equation so NADA has very little feed back to work from.

The best way to get a feel for prices is to look at RVs that have sold here, and use our Buyers Check List.

One rule of thumb is to take the List price and drop it by 5% per year for the first 5 years. Then it all depends on how well it was taken care of.

I would also say, Is it what you want? Is it the floor plan you want? etc.

Your mileage may vary...

[SharonNDean]

Do you mean the list price for a 2008 trailer, or the new price of the trailer in question when it was made? Because I would have no way of figuring how much a 2000 trailer sold for new. Also, if that Buyer's check list is the same one I looked at before, they ask for the VIN. Are trailer accidents reported just like car accidents? We are going to the Casita store in Rice tomorrow to look at floor plans (provided they are open on Fri)

[Bigfoot Mike]

Good question. While you're at Casita ask them what they cost.

We paid about $12,000 for our early 2001 17' Casita Freedom fully loaded.
Then we paid about $14,000 for our fully loaded late 2003 17' Casita Liberty.

My friend in Ill. just sold his 2001 17' Casita Liberty for around $10,000±.

I see there is a 17' Casita Liberty for sale on this website for around $12,900 which is a very good price. I heard that new ones are selling for about $16,000.

I hope this helps, Good Luck.

[jack maloney]

Beyond a few years, pricing formulas for FGRVs are meaningless. List price? For FGRV UHauls like mine, there never was a list price - they were made for a UHaul rental program. Age? How do you price an immaculately restored 30 year old Boler compared to a carelessly abused 8 year old Scamp? In the end, the price is always based on the FGRV's condition, on what you're willing to pay, and what the seller is willing to take.

The most important thing to know about shopping for a FGRV is to be prepared to buy IMMEDIATELY when you find what you want (or anything close). Demand for these little gems is growing, and I suspect many people in this forum have had the experience of hesitating over the price of a FG egg, only to lose the opportunity to someone else.

[Donna D.]

Do you mean the list price for a 2008 trailer, or the new price of the trailer in question when it was made? Because I would have no way of figuring how much a 2000 trailer sold for new. Also, if that Buyer's check list is the same one I looked at before, they ask for the VIN. Are trailer accidents reported just like car accidents? We are going to the Casita store in Rice tomorrow to look at floor plans (provided they are open on Fri)

Sharon the reason for asking about the VIN when purchasing used, is to solve the problem that often crops up "Where do I find the VIN on my trailer." It's best to ask the seller where it is, than to make the purchase, get the trailer home, then try to find it. Usually it's under layers of paint somewhere on the frame. Besides, it wise to have the VIN on a Bill of Sale, or to match the VIN to the DMV title.

[brian m.]

I bought a 2003 Casita two years ago. Like everyone has suggested, I looked on the forums classifieds for awhile and saw what people were asking for used ones. I researched what the new ones were selling at, and after seeing how quickly the used ones that were priced right sold, I knew mine was a good deal. I had a cashiers check, was the first to see it, bought it, and made three other people have to look for another one!

[SharonNDean]

HEY EVERYONE!!!!! I just got back from Casita in Rice, TX. They are having limited time sale. You can get a deluxe 17' (no extra options) for $13,924. That's $3,240 off and cheaper than some are selling used (usually they have extras) Found out some things I didn't know, probably ya'll already knew. Like you have to bend over to exit (ouch). And, unless you are in the northern states, you probably don't need the propane heater as the AC has a heat strip. The captain's seats are very comfortable, the bench seats are very hard. Ask for Jeane if interested.