Help me FRV, you're my only hope!

[Anne Badgley]

No response from my CL ad, always a day late or dollar short for the "for sale" ads I've answered, and today I was outbid literally at the last SECOND for two different Uhaul CTs on Ebay. I am never trying ebay again!! It feels like being pregnant and then losing the baby! I had even named her...Sunny (side up!).

So... I am going to try one more time before I resign myself to an Aliner or a Scotty Serro.

I would like to find a 13' Uhaul or Burro, preferably within 6 hours of Indianapolis (might go farther depending on where, what and price). I would like to stay under $3500 (but might go higher if all the mods I want are in place...solar, bunk for adult, frig, etc.). I would go with other makes, but want easy clean of interior and double wall insulation. (I travel with two good sized hairy dogs)

My goal is to leave the corporate rat race. I have been planning and saving for 10 years and I am now at a tipping point, not enough for extravagance, but I will be able to pay basic bills. I have three steps left: 1- buy little house on wheels and make it self contained 2- sell house in Indy (may lose some investment, but I can live with it) 3- quit job and head back West!! I am considering reversing order of 2 and 3.

Can anybody help me out there?

[Donna D.]

Anne, I can understand your frustrations. I traveled miles north two different times just to see the tail lights going down the road ahead of me as the trailers were sold out from under me. BUT, things happen for a reason. I truly believe you were not meant to have any of the trailers you've been trying to acquire. The ONE for you will turn up, it just takes diligence and a large measure of patience.

Good luck!

[James E. Moore]

Craigslist memphis2009-03-26 06:39:35 Burro like Scamp & Casita $3250 -

[Anne Badgley]

Anne, I can understand your frustrations. I traveled miles north two different times just to see the tail lights going down the road ahead of me as the trailers were sold out from under me. BUT, things happen for a reason. I truly believe you were not meant to have any of the trailers you've been trying to acquire. The ONE for you will turn up, it just takes diligence and a large measure of patience.

Good luck!

Thanks Donna! I needed that encouragement and to know that others have also dealt with the frustration. I woke up with some ideas to try that might get me there! I have made mistakes before because I thought I was desperate for something and I don't need to go there again! I have time, I will persist!

[Anne Badgley]

Craigslist memphis2009-03-26 06:39:35Burro like Scamp & Casita$3250 -

Thanks James! I have been checking jaxed/mash to try to find CL listings like this, yet it missed this listing. I have responded to this ad, maybe this is the one!

[Monica M]

Hey Anne, I just wanted you to have some encouragement.

I quit my job on Jan 30th (this year) to go full timing. I was waiting on my pension check to be able to buy not only the perfect trailer, but also the tow vehicle. I was planning on a used Toyota 4Runner for my TV, and a 16 or 17' Casita or Scamp. Well, during the process of getting rid of all my possessions, a friend brought his friend over to help haul off a bunch of stuff. He said he had an Infinity QX4 for sale for $13,000, I said "No thanks, can't spend more than $10,000". He came back to me later and said he would sell it for $10k, um, okay, but I don't have the $$ right now. He said if he could sell it for 13k, he would, so let him know when the check arrived, if he still had it, he would sell it to me for 10k....

So weeks go by, no check. I had to pay another months rent....getting aggrivated!

A 2007 Casita came up here in San Diego, great trailer, great price, I had no money...

A couple more weeks...no check....

I had ten days left before I was going to move into a tent, seriously. Could not afford another months rent.

My check came in this past Tues!! Great!! Bank hold , but the bank manager assured me he would release the hold asap...

Guy still had the Infinity, would hold onto it until the check hold was released, only took the bank two days to release it, that day, Greg posted the add for my Scamp, right here in San Diego county (don't come up for sale here very often, especially not EXACTLY what I was looking for!) Greg is excellent at finding eggs! He helped me get in contact because I could not email them through Craigs list, just in time, I got their # and I was the first one to call, the first and only one to see it as I purchased it on the spot. The guy brought the Infinity and we went over and picked up the trailer, he was a lot of help, I finally got him home at 11:30 that night, poor guy.

I got a great trailer in brand new condition with all the extra's, no mods, no scuff marks, nothing and I mean nothing looks even slightly used in it. I don't think it was ever used, those I bought it from said that their father had bought it and planned on living in it, but passed away before he could move in.

So, the moral of the story? Be patient, it will all come together like it should. I kept telling myself that, and it all worked out perfectly....hang in there!

[CindyL]

Ann,

I am sorry for you. My husband and I watched those adds and felt for the person who lost the last one. Sorry to hear it was you.
There is a UHaul for sale on uhaulcamper.com, but it is farther than you wish to drive and more than you wish to pay. However, if you are interested, as far as I know, it was still for sale on the 24th.
There is a Uhaul on the edge of Indianapolis parked in someone's backyard. You can see if from the Interstate as you drive by (I posted it a couple of weeks ago on the "sighted" with more details). Clearly, it has not been moved for a while; in fact, one of the uhaulcampers lives close and verifies this. Maybe you could go and knock on their door and see if they want to sell.
This green one is the one for sale on uhaulcamper.com http://www.uhaulcamper.com/forum/viewtopic...?f=16&t=489

CindyL

[James E. Moore]

Thanks James! I have been checking jaxed/mash to try to find CL listings like this, yet it missed this listing. I have responded to this ad, maybe this is the one!

Also try ---

http://jaxed.com/cgi-bin/mash.cgi?itm=casita&cat=cprv

[Kevin A]

As CindyL said, we were watching both eBay sales since we are interested in the UHaul trailers in general (we own a 16' VT). I believe the second trailer had a Buy It Now price of $3500 listed until the reserve was met ($2500?). Then the Buy It Now disappeared. We had the same choice to make a couple years ago and decided to to the chance on the Buy It Now rather than risking the auction process. In hindsight, it was a good move since we got the VT for $3750. Other VTs have gone for well over $5,000 in the auction process! You may end up paying a bit more for the Buy It Now, or you may grab a great deal before the auction sharks get going.

Good luck with your search! That CraigsList trailer in Memphis looks very nice and wouldn't be too long a drive for you. The little Burros are really fun - we had one before moving up to the bigger UHaul VT. Also, that "parked" UHaul CT east of Indy is on Interstate 74 to Cincy, on the south side of the highway just before you get to the new casino (take exit 99 and come back toward Indy on the frontage road - it's about a mile on the frontage road) . You can exit and drive the south frontage road back to the house where it's parked. Don't know if they would entertain selling it, but it apparently hasn't moved in quite a while. It would probably take some work to get it running, however (new tires, heavy cleaning, etc.).

Once again... Good Luck!

[ken]

I have a 1984 13 foot UHAUL for sale, $2500.00. Willing to meet part way, I live in Rockville, Md.

Needs cleaning, gas stove gas line and new tires soon. Has window AC, roof fan and new power converter.


Ken

[Pamela S.]

Anne,
Looks like there might be a Burro for sale in Springfield, IL, which should be within the distance you want to drive. I saw the ad on this site, so I don't know anything else about it. Good luck in your search.

[Anne Badgley]

I am overwhelmed by the response here! And the great stories! Monica, I moved from S.D. (Poway, actually) a year and a half ago (and counting...)! I accepted a company transfer because I wanted to have an affordable house with a big yard and to be closer to my parents in N. Mich. Indy is a great place to live, but it doesn't make up for the fantastic friends and family I left in SoCal. I would LOVE to hear how you are doing with the full-timing. Where are you going next?
I am communicating with the couple in Memphis about the burro (it does look nice) and with Ken about his UHaul. Now I have to make a choice!!? I exchanged e-mails with "Rags" about his green UHaul in colorado (it was still for sale last week at least). It looks exactly like what I want, but I would have to take time off work to go that far. Still thinking about it, though...
Kevin, I learned my lesson about the "Buy it now" thing. As soon as I entered the reserve ($3000), the buy it now option disappeared because ebay said the bidding had started. I didn't go up to the buy it now price because I didn't want to go so far to pick it up and at first I was not sure about the electrical system problems that were stated. After reading one of the threads about converters not working without a battery and a post about replacing the converter I decided I could fix it! Too late!

Thanks again for all the support, information and encouragement. This is a great group, I hope I can become a part. (Oh yes, and I WILL be driving down to 74 to try to spot the UHaul there! Of course it would be on the opposite corner from where I live!)

[CindyL]

Poway? Where is that? We just got home from SD. We took our UHaul out to volunteer at Pine Ridge for spring break.
I am sure whatever camper you choose, you will like it. I am partial to the look of the UHaul or Burro, of course, having owned one of each.
Let us know and then show us pix. And you can are welcom over to uhaulcamper either way you choose.

CindyL

[Anne Badgley]

Poway? Where is that? We just got home from SD. We took our UHaul out to volunteer at Pine Ridge for spring break.
I am sure whatever camper you choose, you will like it. I am partial to the look of the UHaul or Burro, of course, having owned one of each.
Let us know and then show us pix. And you can are welcom over to uhaulcamper either way you choose.

CindyL

Poway is a small town that USED to be quite rural until San Diego ballooned out to take over all the open space right up to the city limits! It is at the northeast city limits of SD. about 20 miles from SD center. There are mountains and lots of open space N and E of Poway. My house, where my son lives now, is on the east edge just across the road from the trail system that connects the ocean at Del Mar with the Salton Sea. It is a beautiful, but VERY expensive place to live. (Also was evacuated and many houses lost to fire in 2003 and 2007 mega-fires)

I am talking to the couple in Memphis about their 13' Burro. They have a bill of sale and just located the VIN, but no license or registration. If I bring this to Indy and get pulled over, will I be ticketed? Anyone know how to license a used trailer with only a bill of sale in IN?

[Kevin A]

You may want to pose your "lack of registration" question to the whole group in the General section of this site. There have been numerous posts about buying an unregistered trailer. The answer often is "check with your state DMV" first before buying.
Good luck!

[Monica M]

I am overwhelmed by the response here! And the great stories! Monica, I moved from S.D. (Poway, actually) a year and a half ago (and counting...)! I accepted a company transfer because I wanted to have an affordable house with a big yard and to be closer to my parents in N. Mich. Indy is a great place to live, but it doesn't make up for the fantastic friends and family I left in SoCal. I would LOVE to hear how you are doing with the full-timing. Where are you going next?
I am communicating with the couple in Memphis about the burro (it does look nice) and with Ken about his UHaul. Now I have to make a choice!!? I exchanged e-mails with "Rags" about his green UHaul in colorado (it was still for sale last week at least). It looks exactly like what I want, but I would have to take time off work to go that far. Still thinking about it, though...
Kevin, I learned my lesson about the "Buy it now" thing. As soon as I entered the reserve ($3000), the buy it now option disappeared because ebay said the bidding had started. I didn't go up to the buy it now price because I didn't want to go so far to pick it up and at first I was not sure about the electrical system problems that were stated. After reading one of the threads about converters not working without a battery and a post about replacing the converter I decided I could fix it! Too late!

Thanks again for all the support, information and encouragement. This is a great group, I hope I can become a part. (Oh yes, and I WILL be driving down to 74 to try to spot the UHaul there! Of course it would be on the opposite corner from where I live!)

Hey Anne, I cannot wait to leave this state and become a Texan officially! I have lived here all my life, between El Centro and San Diego. The cost of living is going up even further with the doubling of the vehicle registration fees, thanks Arnold!!

My first stop will be the Imperial Valley desert, can camp for free for a couple of weeks and I have a friend down there who will show me all about my trailer. Then on to TX to Escapees, will be in TX for about a month to register my new vehicles (way cheap compared to CA), then to AL to see family I haven't seen in ten years. I have friends in OH, VA and NC, so I will head out and see them if they have the time, then to NorCal to see my older brother whom I haven't seen in nearly 15 yrs, but that is all the plans I have so far. Then I have the rest of the country to see as weather permits!

[Greg A]

There is a 13 Burro for sale on eBay that came up today ends April 6th in Gurnee, IL if that is near you.
I'd be careful on the one in Memphis with no title. Could be OK, just make sure before you go there.

13 Burro on eBay

[Anne Badgley]

There is a 13 Burro for sale on eBay that came up today ends April 6th in Gurnee, IL if that is near you.
I'd be careful on the one in Memphis with no title. Could be OK, just make sure before you go there.

13 Burro on eBay

Thanks Greg, I noticed this but it is the same trailer that was listed last week as ENDING today, now re-listed with a starting price of $1500? It is in the referral forum (page 2) but I don't know how to link to another thread in this forum. Any idea why it was relisted on ebay?

[James E. Moore]

Poway is a small town that USED to be quite rural until San Diego ballooned out to take over all the open space right up to the city limits! It is at the northeast city limits of SD. about 20 miles from SD center. There are mountains and lots of open space N and E of Poway. My house, where my son lives now, is on the east edge just across the road from the trail system that connects the ocean at Del Mar with the Salton Sea. It is a beautiful, but VERY expensive place to live. (Also was evacuated and many houses lost to fire in 2003 and 2007 mega-fires)

I am talking to the couple in Memphis about their 13' Burro. They have a bill of sale and just located the VIN, but no license or registration. If I bring this to Indy and get pulled over, will I be ticketed? Anyone know how to license a used trailer with only a bill of sale in IN?

I was surprised when I moved from CA to TN to find that TN does not require registration and a license for trailers. I carry a copy of the TN law pertaining to no license requirement in case I get stopped while out of state. You should have no trouble in obtaining registration and a license in a state that requires same if you follow their required proceedure and furnish the required information on a trailer bought in TN. JM

[Greg A]

Anne,

Could be a number of reasons. Might have been pulled by eBay for putting wrong info in the ad, or someone won it and then won't pay for it.

The 13 that closed today for instance went for a good bit over what one would normally expect to pay for a 13 Burro which can happen in heat of the moment auctions. Then when they come down to earth later they realized they overpaid for it.

Do you know how to use the auto bidder so you don't get beat in the closing seconds? Of course, you have to know your limits and the value of the trailer before I would advise using the auto bidder.

There is also a 13 Burro that came up on eBay today in TX that is really sweet, although I know you are not wanting to go that far.