Maintenance & Restoration

ZachO · 02-07-2016, 01:40 PM

Thanks!

Yeah that thread is some of what I've been looking at the last few days. It's right on the edge of 25 years...it's a 1991. He's checking the tag for me tomorrow. Hopefully it's got what it needs. I'm guessing that hiring an importer makes it a no-go.

ZachO · 02-07-2016, 01:50 PM

On a side note, sort of, I looked at my friends Scamp this morning. It's actually the layout 6, which is what I wanted. It's pretty nice. If or when I settle down a bit more start using a camper just for weekend or extended trips, rather than living in, I would definitely be happy with a 16' Scamp, or 17' Casita.

But I could tell that for my kind of use, I'm going to be happy with the space in the Bigfoot. Assuming I can get it across the border.

Gilles · 02-07-2016, 03:43 PM

One member of the group, I do not remember which, once wrote that he had to wait a few months before crossing the border. The trailer had, say, 25 years less two months, I do not remember exactly.

It seems what year and month of manufacture are calculated rigorously ...

Good luck to you,

ZachO · 02-07-2016, 04:21 PM

Thanks. Hopefully it's got a DOT sticker either way and I won't have to worry about it.

ZachO · 02-08-2016, 03:56 PM

Well that's exactly where I'm at. Manufacture date of March 22nd, 1991.

I guess it will depend on if the seller wants to humor me. I'd like to make this happen, but there appear to be only three ways:

1. Drive it home and hope they don't check the trailer for the sticker. People have had this happen. I'm not willing to risk it.
2. See if he'll hold on to it for me until March 23rd.
3. Pay a broker to inspect and certify it. I'm willing if it's only around $200, but on the guy's voicemail he says he isn't available until Feb15th.

Bad timing! I hope I don't have to pass on this one (or more accurately, it won't pass on me), but we'll see.

Anyone have advice on a safe, fair way of convincing him to hold it for me? I assume it would include at least partial payment...

Borrego Dave · 02-08-2016, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZachO

Well that's exactly where I'm at. Manufacture date of March 22nd, 1991.

I guess it will depend on if the seller wants to humor me. I'd like to make this happen, but there appear to be only three ways:

1. Drive it home and hope they don't check the trailer for the sticker. People have had this happen. I'm not willing to risk it.
2. See if he'll hold on to it for me until March 23rd.
3. Pay a broker to inspect and certify it. I'm willing if it's only around $200, but on the guy's voicemail he says he isn't available until Feb15th.

Bad timing! I hope I don't have to pass on this one (or more accurately, it won't pass on me), but we'll see.

Anyone have advice on a safe, fair way of convincing him to hold it for me? I assume it would include at least partial payment...

If I were the seller, having a broker involved would tell me the buyer was serious. I have bought & sold things where a month or so was done for convenience. YMMV

ZachO · 02-08-2016, 05:26 PM

Thanks Dave.

I had a thought while I was out hiking, which was to find a town with RV storage as close to the border as possible (probably Lethbridge), and store it. Buy it, get the seller off the hook, drop it off in storage and let it sit till its 25th birthday, then go back and cruise through the border, hopefully trouble-free.

It could work...

He's decided that for the short term, he's going to start allowing other people to come see it, but has "reserved" it for me for some unspecified amount of time so we can try to work through the red tape. I don't want to give people a chance to make insane offers though and have him give in

So I need to move fast.

kootenaigirl · 02-08-2016, 07:31 PM

That sounds like a really good plan.
When I sold a trailer the people paid in full but could not pick it up for a couple of months. It worked out but I was a little nervous that it would get damaged in some way while waiting for them.
Have you confirmed it has got the DOT sticker?

ZachO · 02-08-2016, 09:01 PM

No that's the whole problem which I guess I sort of glossed over...it does not have the sticker. So I have to wait until it's 25 years old.

I'm going up tomorrow, then leaving it in storage until the end of March.

I haven't been looking long enough to really say, but it doesn't seem like Bigfoots come up for sale all that often. On top of that, I wanted specifically a 17' Gaucho model. So...I feel like it's worth jumping through a few extra hoops and having to wait almost two months to get it across the border. If it all works out, I'll be glad I did, when it's all said and done.

Jon in AZ · 02-09-2016, 07:23 AM

Zach, I think your plan sounds good. And I agree a Bigfoot will make a more comfortable trailer for extended use. I'm glad you've found a seller willing to work with you on this- many won't. But, as you said, I wouldn't let the grass grow... An older 17' Bigfoot in nice condition is an easy sell.

One thing... I'm not experienced in these matters... I recall a previous thread about importation, and there was discussion of whether customs goes by the day or month of manufacture. The latter might mean you have to wait a few more days until April 1st. Perhaps someone will jump in to clarify; if not you can ask at the border when you cross now to make the transaction.

As for not counting your chickens... make sure you do a careful inspection of shell, frame, and, especially, the floor, and check out all the appliances.

Let us know how it goes!

ZachO · 02-09-2016, 08:07 AM

Thanks Jon, I will.

I'll ask at the border if I have to wait until April. No big deal if so. There's also a slight chance that if a broker/importer is $200 or less, I'll just do it that way, and go back up next week or the week after. I think the guy's voicemail said he's available after the 15th. But that seems like an expensive price for being impatient...when I could just wait another month and have it for "free". It's also only $40 CAN to store it till the end of March. Fairly painless (at least on the surface...).

I'll be headed up there this morning, as so long as there's nothing wrong structurally, I'll be buying it and driving it part way home. Cool thing about doing it this way is that I'll have a brake controller by the time I go pick it up. So I only have to drive it about 3 hours with no brakes. It'll have brakes for the last 4-5 hours back home in March (or April). I bought the hitch and wiring and air bags for my rear suspension, but for whatever reason decided to stop spending money there and wait till I actually got something to take care of the rest. Once I actually own a camper, I'll order the brake controller and work on installing it.

I'll keep you updated!

kootenaigirl · 02-09-2016, 08:46 AM

Good luck today Zach.
As you will know from looking a lot more Bigfoots come up on this side of the border so if this one doesn't work out there will be more especially with spring coming. At that price it should be pretty much perfect if it is the one near Calgary

Sorry I had a long day and should have connected the 25 years and lack of DOT sticker!

ZachO · 02-11-2016, 10:35 AM

Ok! I'll spare you the entire story, but...

Drove up on Tuesday, and looked at it in Canmore, AB. It looked like I expected it to look, and the guy wouldn't let me leave without showing me that everything worked. And he fed me dinner and a beer

I drove as far as Calgary that night, did the Walmart parking lot thing, then put it in storage outside of Lethbridge and drove to the border.

I asked at the border, to make sure I knew exactly what to expect when I did bring it across, and after some confusion I got good news. They only go by year, not month/day. But at first he said that meant I'd have to wait until 2017!!! After double checking, he said yes, they go by year, but this year was 25 years old, so I could actually bring it across the border today.

So...I drove back to Lethbridge, hooked it up, back to the border, and no problems. They didn't even come outside to look at it.

I have little doubt that on a different day with different people, I may not have been allowed to bring it across. Quite a bit of confusion and different requirements, depending on which officer I talked to. But it worked it out.

I got it home last night, and now just need to register/title it.

It pulled pretty well, though I don't have enough experience with trailers to know. It'll need some kind of anti-sway setup for me to be really comfortable, and obviously I need a brake controller.

I won't say I "didn't even notice it was there", but it wasn't exactly like pulling a parachute, either. I knew it was there, but my truck did just fine with it.

ZachO · 02-11-2016, 10:41 AM

Photos

Gilles · 02-11-2016, 10:47 AM

It has a beautiful appearance.
Congratulations!

ZachO · 02-11-2016, 10:56 AM

Thanks. I did get a little jealous when I was parked next to this in storage, though...

But I can't afford one of those anyways.

No, this will be perfect for me. It'll need some "personalization", but they all do.

kootenaigirl · 02-11-2016, 11:42 AM

Congratulations, how exciting.
It looks great and sounds like you had a really nice seller to add to the positive experience.
Your border experience worked out smoothly as well, what a good day.