Buying Advice

[gouthro]

Hello,
I have just become interested in buying a trailer. These little ones look pretty good to me. But, I am a little overwhelmed by all the choice and possibilities. Also, the prices seem to vary widely. And there is no blue book or red book to rate the values, as in cars. I wondered whether people here might give me an idea of the price of certain trailers?

For instance I was looking at the boler and trillium 13 feet models. It seems to me, after looking through some of these forums, that about $5000 for one in quite good shape is a reasonable price. Am I wrong?

Also, i have looked at a Trillium 4500 near here, which is in good shape, has kitchen tents, etc. and is offered for about $10,000. You can buy a pretty big fairly new trailer for that amount and that had me wondering whether it was way too high.

Also, could I tow a 4500 with a Toyota Coraolla?

Thanks very much for offering this forum it is a really great resource for someone just looking into this.
G

[Thomas G.]

I'd suggest that you spend some time on this site to get average sales prices by trailer type and region.

Molded Fiberglass Trailers | Fiberglass RV's For Sale

Re towing with a Corolla - look in your owner's manual or contact Toyota to get their maximum towing and tongue weights for your exact vehicle.

[cpaharley2008]

I'm not aware of anyone towing with a Toyota Corolla, their website doesn't offer the option, I guess because it is a front wheel drive which doesn't like towing.
Comparing a used fiberglass trailer to a new SOB is a common flaw as 10 years from now your SOB will probably be a leaking nightmare and your fiberglass unit will still be dry inside, that is why they hold their value.

[Ray N]

The Toyota website lists 1500 lbs as the towing capacity for a Corolla: Toyota Corolla Performance & Specs You have to hit the "weights and capacities" tab to see the towing rating.

When we bought our EggCamper, Mr. Palmer, the owner and designer of the camper, said one of his customers towed an EggCamper from the factory in Michigan to his home in Texas with a Corolla. Mr. Palmer tried to discourage the tow, thinking the car wasn't up to the task, but the customer later called to tell him that he made it with no problems.

[David Tilston]

Joe,

Is this the 4500 that you are talking about?
Trillium 4500 - Longueuil / Rive-Sud Caravanes classiques à vendre - Kijiji Longueuil / Rive-Sud

I would consider it over priced. In fact, I am not sure why, but most of the Trilliums I have seen in Quebec are priced high.
I have purchased two Trillium 4500 trailers. I paid less then $4000 for each of them. Neither were in great shape, but they were both usable when I bought them.
Maybe look at trailers in Ontario as well.

[Bob Miller]

Supply and demand have a significant effect on FGRV prices. Right now prices are heading down and will bottom out around January, stay flat for 2+ months and then start back up with the first spring flowers.

Until about mid-November, a lot of sellers will still think that they can command August prices, won't sell, and will either have to drop the price, or put it away until next season. But the supply will also dwindle as temps go down, especially up north, as many don't want to buy or sell in the off season.

But sellers can be more motivated on a cold wet day in January than when the sun is shining.

And, as mentioned, FGRV's depreciate a lot less than sticky builts, mostly because a 10 year old one can be in as good a condition as a new one.

Also check out he sold FGRV list on: Molded Fiberglass Trailers | Fiberglass RV's For Sale

But keep in mind that those were the asking prices, not necessarily the selling prices.

Good Luck Hunting

[gouthro]

Thanks for the very helpful replies. And yes, that was the Trillium 4500 that I was looking at in Kijijji. I wrote and asked how much with out all of the tents and awnings. She said no deal. Everything together. And if I dont want the tents and awnings I could sell them to someone else. Not much likelihood of that, I would say.

I will try another question. We will be sort of camping out in this for much of the summer, all at the same place. Would I be better getting an older ordinary trailer or one of these little guys. I have to say that I like the idea of the little ones because of the ease of looking after them. But, would they not become a little claustrophobic after a few weeks?
thanks joe

[Ray N]

Originally Posted by gouthro

....would they not become a little claustrophobic after a few weeks?
thanks joe

Claustrophobia is a very personal thing - my wife has claustrophobic feelings just stepping inside some of the more "cozy" campers - while other people can spend weeks, or even months in theirs without problems.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

I'm not aware of anyone towing with a Toyota Corolla, their website doesn't offer the option, .

I saw a 13' Boler this summer being pulled by one and Toyota.com shows a 2013 Corolla 1.8L to have a tow capacity of 1500lbs. Agree though that wouldn't do it for a 4500 trillium would expect them to come in closer to 1900 to 2000lbs loaded.

[Randy Hagen]

I did come across a 13' Scamp being towed by a Corrola out in Glacier National Park a few years ago with California plates. I really wanted to talk to the owners about how it handled towing through the mountains but we were never at the campground at the same time and then I walked by their site one morning and they were gone. I did get pictures and talked to the owner of a VW Beetle towing a 13' Scamp on the South Shore of Lake Superior in Wisconsin a while back. He said his biggest problem was the hitch broke off at one point and they had their work cut out trying to reweld it back on. Myself I would be most comfortable with at least a 3500 tow rating for most light towing just to err on the side of safety.

[Donna D.]

Hi Joe, welcome to FiberglassRV we're glad you're here.

I understand your concerns about the claustrophic feeling of being and camping in a small space. The one thing about egg owners, vs the stick builts... is we are campers and spend as much time outside as possible. The other group are RVers... and take as much of their stuff from home as they can stuff inside a trailer. So really it isn't about US as much as it is about YOU.

I often think if people expect to camp and be as comfortable as they are at home (big bathroom, big bed, big dining table), they should plan to stay at home. BUT, if you're looking to making memories, meeting like-minded people and experiencing the great outdoors (our livingrooms), PLUS buying something that will have value five or ten years from now... the best decision is an all-molded towable (brand NOT specific).

Good luck on your hunt

[Mary F]

Originally Posted by Thomas G.

I'd suggest that you spend some time on this site to get average sales prices by trailer type and region.

Molded Fiberglass Trailers | Fiberglass RV's For Sale

For what it's worth, we also archive our old for sale ads, for just this reason.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by gouthro

I will try another question. We will be sort of camping out in this for much of the summer, all at the same place.

One thing you can do and what a lot of people with small trailers do to increase living space is to get an E-Z Up type shelters, you can get them with removable sides if you wanted. Set up your eating area under the shelter and if you have an awning on the trailer as well it really does help a lot at increasing your usable living space.

[gouthro]

Thanks once again for the kind replies. It is nice to know about what you might call 'the philosophical' aspect of this type of rving in juxtoposition to other types of trailers, as it is to know something about the mechanics. The clautrophobic remark was made mainly with something that my wife mentionned. We will be mainly using the trailer where the Gulf of St Lawrence opens wide. There is often bad weather there. ( I have a picture of my wife, in fact, with a large winter coat in the middle of August). So, just to say that we can have some rainy and cold weather there and on those times we would need a warm and dry place to sit and read. But, as I look at these little guys it seems like they do have that possibility. once again, thanks for the great replies. Things are becoming less confused now. Still on the hunt
joe

[honda03842]

We spent 315 days in our Scamp 16 this year with many Spring rainy days in Oregon and never once felt we were in too tight a space. It's definitely close but simultaneously cozy. On rainy days we have our computer, sat TV and our Nooks.

Donna is correct in that one is normally out and about exploring, most of the time in a new place.

[honda03842]

Joe,

As a reference point 'Borden', a member on this site, pulls a 17 foot Boler with a Toyota Corolla. He might be willing to relate his experiences.

[Gilda]

Take a look at a recent thread titled "Memory Foam Mattress topper?". Towards the end some folks posted a photo of their bed when set up. It looks very cosy and luxurious with all those pillows! We, too, retreat to our "lounge area" in inclement weather or just for an afternoon nap. As Norm and Ginny said there are lots of ways to create your individual "space" in these FG trailers.

[Richard Hayes]

With a 1,500 lb. tow limit, you want to check things carefully even with 13's. I see Trillium 1300s advertised as being about 1,000 lbs -the factory spec sheet stuck to the inside of a closet door on my '74 Trillium 1300 gives the weight as 1.500 lbs. The basic trailer - sans fridge, stove, furnace, propane bottle, battery, jacks, chock blocks, etc., etc., may well be 1,000 lbs, but as a kayak-building friend once told me, '...everything weighs something', and it quickly adds up.

I like to have about a 50% buffer between the vehicle's rated capacity and trailer weight - so at a capacity of 1,500 lbs., 1,000 lbs. would be ideal, leaving me some wiggle-room for personal gear and supplies. Adding trailer brakes would increase that margin to some extent. And I keep the thought in mind that's it not really about how much you can tow, but how much you can stop...

Re comfort - one's person's claustrophobic is another's cozy - a lot depends on the personalities, and on having a plan to ride out the bad weather. E-readers are great - naps work, too. A little transistor radio that tunes CBC1 and shortwave bands can provide a lot of entertainment. Getting out for a while, even in foul weather, can really make one appreciate the warmth and dryness all the more. Like many things, it is whatever you make it...

Good luck in the hunt. For what it's worth, I paid $4,500 for my Trillium 1300 in very good condition - clean, everything working, no damage, no issues. To me, a fair to both sides deal...

[gouthro]

Great replies about the question of space. I went out today and had a look at a Boler 13. It is really nice inside. Up until this point I had only seen them through internet photos, which can't really show you what it really is like. I really thought it was nice. Thanks very much, as well, for some indications of price, as the prices seem to be all over the map, and as there aren't that many of them available, it is hard to find out what a fair price should be. These indications are a good start for me.

One question which came up as i was looking this one over, which I don't think I am ready to buy just yet--a bit more research and thinking to do, yet--but

i wondered how you can tell on an older camper like these, if all of the gas fittings, for instance, are OK. Gas can be a dangerous thing. YOu would rally want to be sure it is working right.
joe

[Carol H]

Joe you are best to ask the seller to demonstrate to you that everything works. Take along you own propane tank if they claim they dont have any gas in theirs to show you. Its also well worth the small priced paid to have the trailers gas system checked over by a local rv shop once you get it home just to be sure.