Hello! Newb Alert!

[Angie E.]

Hello!

Please forgive my lurking. I have finallly worked up the nerve to post. Yesterday my husband and I went to look at an Acorn I found in someone's yard. I have so many questions and I'm not sure if the person I could potentially purchase this from is the guy to ask! I don't know what RED FLAGS I should be looking for when purchasing a fiberlglass trailer.

Here are a couple of questions I have for you kind people if you are willing to comply.

First - where is a good place to find parts, including a door. I'm going to need the most bang for my buck.

Secondly - I'm coming to understand that Acorns are elusive. A post in your forum mentions they were made only in 1979 due to a problem with the Scamp name. The fellow I stalked to discuss his camper (it wasn't even for sale!) said this was an '84 or an '85. Does he not know? Wouldn't it be on the title?

Question # 486 - Do 13' Scamp parts fit my (well, it could be mine) trailer?

Stupid Question - He's asking $2500.00. Am I stupid not to jump on this?

Thanks so much for any information you can offer. It's tough out there!

[Pamela H]

Hello!

Please forgive my lurking. I have finallly worked up the nerve to post. Yesterday my husband and I went to look at an Acorn I found in someone's yard. I have so many questions and I'm not sure if the person I could potentially purchase this from is the guy to ask! I don't know what RED FLAGS I should be looking for when purchasing a fiberlglass trailer.

Here are a couple of questions I have for you kind people if you are willing to comply.

First - where is a good place to find parts, including a door. I'm going to need the most bang for my buck.

Secondly - I'm coming to understand that Acorns are elusive. A post in your forum mentions they were made only in 1979 due to a problem with the Scamp name. The fellow I stalked to discuss his camper (it wasn't even for sale!) said this was an '84 or an '85. Does he not know? Wouldn't it be on the title?

Question # 486 - Do 13' Scamp parts fit my (well, it could be mine) trailer?

Stupid Question - He's asking $2500.00. Am I stupid not to jump on this?

Thanks so much for any information you can offer. It's tough out there!

Question 1: Parts are available all over...however they may not be exact replacements. Talk to scamp about the door to see if it would fit. I think I priced them at about $300 for one that I was looking at that needed a door. Ebay has alot of RV parts, quite reasonable. Windows, if you need them, I have found to be the biggest pain. You will need to do fiberglass modifications if you don't have existing frames. If you do, a local glass shop can replace them.

Question 2: If it's titled, and not considered under a 1000 lbs, it would be on the title. If somehow the title got lost, and it was retitled, the age wouldn't necessarily be on the title. See if you can find an id plate.

non-stupid question: $2500-$3000 should buy you a camp-able trailer. (Depends upon what you consider camp-worthy) There was a trailer on ebay that needed a door and was gutted, and sold for I think about $800. There is one available, I think it was on this site, that is gutted for $1200. Mine, I got for a song, and paid under $500. Mine needed two new windows, new flooring, fiberglass repair, new tires, new stove, new roof top vent, new cushions...but the sink was good!! There was one post where a guy picked up a trailer for the egg shell, and had to return the frame for $50. Trailers on EBAY are running under $3000, some sell, and some are looking for more.

Question 486: How bad do you want it? You haven't described the types of repairs that it needs, other than the door. My trailer so far: Tires, $150 Roof vent: $30 Windows quoted $500, we are trying to do it ourselves... , Cushions:quoted $550, we are trying to do ourselves..., foam is appx $200, haven't picked a fabric yet...I'm thinking I should have bought ready made cushions...Flooring $100 quote to do ourselves, stove is anywhere from $80-$300 depending upon which one I buy. We haven't even looked at installing a ad/dc converter, 12 V fixtures, A/C...cabinet doors, drapes/shades/blinds...I think if you add up all the costs you start reaching that $2500 pretty quickly.

Can you take pictures inside and out of the trailer that you are looking at? We could probably give you a better idea.

Pam

[Kathy & Doug Roach]

The single most important factor in evaluating the purchase of a used trailer is how much effort are you willing to put into its rehab yourself?
Should you be modestly talented with some basic tools or even highly motivated and less-talented, it will go a long way toward ameliorating future repair expenses.
As Pam said, 2500 bucks SHOULD get you a trailer in reasonable, ready to use condition. If the frame, axle, tires, lights, & hitch all pass muster and if it has no obvious or major water-leak issues in the shell, most else is pretty much cosmetic.

The door issue can be a pain. Determine if in fact you really need a new one or if the problem is latch or hinge related. Rehanging the current door would be a far sight better than finding a replacement in Iowa.
Of course, for your first trip you could always pull that little puppy up to Backus and let them scour the yard for parts for you. They would also be able to give you the straight skinny on the age of the trailer.

So... Welcome to the fambly. We trust that your experience with either this or a subsequent purchase will lead to the kind of satisfaction and fun that most all of us here have with our trailers.

[Donna D.]

If it's truly a 1984 or 1985, it's not an Acorn made by Eveland's, Inc. the Scamp trailer people. It maybe a 1984 or 1985 Scamp where a previous owner had rebadged it to Acorn because they liked the name. The title will tell the story.

Whether you buy this trailer, or go to look at another used molded lightweight fiberglass towable, print this and take it with you: Buyers Check List

All the appliances, windows, and axle are manufactured by someone other than the trailer manufacturer. They're standard RV stuff available from a multitude of places from eBay to online retailers. Only the body and frame (and interior cabinet parts) come from the manufacturer.

For $2,500 and the age/size you stated. I'd want a trailer that all I had to do was load up with food, clothes, water and propane and go camping. It may not be perfect, but it should be usable for that price IMHO.

[Phil 4500]

I'd recommend you look at at least 3 or 4 more trailers for sale to learn as much as you can and compare features and the condition of this trailer to others. Taking your time and looking around doesn't cost anything and may save you a lot. I've learned something at every used trailer or car I've looked at or bought.