Prices for used Casitas

[starbrightsteve]

If you go to the casita forum, there are 13 used trailers listed for sale in classifieds. Price from 12,500 to 18000. If you are willing to pay 20 grand for new and drive to Texas to get it, then I don't see what the problem is. Some of these are only a year or two old. One includes solar! Ten days ago there was one in Virginia for 10500. I think you snooze you loose.
Is your tow vehicle ready to tow? It needs to be if you are going to jump on a good deal.
I have bought three used casitas and everyone of the sellers was willing to wait a day for me to drive to see it even though they had others in line to buy. I live in Northern PA and drove to Michigan, Virginia and Indiana. I pulled them all home.

[whoot]

Originally Posted by WendyW

William, call Harald ASAP AT Casita, 903-200-4956, and ask. I think you could get it in time. I chose to delay my ready by date because I can't leave my apt. until end of August. Good luck!!

My apt complex said they would extend my lease if necessary, since I was a good tenant. Having more time, I called and spoke with a saleslady, and put in an order for a 17ft Spirit Deluxe. I'm going to have them deliver it to me since I am afraid to have my first towing experience be towing my home for 2000 miles. It sounds like it will be a 2-3 month wait, which is fine. It gives me time to prepare.

It is all coming together now. Thanks!

[whoot]

Originally Posted by starbrightsteve

If you go to the casita forum, there are 13 used trailers listed for sale in classifieds. Price from 12,500 to 18000. If you are willing to pay 20 grand for new and drive to Texas to get it, then I don't see what the problem is. Some of these are only a year or two old. One includes solar! Ten days ago there was one in Virginia for 10500. I think you snooze you loose.
Is your tow vehicle ready to tow? It needs to be if you are going to jump on a good deal.
I have bought three used casitas and everyone of the sellers was willing to wait a day for me to drive to see it even though they had others in line to buy. I live in Northern PA and drove to Michigan, Virginia and Indiana. I pulled them all home.

I think I saw the same trailers you saw, ironically the $18k in Virginia Beach is next to the mall I hung around in the 80s as a teen-ager. I know that whole area very well. Strangely, the guy had no pictures of the Casita. He is charging the same price for a 7 year old trailer, that you can get a brand new trailer for - so he must have made some amazing enhancements. Today I decided to get a new one, but thank you for mentioning those Casitas.

[RogerDat]

The difference between an egg and a stick built is if you sell at anything other than totally off season you can pretty much get your money back out of a used egg and are pretty much certain to lose money on a stick built. The FGRV's only depreciate to a certain point then the price is supported by the cost of a new one having the same features.

But that same low depreciation works to some extent if you purchase new since there will probably not be a lot of used available in your area you don't lose as much of the original price. Stick built there are hundreds available all the time so supply will tend to keep sale price lower. You not being a dealer can't really set up the financing and make the purchase easier for stick built buyer. Sit down sign here while our guy hooks that up to your vehicle broadens the potential buyers pool for dealers more than private sellers.

You would need to be prepared to pounce quickly to purchase used because a good deal does not last long. And this time of year can be especially frustrating as there are a lot of buyers.

[wwig]

Hey William, congratulations on your purchase. I debated whether I should pick-up the Casita or have it delivered. I decided to pick it up and was glad I did. Was I nervous- yes but it was a great trip, I took 2 weeks coming back and hit some great spots along the way. I visited Fort Smith Ark., Mamouth Caves Ky., Lincoln's birth place and Knob Creek and the Makers Mark Distillery. It was a great way to get used to the trailer and traffic is a whole less out that way especially if you take the back roads. Once you get closer to NY/New England traffic increases but you'll have many miles under your belt by then. Just something to consider.

[Cathy P.]

We have had 8 stick trailers and when maintained properly, they did not leak. All RVs can leak at the windows, roof vents, A/C vent and seams. Plumbing leaks can happen in any RV. Maintenance is the key. With a stick trailer, you must check the seams and you have more of them.

Anyone who believes you can buy a maintenance-free RV is in for some big and expensive issues on down the road.

[whoot]

Originally Posted by wwig

Hey William, congratulations on your purchase. I debated whether I should pick-up the Casita or have it delivered. I decided to pick it up and was glad I did. Was I nervous- yes but it was a great trip, I took 2 weeks coming back and hit some great spots along the way. I visited Fort Smith Ark., Mamouth Caves Ky., Lincoln's birth place and Knob Creek and the Makers Mark Distillery. It was a great way to get used to the trailer and traffic is a whole less out that way especially if you take the back roads. Once you get closer to NY/New England traffic increases but you'll have many miles under your belt by then. Just something to consider.

Hi wwig, I'm not 100% certain I will have them deliver it. They mentioned something about running an electrical cord from the TV to the RV to charge the RVs battery, and I don't know anything about that. I might have to go there, so they can do it. I got the anti-sway option, which they normally weld for you in TX, but they said I could get a 3rd party adapter which would negate the need for welding. If I can do the power cord and anti-sway thing by myself, I will have it delivered.

[wwig]

William, check with Casita as they stopped doing the electrical installations a few years back. The charge wire is part of your 7-way connection.

[Daisee]

Greetings.
I am new to the forum and hope I am posting in the correct area. I am interested in a 2006 16' Freedom Deluxe on the market in my area. I have tried to do my "homework" and it seems like a good deal but sure could use some feedback. It is in good condition with the exception of some surface rust on the frame and the emergency window has some silicone work so maybe it leaked but no water damaged that I could see.

It is being sold "as is" by a used car group that doesn't handle these items as the norm. I had them hook it up so I could see if everything works inside. The fridge did not come on but I am thinking they did not know how to turn it on (AD/DC/Gas) and since it is "as is".......they are not willing to pursue.

Asking $5,000 (I haven't made an offer yet)
Thanks in advance for the feedback.

[WendyW]

Susan/Daisee, I only know enough about Casitas to have ordered a new one that I don't have yet, but it seems to me that the 2006 Freedom Deluxe you found may be a good deal. Since you're in TX where they're made, I suggest you call Casita to see if they would repair it after you buy it, and/or if they can tell you who in your area knows enough to look at it for you and at least give you an informed idea as to its problems. Or look at the member list here and on the Casita forum for someone nearby. Good luck!

Wendy

[WendyW]

William/Whoot, Congratulations on your new purchase! A couple of things -- the anti-sway bar is an option you could have ordered and probably still can. Regarding delivery vs. pickup, it's recommended that you stop overnight in a park not far from Rice and spend the next X hours checking everything out and making sure you know what things do. That way, if necessary, the next morning you can return to Rice. Also, I'm told that you'll be given the name of a nearby RV supplier where you can add whatever stuff you need -- and there's a lot of possibilities. I already have a long list of add-ons I'll need at some point. So I'm going to pick mine up, since I'm retired and have whatever time I need. If you decide to do the same, let me know your pickup date. Maybe we can get coffee!

[Daisee]

Thanks Wendy for the advice. The Casita staff was awesome!!!

[whoot]

Originally Posted by WendyW

William/Whoot, Congratulations on your new purchase! A couple of things -- the anti-sway bar is an option you could have ordered and probably still can. Regarding delivery vs. pickup, it's recommended that you stop overnight in a park not far from Rice and spend the next X hours checking everything out and making sure you know what things do. That way, if necessary, the next morning you can return to Rice. Also, I'm told that you'll be given the name of a nearby RV supplier where you can add whatever stuff you need -- and there's a lot of possibilities. I already have a long list of add-ons I'll need at some point. So I'm going to pick mine up, since I'm retired and have whatever time I need. If you decide to do the same, let me know your pickup date. Maybe we can get coffee!

Hi Wendy, I am currently planning to have them deliver the Casita to me in NJ, though I realize that is not ideal. It's about $2k to have them deliver it, but I would spend $1k if I drove to TX and back. Plus I'm afraid of crashing it, lol. Once I have "settled in" to the Casita, I hope to take some extended vacations in it. Perhaps then, we can have coffee

[Carl Pa]

I thought the same thing, cost almost as much for them to deliver as it would to pick up my scamp. So i picked it up and turned it to a little vacay, instead of handing over almost $2000 bucks, at least i got to see MN and some nice campgrounds on the way back for all that money. Never towed, learned a lot, Good luck with it. Carl