This is why Stick Built trailers are different than all-molded towables

[Donna D.]

A friend posted this on Facebook. Hoping someone wants to buy:
1988 Enroute 5th wheel.
42 foot. 2 bdrms. 2 pullouts $3,000.

I'm probably going to sell my 1988 16' Scamp sometime in March/April/May... MAYBE. $3,000? NADA STICK IT.

[Mike Magee]

Oh come on, Donna, your Scamp is only worth $3500 tops... and BTW I'm willing to buy it for that.

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by Mike Magee

Oh come on, Donna, your Scamp is only worth $3500 tops... and BTW I'm willing to buy it for that.

Get in line Mike. I want to apologize to folks that purchased something for thousands.... years ago... those sticky builts. If you ever think an all molded towable is trash... look at resale values for trailers that have been taken care of (MAINTENANCE). Honestly, I've followed values, most "stick built" trailers are give-aways when 10+ years old.

Preaching to the choir...

[papa-t]

Donna my last purchase of a a new 5th wheel was a 34' with three slides. I kept it two years and sold it for half what I had purchased it for. Never again for me.

[Raz]

I wonder why none of the big manufacturers have produced a molded fiberglass trailer? Raz

[Rick Mooyman]

They cater to the people who don't care about what it costs to get the latest and greatest offerings when they come out every year or so. You know the fireplace and Sat TV, bigger microwave, house size fridge. Those people don't camp, they just take a smaller version of their house and sit inside in an RV Park.

Originally Posted by P. Raz

I wonder why none of the big manufacturers have produced a molded fiberglass trailer? Raz

[Jon in AZ]

Originally Posted by P. Raz

I wonder why none of the big manufacturers have produced a molded fiberglass trailer? Raz

I suspect it's because molded fiberglass construction is more expensive per square foot than conventional. That market measures value in features & size per dollar spent. There may also be some scalability issues with building a 40' molded fiberglass 5er.

[papa-t]

Originally Posted by Rick Mooyman

They cater to the people who don't care about what it costs to get the latest and greatest offerings when they come out every year or so. You know the fireplace and Sat TV, bigger microwave, house size fridge. Those people don't camp, they just take a smaller version of their house and sit inside in an RV Park.

I was one of those people at one time. Sat, flat screen, ceiling fans, etc. I finally realized the same thing. Guess I smarted up some. Lol 😳

[David Tilston]

The sticky manufactures love that their trailer are worthless after 10 years. No used market to compete with. Since our trailers can be expected to be useful after 40 or more years, the market gets saturated and sales dry up.

When I was a kid in Ontario in 1975, it seemed that Trilliums were everywhere. My uncle had one.

[Ken C]

Forest River facing more than $600,000 in fines for recall, safety reporting violations - Elkhart Truth

[Jack L]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

I suspect it's because molded fiberglass construction is more expensive per square foot than conventional. That market measures value in features & size per dollar spent. There may also be some scalability issues with building a 40' molded fiberglass 5er.

True statements and another factor is TIME. Prepping the mold, waiting for gelcoat to cure, waiting for resin to cure all take time. To build a sticky from frame up is really fast. While a molded fiberglass trailer takes weeks from frame up a sticky can be built in a day or two. In the 70's I covered a sales territory including Elkhart Indiana and it was common to hear of stories of stickie units built from frame up in one day. A good sticky factory can really produce units quickly.

[Cyndi B.]

People who stop to look at our 32' Jayco fifth wheel would prefer to have our Scamp until my husband tells them what he will sell it for. The Jayco is still sitting in the front yard.

[EcoHeliGuy]

Airstreams and fiberglass trailers. Worth holding onto


Sent remotely

[Mike Magee]

I think I recall seeing a video of a trailer being built in the Jayco factory (they sped the video up to keep it short). I think they said it took all of 2 or 3 hours!

[papa-t]

Originally Posted by Cyndi B.

People who stop to look at our 32' Jayco fifth wheel would prefer to have our Scamp until my husband tells them what he will sell it for. The Jayco is still sitting in the front yard.

Cyndi I have owned four Jayco's over the years. I mentioned above you loose money on them quick. Just curious how old and the price. Don't want to buy it just wondering how much you've lost on it. I found the best place to sell stickies is RV Trader.com.

[Jon in AZ]

Originally Posted by Cyndi B.

People who stop to look at our 32' Jayco fifth wheel would prefer to have our Scamp until my husband tells them what he will sell it for. The Jayco is still sitting in the front yard.

My recollection is that it's been on the market a while. Maybe you need to hide the Scamp just so you can sell the Jayco!