Which sells easier?

[Steve R]

Which used trailer sells easier, 5th wheel or conventional type? We're not proven trailer enthusiasts. So I would like to give some consideration (little really) to what type of trailer sells easier than another in case the experience doesn't work out.

[Steve R]

OK, no response yet. How about a conventional trailer will typically sell easier because more buyers would be able to tow it?

[John Perry]

Which used trailer sells easier, 5th wheel or conventional type? We're not proven trailer enthusiasts. So I would like to give some consideration (little really) to what type of trailer sells easier than another in case the experience doesn't work out.

My opinion is that your market is much larger for a pull trailer as you do not need a pick up to tow it.
I have a pick up but I would rather have the PU bed for extra storage on long trips.
John

[Nancy]

Zeb,

This is just my opinion, no experience here in buying selling.

Seems to me there are more people able to pull and afford the smaller units, and with the cost of gas always going up the smaller units should continue to be in demand.

If you are so unsure maybe you should buy a used (fiberglass) unit that you could probably sell if you really hated it and not take too much of a hit at resale. I say fiberglass because you probably would take a hit on a stick built used unit. We only wanted new so did not look for used.

We thought long and hard and got the 13 because of the amount of driving we planned to do and there was not a worry about the tow vehicle being too small, we can go smaller with a tow vehicle if we want. The same argument could be used for buying a 16 or 17 over the 5th wheel. More possible buyers out there to take that 16 or 17.

Having said that we stopped at the Escape factory and fell in love with their 5th wheel (and other units). The reality of us spending more on gas brought us back to being quite happy with our 13. Also that little guy is just so easy to park in places others can't park.

Nancy in Northern MN

[Bigfoot Mike]

Zeb,

Of the nearly 50 Brands of trailers made I know of only 3 Brands that have or are making 5th wheels. All three are still being made, Escape, Scamp, Bigfoot.

All of the “Molded Fiberglass Trailers” have a very high resell value.

Speed of sale has to do with PRICE more then model. If you are wanting to get the Maximum price it may take a while.

When I was in the printing business they had a saying, There are three things in printing, Quality, Speed, & Price; Pick any two.

Selling a trailer is the same thing, a great trailer (quality) for top dollar (price) may take a while (speed) to sell.

To me the better question is, “What will meet my needs and make me happy?” Then finding the right Brand, Year Model, at the right price.

I hope this helps,
Mike

[Roger H]

Zeb,

Of the nearly 50 Brands of trailers made I know of only 3 Brands that have or are making 5th wheels. All three are still being made, Escape, Scamp, Bigfoot.

All of the “Molded Fiberglass Trailers” have a very high resell value.

Speed of sale has to do with PRICE more then model. If you are wanting to get the Maximum price it may take a while.

When I was in the printing business they had a saying, There are three things in printing, Quality, Speed, & Price; Pick any two.

Selling a trailer is the same thing, a great trailer (quality) for top dollar (price) may take a while (speed) to sell.

To me the better question is, “What will meet my needs and make me happy?” Then finding the right Brand, Year Model, at the right price.

I hope this helps,
Mike

Zeb, I agree with Mike on this one... value for the price is the predominant factor; but you'll also find that the market for conventional trailers is larger than that for fifth wheels. Fifth wheels sell well, just not perhaps as quickly as a conventional trailer in the same condition at the same price points.

Roger

[Brian B-P]

The "fifth wheel" style is certainly a specialty, within the already niche market of our small moulded trailers; however, it seems that when someone decides they want one, they are very happy to be able to find one. My guess is that anyone who buys a Scamp 19' or Escape 5.0 today will be able to sell it next year... but it might take a few weeks to find the right buyer. Only a guess...

By the way, the Scamp 19' is not actually a fifth-wheel... it uses a socket coupler on a ball (like conventional trailers), not a fifth-wheel hitch. Doesn't matter much - it's still a trailer only for trucks with a hitch in pickup bed.

Mike, there was also a Quantum fifth-wheel, and Bigfoot doesn't do fifth-wheels any more.



P.S. Roger, great job on the Albums... found all sorts of new stuff there when looking for the Quantum link!

[Bigfoot Mike]

Thanks Brian, I stand corrected.

[Roger H]

The "fifth wheel" style is certainly a specialty, within the already niche market of our small moulded trailers; however, it seems that when someone decides they want one, they are very happy to be able to find one. My guess is that anyone who buys a Scamp 19' or Escape 5.0 today will be able to sell it next year... but it might take a few weeks to find the right buyer. Only a guess...

By the way, the Scamp 19' is not actually a fifth-wheel... it uses a socket coupler on a ball (like conventional trailers), not a fifth-wheel hitch. Doesn't matter much - it's still a trailer only for trucks with a hitch in pickup bed.

Mike, there was also a Quantum fifth-wheel, and Bigfoot doesn't do fifth-wheels any more.
P.S. Roger, great job on the Albums... found all sorts of new stuff there when looking for the Quantum link!

Thanks Brian... the albums are still a work in progress...

and just to keep houskeeping straight, even though the Scamp 19' doesn't use a conventional fifth wheel plate and pin, it is still advertised and sold as a 'fifth wheel'... it's actually a gooseneck trailer (with even an unconventional hitch setup for a gooseneck), but I think that's splitting hairs for our purposes.

Roger

[Brian B-P]

...and just to keep houskeeping straight, even though the Scamp 19' doesn't use a conventional fifth wheel plate and pin, it is still advertised and sold as a 'fifth wheel'... it's actually a gooseneck trailer (with even an unconventional hitch setup for a gooseneck), but I think that's splitting hairs for our purposes.

Actually, it's not a gooseneck, either, since it does not have a narrow neck leading to the hitch head - it's wide like any other similarly shaped RV trailer. The lack of a good name for this setup (not quite a semi-trailer) is certainly confusing, and people selling ball hitches mounted in truck beds as "gooseneck" hitches (because the most common use is with genuine gooseneck trailers) don't help.

I agree, the hitch distinction doesn't matter much... which is what I meant by "Doesn't matter much - it's still a trailer only for trucks with a hitch in pickup bed." It does matter a little, since the Scamp setup is quite unusual (high, and 2", where most bed-mounted ball hitches are low and 2-5/16") which could hurt resale potential, especially for a potential buyer who wants to tow other trailers with a bed-mounted hitch (ball or pin-and-plate) in the same truck.