Maintenance & Restoration

shane n · 01-13-2011, 06:59 PM

I found a 13' u-haul for $1700, add was for 3K but dont know if the restore would cost me more than it's worth. She wrote craiglist removed the add because it had "used mattress" in it and is banned now I guess from bedbug reasons?. It does not look to bad but scared to pull the trigger. I'ts at the Grand Canyon south Rim about 5 hours from home.

stephanie reed · 01-13-2011, 07:14 PM

Hello, I have a uhaul also. 1700 seems like a good deal. What restore will be involved. It seems to be in good shape.

CindyL · 01-13-2011, 08:18 PM

If you question too much, someone else will buy it before you get it. With fiberglass trailers, you snooze, you lose. I bought our Uhaul on ebay when I found someone here asking questions about it, because they were not sure it was worth the price. I followed his link to the add on ebay and hit the "Buy It Now." Yes, we put in new curtains, fixed leaks, added carpet, got new rims and tires, painted parts of it, cleaned the rest, and personalized it. Doing this was fun, and the trailer has paid for itself many times over in the savings on our vacations. Heck, we never took vacations before our Uhaul; it was always too easy to say it was too expensive. Now we take our "Howie", short for "hotel on wheels" all over.
You will not find that price for a Uhaul that looks that nice very often.
Ironically, one of the first people to tour our Uhaul at a fiberglass meet said that Uhauls were made to fall to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and survive.

CindyL

Greg H · 01-13-2011, 08:36 PM

If you have the $1700.00 you should jump all over that. I'm really pretty new here but I have been losing sleep over these little eggs and I have not seen many with what I think is a good price, they are very pricey, jump on it and be glad you did.

KarenW · 01-13-2011, 09:43 PM

In the condition the pictures reflect, you can sell it down here in the south without restoration for at least 3 or 4 grand.

mcbrew · 01-13-2011, 11:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shane n

I found a 13' u-haul for $1700, add was for 3K but dont know if the restore would cost me more than it's worth. She wrote craiglist removed the add because it had "used mattress" in it and is banned now I guess from bedbug reasons?. It does not look to bad but scared to pull the trigger. I'ts at the Grand Canyon south Rim about 5 hours from home.

I paid $3,500 for my '84 Scamp, and I considered it a fair price. We have done a lot of work to it, and there is more to do. I estimate that we will put at least $1,000 into it. I would jump all over a $1,700 Uhaul!

Matt in SV · 01-14-2011, 12:14 AM

I'm afraid the drapes are beyond all restoration. The trailer's worth $3k, tho. Is that an A/C unit up top? You don't see that every day on a CT.

Regards,

Matt

Robin G · 01-14-2011, 12:30 AM

Shane, Seriously, $1700 is a good deal. I so agree with Cindy, You don't snooze cause you will loose. Have you went and looked at it? That is the only way you will ever know what it's gonna take to make it the perfect trailer for your camping needs.

Do take the buyers check (located on the forum index page, left hand side) list with you. Crawl under, over and check out the trailer. Good luck!

Panoz77 · 01-14-2011, 01:19 AM

$1700!!!! I paid $4000 for mine, and that thing looks to be in good shape, the ones on ebay (at least the last 5) all sold for $3500 - $4000, you better JUMP on that.

Donna D. · 01-14-2011, 05:31 AM

If that trailer was anywhere close to a few hours driving distance from Portland, Oregon... I'd already be on my way with cash in hand... and also have the Buyer's Checklist with me

Kevin A · 01-14-2011, 02:12 PM

Buy it now! Even with a few small repairs or upgrades, this is a great price. You won't know if the propane lines work since there isn't a tank, but those are not that costly to fix/replace. Wiring is not bad to fix either. Everything is there according to the pictures. The mattress may even just be the cushions. If they are missing on the bed, memory foam from Walmart works great. Finally, the hubs are almost sure to be good since they are sealed and don't need lubing. Tires may need to be replaced, but that is true on any trailer. Looks like a wonderful deal!

shane n · 01-14-2011, 06:47 PM

I'm going up on my next day off wensday. She said she won't repost add so I will have first dib's on it. I Am looking for just a project trailer to flip because I have my Casita but I might get attached, any of the little 13' are just to cool to part with?. I will update with pictures and such wensday.

bbuehler · 01-15-2011, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Donna D.

If that trailer was anywhere close to a few hours driving distance from Portland, Oregon... I'd already be on my way with cash in hand... and also have the Buyer's Checklist with me

Donna,
Can we CARPOOL out there? I want to buy it, too!!
LORD! For that price, who's waiting...especially only 5 hours away from Home! I've gone on 2 six hour (one-way) trips, only to find it wasn't what the owner represented it to be or to have someone else beat me out there...15 minutes before I arrived.

Calud1 · 01-20-2011, 11:30 PM

These trailers are little tanks, there is nothing on them that cant be repaired and for that price its a golden egg! they will go quick they normally sell for 3400 to 4000

Greg H · 01-21-2011, 01:06 PM

Did Shane go get the U Haul yet?

bbuehler · 01-21-2011, 01:54 PM

Greg,
I sent Shane a PM, earlier this morning, asking him to let me know if he ever bought that trailer. I also mentioned that it probably could be a scam, since I've never heard of Craigslist deleting someone's posting for having a 'used matress'. Good God...all the trailers ever sold on Craigslist have a used mattress. I remember that wording being very odd, but hoped it was a legitimate lead that Shane was following.
Maybe we'll hear something back from him.

Greg H · 01-21-2011, 02:13 PM

I hope everything went well, can't wait to hear.

shane n · 01-21-2011, 06:46 PM

No go on the U-haul. Talked on phone and there was a changing story on title, they bought it several years ago and never changed it, the tags were two years out of date. I don't need a title then getting one wont be a problem?. Then would only meet at a gas station because it would be to hard to find their place etc, etc. What bothered me was the changing condition, it was 100% then it was missing cushions, table, didn't know if it had a fresh tank, converter or furnace. It might have been fine but my decision was not to make the 500 mile round trip. I did see the add appear then gone the next day. I did go to Coolidge AZ to look at a 76 Boler 13' about an hour away but it would have needed a frame off restoration just to camp in. He wanted $2500 for the Boler but it was not for me, he called and said it sold as I was going to post it here