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Old 10-30-2016, 02:49 PM   #1
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Name: Shelley
Trailer: 78 Trillium 4500
Michigan
Posts: 23
Hello!

Hi, I am Shelley. My husband and I are both recently retired. We are looking for just the right used fiberglass trailer to get going on our adventures! Looking for a 16 foot lightweight to pull behind a Honda Pilot.
Very open to your ideas!
Cheers!
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Old 10-30-2016, 04:46 PM   #2
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Name: Jon
Trailer: 2008 Scamp 13 S1
Arizona
Posts: 11,925
Registry
Hi, Shelley!

Either a 16' Scamp or Casita would be a great match for your Pilot. Each comes in a number of floor plans- see their respective websites for details.

A Parkliner, only 15' but a bit taller and wider, has similar capabilities and would be worth a look.

If you have a 4WD Pilot you could even step up to an Escape 17'.

Scamps and Casitas are fairly plentiful on the used market. Parkliners and Escapes are newer designs, so fewer out there.

They're not all created equal in terms of headroom, bed size, storage, and quality. Attending a fiberglass rally is one way to get a look at many different kinds- new, used, and vintage- in one place. See the rally section of the forum and contact event coordinators for advice about scheduling a visit.

Best wishes on your "egg hunt"!
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Old 10-30-2016, 05:28 PM   #3
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Name: Shelley
Trailer: 78 Trillium 4500
Michigan
Posts: 23
Thank you for this helpful info Jon! We do have a 4wd.
Looking at a 15 foot 1978 Trillium which has been posted today. In NC. The owner said Ken worked on it to refurbish it. I have lots of questions about the floor plan and wondering if you know how I can contact Ken? I think it's a great idea to attend a Rally and look at various Scamps and Casitas, etc. It is interesting and fun looking! Learning a lot. Thanks for taking time to help out! :-)
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Old 10-30-2016, 05:55 PM   #4
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Trailer: 2008 Scamp 13 S1
Arizona
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He left a phone number in the ad, so that's the place to start. More often sellers don't, and the way to get communication going is via private message. The one in the ad doesn't have a bathroom. I guess I assumed you were looking for something with a bathroom, since most 16'ers do.

With a vintage unit a careful inspection is essential to avoid hidden problems. Biggest issues with vintage Trilliums are window and belly band leaks and, especially, soft floors. The last is not common, but very difficult to repair.

If you go to the "More" tab at the top right of the page, in the Document Center there is a Buyer's Checklist you can download and print. You might find it helpful when you inspect a used unit.
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Old 10-30-2016, 06:12 PM   #5
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Name: Shelley
Trailer: 78 Trillium 4500
Michigan
Posts: 23
Thanks Jon.

Correct, we'd greatly prefer a camper with a bathroom. Although, I could do with just a porta potty. He said he had one, never used, and keeps in in the camper. When I look up this model online, so far, I've seen that they have bathrooms.

I'd love to talk with the person, Ken, who refurbished it, to learn more about it. The owner seems to not have a lot of details. (for instance......These models typically have bunk beds in the front. he used it as a bed, and does not know if there are bunks.) He says it's in great shape and completely refurbished, by Ken.

I will surely print off the Buyers Checklist in documents. Unfortunately, we are a long distance, so I thought maybe we could skype and see the trailer. My brother in law lives in NC, and could look at it but he is 3 hours away. He is visiting us in MI,.next week,and could bring the trailer here.....but we would not want to have him make two trips there, so he'd have to decide on the spot if it looks good. Seems a bit of a rush to me.

I appreciate your suggestions...........this is all quite new to us.
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Old 10-30-2016, 06:15 PM   #6
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Name: Shelley
Trailer: 78 Trillium 4500
Michigan
Posts: 23
Another question, if you don't mind...........Do you think that some of the vintage campers are a better risk than others? In terms of hidden problems....
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Old 10-30-2016, 06:44 PM   #7
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Name: Jon
Trailer: 2008 Scamp 13 S1
Arizona
Posts: 11,925
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Hello!

That might be a better question for someone else with experience buying and rehabbing vintage campers.

I bought a much newer unit because I am not into projects. My goal now is simply to maintain my Scamp so that it never becomes a project! Mostly it's about catching and dealing with leaks from windows, vents, etc. Mine is now 8 years old and I haven't had any yet...
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Old 10-30-2016, 07:24 PM   #8
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Name: Shelley
Trailer: 78 Trillium 4500
Michigan
Posts: 23
Thanks for your input Jon. Your camper sounds wonderful! I hope you continue to have good adventures with it.
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Old 10-31-2016, 04:29 AM   #9
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Name: Kelly
Trailer: Trails West
Oregon
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Originally Posted by Shelley Youngman View Post
Another question, if you don't mind...........Do you think that some of the vintage campers are a better risk than others? In terms of hidden problems....
Any of the campers that have underlying wood blocking are going to be more of a risk than the campers that have liners that are applied directly to the surface of the fiberglass shell. That is because if there was a leak around the windows and such the wood might have dry rot in it that is hiding behind the interior wall panels. It does not mean than an older camper might not have that issue but your question was one about risk and there is more risk in that situation.

The positive trade off of campers with wood blocking is that wood structure allows for a layer of ridged insulation which can be useful for retaining heat in the colder climates rather than just a thin layer of carpet like materials. Living in Michigan such a trailer might help extend your camping season into early spring and late fall.
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Old 10-31-2016, 05:23 AM   #10
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Name: Lisa
Trailer: Boler 1700
Michigan
Posts: 130
If you are thinking about buying a Trillium, you may want to also watch kijiji and import it from Canada. The old trilliums were built in Markham, Ontario.

The last time we bought a trailer in Canada, we paid the PO at her bank. The teller figured out what we needed to give the PO in US dollars, and then deposited it in Canadian without a exchange fee since the PO is a customer. Alot cheaper than if we had exchanged the money.
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Old 10-31-2016, 08:00 AM   #11
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Name: Jon
Trailer: 2008 Scamp 13 S1
Arizona
Posts: 11,925
Registry
Hello!

Following up on KC's post... Almost all molded fiberglass trailers use wood somewhere. Basically you learn where and how (each manufacturer is different), and then you know what to look for in a vintage trailer.

Many use wood in the floor for strength. Some, like Scamp, leave the wood exposed. Some, like Casita, put a layer of fiberglass underneath, and others, like Trillium, completely encase it in fiberglass. A rotten floor is one of the biggest repairs you want to avoid.

As KC says, some also use blocking inside the walls and ceiling supporting semi-rigid interior panels. That is another potentially big repair you want to avoid.

Best advice I can give is to take along a friend with some RV experience as a second set of eyes, someone who is not emotionally invested in the purchase. It's easy to fall in love!
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