Hello from Minneapolis

[MN Jim]

Hello from Minneapolis. This is a great forum! We have learned a lot, most recently how to dump and how old you all are.
I have great respect for those of you who found an old trailer in the woods and turned it into a sparkling jewel. Many of you have done amazing things with your trailers.
We camped years ago in an Apache pop-up with hard sides. You cranked up the top, pulled out the ends and unfolded the panels. Then we “camped” in a 23’ sailboat on Lake Michigan, and later downsized to a tent and canoe. Kids are grown now and we are looking to get off the ground, probably with a Scamp or Aliner (been to that forum, too.) There is a camping club at work, plus we visit Yellowstone each year and state parks on many weekends. Retirement is looming down the road in a few years.
We want a trailer that will fit under an 8’ garage door. Our TV has a 5000 lb rating. We visited the Scamp factory recently (3 hours away); there is a 6 weeks wait for a new one. There are several Scamps in the MN or WI Craigslists right now, so that is probably the way we will go. Other brands seem pretty rare here. I’ll let you know what we end up with.
Thanks for all the advice, mods, tips and so forth in the forum!

[Noreen Bradshaw]

Hello, right back at you, MN Jim. Sounds like you're on the right track. I'll be looking forward to seeing your new-to-you egg. Welcome to the forum.

[Roy in TO]

Welcome Jim,
With a 5000 Lb. rating, you can tow almost anything fiberglass, except for maybe some of the real big Bigfoots. You did not say what your TV was though. Your basic limit will be the height. Double check how high your garage door actually opens and go from there. There are tricks to lower your trailer to garage it.

There are some nice trailers in the for sale section here. Check out Molded Fiberglass Trailers | Fiberglass RV's For Sale

Drop into a rally, there is a big one on the N shore of Lake Erie next weekend or you can find others on the rally map. That way you can compare first hand what brands you like and what features suit your style best.

Many of us have traveled 8 or more hours one way to pick up a trailer.

[MN Jim]

Roy, the opening is 8' 0 " and I can tweak the door to accomodate. I don't mind driving a bit, but I am curious, though, do you show up with cash when you go 8 hours to look at a trailer, or what is the typical transaction like? Thanks!

[Mike Magee]

Howdy, Jim. Yep, cash is king. Or maybe you can give a down payment (get a receipt showing what you paid and why) and tell them you'll pay the rest when you pick it up.

[Roy in TO]

Jim,
I don't think there is anything typical. Some of that depends on you, the seller, your locations and the sale price. A $4000 trailer can be handled with cash in the pockets of two people. $500 in each pocket covers the sale. A $10,000 transaction is a different beast.

There are a bunch of options. Cash in pocket, Paypal, ABM withdrawls, Interac email money transfers. It all depends on who and where. Crossing the border with more than $10K in cash in your pocket is a no no. If you buy during a weekday or when your bank is open you can tentatively prearrange to wire transfer funds. You provide your bank with account details and estimated amounts prior to departure simplifies things.

Like Mike says, deposits work well. But they don't guarentee a transaction will be completed. I once left a cash deposit and encountered a case of sellers remorse. A full refund with a letter of apology arrived via registered mail prior to the pre-arranged pick up date. Postal money orders work, Bank cheques are better than certified cheques. Did you know you can put a stop payment on a certified cheque?

I've noticed that in the US people use Escrow. It does not seem as popular here.