2000 Casita SD Value

[Delight in CO]

Hi there! First post on this forum; thanks for adding me!

I found a 16' Casita Spirit Deluxe for sale nearby. It's priced at nearly $14,000, which seems high for a 21 year old trailer. BUT I have just started looking at Casitas - maybe that's a reasonable price? Thanks in advance for your advice.

[Jon in AZ]

Welcome to the forums!

Best site to find lots of recent ads for comparison is www.fiberglass-rv-4sale.com. Search current Casita ads as well as recent archives ("sold" tab). I would consider anything posted more than 12-15 months ago outdated, since prices spiked during the pandemic. They seemed to have flattened out this fall, but at a higher level than before (like a lot of things, sadly).

Pay attention to location as well as age and condition. Prices tend to be higher on the coasts and in some larger metro markets (including the Denver and Colorado Springs region). Of course, finding something close increases its value to you over a better deal that's far away.

Most important thing is to learn what to look for in an used fiberglass trailer to avoid nasty surprises. With older Casitas I'd particularly feel for any sponginess in the floor, indicating rotted plywood under the finish flooring. Look inside all the storage areas for signs of water damage, and pay attention to your nose, as musty smells can signal hidden mold. Also, check for cracks in the frame under the front of the cabin where it transitions to the tongue. Here's a link to a Buyer's Checklist you can print out and take with you.

$14K for a 2000 Casita 16SD does seem a bit on the high side, but if it's been well maintained and perhaps has some nice upgrades like solar charging, it might be justified in the current market. It's also a relatively uncommon model, as Casita sells far more 17'ers.

Best wishes in your search!

[WaltP]

I think that is high, even in the current, inflated market. And I can't think of many reasons to pay top dollar+ for a 16er. In most cases a 17er has many advantages.
Good luck in your hunt.

Walt

[ssatkinson]

I think that price is a bit high, even if it is in great shape. We sold our 2004 SD for $11k in 2019. It had always been garaged, and we had upgraded the flooring, added solar, a high rise faucet, new mattress, replaced all window gaskets ( they dry out after about 10-12 years and shrink) along with a few other mods. Ours was the 17’. If you are serious about this one, follow advice given by the others here as well as checking all appliances and check for rust on the nuts that are inside the overhead cabinets-will tell you more about integrity of the rivets. Also check the axle- lots of miles likely on it. That said, we loved our Casita and felt it was a solid camper! Just needed more space so moved to an Escape 21.

[FloridaNativeMike]

As other have said, even in this market that is wishful thinking for a 21 year old 16’ Casita. IMHO, 17 is the way to go unless it’s a REALLY good deal.

-Mike

[Jon in AZ]

Found it. Run. It is not in pristine shape, and the "small rear damage" is not minor. The repair appears to be painted and will not hold up like a proper gelcoat repair. There also no way to be sure a proper structural fiberglass repair was performed underneath. The rebuilt title is a significant resale liability.
https://denver.craigslist.org/rvs/d/...416886260.html

You can do a lot better.

[Delight in CO]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

Found it. Run. It is not in pristine shape, and the "small rear damage" is not minor. The repair appears to be painted and will not hold up like a proper gelcoat repair. There also no way to be sure a proper structural fiberglass repair was performed underneath. The rebuilt title is a significant resale liability.
https://denver.craigslist.org/rvs/d/...416886260.html

You can do a lot better.

Thanks everyone, and Jon, especially. This forum is a great resource!

I did go see it, and I agree with your assessment. At least now I know that a 16' is too small for me.

[Jon in AZ]

Originally Posted by Delight in CO

At least now I know that a 16' is too small for me.

That is good to know, but it opens the question of how big is big enough?

Molded fiberglass trailers in general are very compact, many are narrower than conventional stick-built trailers, and all make various compromises to be the small, lightweight alternative. Sizes can be misleading because molded trailers follow the older convention of designating models by overall length (tongue-to-bumper). The cabin length is typically about 3' less. Non-molded trailers usually designated their models by cabin length, so a 16' Casita is comparable in size to a 13' conventional trailer.

Curious what aspects of the trailer felt too small? The biggest compromises in a Casita 16’er include the main bed size (at only 45” wide), the galley (with no counter space), ceiling height (at 5’10”), and the small fridge. Compared to a 16' Scamp, owners of both have commented that the Casita aisle is narrower because the cabinets are deeper. A Scamp also has more headroom, at around 6'2", but the same narrow rear bed (unless you spring for a deluxe wood-interior version, which gets a wider 54" bed).

A 17’ Casita addresses all the shortcomings except the galley, but it requires an upgrade in tow vehicle capacity due to its significantly higher tongue weight. A 17’ Escape has similar functionality, but some people find it feels roomier due to a different layout that includes a large front window.

Bigfoot also makes a 17’ model with several layouts. It’s wider and boxier, so it will also feel roomier, but it is a harder tow requiring a more robust vehicle. Beds are still pretty narrow. Newer ones (listed as 17.5’) are winter-rated and significantly heavier.

Next step up in size are the 19’ and 21’ models from Escape. Either will likely require a significant increase in budget. There’s also the 19’ Lil Snoozy, which has a very open layout. Downside is it’s all-electric and not set up for off-grid use,. Some owners add the propane systems after purchase.

Just throwing out some molded fiberglass options to watch for. As you have found, there is no substitute for getting inside a real, live trailer.

For us, our 13' Scamp (10' cabin) is perfect for four people. First, many people have said you don't live in a small RV, you live out of it. That's us. We don't spend much time with all four of us inside the trailer at once unless we're sleeping. Second, having a lot of windows can increase the feeling of spaciousness, even if it doesn't actually make it bigger. Third, we learned some tricks here on the forum to make a small space work harder. For example, we sleep head-to-toe in separate tapered sleeping bags to make the most of the narrow rear bed.

[vintageracer]

$500K

[WaltP]

One of my early trailers was a 16' Castita. I've enjoyed all my fiberglass trailers, but at 6' 190 lb, I did notice I felt a bit cramped in the side dinette seats and in the 17' they felt more roomy.

Walt

[johnlochbuie]

Seems high to me I only paid 10'000 for my 2002 new .

[JaxDan]

Should all the comments about accident repair be the case, $14K is not a price I would pay. I own a 1999 17SD that made a trip to Alaska and in the years I have owned it repairs plus original cost add up to just about $14K. If you find a 20 year old that has been well cared for and all systems are working the price is not a bad place to begin negotiations. That based on a brand new one costing twice the $14K and you incur at least a 12 month wait. The main consideration is how you intend to use the trailer. I had to restructure the inside of my SD to allow bathroom access at night without crawling over another sleeping person. If I had the decision to make today I would look for a 17 foot Liberty Deluxe.

Good luck, buy it right!

[Jim Paddock]

How did you redo your bed set up so there was no crawling over someone to get to the bathroom? I agree with you about the Liberty. But I got a great deal on our 1997 SD. We've done a lot to it and would like to do something about our bed. Thank you.

[JaxDan]

Originally Posted by Jim Paddock

How did you redo your bed set up so there was no crawling over someone to get to the bathroom? I agree with you about the Liberty. But I got a great deal on our 1997 SD. We've done a lot to it and would like to do something about our bed. Thank you.

First off I note that the rear bed is what the industry calls 'full size' so I found a mattress company that makes futon beds. A full size split in half is two pieces measuring 27" by 75". A real custom would have the rearmost corners curved but I did not do that with the 6 inch foam pieces. I stored the rear table and cushions. Using 1" thick lumber fashioned 27inch wide grid pattern bed boards for the rear and over the side dinette. You can buy fitted sheets for the 27 inch cot so the beds are made up. The side dinette cushions are placed behind the partition and behind the stove/furnace and I made a round table that can fit either on the forward column for the rear table or on a collapsible column on a 3 leg stand with a shortened column (done at an auto body shop).



One caveat, with the 27 inch bed over the side dinette the bathroom door will open 90 degrees, however the fridge door does not open all the way making access to the freezer slightly impaired. To date this has not been a big problem, we have been able to access the fridge just fine.


I am not the only one that has done this and not likely the first. There have been some photos uploaded to the old Casita Club site as well as some on Facebook. Good luck, I found the purchase of a queen mattress envelope best for storage of the rear cushions and table.

[Jim Paddock]

Thanks for the info. Really appreciate the great idea!