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03-15-2019, 10:17 AM
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#1
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Junior Member
Name: Jim
Trailer: 1985 Bigfoot B19
Montana
Posts: 8
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1985 Bigfoot 19B value?
Hi all!
I am new to the forums here and this is my first post. I am currently shopping for a FRV and have run across a 1985 Bigfoot 19' in relatively good condition. My question is what price range would this trailer have from fair to excellent condition? I believe these trailers are in good demand. This trailer needs tires replaced and refrigerator repair. The outside is somewhat oxidized and has minor black mildew spots. Any info and/or comments would be appreciated!
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03-15-2019, 11:13 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Name: bill
Trailer: 2013 Escape 19
The Mountains of North Carolina
Posts: 4,138
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Poor = $2,500. OK but with some issues = $5,000. Superb = 10,000.
Look for signs of prior leaks, soft spots on floor, floor rot (check inside all cabinets), appliances all work?, roof and door sag, etc. A 34 year old trailer in “wonderful” condition could have more challenges than you might expect.
Mildew on the outside and old tires to me means neglected and stored outside. Neglected trailers typically will have leak issues = discount. Read up on Bigfoot floor repair to get an idea of what that can entail. Floors tend to rot from the inside out. Leaks from windows, vents or water plumbing will seek out the wood in the floor which then rots. Some brands floor repair is harder than others. Avoiding trailers with floor rot is the “easiest” solution!
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03-15-2019, 11:51 AM
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#3
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Junior Member
Name: Jim
Trailer: 1985 Bigfoot B19
Montana
Posts: 8
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Bill, thanks for your reply and the wisdom in it! I haven't been able to see the inside of this trailer yet so your advice on what to watch for is timely. I had a friend tell me to look for stress fractures/cracks around windows and the door. I would assume this would be true for the vents on the roof as well.
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03-16-2019, 10:53 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Trailer: 1988 Bigfoot Deluxe B19 19 ft / 2007 Nissan Frontier V6 NISMO 4x4
Posts: 456
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I bought my 1988 B19 from a commercial seller on Vancouver Island in 2007 and paid $11,000 Canadian for it. It was originally listed for $10,000 by a private owner but even though I was the first person to contact the private owner, the agent showed up the next day with cash, and the private owners probably got significantly less than their asking price because they either couldn't or wouldn't wait for us to come see it (we had to drive there all the way from AZ). The trailer had good bones, but has needed new tires, a new heater, new water heater, new water pump, new lights, new fans... so definitely do your best to negotiate while keeping in mind that the B19 model is quite hard to find.
Good luck and happy trails.
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05-04-2019, 07:26 AM
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#5
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Junior Member
Name: Jim
Trailer: 1985 Bigfoot B19
Montana
Posts: 8
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Hey guys, I bought a B19 in great shape! Now my question is will remodeling the inside by painting the original paneling(which is in great shape by the way) hurt the resale value of the trailer? It also has the original carpeting in it that would be nice to replace with some form of smooth flooring for easy cleaning. My wife is driving these questions as she wants to make it her own with the redecorating.
We have already painted the ceiling to cover up some leak stains where the previous owner let snow water leak into the broken vent cover. I installed a Fantastic fan to replace the broken vent which will be a good upgrade.
Also, would like to know of other B19 owners out there as this I understand is a rare bird.
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05-04-2019, 08:32 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Trailer: Trillium 4500
Posts: 2,050
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Post some pictures I'd love to see the interior of a B19.
Every situation is different. If I went to look at a trailer and it was painted where it was not supposed to be I'd have questions/concerns in my mind as to why. Obviously you want to make the trailer your own but personally I'd leave the perfect paneling alone as it shows how well it has aged. Decorate with new flooring, new appliances, what have you but personally I'd leave the unbroke unbroke.
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05-06-2019, 11:12 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Trailer: 1988 Bigfoot Deluxe B19 19 ft / 2007 Nissan Frontier V6 NISMO 4x4
Posts: 456
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Well, I am definitely going to be painting some of interior of my B19 because I would like an aesthetically-pleasing update to lighten up the 1980's dark-wood paneling.
As long as you do a nice job of remodeling, I don't think anyone will assume that you are covering anything up - particularly not if, like many of us, you are the kind of owner who has receipts for all the upgrades and updates and takes photos of your work as you go.
As some others have voiced on other parts of the forum, I am of the opinion that once it belongs to you, you have every right to make it reflect your personality and preferences - it's your home on wheels after all, so you should enjoy looking at the interior. I did see one B19 owner on this forum who had removed ALL the interior built-ins (dinette, cabinets, gaucho) and replaced them with Ikea furnishings and some handcrafted drawers. Now, that would not have appealed to me if I were looking to buy, so personally, I would avoid doing anything that drastic... but again, to each their own! Enjoy your new trailer!
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05-07-2019, 06:26 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Name: bill
Trailer: 2013 Escape 19
The Mountains of North Carolina
Posts: 4,138
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Replacing carpeted floor with something easier to clean and smooth is a plus value wise. Painting cabinets is a mixed bag. A lot of the cabinets in these trailers are pretty cheaply made, vinyl over particle board or some composite material. Well done painting could be a plus. And as you mentioned, dark wood makes for a really dark trailer.
In the end, you should make changes to suit your needs and not worry about resale. The way to get the value out of a camper is to use it. If you use the heck out of it, but it is worth zero when you are done, so what? Its the experiences that count.
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05-07-2019, 07:40 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Name: Z
Trailer: Sasquatch
Montana
Posts: 2,556
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I’d love to see photos. The 5th wheel and the 19 are kind of my dream Bigfoot trailers, but I don’t have the truck for them.
Do what you want with the trailer, it’s yours! Just do a good job. Otherwise you feel like your renting it.
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05-09-2019, 10:51 PM
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#10
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Junior Member
Name: Roger
Trailer: Bigfoot
BC
Posts: 7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by V'sGlassSleeper
I bought my 1988 B19 from a commercial seller on Vancouver Island in 2007 and paid $11,000 Canadian for it. It was originally listed for $10,000 by a private owner but even though I was the first person to contact the private owner, the agent showed up the next day with cash, and the private owners probably got significantly less than their asking price because they either couldn't or wouldn't wait for us to come see it (we had to drive there all the way from AZ). The trailer had good bones, but has needed new tires, a new heater, new water heater, new water pump, new lights, new fans... so definitely do your best to negotiate while keeping in mind that the B19 model is quite hard to find.
Good luck and happy trails.
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Similar story but on a 21 foot. It was at a commercial seller when we looked and was significantly higher then what the owner had it consigned for. Lucky for us the dealer was asking too much plus I remembered that the owner was selling it. Long story short, we bought from the owner and the dealer was not very happy.
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05-10-2019, 11:58 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Trailer: 1988 Bigfoot Deluxe B19 19 ft / 2007 Nissan Frontier V6 NISMO 4x4
Posts: 456
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hb32
Similar story but on a 21 foot. It was at a commercial seller when we looked and was significantly higher then what the owner had it consigned for. Lucky for us the dealer was asking too much plus I remembered that the owner was selling it. Long story short, we bought from the owner and the dealer was not very happy.
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hb32, you were really fortunate that you were dealing with a consignment sale and were able to go back to the actual owner! Unfortunately, the dealer I bought from had purchased the trailer outright, so there was no going back to the original owners (I was literally in the middle of arranging to get the original sellers a deposit and when I called them back, they said that they'd just sold it to a dealer). I was lucky that my purchase with that dealer still went smoothly because a few years later, I saw in some online news that she had escaped arrest for fraud by running off to Mexico! Apparently there were many people who had given her their trailers to sell on a consignment basis and she had sold their trailers and absconded with all the money from the sales. That was never anything I expected to see from a Canadian business!
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