Tips for buying a used tent trailer?

[Jeff]

What tips/suggestions do you have for purchasing our first used ($2000-$4000) tent trailer?  We're excited about getting one for the summer, but aren't sure what to look for as far as quality, etc.  Thanks!

[xjcrawler]

Heat and AC, even if you don't need them they make for great resale later. Also by bigger than you need, because everybody buys small and realize they need something just alittle bit bigger.

[AZsix]

Though I am fairly new to pup's (this is our first full year) I will add my two cents worth. We stumbled on a deal to good to pass up since it had everything that we wanted so it was a no brainer on our part.

Make a list and bring it with you when you shop so you don't forget to check for anything that you want.

Consider the following....

How may do you need it to sleep?
Floor-plan. Do you need to climb over the dinette to get into bed?
Is it big enough for you? If you are stuck in it due to rain you don't want to be sitting on each other.
Do you want heat and/or A/C?
Do you want a hot water heater?
How many burners on the stove? (we have three but have only used two at one time)
Do you want an oven? (we have one but have yet to use it?
Do you want a shower?
Do you want/need and outside shower?
Do you want a bathroom? (we have one and love it)
Can you tow it with your vehicle?
Will it fit where you plan to store it?
Does it need work before you can use it? Check the canvas, it can be very expensive ($1200 range) to replace
Is the re-frig big enough for you? Some older models have ice boxes and not ref-rig's.
Is the frig a 3-way in case you dry camp?
Does it have enough storage space for you?
Consider the manufacturer and model. As with anything else, some are better quality than others. Check the manufacturers forum. Do a search for posts that may steer you clear of certain makes and models and guide you toward others.

I'm sure that others will add things that I forgot.

You can find good deals out there. We paid $500 for ours but it was a special circumstance. The owners are in China and will be for a few more years. The pup was sitting in storage doing nothing. Craig's List and RV Trader could be good resources for you.

Good luck in your hunt. If you find something that interests you post about it and you will get constructive feedback on it. You will find people on this forum very friendly, helpful and knowledgeable.

You will have a blast in your pup. I can't get out in mine enough.

[Jeff]

Good info.  What we're mostly concerned with though is how to pick a good used one?  I've heard that the newer models are lighter, but don't last as long.  Anything specific we should look at to tell if the canvas is in good shape?  Anything else that tends to need repairing that we should focus on?  We've never had any kind of RV, so we're totally new to this.  Thanks!

[AzRon]

The best way to spot problems is have the owner put it up for you, does it go up easy? are there "tricks" to putting it up? Once up look at the canvas, are there obvious tears? mold? look at the windows are they clear? cracked? do the zippers work. basiclly try every thing if it doesn't work can it be fixed by you or someone else? If things are missing/not working, negotiate the price some if you think it is a little high.  

Have fun and do look at as many as you can, i have to go and look for info on batteries as i just found out that it is bad!

[austinado16]

Welcome Jeff!

This will be a fun hunt for you guys because there are so many flavors of Popups out there!

Firstly........know your tow vehicle and what it's rated and set up for.  That'll be your most limiting factor.

Second, consider buying the most amenities you can afford so that if you decide to resell in the future, you'll have a desirable model.

Third, INSPECTION, INSPECTION, INSPECTION!!!!  Have the seller completely set it up for you.  Watch how it cranks up.....or better yet, crank it up yourself so you can feel the action of the winch, cables and pulleys.  As it's being set up, watch carefully for stuff that doesn't function right or fit right, etc.  Everything is made out of chip board, particle board, or if you're lucky, actual plywood.  So the smallest amount of water ingress or wear-n-tear can really thrash stuff.

Inspect the roof carefully inside and out......seams, edges, the vent, the ceiling, the gasket, the overall shape and trueness of the whole roof.  Same thing goes for the box and especially the corners.

Walk all over the floor looking for soft spots.

Have the seller make everything work.....in every mode.

Tires and wheel bearings are a big deal so inspect those too.

If you're even a moderate do-it-yourselfer, you'll be able to repair just about all aspects of the PUP, so with that in mind, you can look for the deals that might need some TLC.  

If you're not a DIYer, or don't want to spend your time that way, then spend up and buy the nicest condition you can afford.

Like AZsix, I bought on the cheap.  $250, did the repairs myself, and we couldn't be happier.  But, that's the kind of silly fun I like to have.

There are a lot of bargains out there right now as people are getting tired of storing them, so have fun!

[tlhdoc]

Check the tenting by opening and closing the windows (zipper/unzipper them), any stress points (corners, edges where the tenting folds, etc).  Check the roof by looking for water marks, and push of the roof from inside and outside to see if it is soft.  Especially check it around any vents or around an air conditioner.  Check inside the cupboards, and all around the floor for soft spots.  Craw under the camper and check the floor from the bottom too.  Set the camper up and take it down to make sure the mechanics work well.  Turn all appliances on (water pump, air conditioner, furnace, lights, stove, etc) and make sure they work.  Good luck with the hunt for the prefect camper for you.

[jeezy]

Get your back dirty and look at the floor board from underneath.  If there's been any water damage, you'll see it there.  

Fine tooth comb that puppy.

[AZsix]

Jeff,

Just curious if you have looked at any pups yet and if so what have you found out there?

[outdoors5]

Check a dealer.  Sometimes they get a good PU from a trade in.  Our dealer included a free warrnaty.  It was short, I believe it lasted 30 days, but we made a list of problems and all were taken care of at no charge.  I'm not sure if this was unique to my dealer but it's worth checking out.  Another word of advice from my experience but not totaly neccesary, is to see if you can buy a PU brand that a dealer near you is connected to.  They seem to be more knowledgable about your PU and able to get parts in a timely maner.  Good luck with your search.

[ScouterMom]

make sure the safety stuff all works - lights, trailer hook-up, propane tanks and hose are in good shape (or be prepared to replace them - can usually be found at any home-improvement store.)

use your NOSE - if it smells damp and musty, it's either been stored a long time or may have damp issues. Don't be afraid to put your face right down into the beds - after all YOU will be sleeping on them!  MAtttresses and covers are pretty simple to have cleaned, clean yourself or replace.  Canvas is tougher to replace, but not impossible. You can clean the canvas - if it's stained, the stains may or may not come out, but you can usually get cooking and other odors out - moldy/musty smells not so easily. These smells may soak into the wood, too.  Sometimes a fresh coat of good primer paint on the wood seals smells away.  A few large holes or tears are actually easier to fix than many tiny mouse or mold holes.  Most campers cost $800 or more to replace a typical full canvas of 2 straight walls and 2 double beds.  Look at the seams - is the thread holding up? or are seams starting to come apart?  a couple of holes or tears could probably be fixed by a local boat dealership (they would have a contact for canvas covers) or even a shoe repair shop can patch canvas.  Some things you can repair yourself fairly easily with tent patching and glue.  Screens are fairly easy to patch by hand, clear window vinyl is harder to patch - you can't 'sew' it easily, and campers use a special vinyl that is supposed to stay flexible in temperature extremes and is also treated for UV rays so it doesn't yellow and disintigrate over time.  

Use your EYES.  Go prepared with a STRONG FLASHLIGHT - look in and open cabinets, look DEEP into inside corners for any signs of bug or mouse damage. Feel the corners and walls with your fingers.  Most campers are plywood or fiberboard with a vinyl/ wood look 'contact paper' over it.  this stuff can feel dry inside, and won't always show water stains like wood would, but it holds water and damp between the outside aluminum or fiberglass skin and the inside vinyl skin. If the boards along the roofline inside, where there is an aluminum strip that holds the canvas on, are loose, or feel soft or porus behind the vinyl, there could be dried rotted material behind it.

check the floor from underneath.  the underside of the camper should NOT be painted or finished - it needs to be able to breathe and dry out - you should see wood, and it should be solid.  Check the frame welds and make sure they haven't been broken from rough roads, or being put up while not level.

CRank the top up and down.  it shuld go smoothly in BOTH directions - not jerky or forced, look at the top and how it fits to the bottom box.  it should fit snugly all the way around, and the top should be straight, or in some designs, a gentle arch UP in the center.  Look at fiberglass or plastic-looking material roofs VERY CAREFULLY.  Some older (80's & 90's) Colemans and a few others have had issues with sagging ABS roofs - these are not reasonably repairable.  If you get one of those campers, they chould GIVE it to you for free - it's going to be that kind of headache or cost to fix, no matter how nice the camper is otherwise.

Once you know the 'bones' are sound, THEN look for the amenities you want. EVERYbody 'mods' their camper somewhat to make it 'yours' - whether it's  a total gut tearing rebuild, or simply putting up a towel holder - lots of stuff you think you 'need' can be added or adapted if the basics are solid.

Laura

[Duckv]

Research the brand you are looking at.  For example, Coleman/Fleetwood has had a lot of problems with the ABS plastic roofs they were using in the mid to late nineties (and maybe beyond).  Some models/lines of other campers are no longer made because of quality issues.

When you find one you like, google the maker, the model number, search the archives of sites like this one--make sure you don't learn the hard way that some aspect of the camper you are considering has been the subject of lawsuits.

Been there, done that . . .

Don't get so caught up in the "I want one now" mentality that you buy one that doesn't feel right.

[campfireguy]

What tips/suggestions do you have for purchasing our first used ($2000-$4000) tent trailer?  We're excited about getting one for the summer, but aren't sure what to look for as far as quality, etc.  Thanks!

 first off welcome
                         heat and a/c are fine things to have. but are you going to spend all your time in your camper. or sleep in it. heat is cheaper if you use portable heater, they are electric. use your gas for cooking. a/c in a pop up is only going out of the door and canvas and adds weight to your trailer. resale on a 4g-6g camper is to take care of the unit you'll make your money back. toilets and out side showers are good things to have in a camper ecpecialy when having kids. but there are portible ones if thats a way you want to go. older campers are heavy if tow weights are a worry newer ones are lighter and have more options, but tend to have less storage. canvas condition is always something to look at. some models have one piece all around, others have sectional peices if repair is in order. thats a cost issue to consider. also for cooking, newer  models have a cook top that can be used in/out. older ones are inside only. cooking in a camper can put smells in canvas. i suggest cooking out side any unit you buy. do lots of research. and take your time. i have let a gem get buy me and have seen some junk in older units. i bought an older 80s unit in great condition on craigs list.  have lots of fun camping. and good luck.