Shipping Trailer

Buying a trailer without a thorough PDI is pretty foolish. You could easily find yourself spending more than what you planned on, fixing all the things that weren't quite what they were represented to be. A salesman wants to sell, pure and simple.

I might do it for a $500 trailer, but not for something that costs 10 times that, and not a chance that I'd do it for something in the price range you're considering. Unless, of course, you have lots of money and are willing to risk it. In that case, send the money to me and I'll see you get a great trailer.

WeBeFulltimers wrote:
I would NEVER purchase any kind of RV without seeing it with my own eyes and I don't mean pictures!

Totally agree! Buying without seeing and trusting a dealer's employee is formula for disaster. Think hidden water damage!

I'm thinking it would be in the $2.25 per mile area plus being older you can probably count on some tire trouble plus maybe bearing trouble. Keep in mind the person hauling it to you probably has to go back empty..I wouldn't even think about doing it. Wait until you get some vacation and look for one maybe in the Phoenix area. Tons of them for there on Craigslist. It would be a nice vacation to drive there, shop around and pull it back..

IdaD wrote:
I was hoping you guys would get on here and tell me how easy and inexpensive it is to ship a trailer. :B

Nobody "ships" a rig that size ... the only trailers I've seen being "shipped" are popups and a few very TTs and hybrids that are small enough to fit on a trailer, otherwise they're towed one at a time by a contract driver, no different than if you towed it yourself.

I would NEVER purchase any kind of RV without seeing it with my own eyes and I don't mean pictures!

Personally, I think its a huge risk purchasing a rig unseen and would never rely on a salesman to be trustworthy. Even if he is honest, there are so many devastating problems that may be overlooked by someone other than yourself, or a friend with lots of experience with RV's.

A salesman's most famous words; Trust me its a steal of a deal, and If I were you I would jump on it....

You really have to inspect an RV to be sure every item works as it should and there is no roof leaks, plumbing leaks, holding tanks and termination gate valves working, window leaks, soft floor, smelly odors, suspension is not worn out, tires are not more than 3-5 yrs old, etc...etc.

It cost a fortune to fix these things at over $100 per hr labor charges, plus parts.

It can sure dampen your spirits to find a number of these problems after the fact.

I was hoping you guys would get on here and tell me how easy and inexpensive it is to ship a trailer. :B

I'm in southwest Idaho and most of the inventory seems to be the eastern midwest or even the east coast, so we're talking a lot of miles. There are also those pesky Rocky Mountains between here and there during the winter (I'm assuming prices are lower now than they'll be if I waited till spring). I also work full time and have young kids at home so it's not too easy for me to just drop everything for a 4000 mile road trip. Maybe that's going to be the only way to do it, though.

As far as personally inspecting the unit goes, I guess I was thinking I'd rely on photos and having a sales guy go through everything on the trailer with a video camera. I'm trying to keep it in the $10-15k range so I'm not investing a huge amount of money in it and I don't expect to get something pristine (I don't want to take out a loan on a trailer).

Appreciate the feedback so far, and keep it coming.

Are you planning on personally inspecting the unit you buy?
I would go pick it up myself.

How far is far? Whether it is you or a professional tower, somebody has to to deadhead one way before or after. Paying somebody else means per mile plus other expenses.

Do you earn much more per day than what a tower will charge you?

If the model or floorplan is that specific then going the distance is worthwhile otherwise 'she who must be obeyed' will not be happy. You do know what happens when 'she' is not happy don't you.

I made a 2300 mile round trip from east Texas to Tuson Az. to get mine BECAUSE it was what I wanted.
It will cost a LOT to shipped one or hire one pulled. Go get it!!