for the past few yrs, we've been using our 22' rig to take monthly 1-2 nite trips to nearby SPs (100 mile max) and in may-aug, just 10 or so miles to a local eatery just to exercise the chassis. it's being maintained and cared for very well, but not used like it oughta be.have thought about trading it for an r-pod TT, but i don't eel right about martha to have to handle all the concerns of towing (i sm low vision and getting a bit more so). anyway, the 11 y/o B+ now has a market value aout equal to the new rpod, and i doubt any dealer would trade 1 for 1 even.we are not familiar w/ craigslist ins and outs. we put word out to a local women's rv group and to a couple that martha knows are RVers.consignment on dealers' lots sends shivers down my spine for my over-cared-for rig. we could sell it at a radically reduced value to a couple of nationwide dealers in TX and AZ, but that seems about as wasteful as any of the charity donations, where i inquired and found the charity does NOTHING to recoup the real $ value of your gift (quite upsetting -- and i don't care about any tax receipt).i am looking for others' experiences in dealing w/ similar circumstances. TIA

burlmart,I highly encourage selling the rig yourself using Craigslist.Remove all personal effects, detail the rig, drive it to a local park on an overcast day, bring a step ladder, take a lot of nice pictures inside and out from all different angles, and then post them on the internet where others can navigate to. Using the step ladder provides unique and interesting perspectives along with some roof shots. Remember that good pictures will immensely increase the success of your sale.I use Craigslist all the time. I highly recommend providing only your phone number, preferably a mobile number where people can call or text to. Providing an email address brings home all the bad spam and phishing replies, some which are so tricky, you think they are legitimate. Even texting they ask for your email address, but I suggest you share it only after verbal communication.About photography, there is a trick to good exterior pictures. Use a camera with a powerful optical zoom lens and get at least 50 feet away from the rig. Even more is better. Look at pictures HERE I took of a Corvette I sold a couple years ago. Note that the car is actually quite far from the camera to eliminate the fish-eye distortion as seen HERE when selling our old motor home. I learned that trick later. The ladder and the hill at home helped get an interesting and unique perspective to further encourage interest in the vehicle.

We looked into consigning locally but didn't get much interest. We also tried selling on Craigslist, and had a couple of inquiries and one test drive. If you go that route, it will take some time and energy, and probably a lower price than you know it's worth.Sounds like you've decided to sell. I'd probably look into PPL if I were you. But If you do decide to trade, it can't hurt to talk to a dealer. We just took in a ten-year old class B and got more in trade than we could have sold it for ourselves.

burlmart wrote:for the past few yrs, we've been using our 22' rig to take monthly 1-2 nite trips to nearby SPs (100 mile max) and in may-aug, just 10 or so miles to a local eatery just to exercise the chassis. it's being maintained and cared for very well, but not used like it oughta be.have thought about trading it for an r-pod TT, but i don't eel right about martha to have to handle all the concerns of towing (i sm low vision and getting a bit more so). anyway, the 11 y/o B+ now has a market value aout equal to the new rpod, and i doubt any dealer would trade 1 for 1 even.we are not familiar w/ craigslist ins and outs. we put word out to a local women's rv group and to a couple that martha knows are RVers.consignment on dealers' lots sends shivers down my spine for my over-cared-for rig. we could sell it at a radically reduced value to a couple of nationwide dealers in TX and AZ, but that seems about as wasteful as any of the charity donations, where i inquired and found the charity does NOTHING to recoup the real $ value of your gift (quite upsetting -- and i don't care about any tax receipt).i am looking for others' experiences in dealing w/ similar circumstances. TIAI think the little rigs are really popular. Well cared for and gently used is what they want in an RV. Can you not put it in the front yard with a sign? We had a guy doing business at our storage facility walk over to us as we were putting MinnieMee down for the winter and asked if we were interested in selling. I don't think it will be hard when we are ready to sell.OTOH, what does your wife want? Does she want more hitching to do with the R-Pod? I would prefer to keep the B+ over a trailer myself.Good luck with whatever you decide.Dale

If you do use Craig's List, check with you local police dept. Our PD provides us the opportunity to use their parking lots to transact business with the feeling of security.

garmp1 wrote:If you do use Craig's List, check with you local police dept. Our PD provides us the opportunity to use their parking lots to transact business with the feeling of security.Very Good input, especially applicable when a lot of cash is being handled.

options for trading/selling/donating B+/short C

burlmart
Explorer
Mar 08, 2016
PSW wrote:
Burlmart, two years ago we sold our Roadtrek. It was super clean and I just didn't want to go through the Craigs List hassle. Security with Craigs List has proven to a problem too many times. I know a lot of folks on these forums (of which you and I have been long term members) swear by Craigs and have had a great experience with them. In any event, we took our Roadtrek down to Houston and put it on consignment with PPL. It was sold in less than four days. My experience with them was top drawer.

Paul

Paul, we spoke w/ PPL and were seriously considering the 6 hr. run (4.5 at google 70 mph speed). w/ 1 driver, we'd need to spend nite on their lot and rent an SUV to get dogs and us home. they figured a fairly quick sale between $15-18k, or $9k up front. a driver from houston costs $1k.
kinda disappointing for all the care it's had. but those are real numbers.

this is where the final decision to continue using MH comes in. i would love for one of our animal shelters to have a need for such a vehicle, but that's not the case. so, no RV, or r-pod v MH. our light use favors a TT and leaving aging MH potential upkeep issues behind.

if it were me driving, and if our 4runner could easily tow an rpod w/o a WDH on level terrain at 55 mph, i'd go for the change. OTOH, we took a long time in researching to pick our trail lite, and it has proven to be the optimal size and floorplan for us.
burlmart
Explorer
Mar 08, 2016
ron.dittmer wrote:
burlmart,

Wow, your story has me jittery running on my old tires. I have some questions I hope you can answer to help me understand my own risks.

1) How old were your tires?
2) How many miles driven on them?
3) What was the PSI you maintained in your tires?
4) If you know, how much does the rear axle weigh on trips?
5) What brand/model and weight rating (D or E) were your tires?

snip

I agree with Scottiemom, maybe not going to Alaska with them, but planning to continue in the lower 48. What do you all think?

ron, we never weighed the rig. but i kinda use Gene in NE's numbers on a similar trail lite to say ours is 10,000 lb with 2/3 rear. have always made sure at least 55psi, and fill to 65psi. (IIRC, the OEM's had a max 65psi, and 60 may have been my fill target then.)

OEM Laredo load range D showed sidewall cracking at 6 yrs and 34k mi. replaced them w/ 225/75/16 load E tires in 2011 and put 11k on them. w/ new tires, we started using white vinyl covers like the one that was always in the spare, and they still looked new.

there was a Laredo recall in 2012 that did not include this size. i am positive nhtsa failed here, and explained this to them, the tire dealer, TCI, and michelin (make laredos). all unpleasant dealings that leave one feeling the need to bathe off the sulfur odor.
PSW
Explorer
Mar 08, 2016
Burlmart, we decided we were going the trailer route about three years ago after many years of owning various small motorhomes. We were going to pull it with our Jeep Grand Cherokee which has the towing package and 7200 pound towing capacity. We found a Koala about 23 feet long at a rv show and it was perfect for us layout wise. The more we looked, however, we knew we would be making a mistake and just traded our B for a small C. We had researched small Cs for years and had come to the conclusion that a Phoenix Cruiser fit our pistol better than anything else. After going on three years of ownership, we are really pleased with our purchase. Boy, we would have missed pulling to the side of the road and walking back to the toilet or pushing a button and firing up the genset. Can't do those things in a trailer and that was kind of the moment of truth for us.

It is a real difficult decision to choose between one and the other. It is great that you would donate to an animal shelter (we are big doggie lovers, too). Our first motorhome about thirty-five years ago was a small C we bought from the Fellowship of Christian Athletes who had tried to use it to carry kids around to different events for several years.

When you have loved and coddled a vehicle like you have your Trail Lite for years, it is hard to sell 'em. We still second guess selling our Roadtrek, although we love the advantages of our Phoenix. No easy answers, my friend.

Paul
ron_dittmer
Explorer II
Mar 08, 2016
PSW wrote:
.....would have missed pulling to the side of the road and walking back to the toilet or pushing a button and firing up the genset. Can't do those things in a trailer and that was kind of the moment of truth for us.....
I told my wife back in 1983 when we had become new parents, "If you want to continue seeing the country, it's in a motor home or forget it". You'd think it would be the flip side, the woman saying that to her husband. But my childhood was filled with memories of us 4 kids with Mom & Dad in the family's 67 Fury pulling a popup canvas-top trailer. I was always filled with envy seeing converted old school buses and Big-Box Winnie Braves & Chieftains. I decided back as a kid in the 60's & 70's, I would own a motor home one day and having a kid of our own was the time to make it happen. But our first motor home HERE offered not all that much more than that old popup trailer. Our first self contained MH is what we have today bought in 2007.....I finally got there at age 49 :)

Like you say PSW, there is something very special about traveling in a home compared to pulling it behind you. I never grow tired of that feeling.
PSW
Explorer
Mar 08, 2016
Ron, I just got back from the storage unit taking measurements behind the seat for the storage cabinet I posted about on PC. I just sat there in my Cruiser and thought about Burl and this thread. I looked around. Yep, right decision.

I have fourteen years more mileage on me than you and I love to think of those old Furys back in the late 50s. I thought and still think a 59 Fury convertible is one of the greatest classics around. Well, I don't have the Fury but I have a motorhome and I enjoy it more now than I probably would if I had a 59 Fury ragtop in the garage.....but I can think about both!!

I certainly understand Burlmart's predicament. You baby these wonderful RVs for years, make incredible memories in them and then it is time to consider moving on. It is sad day for me when I sell any vehicle I have every owned.

Paul

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