Hi- considering buying a 2007 keystone hornet from an rv dealer, it will be completely checked over and inspected prior by the rv dealer but is it still risky buying something that is 8 years old or is that not a real issue with travel trailers.... grateful for your opinions

I went up to the lake this weekend and saw a 1949 trailer a friend is restoring to use on the weekends.Bill

Yes, it is risky. But if you are getting a great price, and you are handy with tools, it may be a risk worth taking. (Is there any warranty??) We bought a used trailer from a private party for a good price and enjoyed it for several years. We later bought a new one with an extended warranty.

Hee, hee, hee......look how old mine is...I would guess the most risk in the transaction is trusting the dealer to do an adequate job of inspection. If you're new to RV's it may be in your best interest to hire an independent inspector to examine for water damage. Everything else in a used TT pales in comparison to water damage for expensive repair.

We bought a 1984 5er a few years ago. Had less trouble with it than most people have with their new rigs. Still love that rig (too small for full-timing). our friend bought it..I know he'll get lots of use out of it. It isn't the age you should be concerned with......it's the condition of the rig.

It is only risky if;1) You know nothing about the equipment you are buying2) You have no one to check it out for you before you pay for the unit3) You believe the dealer4) YOU BELIEVE THE DEALER.You need to have a thorough predelivery inspection done by someone who knows RV's and is not associated with the dealership.Your purchase will be "as is" regardless of what the salesman says about taking care of you, the contract is the binding agreement and it most likely will say "as is".During the predelivery BEFORE YOU PAY all (REPEAT ALL) systems are proven to function. THE refrigerator is a very expensive item and can take 24 hours on initial cool down. One gambit by a dealer would be to say "Oh we forgot to plug in the rig in yesterday that is why the fridge is not cool. You sign, fridge does not work, you buy new fridge. SO everything must be proven to work no matter what. The tires might look like new and the tread may be great but if the tires are 7-8 years old they have aged out (sitting and sun deteriorates them worse than auto tires cause they are not used much). DO NOT BELIEVE the dealer look for a date code on the inside of all tires. If they are ST tires they may be inferior for the job they must do and some here have gone to LT tires to avoid blowouts.Hidden damage from water leaks could be an issue and you or someone you trust needs to get on the roof and look at the roof. Is it well maintained? Does it need caulking?Interior of all cabinets and closets needs to be inspected for water incursion.Frame needs to be inspected for damage as some Lippert frames seem to be having issues.How are the trailer brakes? they need to be checked for functionLastly what do you have to pull it with. That rig can dry weight out at up to 8000 pounds depending on model. The salesmans assurance is not enough. You need to figure out the weight from your tow vehicles placard. If you post the model of the trailer and the make and model of vehicle along with the ratings off the placard on the tow vehicle people here will tell you if oyu have enough vehicle to SAFELY pull the trailer.There is lots more but these are the basics on buying ANY used RV>REMEMBER the salesman is not your friend. You are the way he feeds his family and the kids are hungry.

is it risky buying a travel trailer that is 8 years old

fla-gypsy
Explorer
Aug 18, 2015
I have a 2006 Hornet that has been a great trailer. Condition is always the issue when buying used.
Drbolasky
Explorer
Aug 18, 2015
Our first TT was a Sunline T-1550 that was 14 years old when we bought it, so age by itself is not the issue. Our current TT is 15 years old. A thorough inspection is a must, as a number of replies to this post have said. Typically the refrigerator is the most expensive appliance to replace, so if it is weak or non-functioning that would be a deal-breaker. If the unit has any water damage, walk away.
midnightsadie
Explorer II
Aug 18, 2015
FOR HEAVENS sake never trust the dealer to inspect it, hire a inspector, the cost will give you peace of mine that its a good or bad rv, who,knows this rv could have been in a flood, dealer sells rv,s he,s not going to tell you things that would kill a sale. when you buy a used car OR a house it gets inspected.
Chuck_thehammer
Explorer
Aug 18, 2015
just like a used car or truck...

if you can not do a good check out... hire one.. not the selling dealers word...

I just purchased a Good used 10 year old Coachmen... last month..
dealer said they checked the brakes... I checked them a week later.. BAD and BAD
dealer did replace all 4 brakes for free... otherwise I am happy.

Parking brakes should be mandatory...on trailers. my opinion.
valhalla360
Navigator
Aug 18, 2015
I've come across several people who bought new because "they didn't want to deal with someone else's problems."

Then they lost use of the RV for weeks to months of prime time because warranty work gets done when they have free time. People coming and paying cash go to the head of the line.

We bought our 1997 6 yrs ago and have upwards of 30,000miles on it and have spent upwards of 800-1000days in it. Problems have been negligible.

Have it checked out by an RV tech but make sure the tech has no affiliation with the dealer.
mbutts
Explorer
Aug 18, 2015
Google "mobile RV repair" along with your ZIP code. See how much a tech charges for an inspection. It's not a guarantee that everything's perfect, but can put your mind at ease.
myredracer
Explorer II
Aug 18, 2015
Do NOT buy unless you have an experienced independent RV tech go over it from one end to the other, top to bottom.

Do NOT trust a dealer.

Do NOT ignore this advice.
Doug33
Explorer
Aug 18, 2015
The risk is based on how you will use the TT. Are you going to go on long distance and frequent trips? Or are you going to park it in a campground for long periods of time? Mechanical issues are going to reveal themselves with heavier use, especially for things like tires, brakes, frame, suspension, etc. Things like water leaks and broken appliances will happen regardless of type of use.

Unlike cars, I've never been successful convincing my wife to buy used RVs. We would walk through a few on the dealer's lot and realize how poorly so many people treat them. Fabrics are ripped and have burn holes, wood is chipped, appliances are stained, and they have that "smell" in them because they are not kept clean. Every time I've sold an RV, the buyer or dealer has commented on how it still looked brand new, which is what I pride myself in.

this may or may not be a factor to you, but a TT that is 8 years old may also not have a lot of the modern conveniences of a brand new one. When we bought our 2014 unit, we got an electric water heater and powered awning, which have been two of the biggest improvements over our previous 2006 TT. Lighting the old gas water heater was a huge hassle, and so was the manual awning.

My opinion is that if the detailed inspection shows the TT is in good overall shape, and you have some mechanical ability to repair things (or if new to RV'ing, have the ability to learn on the fly, like I did), then there shouldn't be too many risks to buy.

But with every purchase, new or used, make sure this is the TT you actually want and you aren't just attracted to it because you can save some money over a new unit. If you aren't happy with the TT in the long run, it doesn't matter how much you spent...
rbtglove
Explorer
Aug 18, 2015
Just sold a 2008 TT to the first looker who never had an RV before. He brought two friends who had TTs and they went over everything very carefully - He paid what I was asking without even trying to get a better price. Condition not age, is everything in buying a used RV. I bought several and never regreted any of the deals.
Jebby14
Explorer
Aug 18, 2015
I like my 93 prowler 19e bought it privetly this spring. It has issues yes..... they were all disclosed prior to purchasing it. The couple I bought it from was very helpful. Plan is to use it on the cheap for a few years then upgrade. I don't by new toys the deprecation is a killer.