My 2017 quest for the perfect TT!

New guy here. Felt the need to reply to this thread. My wife and I, on July 3rd, after a couple weeks of looking for a new camper drove 120 miles to look at one we saw on CL. It was a well-kept 2005 Springdale. Nice little camper but the price was too big and the bed was too small. We walked away. On the way back from that long drive, not 10 minutes from home, I see a Coachmen camper sitting in someone’s front yard with a for sale sign on it. Stopped and got out to look it over. Owner drives up on a golf cart asks if we want to see inside. It’s a 2015 Coachmen Freedom Express 246 RKS. Pretty much the exact camper we were envisioning when we started looking. Light enough for my truck, big enough to not feel too cramped, and inexpensive enough to be in serious consideration. Was in perfect condition and everything worked (well, the interior light in the fridge didn’t work but I figured I could live with that :)). Owner just bought a newer larger Freedom Express so was selling this one. His asking price was great but he went down another 500 and we shook hands.

Here’s the thing though. I did NOT have cash, or could not even write him a check until I did some paperwork at the bank (Yes I had to get a loan. Some of us are crazy that way!) and tomorrow was the 4th of July so the bank wasn’t open. Had the owner been the OP I guess he’d felt like I wasted his time and sent me on my way. Instead I told him the situation, he said no problem so I handed him 100 dollars cash in “earnest money” and told him I’d be back with a check on the 5th and if I flaked on him he just made an easy 100 dollars. Long story short, the wife and I just got back from our first weekend trip to try it out and we love it!

jungleexplorer wrote:
Time is money, and I have better things to do then to waste days upon days showing it to people who have no ability to buy it. They are wasting my time.

This statement says that you need to tow it to a dealer and trade it in.

Heck Yeah!!!! Fingers crossed. Good luck to you and may the rv Gods be with you. :)

We've seen your old rig, we've seen the nice truck, be sure to post pics of your new rig.

.

toedtoes wrote:

jungleexplorer wrote:

toedtoes wrote:

jungleexplorer wrote:
Getting a lot of calls today. Not one of them has the money to buy the trailer. Everyone of them said they had to get a loan. I guess it is the American Way to spend money you do not have. Crazy. Every American should be force to attend Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University. Not me though, because I have never spent money I don't have. I have always saved up to buy anything I want.

Someone will eventually come along that actually knows how to budget. Or maybe not. LOL!

Because at your price point, you are hitting a wall. Under $5000, you're likely to get cash buyers. At $6000, you have bypassed the "cash only" folks and are now in the realm of financing.

Why? Because once you've saved $5000 cash, you can use that as a good down payment towards a new or almost new (2-5 year old) trailer. Or you can spend $4000 or less on an older used trailer and keep $1000 or more to make fixes, mods, etc. It doesn't make monetary sense to spend $6000 cash on a used trailer when those other options will get your more for your buck.

You've priced yourself right into that in-between spot. People with cash are passing you by on both sides, and you're left with people who have to finance $6000.

$6000 is just a starting point. I say in my ad that I am "Willing to negotiate".

This is my ad.

Asking $6,000 but willing to negotiate. Cash Only. Serious buyers only.

I don't think you're getting the point. At your price point, you're not going to get a lot of cash buyers - simple as that.

So, either be willing to work with folks financing or drop your asking price to bring in cash buyers or spend time showing to a lot of folks until that one guy with cash appears and wants to buy.

You aren't going to get everything you want: a fast sell; cash only; your price. Something's got to give - you decide what.

It's been like a feeding frenzy today. People are tripping over themselves trying to get here to see my trailer. I got a good buyer coming in 10 minutes and I think this one is solid and will pay my asking price. He works for a wind generator company and they have given him a bonus to buy a TT, so he can live near his work site. Send me some good wishes. If this does not work, I have six more waiting to come out.

Thanks for all the advice. I appreciate it.

jungleexplorer wrote:

toedtoes wrote:

jungleexplorer wrote:
Getting a lot of calls today. Not one of them has the money to buy the trailer. Everyone of them said they had to get a loan. I guess it is the American Way to spend money you do not have. Crazy. Every American should be force to attend Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University. Not me though, because I have never spent money I don't have. I have always saved up to buy anything I want.

Someone will eventually come along that actually knows how to budget. Or maybe not. LOL!

Because at your price point, you are hitting a wall. Under $5000, you're likely to get cash buyers. At $6000, you have bypassed the "cash only" folks and are now in the realm of financing.

Why? Because once you've saved $5000 cash, you can use that as a good down payment towards a new or almost new (2-5 year old) trailer. Or you can spend $4000 or less on an older used trailer and keep $1000 or more to make fixes, mods, etc. It doesn't make monetary sense to spend $6000 cash on a used trailer when those other options will get your more for your buck.

You've priced yourself right into that in-between spot. People with cash are passing you by on both sides, and you're left with people who have to finance $6000.

$6000 is just a starting point. I say in my ad that I am "Willing to negotiate".

This is my ad.

Asking $6,000 but willing to negotiate. Cash Only. Serious buyers only.

I don't think you're getting the point. At your price point, you're not going to get a lot of cash buyers - simple as that.

So, either be willing to work with folks financing or drop your asking price to bring in cash buyers or spend time showing to a lot of folks until that one guy with cash appears and wants to buy.

You aren't going to get everything you want: a fast sell; cash only; your price. Something's got to give - you decide what.

jungleexplorer wrote:
Getting a lot of calls today. Not one of them has the money to buy the trailer. Everyone of them said they had to get a loan. I guess it is the American Way to spend money you do not have. Crazy. Every American should be force to attend Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University. Not me though, because I have never spent money I don't have. I have always saved up to buy anything I want.

Someone will eventually come along that actually knows how to budget. Or maybe not. LOL!

Try not to send this message of financial responsibility if want to sell.
Better to invite them to look and offer to go to their bank to close the deal.

Ok I'm going to throw out my last cards. I want to help soften the blow by showing were it might be about $1,000 or $1,500 of value for someone to make it worth their while to buy it and over lay the floor. Let's say $6000 - $1,500 = $4500. If someone gets a penalty for the floor issue it's you, not the next guy so $4500.

Ok let's go to the double dog dare ultimate end answer. MARRIAGE MATH!!! Yep marriage math. Whenever something costs me more than expected or I'm about to get raked over the coals.... I use marriage math. It's really only a $750 drop.....$750 for you and $750 for her. :)

I had an old apple tree that needed to be cut down for $350. Apply marriage math and it only cost me $175 AND I got to stay alive. WIN WIN!!!

I bought 1997 pristine Jayco TT 4 yr ago. Put all sorts of new nice stuff in it and decide to get a FW a year later. No one wants to buy it near what I wanted and those dealer goofballs are offering nothing. What did I do? I used marriage math and the loss suddenly was HALF and it felt much better. :)

Dont let anyone ever tell you that you cant get out of a lease. You can but you just have to bend over far enough. What do you do when you are looking at a $6,000 penalty in less than a year? Yep you got it. MARRIAGE MATH THE ULTIMATE PAIN REMEDY. :)

The only time it didn't worked so well is when I really ticked DW off one time and she went and bought the ring she really wanted.......$8,700 :) Only $4350 for me. Baaawaaaaaa

May I toss in my 2 cents? Price it at 5900 . It's a psychological thing that just sounds much cheaper than 6000 . Ask any salesmen :)

toedtoes wrote:

jungleexplorer wrote:
Getting a lot of calls today. Not one of them has the money to buy the trailer. Everyone of them said they had to get a loan. I guess it is the American Way to spend money you do not have. Crazy. Every American should be force to attend Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University. Not me though, because I have never spent money I don't have. I have always saved up to buy anything I want.

Someone will eventually come along that actually knows how to budget. Or maybe not. LOL!

Because at your price point, you are hitting a wall. Under $5000, you're likely to get cash buyers. At $6000, you have bypassed the "cash only" folks and are now in the realm of financing.

Why? Because once you've saved $5000 cash, you can use that as a good down payment towards a new or almost new (2-5 year old) trailer. Or you can spend $4000 or less on an older used trailer and keep $1000 or more to make fixes, mods, etc. It doesn't make monetary sense to spend $6000 cash on a used trailer when those other options will get your more for your buck.

You've priced yourself right into that in-between spot. People with cash are passing you by on both sides, and you're left with people who have to finance $6000.

$6000 is just a starting point. I say in my ad that I am "Willing to negotiate".

This is my ad.

Asking $6,000 but willing to negotiate. Cash Only. Serious buyers only.