New member intro and ? On new vs. used TT pricing

The TT is a nice one. Think it a little long and abit heavy for the camping you are talking about. Not many stste or federal have many long sites.

Also have you looked at used? We are in the search for another TT and all the nice ones we see are bunkhouses!!!

Thanks so much for the responses, you guys. I think I'm understanding the problems I've seen with the used listings so far - and I think I'm just seeing those "wishful thinker" sellers. I have been looking at a 200 mile radius and not finding anything that makes sense (I'm not willing to sacrifice my want-to-haves and floorplan/decor preference for a savings of $2K - especially since we plan to keep this until it falls apart, like we do everything else we buy). I will expand that a bit further to see what else pops up. We aren't in a big hurry to purchase, so we have that luxury going for us.

To proxim2020 and mikeschu42: I absolutely welcome your feedback on other TT options as well as opinions on the 315. Let me give you a better understanding of our situation and wants. You don't have to read all of this but it's here if you're curious. Especially you Mike, since we seem to be in a similar market situation. Otherwise, feel free to list the other models and I can evaluate how they compare based on our situation. Thank you very much for the offers!

Weight is a consideration, but not the most important one (before I get flamed on that let me explain :) ). We have a 1/2 ton TV that we'd like to use for more local (1 hour away) camping if possible (which is why I'd like to stay within 1/2 ton limits preferably - and yes we are considering GV combined and not dry weight, and we are aware of payload and tongue weight limitations and only plan to tow what comes in UNDER max recommendations). Another option is my FIL who lives 1 mile away has an unused 3/4 ton Chevrolet 2500 that he used as a TV before they moved to a Class A. It's sitting unused and has been offered to us for use any time we want. So we could use that for local and longer distance camping if we ended up with a TT at the upper limits of our current TV's capacity. This is all a very short-term consideration though because we also plan to purchase a new TV within the next 2-3 years, and plan to purchase a 1 ton truck. So the weight consideration is really more a short-term one (and how short term depends on when we decide to pull the trigger on purchasing - who knows, we may wait to buy the TT and new TV at same time, though we'd prefer to have our TT by next summer).

We will be using this TT mostly for weekend dry camping at a national forest about an hour away, with plans to tow on a longer distance family vacation 1-2 weeks per year. Where we dry camp has deep wells so we will not tow with fresh water tanks full, and also has outhouses, so we will be using those during the day and only using our TT's toilet at night. Where we plan to camp long distance for a week or longer has full hookups for water, electric and sewer. ETA: One additional detail: for our weekend 'local' camping, I will be driving a separate vehicle with the kids and most of our stuff to cut down on gear weight for the TV. Also because it's nice to have two vehicles because my DH likes to trout fish out of his truck far up the river and I don't want to be vehicle-less in case of emergency with two small kids.

Because of where we like to camp, we don't want to be limited to only certain sites due to length, because the campground stays fairly full and you can't make reservations. So we'd like to have the option to take what we can get. Also, we plan to store the TT under an existing shelter on our property during the summer, and inside the enclosed portion of the shelter during the winter. For these reasons, we need height to be below 11', length needs to be less than 33'. We *could* go a few inches higher, but would have to make modifications to the entrance to our shelter, so we prefer not to have to do that.

As for floorplan wants: DH is 100% opposed to hybrid - only hard sided TT. We want lots of sleeping space (8-10), but absolutely do not want single width bunks. I originally set out looking at double over double bunks (and fell in love with a Kodiak model), but really like the convertible bunk capability on the 315 so you could actually sleep another adult couple (or our teenager and her friend who may go with us) in the bunk should we have friends join us. It's also nice to have other uses for the bunk area as a possibility (the 315 has a small dinette for the kids) and a wardrobe and entertainment center - as opposed to hard set bunks with no other usage. The larger bunkhouse models are FANTASTIC but the tradeoffs are they are typically taller, longer and much, much heavier (knocking the 1/2 TV out as a possibility, and causing storage and campsite challenges). Since we are branching out on our own (from camping with family and friends) we have no equipment and for that reason really like the outdoor kitchen for less setup and one less thing to buy. I also really really like the outdoor fridge. I want a trifold (not jacknife or air mattress) sofa, and prefer a dinette with the option to convert to a bed, even better if the table is freestanding. I have no preference on U-shaped vs. not. I definitely prefer at least one living area slide. I like the master king bed in the 315 (not a must have but nice). I don't care about real doors vs. curtains separating the master. A bath with a tub/shower combo is preferable since my kids are so small but not a must have. there MUST be adequate kitchen storage for food and supplies. I don't care so much about clothing storage as I'm used to living out of a bag when we camp anyway (since we're always guests).

I think that's it. Was that enough? Ha! :) Happy to answer other questions if you have them. I really appreciate the help!

Thanks,
Kelly

I'll only buy new. When my trailer was almost 3 years old I found water damage from a loose a/c unit when it was new, Jayco repaired it on warranty. If I'd of bought used it would of been tough luck. This was the second time it had been in for damage from the loose a/c unit, It took that long for all the damage to show up and the only way I found it the first time was a small stain on the ceiling that I asked the local dealer about. That time the whole roof and front cap was replaced. The second time I found a lump in the storage compartment, that time the whole floor and one complete wall was replaced. When I buy I want a good warranty preferably two years. No way I could of afforded these repairs myself, I would of just been making payments on something that cost more to repair than to keep.

Keep looking and be flexible when looking for used. We looked for two years to find our current trailer perusing the dealers, craigs list, eBay and other online sources. Went to a dealer to look at trailer they had advertised and didn't like it. The salesman left us alone and we toured the lot. Happened that they had another trailer that was very close to what we were looking for, but they wanted $2K more than we were hoping to spend. However, for that floorplan and size of trailer it was $3K less than we had seen previously. After thoroughly checking the trailer over for any issues and a little negotiation we bought it. 2 years later dealers are still asking $4K more than we paid for the same trailer. I still don't know why the price was so low and from a dealer no less. Bargains are out there but they are hard to find. CL tends to be the worst. Owners who are seriously upside down expect you to pay a "new" price for their 2-4 year old trailer so they can pay off the loan.

When buying used you will have to be able to tell if the person is selling to upgrade/down grade, or if there selling because there is to many problems with the trailer. You will have to do a really good inspection no matter if you buy new or used.

Seafan wrote:
2015 Aerolite 315bhss

If you're not looking for opinions on the trailer, please disregard.

I'm in the market for a very similar floorplan. As I've been looking into this more and more, I'm realizing that the trailers with similar floorplans, while technically towable with a 1/2 ton TV, they are usually very lacking in cargo capacity - as is the case with the Aerolite (1140 lbs). I suspect that there is an effort on the part of the manufacturers to make trailers with a GVWR close to 7500 lbs.

Now, I don't know if you are trying to find something towable with a 1/2 ton truck, so this may not apply to your situation at all. But, I would suggest that you really consider the cargo carrying capacity. With a full fresh water tank, that Aerolite is down to around 600 lbs cargo - that isn't very much to work with.

People want to put very little down and then get taken for a ride by the dealer on the price. They're really upside down before they even step foot in their new trailer. The first few years of just about every loan is mostly interest so they're not paying off much. They then try to sell or trade in their trailer and reality sets in. Then you see them on online trying to sell the trailer for what they owe instead of what it's worth. Dealers are always trying to get the max profit, so you're always going to see high prices from them.

Another thing to remember is that the prices you see online are just asking prices. You can always toss out a number that you think is fair based off the actual value. There's only one of two things that are going to happen. They're going to say yes or no. If no then move on to the next one.

Based off of the threads I see here it seems like it's pretty tough to find a well cared for and fairly priced trailer. It may look fine aesthetically and priced appropriately, but you never know what's going on under the roof, floors, or behind the walls. I'm from the "Buy new. Drive it until the axles fall off and the roof caves in" camp. But that's just me. It's no guarantee that you won't have problems, but at least you have a manufacturer that should stand behind their product.

Also, I know you said that you've narrowed your list down to one trailer, but I happen to know of quite a few more trailers with that exact floorplan if you're interested.

Many people will put nothing down on a new trailer then want someone else to pay off their loan after a couple years. Great dream if they can get someone to bite!

Once you know what you are looking for you have to search multiple Craigslist locations and be willing to travel a bit. Once you know what you are looking for it is easier to spot a deal when one comes by. If you spot a good deal you have to jump on it pretty quick. You will need a good list to use when checking out a new trailer. Pay attention to how a seller answers questions as to much as what their answer is. If you get a bad feeling from a seller it is best to pass... especially if the deal it too good to be true.

I would never buy a new trailer and am very happy with a 6-8 year old trailer that has been taken care of. But if you know exactly what you want and don't mind paying for it then go ahead and get new. Just don't expect any calls when you try to sell it for 85% of the new price in a few years. If I bought a new trailer I would start by getting a quote from one of the wholesalers before even starting to talk to a dealer. Options (Up sells) are a great source of revenue for dealers. So is financing... a dealer can make a pretty penny by selling you a loan at a higher than market interest rate.

ScottG wrote:
I know how it is, when your looking for just such a deal you can 't find one but after you buy, you see tons of them!

Murphy's law, right?;) I should add we aren't entirely new to camping...we have camped in tents, hybrids, motor homes, and TTs for many years. We've just never owned one ourselves. :) So we are fairly certain we're choosing a trailer that will fit our needs for at least 10 years or more. We are trying to buy our long term TT first rather than trying out and trading up.

For this reason my DH believes we are better off buying new and getting exactly what we want (ordering). I'm trying to keep the door open to used but finding very little supporting evidence to do so this far. are there more/better deals on used TTs once camping season is over?

I know how it is, when your looking for just such a deal you can 't find one but after you buy, you see tons of them!