Pop up purchasing question.

Thanks all. I picked up a 2003 Coleman Utah today from a dealer. Pick it up next Wednesday and am heading to Hickory Run State Park in the Poconos, PA to break it in Thursday.

Good luck, piney423! In addition to the great information posted above, I think it also depends on how well the previous owner took care of the PUP. We were fortunate enough to buy ours a few years ago from a co-worker's parents. They were the original owners (bought it new in 1994) and took excellent care of it. They hadn't used it in YEARS when we bought it; but opening it up you would think that they religiously cleaned and cared for it. It does have the canvas smell from being outdoors, but that seems to be pretty unavoidable, and airing it out helps quite a bit.

Happy camping!!

For a larger non canvas PUP, check out the trailmanor. We just made the switch. Fabulous (but pricey) unit. It is also much easier/faster to set up.

But, our two pups had little problem with mold. We live in So Cal, so it was easy to dry out after each trip.

Thanks all. Still looking. Might go new.

We got our pop-up when it was about 8 years old. It was in great condition, clean, and did NOT smell of mold. We kept it 4 years and used it a lot. It was always put away clean and dry. After 4 years it still looked great and had zero mold. I ended up selling it for $50 more than I paid for it. It was a Coleman with a one-piece top and cable lifts. I still miss that even though we now have a motorhome for our camping (just not the same as the pop-up).

One more thing regarding the lift systems:
The most common are the cable driven types with telescoping support posts such as Coleman and Starcraft. Some brands, such as my current Palomino, have external arms with spring assist either inside the arms where they fold or under the trailer itself like mine. While not as nice looking as the internal cable driven arms and needing a little more manpower to lift the roof, I prefer the external spring assist arms over the cable driven type because the external arms are more reliable and need no maintenance or adjustments. Cable systems can sometimes need adjustment and if a cable breaks, can be expensive and difficult to replace.

we had a nagara by Fleetwood. nice popup--now its all happy-cAMPING

Bought and sold more than 28 Pups over the past 30 years. Other than the hardside models ( and even this with canvas over the beds), they all have that tent trailer aroma. It is not mold. It is the canvas. Ever unpack a canvas tent after storing it? Same thing. Odor goes away after airing out.
As far as stains, not too easy to remove from canvas, Sunbrella or any other canvas alternative materials.
My current tent trailer is a 1986 Palomino with the folding hard-side walls. This model had vinyl over the beds and this has been the best I have had. Very easy to clean.

In these 30 years, I have had them all including Starcraft, Coleman, Palomino, Venture, Wheel Camper (antique), Viking, Jayco, you name it and my favorite has been the Palomino whether canvas or hard side. Why? Palominos have a roof system that uses a one piece aluminum sheet on the roof and the same aluminum inside on the ceiling. This is far better than most other brands that use a vinyl covered hardboard for the ceiling. Many I have purchased had this type of material peeling or stained because the trailer was folded up wet or because of sweating or water damage. Palominos don't have this issue with the aluminum ceiling. Just all MHO.
Just be sure to inspect the roof for water damage and dry rot. common issue with tent trailer roofs that were not properly maintained.
WHATEVER YOU DO, DO NOT PURCHASE A COLEMAN PRODUCT WITH THE ABS "PLASTIC" ROOF. These were well known for defective manufacturing with the roofs delaminating, cracking and sagging. Also, if you come across one that has a roof-air and the roof sags in the middle, most likely the roof has water damage.

Since you're in the market for a used pop-up the condition of the unit should be first & foremost. I have owned 6 over a period of 2 years, all purchased used. As far as quality & construction Coleman & Starcraft are the very best. You may want to start your search by narrowing it down to these two manufacturers & going from there. Having said that, condition of a used one is still most important.
Mold or mildew stains may be a common problem in high humidity climates, but most coaches should not have an obvious odor or smell to them as you indicated. A few stains in the covering materials won't cause an overwhelming odor when you walk into it. It takes a little effort, but my recommendation is to crawl under the coach & inspect it front to back, looking for any obvious water damaged & or soft spots in the flooring. Also, look at the siding of the trailer for bulges or abnormalities, this can indicate rotten wood behind the siding. Stains on the ceiling are always obvious but may not be a serious indicator of problems, the coach may of had a minor leak at one time that has since been repaired. Another thing to do is open the cabinet doors and inspect the flooring from inside the coach, but don't forget to inspect it from below. ( most important ). PS: the 6 units I purchased & used was over a period of 2 years doing minor repairs and reselling, making enough net profit to buy a 22' hard side & paying cash.

Starcraft used a material called Aqualon, I think. Not canvas.

Look for signs of any water stains on the ceiling or walls, or softness in the floor (probe the underside with a screwdriver or similar object). If there is none, perhaps the smell is just from the trailer being stored all closed up. It might air out.