I sold my TC. It's an 11' model weighing about 3,500 pounds empty. On Tuesday I told the buyer he would need tie downs and a 7 pin plug in the bed of his truck. I told him to go to a camper dealer and have the tie downs installed. I told him the two choices were HappiJack and Torklift. He's coming Saturday to get the camper.I just called him. He's telling me his '15 GMC dually came with some tie downs in the corners of the bed. He said he asked a camper dealer about using them to fasten the camper and they said it would be fine. I told him "In other words they don't know anything about campers." He said "That's right, they said they don't deal with this kind."He's insisting he's just going to use the in bed tie downs or "figure something out" to get the camper from my house in VA to his in IN. I know after he hands me the money it's his problem but I hate to think that my camper will end up in splinters on the highway between here and IN. I don't know if I'd be liable for anything by letting him drive away with it like that or not.I haven't looked into a regular pick-up bed recently, all my trucks have tool box bodies on them. What tie downs is he talking about. Anybody think they will work for securing the camper at least temporarily?I do happen to have "most" of a Happijack kit on hand that I would be willing to sell him real cheap. I have the front plates to fit both '01 to '07.5 GM trucks as well as '07 - '10 trucks. I have no idea if they would happen to fit a '15. Does anyone know if there's a chance the '07 - '10 plates would fit?

Wow.... all I can say is get the money first then let him deal with it.

Show him your set up and explain the difference and how safe it would be for him to have a set up like you explained before. If he takes possession of the camper and leaves, you can't do anything about it. You have already given him the information, what he does with it is up to him. Hopefully he will be smart enough to give you a down payment or full price then come back another day with the right equipment. Good luck and please come back and let us know what happened.

I would write a receipt stating the TC is without tie downs, and it is the buyers responsibility to safely load and haul the TC. State it is sold where is, as is. Not only do you date the receipt , you also put the time on it. You have the buyer to sign above the date and time. This should protect you from any liability.Help them where you can, but it is there responsibility.

Anytime I sell a vehicle or RV I always have the following statement on the receipt/bill of sale:Sold as is and where it is with no warranty implied. I have the buyer initial and date next to the statement as well as date and sign the receipt/bill of sale.

Maybe you could point him in the direction of sites like this or truck camper magazine where he can learn some of the basics before he picks it up.

Sold the TC, buyer has no tie-downs | Good Sam Community

38 Replies

trail-explorer
Explorer
Mar 26, 2018
With me, I cannot in good conscience allow it to be hauled without proper tiedowns, even though it isn't my problem. That's just the way I am.
BurbMan
Explorer III
Mar 25, 2018
Glad it worked out. If you got the price you wanted for the camper, it was well worth a set of ratchet straps to get his cash and get him on down the road. Probably this guy's first camper, so I'm sure he appreciated the advice.
RickW
Explorer III
Mar 25, 2018
KD4UPL wrote:
...He showed up with no ratchet straps even in his possession. I gave him (not sold mind you) 4 ratchet straps that I had...

Good move IMHO. He got away with something (small) for nothing and will not be quick to bother you with buyer's remorse or nagging questions that he could research. He is morally in debt to you.

I sold a boat on trailer to a finicky buyer who showed up with the wrong hitch ball. I "loaned" him the right equipment knowing full well he would never return it. It gave the sale finality.
burningman
Explorer II
Mar 25, 2018
I had some friends inquire about borrowing my camper for a weekend to see if they would like having one. They were like most people, they think you just drop it on any pickup truck.
Didn’t happen.
jaycocreek
Explorer II
Mar 25, 2018
KD4UPL

You went above and beyond for your buyer..Thumbs up!

Not everyone thinks of the clearance of the bed rails,including me when buying, but it is an easy fix.I did expect your buyer to atleast have some ratchet straps or the ability and time to hit the local hardware store before it closed...

Thanks for the update as I/we were curious of the outcome..
wnjj
Explorer II
Mar 25, 2018
mkasner wrote:
Maybe drop it off for the cost of gas there and back?
A little late for that.
mkasner
Explorer
Mar 25, 2018
Maybe drop it off for the cost of gas there and back?
KD4UPL
Explorer II
Mar 25, 2018
Well, it was an interesting afternoon. Thanks for the advice on wording for a bill of sale. I put in there how I was not including any tie downs and it wasn't my responsibility after he left here. He paid in cash. No problem there. But he did miss my well marked driveway 2 or 3 times before I chased him down in my vehicle.
I showed him how the Happijack system was supposed to work and told him about Torklift. He had apparently finally done some research after my phone call yesterday but couldn't get any installed last minute. He showed up with no ratchet straps even in his possession. I gave him (not sold mind you) 4 ratchet straps that I had. Maybe not a good move but by this time I just wanted him out of my garage. He installed the straps, hooked them underneath to the frame. The camper was hitting the tops of the bed rails on his truck. I had also told him to get a rubber bed mat but he hadn't done that either. I sold him my 3/4" stall mat off my truck for some additional money. I had intended on keeping it but whatever, it was just enough to get the camper off the bed rails. I sure hope he made it home. I haven't received any communication from him since he left about 9 hours ago.
BurbMan
Explorer III
Mar 24, 2018
If he's buying remote you surely have his email address. Look up the right tie downs that he needs for his truck, and send him a link of where to buy them, explaining that he NEEDS to have something like this to avoid leaving his new camper on the highway on the way home. If he doesn't have time to order them offer to make the purchase and add it on to the sale price.

Regardless of what he does, get the signed "as-is" bill of sale, but I would try to help the guy the best I could.
ppine
Explorer III
Mar 24, 2018
People seem to get dumber all the time.
All you can do is show him your truck and what tie downs are suppored to look like. I like the ones that connect to the frame.
It would be a great idea to have him sign a piece of paper acknowledging that he understands what you told him.