Hello all, I'm on the market for used bumper-pulled travel trailer. I will be full-timing for a year or 2 and then reselling (not trading in/up). Aside from the obvious (quality/no leaks/etc.) I was wondering if there are any particular brands, models, or features that will help with a resale (both dollar and time-wise). Or any to totally avoid?I had a newbie RV salesman mention he couldn't seem to GIVE away a motorhome without slides, any opinion on whether that might apply to trailers? Any other features that might help or hinder?

Kind of an odd way to look at TTs. No matter what, it is how you spend money, not how you earn it.Getting something that may not be the best fit for how you will use it looking only at resale, will detract from your enjoyment while you are using it.That said, you want what is popular. That means yes to slides.Also, a popular floorplan will always be a best seller. You can determine this by surfing all of the manufacturers websites. If a floorplan is popular, everyone will be making one.BUT.... Just because it is popular doesn't mean it will be the best for you.

buying use trailer---IMHO-- Pick out the trailer that meets your needs BUT before you buy it, take your potential trailer to a trusted RV repair shop and pay $200 to have your mechanic go completely through the trailer and check it from front to back, including all the systems to see what kind of shape the trailer is in and more importantly what has to be repaired and how much would it cost$$$$$$

Huntindog wrote:Kind of an odd way to look at TTs. No matter what, it is how you spend money, not how you earn it.Getting something that may not be the best fit for how you will use it looking only at resale, will detract from your enjoyment while you are using it.That said, you want what is popular. That means yes to slides.Also, a popular floorplan will always be a best seller. You can determine this by surfing all of the manufacturers websites. If a floorplan is popular, everyone will be making one.BUT.... Just because it is popular doesn't mean it will be the best for you.I agree, but there may be some features that I don't care about but the majority of people do...so just don't want to get stuck with something hard to resell. For example, I could care less about having an oven...but not having one might put a lot of people off, I don't know.

djgarcia wrote:buying use trailer---IMHO-- Pick out the trailer that meets your needs BUT before you buy it, take your potential trailer to a trusted RV repair shop and pay $200 to have your mechanic go completely through the trailer and check it from front to back, including all the systems to see what kind of shape the trailer is in and more importantly what has to be repaired and how much would it cost$$$$$$Absolutely plan on this, been researching for months, but thanks anyway.

I have owned a half dozen Forest River trailers and all depreciated a bunch. For factual information, compare NADA used prices against new prices to estimate depreciation for various brands. Naturally, one needs to pick models that have been in production for a few years to make the comparison. None of us have owned the hundreds of models listed in the NADA guides.

Trailer buying - need good resale value | Good Sam Community

38 Replies

3oaks
Explorer
Jan 21, 2017
Personally, I wouldn't purchase any TT if the resale value was a big concern no matter what the time line was. (rapid depreciation and unknown status of the economy and RV market in the future being the main reason)

Sure you can get more money for a higher end TT when you sell it, but you are also paying more for it when you purchase it. It's all relative.
azdryheat
Explorer
Jan 21, 2017
Your best bet is to sell the TT yourself. The dealer might give you 1/2 what it's worth if your trading up and might not even talk to you if you're not trading up.
trail-explorer
Explorer
Jan 21, 2017
Arctic Fox.
TomG2
Explorer
Jan 21, 2017
I have owned a half dozen Forest River trailers and all depreciated a bunch. For factual information, compare NADA used prices against new prices to estimate depreciation for various brands. Naturally, one needs to pick models that have been in production for a few years to make the comparison. None of us have owned the hundreds of models listed in the NADA guides.
ShaunaH
Explorer
Jan 21, 2017
djgarcia wrote:
buying use trailer---
IMHO-- Pick out the trailer that meets your needs BUT before you buy it, take your potential trailer to a trusted RV repair shop and pay $200 to have your mechanic go completely through the trailer and check it from front to back, including all the systems to see what kind of shape the trailer is in and more importantly what has to be repaired and how much would it cost$$$$$$

Absolutely plan on this, been researching for months, but thanks anyway.
ShaunaH
Explorer
Jan 21, 2017
Huntindog wrote:
Kind of an odd way to look at TTs. No matter what, it is how you spend money, not how you earn it.
Getting something that may not be the best fit for how you will use it looking only at resale, will detract from your enjoyment while you are using it.

That said, you want what is popular. That means yes to slides.
Also, a popular floorplan will always be a best seller. You can determine this by surfing all of the manufacturers websites. If a floorplan is popular, everyone will be making one.

BUT.... Just because it is popular doesn't mean it will be the best for you.

I agree, but there may be some features that I don't care about but the majority of people do...so just don't want to get stuck with something hard to resell. For example, I could care less about having an oven...but not having one might put a lot of people off, I don't know.
MarkTwain
Explorer
Jan 21, 2017
buying use trailer---
IMHO-- Pick out the trailer that meets your needs BUT before you buy it, take your potential trailer to a trusted RV repair shop and pay $200 to have your mechanic go completely through the trailer and check it from front to back, including all the systems to see what kind of shape the trailer is in and more importantly what has to be repaired and how much would it cost$$$$$$
Huntindog
Explorer
Jan 21, 2017
Kind of an odd way to look at TTs. No matter what, it is how you spend money, not how you earn it.
Getting something that may not be the best fit for how you will use it looking only at resale, will detract from your enjoyment while you are using it.

That said, you want what is popular. That means yes to slides.
Also, a popular floorplan will always be a best seller. You can determine this by surfing all of the manufacturers websites. If a floorplan is popular, everyone will be making one.

BUT.... Just because it is popular doesn't mean it will be the best for you.

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Trailer buying - need good resale value

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