Problem features of used travel trailers

[MickyLuv]

I'm steadily moving up the price range of used travel trailers on Kijiji, in the hope of finding one of reasonably good quality.

There are several recurring features that come over as disturbing but I don't really know the significance of them.

One is "light hail damage".
Is light hail damage a big no-no, or can it often be dealt with effectively?

Another is "New floor".
What are the usual causes of the need for a new floor?

Yet another is "Cracked Lino".
Does this usually stem from a deeper and more potentially expensive problem?

Any advice on these questions would be most appreciated.

Regards,

Mike

[N7SJN]

A musty smell can be mold and a good inspection is in order.

[MickyLuv]

Thanks for the good advice. I sometimes wonder if that musty smell is sometimes to do with the toilet chemicals but it is very distinctive and I've encountered it several times recently in my search.

Regards,
Mike

[Oaklevel]

When you go into a used trailer if if smells musty stay away probably has or had a roof or other leaks. Roofs and window areas are prone to leak check those areas closely. If paneling in soft or flooring stay away.........

The DW would put new flooring in a new camper if the original was carpet. 🙂 so new flooring is not necessarily a big deal.

Make sure everything works.....

[Chuck_thehammer]

winterizing is a must IF going below 30 degrees .. longer then 12 hours.

I do the air pressure WAY,, 30 psi and open each valve one at a time till NO water exits. then the next valve/fixture...

if you have outside shower.. do it as well.. HOT and COLD sides. empty all tanks..

and place the RV antifreeze in Drains, and Commode

a Dry camper is a happy Owner. replacing plastic hoses and fitting are not as easy at it sounds..

[STBRetired]

Yes, you will need to winterize your trailer. The supply lines should all be drained and RV antifreeze poured into the drains.

[MickyLuv]

What a lot of great advice! Thanks to all posters for the information and recommendations, I've learned a lot.

Now I've got a pretty clear idea about what cracks lino. Also a big revelation that water damage doesn't necessarily have to start from the outside > in but can also be equally damaging due to condensation.

The possible effects of very cold winters are coming a lot clearer too. I need to look into winterizing as a yearly practice.

Does plumbing tend to be damaged to the point where it needs replacement if the trailer isn't sufficiently protected from frost?

I know this can happen in houses but maybe trailer plumbing is usually made from more flexible and resilient materials. I suppose the obvious measures are to drain down the whole system when the unit is not in winter use.

I'm a visitor to Canada from the UK. My intention is to buy a travel trailer that is going to be mostly static. It'll be sited on my daughter's property and I'll be using it during the several months each year I come to visit the family. There's a good chance that a temporary structure including a roof will be put around it to ward off the worst effects of winter, so this may go some of the way in effective winterizing of the trailer.

Thanks again for all the good advice, it's been most appreciated.
I've been active on a lot of forums over the years and very few have been made up of folks as generously helpful as this one.

Kind regards,

Mike

[myredracer]

Fizz wrote:
Cracked lino means it had a hard winter when the lino shrank and cracked, nothing more. My TT is in great shape but we had a -40C day a few year ago and the lino cracked.

Ditto. There was an especially cold winter a few years ago and there were a lot more cracked/split sheet flooring cases in Canada and the US. It's entirely related to low temps. The splits are often at floor vents and other penetrations that cause stress points.

New flooring could be due to cracked flooring or if laminate planks, could be an upgrade. I'd stay away from laminate that uses glued joints Also, laminate requires a proper expansion joint around the perimeter.

One of the most critical things about used RVs is water intrusion and failed caulking not redone. If owners have used an RV a lot in cold weather, inadequate venting of moisture on the inside will cause condensation within walls and the ceiling cavity and can lead to severe damage.

I would consider hiring a reputable RV tech and getting an inspection done. Personally, I would not use a tech from a dealer and would go to an independent RV repair shop. A couple hundred $$ could save you a fortune down the road.

[Fizz]

Cracked lino means it had a hard winter when the lino shrank and cracked, nothing more. My TT is in great shape but we had a -40C day a few year ago and the lino cracked.

[Chuck_thehammer]

last year I purchased a 10 year old trailer.

only issues is faded carpet... vent covers needed replaced.
and a Good wax job.

FYI , Vinyl flooring can crack from Freezing weather... Deep Freezing.
or Hiding major subfloor damage.

Hail damage, if siding of trailer is Aluminum, lots of money to fix NICE.
but IF siding is fiberglass. there should NOT be any damage except for plastic roof Vents and Sunroof for bathroom..


my advice, Keep Looking.. many nice well cared for trailers out there.

[MitchF150]

My 14 year old trailer has none of those issues... 🙂

I've done some mods to it that might not help it's resale, but I don't plan on selling it anytime soon anyway, so no big deal..

Anyway, I started looking at used trailers back in 2002 and each and every one was a POS... Dug a little deeper into the budget and just bought new and never regretted it.

There are plenty of good used RV's out there, for sure.. But, they usually command a higher price too..

Good luck!

Mitch

[DrewE]

"light hail damage" -- the question is what was the damage specifically. It could range from superficial/cosmetic damage to needing a new roof or worse (though the latter hopefully would not be listed as light damage).

"New floor" -- I think there are two common reasons to replace flooring. One is just because the floor covering is worn or grungy or of pattern/color that is unappealing, and at worse that indicates a good bit of use of the trailer. Sometimes it may be because of water damage and rot to the subfloor and supporting structure, which if improperly or incompletely repaired could be a big problem. RV floor coverings are typically not top-of-the-line materials from the factory (at least when you're not at the very top end units).

"Cracked Linoleum" -- to me, this depends on the nature of the cracks. Some cuts and dings come from use or abuse from above. A crack that seems to follow a structural member (such as one in a nice straight line across the trailer) would worry me and suggest a more thorough inspection.

[Earl_E]

I don't know about up in Canada but if you look hard there are plenty of used trailers with none of those issues. New floor means previous water leaks. Cracked lino means poor upkeep. Guess. Light hail damage wouldn't hurt anything but it will sure hurt resale. You should be able to find like new condition unless you are looking at used rigs 7-10 years old.