"Flawless,excellent, clean" RANT

[Usmcsousa]

So quickly, I'll explain that I'm currently looking to trade in our Class A for a diesel TV, and either TT or 5er.
That being said I've spent a good amount of time looking at used diesel vehicles and used campers.. I will say that a good majority of the time , the used vehicles are described fairly accurately online. For the most part.
BUT, these TTs n 5ers are a whole different story.
Why do people feel the need to describe their rig as being the flawless, well kept masterpiece of craftsmanship. I can't tell you how many trailers I've wasted my time going to see first hand that were grossly over glorified.
Example: non-smoker, no pets, immaculate" = reaks of stale smoke odor and cat pee. Some still may have a litter box inside.
Example: excellent condition, never any leaks= half the sidewall on the rig is bubbled and delaminating.
Example: used only 3 times, = maybe used 3 times for about 4 years each time? I'm sorry but without a complete renovation you can't erase wear an tear.
Example: we'll kept, clean = who knows what stains all over floors an upholstery! years worth of mouse turd behind drawers and furniture.

Maybe my definition of these words are just wrong? Maybe some Marine Corps white glove inspection has welded itself into my DNA and can no longer recognize what normal is?

Or maybe people are asking too much money for the quality of product they have to offer and subconsciously feel the need to lie to justify their price?
Granted if some of these rigs were properly and honestly described and the asking price represented it's current condition, I might even buy it. But the lies about very obvious issues only leads me to believe there are other known issues, more severe issues.

Btw, these have been from craigslist private party sales, Sunday paper classifieds, and local rv dealers websites..

Please for the love of all that's good folks, advertise your equipment honestly, time is money and I've been wasting a lot of money looking at these types of RVs.

[Free_Range_Huma]

I have to say it shocks me that you had the exact same experience with a dealer, though. Dealers have "people" whose only job it is to clean and fix stuff, so WTH are they not even bothering to clean it up?

Stuff like this just disgusts me, because I've never done it. Whatever it is, I clean it up first, then tell both the good and the bad about it (trying to put it as diplomatically as possible). I figure that if they hear the not-so-good stuff from me, it will make everything I'm telling them believable.

Plus, if I lie to them, they (often) know where I live 🙂

So sorry you're having these experiences. I don't get it, either. My gut reaction to something like that is just to turn around and leave. You're a liar. If I can't trust what you say, I can't trust anything you're selling, either.

But what a waste of time and mileage to find that out.

You might try first remarking that you've "seen so many units that weren't in the condition described, so do you mind if I ask you some questions?" And then, "What does the carpet smell like? About how many spots on the linoleum have worn through to the underlayment? How many sides have delamination/bubbling on them (just assuming they do until proven otherwise)? When was the last time the (fill in the blank) was cleaned/washed? How many places on the roof have gaps around the caulking? If I buy it I'd like to take all the service records with me; I assume you have them?"

IME, one of three things will happen when you start getting real specific:

(1) The true scam-artists get fuzzy, disappear, or get defensive.

(2) The "salesmen-liars" start giving honest answers in spite of themselves, and/or see #1.

(3) The ones who've taken care to clean up and fix everything will already have told you some of this in their ad, and won't (if you explain why you're asking in the first place) mind answering your questions.

My experience is mostly with rental houses, but people are people and this should work with every big-ticket item.

[B_O__Plenty]

My last 3 trailers that I sold really were as clean or cleaner than new, easy to sell. Having looked at the used ones even 2 or 3 years old there was nothing but junk out there. We didn't want to, but bought new every time. Even the used ones at the dealers stunk and were all beat up. I'm thinking there must be a lot of 2-3 year old repos on the market all the time.

B.O.

[fla-gypsy]

I always cleaned and staged my used RV's for showing in the best possible light. Sold all of them in less than a week with a simple for sale AD.

[Homer1]

People have listened to commercail business lie and overstate so long they have adopted it as the way to do business.

I know I am not the only one that knows of a used car, furniture, mattress,appliance dealer, that blatently overstates their merchandise all the time, yet they find that P.T. Barnum sucker often enough and long enough to stay in business. Pity the Newbie that has no clue.

[JiminDenver]

We started out looking at private used. They were disgustingly dirty. We went to used lots and they were no better. One black tank was so bad they had wrapped the toilet in plastic trying to contain the smell. Anything newer was close to new since people take the 12 year, little down, $100 a month loans and are under water for a long time.

Since we own a company that cleans and fixes things, we didn't want a trailer that needed cleaning and fixed up. We got a good enough deal buying new at the end of the season that we would take little if any hit selling it now. I would like a larger one but we know this one is clean, has no leaks and everything works. After reading the forum for 3 years it feels like we hit the RV jackpot.

[Escargot]

I sold my '03 Pleasure-way on Craigslist last month. Uploaded 23 photos, and an honest description. I didn't want to waste my time, nor their's, with people showing up based on reading a glorified misleading ad.

Honesty goes a long way and makes for hecka easy transactions.

[mlts22]

It is so common, I sadly assume if the person's lips move, it is a lie. The best thing I have learned from this forum is caveat emptor.

[just_dave1]

Hard to believe the number of people justifying lying as a means to end. Kinda pathetic IMHO. The fact that someone lies on the ad, especially a blatant lie is all I need to walk. - Dave

[BubbaChris]

I always detail vehicles before selling, and they almost always go to the very first person who comes to see it. Of course it helps to price realistically.

Once I had a guy come to buy a $2K motorcycle. He flat out told me that he was sure I left $200 of wiggle room in the advertised price, but it was so clean he couldn't bring himself to play any games with me. We both left that transaction happy.

OTOH, my local Ford dealer didn't bother to even wash my truck before my appointment to negotiate my purchase. So I felt no remorse in doing some serious arm twisting a week later when I discovered the importance of the missing cover for the 7-pin connector. Got the whole connector replaced for free and a coupon for a free car wash.

[Vulcaneer]

SO would you go see this one?

For sale at a very cheap price. A 20XX year RV that is in pretty rough shape. Inside is in great shape, except it smells like cigar smoke and Cat pee. The carpets have no tears, but do have a couple of dried cat puddles. And other normal wear and tear that is normal for a family with 3 boys.

The outside is pretty dirty, and a few small dings here and there. Tires need to be replaced as two are losing air, and they are all 7 years old. And a few frame cracks that can be easily welded.

Most RV's of this type and year are selling for $5,000 more than I am asking. So this is a great price. Motivated seller. Make an offer.

That is why they lie.

[mlts22]

My used rig horror stories:

One with the black tank dropped (see the article on dumping black water.)

One that six months earlier that looked OK from the outside... but when I opened the door, I found it was used for a drunken college party, the toilet was on the queen bed, and people just hurled on the floor. It was sealed up since then, so when I opened the door to check it out, the smell nearly overcame me.

Another rig that looked decent from the outside, but the door handle came off in my hand.

Yet another rig that was completely rotted around the slide, could tell by smell.

After that, I thew in the towel, bought new. No smells of bad burritos, I know who used my bed, the chairs are clean (and covered), etc.

I probably will trade my TT in, but if I go sell mine, I'd have it detailed (about $500), and stick it at PPL for a realistic figure.

I might take the plunge for a used motorhome (since the ones I was looking at when visiting PPL were in decent shape), I'd probably get a steam cleaner that can do dry steam at 200 degrees (94 degrees C), (the Vapamore MR-100 or MR-75 are two examples), or a service that can offer this, and have the mattresses, furniture, and upholstery done this way. At the minimum, it will kill any bedbugs.

[the_bear_II]

I saw an ad the other day with photos of an RV. I noticed some small writing below one of the photos, it was "These are not photos of the RV but from the sales brochure when it was new".

[downtheroad]

When a person puts on their, "salesman's hat," they also change the language they speak.

[davosfam]

After looking at several stinky 5th wheels, we decided to purchase new. Now we have to sell our travel trailer and we will place an honest ad. I don't want to waste their time or mine.

[Usmcsousa]

paulcardoza wrote:
@Usmcsousa

Half the battle in trying to sell an RV is getting people to come look at it. Who's going to look at a rig where all the negatives are pointed out in the ad? It is a huge PITA, but unfortunately it's all part of the "game of sales".

I would not even consider trekking to see any rig that didn't have an ad with LOTS of good, high quality photos.

BTW! Hi from just over in New Bedford!

Him sorry to hear about New Bedford, lol just kidding, headed back that way next month , can't wait for my Portuguese food and defensive drivers.