Road tripping for used TCs

[subarctic_moose]

I'm reading a few threads on this topic, but would love to hear some advice on how you all have handled looking/buying TCs that aren't in your immediate area?

Here's what I'm currently looking at:
2013 Wolf Creek 850- nearby but priced high
2014 Wolf Creek 840- price is decent, but 4.5 hours away
2012 Lance 865- nearby but overpriced at a dealer
2012 Lance 825- great price, but 8 hours away
2014 NS Laredo SC- kind of nearby, not sure if it's overpriced or not

I taught myself a good lesson this past weekend by driving 750 miles round trip to look at an older Fleetwood. I was hoping for something semi-usable or a moderate project and it turned out to be practically scrap. Nobody's fault but my own, but I'm now a little paranoid about spending hundreds in gas (and time) to get burned by a misleading photos.

Is this just part of the deal? I wouldn't mind these trips at all IF I knew there was a high likelihood of things working out, but doing 3-4 of them and coming up empty would be rough.

Cheers,
Hunter

[TxGearhead]

I drove from Houston to Washington DC for the Bigfoot. Grit Dog is right...you have to judge the seller as well as the camper. If his car is up on blocks in the front yard and the paint is peeling off the house, I wouldn't even stop.

[Grit_dog]

By the same token, selling something, I judge the buyer.
Are they "that" interested and appear to "want" to hear everything I've done repair and maint wise and value my honesty of pointing out flaws or issues?
Or are they taking pictures and snapping their gf or bff shots of the wheels?

[Grit_dog]

Point is, look at EVERYTHING. Are you buying it from a nice old gentleman with a manicured lawn, or someone who has a 80s Caprice sitting on dubz in the 2 tracks of dirt that used to be a front yard?

Is his truck full of whiskey dents and looks like he's living in the cab, or does it look like he cares about his stuff?
Is there a big scratch on his shop door header and the camper is the tallest thing in the driveway?
Is the story "different" enough to be of interest but not rehearsed enough to sound like bullsheet?
Is he telling you everything he knows about it, almost to the point of ad nausem, but actually knows something about it?
Is he not too busy to take an interest in you looking at it, but doesn't smell like a used car salesman?
I could go on.

[Grit_dog]

Ranger Tim wrote:
I can usually tell the condition of an RV sight unseen after five minutes of conversation with an owner. Newbies may not fare well even after “reading up.”

I could apply this to virtually any/every vehicle/camper/boat/powersports toy I've purchased.
Unless brand new of which I'm 2 for about 100 purchases, I judge the owner and the surrounding conditions as much as the thing I'm looking to buy.

Case in point, last camper, our 2017 in my sig. I mostly believed the guy, save for his story of it "never" being outside except for the last couple months. And I could tell it from the Craigslist pics before I ever drove over there. What I saw, was obvious that it hadn't sat out in the weather in Eastern WA for 4 years, but it looked like maybe a year of sitting out in the sun.
Sure 'nuff, went and checked it out and it was literally "new" like he said, used once for camping, right down to the 4 year old gas in the tank, that the guy swore the generator ran on propane...lol.
So after verifying everything else, I politely told him it wasn't as "new" on the outside as he'd said and after driving 300 miles, cash in hand, I wasn't too happy with that.
He admitted it had been out since last summer when he brought it over form his kid's barn.
Bingo, he took $1000 off the price before I even asked and off I went.
The very start of fading on the black plastic fender flares and plastic top on the tongue jack (and hazy switch buttons) (if I had to guess, I'd say the pole barn he stored in, the very front, the tongue caught some weather and sunlight as it was more faded than the fender flares) and the roof needed cleaned, was the only damage. Original tires weren't even cracked, so it didn't sit out in the sun that long.

[Ranger_Tim]

Most RVs need timely and regular maintenance. Most RVers don’t pay attention to it. Winterization and freeze protection, roof inspections and pre-emptive caulking, careful cleaning and proper storage, all these things are usually neglected. I can usually tell the condition of an RV sight unseen after five minutes of conversation with an owner. Newbies may not fare well even after “reading up.” Most RVs are examples of varying degrees of poor design and construction. Even though I like mine very much I think it is in many respects marginally built — it could have been so much better for so little additional care/cost. That’s what really separates the premium brands from the rest of the crowd. When and if I sell I will buy my last one and someone will buy my current one — used but in top condition.

[Daryl_B]

About 2 weeks ago I saw a 2019 Arctic Fox posted for sale on FB. After talking with the seller, I felt comfortable that it was a what I was looking for and also a fair price. I decided if I wanted to get it, I better act fast. The seller assured me he wouldn't sell it before I came to see it. I used some air miles to book a flight that evening and was looking at it 2 days later. I live in Michigan, seller is in Vermont. The camper is in excellent condition, we did a sales agreement and I left them a deposit. I'm heading out there next week to finish the deal and bring it home. The trip is a 12 hour drive each way.

[Deb_and_Ed_M]

I like to talk to the sellers on the phone. My 20-yr old Northstar came from a home where it was kept in a pole barn; and was getting sold because the people preferred their very nice 5er to camp in as they got older and the husband was no longer taking hunting trips into the wildness. The camper had just been sitting. All these little "stories" never show up in ads - but it's good background to know. Aside from mildew on the tent portion of the popup - it was pristine and now it's mine 🙂

[bigfootford]

A few years back I got a PM from a new member of RV.net tc forum. He lived in Texas and asked me if I could go take a look at a Lance 10.x 199x camper and a 199x dually Cummins Dodge truck. Said it was in his family's dad's estate The family here in Sac was offer him the TnC for their share of their estimated value of the T n C. They told him the Camper was in great shape.... I Told him I would go take a look but did not know much about the Dodge. The family did not expect me to get involved... They though the guy would accept their offer...ahhahaaaa.
I set up a time to go look and off I went.... Well that Camper was a soggy mess. Two jacks had been ripped out and put back on and they were loose.. Inside there was LOTS of leakage and some actual paneling rot... I looked in every cabinet and could see stained wood, even the curtains showed that they had dried water stains... I took lot's of pictures. The truck was rough too.... I emailed my findings and what I thought... He thanked me immensely and even sent me a very nice gift!

So if there is a need to have someone go take a look at a camper one might consider doing a request on the forum for a knowledgeable member to go take a look.
Even if the camper is local it is nice to have someone along with you that knows RV's tag along to offer input. Never hurts.
I have done this several times.

Jim

[subarctic_moose]

Thanks everyone for the insight! The Lance that I was looking at long distance seems to have gone off the market, so no more worrying about an 8 hour drive.

I think I'll take the advice of staying within a reasonable search radius... The more I wait the more units I see popping up within a 2 hour drive anyway. No sense in stressing about what's in the next state if you don't need to! Cheers.

[jaycocreek]

When I bought my last TC,we set a distance we were willing to travel for the best available truck camper for sale in our budget..Turned out to be 400 miles round trip but the return would be camping on the way..I asked for extra pictures and paid attention to his attitude..Off to Hamilton Montana we went with cash in hand....Super people and we camped the whole way home on the Lochsa river...Couldn't be happier a few years later with how it all went down..

[BurbMan]

We just went through this buying our fifth wheel. I love a good road trip and have no problem traveling for the right deal, but as are discovering, you never really know what you're looking at until you go and look at it. We set a search radius of 150 miles (about a 2-1/2 hr drive) and left the search running on RV Trader and a few other sites. We wound up buying the camper at a dealer that was about an hour from home. We probably looked at 2 dozen trailers before pulling the trigger on this one.

Also remember that buying long distance means at least 2 trips...one to go look at it and if you like it and make a deposit, then another to go back with the purchase funds and get title from the owner. If the owner is still paying a note on the unit, then you have to deal with the lienholder which may mean another trip to the bank or credit union.

Price of the unit is only one factor to consider when shopping used.

[we3]

What we did was pack up some hand totes with bedding and many necessary items and tie them in the back of our truck and headed out to Washington state with the idea of staying in motels until we found what we wanted. There are dealers all along hwy 5. After 2 days looking we found what we wanted and wired the money from our bank. We then went shopping and stocked up on what else we needed and headed south along the coast for about 3 weeks and then back to Wisconsin. Great trip.

[Grit_dog]

You have to glean as much subjective information as you can from the pics, talking to the owner, judging the owner as much as the camper, basically.
If you can’t get a relatively educated opinion of the condition by that, then you’re better off paying more to buy new or near home, imo.

[Killingsworth]

Im in Northern Cal also, near Marysville, when I started looking I looked at dozens, drove from Livermore to Redding looking, most were Scrap. My first one, the guy saw me coming and afterward I could see where he pretty much led me away from the problem areas and, I had looked at so many i just wanted to get going. a BIG mistake. My second try went better I had to travel up by Placerville but found one that was in acceptable condition, NOT what I would say was great or even very good condition but I could work with the problems I could see. We have been happy with it and at the time I thought the price was high but turned out it was pretty much the going price and so It all turned out fine.
I had looked at many many fleetwoods and EVERY one was in terrible condition, I never ran across, even one that was not just totally ruined by water.I finally just quit looking at Fleetwood.
I ended up with a '02 lance 1130 and for the most part pretty happy with it. Wish it didnt weigh so much but it is "roomy" for a truck camper and a dry bath that the wife insisted upon.