Price vs. Condition
Aug 3rd, 2007 by Dan Burke
Buying a trailer is hard work. What should I look for when evaluating a vintage trailer? What questions should I ask the seller? If buying over the phone or on eBay, how can I get the information I need to make a buying decision if the trailer is 1,000 miles away?! Good questions.
The core questions I like to ask start with:
The Floor: This is the sleeper problem that can really cost you a lot of time, money and heart ache. Make sure the floor is SOLID from end-to-end. Walk the distance of the trailer and all the edges, especially below windows and the door. Look for saggy or squishy spots. Small fixes are not that terrible, but if the floor is in bad shape, you’ll need to lift the entire top of the body off the trailer to replace the plywood. Ug.
Wheels: When was the last time the barrings were packed? How long has the trailer been sitting on the current tires, and what shape are they in. This is important if you’re picking it up and haul it home.
Smell: I ask this because I don’t like a funky-smelling trailer. You can paint and change the flooring, but somehow, the smell always seem hard to remove.
I could go on forever, but there is a very comprehensive resource established for buying a trailer already out there on the weird-wide-web.
Weather you are buying or selling, this should give you a good idea of trailer value.
http://www.vintageairstream.com/rr_topics_pricevscondition.html
Be sure to look at other sites selling trailers to get a feel for current street prices too.