Buying a Trailer

I get about 20 emails per month asking how to find a trailer to buy. Here are my suggestions and answers to your questions.

How can I find a trailer?

1. Check the classified ads in your local paper.  Call as soon as get the paper. Once I called about an ad in the late afternoon and the seller told me the trailer had been sold at 8:30 am and the phone had been ringing off the hook since!

2. Travel around the country looking in people's yards. Bring cash. You might not get a deal or make a deal, but you'll get some good tours!

3.  Place an ad in your local paper requesting a trailer. Don't limit yourself.....there are many varieties of fiberglass eggs (Boler, Trillium, U-Haul, Scamp, Escape, Surfside, Casita, etc.)

4. Check the ads on my Bolerama Forum. There is a buy/sell folder, and membership is free. First time users have to register.

Many people ask me why I don't just post these ads on my website. Honestly, it would be a nightmare adding and removing advertisements. The forum is a great tool because the ads can stay as long as the seller wants them. The seller posts and removes the adverstisement, and you can contact the seller directly, not going through me.

What should I look for?

I'm no expert, but here are some things to keep in mind. You can use some of them for bargaining.

1. The frame is the weakest part of a Boler (Scamp might have the same problem, but many other trailers do not). Check for stress signs/cracks on the frame where the tongue joins the body. This shouldn't deter you, because you can get the frame reinforced. For safety, don't travel with a weak frame.

2. Check the axel/torsion bar to make sure it is straight. My parents had to have their torsion bar replaced on their Trillium (about $600.) They had put many miles on their trailer and noticed that one tire kept wearing on one side. They were replacing tires too frequently. (So check the tires for odd wear patterns).

3. Check the wheel bearings.

4. Check the door and its hinges. Trilliums are known for their weak hinges. Luckily, you can get them replaced by Team Trillium in Alberta, but the cost is about $100.  Boler doors tend to sag, and you may have a terrible time trying to realign it. If you don't, you'll have a lot of sweeping to do! Surfsides have a strap hinge which seems strong enough, but is unattractive.

5. Has the exterior been painted? If it has been done by a professional using automotive paint, expect to pay more. If it is all original gelcoated fiberglass, great! You can buff it or paint it. If it has been painted with a roller using house paint, like my poor Boler, be prepared for some hard work. If you don't mind the house paint, fine. If you want a professional job, expect hours and hours of sanding to get it ready to take to a painter. Don't use a chemical paint remover or you could damage the fiberglass.

6. Do the windows leak? (Do the window even open? Window cranks can be replaced for about $8 each) Can you see water damage? Are the cushions mildewy? (unzip the cushion covers to check)

7. Does the trailer come with an add-a-room? That's a nice little screen tent that attaches to the trailer with snaps. Most haven't survived, so if you get one, that's a bonus. If it comes with an awning, that's also a bonus.

8. Are there signs of rodents? They can eat through the electrical wires. That can start a fire, so check all of that before you use the power.

9. All these trailers came with a water tank, stove, ice-box or fridge, and furnace. Sometimes people remove some or all of these appliances, so you need to decide what you need/want when you camp.  Much of the time, the propane furnaces don't work, so people use electric heaters instead. Sometimes the fridges don't work, but here's a little secret: Take it out (it's heavy, get some friends to help), and roll it over on your lawn, then get it reinstalled. It might not work for you, but this trick has worked for some people. It seems as though the lines get clogged and rolling it over, gets everything moving again. I'm not a refrigeration expert, so get professional help. Propane connections and lines should be checked by a professional. Propane fridges and furnaces are costly to replace with new or used appliances.

10. What upgrades have been done? Wiring? New upholstery and cushions? Cabinet doors? Flooring? Appliances? Windows? All these things will increase the cost/value.




What price should I expect to pay?
I really hate to label a price on these as each one is different and they are in various states of repair. Expect to pay between $500-5000. Now that's a range!  I have to admit that since I started this site in late 1998 - early 1999, the prices have dramaticallly increased.  I hope I'm not to blame!

Please ask any further questions about buying a trailer at the Bolerama Forum.