How to Determine a Fair Price on a Used Rig?

[Mike & Donna]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Basic econ 101 question, supply and demand will determine what the market will demand.

I agree with Jim, it's pretty much supply and demand, period. If there are more buyers than sellers then the price goes up, when there are more sellers than buyers the price goes down.

If you are looking to buy a trailer soon, don't expect to get one for much less than what the seller is asking. These trailers sell fast. Good luck in your search for a new/used Escape.

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by Old Skool

When we sold our Northern Lite fiberglass truck camper, the guy who bought it from us was the salesman who had sold it to us ten years earlier. Sold it for $2,000.00 less than what we paid for it in 2003. Not bad for a decade of use. Fiberglass campers if well taken care of, certainly hold their value. Scott

Scott and Lori
Fat bikes are FUN!

Our situation was very good for non fiberglass . We bought a used 1979 motorhome for 7200. used it for 12 years . Sold it in 2003 for 8900. Bought a used 1992 . camper for 3500, in 2003 . Sold it for 5700. In 2013 . However lot's of improvements and upgrades . Both were very clean and in great condition . Was told for motorhome be lucky to get over 5000. A lot depends on condition and care of what you are selling . After seeing others when we were looking , we didn't have much trouble when we sold . Recently saw a Oliver that was a mess and Mickey Mouse mods . I would be be very hesitate to make a offer and deal with probably a host of problems . Just our experience . Pat

[cpaharley2008]

Hhmmm,
Gain on sale of personal property, may have a taxable event....check with your local IRS office, if you can get through to them....

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Hhmmm,
Gain on sale of personal property, may have a taxable event....check with your local IRS office, if you can get through to them....

Let's see new AC, Microwaves , toilets, Wood working etc, etc, I think we are good . But at same time got to use and enjoy . Pat

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Hhmmm,
Gain on sale of personal property, may have a taxable event....check with your local IRS office, if you can get through to them....

Hi: cpaharley2008... Only thing certain in life is "Death and taxes".
A seller can ask what they like and a buyer can offer what they want. A fair price is reached when they both agree!!! You can be sure taxes will be levied on transfer of title/ownership. Best of luck buying used Escape's. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[Richard in Georgia]

I think what determines a "fair price" has been addressed. The seller can ask whatever they want, but how does a buyer know what is a good price? I lurked this site, the Casita site, the molded fibergalss RV site for a LOOOOONG time. I asked questions, tracked transactions, comped Escapes to Casita's, Scamps, Airstreams and even Lance (trailers.) I probably overthought the entire process, but when the right transaction came along I was very comfortable with the price, the quality of the trailer and the intregity of the seller. My advice is watch the ads and the archived ads. You will see trends. Understand and accept "fair" is subjective. And if you DO decide on a used Escape, and something that looks right comes along, be prepaired to buy. Tell the seller that you are prepaired to buy immediently. Don't expect the seller to wait for you to get financing or wait two weeks for you to come inspect the trailer, or wait on much of anything. Understand the seller has more fear of the unknown than you do. There are a jillion con artists out there - make sure the seller knows you are serious. Good luck with your hunt.

[Kountrykamper]

And hopefully everyone remains friends and can share a bottle (or two) of Merlot afterwards.

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by Kountrykamper

And hopefully everyone remains friends and can share a bottle (or two) of Merlot afterwards.

Hi: Kountrykamper... We are still friends with the folks that bought our '77 Boler and the folks that bought our '07 Escape 5.0 and do imbibe with them too!!! It's very important to keep the friendship part!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[Devil Dog]

When I sold my 76 Boler there was 5 people in the Q My asking price was taken ... no questions asked . Cause......

[Mike & Donna]

Originally Posted by Richard in Georgia

I think what determines a "fair price" has been addressed. The seller can ask whatever they want, but how does a buyer know what is a good price? I lurked this site, the Casita site, the molded fibergalss RV site for a LOOOOONG time. I asked questions, tracked transactions, comped Escapes to Casita's, Scamps, Airstreams and even Lance (trailers.) I probably overthought the entire process, but when the right transaction came along I was very comfortable with the price, the quality of the trailer and the intregity of the seller. My advice is watch the ads and the archived ads. You will see trends. Understand and accept "fair" is subjective. And if you DO decide on a used Escape, and something that looks right comes along, be prepaired to buy. Tell the seller that you are prepaired to buy immediently. Don't expect the seller to wait for you to get financing or wait two weeks for you to come inspect the trailer, or wait on much of anything. Understand the seller has more fear of the unknown than you do. There are a jillion con artists out there - make sure the seller knows you are serious. Good luck with your hunt.

Didn't you buy the Escape 19 that was for sale on the southside of Houston. If that's the one you snagged you got a beaut. Had looked at it myself as it was just a short drive away but at the time didn't have a tow vehicle yet so had to pass on it. It was basically brand new as the original owners had pretty much just drove it from Chilliwack to Houston and had it stored. It pays to keeps your eyes open and find a motivated seller. As they say on "Deal or No Deal" you made a "Great Deal"

[Richard in Georgia]

Originally Posted by Mike & Donna

Didn't you buy the Escape 19 that was for sale on the southside of Houston. If that's the one you snagged you got a beaut. Had looked at it myself as it was just a short drive away but at the time didn't have a tow vehicle yet so had to pass on it. It was basically brand new as the original owners had pretty much just drove it from Chilliwack to Houston and had it stored. It pays to keeps your eyes open and find a motivated seller. As they say on "Deal or No Deal" you made a "Great Deal"

Nope - and wowie, what a memory you have. Another one found me. As it turns out the one that found me has several options that the Houston one didn't. I'd rather be lucky than good.

[Mike & Donna]

Originally Posted by Richard in Georgia

Nope - and wowie, what a memory you have. Another one found me. As it turns out the one that found me has several options that the Houston one didn't. I'd rather be lucky than good.

Glad you like the one you got. My brother-in-law lives in your neck of the woods. He's in Duluth.

For those of you looking for a used FG know they get snapped up fast. Be ready to make an offer and having the cash in hand helps.

[Tford]

After all this great advice and all your lurking and learning, when you know you're ready to buy (and which one you want!), place a want ad here and at the fiberglass forum. You might find like I did that a few folks don't really want to place a for sale ad and answer all the inquiries and may just contact you with a description and a selling price. Then you can start a dialogue and hopefully end up with a beaut like I did! Good luck and happy hunting!

[Rossue]

We found our first Escape used by calling Tammy who knew of one for sale privately. Then, when we sold it FGRV produced the buyer (which is where we discovered Escape trailers) rather than this forum.

[Kevin H]

Thanks again. Really good advice from all. I'm taking it all in.

[Loren & Cathy]

There are just so many Escape trailers out there, but how many? Tammy announced that their 1,000th trailer entered production in December 2014 and though we got ours in
September of 2015, I can't make out anything with the VIN. Could they have built close to 500 in the last two years? Spread that many out across North America and that kind of just makes one here and there with the biggest concentration being in the Pacific Northwest. Loren

[float5]

Originally Posted by Loren & Cathy

There are just so many Escape trailers out there, but how many? Tammy announced that their 1,000th trailer entered production in December 2014 and though we got ours in
September of 2015, I can't make out anything with the VIN. Could they have built close to 500 in the last two years? Spread that many out across North America and that kind of just makes one here and there with the biggest concentration being in the Pacific Northwest. Loren

Look at the last three numbers of the VIN and add 1000.
Yours might be about 1230. Maybe not quite, think you picked up later.

[Loren & Cathy]

Originally Posted by float5

Look at the last three numbers of the VIN and add 1000.
Yours might be about 1230. Maybe not quite, think you picked up later.

Good call. Ours is 1216 and went through the line in August of 2015. Loren

[War Eagle]

Originally Posted by float5

Look at the last three numbers of the VIN and add 1000.
Yours might be about 1230. Maybe not quite, think you picked up later.

Is that still true? Or is that what got ETI in trouble with U.S. Customs and shut down their exports to the U.S. a few months back when their VIN numbers didn't conform with U.S. Dept of Transportation VIN number requirements. Or was that just a nightmare ETI and I shared?

[Brian B-P]

The highest sequence number I've seen since it was reset (at 1000) is 256, for a trailer built last month.

Escape's current manufacturer's code (for the VIN) is for a company making not more than 500 trailers per year, but even with the expansion they're not close to that limit.

Originally Posted by War Eagle

Is that still true? Or is that what got ETI in trouble with U.S. Customs and shut down their exports to the U.S. a few months back when their VIN numbers didn't conform with U.S. Dept of Transportation VIN number requirements.

There's nothing wrong with the sequential numbering in the Escape VIN; the administrative issues affecting importation were not related to the VIN structure. They don't have to keep it going as one series of numbers for all models, but as long as they do it does work as a total production quantity count.