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Old 04-28-2019, 06:56 PM   #1
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No Reason to Buy Used?

We are newly to the project of purchasing a fiberglass trailer, downsizing from a 32' fifthwheel. Maybe I am missing something, but in looking at the used units available and their prices I am beginning to think it makes more sense to buy new. Is seems the following are skewing the market for used units to the high side of pricing:

1. Many of the used units have an asking price that indicates either no depreciation or only a few hundred dollars a year. I have actually seen some advertised for more than the factory prices, particularly in SoCal. Is this a new phenomenon, or has it been this way for a while?

2. It appears the factory is so oversold that there is a wait time of several months, which affects the prices of used units.

3. Possibly the units are actually selling for much less than the asking price, but I doubt it based upon their very short time on the market.

4. Are the older units better than the new ones (quality, features, etc.)?

5. I know this is not the time of year to find a bargain in an rv, but does the market for Escapes fluctuate much based upon Spring vs Fall?

6. Should we just bite the bullet and buy new, hoping that our unit also will not depreciate much in the future?

My observations pertain to Escape units, but it looks like it also applies to Casita and Scamp. Comments would be most welcome.
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Old 04-28-2019, 07:51 PM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by marant View Post
We are newly to the project of purchasing a fiberglass trailer, downsizing from a 32' fifthwheel. Maybe I am missing something, but in looking at the used units available and their prices I am beginning to think it makes more sense to buy new. Is seems the following are skewing the market for used units to the high side of pricing:

1. Many of the used units have an asking price that indicates either no depreciation or only a few hundred dollars a year. I have actually seen some advertised for more than the factory prices, particularly in SoCal. Is this a new phenomenon, or has it been this way for a while?

2. It appears the factory is so oversold that there is a wait time of several months, which affects the prices of used units.

3. Possibly the units are actually selling for much less than the asking price, but I doubt it based upon their very short time on the market.

4. Are the older units better than the new ones (quality, features, etc.)?

5. I know this is not the time of year to find a bargain in an rv, but does the market for Escapes fluctuate much based upon Spring vs Fall?

6. Should we just bite the bullet and buy new, hoping that our unit also will not depreciate much in the future?

My observations pertain to Escape units, but it looks like it also applies to Casita and Scamp. Comments would be most welcome.
Welcome to the forum. It is important when looking at used units that you go to the Escape web site and use the build estimator for the options listed on the used unit. If you are only looking at at the base price, then you are comparing apples to oranges.

For example, I recently sold my 2013 19' and my asking price was $23,000 US. At the exchange rate on the day I place my ad, it equaled about $30,000 Canadian. A new 19' base unit sells for 32,150 CAN. so it appears at first blush that my 6 year old trailer was only $2,150 less than new. But my 19' had most of the available options. So a new unit configured like my 2013 would have sold for just over $41,000 CAN.

Regarding the backlog, Escapes are hand built to order per customer configurations. They do not have a dealer network and the amount of options and custom colors etc make it impossible to build them ahead of time. So they are not "oversold" but neither are they mass produced. The lead time had actually shortened over the last year or so. It used to be almost a year.

So yes, this business model and the quality of the build all lead to higher prices in the secondary market. I hope this helps.
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Old 04-28-2019, 08:38 PM   #3
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The way it is now is the way it's been for the 10 years I've been paying attn. Supply and demand dictate used prices, with all the retiring baby boomers the market is bigger then the supply. Molded fiberglass trailers are built by small operations, not many turned out. They also last much longer then conventional campers.

These factors add up to low depreciation.

You won't save much buying a late model used, you do save the wait time for new.

There may be a few more used coming up for sale in the fall then the spring but I've not seen any price differences between the seasons.

For the most part, used trailers don't stay on the market long, some only hours. You are best moving quick if something you want comes up. You can save a decent buck if you go for an older unit, older being maybe 5+ years old.

Personally I'd go for new and get exactly what I want.
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Old 04-28-2019, 09:23 PM   #4
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It’s true, molded fiberglass trailers hold their value because they last for decades with care, unlike stick-built trailers. I bought my 1998 Casita used 12 years ago. I’m reasonably sure I can get just about what I paid for it when I get ready to sell, though it’s true I added to its value by changing out the flooring, adding a larger freshwater tank, and a few other things. I don’t believe prices fluctuate depending on the time of the year, but it’s possible trailers sell even faster with prime camping season upon us. Truly, they do sell within hours, so if you see one you like advertised, PM the person IMMEDIATELY with your phone number and don’t post a message asking them to respond to you. It will be too late. Also, be prepared to pay the asking price, if it is within your budget, or you may lose out. It’s a seller’s market and has been the last thirteen years I can attest to. Others on the forum may have a different opinion. Good luck! Haven’t talked to anyone yet who regretted buying molded fiberglass!
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Old 04-28-2019, 09:41 PM   #5
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Welcome Mike to the forum.

1. No not a new phenomenon.
2. Not oversold but just the fact they are in such demand that the wait time is long but as Arnie pointed out with their expansion the wait time is actually less now
3. I would imagine most units are sold at or close to the asking price.
4. Older could be better we think so.
5. Not much fluctuation, just that in the fall a used unit may take longer to sell.
6. But new if you want the exact options, used if you're willing to take some things that you didn't want, and forgo some things you'd like.

We have bought two used first a 2007 in 2014, then a 2016 in 2018. After four years with the single axle 5.0 we got our asking price about $1000 less than we paid for it, really only thing we did was LED lights, new water pump, and tires. Last year we thought about buying a new 2019 model this spring but glad we were able to get a well cared for barely used 2016 5.0TA. It's the classic model with curved sides and manual awning which we prefer. It had most of the options we wanted including extra 12 volt outlet just where we wanted. It has custom formica and cushion covers which we happen to mostly like and have changed our decor to match. We figure a total savings over buying new similarly equipped at between 8-9k CDN$. We especially save on the high tax we had to pay (13% between federal and provincial).
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Old 04-29-2019, 06:08 AM   #6
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Welcome to the fiberglass side of life. As you have seen, prices of slightly used units go for approximately the cost of a new Escape because there is a 3-4 month wait for a new one. Time is money holds true here. Another thing is Escape has increased their prices over time, particularly when the exchange rate becomes greater because most of the components are purchased in the US. I have owned 4 Escapes and my current one cost me a lot more than my first one. Finally there is the issue of customization, most Escapes are custom built to the owners specifications, these used ones may not be your choice in selection. Buying new allow you to make it the way you want, it took me 4 times....
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Old 04-29-2019, 07:49 AM   #7
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Also take into consideration the exchange rate when calculating the US cost. Depending on when the used unit was purchased the seller could be making some money or taking a loss based on the exchange at time of purchase. Also the sellers could also be taking into consideration the cost of picking it up or delivery which I think is about $1.50 per mile. For example if you purchased a lightly used one on the east coast expect to pay more than one purchased in Washington state for a similarly equipped unit.
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Old 04-29-2019, 07:54 AM   #8
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In the middle of the night (as usual) I had a "Well Duh" moment when I realized that probably the greatest factor is that there is no dealer involved. Due to dealer markup a unit will depreciate 15-30 % the minute you drive it off the lot. This is a cost that does not reflect any increase in the intrinsic value of the trailer, it merely reflects convenience and concern about a far away builder. Buying direct eliminates this markup and drastically reduces depreciation to a more realistic level, reflecting actual reduction in the potential life of the trailer.


Which brings to mind: Does a direct manufacturer take greater care with the design and build process due to intimate contact with the buyer and a desire to avoid expensive long distance warranty work.?
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Old 04-29-2019, 08:09 AM   #9
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We bought our 5.0TA new - having used our previous trailer for 15 years we knew exactly what we wanted, and knew that we would keep it a long time, so with the extensive customization ETI offers it was well worth the wait to us to get it equipped as we wanted. Any cost difference, over the long life of the trailer, is insignificant to me.

Everyone has different wants and needs, though - Escape owners seem to generally take much better care of their trailers, try looking at an old stick and tin rig sometime! And Escape owners are also more likely to have done a bunch of little mods that, if they are to your liking, can be a plus in a used trailer. If you are distant from the factory finding a used trailer close to home can save that journey - although in our case that was part of the adventure, we drove from Austin to Chilliwack before finalizing our order to see the showroom model, determine exactly what we wanted, and talk with our sales rep in person about a few details.

ETI is constantly changing and upgrading different features, either to make improvements in response to customer feedback, replace a component that was problematic, or upgrade a feature. So any trailer will have a few slight differences from ones built six months earlier or later. The ability to choose exactly which components to include or exclude was really nice, and being able to choose from any fabric in the world made my wife very happy!

I don't think there is one right answer to this question - it will vary for each person. But either way, if you are camping in an Escape trailer when all is said and done, you will be very happy indeed.
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Old 04-29-2019, 08:26 AM   #10
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One more thing is the delivery charge, or the time and cost of a round trip drive to pick up and bring home, at least a $1000+++ or more no matter what. Carl
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Old 04-29-2019, 08:28 AM   #11
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The round trip in picking up your Escape is a bonus. U get to throughly ck it out for any bugs plus all the scenery you see along the way there and coming home
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Old 04-29-2019, 08:32 AM   #12
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Which brings to mind: Does a direct manufacturer take greater care with the design and build process due to intimate contact with the buyer and a desire to avoid expensive long distance warranty work.?

About 3 years ago, an early group of Escapes had leaking water lines. It seems that Escape installed a different line that was suspect in the leaks. The owner, Reace, loaded maybe 2 dozen replacements and went on a cross-country trip to repair those units identified. Fixed it right in your driveway or wherever you were located. Problem fixed. Prior to that Escape owners were having issues with certain Dometic propane refrigerators maintaining temperature. After many complaints, Escape convinced Dometic to recall and replace those identified units, at minimal cost.
In addition if the issue is more random and less common, Escape will reimburse you if need to have someone else make the repair, while under their 2 year warranty.
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Old 04-29-2019, 08:40 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by emers382 View Post
6. But new if you want the exact options, used if you're willing to take some things that you didn't want, and forgo some things you'd like.
Terry and I had been seriously looking for a used Escape for two years, but they all sold for prices we didn't want to pay and had options we didn't need and lacked options we wanted. We have been married for 22 years and have owned thirteen campers previously. ALL of them used. Most less than a year of ownership. However, we owned our 2000 Scamp Side Bath for six years and our 2007 Casita SD for five. We had a couple of other stickies that made it over two years but both started falling apart. We only owned our Bigfoot for a year, but foolishly purchased a mint 2014 Lance 1995 at a fire sale price to replace it. One trip (five weeks) was all it took with the Lance to realize if we want quality go back to fiberglass (and Lance is considered one of the better ones?).

After looking June (midway through our one Lance trip)/July, and viewing previously sold Escapes, for the first time we decided to purchase a NEW camper. Our build sheet is a full two pages long. We researched and got everything we wanted. That included six lines of items/build that are NOT on the options web page.

Since our October 26th pickup we've camped 19 weeks in our 5.0 and love it even more than we expected! We purchased new so we could have the camper we want, not the camper someone else wanted.

Don't be in a rush to purchase a new camper. Due diligence will give you a camper you'll love!

Enjoy,

Perry
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Old 04-29-2019, 12:31 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by marant View Post
We are newly to the project of purchasing a fiberglass trailer, downsizing from a 32' fifthwheel. Maybe I am missing something, but in looking at the used units available and their prices I am beginning to think it makes more sense to buy new. Is seems the following are skewing the market for used units to the high side of pricing:

1. Many of the used units have an asking price that indicates either no depreciation or only a few hundred dollars a year. I have actually seen some advertised for more than the factory prices, particularly in SoCal. Is this a new phenomenon, or has it been this way for a while?

2. It appears the factory is so oversold that there is a wait time of several months, which affects the prices of used units.

3. Possibly the units are actually selling for much less than the asking price, but I doubt it based upon their very short time on the market.

4. Are the older units better than the new ones (quality, features, etc.)?

5. I know this is not the time of year to find a bargain in an rv, but does the market for Escapes fluctuate much based upon Spring vs Fall?

6. Should we just bite the bullet and buy new, hoping that our unit also will not depreciate much in the future?

My observations pertain to Escape units, but it looks like it also applies to Casita and Scamp. Comments would be most welcome.
Even though we purchased new for our Escape . If we found a well taken care of used would not of hesitated in purchasing . Because we purchased new and the exchange was not very good at the time and all the improvements we have made , if our trailer was to be up for sale , we would be at the top in price for used . Pat
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Old 04-29-2019, 12:35 PM   #15
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We bought our 5.0 TA used. It was about 2 yrs old and basically had all the options we wanted...we paid about the price of a base model and got one with many options that would have added significantly to the price. If you want used be prepared to travel, ours was in Las Vegas and we are in Vermont and be prepared to jump on it as they do sell very fast (many in just days!)

We owned a used Scamp 19 and it also held its value and sold quickly to a couple from Michigan.

We love our Escape it is not too small and not too big but just right for us!
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Old 04-29-2019, 02:21 PM   #16
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We bought the first Escape new and the 2nd one used. There are benefits to going either way.
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Old 04-30-2019, 10:34 AM   #17
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I am leaving tomorrow for British Columbia to pickup our new 21. We have scheduled orientation on Monday May 6th. I have a few helpful thoughts: 1st The hardest part of buying a Molded Fiberglass RV is the first purchase. Our first MFRV was a Casita that I thought I paid way to much for. Turns out after some upgrades and maintenance I made money on it when the Casita was placed up for sale, last fall after a couple years of ownership. Its hard for some to sell a 31ft stick built RV for peanuts and buy a small trailer for thousands more. At first many of our RV friends did not understand our purchase of the Casita, but many of them now have upgraded to small quality RV's.

Fast forward to the purchase of our new Escape 21. I thought that the prices of used Escapes were a bit high. After going though the build process and planning a long trip out west, the price of many used Escapes are actually reasonable. Our Escape 21 as delivered has about 10k of options, plus the cost of delivery at $3.00 a mile. Delivery would have set me back $7380.00. We are planning a fun 3 week trip for pickup and site seeing, so delivery is not an issues for us. I do think that the cost of delivery must be factored in when price out a RV.
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Old 06-30-2019, 06:47 PM   #18
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New here and looking for a 21

Another thing or two we are considering is: used may save us $$$, but we will forgoe the 2 year warantee coverage which a new TT has ..
and where the used TT has been taken and stored may influence the decision..ie stored in poor conditions, road salt vs none etc. WE are just beginning to look to upsize from our Casita.
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Old 06-30-2019, 07:19 PM   #19
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Since we started this thread it seems only fair to bring everyone up to date.

We recently purchased a 2010 17B. The price was 16,000 with about 5,000 of factory upgrades. ETI tells me the original price would have been about 28,000cdn. We think it was a fair price.

We were contacted direct by the seller as a result of our WTB in the Escape classifieds, so they do work.

Trailer is in very good shape with a few things to fix that were disclosed. We conducted a through PPI which did not reveal any undisclosed problems.

We are repairing/replacing the screen door screen and awning fabric (gives us a chance to customize the awning). We are also upgrading the stove hood fan, new flooring, painting some of the interior and working to bring the exterior back to a high gloss.

Given what we have learned I would offer the following:

Be sure to conduct an extensive PPI so there are no surprises.

No long wait for our trailer to be built.

Buying a used trailer, particularly one a few years old, removes the anxiety of making changes, repairs, improvements, etc. I think with a new trailer we would not want to make many changes.


We are more apt to try things to improve the trailer (for us) than we would with a new trailer.


If we make a mistake we can just fix it without worrying about resale, etc.


We end up with a trailer that is really 'ours'.

There really are reasons 'to buy used'. We are once again happy campers!
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Old 06-30-2019, 09:33 PM   #20
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My trailer will be five years old on Tuesday. IMHO there are two of the happiest times of trailer ownership (other than camping). The day you pick up and the day the warranty runs out. And I mean that honestly. Two years and one day, my trailer was mine to do everything I want, fix what needs fixin' and taking it to be repaired where I want, or not. Anything (other than major body or frame work) that needs to be done would cost me less than $500 for the product (I don't have A/C), other than the refrigerator. I'm more than willing to take on that cost as needed. I've found ETI easy to work with. But reading others issues and anxiety, I'm glad I'm long done with that. Be happy, make memories, drill some holes
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