Salvaged/Wrecked 5.0TA value ?

[Suregrip391]

Hi group,
I have not posted much about this and as it stands right now, I should probably not be posting much let alone info and pics as some of you know, someone ran in to the back of our 2020 5.0TA on our first outing.

What I can say is that the insurance company is going to total it. It will need a new frame to be roadworthy again because it was damaged in the rear, along with the spare tire bracket punching a couple small holes through the fiberglass. The front of the metal frame at the pin box is pushed downward where it connected to my truck from the foreword momentum of the impact.

Let’s just say it’s no longer able to be towed in this condition due to the frame.

I have a chance to buy it back and I was considering doing this and either having a frame made or putting it on a car hauler frame or some other idea at this point that I don’t even know.

I have some land I can permanently park it on , fix the fiberglass and enjoy! Or buy it back and try and sell with a salvaged title. It’s a 2020 model, fully loaded with solar, inverter, u shape, aluminum wheels, you name it, it has it! High lift, double step, the works! Overall still a sweet trailer that can be fixed in a few hours (and a new frame if it needed towed)

Please do not respond with $ below but can someone share with me if there is a market for a salvaged trailer? And what I might expect? I don’t know what to do because insurance is not giving me what it was worth, we are in a battle and I need to decide to keep it or sell it or take the payout and forget it.

Would anyone here be interested in such a rig and at what cost though? Very nice trailer that will need some rear glass work, no holes just a sloppy punch thru…. and a bent frame but everything else is spotless/new looking as we always took good care of her. Everything works!

I’m posting this in an open forum with reservation but hope to get replies via a DM or PM if anyone ever has been down this road and can share experiences? The buyback price is not cheap but my payout is not enough to cover our property damage. The guy that hit us was underinsured. My policy had a limit and that is why I’m stuck! I learned a very important insurance lesson here that I am now seeing / Reading on here a few threads about.

Insure your trailers everyone!! Insure them well!!

Please remember to send a private message when discussing value or details….we appreciate it. This is not a for sale thread just a WIW thread to a couple that is in a jamb,

Thanks everyone…..PM please as discussed above.

[splitting_lanes]

Sorry for your loss.

Would you mind sharing the insurance policy limit problem that you learned about, or sharing the links to the threads you are referring too?

We have our 5.0 insured, but the company insuring it is an insurance company, not an rv expert. I suspect I should be more knowledgeable to fill that gap.

Feel free to PM me if you want.

[Dave Walter]

Why not contact Escape and ask them if they would sell you a new frame without the body? It could be a fairly simple swap from the old to the new frame.

[wackyburggeezer]

Several years ago, there was an E19 with a salvage title for sale. As I recall, it took quite some time before it was purchased. My vote goes with trying to get ETI to sell you a frame, and you do the swap.

[Suregrip391]

Originally Posted by splitting_lanes

Sorry for your loss.

Would you mind sharing the insurance policy limit problem that you learned about, or sharing the links to the threads you are referring too?

We have our 5.0 insured, but the company insuring it is an insurance company, not an rv expert. I suspect I should be more knowledgeable to fill that gap.

Feel free to PM me if you want.

Hello, thanks for the reply…..insure your trailers for more then they are worth. It’s worth it to pay a bit more in the event something happens. Because our policy has a limit, it was only insured for a certain amount. Well, values have risen but because I proved to them it’s worth more now, they can only go by the policy limit it was insured for. No more.,… I had to use my own insurance because the AH that hit us was WAY underinsured….thank you NYS for allowing this to happen. I hope this helps answer the question, if not, send a PM thanks.

[Suregrip391]

Originally Posted by Dave Walter

Why not contact Escape and ask them if they would sell you a new frame without the body? It could be a fairly simple swap from the old to the new frame.

Hello, yes we have been in talks over getting a new frame but escapes final decision was NO. They did not want any liability. My understanding is that they do not make the frame, does anyone know who does? Maybe I can contact them? Escape also said there there were design changes and a new frame may not be compatible anyway…… I’m sure a correct one can still be had if I called the frame company if I knew who they were?

[Viajante]

I think it would be worth getting a new frame built. It would likely be stronger than the original and you could customize it, such as a back deck for your new mini split air conditioner and bikes.

I don’t know what the rules are for getting an inspection and recertification but it might be possible.

When I took my trailer to a shop to have the recall gussets added the welder was not impressed. “He (Escape) must build for light. For a bit more weight you could have a much stronger trailer.”

[Centex]

Sorry to read of this situation, you've got my sympathy.

Sounds to me like it's time to take the loss (collect the available insurance) and move forward.

I suppose a buy-back and installing it as a 'static cabin' on your property might make cents if that's something you would actually use and the cost to make that happen is competitive with other tiny cabin alternatives considering the 'trade-offs' (e.g. a non-RV cabin could likely be better insulated and equipped with more efficient appliances just to name two of many).

IMO given the visible damage description any effort to make it fully road-worthy again would likely involve lots of work and expense and you'd still be left with a trailer stigmatized by a salvage title. Personally I'm not sure I could ever convince myself that the trailer would be one I'd tow with full confidence (did the whole thing 'flex' enough in the instant of the impact to cause cracks or separation between the many pieces of wood framing hidden behind wall coverings inside the shell?). It's hard for me to imagine that'd end up being a net-positive or even a net-breakeven proposition in the end.

I realize there's significant time and cost inflation factors involved in getting a new replacement from ETI, but since making this one a 'static cabin' is on your consideration list it would seem you're either willing to abandon the notion of another 5.0 or the time/cost factors for replacing it aren't insurmountable.

Again, very sorry to hear of your loss, good luck with whatever you decide.

[Ron in BC]

And now for another opinion.

I've straightened a lot of metal and believe me, put enough tons of controlled hydraulic pressure in the right place and the metal moves like wet spaghetti.

From your description there's a lot of usable frame there and straightening and possibly welding in a new piece or two is likely to cost much less than a new frame.

I'd think that it would come down to you deciding if you wanted to get involved with the frame removal. Many folks rebuilding Scamps and Bolers etc. do this routinely.

I can tell you with certainty that if the 23 ever gets on the road and one ends up with this situation I'd be all over it in a flash.

Ron

[GregWCIL]

I believe Lippert builds the frames. If it happened to me I’d build or have a frame built. I’d go up to 4 inch deep tubing.

But I have a full farm shop with hoists and forklifts. And lots of experience designing and building things. I suspect that Escape relies on the fiberglass shell for overall strength. Thus their hesitation to sell just a frame since likely the fiberglass might be damaged also.

Bottom line: It depends on what the buy-back is, what repairs would cost and perhaps most of all how much time you have to devote to it vs. time you could spend camping.

[diannelgraham]

Originally Posted by Suregrip391

Hello, yes we have been in talks over getting a new frame but escapes final decision was NO. They did not want any liability. My understanding is that they do not make the frame, does anyone know who does? Maybe I can contact them? Escape also said there there were design changes and a new frame may not be compatible anyway…… I’m sure a correct one can still be had if I called the frame company if I knew who they were?

The frames are built by a company close to Escape per Karl in a Q&A from a year or so ago. Even if you found the company they would not sell a frame to you without Escape permission. The frame design is owned by Escape not the frame manufacturer.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

I've straightened a lot of metal and believe me, put enough tons of controlled hydraulic pressure in the right place and the metal moves like wet spaghetti.

From your description there's a lot of usable frame there and straightening and possibly welding in a new piece or two is likely to cost much less than a new frame.

I would have to see pictures of the damage but I would bet a skilled welder could have that trailer back on the road in short order. It’s a shame to have a salvage title though. That will really impact resale value.

[Iowa Dave]

Good frame and axle shop, a skilled welder and someone to tell him what they want if it’s different from the original and you could be back in business. My father-in law rebuilt many wrecks as a lifetime body man. He was a magician with a porta power. One day he was rebuilding an LTD for himself. I was in the garage and he asked if I could give him a hand. There was a crumpled passenger side door on the floor in my way. It was the same color as the wreck. I flipped it out of my way.
Bill yells at me “Hey, take it easy, that’s my good one” The T-boned door I hadn’t seen was piled in the corner with other junk parts. I rode in that repaired car many times and he always asked me when I got in or out, “How’s that door working? Do not give up, ask around at welding shops and if there’s a frame and axle or construction trailer shop, ask them.
Iowa Dave

[kootenaigirl]

This is a similar situation where they added a new frame to an old Escape but not a fifth wheel. It is in BC and titled as a ubilt. Obviously a much older trailer that had been in an accident but I thought it was interesting.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

I've straightened a lot of metal and believe me, put enough tons of controlled hydraulic pressure in the right place and the metal moves like wet spaghetti.

From your description there's a lot of usable frame there and straightening and possibly welding in a new piece or two is likely to cost much less than a new frame.

...

I can tell you with certainty that if the 23 ever gets on the road and one ends up with this situation I'd be all over it in a flash.

The new 23' trailer has an aluminum frame - that might substantially change the situation regarding repairability.

I agree that the steel 5.0 frame is likely to be repairable.

[Eggscape]

Originally Posted by Suregrip391

Hello, yes we have been in talks over getting a new frame but escapes final decision was NO. They did not want any liability. My understanding is that they do not make the frame, does anyone know who does? Maybe I can contact them? Escape also said there there were design changes and a new frame may not be compatible anyway…… I’m sure a correct one can still be had if I called the frame company if I knew who they were?

Sorry for your loss…I am very doubtful that they changed the Fiberglass mold in 2020 to fit a new trailer design. I think there is a little BS leaking out of ETI.

[Centex]

Originally Posted by Eggscape

Sorry for your loss…I am very doubtful that they changed the Fiberglass mold in 2020 to fit a new trailer design. I think there is a little BS leaking out of ETI.

I know from comparing David Murphy's 5.0 built December 2018 to mine built August 2021 that there are a number of differences in tabs and some mounting plates welded on the frame.

Those differences seem to be limited to propane system fitting tabs, rear stabilizer mounting plates, black/grey plumbing fitting tabs, maybe a few other tweaks of similar nature I didn't spot.

But I agree, the shell and the shell/frame interface is almost assuredly the same and none of this would preclude 'upgrade' to a newer ETI-spec frame under an older 5.0TA shell if one could be sourced, IMO, and calling that "may not be compatible" strikes me as a bit of a stretch intended to discourage that alternative rather than find solutions.

In any case, the decision rendered is certainly ETI's prerogative.

Always wishing the best for the OP in this unfortunate situation, whatever path he can find / chooses to take.

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

The new 23' trailer has an aluminum frame - that might substantially change the situation regarding repairability.

I agree that the steel 5.0 frame is likely to be repairable.

Not all the much different. Bends would be straightened and deformed sections would be cut out and replaced.

The big thing would be whether the frame repair would be done commercially or DIY. In my case, having both a TIG welder and hydraulic power it's a moot point.

I think that it'd be a great project but the odds of a usable written off 23 ever becoming available in the near future are slim to none.

Ron

[Craiger]

It's very obvious that escape will not sell you a frame because of the liability issues. You could possibly remove the frame from the body and have a welding shop create a new frame. But they'll probably refuse because of the liability issues. The trailer will wind up more than likely in a salvage auction. then as a rental property on the streets of Los Angeles with every other scrapped out RV in the world. My advice go order 23 and enjoy your waiting time.

[Ooshkaboo]

Here in this state I’ve had several frames custom made to then drop a toolbox onto the custom frame which it then bolted down onto.

So many ways to go.

Getting a title was never a problem…