I studied marketing in high school so I understand the concepts involved in "price versus value". We have bought and sold 3 fixer-upper houses and are ready to market the current one (and last one!), have purchased only used vehicles over the last many years so I know the hazards and expenses of "used" and worst yet, "abused".
I have been looking at the ads for used molded fiberglass rvs and I have heard many times about the life of such a creature but in reality, things like internal components can be expensive to replace especially for those that don't have do-it-yourself skills. I have given advice on "stickies" when it comes to buying used and I cannot help but follow the advice that I give others and that is that you must consider the worst case scenario, appliances not working or not working up to par as a refrigerator, a/c or furnace may turn on but still not be working properly and water heaters, water pumps, etc. and never forget that tires, despite how they look, should be replaced at least by the 7th year of their life. I saw a photo of a Scamp that a tire blow out and it wasn't pretty and yes, may not have been old tires but why take the chance? So, I would have to take the cost of the used and see just how much work I would be doing before approaching the point that used no longer made sense.
The units I see that are, in my mind, reasonably priced always go quickly while others often wane. Location definitely helps one sell at a higher price as does the desperation for one to get their hands on one quickly.
This has to be the worst time to buy as prices have sky-rocketed with the onset of spring.
Like "beauty", "value" is in the eye of the beholder.
Did anyone have any guidelines that they used in determining value? I do have the inspection checklist from another website for used units and it is pretty comprehensive. I always suggest checking online to see what new furnaces, A/C, etc. cost as if you aren't familiar with the cost of RV stuff, it can be shocking!
Oversimplified, the value of used is what someone is willing to pay for it, same for houses, cars, etc. If 3 80's 13 Scamps sell in the last 6 months for $6500-$6700 range and condition/location of yours is comparable then an 80's 13 Scamp should be valued in the $6k range.
That is one of the big reasons why when we launched http://www.fiberglass-rv-4sale.com/fiberglass-rvs-sold over 7 years ago was to build something that didn't exist. A comprehensive/brand organized Listing and Sold Archives for molded fiberglass travel trailers where sellers and buyers can see what people have recently paid for the brand/model trailer they are selling or are interested in. The second reason is for insurance adjusters to get correct value for the trailers when you are filing a claim since NADA is so inaccurate and low on molded fiberglass trailers. Hobbyists can now print out several comps from our sold archives and give them to the insurance adjuster so they get reimbursed correctly on their claim.
You make several good points on value being higher based on location, time of year, scarcity, etc. However, many of those rules have changed in the last three years and high prices on these gems have been year round with no real off-season like we used to see. This winter has been the lowest winter season for inventory so prices and time to sell have stayed higher and faster than normal. Some trailers over the winter have sold in minutes within posting the listing, even high priced late model units.
But it is good for the hobby to see such demand from lots of new people finding their way to the molded fiberglass trailers. All the Scamp Camps and rallies are filling up quite a bit in advance and setting record numbers of attendees. So folks are getting out and using the trailers after they purchase them!
Our Trailers:
2015 19 Escape
Buying or Selling Molded FG Trailers:
Fiberglass-RV-4Sale
I have seen better deals generally with dealers and also know that they expect to be offered less, even much less than what they ask and having dealt with them, buying and trading, they can afford to take less.
We had a pop-up taken in AZ and I was surprised at what the insurance paid out and when I asked, he said they looked at what that unit would most likely sell for in the area. Something like they tried to find 3 examples. They also did this with a car that was totaled by a teen sitting in front of our house in KS. I always thought they would offer bottom dollar when insurance paid out but, let's face, a few thousand to them really isn't that much considering what we all pay in.
We have a dealer in the state and I saw a Casita, very well priced, which we couldn't get down to look at. All the trades there have attractive prices and they cater to snowbirds and full-timers so I am watching their site. I have noticed that dealers seem to be taking in trades right now from the snowbird population who are stopping or upgrading. I studied marketing at one time and find it interesting.
Cathy
We have quite a few dealers that we work with and they put ads on fiberglass-rv-4sale.com. Sometimes they can be better and sometimes worse on pricing/negotiation, just depends on the dealership and the sales tax/fees.
What I like about when a reputable dealer has a unit for sale is that someone from a long distance can buy the trailer and safely put a deposit with the dealer to hold the trailer until they get there. You also know the paperwork is usually correct and will be transferred correctly. This is always a bit scary with a long distance or even close distance private seller transaction.
The negative about dealer trailers is that you will normally owe sales tax on the purchase at your home states tax rate. I.E. in AZ it is almost 9% so on a 7K sale you will have about $600 addl in sales tax. You don't have that on a private sale. You also may have prep fees for paperwork, etc. that can be exorbitant.
Our Trailers:
2015 19 Escape
Buying or Selling Molded FG Trailers:
Fiberglass-RV-4Sale
Try 9.12% on ALL purchases and follow that up with an enormous personal property tax. (You pay the sales tax on a private sale when you apply for the title/registration.) We would have to pay sales tax no matter what which could be why it is so difficult to find anything here. I keep looking at the price of new and thinking about the sales tax and personal property tax. With the house going on the market and plans uncertain, it pays to wait.
In AL, we paid 4% on RVs and I checked NC since my son lives there and they pay 4%. When you are talking about a $20,000 or $30,000+ purchase, those dollars add up. Makes it worth checking out your state with the MVD.
Cathy