I think you can tell a lot about how a trailer is going to be by talking to the folks who own it, and seeing how they repond to your questions. I've been around eBay a lot, and people who respond in a life-like coherent are pretty likely to be straight shooters.
drboyd,
I agree with you. After I spoke to Erica on Wednesday 7/23 and she told me the owner originally sent her the (13) .jpg pictures shown on her website and she told me she was just a broker on this paticular trailer. I called and spoke with him for about 45 mins. to a hour about his A/S trailer. I asked what I thought to be all of the necessary and pertnant questions regarding the condition, inside & out, window glass, dents, etc. as advertised. I thought I was being very through, hum... I guess not....
He answered all of my questions to the best of his ability or what
he really wanted me to hear. Pray tell what he expected to gain by lieing to me, I really couldnt tell you his motive.
His price of $ 6750.00 FOB NM, if you compared it to some of the other vintage 17' Caravel trailers advertised online it is just about at it's retail peak, having said that under normal circumstances I expected the trailer to be in at least excellent if not better condition. Wrong again Moosebreath ! That is why we drive all over the country trying to buy up all of the straightest skined AS travel trailers
The outer exterior skin on this Caravel is all we were HONESTLY CONCERED with. If this trailer was gutted empty
and advertised correctly like on airstreans.net website with one hand size dent in rear corner and no creases anywhere I would have gone ahead and bought it and paid him with $ 100.00 bills
cause I have a client that has given me the authorization to buy the 1st. one available with a flawless exterior and completely customize the interior to his specs with a solid mahogany floor and interior cabinets.
If you start off with a dented, patched up, or battery acid ate up aluminum exterior skin when you go to polish that skin to a mirror finish all of the flaws, dents, creases, and imperfections show up even more and it is a very difficult sale, trust me...
Last edited by thenewkid64; 07-30-2003 at 08:49 AM..
In response to Oceancontainers information on the 67 Caravel, one of the best parts of this website is in suppling such info to the members. There are many people who mistate the condition of an AS and it is buyer beware. How ever we do help each other by keeping the info flowing as in most cases we have to travel a ways to see a unit and are taking a real chance.
Check out the 76 Overlander. All it needed was three tires and one shock absorber! How much extra for the boogers from the nose pickin' kid on the front sofa?
I just received a PM from a young lady, as she describes she had an absolutely abysmal experience with a '67 Caravel she bought off the same site and from the same broker. In fact, the trailer she bought is still shown on her site, though we bought and then re-sold it nearly a year ago.
......................... Having Said That ...............................................
I'm 3 hrs. away from Abilene and www.airstreams.net , if anyone needs me to evaluate a trailer they have in stock drop me a line
and I will do it for a nominal fee and send you pictures.
I can see your your anger . I would also be T-offed if I just drove 1000+ miles to see a pile of junk myself. But if you look at the photos very closely that trailer was very dirty and I did see a buch of dents on the shell as well. When I buy a new "toy" for myself I bring a friend that think I an a complete fool wanting a new "toy" and let them take a look.Most of the time they will see the flaws, unlike your/us we will never see the problems untill we buy it and have it in our hands.
PS if you need me to look at a trailer in the NY area I would do it for free is it is not to far from me.
Live, learn, die and forget it all. I am sure that same mistake won't be duplicated.
I like the idea of other forum folks that are closer looking into it for other forum folks. I know I'd do it for someone if they asked if it was possible.
__________________
Computers manufactured by companies such as IBM, Compaq and millions of others are by far the most popular with about 70 million machines in use worldwide. Macintosh fans note that cockroaches are far more numerous than humans and that numbers alone do not denote a higher life form. -NY Times 1991
Expressing his personal experience is not slander. Slander would be if he made all this up, just to harm this persons reputation. I think that would be real hard pressed to prove in this case. He stuck to his experience and did not say anything close to being slanderous.
__________________
Here is the link to Dingo's trailer: 1968 Avion T-22
Buying "ANY" RV, let alone an Airstream product, from pictures and the "OWNERS" description is almost the same as buying the "pig in the poke."
At best, not a good idea, ever.
Almost the same as a "mail order bride." You will find out what you bought, when it's too late.
Tomorrow I will be in court as a witness for some owners who bought their "dream Airstream" on e-bay. They paid $6000.00.
After examining the trailer, and estimating what it would cost to put the coach back into "operable" condition, without any upgrades, it very quickly said "LOUD AND CLEAR," that somebody was "HAD," badly.
The estimate was over $30,000.00. A totally trashed trailer.
If someone paid $100.00 for it, it still would have been a "BAD" deal.
E-bay is E-bay, no different than any other site.
It's not them, it's the sellers. It is especially difficult, if the seller is in one state, and your in another, should a law suit be necessary.
Remember the old saying, "there is a sucker born everyday." But add to that saying, there are several crooks, born everyday.
E-bay has provided "the crook" a legal way, to rip people off, "BIG TIME."
E-bay "BUYER BEWARE," as you more than likely, have "NO" recourse.
Originally posted by Inland RV Center, In The estimate was over $30,000.00. A totally trashed trailer.
$30,000? Were they shown photo's on E-bay of a different trailer? How could it be that trashed? You can buy a new Airstream (depending on the model) for that much.
Add up the cost to replace the carpet, drapes, all the upholstery and foam.
Add the cost to remove the white paint that was rolled on everything (very poorly), such as the tambour doors, all the vinyl clad, the plastic sinks and walls, bad univolt, water heater, furnace, airconditioner, range, water pump, both holding tanks, the water tank, nine segments, two lower side sheets, two window sheets, 2 axles (one bad Henschen axle and one that is not compatible with the Henschen axle), rockguard, 5 windows, gaskets on the rest of the windows, repair the KT lock (new one from Airstream costs $600.00 as of yesterday), replace all the tambour doors, faucets are bad, has a household refrigerator (that doesn't work),ceiling lights corroded, 2 batteries, damaged cabinetry, all the screens, plus a lot of labor.
Refinishing the exterior was not included.
Carefully taken pictures, showed none of that damage or defects.
The best that can and more often than not, you will br taken gross advantage of.
Sight unseen, or from picture buyers, BEWARE!!!!!!
I think the key lesson there is to not hand over money until you have personally inspected the item. You'll feel a lot better walking away, money in hand, then trying to get it back later when you realize you got taken.
Quick Links
Trailer Values
How much extra for the boogers from the nose pickin' kid on the front sofa?
Linear Mode
