Residential refrigerator?

[Alcoa Roller]

I keep hearing about resale value being an issue but I don't buy that. You cant loose what you haven't paid for to begin with. Assuming two trailers are equal in every way except one has a 400 home fridge and the other has a 1500 camper fridge, and assuming a 50% reduction in new price vs depreciated used price you are looking at 200.00 vs 750. Not a whole lot to get your undies in a bunch over and I dont think that a buyer who likes your trailer will find it objectionable to the point of not buying it as long as the price reflects the difference. Just price it so he can put in an lp model if he wants it. In the mean time you have been 1100.00 to the good and been sucking martinis and watching sun sets.

Now personally I just put a new Norcold unit in mine to replace a dorm type all electric. I couldn't be happier with the improvement in space and look and yes I did have to build a cabinet for it from scratch due to the increase in size. Well worth it to me.

[idroba]

It is not just the price difference which changes the resale value but the fact that the majority of RV purchasers are not DYI folks, and don't know how, or are physically incapable of changing a refrigerator out.

They want to buy a usable rig which meets their needs, not one which they have to spend time or money, or find someone to do the changes like a refrigerator. Thus, two otherwise equal units have a time and hassle factor if one needs to be modified prior to use. They want to camp, not renovate, so they buy the one which works for them now, not at some future date.

Thus, if they want an RV refrigerator, and the rig they are looking at does not have one, it is a turn off to buy and modify, so they look elsewhere.

So, not only $$ difference but initial desirability which is important in "harder to sell".

[Skater]

Originally Posted by Alcoa Roller

I keep hearing about resale value being an issue but I don't buy that. You cant loose what you haven't paid for to begin with. Assuming two trailers are equal in every way except one has a 400 home fridge and the other has a 1500 camper fridge, and assuming a 50% reduction in new price vs depreciated used price you are looking at 200.00 vs 750. Not a whole lot to get your undies in a bunch over and I dont think that a buyer who likes your trailer will find it objectionable to the point of not buying it as long as the price reflects the difference.

I would walk away from a camper with a compressor fridge in it. It doesn't meet my needs. It would also make me wonder what else was done to the camper to make it less useful.

Just price it so he can put in an lp model if he wants it.

That sounds like a change to the resale value to me.

[adonh]

Originally Posted by idroba

It is not just the price difference which changes the resale value but the fact that the majority of RV purchasers are not DYI folks, and don't know how, or are physically incapable of changing a refrigerator out.

They want to buy a usable rig which meets their needs, not one which they have to spend time or money, or find someone to do the changes like a refrigerator. Thus, two otherwise equal units have a time and hassle factor if one needs to be modified prior to use. They want to camp, not renovate, so they buy the one which works for them now, not at some future date.

Thus, if they want an RV refrigerator, and the rig they are looking at does not have one, it is a turn off to buy and modify, so they look elsewhere.

So, not only $$ difference but initial desirability which is important in "harder to sell".

I have not tried to sell my 1976 31" sovereign and don't have any plans to either. But the question of replacing the "RV" type fridge with a "residential" fridge has come up many times. I have not missed my old Dometic "RV" fridge at all from the time I replaced it about 10 years ago. I don't boon dock and have never had a problem with the fridge not running while in tow. As long as it is cold when I pull out in the morning the food is still cold when I stop driving later that day and the frozen food is still frozen. The "residential" fridge keeps food colder, beer colder and my Blue Bell ice cream is frozen like it is supposed to be. It has more room than the same foot print size "RV" fridge. Besides it looks great like it belongs in the trailer. Now if you are going to put some crappy looking white 110V fridge stuck in a hole, that's not the same thing.

[ALANSD]

we had a residential model in our 31 Sovereign and had no problems with it. I have an original Dometic oldie in my 66 that we use now.It works well too but takes a few hours to cool down once turned on

[slowmover]

I tend to look at and buy older trailers. Depreciation is nearly over, and it's a matter of condition.

A reefer from Home Depot is right up there with a window AC unit, different brand/age tires, ho-made curtains, little steel grocery store propane tanks and "updated" furnishings from Aunt Sally. Can't wait to find the floor moisture problems and interesting plumbing repairs. And the many times re drilled and re riveted sections and door hinges. It's a sign of just not caring.

A proper RV reefer unit is going to run me a lot of money. Pretty much immediately. No telling how the original enclosure has been bungled.

In looking at on line pics it's nothing but a bad sign. The asking price comes down by over $2000 the moment I see that it is missing. And I expect to find a long list of real problems. I've not ever been disappointed in this.

I'd sure put in a working RV reefer unit before selling.

And update converter to a PD with Charge Wizard. New tires (Maxxis UE168) plus fresh brake and bearing service, clean title, fresh inspection and a complete cheap WD hitch makes it a lot more attractive. LED exterior lamps. Advertise as ready to use. Hitch it up and go.

[J. Morgan]

Frankly I think my residential fridge looks ok, it works great, all the time, even when being towed.

Fact of the matter is, it is much more energy efficient than any propane fridge whether it is working on ac, dc, or propane.

If it matters to a person it is more enviro friendly both in energy consumption and its build.

Not everyone has to like it, but for some it is a viable alternative.


1/2 Ton 4WD Truck, 72 Sovereign Hensley Arrow

[HiHoAgRV]

I think a properly done install could be a good selling point but I've never seen one for sale!

Every time I see an ad with a obvious non-RV fridge I had to wonder, what else was done to the trailer 'on the cheap'.

If they had touted increased battery capacity, properly installed inverter, solar charging - I would be ok with that (actually it would be pretty cool!) but it's ALWAYS 'new fridge...'

I started to install one in my '63 but ran across a $150 used Dometic.

I also have had a 110v bar sized fridge fail while towing and running off an inverter. The compressor failed open, broke wire. This gives me slight pause over the durability of bouncing around a home style unit.

[slowmover]

A solar electric setup is an entirely different thing. As may be an entirely rebuilt trailer as nice looking as JMorgans.

But these are not what one sees in classified ads.

[lewster]

Originally Posted by HiHoAgRV

I think a properly done install could be a good selling point but I've never seen one for sale!

Every time I see an ad with a obvious non-RV fridge I had to wonder, what else was done to the trailer 'on the cheap'.

If they had touted increased battery capacity, properly installed inverter, solar charging - I would be ok with that (actually it would be pretty cool!) but it's ALWAYS 'new fridge...'

I started to install one in my '63 but ran across a $150 used Dometic.

I also have had a 110v bar sized fridge fail while towing and running off an inverter. The compressor failed open, broke wire. This gives me slight pause over the durability of bouncing around a home style unit.

Yep,

Just another reason for a quality marine fridge. They are rated for abuse and will work up to 30º off level. Try that with any residential fridge. And with the proliferation of residential models in larger RVs and motor homes.....you will start hearing about compressor failures soon, as they are not meant to be bouncing down the road either!

[Beach Bum]

We sold our propane fridge right after we bought ours and had a 12/120 v marine one installed. We had the same concern about propane and hot ammonia. We love it. No waiting for it to cool down we turn it on put the goodies in and go. We have camped in the Florida summer sun with no shade and it worked just fine. Fridge 37 freezer 0. Could have set them both colder if we wanted to.

We plan to boondock so we also had a complete solar system installed as well.

IMHO if you don't plan to boondock a small efficient residential fridge w an inverter may work fine even if you have if you have the two AS stock interstate batteries. With the additional charging you get from your TV alternator you should be fine if your plugging in whenever you stop for the night.

Our marine fridge has a slightly smaller foot print than the original with a little 2x4 framing and some nice blanks to fill the void ours looks great. I have had several ask if it was a factory up grade. no doubt you can do the same.

Lew has a good point on the reliability given the rolling earthquake environment of the trailer. However a residential fridge is between 1/2 -1/4 the price of a good marine fridge so one can make a good argument here for the residential one but only if your not boondocking.

Resale !!!!!!.... are we talkin Resale !!!!!!!!!!
I bought my AS to
"Get your motor runnin'
Head out on the highway
Lookin' for adventure
And whatever comes our way .... .. Born to be wild "

If your more comfortable with a residential fridge go for it. Leave the propane line in cap it and forget about it. The next owner can do what ever floats their boat.

As someone on another post said our AS are like trousers one size does not fit all.